Hardy Boys Digests --- possible #191

[tomswift2002]

I was just thinking.  I wonder if with the way the UB's have been written, and from what I've seen and heard, and the low sales, I wonder if S&S might be considering keeping the graphic novels going in the ATAC universe, but ending the main ATAC line and restarting the Digest line at #191.

And by restarting I mean having the books written in third person, the Hardy's being more mature - sort of like Clark Kent from Smallville, and more subplots in the books with Callie and Iola and maybe introduce Tom Swift into the line in a more friend role and have him appear as a "Special Guest Star".

What do you guys think?  If the main UB line ends, should S&S keep the graphics going in the new universe and restart the Digests at #191?  You can answer here, but I'll also make a poll.

[tomswift2002]

This is the poll for the 'Hardy Boys Digests --- possible #191' topic.  This poll has no time, but you can change your vote, but you can only vote for one option.

[Centrion]

It's an interesting thought, I've always wanted for Tom Swift and the Hardys to meet again. I definetly want the Graphic Novels to continue.

[Centrion]

I went with keep the Graphic Novels (which in my opinion have been improving) and restart the Casefiles. But, with the Casefiles, it would be better to have the stories go along with the earlier books, because with a few exception, all the later Casefiles were worse then the earliers (IMO).

[SkyWarp]

IF the UB failed, and IF the GN continue to do well, then I suggest the GN continue, but all other seres end until 2012 at which time the Casefiles return for their 25th anniversary.    Of course, all that is built upon a lot of IF statements. 

[SDLagent]

I like your idea, tomswift2002, and I wouldn't mind seeing it happen, my idea is less likely to happen but in a perfect world, I would love to see it happen...

Note: the following is told from a fictional point of view, as if I time traveled about 10 years into the future, and then wrote a article about the ''history'' of The Hardy Boys (or what would be history in about 2018), note that I have left I have left the graphic novels out of my idea, since I think they are fine and popular how they are, and as you will see ATAC is part of my proposed continuity.

Disclaimer: I just thought most of the book/series names off the top of my head, and don't necessarily think they are the best names possible for Hardy Boys series.

In 2008, in an attempted improve poor sales of their Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series, Simon & Schuster re-introduced the mini series format to The Hardy Boys world for the first time since 1993's Hardy Boys Casefiles Ring of Evil trilogy. The Murder House Trilogy was published in May 2008, which was met with less then enthusiasm from fans.  After the completion of Murder House, the Double Danger Trilogy and Galaxy X Trilogy.

Even in light of the new trilogy format, the Undercover Brothers series was still not selling well, and in September 2009, The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series was discontinued after 30 volume.

In the spring of 2010, Simon & Schuster rebooted The Hardy Boys continuity, for the second time in only five years, unlike the Undercover Brothers continuity however, the new continuity didn't ignore The Hardy Boys' roots, but instead embraced them.  This was evident to fans from the very beginning of the new continuity, which was lunched with Hardy Boys: Chapter One, a three part mini series retelling of Frank and Joe's early cases, including an updated version of the very first Hardy Boys book, ''The Tower Treasure''. The mini series was followed later that month with book one in the new Hardy Boys series, untitled The Hardy Boys vs. the World. Iola Morton was alive in this story, and in the forward it was explained that this series started where The Hardy Boys (digest) series left off, and the events take place before Iola's death in The Hardy Boys Casefiles.   

By the end of 2010 and the publication of The Hardy Boys vs. the World #7, most of the original cast had made an appearance in the new continuity, including the Hardy's friends, something that the Undercover Brothers series had lacked.

At the beginning of the series, Simon & Schuster promised fans that this series would tie all past series together and fix any continuity problems, because of this they felt ATAC could not just be ignored, but because it had been one of the main factors in killing their last Hardy Boys series, Simon & Schuster did not feel ready to include it in the new main series. Instead they lunched a new independent mini series in 2011, simply untiled ATAC, which chronicled the founding of American Teens Against Crime, right up to the never before told final battle with WARD and the ultimate collapse of both organizations. The series ran until the end of the year along side the main Vs. the World series, and while finally establishing where ATAC fit into the continuity, it also freed the continuity from the unpopular agency (mind you the series was popular and Simon & Schuster might consider other ATAC mini series in the future).

