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Interesting comic book sales numbers.

Started by Marvelfangirl,

33 posts in this topic

Marvelfangirl

Marvelfangirl

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I thought the sales numbers were interesting for many reasons:

 

(1) Marvel and DC used variant covers to boost sales

 

And (2) The Walking Dead and Morning Glories were the only series to see an uptick in sales numbers.

 

I think readers want good writing over variant covers.

 

 

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letsgrumble

letsgrumble

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It's remarkable how low the print runs are when compared to 25-30 years ago. Print runs are much lower as sales continue to point downward. Not a good sign for monthly releases.

 

Mayo makes the conclusion:

 

"Until sales stabilize on the individual titles, publishers are going to continue to rely on retailer incentive covers, events involving the majority of the publishing line and smaller, event-like storylines across a group of titles to boost sales. Reading comics is a hobby, but publishing and selling comics is a business."

 

If publishers are relying on incentive covers to help with monthly sales totals for titles, and in some cases keeping them on life-support, then the appeal for variants must continue for sales to remain level. But, seeing how these suckers are now flooding the market at such a ridiculous rate, and that many titles now come with multiple variants, like the 100 variant covers for the new Godzilla title (!), the value in them are bound to lessen.

 

Weekly sales for single issues may be hurting, but I don't think it's doom to the comics industry with all the trades, toys, movies, and wide interest. The way comics are delivered for monthly issues, however, may change.

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Marvelfangirl

Marvelfangirl

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It's remarkable how low the print runs are when compared to 25-30 years ago. Print runs are much lower as sales continue to point downward. Not a good sign for monthly releases.

 

Mayo makes the conclusion:

 

"Until sales stabilize on the individual titles, publishers are going to continue to rely on retailer incentive covers, events involving the majority of the publishing line and smaller, event-like storylines across a group of titles to boost sales. Reading comics is a hobby, but publishing and selling comics is a business."

 

If publishers are relying on incentive covers to help with monthly sales totals for titles, and in some cases keeping them on life-support, then the appeal for variants must continue for sales to remain level. But, seeing how these suckers are now flooding the market at such a ridiculous rate, and that many titles now come with multiple variants, like the 100 variant covers for the new Godzilla title (!), the value in them are bound to lessen.

 

Weekly sales for single issues may be hurting, but I don't think it's doom to the comics industry with all the trades, toys, movies, and wide interest. The way comics are delivered for monthly issues, however, may change.

Agreed

 

Readers rather buy trades than single issues 2c

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jimjum12

jimjum12

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I'm not sure that high quality paper and printing is cost effective. 4 bucks for a comic is just TOO much....for the average issue. They were 12 cents when I started in elementary school....but this is a poor comparison as that is no longer the target market. The publishers chose to "retain" their older customers and this led to the BA and the never ending price increases needed to remain profitable in an ever shrinking market. This has cut off new blood....but with the advent of high quality video games, this was inevitable. Now kids (and adults) can BE the hero, instead of just reading about one. It would sure be a royal pain to be in Mangement or Administration in the comics industry today. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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ss5rmp

ss5rmp

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I'm not sure that high quality paper and printing is cost effective. 4 bucks for a comic is just TOO much....for the average issue. They were 12 cents when I started in elementary school....but this is a poor comparison as that is no longer the target market. The publishers chose to "retain" their older customers and this led to the BA and the never ending price increases needed to remain profitable in an ever shrinking market. This has cut off new blood....but with the advent of high quality video games, this was inevitable. Now kids (and adults) can BE the hero, instead of just reading about one. It would sure be a royal pain to be in Mangement or Administration in the comics industry today. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

im 24 and im a big gamer. i also dont buy any real current issues as they come out. i just cant afford it. its tough. i like my flash books but id rather wait for someone to sell a bunch off at a discounted price or just wait for the trade to come out.

Also have a big problem which is collecting sa flash books which take most of my extra cash.

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500Club

500Club

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Mayo makes the conclusion:

 

"Until sales stabilize on the individual titles, publishers are going to continue to rely on retailer incentive covers, events involving the majority of the publishing line and smaller, event-like storylines across a group of titles to boost sales. Reading comics is a hobby, but publishing and selling comics is a business."

 

 

Catch 22.

 

Sales won't stabilize until a consistent product is put out, a la Walking Dead.

 

In this game of chicken, the readers' oprion is to quit. The business' option is the unemployment line.

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Boozad

Boozad

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"events involving the majority of the publishing line and smaller, event-like storylines across a group of titles to boost sales."

 

If anything these events and crossovers turn more people off buying comics than onto buying more.

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jimjum12

jimjum12

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.....that was where they lost me. I'm on a budget and it PISSES me off when someone tries to manipulate me into paying more by forcing me to buy something I don't want or need to get something I do. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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500Club

500Club

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"events involving the majority of the publishing line and smaller, event-like storylines across a group of titles to boost sales."

 

If anything these events and crossovers turn more people off buying comics than onto buying more.

 

Exactly.

 

It takes a consistent product to keep readers' interest. I'm sure DC could have cancelled Preacher early, based on sales numbers. Instead, they let the series run, conclude, reach critical acclaim, and spawn a legacy of TPBs that continue to sell.

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Flash105

Flash105

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If you put out a good comic, it will sell. Look at trade sales on Watchman, V for Vendeta, Y the Last Man, The Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns, Invincible, and Walking Dead to name a few. They consistently sell 500-1000 trades per month and have been for decades and will for decades to come.

 

Secret Wars, Crisis, 52, Final Crisis, Darkest Night, blah, blah, blah are gimmicks, don't sell, and tick buyers off. I have sworn off on all crossovers.

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the blob

the blob

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what i find mind boggling is why retailers order so many of the big 2 #1s. invariably i see a ton of them in the bargain box a month or two later. i have no incentive to ever buy them off the rack. a marvel zombies might slip through the crack once a year or two, but that's about it.

 

is the variant market really strong enough to support overordering a $3-$4 book by, I dunno, 50-100 copies (or so it seems) and ultimately selling it for 10-25% of cover price? yes, i know, if you sell 100 and have 80-85 left over you have broken even, but you need to do a heck of a lot better than that to stay afloat.

 

problem is... the big 2 will look at solid stand alone titles like WD, Chew and Invincible and be thoroughly unimpressed with their numbers (though each was basically started from scratch) and think the gimick/crossover model is better because they sell more that way. but they simly sell more because old habits are hard to break for many folks.

 

i can't think of marvel ever developing a book like this (kick arse, which is hardly marvel "developing" anything comes to mind, but what, we're talking about 7 or 8 issues over the course of what, 4 years?) DC has a good history of it through vertigo/fables though. Few (if ever) gimmicks, don't suck us into crossovers, probably a good TPB business too. Then again, do any of those titles crack 25,000/mo on a regular basis?

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JediTrix

JediTrix

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I just don't see how Marvel and DC can keep printing these variant covers and still make money.

 

Sooner or later they'll start to lose money on them.

 

Don't the 1 in X variants help Marvel sell books to retailers? I'm sure some retailers bump up their orders to recieve more varaints.

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