Matthew Dykes of KAPOW! Comics in Sherwood, Arkansas started to look into the delays of Sidekick, and here's what he found. 

I have been listening to the concerns of my reserve customers regarding when they will get issue #5 of Sidekick.  More than a few are upset over the ordeal, especially after seeing that the TPB has been solicited before they have even read the last issue. 

I took it upon myself to contact Image and find out what was happening, and I must say Image's concern for the fans of this book amazed me.  I contacted Mark Britt about my dilemma; fans of this book do not want to collect the next series.  They were done with the book and felt Image had left them high and dry, and to my amazement, Mark contacted me immediately.  He briefly explained the situation. 

Well, then I was sent another email, almost immediately, by Keven Gardner of 12 Gauge Comics, Sidekick's new home, assuring me that fans wouldn't have to buy the TPB to finish the series and #5 would ship before the TPB.  By this point, I was feeling a lot better about this title.

Here's what Keven had to say:

'The main reason Paul and Chris decided to move the book to 12 Gauge was timeliness. Chris is a very professional artist and was always on time with his pages. It was getting the book to the printer once he finished that was the problem. When we solicited the trade Chris was done with all the line-art for issue #5. I can't explain what has taken so long

to get the book colored and lettered, but I can promise you the 5th issue will be out before the trade ships. The guys at Image are telling me that the book should be turned into them this week (from Desperado).  I can assure you that your customers will not have to buy the trade in order to finish reading the story. If I have to get the book colored myself to finish it, I promise you we will ship the final issue before the trade goes out.'

I hadn't been able to tell my customers anything regarding when and why #5 had never been seen, and Diamond was in the dark and couldn't help me out either.  I finally had something I could tell customers.  I could also tell them Paul Jenkins called me late Tuesday night to assure me that switching companies from Desperado to 12 Gauge was the best option for the title.  Customers wouldn't have to worry about lateness again.  I was also informed that the problems were on the publisher's end rather than Chris or Paul's side.  Upon hearing this news, I was elated.  It's not often that a comic's creators or it's publishers are concerned about their fans this much.  Paul and Keven really have gone out of their way to make sure the Sidekick fans and I are happy.  Now the fans of the book, me included, could not harbor any ill will towards the creators.  They did everything they could to get the book out, but they could only do so much.

Things happen out of the creators' control.  Sometimes a publisher, for whatever reason, just can't get a book done.  It is so easy to blame books' creators when a book is late when we don't always know the circumstances.

Like my customers, I assumed this was going to be another All-Star Batman & Robin or Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk thing where the creators were directly responsible for book not getting made.  I am glad this is not this case.

So, 12 Gauge has found a new home at KAPOW! Comics, and I hope for a long and fruitful relationship with them and Sidekick for a long time to come.  I know my guys are more excited about this book than when I first suggested it.  It feels like a new life has been brought back to the franchise, and I just have to say thanks to Mark, Keven and Paul for helping clear the air.