In June, Nancy Drew made her first guest appearance in The Hardy Boys vs. the World #10, the same month, Frank and Joe guest stared in the also newly revamped Nancy Drew world. To go with these appearances, a one-shot crossover book was published, retelling the story of Nancy and the Hardy boys first meeting.

Simon & Schuster started off 2012, with a new crossover series, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys vs. the World, and the start of new story line in the regular Hardy Boys series, which involved a major subplot dealing with Joe and Iola's relationship. The two part story arc concluded in February, and set up The Hardy Boys: The Death of Iola mini series, and the launch of The Hardy Boys Casefiles II book one, on the 25th Anniversary of the original Casefiles series. The Hardy Boys Casefiles II #1, was essentially a modern version of #128, as it made reference to Casefiles #127 ''Dead in the Water'' as having taken place only a few weeks before. For the sake of new readers, as well as the aforementioned Death of Iola series, The Hardy Boys Casefiles: 25 Years Book was published, which over viewed most of the original 127 Casefiles titles.

For the rest of the year The Hardy Boys vs. the World was published one month and The Hardy Boys Casefiles II  was published the next. By December 2012 there was 19 Vs. the World books and five Casefiles II books, plus the three mini series, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys vs. the World #1, the one-shot Nancy Drew meets the Hardy Boys, and The Hardy Boys Casefiles: 25 Years Book.

Like the every years since the rebooted continuity, Simon & Schuster started 2013 off with a mini series, this time a Hardy Boys/Tom Swift crossover, a remake of the 1990's two Ultra Thrillers. On top of this Tom Swift appeared as a guest star in Casefiles II #6, these were popular, and the next year Tom Swift appeared with both Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys, in the first three way crossover ever.

The Hardy Boys vs. the World and The Hardy Boys Casefiles II are still published to this day, along with yearly crossover series, one with Nancy Drew and one with Tom Swift.

Note that in 2010 Simon & Schuster also rebooted the Nancy Drew continuity, and in 2012, due to the success of the new Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, did the same with Tom Swift. For the new continuity Simon & Schuster took more of a shared universe approach, and it is far from rare for any one of the four title characters, to make guest appearances in another series.

The most successful story of the new continuity, was 2014's Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/Tom Swift crossover which was the conclusion of a story line had been taking place in both Nancy Drew series (Vs. the World and Files II) and Hardy Boys series (Vs. the World and Casefiles II), and the Tom Swift series, over the past few months.


Okay, back to 2008. What do you think?

[NZone]

i like it, would be sweet if it happened, but ... well ... i dont know, if we petitioned the publisher could happen, im gonna go hire a bunch of bum to email the publisher, five bucks each and theyll probably do it

[tomswift2002]

I like your idea, tomswift2002, and I wouldn't mind seeing it happen, my idea is less likely to happen but in a perfect world, I would love to see it happen...

Note: the following is told from a fictional point of view, as if I time traveled about 10 years into the future, and then wrote a article about the ''history'' of The Hardy Boys (or what would be history in about 2018), note that I have left I have left the graphic novels out of my idea, since I think they are fine and popular how they are, and as you will see ATAC is part of my proposed continuity.

Disclaimer: I just thought most of the book/series names off the top of my head, and don't necessarily think they are the best names possible for Hardy Boys series.

In 2008, in an attempted improve poor sales of their Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series, Simon & Schuster re-introduced the mini series format to The Hardy Boys world for the first time since 1993's Hardy Boys Casefiles Ring of Evil trilogy. The Murder House Trilogy was published in May 2008, which was met with less then enthusiasm from fans.  After the completion of Murder House, the Double Danger Trilogy and Galaxy X Trilogy.

Even in light of the new trilogy format, the Undercover Brothers series was still not selling well, and in September 2009, The Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers series was discontinued after 30 volume.

