by Marc-Oliver Frisch

Looking at the pertinent facts and carefully weighing all the available data, it can be safely concluded that, at DC Comics, April was the month before May. The year-long weekly Countdown to Final Crisis concluded, and so did several other storylines, creative runs and limited series. The book that was probably the publisher’s highest seller for the month, the 50-cent primer DC Universe #0, didn’t show up on the charts, because Diamond Comic Distributors don’t count promotional comics. The most prominent DC Universe launch in April was Judd Winick and Ian Churchill’s new Titans series, joined further down the charts by the intra-company crossover book DC/WildStorm: Dreamwar and the manga take Batman: Death Mask. In other words, few things started, and many kept winding down in preparation for May’s Final Crisis.

At Vertigo, Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor came back for another round, but didn’t get the imprint’s average periodical sales out of the hole between 10 and 11K they’ve been stuck in for the past six months. In fairness, though, May’s House of Mystery and June’s Madame Xanadu probably have a better chance to achieve that. At WildStorm, licensed horror properties Supernatural and Friday the 13th returned for an encore, and The Number of the Beast took its stab at revamping the struggling WildStorm Universe line. See below for the details, and please mind the disclaimers 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.

—–

9 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
04/2001: JLA #53            --  68,603*
04/2002: JLA #65            --  61,929* 
04/2003: JLA #80            --  60,141
04/2004: JLA #96            --  70,377 [71,546]
04/2004: JLA #97            --  68,170 [70,446]
04/2005: JLA #113           --  64,002
--------------------------------------
04/2007: Justice League #7  -- 154,984 (+19.1%)
04/2007: Justice League #8  -- 130,365 (-15.9%)
05/2007: Justice League #9  -- 129,285 (- 0.8%)
06/2007: Justice League #10 -- 129,265 (- 0.0%)
07/2007: Justice League #11 -- 122,823 (- 5.0%)
08/2007: Justice League #12 -- 131,420 (+ 7.0%) [137,181]
09/2007: Justice League #13 -- 119,471 (- 9.1%) [124,006]
10/2007: Justice League #14 -- 101,763 (-14.8%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: Justice League #15 -- 100,234 (- 1.5%)
12/2007: Justice League #16 --  95,557 (- 4.7%)
01/2008: Justice League #17 --  94,712 (- 0.9%)
02/2008: Justice League #18 --  89,803 (- 5.2%)
03/2008: Justice League #19 --  87,482 (- 2.6%)
04/2008: Justice League #20 --  85,807 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -15.7%
1 year  : -44.6%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : +42.7%

Sales on DC’s bestselling monthly title are settling into a standard decline. The book’s days beyond the 100,000 unit mark seem to be over for the time being, but it’s still selling at a very good level for a Justice League series, as the comparisons with JLA show.

As mentioned in the introduction, Justice League of America #20 probably wasn’t DC’s bestselling periodical in April. That honor likely goes to DC Universe #0, which was meant – and just in time for Free Comic Book Day, too – to set up Final Crisis. The reason why DC Universe #0 is not on the chart is that it’s a promotional comic with a cover price of 50 cents, and Diamond stopped listing those.


—–

13 - JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
04/2001: JSA #21             --  39,299*
04/2002: JSA #35             --  41,399*
04/2003: JSA #47             --  42,187
04/2004: JSA #60             --  42,824
04/2005: JSA #72             --  43,472
04/2006: JSA #84             --  53,245
---------------------------------------
04/2007: Justice Society #5  --  98,069 (+ 16.1%) [102,275]
05/2007: Justice Society #6  --  96,900 (-  1.2%) [ 99,784]
06/2007: --
07/2007: Justice Society #7  --  88,883 (-  8.3%)
08/2007: Justice Society #8  --  87,606 (-  1.4%)
09/2007: Justice Society #9  --  84,117 (-  4.0%)
10/2007: Justice Society #10 --  99,424 (+ 18.2%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: Justice Society #11 --  89,613 (-  9.9%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: Justice Society #12 --  84,162 (-  6.1%)
02/2008: Justice Society #13 --  82,702 (-  1.7%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Justice Society #14 --  80,507 (-  2.7%)
----------------
6 months: -19.0%
1 year  : -17.9%
2 years : +51.2%
5 years : +90.8%

Justice Society is another book that displays a noticeable downward trend but keeps performing significantly better than its previous incarnation – when it actually ships, that is.

As usual, the book was promoted with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition, meaning that retailers had to order ten copies of the regular comic to receive one variant edition.

—–

17 - TITANS
04/2001: Titans #28     -- 28,928*
04/2002: Titans #40     -- 23,615*
---------------------------------
11/2007: TTE Special #1 -- 49,735
12/2007: --
01/2008: --
02/2008: --
03/2008: --
04/2008: Titans #1      -- 75,584 (+52.0%)

The new ongoing series by writer Judd Winick and artist Ian Churchill debuts with surprisingly good numbers, considering that both the mother title, Teen Titans, is selling below 50K – and so did last year’s Teen Titans East Special, for that matter, which was by the same creative team.

Confusingly, in one of those baffling moves DC tend to make, the story was actually billed as “part two,” instead of offering a clean start. If anything, you’d think the point of a new issue #1 was to provide an entry for readers, but apparently not.

The usual disclaimers apply: The book was promoted with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition, and, in any event, sales will only begin to reflect genuine customer feedback a couple of issues down the road. For now, though, this looks like a promising launch.

