Fans of DC Comics’ Wildstorm division may see a once-hypothetical conclusion become reality in this lifetime after all.

Warren Ellis, writer/co-creator of the long-running superhero meta-series Planetary stunned the industry with the following announcement today via his “Bad Signal” mailing list:

“…late last night, Wildstorm informed me that [artist/co-creator] John Cassaday has commenced drawing PLANETARY 27…Just know and be happy. I have no word on what else is on John’s plate right now, so I don’t know how long it’ll take or when it’ll see print. It’s not the easiest script in the world to draw, as I recall.”

The series premiered in 1999 with the intent of running for an approximate two-year arc, but ran into chronic publishing difficulties when its creators’ schedules overloaded. Ellis’ scripting pace slowed as he stretched himself thin between a myriad of projects — other miniseries for Wildstorm, the final issues of Transmetropolitan for DC/Vertigo, assorted brainstorms for Marvel Comics and Avatar Press, and other media projects such as video games (including a Castlevania sequel that should see the light of day soon), television (a years-old AMC project that remains secretive yet no less underway), and novels (his 2007 debut, Crooked Little Vein).

Cassaday’s commitment was similarly compromised when Marvel made him an unrefusable offer in 2004 to draw Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men. Additional side projects, covers, and a hands-on guiding role in Dynamite Entertainment’s Lone Ranger series have likely kept him well rewarded, while at the same time frustrating even the most patient Planetary fans, who should consider themselves lucky if they can still name any of the three team members after all this time, let alone recall what happened when last we left our heroes.

The previous issue, #26, was released in October 2006. Ellis submitted the finished script for #27 to Wildstorm in June 2007. Understandably, #27, the series finale, has yet to be solicited.

Be sure to check out our Comics Forum every three to six months for updates as they occur, or search for our past discussions when we were all younger and less cranky!

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