Why have the UBs not been canceled yet?

[Bigfootman]

Just to let you guys know, I just received an email from Paul Mular (that he forwarded from another person who, I believe, is more up with what's going on in the Nancy Drew world), via another Hardy Boys group that will go unnamed, that 2012 is the cancellation year for The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers and the Nancy Drew Girl Detective series. 

Finally!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvX_5ym_ajI

The Nancy Drew Diaries series sounds interesting, I just hope that this time there's no "trilogies'.

[tomswift2002]

I've also noticed that the pages for UB#40 have disappeared from Chapters, Amazon (both .com and .ca) and Simon $ Schuster Canada's webpages.  (Actually, Chapters still has the page, but you  can only access it by searching for "Franklin W. Dixon", but when it comes up, instead of saying "Pre-Order Today!", Chapters has put up their "Temporarily Unavailable" message, and they have changed the release date to December 31, 2030 (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Case-MyFace-Kidnapper-Franklin-W-Dixon/9781442422353-item.html?ikwid=franklin+w.+dixon&ikwsec=Books); when the TU message is up, and with the 2030 release date than that definitely means that the book has been cancelled/sent to the out-of-print lists and is/will never be available.)

Here's the page for when you select all "Franklin W. Dixon" books, and sort it by release date:  http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=Franklin%20W.%20Dixon&pageSize=12&sort=ReleaseDate&sortDirection=true&page=0 .

So when you think of it, here's the total book count for all the series:

The Hardy Boys (1927-2005): 233 (includes DH Original and Revised, GS, Campfire, SH, and 38 Revised Texts)

The Hardy Boys Casefiles (1987-1998): 130 (includes 3 American/Canadian Collector's Editions, obviously there are more Collector's Editions from the UK, but these numbers are just for the A/C editions, not counting any variations of covers/printings.  ie: Casefiles Collector's Edition 3 with the 98 cover and the mid-2000's hardcover printing; 2002 "error" reprints of #1 and #95)

Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers (2005-2012): 39

A Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys SuperMystery'88 (1988-1998): 36

The Hardy Boys Graphic Novels (2004-2010): 20

Frank and Joe Hardy:/The Hardy Boys Are: The Clues Brothers (1997-2000): 17

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: Be A Detective (1984-1986): 6

The Hardy Boys Secret Files (2010-Present): 6

The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers Super Mystery (2006-2008): 3

The Hardy Boys The New Casefiles (2010-2011): 2.5

A Hardy Boys and Tom Swift Ultra Thriller (1992-1993): 2

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths! (1981-1984): 2

[MacGyver]

Nice breakdown of titles- thanks for the list.
Obviously the original series continuity has the most Hardy Boys books, but the Casefiles is the next longest running series... Kinda sad for the Undercover Brothers series when you compare them... oh well- it's another chapter and take on the Hardy Boys' history- hopefully any future attempts will be more in keeping with the original continuity and characters

[hardygirl847]

If I had any say in it, I would suggest that they revamp the Hardys to the Casefiles series. This seems to be a very popular series as well as more current than the Originals. However, some hybrid of the two would be epic. I'm okay with the UBs ending as long as something better is coming along.

Having no Hardy Boys is worse than UBs.

[SDLagent]

I really like the Casefiles but I the Original continuity was the most enduring and popular. There's something timeless about them that could work even in a modern context. I wonder what exactly it was enabled the series to last so long, and if you could ever pinpoint it.

[Bigfootman]

Chapters is now saying that "The Case of the MyFace Kidnapper"  is "sold out".

[tomswift2002]

Paul mular just sent me another email through the group that won't be named that Simon & Schuster has told him that 2013 will see the launch of The Hardy Boys Adventures.  (Yeah, I know, not exactly an original name.)

[SDLagent]

Less of a mouthful than The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers though. Or The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers Super Mystery series.

[MacGyver]

The Hardy Boys Adventures sounds like a pretty cool title to me. It's definitely shorter than the previous series' title, as SDLAgent said, and you know it's got to be full of adventure- I mean, it's right there in the title!
It also has a broader feel than just mysteries- I wonder if it would include some stories with The Hardy Boys that are not really mysteries per se, but perhaps more an outdoors-type "adventure" or such (i.e. I'm thinking of the outdoor survival adventures in The Hardy Boys Survival Handbook- that could be neat.) And I know it's way too early to really speculate on this before getting some more info, but it's just an idea. I of course would definitely want mysteries to still be the main focus, but that was just an idea that might broaden the appeal somewhat and still be action/adventure oriented.

[SDLagent]

And the name has a more classic, timeless feel to it, which is a good start.

[tomswift2002]

But at the same time, going by the name, it makes me wonder if within the next year S&S will announce that they are just dropping the "Adventures" part from the title and the first title will be numbered #191?

[SDLagent]

I don't see that happening. It would be cool if it did though.

[MacGyver]

I would certainly be happy for The Hardy Boys #191, especially if that meant going back to more of the Digests' style and continuity. I guess we'll see in time...

[SDLagent]

And The Hardy Boys #200 would be quite a milestone.

[tomswift2002]

Well, when I first read this "New" Series title, immediately I was like "I highly doubt that we'll see an actual series on bookstore shelves with that title!".  The title sounds too much like a working title (plus we are still over a year out from when the series is suppose to debut).