—–

18/21/22/23 - COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS
05/2007: Countdown #51       -- 91,083
05/2007: Countdown #50       -- 83,752 (- 8.1%) [85,564]
05/2007: Countdown #49       -- 81,484 (- 2.7%) [83,188]
05/2007: Countdown #48       -- 79,810 (- 2.1%) [81,828]
06/2007: Countdown #47       -- 77,504 (- 2.9%)
06/2007: Countdown #46       -- 76,362 (- 1.5%)
06/2007: Countdown #45       -- 74,918 (- 1.9%)
06/2007: Countdown #44       -- 73,971 (- 1.3%)
07/2007: Countdown #43       -- 73,912 (- 0.1%)
07/2007: Countdown #42       -- 73,116 (- 1.1%)
07/2007: Countdown #41       -- 72,621 (- 0.7%)
07/2007: Countdown #40       -- 72,102 (- 0.7%)
08/2007: Countdown #39       -- 88,021 (+22.1%)
08/2007: Countdown #38       -- 87,260 (- 0.9%)
08/2007: Countdown #37       -- 86,405 (- 1.0%)
08/2007: Countdown #36       -- 85,536 (- 1.0%)
08/2007: Countdown #35       -- 84,350 (- 1.4%)
09/2007: Countdown #34       -- 82,537 (- 2.2%)
09/2007: Countdown #33       -- 81,744 (- 1.0%)
09/2007: Countdown #32       -- 81,097 (- 0.8%)
09/2007: Countdown #31       -- 80,127 (- 1.2%)
10/2007: Countdown #30       -- 78,222 (- 2.4%)
10/2007: Countdown #29       -- 77,755 (- 0.6%)
10/2007: Countdown #28       -- 77,003 (- 1.0%)
10/2007: Countdown #27       -- 76,401 (- 0.8%)
10/2007: Countdown to FC #26 -- 75,514 (- 1.2%)
11/2007: Countdown to FC #25 -- 74,668 (- 1.1%)
11/2007: Countdown to FC #24 -- 74,047 (- 0.8%)
11/2007: Countdown to FC #23 -- 73,241 (- 1.1%)
11/2007: Countdown to FC #22 -- 72,765 (- 0.7%)
12/2007: Countdown to FC #21 -- 71,524 (- 1.7%)
12/2007: Countdown to FC #20 -- 71,331 (- 0.3%)
12/2007: Countdown to FC #19 -- 70,805 (- 0.7%)
12/2007: Countdown to FC #18 -- 70,619 (- 0.3%)
01/2008: Countdown to FC #17 -- 69,587 (- 1.5%)
01/2008: Countdown to FC #16 -- 69,629 (+ 0.1%)
01/2008: Countdown to FC #15 -- 69,504 (- 0.2%)
01/2008: Countdown to FC #14 -- 68,770 (- 1.1%)
01/2008: Countdown to FC #13 -- 68,099 (- 1.0%)
02/2008: Countdown to FC #12 -- 68,249 (+ 0.2%)
02/2008: Countdown to FC #11 -- 67,833 (- 0.6%)
02/2008: Countdown to FC #10 -- 67,792 (- 0.1%)
02/2008: Countdown to FC #9  -- 67,383 (- 0.6%)
03/2008: Countdown to FC #8  -- 68,038 (+ 1.0%)
03/2008: Countdown to FC #7  -- 68,019 (- 0.0%)
03/2008: Countdown to FC #6  -- 67,895 (- 0.2%)
03/2008: Countdown to FC #5  -- 67,688 (- 0.3%)
04/2008: Countdown to FC #4  -- 69,630 (+ 2.9%)
04/2008: Countdown to FC #3  -- 69,829 (+ 0.3%)
04/2008: Countdown to FC #2  -- 70,163 (+ 0.5%)
04/2008: Countdown to FC #1  -- 72,703 (+ 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.3%

As expected, Countdown – or Countdown to Final Crisis, as the full cover title has been since issue #26 – sees a slight upwards trend with its four final issues. So, is the book a success, or is it a failure?

Well, it became clear early on in its run that it was probably going to be a little bit of both. As a weekly serial and taken on its own merits, Countdown did very well. It was the equivalent of at least four titles selling upwards of 67,000 units, basically, and doing so with remarkable consistency. And it achieved it with a cast of third- and fourth-stringers, a murky premise and a plot that was impenetrable to anyone but the most hardcore DC Universe fans, no less. That’s a rock-solid performance by any standard.

Then again, the fact that Countdown was promoted by DC as not only their next big blockbuster title but the “spine” of their entire superhero line can’t be swept under the rug. In that context, Countdown has to be rated as a major failure. Its sales aren’t what you’d expect from a blockbuster, and it also singularly failed to raise sales on any of the numerous tie-ins. Also, the less said of the spin-off books DC swamped the market with, the better. Although some were promoted as significant “event” titles in their own right by the publisher (such as Countdown: Arena and Salvation Run), none of them did particularly well. If there’s one clear lesson to take away from this, it’s that there were just too many spin-off limited series, which wound up cluttering the racks and diluting a brand that was never very strong to begin with.

On a final note, it should be pointed out that Diamond Comic Distributors subtracted an unknown percentage of sales from the figures of Countdown issues #51-40, because, in a move to encourage retailers to order more copies, the first three months worth of the series had been made returnable by DC (…for a fee of 29 cents per returned comic, that is). That’s the reason for the apparent sales increase with issue #39. The real number of copies sold of those twelve issues is probably around twenty percent higher than it says here, but we don’t know (1) what the exact percentage was, (2) whether it was consistent and (3) how many copies were returned, after all. DC offered the same deal on 52 and are going to do so again with Trinity, the next weekly series.

