One of the great things about the comic book format is that it’s one that allows stories to unfold issue by issue, giving readers some great adventures and rich characters that benefit from the kind of development that only the time and space to grow can really provide. There are a lot of comics that have run for dozens of issues, hundreds even, lasting for decades and spanning multiple creative teams — and in the cases of a few legendary runs, one creative team for the full experience. The kind of runs make for a truly satisfying experience for the reader. However, not every comic book gets that luxury. Some runs are always designed to be shorter while others find their time ended way too soon, bringing a halt to great stories that deserved so much more.
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These seven comics series were all great but ended way too soon. While they may have had different reasons for their runs ending, they all are examples of interesting and engaging tales that we wish had lasted longer — and can’t help but wonder what might have been. Some of the series listed here are classics that go back to the early days of now iconic characters while others are more recent, but no matter where they fall in comics history or how many issues they actually got, they still deserve a read.
7) Sensational She-Hulk (2023)
She-Hulk has never had the best luck when it comes to long, consistent series and unfortunately, that includes Rainbow Rowell’s Sensational She-Hulk. A fun, even wholesome series, Sensational She-Hulk was very much a breath of fresh air in terms of comics. The series didn’t so much lean on high stakes drama but made things a lot more personal and even brought back some familiar characters, including Patsy Walker and Jack of Hearts. Rowell described the series as a celebration of the character at the time and that’s exactly what the series was.
Unfortunately, the series got just 10 issues before it was cancelled. While She-Hulk has since returned to other series, they are much more series and drama-focused than Sensational She-Hulk so this series is deeply missed.
6) Chase (1998)
The DC Universe has a rich non-superhero side and 1998’s Chase was a chance to really explore it. After her debut in an issue of Batwoman, Cameron Chase got her own series from D. Curtis Johnson, J.H. Williams, and Mick Gray. As an agent for the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO — a group that fans of The CW’s Supergirl will recognize), Chase was part of those who monitored superhumans to see if they were a threat. For Chase this was personal, as her superhero father had been murdered when she was a child leaving her with a lot of distrust for the capes and tights types.
Case was a really unique series that took a different approach to the “regular person in a superhero world” concept. The series had shades of the supernatural, plenty of mystery, and solid realism thanks to its main character. Unfortunately, the series only got nine proper episodes (a tenth was part of the DC One Million crossover.) The character pops up now and again, but nothing will top her own series.
5) Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina took a beloved Archie Comics series and gave it a dark twist — and it worked. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with art by Robert Hack, the series was much more mature and more horror focused than Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The series is one that actually had some popularity with the first two issues selling out and it was enough that it was adapted by Netflix for the television series of the same name starring Kiernan Shipka.
However, the comic was ended (before the Netflix series debuted) after nine issues in 2017. Interestingly the television show had a similar fate, ending after two seasons which was divided over four parts.
4) Incredible Hulk (1962)
Given how popular the Hulk is these days, it will probably come as a surprise that the original The Incredible Hulk series was cancelled too soon — as in cancelled after just six issues two soon. The book debuted in 1962 with Jack Kirby working with artists Paul Reinman, Steve Ditko, and Dick Ayers for six issues before the end came in 1963. This is the series that largely established Hulk’s iconic origin and back story.
It’s wild to think that a major character that has become such a Marvel icon did not fare so well in terms of his first solo outing, but as we know things did end up working out for the character. The Hulk has had several well-received, longer running series since then. He also showed up again not terribly long after the end of his own series, becoming a founding Avenger and firmly establishing himself as a fixture hero for Marvel.
3) Avengers Inc. (2023)
Al Ewing’s Avengers Inc. might just be the coolest version of the Avengers ever and it still seems wrong that it only got five issues. Written by Ewing with art by Leonard Kirk, the series was more of a noir murder mystery than a superhero series, following Janet Van Dyne/The Wasp as she formed a new type of team to solve mysteries, kicking things off with the Vision’s alter ego, Victor Shade.
Full of action, mystery, and a cool detective vibe, there was nothing like Avengers Inc. and it was a title full of potential. Unfortunately, the series saw it’s run first shortened and then outright cancelled after five issues and one can’t help but feel like it was never given a fair chance.
2) O.M.A.C. (1974)
Jack Kirby’s O.M.A.C. is a seriously cool comic. The series centers around Buddy Blank, aka the One-Man Army Corps and is set in a dystopian future where people are pushed to violence to relive stress. As O.M.A.C., Buddy is charged with the Global Peace Agency to stop power hungry millionaires trying to exploit the less fortunate. It’s a very “Kirby” book — it’s also the book that gives us Brother Eye, a sentient satellite.
But while Kirby was a creator with some very cool ideas and O.M.A.C. is one of them and has come to be much more appreciated decades later, it is admittedly a little out there and was particularly seen that way in the 1970s. It ended after eight issues — and marked the end of Kirby’s time with DC.
1) X-Terminators (2022)
Writer Leah Williams and artist Carlos Gomez brought the X-Terminators X-Men team back in 2022 and this time, with a brand-new roster: Laura Kinney Wolverine, Jubilee, Boom-Boom, and Dazzler. The all-female X-team were dealing with an unusual challenge with Dazzler’s fans being hunted by vampires. It was a fan title that was far less serious than most X-books and that honestly made it a genuinely good read. The X-Men in generally are always dealing with some sort of high stakes crisis so to get the X-Terminators dealing with something, well, fun, was just nice.
But while most X-books get reasonable length runs, X-Terminators was cut short at five issues. That was it. It felt like things had really only just started when it was over. The book was well-received by readers and critics and it’s a real shame it didn’t get a chance to keep going.
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