201404141332.jpg
by David Carter

Greetings, sales charts fans! It’s time once again to look at DC’s sales figures.

DC take the top four spots on the Diamond sales charts, as all four of their bestselling titles (Batman, Forever Evil, Sandman Overture and Superman Unchained) actually shipped in the same month! Despite that, DC still fell short of their top competitor Marvel by about 9% in both dollar and unit share, as Marvel have many more comics that perform in the 50-70K unit space than DC does. And average sales hit the lowest level since the New 52 began.

Warning: The commentary below may contain reasoned analysis, speculation (unfounded and otherwise), opinion, and/or snark. Those looking for a more straightforward analysis are directed to John Jackson Miller’s excellent Comichron analysis, posted earlier this month right here at The Beat! All of the opinions expressed in this column are my own and do not reflect those of my employers, Heidi McDonald or anyone at The Beat, the Centers for Disease Control, or my neighbors’ dog Miles.

Please consider the fine print at the end of the column. Thanks to Milton Griepp and ICv2.com for the permission to use their figures. An overview of ICv2.com’s estimates can be found here.

(Note that the percentage comparisons are now done with total orders including reorder activity, as opposed to initial orders as was the practice of this column under the previous administration.)

1 - BATMAN ($4.99)
03/2004: Batman #625   --  83,371
03/2009: Batman BfC #1 --  91,619 [103,913] 
03/2010: Batman #697   --  61,157
03/2011: Batman #708   --  58,594
03/2012: Batman #7     -- 131,091 
-------------------------------
03/2013: Batman #18    -- 137,893 (-  8.5%)
04/2013: Batman #19    -- 132,147 (-  4.2%)
05/2013: Batman #20    -- 129,039 (-  2.4%)
06/2013: Batman #21    -- 142,088 (+ 21.5%) [156,845]
07/2013: Batman #22    -- 132,047 (- 15.8%)
08/2013: Batman #23    -- 128,230 (-  2.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Jkr    -- 151,351 (+ 18.0%)
09/2013: #23.2: Rdlr   -- 140,065 (-  7.5%)
09/2013: #23.3: Pngn   -- 120,026 (- 14.3%)
09/2013: #23.4: Bane   -- 124,382 (+  7.6%) [129,156]
10/2013: Batman #24    -- 124,652 (-  3.5%)
11/2013: Batman #25    -- 125,602 (+  0.8%)
12/2013: Batman #26    -- 119,443 (-  4.9%)
01/2014: Batman #27    -- 115,492 (-  1.7%) [117,395]
02/2014: Batman #28    -- 114,089 (-  1.3%) [115,891]
03/2014: Batman #29    -- 116,926 (+  0.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.5%
1 year  : - 15.2%
2 years : - 10.8%
5 years : + 12.5%
10 years: + 40.2%
Since #1: - 47.6%

Sales tick back up a bit as “Zero Year” is rejoined after an unscheduled one-month break. Sales are actually probably a smudge higher than that, as the combo pack edition missed the top 400 this month (and probably not by much: the #400 title moved 1,874 units this month, and last month’s Batman combo pack was 1,802). While sales have slid some since the beginning of “Zero Year,” the title seems to have stabilized around 116K, which is still good enough for the #1 slot in this slightly depressed market.

Also, the 6 month comparisons this month for most of the DCU titles are for the Villains Month stunt issues. Where there were multiple issues in September 2013 the sales figures have been averaged for comparison purposes, and keep in mind that we are comparing to a gimmick month where regular sales forces were not really in play.

2 - SUPERMAN UNCHAINED ($3.99)
06/2013: Superman Unchained #1  -- 256,792          [271,721]
07/2013: Superman Unchained #2  -- 165,754 (-35.5%)
08/2013: Superman Unchained #3  -- 136,319 (-17.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: --
11/2013: Superman Unchained #4  -- 110,611 (-18.9%)
12/2013: Superman Unchained #5  --  96,322 (-12.9%)
01/2014: --
02/2014: --
03/2014: Superman Unchained #6  --  94,147 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months:    n.a.
Since #1: - 65.4%

Not a bad drop off from the previous issue, especially given the two month gap. As of this writing, issue #7 has been delayed until mid-May, and issues #8 & #9 have been yanked from the schedule all together (to be resolicited at a later date).

3 - FOREVER EVIL ($3.99)
09/2013: Forever Evil #1 -- 139,976           [147,016]
10/2013: Forever Evil #2 -- 112,944 (- 23.2%)
11/2013: Forever Evil #3 -- 105,755 (-  6.4%)
12/2013: Forever Evil #4 --  99,351 (-  6.1%)
01/2014: -- 
02/2014: Forever Evil #5 --  92,014 (-  7.4%)
03/2014: Forever Evil #6 --  92,036 (+  0.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 37.4%
Since #1: - 37.4%

Remarkably stable numbers; I guess as a group retailers figured that anyone in for issue #5 was probably going to stick around for issue #6. Meanwhile, issue #7 has been delayed until May, which is going to cause all sorts of havoc with the shipping schedule for tie-in books over the next couple of months.¶

4 - SANDMAN OVERTURE (Vertigo) ($3.99)
10/2013: Sandman Overture #1 -- 103,668 (+436.4%) [107,858]
11/2013: -- 
12/2013: -- 
01/2014: -- 
02/2014: -- 
03/2014: Sandman Overture #2 --  89,711 (- 14.9%)  [91,839]
-----------------
Since #1: - 14.9%

Easily the Vertigo flagship title by a county mile. An additional 2,128 units show up for the Combo Pack edition. A 14.9% drop isn’t bad at all for a second issue, especially given the extra-long delay between issues. This comic was originally supposed to be bi-monthly, but that’s clearly out the window now (Gaiman has stated that he thinks the third issue will be out sometime in July, which makes this closer to quarterly.) The delay also means that the hardcover collection will almost certainly not be available for the holiday shopping season.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are being outsold by Image’s The Walking Dead.)

14 - HARLEY QUINN ($2.99)
11/2013: Harley Quinn #0  -- 114,212           [125,850]
12/2013: Harley Quinn #1  --  92,153 (- 13.2%) [109,246]
01/2014: Harley Quinn #2  --  66,363 (- 30.0%) [ 76,484]
02/2014: Harley Quinn #3  --  63,967 (- 12.7%) [ 66,787]
03/2014: Harley Quinn #4  --  63,120 (-  5.5%)
-----------------
Since #0: - 49.8%

Initial orders for #4 are nearly on par with those for #3, and all four previous issues have reorder activity that make the chart this month (and the total sales and percentage calculations above have been adjusted accordingly). The combination of a lighthearted approach with a Bat-family character in the regular DCU continuity seems to be a hit with many fans; DC needs more books performing in the 60K range like this.

18 - DETECTIVE COMICS ($3.99)
03/2004: Detective Comics #791 --  34,899
03/2009: --
03/2010: Detective Comics #862 --  44,687
03/2010: Detective Comics #863 --  43,119
03/2011: Detective Comics #875 --  40,047
03/2012: Detective Comics #7   --  89,981
-----------------------------------------
03/2013: Detective Comics #18  --  76,237 (- 11.2%)
04/2013: Detective Comics #19  --  77,922 (+  2.2%)
05/2013: Detective Comics #20  --  78,252 (+  0.4%)
06/2013: Detective Comics #21  --  65,200 (- 16.7%)
07/2013: Detective Comics #22  --  63,949 (-  1.9%)
08/2013: Detective Comics #23  --  61,448 (-  3.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Poison Ivy     --  78,522 (+ 27.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: Harley Quinn   --  89,636 (+ 14.2%)
09/2013: #23.3: Scarecrow      --  73,043 (- 18.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Man-Bat        --  68,110 (-  6.8%)
10/2013: Detective Comics #24  --  59,310 (- 12.9%)
11/2013: Detective Comics #25  --  64,392 (+  8.6%)
12/2013: Detective Comics #26  --  56,538 (- 12.2%)
01/2014: Detective Comics #27  --  88,702 (+ 59.8%) [90,335]
02/2014: Detective Comics #28  --  56,619 (- 37.3%)
03/2014: Detective Comics #29  --  55,486 (-  2.0%)
-----------------
6 months: -  28.2%
1 year  : -  27.2%
2 years : -  38.3%
5 years : n.a.
10 years: +  59.0%
Since #1: -  64.8%

The final issue of “Gothtopia,” and the last issue before the new creative team arrives with issue #30. I’ll admit to be very curious to see what the sales figures do in April; Buccelato & Manapul aren’t as high-profile a team as Johns & Romita will be on Superman, but their run on Flash received not a small amount of positive critical notice and it will be interesting to see how well they perform sales-wise on a high-profile character like Batman.

22 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA ($3.99)
03/2004: JLA #94             --  76,134  [77,822]
03/2004: JLA #95             --  69,898  [73,620]
03/2009: JL of America #31   --  68,759
03/2010: JL of America #43   --  56,461
03/2011: JL of America #55   --  50,533
---------------------------------------
03/2013: JL of America #2    --  91,734 (-71.9%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: JL of America #3    --  83,283 (- 9.2%)
05/2013: JL of America #4    --  77,856 (- 6.5%)
06/2013: JL of America #5    --  71,793 (- 7.8%)
07/2013: JL of America #6    --  86,192 (+32.2%) [94,923]
08/2013: JL of America #7    --  93,777 (- 1.2%)
09/2013: #7.1: Deadshot      --  66,815 (-28.8%)
09/2013: #7.2: Killer Frost  --  62,706 (- 6.2%)
09/2013: #7.3: Shadow Thief  --  60,397 (- 3.7%)
09/2013: #7.4: Black Adam    --  74,875 (+24.0%)
10/2013: JL of America #8    --  77,305 (+ 3.2%)
11/2013: JL of America #9    --  71,008 (- 8.1%)
12/2013: JL of America #10   --  65,678 (- 7.5%)
01/2014: JL of America #11   --  65,365 (- 0.5%)
02/2014: JL of America #12   --  56,259 (-13.9%)
03/2014: JL of America #13   --  54,349 (- 3.4%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.9%
1 year  : - 40.8%
5 years : - 21.0%
10 years: - 28.2%
Since #1: - 83.4%

Penultimate issue. The final issue will be delayed until May due to Forever Evil lateness.

24 - BATMAN/SUPERMAN ANNUAL ($4.99)
03/2014: Batman/Superman Ann #1  --  52,937

Delayed from January, but since the regular issue of Batman/Superman didn’t ship this month (see commentary on Worlds’ Finest below) it all kind of balances out.

31 - GREEN LANTERN ($2.99)
03/2004: Green Lantern #175 --  29,780 [30,730]
03/2009: --
03/2010: Green Lantern #52  --  97,369
03/2011: Green Lantern #63  --  75,632
03/2011: Green Lantern #64  --  76,898
03/2012: Green Lantern #7   --  90,232
--------------------------------------
03/2013: Green Lantern #18  --  69,801 (- 1.8%)
04/2013: Green Lantern #19  --  71,018 (+ 1.7%)
05/2013: Green Lantern #20  --  67,414 (- 5.1%)
06/2013: Green Lantern #21  --  71,870 (+ 6.6%)
07/2013: Green Lantern #22  --  62,415 (-13.2%)
08/2013: Green Lantern #23  --  59,176 (- 5.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Relic       --  66,495 (+12.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Mongul      --  63,731 (- 4.2%)
09/2013: #23.3: Black Hand  --  62,753 (- 1.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Sinestro    --  70,893 (+13.0%)
10/2013: Green Lantern #24  --  57,109 (-19.4%)
11/2013: Green Lantern #25  --  54,322 (- 5.2%)
12/2013: Green Lantern #26  --  51,420 (- 5.0%)
01/2014: Green Lantern #27  --  48,831 (- 5.0%)
02/2014: GL/Red Lanterns#28 --  49,200 (+ 5.6%) [51,548]
03/2014: Green Lantern #29  --  45,797 (-11.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 30.6%
1 year  : - 34.4%
2 years : - 49.2%
5 years : n.a.
10 years: + 49.2%
Since #1: - 72.9%

Oh dear. Orders on the issue after the double-book stunt with Red Lanterns actually fall even further, indicating that retailers didn’t have much confidence there. However, issue #28 shows some reorder activity, so at least some retailers underestimated demand and may have done so in the follow-up month as well. We may have to wait another month or two before we can gauge the success of the stunt.

36 - SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN ($3.99)
10/2013: Superman/Wonder Woman #1  -- 94,859
11/2013: Superman/Wonder Woman #2  -- 60,185 (-36.6%)
12/2013: Superman/Wonder Woman #3  -- 51,357 (-14.7%)
01/2014: Superman/Wonder Woman #4  -- 47,350 (- 7.8%)
02/2014: Superman/Wonder Woman #5  -- 44,847 (- 5.3%)
03/2014: Superman/Wonder Woman #6  -- 43,308 (- 3.4%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 52.7%

The declines are continuing to slow as the title hones in on its level, probably lower than DC would have liked. Next month it joins in the “Doomed” storyline, but it’s crossing over with titles that sell lower than it does, and crossovers are not usually not much of a gain for the top seller in the crossover.