—–

20 - BATMAN
04/2001: Batman #590 --  40,072*
04/2002: Batman #602 --  44,853*
04/2003: Batman #614 -- 153,129 [164,858]
04/2004: Batman #626 --  78,519 [ 80,149]
04/2005: Batman #639 --  62,344
04/2006: Batman #652 --  72,889 [ 82,438]
-------------------------------
04/2007: --
05/2007: Batman #665 --  80,122 (- 0.5%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Batman #666 --  83,781 (+ 4.6%)
08/2007: Batman #667 --  78,578 (- 6.2%) [82,418]
08/2007: Batman #668 --  76,962 (- 2.1%)
09/2007: Batman #669 --  73,471 (- 4.5%)
10/2007: Batman #670 --  76,890 (+ 4.7%) [86,049] 
11/2007: Batman #671 --  76,764 (- 0.2%) [80,440]
12/2007: Batman #672 --  71,189 (- 7.3%)
01/2008: Batman #673 --  69,234 (- 2.8%)
02/2008: Batman #674 --  68,208 (- 1.5%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Batman #675 --  71,138 (+ 4.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 7.5%
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years : - 2.4%
5 years : -53.5%

There was nothing particularly special about the April issue other than that its number was a multiple of 25, so presumably that’s the good old desultory “anniversary issue” boost at work here. Next up is the much-publicized “Batman RIP” storyline, so we should expect an increase for issue #676.

—–

25 - GREEN LANTERN
04/2001: Green Lantern #137 --  33,324*
04/2002: Green Lantern #149 --  35,290*
04/2003: Green Lantern #162 --  45,219
04/2003: Green Lantern #163 --  44,469 [ 45,780]
04/2004: Green Lantern #176 --  34,674 [ 37,565]
04/2005: Rebirth #5 of 6    -- 115,006 [116,652]
04/2006: --
--------------------------------------
04/2007: --
05/2007: Green Lantern #19  --  62,439 (+ 1.3%)
05/2007: Green Lantern #20  --  60,556 (- 3.0%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Green Lantern #21  --  81,929 (+35.3%) [93,052]
08/2007: Green Lantern #22  --  77,916 (- 4.9%) [82,980]
09/2007: Green Lantern #23  --  79,084 (+ 1.5%) [82,168]
10/2007: Green Lantern #24  --  78,650 (- 0.6%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: Green Lantern #25  --  90,545 (+15.1%)
12/2007: Green Lantern #26  --  69,986 (-22.7%)
01/2008: Green Lantern #27  --  67,600 (- 3.4%)
02/2008: --
03/2008: Green Lantern #28  --  68,073 (+ 0.7%)
03/2008: Green Lantern #29  --  66,536 (- 2.3%)
04/2008: Green Lantern #30  --  65,347 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -16.9%
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : +45.7%

Sales are back in an average decline, but remain slightly ahead of pre-“Sinestro Corps War” numbers. So far, so good.

—–

30/41 - ACTION COMICS
04/2001: Action Comics #778 -- 34,959* 
04/2002: Action Comics #790 -- 34,008*
04/2003: Action Comics #802 -- 32,126
04/2004: Action Comics #814 -- 56,714
04/2005: Action Comics #826 -- 54,769 [58,294]
04/2006: --
-------------------------------------
04/2007: Action Comics #848 -- 62,216 (- 3.8%)
05/2007: Action Comics #849 -- 53,610 (-13.8%)
05/2007: Action Comics #850 -- 56,166 (+ 4.8%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Action Comics #851 -- 76,500 (+36.2%)
07/2007: Action Comics #852 -- 50,294 (-34.3%)
08/2007: Action Comics #853 -- 49,694 (- 1.2%)
08/2007: Action Comics #854 -- 48,455 (- 2.5%)
08/2007: Action Comics #855 -- 55,536 (+14.6%)
09/2007: --
10/2007: Action Comics #856 -- 53,815 (- 3.1%)
10/2007: Action Comics #857 -- 51,401 (- 4.5%)
10/2007: Action Comics #858 -- 54,596 (+ 6.2%) [59,031]
11/2007: Action Comics #859 -- 54,572 (- 0.0%)
12/2007: Action Comics #860 -- 56,254 (+ 3.1%)
01/2008: Action Comics #861 -- 56,093 (- 0.3%)
02/2008: Action Comics #862 -- 55,658 (- 0.8%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Action Comics #863 -- 56,882 (+ 2.2%)
04/2008: Action Comics #864 -- 48,438 (-14.9%)
----------------
6 months: - 1.2%
1 year  : -15.4%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : +63.9%

Issue #863 was late from March and concluded the “Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes” arc. Like previous issues of the storyline, it was promoted with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition. The slight increase is likely due to the fact that it came out on the first Wednesday of April, meaning that four weeks worth of reorders are included in the number – issue #862, in contrast, came out on the last Wednesday of February.

The sharp drop for issue #864 may be due to a combination of various factors. For one thing, it came out on the final Wednesday of April, so, as opposed to the previous issue, only initial orders and advance reorders are included. Second, as mentioned above, issue #863 ended a fairly well-received story. And finally – and most significantly, I suspect – it didn’t come with a variant cover edition.

Taking all those things into account, it’s not such a bad drop, actually.

