Despite critical success, the first series repeatedly had trouble gaining larger readership. DC Comics announced in May 2006 that the series would be canceled and that issue #25 would be the last. Dan DiDio, DC's executive editor, soon followed with another announcement, that fan outcry convinced him to extend the series for five additional issues in order to improve sales. The new five-issue story arc dealt with a ramification of the "Infinite Crisis", again tying the series into a popular event. DiDio also said that the storyline would lead into another big event in the DC Universe. The series came back with issue #31 in 2007, but was cancelled with issue #38 in 2008.