John Rozum talks more about what went wrong with Static Shock

The other day I posted about the series Static Shock which, despite high hopes, was cancelled after 8 issues. Part of that story included comments from John Rozum. Yesterday Rozum posted more comments about the situation on his website. In he speaks extensively about the issues he had with the editor and co-writer of the book to clear the air because he is “unwilling to have my professional reputation damaged because of something that is not my responsibility.” He has also apparently received emails saying he ruined the series. So he has told his story and it is not a pleasant one:

To say I was disappointed with how things turned out is an understatement. From the first issue on, I was essentially benched by Harvey Richards and artist/writer Scott McDaniel. All of my ideas and suggestions were met with disdain, and Scott McDaniel lectured me on how my method for writing was wrong because it wasn’t what the Robert McKee screenwriting book he read told him was the way to do things. The man who’d never written anything was suddenly more expert than me and the editor was agreeing with him. Scott had also never read a Static comic book, nor seen the cartoon series, yet was telling me that my dialogue didn’t sound true to the character and would “fix it.”

He goes on:

There was more concern about seeing that the title sold and didn’t get cancelled than there was in telling good stories and having something coherent to bring readers in. This is what led Harvey to insist on the stuff with the two Sharon’s and cutting off Static’s arm. He had no answers for how to resolve these things, but thought it would keep reader’s wowed enough to stick with the series. This, too, was frustrating. It was a lot of grasping at straws and trying to second guess what would keep it selling. It was decided that “bigger action” on every page of every issue was the key.

As far as what motivated the cancellation he said this:

Static Shock did not get cancelled because DC has some racist motivation against minority characters, or the Milestone characters. Static Shock was cancelled, in my opinion, because it wasn’t a good comic book. If it had been, people would have stuck with it, just as they have with Animal Man, who is a C-list character elevated by the talents of its creative team being allowed to do what they do best. DC wanted Static Shock to succeed as much as anyone did. They would never have started the series if they didn’t think it had a chance to do so.

There’s more and I encourage you to read it. It sounds as if this was an editorial fustercluck of epic proportions. Rozum says that senior DC management wasn’t aware of what was going on until after he quit. He has good things to say about the rest of DC and says this is not indicative of a general editorial policy.

It’s a sad story of a book with much potential. Static did go down hill after the first issue. Rozum says he believes that is why it was cancelled. It’s too bad that quality issue wasn’t fixed early on. Or after Rozum left that the book.

Let’s hope DC doesn’t abandon Static and they give the senior editorial attention and care it really deserves and that have been given to other characters in the new 52.