2 Years Ago, A Stranger Things Spinoff Was Quietly Canceled With No Explanation

Did you know that we were promised a Stranger Things spinoff comic that never materialized? With Stranger Things rapidly approaching its epic conclusion, I’ve been doing a deep dive into the many, many comic books the juggernaut franchise has had over the years. It’s not surprising that the powers that be cashed in on Stranger Things’ popularity with so many tie-ins (it is one of Netflix’s most successful series, after all). And it’s always cool to see franchises expand their lore utilizing comics, which is exactly what Dark Horse Comics has been doing since 2018.

From The Other Side to Six and even an official crossover with the heroes on the half shell in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things, there are more than a handful of comics to keep fans entertained. Many of these comics (except the TMNT one, obviously) were made to expand the franchises’ lore and even answer burning questions they have. However, a few years back, we were promised a miniseries to give us answers about one particular character. Yet strangely, it was quietly canceled, and we haven’t heard a word about it since.

The Vanishing of Stranger Things: The Many Ghosts of Doctor Brenner

In late 2022, months after Stranger Things’ fourth season had concluded, news broke that Dark Horse Comics was set to publish a new spin-off in 2023. Artist Brenden Fletcher and artist Mack Chater united to produce Stranger Things: The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner. As many of the previous tie-in comics had done, this 4-issue miniseries was set to expand on the history of this universe. This one, as its name implies, would have shone a light on the spotty history of the sinister man Eleven had been forced to call ‘Papa’.

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While the series was set to debut in January of 2023, the first issue was never published, and no additional issues were ever solicited. Information about the book disappeared from Dark Horse Comics’ website, and no official word was given on why. More Stranger Things comics were released, including Stranger Things: Tales from Hawkins and Stranger Things: The Voyage. But The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner was never published, and years later, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that it ever will be.

The radio silence behind the removal of the comic is pretty odd. Dark Horse Comics has released nearly a dozen miniseries, a handful of graphic novels, and one-shots. So why did this book fail to make it to print? I obviously don’t know the real reason why the book was pulled, but the timing of the comic’s removal does coincide with another Stranger Things spin-off, and I think I have an explanation why we’ve yet to see Dark Horse Comics’ Dr. Brenner-focused miniseries.

Stranger Things’ Official Prequel Gave Us Brenner’s True Background

In early 2023, around the time that The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner was supposed to be published, it was announced that Stranger Things was getting a prequel stage play, The First Shadow, a story that focused on Hawkins in 1959 and elaborated on the story of Henry Creel. As expected, Dr. Brenner plays a huge role in this story, which expands on his past work and his motivations for engaging with the mysteries of Dimension X. And though not everyone has seen the play as much as the show itself, it is considered firm canon to the franchise.

This is just a guess, but with how much The First Shadow gives away about Brenner’s past, I can see that those overseeing the franchise didn’t want conflicting origins for him. The Stranger Things comics, while largely solid, don’t always abide by canon. Six infamously contradicted canon by portraying the other children from the Rainbow Room with powers and abilities never seen in the show. While it sucks that two conflicting prequels possibly ended up with a comic getting canceled, Stranger Things couldn’t have more important lore undermined by one of the comics.

While the character himself isn’t the most vital, Dr. Brenner’s past is what essentially kicks off the entire Stranger Things saga. It’s his work with Henry, Eleven, and the others that sets up most of the major conflicts in the show, so making sure his motivations are completely clear is important. It would have been nice to see what The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner had in mind. But as cool as the story might have been, canon stories are always going to beat out any tie-in comic.

Would you have liked to have seen The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!