In the spring of 2010, Simon & Schuster rebooted The Hardy Boys continuity, for the second time in only five years, unlike the Undercover Brothers continuity however, the new continuity didn't ignore The Hardy Boys' roots, but instead embraced them.  This was evident to fans from the very beginning of the new continuity, which was lunched with Hardy Boys: Chapter One, a three part mini series retelling of Frank and Joe's early cases, including an updated version of the very first Hardy Boys book, ''The Tower Treasure''. The mini series was followed later that month with book one in the new Hardy Boys series, untitled The Hardy Boys vs. the World. Iola Morton was alive in this story, and in the forward it was explained that this series started where The Hardy Boys (digest) series left off, and the events take place before Iola's death in The Hardy Boys Casefiles.  

By the end of 2010 and the publication of The Hardy Boys vs. the World #7, most of the original cast had made an appearance in the new continuity, including the Hardy's friends, something that the Undercover Brothers series had lacked.

At the beginning of the series, Simon & Schuster promised fans that this series would tie all past series together and fix any continuity problems, because of this they felt ATAC could not just be ignored, but because it had been one of the main factors in killing their last Hardy Boys series, Simon & Schuster did not feel ready to include it in the new main series. Instead they lunched a new independent mini series in 2011, simply untiled ATAC, which chronicled the founding of American Teens Against Crime, right up to the never before told final battle with WARD and the ultimate collapse of both organizations. The series ran until the end of the year along side the main Vs. the World series, and while finally establishing where ATAC fit into the continuity, it also freed the continuity from the unpopular agency (mind you the series was popular and Simon & Schuster might consider other ATAC mini series in the future).

In June, Nancy Drew made her first guest appearance in The Hardy Boys vs. the World #10, the same month, Frank and Joe guest stared in the also newly revamped Nancy Drew world. To go with these appearances, a one-shot crossover book was published, retelling the story of Nancy and the Hardy boys first meeting.

Simon & Schuster started off 2012, with a new crossover series, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys vs. the World, and the start of new story line in the regular Hardy Boys series, which involved a major subplot dealing with Joe and Iola's relationship. The two part story arc concluded in February, and set up The Hardy Boys: The Death of Iola mini series, and the launch of The Hardy Boys Casefiles II book one, on the 25th Anniversary of the original Casefiles series. The Hardy Boys Casefiles II #1, was essentially a modern version of #128, as it made reference to Casefiles #127 ''Dead in the Water'' as having taken place only a few weeks before. For the sake of new readers, as well as the aforementioned Death of Iola series, The Hardy Boys Casefiles: 25 Years Book was published, which over viewed most of the original 127 Casefiles titles.

For the rest of the year The Hardy Boys vs. the World was published one month and The Hardy Boys Casefiles II  was published the next. By December 2012 there was 19 Vs. the World books and five Casefiles II books, plus the three mini series, Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys vs. the World #1, the one-shot Nancy Drew meets the Hardy Boys, and The Hardy Boys Casefiles: 25 Years Book.

Like the every years since the rebooted continuity, Simon & Schuster started 2013 off with a mini series, this time a Hardy Boys/Tom Swift crossover, a remake of the 1990's two Ultra Thrillers. On top of this Tom Swift appeared as a guest star in Casefiles II #6, these were popular, and the next year Tom Swift appeared with both Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys, in the first three way crossover ever.

The Hardy Boys vs. the World and The Hardy Boys Casefiles II are still published to this day, along with yearly crossover series, one with Nancy Drew and one with Tom Swift.

Note that in 2010 Simon & Schuster also rebooted the Nancy Drew continuity, and in 2012, due to the success of the new Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, did the same with Tom Swift. For the new continuity Simon & Schuster took more of a shared universe approach, and it is far from rare for any one of the four title characters, to make guest appearances in another series.

The most successful story of the new continuity, was 2014's Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys/Tom Swift crossover which was the conclusion of a story line had been taking place in both Nancy Drew series (Vs. the World and Files II) and Hardy Boys series (Vs. the World and Casefiles II), and the Tom Swift series, over the past few months.


