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Wall Street Journal says Donald Duck sells 1 million copies a month in Germany!

Started by MR.COMICBOOK,

44 posts in this topic

MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

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Who says modern comics aren`t being sold? a may 23, 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal says Donald Duck is king in Germany outselling even Superman.

How can Donald Duck sells 1 million copies monthly there and here Batman can`t break 60,000? I thought comics were king in USA?

Donald Duck—sells an average of 250,000 copies each week, outselling even Superman

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Ogami

Ogami

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too bad the Disney Channel here in America doesn't take note of that fact. (original post, not you, JC)

 

or the Disney Comics Publishing arm, with their 8 dollar comics.

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Bronty

Bronty

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Actually, I think the Germans specifically love the Disney characters and brand. I've had Disney books before for sale on eBay, and I believe I got German business. Disney does very well in that country for some reason.

 

Its not just germany. Its all of western europe. (maybe eastern too, not sure?). There are still disney comics on every newstand when I go back to Italy, and when I'm running through airports in europe. I actually noticed LESS comics in germany than in some other places, although I didn't stay in germany more than a couple days.

 

And of course its well documented how much scandinavians like their ducks.

 

And, as JC is getting at, its kids buying them, not adults, for the most part.

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aardvark88

aardvark88

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Some of my best customers when I was selling 1980's Disney OA art via Comics' Buyers Guide were from Denmark, England, France and Germany. Serious collectors who love huge OA that is bigger than the 1960s twice up SA Marvel or DC bristol board.

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MR.COMICBOOK

MR.COMICBOOK

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Maybe because Donald Duck is an all-ages cultural icon that doesn't market itself only to aging male fanboys?

that is definately what the Wall Street Journal article alludes to (thumbs u

btw, I don`t know what was more amazing that Donald Duck sells a million copies a month or that the Wall Street Journal wrote a article about it.

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Black Lantern

Black Lantern

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It's the same here in Austria. Disney has alway been one of the top sellers. Maybe it has something to do with the fact, that Superhero books were introduced very late in our country and in Germany (we get the same books because of the language). The first Superman and Spider-Man comics were released in the mid 60s, but Disney Comics were already around in the 50s.

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chromium

chromium

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comics are HUGE in Belgium, even more mainstream than in the US,but we're talking European comics here, not US.

We have a very large domestic market, dating back to the 1920's (think Tin-Tin) and all supermarkets etc have quite a selection, as do newsagents, gas stations etc... Every household has comics, but just not superhero ones...nobody likes superhero comics over here :tonofbricks:

Funny animals and TV-personalities in funny situations, historical comics and fairy-tale based (Smurfs) now these sell.

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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Most people think videogames have killed kids' love for comics here in the US. Are videogames popular in European countries where comics are popular?

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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sounds to me like the direct market killed comics.

 

Possibly so--or perhaps Europeans tend to watch TV and play videogames less often, making comics a more attractive option. I dunno. (shrug)

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chromium

chromium

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Most people think videogames have killed kids' love for comics here in the US. Are videogames popular in European countries where comics are popular?

 

Yeah, videogames are very popular as well...kids don't read as much as they did when I was a a kid, but a lot of adults still buy and read comics.

Are comics are larger format and normally 48 to 62 pages but only come out every 4 to 6 months.

It must be the direct market thing...we have dedicated comic stores, but like I said they are still available at most places where mums and dads shop and take their kids.

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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Are comics are larger format and normally 48 to 62 pages but only come out every 4 to 6 months.

 

What about Donald Duck? Original poster's article says it's released weekly in Germany.

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chromium

chromium

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Are comics are larger format and normally 48 to 62 pages but only come out every 4 to 6 months.

 

What about Donald Duck? Original poster's article says it's released weekly in Germany.

 

We get the same weekly that the Dutch get due to the common language. Been in print since the late 1940's. I still have my all copies from when I got a subscription from 1974 through to 1980.

 

I see there's a website now that previews what the weekly comic features.

 

Donald Duck weekblad

 

Oddly enough there is a superhero-connection

Some of you may remember the name "Olav Beemer" being one of the most prolific letterhacks in the 1990's, he's been a friend of mine for years and is now the "Duck" translator for the Dutch-language Disney comics.

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Tomega

Tomega

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A may 23, 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal says Donald Duck is king in Germany outselling even Superman.

]

 

Perhaps the last time they became interested in supermen, it ended badly.....................

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fantastic_four

fantastic_four

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Maybe because Donald Duck is an all-ages cultural icon that doesn't market itself only to aging male fanboys?

 

The key question though is why doesn't Donald Duck sell as well in the US? (shrug) I have no compelling hypothesis for why American behavior is different from German behavior as described by this key passage from the article:

 

Whereas in the U.S. fans of Donald Duck tend to gravitate to the animated films, duck fandom in Germany centers on the printed comics published in the kids’ weekly “Micky Maus” and the monthly “Donald Duck Special” (with a print run of 40,000 copies), which sells mainly to adult readers.

 

Anyone seen circulation numbers for Disney comics in the US? I always see the kiddie comics (Disney, Archie, etc) in the shops and wonder how well they sell.

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Ogami

Ogami

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A may 23, 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal says Donald Duck is king in Germany outselling even Superman.

]

 

Perhaps the last time they became interested in supermen, it ended badly.....................

 

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

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