—–

34 - SUPERMAN
04/2001: Superman #169 --  38,718*
04/2002: Superman #181 --  37,883*
04/2003: Superman #192 --  34,638
04/2004: Superman #204 -- 231,411 [244,120]
04/2005: Superman #215 -- 112,593 [116,198]
04/2006: Superman #651 --  73,355
---------------------------------
04/2007: Superman #661 --  55,738 (- 2.5%)
05/2007: Superman #662 --  55,236 (- 0.9%)
06/2007: Superman #663 --  53,384 (- 3.4%)
07/2007: Superman #664 --  52,313 (- 2.0%)
07/2007: Superman #665 --  51,936 (- 0.7%)
08/2007: Superman #666 --  53,566 (+ 3.1%)
09/2007: Superman #667 --  48,608 (- 9.3%)
10/2007: Superman #668 --  47,948 (- 1.4%)
10/2007: Superman #669 --  47,271 (- 1.4%)
11/2007: Superman #670 --  48,407 (+ 2.4%)
12/2007: Superman #671 --  45,290 (- 6.4%)
01/2008: Superman #672 --  44,656 (- 1.4%)
02/2008: Superman #673 --  41,580 (- 6.9%)
03/2008: Superman #674 --  41,715 (+ 0.3%)
04/2008: Superman #675 --  54,855 (+31.5%)
----------------
6 months: +15.2%
1 year  : - 1.6%
2 years : -25.2%
5 years : +58.4%

Writer Kurt Busiek’s final issue gets a hefty boost, mainly due, presumably, to being an “anniversary issue” (double-sized, at $ 3.99) and being promoted with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition. The fact that the book still sold fewer copies than it did a year ago speaks volumes about its recent performance, however.

—–

36 - SUPERMAN/BATMAN
04/2004: Superman/Batman #9  -- 145,072 [156,539]
04/2005: Superman/Batman #18 -- 115,305
04/2005: Superman/Batman #19 -- 114,258 [150,464]
04/2006: --
---------------------------------------
04/2007: Superman/Batman #33 --  74,807 (- 4.0%)
04/2007: Superman/Batman #34 --  71,278 (- 4.7%)
05/2007: Superman/Batman #35 --  68,160 (- 4.4%)
06/2007: Superman/Batman #36 --  65,866 (- 3.4%)
06/2007: Superman/Batman #37 --  72,635 (+10.3%)
07/2007: Superman/Batman #38 --  67,695 (- 6.8%)
08/2007: Superman/Batman #39 --  59,622 (-11.9%)
09/2007: Superman/Batman #40 --  57,410 (- 3.7%)
10/2007: Superman/Batman #41 --  54,928 (- 4.3%)
11/2007: Superman/Batman #42 --  54,341 (- 1.1%)
11/2007: Superman/Batman #43 --  53,489 (- 1.6%)
12/2007: Superman/Batman #44 --  53,057 (- 0.8%)
01/2008: Superman/Batman #45 --  52,119 (- 1.8%)
02/2008: Superman/Batman #46 --  52,009 (- 0.2%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Superman/Batman #47 --  52,557 (+ 1.1%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.3%
1 year  : -28.1%
2 years :  n.a.

We’re in the middle of a run and there were no special incentives or gimmicks that I can see attached to issue #47, so it may simply be that writer Michael Green and artist Shane Davis’ work on Superman/Batman is catching on.

—–

42 - DETECTIVE COMICS
04/2001: Detective Comics #757 -- 38,409*
04/2002: Detective Comics #769 -- 48,459*
04/2003: Detective Comics #781 -- 38,236
04/2004: Detective Comics #793 -- 34,800
04/2005: Detective Comics #805 -- 39,077
04/2006: Detective Comics #818 -- 60,440 [68,189]
----------------------------------------
04/2007: Detective Comics #831 -- 56,284 (+ 7.4%)
05/2007: Detective Comics #832 -- 51,727 (- 8.1%)
06/2007: Detective Comics #833 -- 54,104 (+ 4.6%)
07/2007: Detective Comics #834 -- 53,461 (- 1.2%)
08/2007: Detective Comics #835 -- 50,479 (- 5.6%)
09/2007: Detective Comics #836 -- 49,475 (- 2.0%)
10/2007: Detective Comics #837 -- 51,363 (+ 3.8%)
11/2007: Detective Comics #838 -- 60,267 (+17.3%) [65,293]
12/2007: Detective Comics #839 -- 62,297 (+ 3.4%) [65,773]
01/2008: Detective Comics #840 -- 51,579 (-17.2%)
02/2008: Detective Comics #841 -- 50,535 (- 2.0%)
03/2008: Detective Comics #842 -- 49,425 (- 2.2%)
04/2008: Detective Comics #843 -- 48,431 (- 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.7%
1 year  : -14.0%
2 years : -19.9%
5 years : +26.7%

Regular writer Paul Dini was back again in April, but unlike last time, it didn’t make a difference anymore. Detective Comics seems to have settled into a standard decline.

