CrossGen had announced that issue #43 would be the last issue for Sigil…but when #42 shipped this week, it ended abruptly with a message that it was the final issue. I’m guessing that there wasn’t the money to publish issue #43, which is getting scary. What happens to the money already paid for #43? CGE appears to be in an economic whirlpool and all we fans can do is continue to buy their products this holiday season.

Meanwhile, for those really into the Sigil story who were looking forward to an actual resolution, Bill Rosemann has posted the script to Sigil #43 on the Web. This is Chuck Dixon’s script as it was meant to be seen.

I’m a Dixon fan but I’ve not been reading Sigil as I just couldn’t get into it even after a good four-issue try. I think Chuck Dixon’s way better on books that are his own ideas than taking over someone else’s baby. Still, Sigil has a very devoted following and they were outraged at the shabby ending (and CGE’s method of handling the sudden cancellation). Fans began demanding a short summary of how the book should have ended, and Bill Rosemann of CrossGen has done this above-and-beyond response.

Clearly, CrossGen is doing everything to not offend their base or the shops that have loyally stocked them, and they are listening to complaints. But the evidence is in: they’re broke and doing everything they can to recover. The scheduled endings of the books were their attempt to not do cancellations reminiscent of the sudden DC Implosion of the 1970s. Even if a book was not selling well, they wanted to end the story properly both for the fans and to enable it to be collected someday. (Who wants a trade paperback that ends mid-sentence?) However, in Monday armchair quarterbacking hindsight, if they had abruptly ceased publication of all unprofitable books currently easing into a conclusion, it may have left more money for the printing of their better books. Now they are “imploding” their books after their money is gone. It’s a sad situation all around. The only hope is that they have the money to print their continued Sojourn, Way of the Rat, El Cazador, Route 666, Brath and a few others until new financing turns up.

Given that Sigil #43 must be about 95% or 100% completed but lacking the money to print it (that is my guess, not an announced fact) I wonder if the final comic could be offered as a “Comic on the Web” exclusive at some point? Obviously, even the conversion to online comic requires some expense…but if CrossGen does pull through financially, it is an idea worth exploring. Also, the real final issue to Sigil (and any other series that have this implosion ending before the scheduled ending) may show up in the last trade paperback. Assuming, again, that CrossGen lives to do so.

Remember to buy the existing trades and digital comic books while you can. It will help the company financially…and if CGE doesn’t live to continue printing more, they will all be out of print collector’s items someday!