aerischan

5 hours ago, ygogolak said:

I thought Marvel wasn't doing any crossover events?

They said no mega events planned thus far after Secret Empire. Of course, that doesn't stop crossovers and events during Secret Empire. 

Any Super Sons yet? Unfortunately, my local Walmart does not seem to carry comics.

On 5/18/2017 at 8:13 PM, Jonnywadd said:

Sure does depend on the collector.  Collectors may try to collect cover artists work no matter what it is, but from what I've witnessed these store variants have lead people away from certain titles.

This is true for me. Not quite retailer exclusives but the last few months, Marvel has been releasing ~3+ Skottie Young variants per month so I've been sacrifice getting ~4-6 regular books in favor of the Young variants.

The retailer exclusive variants usually takes funds from my collected editions budget but I rarely ever buy any.

Getting the Natali Sanders GotG, though. 

54 minutes ago, rjrjr said:

 

So, a store receives 6,000 comics and it cost them $12 - 15K which is $2 to $2.5 per book.  At $75 a set, they break even by selling only 200 sets which is 600 books or 1/10th of the product they purchased.

I'm not disputing some stores have a hard time selling out of these books depending on the artist.  I just don't understand how a store that is selling these for $75 or more is having a hard time "breaking even" at the ripoff price of $75 a set or $25 a book.

There are stores that make a profit at $10 a book for 3,000 copies.  Stores are not charities and not all of them are in this to just advertise.  For $12 - 15K there are much better ways to advertise.

Maybe one of you can show me using math how selling sets of 3 at $75 is barely break even.  Because I don't see it.

 

I expect aside from maximizing profit, the pricing is designed to greatly reduce risk/sell through required for break even and go into profit territory.

Like you mentioned, 200-250 copies of just the 3-set at $75 would be break even and anything sold above that is pure profit. The CGC 9.8 guaranteed reduces required units for break even, even more. Assuming a 50% discount on cover, selling out on the complete sets nets a very tidy profit.

I reckon it's probably harder to break even on the single cover 3K than on the sets. Lower profit margin means you need higher sell through.

That said, wow JSC must be making bank. He probably earns multiples of what artists actually doing interiors make with much less effort.

7 hours ago, rjrjr said:

This doesn't sound correct.  How are the stores that sell just 1 exclusive cover able to make a profit at $10 a book?

I'm having a hard time believing Marvel gives a store that buys 3,000 copies a better deal than a store that buys 6,000 copies.

Probably depends on the artist fee. Dell'Otto is likely very expensive so higher overhead hence risk-reward ratio if doing just 1 cover isn't worth it.

I posted a quote earlier from Hall of Comics, a retailer who has released some retailer exclusive variants and I think it might have been deleted (might have missed deleting a Voldie reference). That one mentioned $12-15K ballpark for a set.

They had a Super Sons #1 3-cover set (Frank Quitely) that was $59, iirc.

5 hours ago, Mercury Man said:

Secret Empire #2

Soooo....anybody reading this?  

Anybody remotely surprised from the "Shocking Captain America Twist"?  (as it read on some Yahoo news feeds).

It should come with a sticker that says "Nick Spencer Robbed me $4.99".

 

Lol. I'm reading. Only way to get my Black Widow fix. Art is different for the last part so maybe it's head-scape?

On 5/19/2017 at 6:09 PM, Hey Kids, Comics! said:

So Mary Jane Deadppol X-23? That doesn't really scream Peter Parker #1, but who cares, right?!?

She's also got a teeny tiny Spider-Man belt buckle. 

59 minutes ago, the authority said:

How much does it cost to produce a set ? 

Order minimums:

Cover A: 3000

Cover B: 1500

Cover C: 1000

Cover D: 1000

I think discount over cover is still ~50% so $2 per $3.99 book.

Plus fee for the artist.

Guessing the set pays for the artist and subsidizes unsold copies of the higher print run covers.

6 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

That's really not a valid comparison. I can buy Valiant comics wherever I can buy Marvel comics. I can easily walk to the nearest two McDonald's locations (and get to either relatively quickly). I've never even heard of Ruth's Chris Steak House.

Only if you already know about Valiant and preorder. I reckon there are many comic shops who don't stock shelf copies of Valiant books and I reckon there are plenty of DC/Marvel readers who have never even heard of the company.