37 - BATMAN AND. ($2.99)
03/2010: Batman and Robin #10 --  85,292
03/2011: Batman and Robin #21 --  59,818
03/2012: Batman and Robin #7  --  68,010
----------------------------------------
03/2013: Batman and Robin #18 --  69,614 (+25.6%) [76,575]
04/2013: and Red Robin #19    --  89,182 (+16.5%)
05/2013: and Red Hood #20     --  65,222 (-26.9%)
06/2013: and Batgirl #21      --  60,601 (- 7.1%)
07/2013: and Catwoman #22     --  57,808 (- 4.6%)
08/2013: and Nightwing #23    --  55,707 (- 3.6%)
09/2013: #23.1: Two-Face      --  77,073 (+38.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Court of Owls --  75,546 (- 2.0%)
09/2013: #23.3: Ra's al Ghul  --  73,746 (- 2.4%)
09/2013: #23.4: Killer Croc   --  69,428 (- 5.9%)
10/2013: and Two-Face #24     --  52,060 (-25.0%)
11/2013: and Two-Face #25     --  53,374 (+ 2.5%)
12/2013: and Two-Face #26     --  46,611 (-12.7%)
01/2014: and Two-Face #27     --  45,462 (- 2.5%)
02/2014: and Two-Face #28     --  43,380 (- 4.6%)
03/2014: and Aquaman #29      --  43,295 (- 0.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 41.5%
1 year  : - 43.5%
2 years : - 37.3%
Since #1: - 62.7%

A very tiny drop this month, as the natural attrition is offset by the relative popularity of Aquaman as a guest star over Two-Face.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Dark Horse’s adaptation of an early draft of George Lucas’s Star Wars script.)

We’ve now reached the mid-list portion of DC’s sales: Those books that mostly feature their long time characters that tend to sell in the 30-40K range (barring any events, crossovers, reboots, creative team changes, etc.)

47 - NIGHTWING ($2.99)
03/2004: Nightwing #91 --  29,330
03/2012: Nightwing #7   -- 50,489
---------------------------------
03/2013: Nightwing #18  -- 48,223 (-22.4%) [53,978]
04/2013: Nightwing #19  -- 46,978 (- 2.6%)
05/2013: Nightwing #20  -- 45,038 (- 4.1%)
06/2013: Nightwing #21  -- 43,353 (- 3.7%)
07/2013: Nightwing #22  -- 42,073 (- 3.0%)
08/2013: Nightwing #23  -- 40,522 (- 3.7%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Nightwing #24  -- 39,853 (- 1.7%)
11/2013: Nightwing #25  -- 44,039 (+10.5%)
12/2013: Nightwing #26  -- 38,452 (-12.7%)
01/2014: Nightwing #27  -- 38,325 (- 0.3%)
02/2014: Nightwing #28  -- 36,940 (- 3.6%)
03/2014: Nightwing #29  -- 36,814 (- 0.3%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 31.8%
2 years : - 27.1%
10 years: + 25.5%
Since #1: - 58.0%

A tiny drop for the penultimate issue. The final issue will be delayed until May due to Forever Evil lateness.

49 - EARTH 2 ($2.99)
03/2013: Earth 2 #10 -- 46,213 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Earth 2 #11 -- 45,468 (- 1.6%)
05/2013: Earth 2 #12 -- 43,983 (- 3.3%)
06/2013: Earth 2 #13 -- 42,916 (- 2.4%)
07/2013: Earth 2 #14 -- 42,022 (- 2.1%)
08/2013: Earth 2 #15 -- 40,845 (- 2.8%)
09/2013: #15.1: Desd -- 51,850 (+26.9%)
09/2013: #15.2: SlGr -- 52,369 (+ 1.0%)
10/2013: Earth 2 #16 -- 38,389 (-26.7%)
11/2013: Earth 2 #17 -- 39,846 (+ 3.8%)
12/2013: Earth 2 #18 -- 37,130 (- 6.8%)
01/2014: Earth 2 #19 -- 36,103 (- 2.8%)
02/2014: Earth 2 #20 -- 35,732 (- 1.0%)
03/2014: Earth 2 #21 -- 35,295 (- 1.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 32.3%
1 year  : - 23.6%
Since #1: - 65.6%

Another relatively small drop; seems to be a theme here in the mid-list, which is mildly encouraging.

51 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT ($2.99)
03/2011: Dark Knight #2  --  71,108
03/2012: Dark Knight #7  --  74,297
-----------------------------------
03/2013: Dark Knight #18 --  54,269 (-  3.1%)
04/2013: Dark Knight #19 --  52,644 (-  3.0%)
05/2013: Dark Knight #20 --  50,423 (-  4.2%)
06/2013: Dark Knight #21 --  48,612 (-  3.6%)
07/2013: Dark Knight #22 --  47,096 (-  3.1%)
08/2013: Dark Knight #23 --  45,584 (-  3.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Vtrlqust --  57,363 (+ 25.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: MrFreeze --  57,349 (-  0.0%)
09/2013: #23.3: Clayface --  55,084 (-  4.0%)
09/2013: #23.4: JkrsDgtr --  64,952 (+ 56.2%) [86,016]
10/2013: Dark Knight #24 --  43,382 (- 49.6%)
11/2013: Dark Knight #25 --  41,634 (-  4.0%)
12/2013: Dark Knight #26 --  39,980 (-  4.0%)
01/2014: Dark Knight #27 --  37,898 (-  5.2%)
02/2014: Dark Knight #28 --  35,455 (-  6.4%)
03/2014: Dark Knight #29 --  34,836 (-  1.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 45.5%
1 year  : - 35.8%
2 years : - 53.1%
Since #1: - 72.9%

Final issue, helping to make way for Batman Eternal next month.

52 - FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR ($2.99)
10/2013: Arkham War #1 of 6 -- 52,004
11/2013: Arkham War #2 of 6 -- 44,133 (-15.1%)
12/2013: Arkham War #3 of 6 -- 39,919 (- 9.5%)
01/2014: Arkham War #4 of 6 -- 37,973 (- 4.9%)
02/2014: Arkham War #5 of 6 -- 35,564 (- 6.3%)
03/2014: Arkham War #6 of 6 -- 34,743 (- 2.3%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 33.2%

The best-selling of the three Forever Evil minis comes to an end.

54 - ACTION COMICS ($3.99)
03/2004: Action Comics #813 --  66,038
03/2009: Action Comics #875 --  47,079
03/2010: Action Comics #887 --  29,460
03/2011: Action Comics #899 --  31,808
03/2012: Action Comics #7   --  91,822
--------------------------------------
03/2013: Action Comics #18  --  61,879 (+  8.2%)
04/2013: Action Comics #19  --  52,007 (- 16.0%)
05/2013: Action Comics #20  --  48,324 (-  7.1%)
06/2013: Action Comics #21  --  46,475 (-  3.8%)
07/2013: Action Comics #22  --  44,861 (-  3.5%)
08/2013: Action Comics #23  --  42,603 (-  5.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Cyborg Smn  --  69,796 (+ 63.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: Zod         --  69,356 (-  0.6%)
09/2013: #23.3: Lex Luthor  --  67,621 (-  2.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Metallo     --  51,807 (- 23.4%)
10/2013: Action Comics #24  --  39,620 (- 23.5%)
11/2013: Action Comics #25  --  46,550 (+ 17.5%)
12/2013: Action Comics #26  --  37,489 (- 19.5%)
01/2014: Action Comics #27  --  36,042 (-  3.9%)
02/2014: Action Comics #28  --  35,305 (-  2.0%)
03/2014: Action Comics #29  --  34,231 (-  3.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 45.4%
1 year  : - 42.9%
2 years : - 61.6%
5 years : - 25.0%
10 years: - 46.5%
Since #1: - 83.0%

Drifting down, standard attrition style. Joins up with “Doomed” next month.

57 - AQUAMAN ($2.99)
03/2004: Aquaman #15 -- 24,753
03/2012: Aquaman #6  -- 63,450
------------------------------
03/2013: Aquaman #18 -- 53,337 (- 8.9%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: Aquaman #19 -- 53,415 (+ 0.1%)
05/2013: Aquaman #20 -- 49,697 (- 7.0%)
06/2013: Aquaman #21 -- 46,832 (- 5.8%)
07/2013: Aquaman #22 -- 45,653 (- 2.5%)
08/2013: Aquaman #23 -- 44,140 (- 3.3%)
09/2013: #23.1: BMta -- 58,207 (+31.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: OMtr -- 53,679 (- 7.8%)
10/2013: Aquaman #24 -- 42,248 (-21.3%)
11/2013: Aquaman #25 -- 41,264 (- 2.3%)
12/2013: Aquaman #26 -- 38,841 (- 5.9%)
01/2014: Aquaman #27 -- 36,610 (- 5.7%)
02/2014: Aquaman #28 -- 34,939 (- 4.6%)
03/2014: Aquaman #29 -- 33,907 (- 3.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 39.4%
1 year  : - 36.4%
2 years : - 46.6%
10 years: + 37.0%
Since #1: - 68.8%

The spin-off debuts next month.

59 - SUPERMAN ($2.99)
03/2004: Superman #203 --  83,096
03/2009: Superman #686 --  44,976
03/2010: Superman #696 --  31,940
03/2011: Superman #709 --  39,846
03/2012: Superman #7   --  66,588
---------------------------------
03/2013: Superman #17  --  49,666 (-  1.9%)
03/2013: Superman #18  --  48,236 (-  2.9%)
04/2013: Superman #19  --  48,598 (+  0.8%)
05/2013: Superman #20  --  45,458 (-  6.5%)
06/2013: Superman #21  --  44,285 (-  2.6%)
07/2013: Superman #22  --  42,961 (-  3.0%)
08/2013: Superman #23  --  42,155 (-  1.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Bzarro --  59,589 (+ 41.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Brniac --  58,197 (-  2.3%)
09/2013: #23.3: H'el   --  55,069 (-  5.4%)
09/2013: #23.4: Prsite --  59,811 (+  8.6%)
10/2013: Superman #24  --  39,580 (- 33.8%)
11/2013: Superman #25  --  39,295 (-  0.7%)
12/2013: Superman #26  --  36,877 (-  6.2%)
01/2014: Superman #27  --  35,266 (-  4.4%)
02/2014: Superman #28  --  34,296 (-  2.8%)
03/2014: Superman #29  --  33,633 (-  1.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 42.2%
1 year  : - 31.3%
2 years : - 49.5%
5 years : - 25.2%
10 years: - 59.5%
Since #1: - 77.6%

Just 3 months until Johns & Romita arrive. But before that: “Doomed” in April & May.

60 - FLASH ($2.99)
03/2004: Flash #208       --  42,386 [44,679]
03/2010: --
03/2011: --
03/2012: Flash #7         --  64,975
-----------------------------------
03/2013: Flash #18        --  41,659 (-  3.0%)
04/2013: Flash #19        --  42,079 (+  1.0%)
05/2013: Flash #20        --  39,667 (-  5.7%)
06/2013: Flash #21        --  38,848 (-  2.1%)
07/2013: Flash #22        --  38,993 (+  0.4%)
08/2013: Flash #23        --  38,860 (-  0.3%)
09/2013: #23.1: Grodd     --  52,901 (+ 36.1%)
09/2013: #23.2: RvrsFlsh  --  53,359 (+  0.9%)
09/2013: #23.3: Rogues    --  51,072 (-  4.3%)
10/2013: Flash #24        --  38,190 (- 25.2%)
11/2013: Flash #25        --  41,838 (+  9.6%)
12/2013: Flash #26        --  36,601 (- 12.5%)
01/2014: Flash #27        --  34,902 (-  4.6%)
02/2014: Flash #28        --  33,853 (-  3.0%)
03/2014: Flash #29        --  33,241 (-  1.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 36.6%
1 year  : - 20.2%
2 years : - 48.8%
10 years: - 25.6%
Since #1: - 77.5%

The new creative team debuts next month.