Okay, back to 2008. What do you think?

Really good idea HBW.  Sounds like it came out of the comics world where they've rebooted Superman and Spider-man a couple of times but still kept the core ideas intact.

Maybe we should get everyone to petition S&S to do a reboot like you suggested.

[SkyWarp]

Really good idea HBW.  Sounds like it came out of the comics world where they've rebooted Superman and Spider-man a couple of times but still kept the core ideas intact.

Maybe we should get everyone to petition S&S to do a reboot like you suggested.

I am NOT a fan of reboots.  Never have been and never will be.  I consider the UB books a reboot, and, well, we see what we have now. 

GI Joe comic books are getting ready to go through their first reboot and the arguements have been very interesting to say the least. 

I am a firm believer that just about anything can be done without a reboot.  We just have to have good writers and editors. 

With all that said, I think anything above could easily be done without  a "reboot" per say and could be done in the continuity of the Digest/Casefiles canon.  Albeit, sometimes it can get interesting trying to make things work, but well written stories will make those "interesting" things seem insignificant. 

Star Wars has never been rebooted, Star Trek has never been rebooted, why does the comic book world love to reboot all the time?  It just doesn't seem to work.  Comic book sales have been plummetting for over a decade or two now.  I don't think reboots work. 

[SDLagent]

Really good idea HBW.  Sounds like it came out of the comics world where they've rebooted Superman and Spider-man a couple of times but still kept the core ideas intact.

Maybe we should get everyone to petition S&S to do a reboot like you suggested.

Yes indeed it is.

A petition is a really good idea! Maybe you've tweaked it a bit so as many people as possible like it (including you, CJ ), we can do it, and even those who aren't crazy about it will like it more then UB I'm sure.

Maybe anyone who is a member of other Hardy Boys forums, should post a link to it there, as well as on Nancy Drew and Tom Swift forums, since it concerns them as well.

I am NOT a fan of reboots.  Never have been and never will be.  I consider the UB books a reboot, and, well, we see what we have now. 

GI Joe comic books are getting ready to go through their first reboot and the arguements have been very interesting to say the least. 

I am a firm believer that just about anything can be done without a reboot.  We just have to have good writers and editors. 

With all that said, I think anything above could easily be done without  a "reboot" per say and could be done in the continuity of the Digest/Casefiles canon.  Albeit, sometimes it can get interesting trying to make things work, but well written stories will make those "interesting" things seem insignificant. 

Star Wars has never been rebooted, Star Trek has never been rebooted, why does the comic book world love to reboot all the time?  It just doesn't seem to work.  Comic book sales have been plummetting for over a decade or two now.  I don't think reboots work. 

Well it wouldn't be a full fledged reboot, but more combining the three previous continuities and changing them when needed (as little as possible), so they fit well together. Like you I don't really like reboots in the sense of something like the Undercover Brothers or the numerous Tom Swift reboots over the years.

[tomswift2002]

Plus the Star Trek books are crossing over into each other series now to the point where it is one big universe referencing events or even having events occur at the same time in the different series.  Just think of the 7-book Gateways saga from 2001 that had the TNG, DS9, VOYAGER & New Frontier stories taking place all in 2376, or Season 8 of DS9.

[Olivia]

Wow HardyBoysWiki - that was some good stuff!

I just don't understand S&S - after all these years and having all these "professionals", how can they still continue so blindly? Even if they can't do some of what was said, small changes can make a big difference

[Bigfootman]

I hope they continue the Casefiles. They should start by republishing "Revenge Of The Desert Phantom". That was the first book in the casefile format. The Undercover Brothers have jumped the shark.

[tomswift2002]

I hope they continue the Casefiles. They should start by republishing "Revenge Of The Desert Phantom". That was the first book in the casefile format. The Undercover Brothers have jumped the shark.

The UB's "jumped the shark" with #5 Rocky Road.

[Bigfootman]

Yes, why did they have to make such an unrelitic plot?!? Why!?