9 hours ago, siro123 said:

I love me some artgerm.

I have all his covers so here we go again !

Not retailer exclusive but Astonishing X-Men #1 will have a 1:1000 variant by Artgerm. I love it (Romy) but no way I'm spending that much. 

16 hours ago, ParamagicFF said:

Isn't this a little unfair since #2 is ordered before shops know sales or actual readership of #1?

Obviously #1 sales were inflated because of incentives, but to drop off that far doesn't speak to the quality or reception of a book that wasn't in hand yet.

Iirc, #1 was also returnable so that probably had some retailers ordering a lot. I wonder how they're counting the X-O Manowar #1-3 Preorder Bundle. I preordered the bundle so even if I'm getting #2, I didn't order/pay for it in April.

That said, it's hard for non-established properties to sell. Heck, plenty of DC and Marvel B/C/D-List doing poorly. Rocket Raccoon has a movie that's coming out and its last issue only sold 13K. High quality and critical acclaim is well and good but it's mass appeal that gets the sales.

7 hours ago, rjrjr said:

I don't think many comic readers are buying pamphlets.  Industry practices (like ratio'd variants) have all but ensured those people who buy comics are not loyal readers, but collectors and speculators.

They still are. I doubt that the sales of 6-10 million pamphlets per month is fueled by collectors/speculators alone. Granted, the mega events and xovers from the Big Two are probably driving away some readers who only want maybe a book or two a month. I read in various formats - pamphlets, collections and digital. Just depends which one is more convenient and/or economical.

That said, you can pretty much figure the number of readers versus collectors/speculators from the drop off between issues #1 (variants galore) and #5. Event comics? There's variants galore for every single issue. I reckon Marvel's probably seeing some diminishing returns on their incentivized variants, too.

6 hours ago, Aweandlorder said:

Its the half cup empty/full perspective with Saga

Some think that its in a bubble currently because there are so many graded

Some think it will do well long run BECAUSE it has so many available/graded and the prices havent come down with that in mind

I was on a CBR thread that discussed floppies, cancellations and trade sales. As a result of the discussion, I ended up researching sales data for Saga trades. Apparently, from 2012-2016, Saga Vol. 1 has sold at least 350,000 copies in both direct and book market (not counting sales to libraries, school book fairs, etc). Total combined sales for volumes 1-6 is sitting at ~1.2 million copies per Comichron and BookScan. Guessing sales are even higher once you add other channels. Doesn't include digital sales, either. Totally wasn't expecting that.

On 5/11/2017 at 2:45 PM, MediumLover said:

 

Whinypant  Snobbysnob Hybrid.

Same here. 

On 5/11/2017 at 3:18 PM, fastballspecial said:

I love Monstress as well but I cut out of my copies when they hit $40ish raw. I didn't feel it was going to break out.

Visually stunning book but it looks to be a niche book and not the monster hit I was hoping for. Anyone know what the print run has done last couple of issues. That will tell u slot but none of this will matter if gets a pilot or a movie goes into production. 

Being optioned anymore doesn't mean squat.

Holding steady around 18K. Volume 1 trades sold ~26K via direct market and another ~24K via book market (made quite a few appearances in the BookScan Monthly Top 20 lists). I think it was the top selling Image trade in BookScan 2016 that is not titled The Walking Dead or not written by Brian K. Vaughan.

That said, only reason I would choose Monstress is because it's something I'm willing to keep forever. 'Sides, CGC 9.8 is only what, $100?  

7 hours ago, I like pie said:

Just read 1-6. I'm a little surprised it isn't more popular than it is. Great writing/character development. The art drags you in as well.

Is the second trade out?

In fairness, the first TPB seems to be doing fairly well in the book market.  

21 minutes ago, the authority said:

It was on many but I thought the 1st print was the better bet. The 1st print is her 1st appearance. 

Lol, I have all three #1 prints in CGC 9.8 (for my PC). I kinda love Monstress. 

I also got a CGC 9.6 first print for $60 shipped (thanks ebay coupon) just for the sake of comparison. I honestly can't tell the difference between the 9.8 and the 9.6. And yeah, I think the first print cover looks nicer. Art is more detailed. 

11 hours ago, quillandtankard said:

Monstress #1. As many copies as possible?