61 - BATGIRL ($2.99)
03/2004: Batgirl #50     -- 29,897 [31,876]
03/2010: Batgirl #8      -- 30,886
03/2011: Batgirl #19     -- 24,043
03/2012: Batgirl #7      -- 50,791
----------------------------------
03/2013: Batgirl #18     -- 51,677 (- 21.4%)
04/2013: Batgirl #19     -- 45,939 (- 11.1%)
05/2013: Batgirl #20     -- 42,600 (-  7.3%)
06/2013: Batgirl #21     -- 40,252 (-  5.5%)
07/2013: Batgirl #22     -- 39,218 (-  2.6%)
08/2013: Batgirl #23     -- 37,707 (-  3.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batgirl #24     -- 36,666 (-  2.8%)
11/2013: Batgirl #25     -- 40,752 (+ 11.1%)
12/2013: Batgirl #26     -- 34,885 (- 14.4%)
01/2014: Batgirl #27     -- 37,226 (+  6.7%)
02/2014: Batgirl #28     -- 34,567 (-  7.1%)
03/2014: Batgirl #28     -- 33,223 (-  3.9%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.%
1 year  : - 35.7%
2 years : - 34.6%
10 years: +  4.2%
Since #1: - 69.0%
65 - WONDER WOMAN ($2.99)
03/2004: Wonder Woman #202 --  28,646
03/2009: Wonder Woman #30  --  33,365
03/2010: Wonder Woman #42  --  25,240
03/2011: Wonder Woman #608 --  32,540
03/2012: Wonder Woman #7   --  51,314
-------------------------------------
03/2013: Wonder Woman #18  --  38,406 (-  1.8%)
04/2013: Wonder Woman #19  --  46,492 (+ 21.1%)
05/2013: Wonder Woman #20  --  37,132 (- 20.1%)
06/2013: Wonder Woman #21  --  35,999 (-  3.1%)
07/2013: Wonder Woman #22  --  35,539 (-  1.3%)
08/2013: Wonder Woman #23  --  34,747 (-  2.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Cheetah    --  49,297 (+ 41.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: First Born --  44,154 (- 10.4%)
10/2013: Wonder Woman #24  --  34,308 (- 22.3%)
11/2013: Wonder Woman #25  --  33,532 (-  2.3%)
12/2013: Wonder Woman #26  --  32,773 (-  2.3%)
01/2014: Wonder Woman #27  --  32,035 (-  2.3%)
02/2014: Wonder Woman #28  --  31,464 (-  1.8%)
03/2014: Wonder Woman #29  --  30,989 (-  1.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 33.7%
1 year  : - 19.3%
2 years : - 39.6%
5 years : -  7.1%
10 years: +  8.2%
Since #1: - 67.7%

Stubbornly treading above the 30K line. Has it been announced yet when the Finches are to take over?

66 - JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 ($2.99)
12/2013: Justice League 3K #1 -- 57,726
01/2014: Justice League 3K #2 -- 41,423 (-28.2%)
02/2014: Justice League 3K #3 -- 33,308 (-19.6%)
03/2014: Justice League 3K #4 -- 30,127 (- 9.6%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 47.8%

Still finding its level, which unless there’s an unforeseen turn-around will be under 30K.

70 - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ($3.99)
03/2012: Justice League Dark #7   -- 36,089
-------------------------------------------
03/2013: Justice League Dark #18  -- 25,664 (-  0.7%)
04/2013: Justice League Dark #19  -- 25,407 (-  1.0%)
05/2013: Justice League Dark #20  -- 24,693 (-  2.8%)
06/2013: Justice League Dark #21  -- 24,663 (-  0.1%)
07/2013: Justice League Dark #22  -- 68,294 (+225.6%) [80,302]
08/2013: Justice League Dark #23  -- 71,157 (+  4.2%) [75,782]
09/2013: #23.1: Creeper           -- 46,326 (- 34.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: Eclipso           -- 45,138 (-  2.6%)
10/2013: Justice League Dark #24  -- 45,401 (+  0.6%)
11/2013: Justice League Dark #25  -- 38,760 (- 14.6%)
12/2013: Justice League Dark #26  -- 36,353 (-  6.2%)
01/2014: Justice League Dark #27  -- 32,576 (- 10.4%)
02/2014: Justice League Dark #28  -- 30,519 (-  6.3%)
03/2014: Justice League Dark #29  -- 29,202 (-  4.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 36.1%
1 year  : + 13.8%
2 years : - 19.1%
Since #1: - 64.4%

Drops back below 30K as the Forever Evil crossover continues.

This ends the DCU mid-list. The DCU titles beyond this point should be considered to be ‘in trouble.’ That doesn’t necessarily mean that cancellation is on the immediate horizon, but *something* is going to have to change, whether it be a change in creative teams or a crossover or a gimmick, to keep them away from the cancellation bear.

76 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS ($2.99)
03/2009: Green Lantern Corps #34 -- 54,162
03/2010: Green Lantern Corps #46 -- 76,720
03/2011: Green Lantern Corps #58 -- 60,100
03/2012: Green Lantern Corps #7  -- 48,692
------------------------------------------
03/2013: Green Lantern Corps #18 -- 44,215 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 43,903 (- 0.7%)
05/2013: Green Lantern Corps #20 -- 43,026 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Green Lantern Corps #21 -- 45,423 (+ 5.6%)
07/2013: Green Lantern Corps #22 -- 42,194 (- 7.1%)
08/2013: Green Lantern Corps #23 -- 36,229 (-14.1%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Green Lantern Corps #24 -- 37,312 (+ 3.0%)
11/2013: Green Lantern Corps #25 -- 38,369 (+ 2.8%)
12/2013: Green Lantern Corps #26 -- 32,797 (-14.5%)
01/2014: Green Lantern Corps #27 -- 31,447 (- 4.1%)
02/2014: Green Lantern Corps #28 -- 29,142 (- 7.3%)
03/2014: Green Lantern Corps #29 -- 27,754 (- 4.8%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 37.2%
2 years : - 43.0%
5 years : - 48.8%
Since #1: - 70.7%

A Green Lantern crossover is needed, stat!

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Dynamite Entertainment’s reboot of the classic Gold Key character Magnus: Robot Fighter; and by IDW’s My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.)

84 - THE WAKE (Vertigo) ($2.99)
05/2013: The Wake #1 of 10  -- 44,867          [50,188]
06/2013: The Wake #2 of 10  -- 32,562 (-35.1%)
07/2013: The Wake #3 of 10  -- 30,622 (- 6.0%)
08/2013: -- 
09/2013: The Wake #4 of 10  -- 31,674 (+ 3.4%)
10/2013: -- 
11/2013: The Wake #5 of 10  -- 30,463 (- 3.8%)
12/2013: -- 
01/2014: -- 
02/2014: The Wake #6 of 10  -- 26,843 (-11.9%)
03/2014: The Wake #7 of 10  -- 26,500 (- 1.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 16.3% 
Since #1: - 47.2%

Looks like it has maybe found its new post-gap level.

86 - TEEN TITANS ($2.99)
03/2004: Teen Titans #9   -- 69,056
03/2009: --
03/2010: Teen Titans #81  -- 25,758
03/2011: Teen Titans #93  -- 24,957
03/2012: Teen Titans #7   -- 51,402
-----------------------------------
03/2013: Teen Titans #18  -- 42,055 (+  7.3%)
04/2013: Teen Titans #19  -- 39,532 (-  6.0%)
05/2013: Teen Titans #20  -- 36,391 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Teen Titans #21  -- 34,710 (-  4.6%)
07/2013: Teen Titans #22  -- 33,062 (-  4.8%)
08/2013: Teen Titans #23  -- 31,742 (-  4.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Trigon    -- 48,974 (+ 54.3%)
09/2013: #23.2: Dthstroke -- 49,920 (+  1.9%)
10/2013: Teen Titans #24  -- 34,536 (- 30.8%)
11/2013: Teen Titans #25  -- 32,395 (-  6.2%)
12/2013: Teen Titans #26  -- 29,149 (- 10.0%)
01/2014: Teen Titans #27  -- 27,558 (-  5.5%)
02/2014: Teen Titans #28  -- 26,732 (-  3.0%)
03/2014: Teen Titans #29  -- 25,969 (-  2.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 47.5%
1 year  : - 38.2%
2 years : - 49.5%
5 years : n.a.
10 years: - 62.4%
Since #1: - 70.8%

Penultimate issue, but will be re-launched over the summer.

87 - WORLDS' FINEST ($2.99)
03/2013: Worlds' Finest #10 -- 28,469 (+ 0.5%)
04/2013: Worlds' Finest #11 -- 27,453 (- 3.6%)
05/2013: Worlds' Finest #12 -- 27,073 (- 1.4%)
06/2013: Worlds' Finest #13 -- 25,815 (- 4.7%)
07/2013: Worlds' Finest #14 -- 25,143 (- 2.6%)
08/2013: Worlds' Finest #15 -- 24,159 (- 3.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Worlds' Finest #16 -- 22,987 (- 4.9%)
11/2013: Worlds' Finest #17 -- 21,920 (- 4.6%)
12/2013: Worlds' Finest #18 -- 21,039 (- 4.0%)
01/2014: Worlds' Finest #19 -- 20,998 (- 0.2%)
02/2014: Worlds' Finest #20 -- 25,585 (+31.5%) [27,613]
03/2014: Worlds' Finest #21 -- 25,676 (- 7.0%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : -  9.8%
Since #1: - 63.1%

Part 4 of the “First Contact” crossover with Superman/Batman, which is notable because part three of the crossover (Batman/Superman #9) has been delayed until April. I’m pretty sure that the delay was announced at the last minute, after retailer FoC, so this issue was ordered under the assumption that there would be a part 3 for customers to purchase at the time.

But for some positive news, the second part of the crossover (issue #20) received another 2,028 units in re-order activity, so there’s greater interest in some quarters than what retailers had initially thought. (And since there was really no way for retailers to know, I can’t blame them for erring on the conservative side.)

88 - GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS ($2.99)
03/2012: New Guardians #7  -- 48,422
---------------------------------------
03/2013: New Guardians #18 -- 42,028 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: New Guardians #19 -- 41,481 (- 1.3%)
05/2013: New Guardians #20 -- 40,569 (- 2.2%)
06/2013: New Guardians #21 -- 42,290 (+ 4.2%)
07/2013: New Guardians #22 -- 40,788 (- 3.6%)
08/2013: New Guardians #23 -- 34,473 (-15.5%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: New Guardians #24 -- 35,417 (+ 2.7%)
11/2013: New Guardians #25 -- 32,069 (- 9.5%)
12/2013: New Guardians #26 -- 30,489 (- 4.9%)
01/2014: New Guardians #27 -- 28,346 (- 7.0%)
02/2014: New Guardians #28 -- 27,212 (- 4.0%)
03/2014: New Guardians #29 -- 25,296 (- 7.0%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 39.8%
2 years : - 47.8%
Since #1: - 73.8%

Drops another 2,000 units this month. DC should be thinking about pruning the Green Lantern line.

89 - RED LANTERNS ($2.99)
03/2012: Red Lanterns #7  -- 43,450
-----------------------------------
03/2013: Red Lanterns #18 -- 35,203 (-  1.8%)
04/2013: Red Lanterns #19 -- 34,673 (-  1.5%)
05/2013: Red Lanterns #20 -- 33,923 (-  2.2%)
06/2013: Red Lanterns #21 -- 37,312 (+ 10.0%)
07/2013: Red Lanterns #22 -- 35,236 (-  5.6%)
08/2013: Red Lanterns #23 -- 29,623 (- 15.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Red Lanterns #24 -- 30,771 (+  3.9%)
11/2013: Red Lanterns #25 -- 27,786 (-  9.7%)
12/2013: Red Lanterns #26 -- 26,242 (-  5.6%)
01/2014: Red Lanterns #27 -- 24,477 (-  6.7%)
02/2014: Green Lant/RL#28 -- 49,200 (+110.6%) [51,548]
03/2014: Red Lanterns #29 -- 25,153 (- 51.2%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 28.5%
2 years : - 42.1%
Since #1: - 71.8%

Only about 700 units above the pre-stunt issue. But as noted above there was re-order activity on that issue so maybe there will be an adjustment in the months to come?

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Archie Comics’ Afterlife with Archie.)

95 - GREEN ARROW ($2.99)
03/2004: Green Arrow #36  -- 34,707
03/2009: Arrow/Canary #18 -- 22,699
03/2010: Arrow&Canary #31 -- 28,486
03/2011: Green Arrow #10  -- 33,085
03/2012: Green Arrow #7   -- 29,004
-----------------------------------
03/2013: Green Arrow #18  -- 28,080 (- 22.1%)
04/2013: Green Arrow #19  -- 29,922 (+  6.6%)
05/2013: Green Arrow #20  -- 27,541 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Green Arrow #21  -- 26,924 (-  2.2%)
07/2013: Green Arrow #22  -- 26,172 (-  2.8%)
08/2013: Green Arrow #23  -- 25,449 (-  2.8%)
09/2013: #23.1: CtVertigo -- 43,234 (+ 69.9%)
10/2013: Green Arrow #24  -- 24,620 (- 43.1%)
11/2013: Green Arrow #25  -- 29,591 (+ 20.2%)
12/2013: Green Arrow #26  -- 24,687 (- 16.6%)
01/2014: Green Arrow #27  -- 23,785 (-  3.7%)
02/2014: Green Arrow #28  -- 26,725 (+ 12.4%)
03/2014: Green Arrow #29  -- 23,698 (- 11.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 45.2%
1 year  : - 15.6%
2 years : - 18.3%
5 years : +  4.4%
10 years: - 31.7%
Since #1: - 67.2%

What to make of last month’s sales bump, which has now evaporated? It’s tempting to attribute it to variant cover shenanigans, but there were plenty of other titles that had variants the same month that didn’t see a bump. Maybe there was some other kind of order incentive last month? Maybe DC over shipped an extra copy to each Diamond account? Or something else? Any insight is appreciated!