—–

43 - TEEN TITANS
04/2001: Young Justice #32 -- 24,660*
04/2002: Young Justice #44 -- 26,840*
04/2004: Teen Titans #10   -- 68,359
04/2005: Teen Titans #23   -- 66,802 [68,675]
04/2006: Teen Titans #34   -- 82,503 [90,051]
------------------------------------
04/2007: Teen Titans #45   -- 61,051 (- 0.9%)
05/2007: Teen Titans #46   -- 61,478 (+ 0.7%)
05/2007: Teen Titans #47   -- 63,673 (+ 3.6%)
06/2007: Teen Titans #48   -- 60,786 (- 4.5%)
07/2007: Teen Titans #49   -- 59,258 (- 2.5%)
08/2007: Teen Titans #50   -- 69,620 (+17.5%)
09/2007: Teen Titans #51   -- 57,851 (-16.9%)
10/2007: Teen Titans #52   -- 55,176 (- 4.6%)
11/2007: Teen Titans #53   -- 54,387 (- 1.4%)
12/2007: Teen Titans #54   -- 53,790 (- 1.1%)
01/2008: Teen Titans #55   -- 52,376 (- 2.6%)
02/2008: Teen Titans #56   -- 50,283 (- 4.0%)
03/2008: Teen Titans #57   -- 49,109 (- 2.3%)
04/2008: Teen Titans #58   -- 47,357 (- 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: -14.2%
1 year  : -22.4%
2 years : -42.6%

Teen Titans keeps declining too fast for comfort. Writer Sean McKeever’s run doesn’t really seem to be catching on, so I’m not sure it’s the best basis for a spin-off limited series. DC beg to differ, though – McKeever is writing Terror Titans, a limited series apparently starting in September that uses the current storyline as a launching pad.

—–

44 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
04/2007: Green Lantern Corps #11 -- 33,506 (- 2.1%)
05/2007: Green Lantern Corps #12 -- 33,267 (- 0.7%)
06/2007: Green Lantern Corps #13 -- 32,792 (- 1.4%)
07/2007: Green Lantern Corps #14 -- 45,393 (+38.4%) [61,493]
08/2007: Green Lantern Corps #15 -- 51,572 (+13.2%) [57,751]
09/2007: --
10/2007: Green Lantern Corps #16 -- 60,862 (+18.0%)
10/2007: Green Lantern Corps #17 -- 59,223 (- 2.7%)
11/2007: Green Lantern Corps #18 -- 55,838 (- 5.7%) [59,049]
12/2007: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 50,516 (- 9.5%)
01/2008: Green Lantern Corps #20 -- 44,607 (-11.7%) [48,577]
02/2008: Green Lantern Corps #21 -- 47,582 (+ 6.7%)
03/2008: Green Lantern Corps #22 -- 46,736 (- 1.8%)
04/2008: Green Lantern Corps #23 -- 46,780 (+ 0.1%)
----------------
6 months: -22.1%
1 year  : +39.6%

Post-“Sinestro Corps War” sales of Green Lantern Corps remain rock-solid. The current arc is dealing with a plot point from the crossover, granted, but the book is still more than 10,000 units ahead of where it was this time last year. Something’s clearly working here.

—–

52 - WONDER WOMAN
04/2001: Wonder Woman #169 --  26,588*
04/2002: Wonder Woman #180 --  26,903*
04/2003: Wonder Woman #191 --  25,833
04/2004: Wonder Woman #203 --  30,418
04/2005: Wonder Woman #215 --  28,977 [30,436]
-------------------------------------
04/2007: Wonder Woman #7   --  60,168 (- 3.7%)
04/2007: Wonder Woman #8   --  58,772 (- 2.3%)
05/2007: Wonder Woman #9   --  58,561 (- 0.4%)
06/2007: Wonder Woman #10  --  54,472 (- 7.0%)
07/2007: Wonder Woman #11  --  52,983 (- 2.7%)
08/2007: Wonder Woman #12  --  50,880 (- 4.0%)
09/2007: --
10/2007: Wonder Woman #13  --  48,385 (- 4.9%)
11/2007: Wonder Woman #14  --  53,090 (+ 9.7%)
12/2007: Wonder Woman #15  --  44,628 (-15.9%)
01/2008: Wonder Woman #16  --  42,897 (- 3.9%)
02/2008: Wonder Woman #17  --  41,948 (- 2.2%)
03/2008: Wonder Woman #18  --  40,771 (- 2.8%)
04/2008: Wonder Woman #19  --  39,489 (- 3.1%)
----------------
6 months: -18.4%
1 year  : -33.6%
2 years :   n.a.
5 years : +52.9%

Wonder Woman continues its downward slide. Writer Gail Simone’s work on the title doesn’t seem to be affecting the numbers.

—–

54 - THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD
04/2007: The Brave and the Bold #3  -- 59,211 (- 8.0%)
05/2007: --
06/2007: The Brave and the Bold #4  -- 55,597 (- 6.1%)
07/2007: The Brave and the Bold #5  -- 54,047 (- 2.8%)
08/2007: The Brave and the Bold #6  -- 52,011 (- 3.8%)
09/2007: --
10/2007: The Brave and the Bold #7  -- 48,693 (- 6.4%)
11/2007: The Brave and the Bold #8  -- 45,629 (- 6.3%)
12/2007: The Brave and the Bold #9  -- 43,475 (- 4.7%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: The Brave and the Bold #10 -- 39,124 (-10.0%)
03/2008: The Brave and the Bold #11 -- 37,751 (- 3.5%)
04/2008: The Brave and the Bold #12 -- 37,739 (- 0.0%)
----------------
6 months: -22.5%
1 year  : -36.3%

Sales finally seem to have found their level with the conclusion to Mark Waid’s first, year-long storyline.

Bafflingly, this, of all titles, is the book DC are handing to writer J. Michael Straczynski, who’s arguably their biggest commercial catch in years. Now, granted, it may well be that Straczynski requested The Brave and the Bold. But even then, they could at least have relaunched it, called it something different and given it a good publicity push out of the gate. Marvel certainly would have done so.

