In 2004 Austen created the independent title "WorldWatch", which he described as similar to Warren Ellis's "The Authority", but with more explicit depiction of sex, violence and realpolitik. The last page of "Worldwatch" #2 featured an announcement from the publisher stating that Austen had been fired, and that he would be replaced by writer Sam Clemens (the real name of American writer Mark Twain). In a subsequent interview, Austen, who owns the property and could not be fired from it, revealed that this was intended as a joke, and that he was disappointed that most readers had not understood it.