99 - SUPERGIRL ($2.99)
03/2009: Supergirl #39 --  33,713
03/2010: Supergirl #51 --  29,845
03/2011: Supergirl #62 --  21,786
03/2012: Supergirl #7  --  37,041
---------------------------------
03/2013: Supergirl #18 --  28,051 (-  7.0%)
04/2013: Supergirl #19 --  29,558 (+  5.4%)
05/2013: Supergirl #20 --  27,509 (-  6.9%)
06/2013: Supergirl #21 --  25,856 (-  6.0%)
07/2013: Supergirl #22 --  25,514 (-  1.3%)
08/2013: Supergirl #23 --  24,747 (-  3.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Supergirl #24 --  23,321 (-  5.8%)
11/2013: Supergirl #25 --  25,377 (+  8.8%)
12/2013: Supergirl #26 --  22,646 (- 10.8%)
01/2014: Supergirl #27 --  21,954 (-  3.1%)
02/2014: Supergirl #28 --  23,567 (+  7.3%)
03/2014: Supergirl #29 --  22,883 (-  2.9%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 18.4%
2 years : - 38,2%
5 years : - 32.1%
Since #1: - 69.2%

Red Lantern Supergirl falls right back into standard attrition.

100 - FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES' REBELLION ($2.99)
10/2013: Rogues' Rebellion #1 of 6 -- 36,545
11/2013: Rogues' Rebellion #2 of 6 -- 30,317 (-17.0%)
12/2013: Rogues' Rebellion #3 of 6 -- 27,363 (- 9.7%)
01/2014: Rogues' Rebellion #4 of 6 -- 25,657 (- 6.2%)
02/2014: Rogues' Rebellion #5 of 6 -- 23,725 (- 7.5%)
03/2014: Rogues' Rebellion #6 of 6 -- 22,802 (- 3.9%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 37.6%

Well‚Äîthat’s now over.

—-

104 - RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS ($2.99)
03/2012: Red Hood #7  -- 38,630
-------------------------------
03/2013: Red Hood #18 -- 37,731 (-28.9%) [42,901]
04/2013: Red Hood #19 -- 36,630 (- 2.9%)
05/2013: Red Hood #20 -- 35,542 (- 3.0%)
06/2013: Red Hood #21 -- 32,416 (- 8.8%)
07/2013: Red Hood #22 -- 30,534 (- 5.8%)
08/2013: Red Hood #23 -- 28,821 (- 5.6%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Red Hood #24 -- 27,128 (- 5.9%)
11/2013: Red Hood #25 -- 30,632 (+12.9%)
12/2013: Red Hood #26 -- 25,382 (-17.1%)
01/2014: Red Hood #27 -- 24,813 ( -2.2%)
02/2014: Red Hood #28 -- 23,236 ( -6.4%)
03/2014: Red Hood #29 -- 22,316 ( -4.0%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 48.0%
2 years : - 41.8%
Since #1: - 68.2%

Creative team changes in the near future.

105 - CATWOMAN ($2.99)
03/2004: Catwoman #28 -- 23,955
03/2012: Catwoman #7  -- 41,447
-------------------------------
03/2013: Catwoman #18 -- 33,220 (+10.0%)
04/2013: Catwoman #19 -- 28,058 (-15.5%)
05/2013: Catwoman #20 -- 26,886 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Catwoman #21 -- 25,611 (- 4.7%)
07/2013: Catwoman #22 -- 24,737 (- 3.4%)
08/2013: Catwoman #23 -- 24,262 (- 1.9%) [38,290]
09/2013: --
10/2013: Catwoman #24 -- 35,134 (+44.8%)
11/2013: Catwoman #25 -- 29,471 (-16.1%)
12/2013: Catwoman #26 -- 26,482 (-10.1%)
01/2014: Catwoman #27 -- 24,956 (- 5.8%)
02/2014: Catwoman #28 -- 23,974 (- 3.9%)
03/2014: Catwoman #29 -- 22,236 (- 7.2%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 33.1%
2 years : - 46.4%
10 years: -  7.2%
Since #1: - 70.6%

With “Gothtopia” over the drop gets bigger, so maybe the cross-over was propping it up a bit after all.

106 - SUICIDE SQUAD ($2.99)
03/2012: Suicide Squad #7       -- 32,908
-----------------------------------------
03/2013: Suicide Squad #18      -- 25,232 (-  4.3%)
04/2013: Suicide Squad #19      -- 24,300 (-  3.7%)
05/2013: Suicide Squad #20      -- 23,537 (-  3.1%)
06/2013: Suicide Squad #21      -- 22,907 (-  2.7%)
07/2013: Suicide Squad #22      -- 22,447 (-  2.0%)
08/2013: Suicide Squad #23      -- 22,166 (-  1.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Suicide Squad #24      -- 27,762 (+ 25.3%)
11/2013: Suicide Squad #25      -- 27,067 (-  2.5%)
12/2013: Suicide Squad #26      -- 25,346 (-  6.4%)
01/2014: Suicide Squad #27      -- 24,175 (-  4.6%)
02/2014: Suicide Squad #28      -- 22,882 (-  5.3%)
03/2014: Suicide Squad #29      -- 22,162 (-  3.1%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 12.2%
2 years : - 32.7%
Since #1: - 64.1%

Still crossing over with Forever Evil. Ends with #30, to be reborn in July as New Suicide Squad. (To be followed two years later by New and Improved Suicide Squad with Foaming Bubble Action!)

116 - AMERICAN VAMPIRE: SECOND CYCLE (Vertigo) ($3.99)
03/2010: American Vampire #1     --  33,762  [36,831]
03/2011: American Vampire #13    --  17,269
03/2012: American Vampire #25    --  14,598
-------------------------------------------
03/2013: --
04/2013: --
05/2013: --
06/2013: American Vampire LRtH   --  16,042 (+ 19.6%)
07/2013: --
08/2013: American Vampire Anthol --  12,695 (- 20.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: --
11/2013: --
12/2013: --
01/2014: --
02/2014: --
03/2014: American Vampire 2Cy #1 --  20,863 (+ 64.3%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : n.a.
2 years : + 42.9%

Returnable, so adjusted up 10% (see fine print at end of column). These are the best numbers since the early Steven King days of the title, so the reboot seems to be having some amount of benefit (as likely does a 1:50 variant cover) We’ll know in a few months if it sticks…

109 - INJUSTICE: YEAR TWO (Digital-First) ($2.99)
03/2013: Injustice #3    -- 18,608 (+ 9.0%) [24,469]
04/2013: Injustice #4    -- 21,669 (+16.5%) [26,739]
05/2013: Injustice #5    -- 25,215 (+16.4%)
06/2013: Injustice #6    -- 26,011 (+ 3.2%)
07/2013: Injustice #7    -- 25,731 (- 1.1%)
08/2013: Injustice #8    -- 25,223 (- 2.0%)
09/2013: Injustice #9    -- 24,333 (- 3.5%)
10/2013: Injustice #10   -- 24,788 (+ 1.9%)
11/2013: Injustice #11   -- 22,704 (- 8.4%)
12/2013: Injustice #12   -- 21,871 (- 3.7%)
01/2014: Injustice Y2 #1 -- 24,700 (+12.9%)
02/2014: Injustice Y2 #2 -- 22,703 (- 8.1%)
03/2014: Injustice Y2 #3 -- 20,693 (- 8.9%)
----------------
6 months: - 10.0%
1 year  : - 22.0%
Since #1: -  8.1%

Drop another 2K units as the gain from the relaunch is now gone. A digital-first comic, so the usual economics don’t apply. Glancing at various digital charts, this appears to be DC’s best-selling digital-first series in those realms, by a large margin.

111 - CONSTANTINE ($2.99)
03/2004: Hellblazer #194 -- 14,957
03/2009: Hellblazer #253 -- 11,132
03/2010: Hellblazer #265 -- 10,295
03/2011: Hellblazer #277 --  9,525
03/2012: Hellblazer #289 --  9,363
----------------------------------
03/2013: Constantine #1  -- 37,564 (+200.0%)
04/2013: Constantine #2  -- 30,789 (- 18.0%)
05/2013: Constantine #3  -- 29,106 (-  5.5%)
06/2013: Constantine #4  -- 26,417 (-  9.2%)
07/2013: Constantine #5  -- 30,664 (+ 32.6%) [35,027]
08/2013: Constantine #6  -- 25,174 (- 28.1%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Constantine #7  -- 22,954 (-  8.8%)
11/2013: Constantine #8  -- 20,981 (-  8.6%)
12/2013: Constantine #9  -- 22,403 (+  6.8%)
01/2014: Constantine #10 -- 20,729 (-  7.5%)
02/2014: Constantine #11 -- 20,385 (-  1.7%)
03/2014: Constantine #12 -- 20,051 (-  1.6%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 46.6%
2 years : +114.2%
5 years : + 80.1%
10 years: + 34.1%
Since #1: - 46.6%

Still hovering just over 20K as Forever Evil: Blight continues.

113 - BATWOMAN ($2.99)
03/2012: Batwoman #7  --  49,227
--------------------------------
03/2013: Batwoman #18 --  31,381 (- 2.1%)
04/2013: Batwoman #19 --  31,538 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Batwoman #20 --  29,698 (- 5.8%)
06/2013: Batwoman #21 --  28,173 (- 5.1%)
07/2013: Batwoman #22 --  27,400 (- 2.7%)
08/2013: Batwoman #23 --  26,223 (- 4.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batwoman #24 --  25,609 (- 2.3%)
11/2013: Batwoman #25 --  25,987 (+ 1.5%)
12/2013: Batwoman #26 --  23,311 (-10.3%)
01/2014: Batwoman #27 --  22,461 (- 3.6%)
02/2014: Batwoman #28 --  20,672 (- 8.0%)
03/2014: Batwoman #29 --  19,750 (- 4.5%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 37.1%
2 years : - 59.9%
Since #1: - 77.5%

Drops below 20K, with no weddings on the horizon.

115 - FOREVER EVIL: A.R.G.U.S. ($2.99)
10/2013: A.R.G.U.S. #1 of 6 -- 32,146
11/2013: A.R.G.U.S. #2 of 6 -- 25,071 (-22.0%)
12/2013: A.R.G.U.S. #3 of 6 -- 22,758 (- 9.2%)
01/2014: A.R.G.U.S. #4 of 6 -- 20,294 (-10.8%)
02/2014: A.R.G.U.S. #5 of 6 -- 19,157 (- 5.6%)
03/2014: A.R.G.U.S. #6 of 6 -- 18,893 (- 0.9%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 40.9%

The last drop is also the tiniest.

117 - SWAMP THING ($2.99)
03/2004: Swamp Thing #1  -- 33,382  [34,654]
03/2012: Swamp Thing #7  -- 40,268
----------------------------------
03/2013: Swamp Thing #18 -- 30,716 (- 2.5%)
04/2013: Swamp Thing #19 -- 29,254 (- 4.8%)
05/2013: Swamp Thing #20 -- 27,338 (- 6.6%)
06/2013: Swamp Thing #21 -- 25,186 (- 7.9%)
07/2013: Swamp Thing #22 -- 23,885 (- 5.2%)
08/2013: Swamp Thing #23 -- 22,695 (- 5.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Arcane   -- 40,390 (+78.0%)
10/2013: Swamp Thing #24 -- 21,724 (-46.2%)
11/2013: Swamp Thing #25 -- 21,141 (- 2.7%)
12/2013: Swamp Thing #26 -- 20,247 (- 4.2%)
01/2014: Swamp Thing #27 -- 19,755 (- 2.4%)
02/2014: Swamp Thing #28 -- 19,146 (- 3.1%)
03/2014: Swamp Thing #29 -- 18,837 (- 1.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 53.4%
1 year  : - 38.7%
2 years : - 53.2%
10 years: - 45.6%
Since #1: - 74.4%

While I’m enjoying the current creative team’s take on Swampy, I’m afraid that my $3 and those of the other 18,836 people won’t be enough to keep things going as they are for much longer. But it’s hard to tell what DC’s tolerance is for former Vertigo properties now in the DCU.