Putting Straczynski’s name on The Brave and the Bold #20-something is still going to give the book a nice sales boost, of course. But, shall we say, it doesn’t exactly look like they’re pulling out all the stops to market Straczynski’s name. Sometimes, you have to wonder if the people in charge of the company have totally lost the plot, and this is one of those times. Plainly, it seems they’re not even trying anymore.

—–

56 - BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS
04/2004: Outsiders #11     -- 43,130
04/2005: --
04/2006: Outsiders #35     -- 45,774
------------------------------------
04/2007: --
05/2007: Outsiders #47     -- 33,267 (+ 2.1%)
06/2007: Outsiders #48     -- 32,966 (- 0.9%)
07/2007: Outsiders #49     -- 33,110 (+ 0.4%)
08/2007: FoaK #1 of 5      -- 36,565 (+10.4%)
08/2007: FoaK #2 of 5      -- 35,087 (- 4.0%)
08/2007: FoaK #3 of 5      -- 34,702 (- 1.1%)
08/2007: FoaK #4 of 5      -- 34,125 (- 1.7%)
08/2007: FoaK #5 of 5      -- 33,694 (- 1.3%)
09/2007: Outsiders #50     -- 38,212 (+13.4%)
10/2007: --
11/2007: Bat Outsiders #1  -- 60,690 (+58.8%)
11/2007: Bat Outsiders #2  -- 42,827 (-29.4%)
12/2007: Bat Outsiders #3  -- 40,371 (- 5.7%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: Bat Outsiders #4  -- 37,903 (- 6.1%)
03/2008: Bat Outsiders #5  -- 36,797 (- 2.9%)
04/2008: Bat Outsiders #6  -- 36,551 (- 0.7%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years : -20.2%

Batman and the Outsiders is another book that’s finally levelling out. If it manages to stay in the neighborhood of 36K, the relaunch may yet have been worth the hassle.

—–

57 - BOOSTER GOLD
08/2007: Booster Gold #1  -- 53,689          [57,811]
09/2007: Booster Gold #2  -- 47,102 (-12.3%)
10/2007: Booster Gold #3  -- 39,374 (-16.4%)
11/2007: Booster Gold #4  -- 37,683 (- 4.3%)
12/2007: Booster Gold #5  -- 38,228 (+ 1.5%)
01/2008: Booster Gold #6  -- 36,292 (- 5.1%)
02/2008: Booster Gold #0  -- 37,808 (+ 4.2%)
03/2008: Booster Gold #7  -- 36,140 (- 4.4%)
04/2008: Booster Gold #8  -- 35,982 (- 0.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.6%

Sales remain solid around 36,000 units – a good performance for a C-list character like Booster Gold.

—–

59 - DC/WILDSTORM: DREAMWAR
04/2008: Dreamwar #1 of 6 -- 34,794

This crossover between the DC Universe and the WildStorm Universe is being produced at the WildStorm offices, apparently, but the DC website and solicitations list it as a DC Universe book, so that’s how I’m going to treat it.

Given that neither the WildStorm Universe nor its characters have exactly been hot commodities over the last few years, this is a decent start, at any rate, even if you account for the 1-for-10 variant cover edition.

—–

60 - THE FLASH
04/2001: Flash #173     --  26,828*
04/2002: Flash #185     --  27,320*
04/2003: Flash #197     --  30,886
04/2004: Flash #209     --  47,543 [51,233]
04/2005: Flash #221     --  46,471 [47,704]
----------------------------------
04/2007: Flash: FMA #11 --  46,963 (+  1.8%)
05/2007: Flash: FMA #12 --  47,809 (+  1.8%)
06/2007: Flash: FMA #13 --  76,860 (+ 60.8%) [82,767]
07/2007: All Flash #1   --  78,955 (+  2.7%)
08/2007: Flash #231     --  72,898 (-  7.7%)
09/2007: Flash #232     --  56,969 (- 21.9%)
10/2007: Flash #233     --  51,152 (- 10.2%)
11/2007: Flash #234     --  46,435 (-  9.2%)
12/2007: Flash #235     --  43,788 (-  5.7%)
01/2008: Flash #236     --  41,464 (-  5.3%)
02/2008: Flash #237     --  37,719 (-  9.0%)
03/2008: Flash #238     --  35,606 (-  5.6%)
04/2008: Flash #239     --  33,741 (-  5.2%)
----------------
6 months: -34.0%
1 year  : -28.2%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : + 9.2%

There’s still no end in sight to the book’s break-neck decline. Other than putting Geoff Johns and Jim Lee on the book and letting them start from scratch, I’m not sure there’s much to be done about that, either, at present, given that The Flash has already been revamped and relaunched twice in the past two years.

—–

61 - GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY
04/2001: Green Arrow #3  -- 64,356*
04/2002: Green Arrow #14 -- 70,639*
04/2003: Green Arrow #23 -- 55,280
04/2003: Green Arrow #24 -- 53,565
04/2004: Green Arrow #37 -- 34,124
04/2005: Green Arrow #49 -- 31,403
04/2006: Green Arrow #61 -- 35,993 [40,621]
-----------------------------------
04/2007: Green Arrow #73  -- 30,652 (- 1.6%)
05/2007: Green Arrow #74  -- 30,751 (+ 0.3%)
06/2007: Green Arrow #75  -- 35,022 (+13.9%)
07/2007: Year One #1 of 6 -- 37,090 (+ 5.9%)
07/2007: Year One #2 of 6 -- 32,222 (-13.1%) [34,962]
08/2007: Year One #3 of 6 -- 32,971 (+ 2.3%)
08/2007: Year One #4 of 6 -- 31,885 (- 3.3%)
09/2007: Year One #5 of 6 -- 31,504 (- 1.2%)
10/2007: Year One #6 of 6 -- 30,943 (- 1.8%)
10/2007: Arrow/Canary #1  -- 52,183 (+68.6%)
11/2007: Arrow/Canary #2  -- 42,827 (-17.9%)
12/2007: Arrow/Canary #3  -- 40,321 (- 5.9%)
01/2008: Arrow/Canary #4  -- 35,039 (-13.1%)
02/2008: Arrow/Canary #5  -- 36,662 (+ 4.6%)
03/2008: Arrow/Canary #6  -- 32,621 (-11.0%)
04/2008: Arrow/Canary #7  -- 32,033 (- 1.8%) 
----------------
6 months: -22.9%
1 year  : + 4.5%
2 years : -11.0%
5 years : -41.1%

