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Kevin Huizenga On The Appropriateness Of The Cancellation Of Or Else As A Result Of Diamond Policy
posted February 9, 2009
 

I just read your admirable short essay about the Diamond minimum situation, and felt I should write in to say that the cancellation of Or Else probably should not be used in discussions of Diamond's new policy, because the relation between the two has more of the quality of a divination than a strict calculation. And I'm definitely behind the times. Publishers and cartoonists have been steering away from focusing on the one-person anthology comic book series for some time (which maybe became a self-fulfilling prophecy). But it just isn't right to portray the cancellation of Or Else as being somehow caused by Diamond execs, or as something that would change back if the policy were to change back. The Diamond policy change was just the last tap on the forehead, to borrow your image, of a bigger brawl that was already being fought (in my head). I just want to avoid any kind of oversimplified storyline that might be forming about me that goes "Diamond killed Or Else." Other cartoonists might fit that, though.