118 - BATMAN '66 (Digital-First) ($3.99)
07/2013: Batman '66 #1  -- 50,430
08/2013: Batman '66 #2  -- 37,113 (-26.4%)
09/2013: Batman '66 #3  -- 32,954 (-11.2%)
10/2013: Batman '66 #4  -- 30,099 (- 8.7%)
11/2013: Batman '66 #5  -- 26,785 (-11.0%)
12/2013: Batman '66 #6  -- 24,374 (- 9.0%)
01/2014: Batman '66 #7  -- 21,802 (-10.6%)
02/2014: Batman '66 #8  -- 19,795 (- 9.2%)
03/2014: Batman '66 #9  -- 18,802 (- 5.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 42.9%
Since #1: - 62.7%

The lowest percentage drop yet, but really needs to turn things around soon.

120 - TRILLIUM (Vertigo) ($2.99)
08/2013: Trillium #1 of 8  -- 30,712 
09/2013: Trillium #2 of 8  -- 24,482 (-20.3%)
10/2013: Trillium #3 of 8  -- 23,037 (- 5.9%)
11/2013: Trillium #4 of 8  -- 20,915 (- 9.2%)
12/2013: Trillium #5 of 8  -- 20,035 (- 4.2%)
01/2014: -- 
02/2014: Trillium #6 of 8  -- 18,819 (- 6.1%)
03/2014: Trillium #7 of 8  -- 18,594 (- 1.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.1%
Since #1: - 39.5%

Penultimate issue.

123 - DC UNIVERSE VS. MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE ($2.99)
09/2013: DCU vs. MotU #1 of 6 -- 35,269
10/2013: DCU vs. MotU #2 of 6 -- 23,037 (-34.7%)
11/2013: --
12/2013: DCU vs. MotU #3 of 6 -- 21,325 (- 7.4%)
01/2013: DCU vs. MotU #4 of 6 -- 19,289 (- 9.5%)
02/2013: DCU vs. MotU #5 of 6 -- 18,769 (- 2.7%)
02/2013: DCU vs. MotU #6 of 6 -- 17,500 (- 6.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 50.4%
Since #1: - 50.4%

Final issue.

124 - ANIMAL MAN ($2.99)
03/2012: Animal Man #6     -- 38,504
------------------------------------
03/2013: Animal Man #18    -- 28,711 (- 2.4%)
04/2013: Animal Man #19    -- 27,562 (- 4.0%)
05/2013: Animal Man #20    -- 25,807 (- 6.4%)
06/2013: Animal Man #21    -- 23,862 (- 7.5%)
07/2013: Animal Man #22    -- 22,974 (- 3.7%)
08/2013: Animal Man #23    -- 21,634 (- 5.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Animal Man #24    -- 20,554 (- 5.0%)
11/2013: Animal Man #25    -- 19,710 (- 4.1%)
12/2013: Animal Man #26    -- 18,823 (- 4.5%)
01/2014: Animal Man #27    -- 18,401 (- 2.2%)
02/2014: Animal Man #28    -- 17,559 (- 4.6%)
03/2014: Animal Man #29    -- 17,473 (- 0.5%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : -39.1%
2 years : -54.6%
Since #1: -73.2%

Final issue evidences an almost imperceptible drop of just 86 copies.

125 - TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA ($2.99)
07/2013: Pandora #1  -- 35,106          [41,678]
07/2013: Pandora #2  -- 32,170 (-15.1%) [35,385]
08/2013: Pandora #3  -- 34,563 (- 2.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Pandora #4  -- 25,708 (-25.6%)
11/2013: Pandora #5  -- 21,267 (-17.3%)
12/2013: Pandora #6  -- 20,563 (- 3.3%)
01/2014: Pandora #7  -- 18,984 (- 7.7%)
02/2014: Pandora #8  -- 17,703 (- 6.7%)
03/2014: Pandora #9  -- 17,032 (- 3.8%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
Since #1: - 59.1%

Still part of Forever Evil; still not cancelled.

126 - BIRDS OF PREY ($2.99)
03/2004: Birds of Prey #65  -- 29,731
03/2009: Birds of Prey #128 -- 21,424
03/2011: Birds of Prey #10  -- 30,641
03/2012: Birds of Prey #7   -- 30,376
-------------------------------------
03/2013: Birds of Prey #18  -- 21,957 (-  0.7%)
04/2013: Birds of Prey #19  -- 21,707 (-  1.1%)
05/2013: Birds of Prey #20  -- 21,126 (-  2.7%)
06/2013: Birds of Prey #21  -- 20,767 (-  1.7%)
07/2013: Birds of Prey #22  -- 20,209 (-  2.7%)
08/2013: Birds of Prey #23  -- 19,364 (-  4.2%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Birds of Prey #24  -- 18,382 (-  5.1%)
11/2013: Birds of Prey #25  -- 22,751 (+ 23.8%)
12/2013: Birds of Prey #26  -- 17,497 (- 23.1%)
01/2014: Birds of Prey #27  -- 19,387 (+ 10.8%)
02/2014: Birds of Prey #28  -- 18,092 (-  6.7%)
03/2014: Birds of Prey #29  -- 16,795 (-  7.2%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 23.5%
2 years : - 44.7%
5 years : - 21.6%
10 years: - 43.5%
Since #1: - 74.7%

No more “Gothtopia”; still dropping.

127 - SUICIDE SQUAD: AMANDA WALLER ($4.99)
03/2014: Suicide Squad Amanda Waller #1 --  16,534

Another one-shot featuring DC’s female supporting characters. Retailers ordered at 75% of the parent title, which seems reasonable.

129 - TRINITY OF SIN: THE PHANTOM STRANGER ($2.99)
03/2013: Phantom Stranger #6  -- 17,375 (- 3.6%)
04/2013: Phantom Stranger #7  -- 17,326 (- 0.3%)
05/2013: Phantom Stranger #8  -- 16,269 (- 6.1%)
06/2013: ToS: PS #9           -- 17,241 (+ 6.0%)
07/2013: ToS: PS #10          -- 20,636 (+19.7%)
08/2013: ToS: PS #11          -- 26,986 (+30.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: ToS: PS #12          -- 19,732 (-26.9%)
11/2013: ToS: PS #13          -- 17,779 (- 9.9%)
12/2013: ToS: PS #14          -- 18,649 (+ 4.9%)
01/2013: ToS: PS #15          -- 17,435 (- 6.5%)
02/2014: ToS: PS #16          -- 17,012 (- 2.4%)
03/2014: ToS: PS #17          -- 16,395 (- 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : -  5.6%
Since #1: - 59.1%

Still part of Forever Evil. Still not cancelled.

130 - SUPERBOY ($2.99)
03/2011: Superboy #5  --  27,448
03/2012: Superboy #7  --  34,520
--------------------------------
03/2013: Superboy #18 --  24,455 (-  8.6%)
04/2013: Superboy #19 --  24,211 (-  1.0%)
05/2013: Superboy #20 --  22,508 (-  7.0%)
06/2013: Superboy #21 --  20,952 (-  6.9%)
07/2013: Superboy #22 --  19,984 (-  4.6%)
08/2013: Superboy #23 --  20,235 (+  1.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Superboy #24 --  18,341 (-  9.4%)
11/2013: Superboy #25 --  21,449 (+ 16.9%)
12/2013: Superboy #26 --  17,690 (- 17.5%)
01/2014: Superboy #27 --  17,392 (-  1.7%)
02/2014: Superboy #28 --  16,448 (-  5.4%)
03/2014: Superboy #29 --  15,776 (-  4.1%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 35.5%
2 years : - 54.3%
Since #1: - 77.2%

The Bold New Direction continues to bring not-so-bold sales.

140 - BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE (Digital-First) ($3.99)
03/2012: Unlimited #2   -- 23,570
---------------------------------
03/2013: Unlimited #14  -- 16,456 (- 3.3%)
04/2013: Unlimited #15  -- 16,283 (- 1.1%)
05/2013: Unlimited #16  -- 15,822 (- 2.8%)
06/2013: Unlimited #17  -- 15,464 (- 2.3%)
07/2013: Unlimited #18  -- 15,275 (- 1.2%)
08/2013: Universe #1    -- 23,358 (+52.9%)
09/2013: Universe #2    -- 18,332 (-21.5%)
10/2013: Universe #3    -- 17,658 (- 3.7%)
11/2013: Universe #4    -- 16,889 (- 4.4%)
12/2013: Universe #5    -- 15,857 (- 6.1%)
01/2014: Universe #6    -- 15,070 (- 5.0%)
02/2014: Universe #7    -- 14,435 (- 4.2%)
03/2014: Universe #8    -- 14,097 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 23.1%
1 year  : - 14.3%
2 years : - 40.2%
Since #1: - 39.6%

I’ll be interested to see if Batman Beyond’s high-profile role in the upcoming New DC Futures End weekly brings any added interest in this title in the coming months.

141 - ASTRO CITY (Vertigo) ($3.99)
03/2004: --
03/2009: --
03/2010: Astro City DA 4 #2   -- 13,118
03/2011: --
03/2012: --
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Astro City #1        -- 27,700
07/2013: Astro City #2        -- 20,193 (-27.1%)
08/2013: Astro City #3        -- 18,802 (- 6.9%)
09/2013: Astro City #4        -- 17,641 (- 6.2%)
10/2013: Astro City #5        -- 16,927 (- 4.1%)
11/2013: Astro City #6        -- 16,031 (- 5.3%)
12/2013: Astro City #7        -- 15,360 (- 4.2%)
01/2014: Astro City #8        -- 14,831 (- 3.4%)
02/2014: Astro City #9        -- 14,289 (- 3.7%)
03/2014: Astro City #10       -- 14,094 (- 1.4%)
-----------------
6 months: - 20.1%
5 years :    n.a.
10 years:    n.a.
Since #1: - 49.1%

Settling in around 14K for the time being.

142 - TALON ($2.99)
03/2013: Talon #6  -- 25,440 (- 9.2%)
04/2013: Talon #7  -- 24,045 (- 5.5%)
05/2013: Talon #8  -- 22,710 (- 5.6%)
06/2013: Talon #9  -- 21,755 (- 4.2%)
07/2013: Talon #10 -- 20,296 (- 6.7%)
08/2013: Talon #11 -- 19,449 (- 4.2%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Talon #12 -- 18,218 (- 6.3%)
11/2013: Talon #13 -- 17,218 (- 5.5%)
12/2013: Talon #14 -- 16,373 (- 4.9%)
01/2014: Talon #15 -- 15,455 (- 5.6%)
02/2014: Talon #16 -- 14,691 (- 4.9%)
03/2014: Talon #17 -- 13,956 (- 5.0%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 45.1%
Since #1: - 76.6%

Final issue. Started with (reorder-adjusted) orders of near 60K, then just kept dropping month after month after month. My theory is that the market is already so saturated with Batman-related comics that a comic starring a new, tertiary character was just never going to be able to survive.

143 - FABLES (Vertigo) ($2.99)
03/2004: Fables #23  -- 25,211
03/2009: Fables #82  -- 22,445
03/2010: Fables #93  -- 20,003
03/2011: Fables #103 -- 18,910
03/2012: Fables #115 -- 17,384
------------------------------
03/2013: Fables #127 -- 15,529 (+ 0.3%)
04/2013: Fables #128 -- 15,606 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Fables #129 -- 15,380 (- 1.5%)
06/2013: Fables #130 -- 15,129 (- 1.6%)
07/2013: Fables #131 -- 15,109 (- 0.1%)
08/2013: Fables #132 -- 14,893 (- 1.4%)
09/2013: Fables #133 -- 14,639 (- 1.7%)
10/2013: Fables #134 -- 14,575 (- 0.4%)
11/2013: Fables #135 -- 14,383 (- 1.3%)
12/2013: Fables #136 -- 14,220 (- 1.1%)
01/2014: Fables #137 -- 14,172 (- 0.3%)
02/2014: Fables #138 -- 14,109 (- 0.4%)
03/2014: Fables #139 -- 13,936 (- 1.2%)
----------------
6 months: -  4.8%
1 year  : - 10.3%
2 years : - 19.8%
5 years : - 37.9%
10 years: - 44.7%
Since #1: - 36.7%

Dips below 14K for the first time. At least one of those lost 173 copies is my fault: I forgot to pre-order and ended up having to buy a shelf copy.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Boom Studio’s Adventure Time.)