Sales appear to be settling into a standard decline. The increase from the relaunch keeps melting away.

—–

63 - SUPERGIRL
04/2001: Supergirl #57 --  20,228*
04/2002: Supergirl #69 --  19,246*
04/2006: --
---------------------------------
04/2007: Supergirl #16 --  51,641 (+ 1.1%)
05/2007: Supergirl #17 --  50,429 (- 2.4%)
06/2007: Supergirl #18 --  50,279 (- 0.3%)
07/2007: Supergirl #19 --  48,576 (- 3.4%)
08/2007: Supergirl #20 --  46,862 (- 3.5%)
09/2007: Supergirl #21 --  44,656 (- 4.7%)
10/2007: Supergirl #22 --  41,758 (- 6.5%)
11/2007: Supergirl #23 --  45,460 (+ 8.9%)
12/2007: Supergirl #24 --  37,922 (-16.6%)
01/2008: Supergirl #25 --  36,459 (- 3.9%)
02/2008: Supergirl #26 --  34,186 (- 6.2%)
03/2008: Supergirl #27 --  32,596 (- 4.7%)
04/2008: Supergirl #28 --  31,379 (- 3.7%)
----------------
6 months: -24.9%
1 year  : -39.2%
2 years :  n.a.

The drops are getting smaller, but when a book selling at this level is shedding more than 1,000 units per month, that’s not much of a consolation.

—–

66 - TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE
01/2008: Teen Titans: Year One #1 of 6 -- 43,057
02/2008: Teen Titans: Year One #2 of 6 -- 35,761 (-17.0%)
03/2008: Teen Titans: Year One #3 of 6 -- 33,125 (- 7.4%)
04/2008: Teen Titans: Year One #4 of 6 -- 30,483 (- 8.0%)

The numbers are declining rather briskly, at this stage.

—–

70 - DEATH OF THE NEW GODS
10/2007: Death of the New Gods #1 of 8 -- 46,670
10/2007: Death of the New Gods #2 of 8 -- 35,681 (-23.6%)
11/2007: Death of the New Gods #3 of 8 -- 32,655 (- 8.5%)
12/2007: Death of the New Gods #4 of 8 -- 31,914 (- 2.3%)
01/2008: Death of the New Gods #5 of 8 -- 30,996 (- 2.9%)
02/2008: Death of the New Gods #6 of 8 -- 30,482 (- 1.7%)
03/2008: Death of the New Gods #7 of 8 -- 29,863 (- 2.0%)
04/2008: Death of the New Gods #8 of 8 -- 29,935 (+ 0.2%)
----------------
6 months: -27.3%

The series concludes with decent numbers. Safe for Countdown: Arena, it’s been the bestselling of the dozen or so Countdown spin-offs.

—–

71 - NIGHTWING
04/2001: Nightwing #56  -- 35,348*
04/2002: Nightwing #68  -- 43,068*
04/2003: Nightwing #80  -- 29,508
04/2004: Nightwing #92  -- 29,555
04/2005: Nightwing #107 -- 38,061
04/2006: Nightwing #119 -- 46,336
---------------------------------
04/2007: Nightwing #131 -- 31,530 (- 0.8%)
05/2007: Nightwing #132 -- 30,807 (- 2.3%)
06/2007: Nightwing #133 -- 30,623 (- 0.6%)
07/2007: Nightwing #134 -- 30,228 (- 1.3%)
08/2007: Nightwing #135 -- 29,923 (- 1.0%)
09/2007: Nightwing #136 -- 29,256 (- 2.2%)
10/2007: Nightwing #137 -- 28,363 (- 3.1%)
11/2007: Nightwing #138 -- 46,757 (+64.9%) [52,282]
12/2007: Nightwing #139 -- 49,291 (+ 5.4%) [52,607]
01/2008: Nightwing #140 -- 32,305 (-34.5%)
02/2008: Nightwing #141 -- 30,980 (- 4.1%)
03/2008: Nightwing #142 -- 30,253 (- 2.4%)
04/2008: Nightwing #143 -- 29,914 (- 1.1%)
----------------
6 months: + 5.4%
1 year  : - 5.1%
2 years : -35.4%
5 years : + 1.4%

Nightwing is settling down again in its usual niche around 30K.