Out of curiosity, was the 2nd print of this featured in one of the speculator sites or something? I always see it listed higher than 1st print. I know there are less copies and it features new art but even then, 2nd print fetching higher prices still doesn't appear to be the norm.

On 5/5/2017 at 5:55 AM, Zacreth said:

Well I first saw the item at Chicago and they displayed the item which is a really cool item. I have 50 of them but if I'm right stores had to opt into the launch party and it provided 2 copies of the Brooks Premium Variant, 1 copy of the Nauch Sketch Variant, Secret Empire pins, posters, and these lenticular mini posters. 

As for the number of retailers that opt'd in I have no idea on how to find that out. Hope that helps!

Iirc, retailers needed to order Secret Empire at 175% the qty of CW II #8 in order to qualify for the launch party promo items. Stores that qualified got 2 free bundles of the lenticular board. If they want more, they need to pay $12 per bundle of either 10 or 12. Given the profit margins on comics, pretty expensive for a free giveaway.

4 hours ago, rcuello250 said:

Crain cover revealed.     http://www.newsarama.com/34297-get-hungry-for-venom-150-variant-covers.html

Thanks for the link. Getting this.  

12 hours ago, Gunnz said:

Not that i don't like a good variant, but why is legacy numbering on this so important? The 150 issues hasn't even one consecutive series... they were just like, we've made 150 venom books, lets just start at 150 and make it a big thing! Besides, wasn't the significant issue in #6 when Eddie became venom again?

Marvel marketing. Honestly, I find it largely pointless and makes following books harder in terms of back issues. On the Brubaker Cap America run, I was looking for issue #51 but no, apparently it jumps to #600. 

9 hours ago, cupny said:

Any update on this story?  Its been dormant for so long that I'll need another day or so to re-read what I forgot from 1-4. 

Seems like it's following the Saga schedule.

story arc - hiatus and trade release - new story arc

#5: 04/26/17

#6: 05/17/17

#7: 06/14/17

#8: 07/19/17

On 4/14/2017 at 9:55 PM, punksdropdirtysrh said:

Is Gambit in this book? Or in any current series? I saw him on the connecting variants but didn't notice him when I flipped through the book.

Upcoming Astonishing X-Men written by Charles Soule, rotating artists.

1 hour ago, PatrickG said:

I must have missed that. Yeah. The Batman trade dress seems likely based on how Trinity was handled though. They have occasionally used variants but I'd be surprised if they used that one.

That said, I FULLY expect German and Mexican editions to use the rarest cover art they can get their hands on. DC Mexico ran that Adam Hughes Legion Supergirl cover a few months ago for a New 52 issue. Panini (I think?) used the DRS Superman/Batman cover and RRP Hush cover. The foreign licensees/offices know they can get more sales by using the rarer variants, attracting US buyers into their markets.

I THINK the Walmart editions are handled by the custom comics editor internally at DC. Maybe Jim Chadwick's group of editors? Alex Antone, probably. I doubt the book's credits reflect that though. If it was handled by a licensee/franchisee/foreign office, they'd almost certainly copy the rarest and most expensive variant. If it's someone at DC proper, they'd definitely try to respect the exclusivity.

Was Panini the one who did foils on other DC Rebirth titles? I seem to recall seeing DC Rebirth international foil variants. Do licensees even have access to artwork for retailer exclusive variants? I'm sure allowing the artwork to be reused will anger retailers so I would think licensees would be forbidden from using those. The international variants I've seen thus far were either ratio or RRP.

1 hour ago, PatrickG said:

I've done a fair amount of looking into the other Wal-Mart editions.

Here is what I expect:

The art will be the Joker classroom cover. No Ivy or Catwoman. Kirkham cover. This is the 4th Kirkham variant we haven't seen yet. 

The Super-Sons logo will not be on the book. The Batman series logo WILL.

At the top, above Rebirth, and in the inside indica, it will read "Batman: Super Sons" and "Batman: Super Sons #1". Listed publishing date will probably be June 2017.

It will slab as "Reprints Super Sons #1. Available at Wal-mart in a multipack."

Doubtful. The Joker classroom Kirkham variant was a Salt Lake Comic Con exclusive (iirc, 1K print run).

https://unknowncomicbooks.com/products/super-sons-1-detention-unknown-comic-books-con-exclusive-joker-only

More likely, the Walmart variant will just use the Jorge Jimenez cover with Batman trade dress.