149 - HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE ($2.99)
04/2013: He-Man & MotU #1  -- 25,254 (+53.6%)
05/2013: He-Man & MotU #2  -- 19,410 (-23.1%)
06/2013: He-Man & MotU #3  -- 18,227 (- 5.8%)
07/2013: He-Man & MotU #4  -- 18,101 (- 1.0%)
08/2013: He-Man & MotU #5  -- 16,898 (- 6.6%)
09/2013: He-Man & MotU #6  -- 16,294 (- 3.6%)
10/2013: He-Man & MotU #7  -- 16,059 (- 1.4%)
11/2013: He-Man & MotU #8  -- 15,154 (- 5.6%)
12/2013: He-Man & MotU #9  -- 14,465 (- 4.5%)
01/2014: --
02/2014: He-Man & MotU #10 -- 13,816 (- 4.5%)
03/2014: He-Man & MotU #11 -- 13,090 (- 5.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 19.7%
Since #1: - 48.2%

A new storyline begins in issue #14, so this will be sticking around at least a while longer.

150 - LARFLEEZE ($2.99)
06/2013: Larfleeze #1  -- 36,638
07/2013: Larfleeze #2  -- 30,221 (-17.5%)
08/2013: Larfleeze #3  -- 21,955 (-27.4%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Larfleeze #4  -- 18,061 (-17.7%)
11/2013: Larfleeze #5  -- 16,157 (-10.5%)
12/2013: Larfleeze #6  -- 15,081 (- 6.7%)
01/2014: Larfleeze #7  -- 13,950 (- 7.5%)
02/2014: Larfleeze #8  -- 13,338 (- 4.4%)
03/2014: Larfleeze #9  -- 12,797 (- 4.1%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
Since #1: - 65.1%

The end is nigh.

154 - ALL STAR WESTERN ($3.99)
03/2009: Jonah Hex #41 -- 11,564
03/2010: Jonah Hex #53 -- 11,213
03/2011: Jonah Hex #64 -- 10,255
03/2012: ASW #7        -- 25,349
--------------------------------
03/2013: ASW #18       -- 16,897 (- 2.9%)
04/2013: ASW #19       -- 16,838 (- 0.4%)
05/2013: ASW #20       -- 16,184 (- 3.9%)
06/2013: ASW #21       -- 15,788 (- 2.5%)
07/2013: ASW #22       -- 15,376 (- 2.6%)
08/2013: ASW #23       -- 15,276 (- 0.7%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: ASW #24       -- 14,378 (- 5.9%)
11/2013: ASW #25       -- 13,937 (- 3.1%)
12/2013: ASW #26       -- 13,440 (- 3.6%)
01/2014: ASW #27       -- 13,238 (- 1.5%)
02/2014: ASW #28       -- 12,782 (- 3.4%)
03/2014: ASW #29       -- 12,503 (- 2.2%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 26.0%
2 years : - 50.7%
5 years : +  8.1%
Since #1: - 77.3%

The comic gods continue to shine favor upon All Star Western as the cancellation bear continues to look the other way. Not that I’m complaining; I’ll continue to buy as long as DC keeps publishing.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Valiant’s Unity.)

160 - FAIREST (Vertigo) ($2.99)
03/2012: Fairest #1  -- 31,769
------------------------------
03/2013: Fairest #13 -- 15,693 (- 2.8%)
04/2013: Fairest #14 -- 15,269 (- 2.7%)
05/2013: Fairest #15 -- 14,959 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Fairest #16 -- 14,289 (- 4.5%)
07/2013: Fairest #17 -- 13,915 (- 2.6%)
08/2013: Fairest #18 -- 13,511 (- 2.9%)
09/2013: Fairest #19 -- 13,278 (- 1.7%)
10/2013: Fairest #20 -- 13,008 (- 2.0%)
11/2013: --
12/2013: Fairest #21 -- 12,718 (- 2.2%)
01/2014: Fairest #22 -- 12,434 (- 2.2%)
02/2014: Fairest #23 -- 12,350 (- 0.7%)
03/2014: Fairest #24 -- 11,872 (- 3.9%)
----------------
6 months: - 10.6%
1 year  : - 24.3%
2 years : - 62.6%
Since #1: - 62.6%

A bit of steeper percentage drop than usual.

After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Avatar’s God is Dead.)

169 - ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Digital-First) ($3.99)
05/2013: Adventures of Superman #1  -- 30,992
06/2013: Adventures of Superman #2  -- 22,407 (-27.7%)
07/2013: Adventures of Superman #3  -- 19,453 (-13.2%)
08/2013: Adventures of Superman #4  -- 17,370 (-10.7%)
09/2013: Adventures of Superman #5  -- 16,011 (- 7.8%)
10/2013: Adventures of Superman #6  -- 14,484 (- 9.5%)
11/2013: Adventures of Superman #7  -- 13,140 (- 9.3%)
12/2013: Adventures of Superman #8  -- 12,142 (- 7.6%)
01/2014: Adventures of Superman #9  -- 11,425 (- 5.9%)
02/2014: Adventures of Superman #10 -- 11,075 (- 3.1%)
03/2014: Adventures of Superman #11 -- 11,102 (+ 0.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 30.7%
Since #1: - 64.2%

Hey look: growth! Granted it’s only 27 copies, but that’s better than losing copies like nearly every other title.

173 - SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 ALIEN (Digital-First) ($3.99)
03/2004: Smallville #7       -- 14,673
--------------------------------------
03/2013: Smallville S11 #11  -- 16,502 (- 3.1%)
04/2013: Smallville S11 #12  -- 15,930 (- 3.5%)
05/2013: Smallville S11 #13  -- 15,442 (- 3.1%)
06/2013: Smallville S11 #14  -- 15,097 (- 2.2%)
07/2013: Smallville S11 #15  -- 14,930 (- 1.1%)
08/2013: Smallville S11 #16  -- 14,640 (- 1.9%)
09/2013: Smallville S11 #17  -- 14,153 (- 3.3%)
10/2013: Smallville S11 #18  -- 13,794 (- 2.5%)
11/2013: Smallville S11 #19  -- 13,286 (- 3.7%)
12/2013: Smallville Alien #1 -- 13,019 (- 2.0%)
01/2014: Smallville Alien #2 -- 11,768 (- 9.6%)
02/2014: Smallville Alien #3 -- 11,061 (- 6.0%)
03/2014: Smallville Alien #4 -- 10,570 (- 4.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 25.3%
1 year  : - 35.9%
10 years: - 28.0%
Since #1: - 18.8%

There’s some question about how well these digital-first title sell in their digital incarnation. We’ll can’t really know, because nobody is releasing anything even close to sales figures for us to look at. But we can look at comiXology and do some back-of-the-envelope calculations to try to get some idea:

There are no comprehensive sales charts on comiXology like there are for Diamond, but they do post a top-selling chart which is updated periodically. So I’ve been looking in on it for the past few weeks, and it appears that for a few days after a new issue of Smallville is released, it tends to hang around on the chart in the same area as that of print-native comics that, in their print incarnations, sell around 50-60K.

In the past we’ve heard anecdotal evidence that for Marvel & DC, digital sales for print-native comics are about 10% of the print. Obviously this will vary from title to title, and for all we know they have increased lately (in 2013, Image said that digital was up to 15% of their total sales,and it may be even more for smaller publishers who have a hard time getting into mainstream comic stores). But we’ll take the 10% number for now and say that places the digital sales for Smallville at around 5-6K, or roughly 50% (give or take) of the print version.

We can give this a smell test: the digital version of Injustice tends to rank up with the top print-native sellers (Batman, Walking Dead, etc.), or 10% of 100K which is 10K, or again about 50% of the print version.

These numbers are obviously wrong, but I think probably in the ballpark. So following this (far from perfect) reasoning it appears that: 1) Even for digital-first comics, the print sales are higher than digital; 2) they do, however, see a far great share of their sales from digital than from print; and 3) that number of digital sales is somewhere around half of the print sales.

(As for differing price points and page counts, we’re talking $0.99 for three digital issues that are combined into one $3.99 print comic, or really six of one, half a baker’s dozen of another for the publisher, once you factor in printing and distribution costs.)

And there are other factors to consider, such as long-tail effects that are easier to realize in digital sales, and the different cost model that DC supposedly employs for the production its digital-first offerings, that will go into their viability.

As I’ve said, these calculations are no doubt wrong, based on assumptions and hearsay. They could be way wrong, and if comiXology or DC want to come forward with actual sales figures then we’ll know just how far off I am.

But, one thing that we can probably say with some degree of certainty is that the digital-first titles that are selling better in print are probably also selling better digitally. So we can look at print sales of digital-first titles as a proxy for their total sales.

Stated again: I could be—and probably am—wrong about this, given the large number of assumptions made in the absence of anything resembling hard data. Keep this in mind when you are eviscerating me in the comments below.

181 - COFFIN HILL (Vertigo) ($2.99)
10/2013: Coffin Hill #1  -- 24,129
11/2013: Coffin Hill #2  -- 14,472 (-40.0%)
12/2013: Coffin Hill #3  -- 12,337 (-14.8%)
01/2014: Coffin Hill #4  -- 11,306 (- 8.4%)
02/2014: Coffin Hill #5  -- 10,435 (- 7.7%)
03/2014: Coffin Hill #6  --  9,982 (- 4.3%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 56.8%

Drops below 10K. Maybe enough people will pick up the bargain-priced first trade to keep this going a while?

183 - LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR (Digital-First) ($9.99)

12/2013: LoDK 100p Super Spect #1  -- 11,091 (-14.8%)
01/2014: --
02/2014: --
03/2014: LoDK 100p Super Spect #2  --  9,926 (-10.5%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 10.5%

Actually not a bad second issue drop, and given that this is a $10-price point digital-first comic, not bad sales. Not sure how many more there will be though as the digital version apparently ended in late 2013.

185 - BATWING ($2.99)
03/2012: Batwing #7  -- 21,643
------------------------------
03/2013: Batwing #18 -- 12,084 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Batwing #19 -- 13,570 (+12.3%)
05/2013: Batwing #20 -- 13,302 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Batwing #21 -- 12,437 (- 6.5%)
07/2013: Batwing #22 -- 12,062 (- 3.0%)
08/2013: Batwing #23 -- 11,584 (- 4.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batwing #24 -- 11,114 (- 4.1%)
11/2013: Batwing #25 -- 16,207 (+45.8%)
12/2013: Batwing #26 -- 10,753 (-33.7%)
01/2014: Batwing #27 -- 12,461 (+15.9%)
02/2014: Batwing #28 -- 11,786 (- 5.4%)
03/2014: Batwing #29 --  9,864 (-16.3%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 18.4%
2 years : - 54.4%
Since #1: - 81.6%

Drops below 10K. Still be solicited, so DC are continuing to stand behind this title, but I don’t know how much longer it can go on like this.

189 - BATMAN: LI'L GOTHAM (Digital-First) ($2.99)
04/2013: Li'l Gotham #1  -- 27,591
05/2013: Li'l Gotham #2  -- 18,573 (-32.7%)
06/2013: Li'l Gotham #3  -- 18,578 (+ 0.0%)
07/2013: Li'l Gotham #4  -- 21,646 (+16.5%)
08/2013: Li'l Gotham #5  -- 14,696 (-32.1%)
09/2013: Li'l Gotham #6  -- 13,654 (- 7.1%)
10/2013: Li'l Gotham #7  -- 12,919 (- 5.4%)
11/2013: Li'l Gotham #8  -- 12,054 (- 6.7%)
12/2013: Li'l Gotham #9  -- 11,078 (- 8.1%)
01/2014: Li'l Gotham #10 -- 10,639 (- 4.0%)
02/2014: Li'l Gotham #11 -- 10,030 (- 5.7%)
03/2014: Li'l Gotham #11 --  9,722 (- 3.1%)
----------------
6 months: - 28.8%
Since #1: - 64.8%

The final issue drops below 10K.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Archie Comics’ Sonic the Hedgehog.)

203 - DEAD BOY DETECTIVES (Vertigo) ($2.99)
12/2013: Dead Boy Detectives #1 -- 21,478
01/2014: Dead Boy Detectives #2 -- 12,276 (-42.8%)
02/2014: Dead Boy Detectives #3 --  9,889 (-19.4%)
03/2014: Dead Boy Detectives #4 --  8,872 (-10.3%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 54.0%

Declines continue.

219 - ROYALS: MASTERS OF WAR #1 (Vertigo) ($2.99)
02/2014: Royals #1 of 6 --  14,031 
03/2014: Royals #2 of 6 --   8,725 (-37.8%) 
-----------------
Since #1: - 37.8%

Returnable, so the figures here are adjusted up 10% to account for Diamond’s reporting them lower than actual.

That’s a fairly typical 2nd issue drop for a Vertigo title, but the numbers on issue #1 were far lower than has been usual as of late. (Though as noted last month these numbers do not include orders from Diamond UK, and this is a very British-oriented comic, so overall sales may be higher than is indicated by the Diamond US sales.)

