Marvel's Strikeforce canceled

(Image credit: Juan Jose Ryp (Marvel Comics))

Marvel has cancelled the ongoing series Strikeforce, with August 5's #9 serving as the series finale.

Launched in the aftermath of the 2019 Marvel Comics event 'War of the Realms,' Strikeforce consists of Blade, Angela, Spider-Woman, Wiccan, the Winter Soldier, Monica Rambeau, and Daimon Hellstrom. With a motto of "No compromise, No mercy!", the team fights dark and supernatural threats - culminating, as it ends up, with a battle on Monster Island.

(Image credit: Juan Jose Ryp (Marvel Comics))

"It's a death match of no-holds-barred sports entertainment - at the center of King Deadpool's Monster Island," reads Strikeforce #9's solicitation text. "Strikeforce finds themselves divided between their mission to contain the dangerous Vridai and the sweet, sweet taste of competitive victory. Can this team of misfits stay together long enough to complete their mission?"

Prior to the onset of COVID-19, a tenth issue of Strikeforce was solicited but after the coronavirus led to an industry-wide distribution shutdown the release schedule went into disarray. After a fourth-month hiatus, Strikeforce #8 came out on July 15.

The now-canceled Strikeforce #10 was announced as a tie-in to Empyre, but it (like several other tie-ins) were later de-listed from the event checklist.

"Aliens are invading Earth, and after taking care of the exiled Vridai, this team is more than prepared to oust unwanted visitors," reads the synopsis for the now-canceled #10. "But their enemy is no delicate flower…and for Wiccan, the stakes are higher than anyone can guess. This is the single issue you'll wish you'd read – so beat the regret and get on the Strikeforce train before it’s too late!"

A collection of the first six issues was released earlier this year under the name Strikeforce: Trust Me, and Amazon lists a collection of the remaining issues for an August 18 release as Strikeforce: Fight Me.

Chris Arrant covered comic book news for Newsarama from 2003 to 2022 (and as editor/senior editor from 2015 to 2022) and has also written for USA Today, Life, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher's Weekly, Marvel Entertainment, TOKYOPOP, AdHouse Books, Cartoon Brew, Bleeding Cool, Comic Shop News, and CBR. He is the author of the book Modern: Masters Cliff Chiang, co-authored Art of Spider-Man Classic, and contributed to Dark Horse/Bedside Press' anthology Pros and (Comic) Cons. He has acted as a judge for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the Harvey Awards, and the Stan Lee Awards. Chris is a member of the American Library Association's Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table. (He/him)