213 - HINTERKIND (Vertigo) ($2.99)
10/2013: Hinterkind #1  -- 23,516
11/2013: Hinterkind #2  -- 13,994 (-40.5%)
12/2013: Hinterkind #3  -- 11,659 (-16.7%)
01/2014: Hinterkind #4  --  9,693 (-16.9%)
02/2014: Hinterkind #5  --  8,948 (- 7.7%)
03/2014: Hinterkind #6  --  8,306 (- 7.2%)

—————–
Since #1: – 64.7%

Declines continue.

221 - THE UNWRITTEN V2 APOCALYPSE (Vertigo) ($3.99)
03/2010: The Unwritten #8  -- 15,314
03/2011: The Unwritten #20 -- 12,273
03/2012: The Unwritten #32 -- 10,481
------------------------------------
03/2013: The Unwritten #47 --  8,267 (- 1.0%)
04/2013: The Unwritten #48 --  8,226 (- 0.5%)
05/2013: The Unwritten #49 --  8,234 (+ 0.1%)
06/2013: The Unwritten #50 -- 10,124 (+23.0%)
07/2013: The Unwritten #51 --  9,143 (- 9.7%)
08/2013: The Unwritten #52 --  9,033 (- 1.2%)
09/2013: The Unwritten #53 --  8,982 (- 0.6%)
10/2013: The Unwritten #54 --  8,871 (- 1.2%)
11/2013: --
12/2013: --
01/2014: Unwritten vol2 #1 -- 11,975 (+35.0%)
02/2014: Unwritten vol2 #2 --  8,291 (-30.8%)
03/2014: Unwritten vol2 #3 --  7,890 (- 4.8%)
----------------
6 months: - 12.2%
1 year  : -  4.6%
2 years : - 24.7%
Since #1: - 34.1%

No longer returnable, and the numbers are now at the lowest point yet for the title. Trade sales are probably strong enough for DC to let this go to its natural conclusion, as long as that conclusion isn’t too far off.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Oni’s Bunker.)

225 - FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS (Vertigo)
07/2013: Collider #1 -- 17,336          [20,361]
08/2013: FBP #2      -- 14,068 (-30.9%)
09/2013: FBP #3      -- 13,977 (- 0.6%)
10/2013: FBP #4      -- 11,600 (-17.0%)
11/2013: FBP #5      -- 10,391 (-10.4%)
12/2013: FBP #6      --  9,543 (- 8.2%)
01/2014: FBP #7      --  8,971 (- 6.0%)
02/2014: --
03/2014: FBP #8      --  7,852 (-12.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 43.8%
Since #1: - 61.4%

Back after a (planned) month off, and still losing orders at an alarming rate.

But.!

Last week it was announced that the property has been picked up as a possible film, with David S. Goyer attached as a producer. So despite being the lowest-selling Vertigo title look for DC to do everything possible to keep the book alive as long as the film is in active development. (Also, if you pay attention to the trade paperback sales on Amazon, you’ll know when the casting call sheets go out!)

226 - STORMWATCH ($2.99)
03/2004: Stormwatch: TA #21   -- 10,922
03/2009: --
03/2012: Stormwatch #7        -- 24,384
---------------------------------------
03/2013: Stormwatch #18       -- 13,255 (- 2.9%)
04/2013: Stormwatch #19       -- 13,626 (+ 2.8%)
05/2013: Stormwatch #20       -- 13,049 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Stormwatch #21       -- 12,277 (- 5.9%)
07/2013: Stormwatch #22       -- 11,792 (- 4.0%)
08/2013: Stormwatch #23       -- 10,969 (- 7.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Stormwatch #24       -- 10,067 (- 8.2%)
11/2013: Stormwatch #25       --  9,881 (- 1.9%)
12/2013: Stormwatch #26       --  9,052 (- 8.4%)
01/2014: Stormwatch #27       --  8,612 (- 4.9%)
02/2014: Stormwatch #28       --  8,207 (- 4.7%)
03/2014: Stormwatch #29       --  7,837 (- 4.5%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year  : - 40.9%
2 years : - 67.9%
5 years : n.a.
10 years: - 28.2%
Since #1: - 86.3%

The penultimate issue drops below 8K.

231 - SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP (All-Ages)
11/2013: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #1  -- 13,036
12/2013: --
01/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #2  --  9,882 (-31.1%)
02/2014: --
03/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #3  --  8,452 (-14.5%)
-----------------
Since #1: - 41.1%

Returnable, and adjusted accordingly. Meanwhile, on Earth 4, where the title is Batman & Scooby-Doo Team-Up, this title is selling twice as many copies.

248 - SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED - CRISIS OF IMAGINATION (Digital-First) ($2.99)
01/2014: Scribblenauts Crisis #1 -- 11,572
02/2014: Scribblenauts Crisis #2 --  7,101 (-38.6%)
03/2014: Scribblenauts Crisis #3 --  6,738 (- 5.1%)
----------------
Since #1: - 41.8%

Based on a video game property, so maybe the digital sales are stronger than usual.

(After this point in the chart, all further titles are outsold by Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales: Robyn Hood Legend. and Bongo Comics’ Simpsons Comics.)

259 - THE MOVEMENT ($2.99)
05/2013: The Movement #1  -- 29,246
06/2013: The Movement #2  -- 18,001 (-38.5%)
07/2013: The Movement #3  -- 14,524 (-19.3%)
08/2013: The Movement #4  -- 11,095 (-23.6%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: The Movement #5  --  9,110 (-17.9%)
11/2013: The Movement #6  --  7,957 (-12.7%)
12/2013: The Movement #7  --  7,252 (- 8.9%)
01/2014: The Movement #8  --  6,629 (- 8.6%)
02/2014: The Movement #9  --  6,417 (- 3.2%)
03/2014: The Movement #10 --  6,281 (- 2.1%)
----------------
6 months: n.a.
Since #1: -78.5%

The drops are slowing, and it may yet end up with the final issue (#12) over 6K.

254 - BEWARE THE BATMAN (All-Ages) ($2.99)
03/2004: Batman Adventures #12 -- 12,189
03/2009: Brave & Bold #3       --  8,184
03/2010: Brave & Bold #15      --  6,208
03/2011: All-New BBB #5        --  6,463
----------------------------------------
10/2013: Beware the Batman #1  -- 19,830
11/2013: Beware the Batman #2  -- 10,368 (-47.7%)
12/2013: Beware the Batman #3  --  8,627 (-16.8%)
01/2014: Beware the Batman #4  --  7,226 (-16.2%)
02/2014: Beware the Batman #5  --  6,494 (-10.1%)
03/2014: Beware the Batman #6  --  6,069 (- 6.5%)
-----------------
5 years : - 25.8%
10 years: - 50.2%
Since #1: - 69.4%

Returnable (and adjusted accordingly). I mistakenly bought that last month’s issue was the final issue, but DC still had one more up their sleeves.

309 - THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (Digital-First) ($3.99)
01/2014: The Vampire Diaries #1 -- 10,855
02/2014: The Vampire Diaries #2 --  6,132 (-43.5%)
03/2014: The Vampire Diaries #3 --  4,734 (-22.8%)
----------------
Since #1: - 56.4%

Double ouch. How low will this be allowed to go?

330 - SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (All-Ages) ($2.99)
03/2004: Scooby-Doo #82                -- 5,377
03/2009: Scooby-Doo #142               -- 3,863
03/2010: Scooby-Doo #154               -- 3,846
03/2011: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #7  -- 4,522
03/2012: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #19 -- 4,677
----------------------------------------
03/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #31 -- 4,770 (+0.4%)
04/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #32 -- 4,688 (-1.7%)
05/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #33 -- ????? 
06/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #34 -- 4,881 
07/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #35 -- ????? 
08/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #36 -- 4,903 
09/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #37 -- 4,840 (-1.3%)
10/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #38 -- 4,983 (+3.0%)
11/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #39 -- ????? 
12/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #40 -- 4,754 
01/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #41 -- 4,649 (-2.2%)
02/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #42 -- 4,540 (-2.3%)
03/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #43 -- 4,623 (+1.8%)
-----------------
6 months: -  4.5%
1 year  : -  3.1%
2 years : -  1.2%
5 years : + 19.7%
10 years: - 14.0%
Since #1: - 25.3%

Returnable (and adjusted accordingly).

Average Periodical Sales (not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, All-Ages titles and magazines)

DC COMICS
03/2004: 32,148
03/2009: 21,792
03/2010: 23,299
03/2011: 23,976
03/2012: 29,697
---------------
03/2013: 30,819 (- 11.2%)**
04/2013: 29,914 (-  2.9%)
05/2013: 31,412 (+  5.0%)
06/2013: 34,517 (+  9.9%)
07/2013: 34,402 (-  0.3%)
08/2013: 30,843 (- 10.4%)
09/2013: 54,892 (+ 78.0%)
10/2013: 31,928 (- 41.8%)**
11/2013: 32,664 (+  2.3%)
12/2013: ??????
01/2014: 27,881 
02/2014: 27,070 (-  2.9%)
03/2014: 26,776 (-  1.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 51.2%
1 year  : - 13.1%
2 years : -  9.8%
5 years : + 22.9%
10 years: - 16.7%

DC UNIVERSE
03/2004: 39,727
03/2009: 31,336
03/2010: 32,375
03/2011: 26,720
03/2012: 33,229
---------------
03/2013: 32,294 (- 12.3%)**
04/2013: 31,426 (-  2.7%)
05/2013: 32,015 (+  1.9%)
06/2013: 37,133 (+ 16.0%)
07/2013: 36,524 (-  1.6%)
08/2013: 33,583 (-  8.1%)
09/2013: 61,036 (+ 81.8%)
10/2013: 33,568 (- 45.0%)**
11/2013: 35,282 (+  5.1%)
12/2013: ??????
01/2014: 33,120 
02/2014: 33,327 (+  0.6%) 
03/2014: 32,007 (-  4.0%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 47.6%
1 year  : -  0.9%
2 years : -  3.7%
5 years : +  2.1%
10 years: - 19.4%

VERTIGO
03/2004: 16,445
03/2009: 10,177
03/2010: 11,394
03/2011: 10,450
03/2012: 12,688
---------------
03/2013: 11,055 (- 8.0%)
04/2013: 11,467 (+ 3.7%)
05/2013: 20,860 (+81.9%)
06/2013: 17,368 (-16.7%)
07/2013: 16,099 (- 7.3%)
08/2013: 14,130 (-12.2%)
09/2013: 14,951 (+ 5.8%)
10/2013: 22,228 (+48.7%)**
11/2013: 13,958 (-37.2%)
12/2013: ??????
01/2014: 11,473 
02/2014: 13,215 (+15.2%) 
03/2014: 19,179 (+45.1%) 
-----------------
6 months: + 28.3%
1 year  : + 73.5%
2 years : + 51.2%
5 years : + 88.5%
10 years: + 16.6%

6 month comparisons
===================

-  4.8% - Fables
- 10.0% - Injustice
- 10.6% - Fairest
- 12.2% - The Unwritten
- 13.5% - Batman
- 16.3% - The Wake
- 17.9% - Justice League of America
- 19.7% - He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
- 20.1% - Astro City
- 23.1% - Batman Beyond Universe
- 24.1% - Trillium
- 25.3% - Smallville
- 28.2% - Detective Comics
- 28.8% - Batman: Li'l Gotham
- 30.6% - Green Lantern
- 30.7% - Adventures of Superman
- 32.3% - Earth 2
- 33.7% - Wonder Woman
- 36.1% - Justice League Dark
- 36.6% - Flash
- 37.4% - Forever Evil
- 39.4% - Aquaman
- 41.5% - Batman and.
- 42.2% - Superman
- 42.9% - Batman '66
- 43.8% - FBP
- 45.2% - Green Arrow
- 45.4% - Action Comics
- 45.5% - Batman: The Dark Knight
- 47.5% - Teen Titans
- 50.4% - DCU vs. Masters of the Universe
- 53.4% - Swamp Thing

1 year comparisons
===================

+ 13.8% - Justice League Dark
-  4.6% - The Unwritten
-  5.6% - Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger
-  9.8% - Worlds' Finest
- 10.3% - Fables
- 12.2% - Suicide Squad
- 14.3% - Batman Beyond
- 15.2% - Batman
- 15.6% - Green Arrow
- 18.4% - Supergirl
- 18.4% - Batwing
- 19.3% - Wonder Woman
- 20.2% - Flash
- 22.0% - Injustice
- 23.5% - Birds of Prey
- 23.6% - Earth 2
- 24.3% - Fairest
- 26.0% - All Star Western
- 27.2% - Detective Comics
- 28.5% - Red Lanterns
- 31.3% - Superman
- 31.8% - Nightwing
- 33.1% - Catwoman
- 34.4% - Green Lantern
- 35.5% - Superboy
- 35.7% - Batgirl
- 35.8% - Batman: The Dark Knight
- 35.9% - Smallville
- 36.4% - Aquaman
- 37.1% - Batwoman
- 37.2% - Green Lantern Corps
- 38.2% - Teen Titans
- 38.7% - Swamp Thing
- 39.1% - Animal Man
- 39.8% - Green Lantern New Guardians
- 40.8% - Justice League of America
- 40.9% - Stormwatch
- 42.9% - Action Comics
- 43.5% - Batman and.
- 45.1% - Talon
- 46.6% - Constantine
- 48.0% - Red Hood and the Outlaws

2 year comparisons
===================

+114.2% - Constantine (Hellblazer)
+ 42.9% - American Vampire
- 10.8% - Batman
- 18.3% - Green Arrow
- 19.1% - Justice League Dark
- 19.8% - Fables
- 24.7% - The Unwritten
- 27.1% - Nightwing
- 32.7% - Suicide Squad
- 34.6% - Batgirl
- 37.3% - Batman and.
- 38.2% - Supergirl
- 38.3% - Detective Comics
- 39.6% - Wonder Woman
- 41.8% - Red Hood and the Outlaws
- 42.1% - Red Lanterns
- 43.0% - Green Lantern Corps
- 44.7% - Birds of Prey
- 46.4% - Catwoman
- 46.6% - Aquaman
- 47.8% - Green Lantern New Guardians
- 48.8% - Flash
- 49.2% - Green Lantern
- 49.5% - Superman
- 49.5% - Teen Titans
- 50.7% - All Star Western
- 53.1% - Batman: The Dark Night
- 53.2% - Swamp Thing
- 54.3% - Superboy
- 54.4% - Batwing
- 54.6% - Animal Man
- 59.9% - Batwoman
- 61.6% - Action Comics
- 62.6% - Fairest
- 67.9% - Stormwatch

5 year comparisons
===================

+ 80.1% - Constantine (Hellblazer)
+ 12.5% - Batman
+  8.1% - All Star Western (Jonah Hex)
+  4.4% - Green Arrow
-  7.1% - Wonder Woman
- 21.0% - Justice League of America
- 21.6% - Birds of Prey
- 25.0% - Action Comics
- 25.2% - Superman
- 32.1% - Supergirl
- 37.9% - Fables
- 48.8% - Green Lantern Corps

10 year comparisons
===================

+ 50.9% - Detective Comics
+ 49.2% - Green Lantern
+ 40.2% - Batman
+ 37.0% - Aquaman
+ 34.1% - Constantine (Hellblazer)
+ 25.5% - Nightwing
+  8.2% - Wonder Woman
+  4.2% - Batgirl
-  7.2% - Catwoman
- 25.6% - Flash
- 28.0% - Smallville
- 28.2% - Stormwatch (Team Achilles)
- 28.2% - Justice League of America (JLA)
- 31.7% - Green Arrow
- 43.5% - Birds of Prey
- 44.7% - Fables
- 45.6% - Swamp Thing
- 46.5% - Action Comics
- 59.5% - Superman
- 62.4% - Teen Titans

Sales Indices
=============

DCU: Average: 32,007. Median: 25,676

3.7 - Batman
2.9 - Superman Unchained
2.9 - Forever Evil
2.0 - Harley Quinn
1.7 - Detective Comics
1.7 - Justice League of America
1.7 - Batman/Superman Annual
1.4 - Green Lantern
1.4 - Superman/Wonder Woman
1.4 - Batman and.
1.2 - Nightwing
1.1 - Earth 2
1.1 - Batman: The Dark Knight
1.1 - Forever Evil: Arkham War
1.1 - Action Comics
1.1 - Aquaman
1.1 - Superman
1.0 - Flash
1.0 - Batgirl
1.0 - Wonder Woman
0.9 - Justice League 3000
0.9 - Justice League Dark
0.9 - Green Lantern Corps
0.8 - Teen Titans
0.8 - Worlds' Finest
0.8 - Green Lantern New Guardians
0.8 - Red Lanterns
0.7 - Green Arrow
0.7 - Supergirl
0.7 - Forever Evil Rogues' Rebellion
0.7 - Red Hood and the Outlaws
0.7 - Catwoman
0.7 - Suicide Squad
0.6 - Constantine
0.6 - Batwoman
0.6 - Forever Evil ARGUS
0.6 - Swamp Thing
0.5 - Animal Man
0.5 - Trinity of Sin: Pandora
0.5 - Birds of Prey
0.5 - Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller
0.5 - Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger
0.5 - Superboy
0.4 - Talon
0.4 - Larfleeze
0.4 - All Star Western
0.3 - Batwing
0.2 - Stormwatch
0.2 - The Movement

Vertigo: Average: 19,179. Median: 11,872.

4.8 - Sandman Overture
1.4 - The Wake
1.1 - American Vampire 2nd Cycle
1.0 - Trillium
0.7 - Astro City
0.7 - Fables
0.6 - Fairest
0.5 - Coffin Hill
0.5 - Dead Boy Detectives
0.5 - The Royals
0.4 - Hinterkind
0.4 - The Unwritten vol. 2
0.4 - FBP

Digital First & Other (non-all-ages): Average: 12,452. Median: 11,102.

1.7 - Injustice Year 2
1.5 - Batman '66
1.4 - DC Universe vs. Masters of the Universe
1.1 - Batman Beyond Universe
1.1 - He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
0.9 - Adventures of Superman
0.8 - Smallville Season 11: Alien
0.8 - Legends of the Dark Knight 100 page Super Spectacular
0.8 - Batman: Li'l Gotham
0.5 - Scribblenauts Unleashed
0.4 - The Vampire Diaries

The sales index number is a ratio of the title’s current month sales to the average sales figure of the line to which is belongs for that month. So a sales index number of 1.0 means that a title sold very close to the sales average for that line.

The Fine Print (Disclaimers, et cetera)
The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.
ICv2.com’s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it’s a “month-to-month” column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales of physical comics to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass-market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month. Keep in mind that sales for some titles may include incentives to acquire variants and not every unit sold is necessarily even intended to be sold to a customer.
If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book’s initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in brackets behind those issues (e.g. “[36,599]”). Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used.

Titles which are returnable have their numbers artificially adjusted down by Diamond. To make up for that this column increases the reported numbers for those titles by 10%. Which is likely also wrong, but it’s a different and likely less wrong kind of wrong, and experience has shown that this leads to sales figures which are more consistent.

Titles released under the All-Ages line and magazines, such as Mad, mostly sell through channels other than the direct market, so direct-market sales don’t tell us much about their performance. For most Vertigo titles, collection sales tend to be a significant factor, so the numbers for those books should be taken with a grain of salt as well. To learn (a little) more about Vertigo’s collection sales, go right here.

Please keep in mind that raw sales numbers do not tell us about how profitable a book is for a publisher or for the creators.
Above all, do not allow sales numbers to dictate your purchasing and enjoyment of a particular comic. If you enjoy reading a comic series then go right on buying and reading that comic, no matter what the sales figures say.

** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.

As always, we welcome your comments and corrections below. Please try to keep things civilized.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Can you/someone help provide a bit more insight as to why average DC Comics sales have dropped 51% compared to six months ago?

  2. ‘Can you/someone help provide a bit more insight as to why average DC Comics sales have dropped 51% compared to six months ago?’

    Speaking for myself I’m dropping books mostly due to crap stories, crap art (all the GL books) endless ‘special’ i.e. expensive issues and never ending cross overs with books I have no interest with.

    I’m now dropping most of my remaining books due to the FE delays and Futures End which I have no interest in but I’m sure all the books will become part of in some way.

    Normally I might have continued until the books got better.

  3. With The Movement coming to a close and Birds of Prey struggling to find an audience, how much longer do we have to wait until a savvy editor pushes to get Gail Simone back on board? Just seems like a natural fit, creatively and sales-wise, too. Kind of a head-scratcher that it hasn’t happened yet, to be honest.

  4. I think you are wrong on the digital first assumption. For starters, you are way underselling the Smallville book. Historically that title has been the #1 downloaded book or at least in the top 5 or 10 even a full week after it’s released. It’s also a 99 cent book which means it’s selling 4:1 in order to get ahead of many of those other books in the top paid list. Personally speaking I don’t pull any of my digital first books. I download them weekly and have no need for the print. It’s not the same as a book where the print and digital come out the same day. It’s a different audience and an audience DC should be building towards more. So yes I think you are not giving nearly enough credit to the success of that Smallville book. There are many weeks where it’s still in the top 5 the following week even AFTER the new Wed. Releases that cost 4 times as much. Fairly sure there is documentation to support this…..

  5. I gave Superman Unchained a shot since Scott Snyder is doing great Batman work, then I dropped it because I just don’t like Jim Lee’s artwork. Now the book isn’t going to even finish on time?

  6. Very sad to see Dead Boy Detectives is probably beyond salvation. The second volume of Unwritten is scheduled to run 12 issues, I believe, so DC will probably see it out; however, charging an extra $1/issue, ostensibly for the new glossy cover–on a Vertigo book!–probably isn’t helping it maintain readers.

  7. I know one side of the street doesn’t like to copy the other, and DC are doing their own thing to a certain extent by going back to weekly comics, but there needs to be some more reinvention. I don’t mean yet another relaunch, I mean doing something new with the characters. Like or loathe what they’ve been doing, some of what Marvel have come up with as part of their All New Marvel Now is interesting and different. Hawkeye, Punisher, Black Widow, Daredevil, Hulk, Ghost Driver (Rider), Magneto, and so on. DC have done a little of this, such as the forthcoming Grayson book, their digital first Batman Beyond and JLA book, but I think they need to do a lot more. The Earth One books are huge sellers, in the comics space and book market, but only once a year and only two titles so far. Leaning on the winning brands and comic book lines (Batman Family, Superman Family, Lantern titles) will only get them so far. In fact I think they’ve already reached saturation point and now sales of those books are dipping too. The weekly comics will help, for a while, but surely it’s just a holding pattern? What happens after?

    New ideas please. Radical ideas perhaps they’d never consider in the past. New voices, new approaches. Some will fail, but some will fly.

  8. I think Stephen is absolutely correct with his over saturation and reinvention comments. Why not experiment with the lower selling titles/properties. A scrappy DC could be a very interesting place. Especially once Morrision lays out the DC multiverse in Multiversity.

    Based on the sales number for Green Arrow (and possibly Batwing), I wonder what would have happened if they were given new number ones when the creative teams switched. Both titles experienced a radical shift in storytelling. The sales on Johns/JrJr’s Superman will be very interesting.

  9. Want to read a good Superman series?
    Try the Adventures of Superman anthology. Issue #10 was one of the best I’ve read. Two Metropolis Mailbag stories.

    Were I DC, I would have the best talent writing Earth One series. Let them write bold ingenious stories set far away from the New 52, set in their own timeline, with no crossover with other Earth One series.

    Heck… I’d do that for the comics as well.
    Wonder Woman and every other title has its own “Earth”. Sure, Batman might show up in “Wonder Woman”, but it’s a different Batman than the one seen in his title. Continuity is easier. If it doesn’t work, you reboot and start over with another #1. You could even do a “character month”! “Darkseid Month”! 52 different Darkseids!

  10. >Drops below 10K. Still be solicited, so DC are continuing to stand behind this title, but I don’t know how much longer it can go on like this.

    Like ASW it probably won’t be cancelled due to the creative team’s connection with Didio.

  11. “How much longer do we have to wait until a savvy editor pushes to get Gail Simone back on board? Just seems like a natural fit, creatively and sales-wise, too.”

    Saleswise? The numbers on her Brightest Day relaunch tanked.

  12. “Like ASW it probably won’t be cancelled due to the creative team’s connection with Didio.”

    Then what’s your rationale for OMAC getting canceled?

  13. “Why not experiment”

    Because sales are down for the entire industry. Very few titles have any leeway.

  14. “I dropped it because I just don’t like Jim Lee’s artwork. Now the book isn’t going to even finish on time?”

    Whining about a book you’re not even buying makes a ton of sense.

  15. Green Arrow should be doing much better if it was relaunched when Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino started on the book. Batwing might be too when they introduced the new Batwing.

  16. Why is Batman 4.99?!? Is it over sized? Or do DC know people will buy it no matter what price they stick on it?

    Very impressed with Harley Quinn’s numbers. I brought the #0 issue and it wasn’t for me. But I’m glad there is a different character at the top of the chart.

  17. Regarding your “Still not cancelled” comment on some low-selling books: A list of the September books has leaked (apparently they were solicited early because of the gimmick covers) and almost all the currently published books were on it, so it seems there won’t be any further cancellations until September. Not on the list were Justice League 3000, Secret Origins and All-Star Western, but that’s probably because the Five Years Later concept doesn’t work for these books.

  18. Everything is down in the one and two year comparisons, some drastically lower. That can’t look good to the bean counters.

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