—–

76 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
04/2001: Legion Worlds #1     -- 21,955*
04/2002: Legion #7            -- 25,113*
04/2003: Legion #19           -- 23,214
04/2004: Legion #32           -- 24,608
04/2005: Legion of SH #5      -- 41,664
04/2006: Supergirl & LoSH #17 -- 44,827 [47,724]
---------------------------------------
04/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #28 -- 31,525 (+ 0.4%)
04/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #29 -- 30,906 (- 2.0%)
05/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #30 -- 30,767 (- 0.5%)  
06/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #31 -- 30,385 (- 1.2%)
07/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #32 -- 29,826 (- 1.8%)
08/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #33 -- 29,315 (- 1.7%)
09/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #34 -- 28,294 (- 3.5%)
10/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #35 -- 27,370 (- 3.3%)
11/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #36 -- 26,814 (- 2.0%)
12/2007: Legion of SH #37     -- 45,803 (+70.8%)
01/2008: Legion of SH #38     -- 33,045 (-27.9%)
02/2008: Legion of SH #39     -- 31,123 (- 5.8%)
03/2008: Legion of SH #40     -- 30,377 (- 2.4%)
04/2008: Legion of SH #41     -- 28,939 (- 4.7%)
----------------
6 months: + 5.7%
1 year  : - 7.3%
2 years : -35.4%
5 years : +24.7%

At this stage, a five-percent drop is a little steeper than you’d hope for. A well-received run looks different.

—–

83 - ROBIN
04/2001: Robin #89  -- 26,576*
04/2002: Robin #101 -- 29,841*
04/2003: Robin #113 -- 22,663
04/2004: Robin #125 -- 32,923 [35,591]
04/2005: Robin #137 -- 30,798
04/2006: Robin #149 -- 37,173
-----------------------------
04/2007: Robin #161 -- 27,180 (-  1.7%)
05/2007: Robin #162 -- 26,801 (-  1.4%)
06/2007: Robin #163 -- 26,284 (-  1.9%)
07/2007: Robin #164 -- 25,955 (-  1.3%)
08/2007: Robin #165 -- 25,397 (-  2.2%)
09/2007: Robin #166 -- 24,877 (-  2.1%)
10/2007: Robin #167 -- 24,625 (-  1.0%)
11/2007: Robin #168 -- 50,672 (+105.8%) [57,442]
12/2007: Robin #169 -- 48,665 (-  4.0%) [51,441]
01/2008: Robin #170 -- 30,048 (- 38.3%)
02/2008: Robin #171 -- 27,781 (-  7.6%)
03/2008: Robin #172 -- 26,912 (-  3.1%)
04/2008: Robin #173 -- 26,357 (-  2.1%)
----------------
6 months: + 7.0%
1 year  : - 3.0%
2 years : -29.1%
5 years : +16.3%

Sales are entering a standard decline.

—–

84 - SALVATION RUN
11/2007: Salvation Run #1 of 7 -- 40,531
12/2007: Salvation Run #2 of 7 -- 28,938 (-28.6%)
01/2008: Salvation Run #3 of 7 -- 26,828 (- 7.3%)
02/2008: Salvation Run #4 of 7 -- 25,899 (- 3.5%)
03/2008: Salvation Run #5 of 7 -- 25,790 (- 0.4%)
04/2008: Salvation Run #6 of 7 -- 26,278 (+ 1.9%)

That’s a bit of a surprise. In all likelihood, though, the increase is the result of Final Crisis being name-checked in the advertising copy.

—–

85 - WORLD OF WARCRAFT (WildStorm)
11/2007: World of WarCraft #1  -- 44,508          [49,271]
12/2007: World of WarCraft #2  -- 32,740 (-34.9%) [36,340]
01/2008: World of WarCraft #3  -- 31,183 (- 4.8%)
02/2008: World of WarCraft #4  -- 28,982 (- 7.1%)
03/2008: World of WarCraft #5  -- 27,159 (- 9.4%)
04/2008: World of WarCraft #6  -- 26,271 (- 3.3%)

The drops are getting smaller, and it’s about time. As usual, there was a 50/50 variant cover edition.

—–

88 - TANGENT: SUPERMAN'S REIGN
03/2008: Tangent #1 of 12 -- 32,378
04/2008: Tangent #2 of 12 -- 25,652 (-20.8%)

That’s an average second-issue drop-off.

—–

90 - TRIALS OF SHAZAM
04/2007: Trials of SHAZAM #6  of 12 -- 32,875 (- 5.0%)
05/2007: --
06/2007: Trials of SHAZAM #7  of 12 -- 31,056 (- 5.5%)
07/2007: --
08/2007: --
09/2007: Trials of SHAZAM #8  of 12 -- 29,241 (- 5.8%)
10/2007: Trials of SHAZAM #9  of 12 -- 27,490 (- 6.0%)
11/2007: Trials of SHAZAM #10 of 12 -- 25,562 (- 7.0%)
12/2007: --
01/2008: Trials of SHAZAM #11 of 12 -- 24,606 (- 3.7%)
02/2008: --
03/2008: --
04/2008: Trials of SHAZAM #12 of 12 -- 25,389 (+ 3.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 7.6%
1 year  : -22.8%

I’m not sure where the sudden increase comes from – do Justice League guest appearances carry that much weight these days? Anyway, Trials of SHAZAM started with decent sales just above 50,000 back in August 2006, so it’s been a pretty mediocre performance for the book, overall.

—–

93 - BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL
04/2007: Batman Confidential #5  -- 36,219 (- 6.5%)
05/2007: --
06/2007: Batman Confidential #6  -- 33,480 (- 7.6%)
07/2007: Batman Confidential #7  -- 32,272 (- 3.6%)
08/2007: Batman Confidential #8  -- 30,077 (- 6.8%)
09/2007: Batman Confidential #9  -- 28,845 (- 4.1%)
10/2007: Batman Confidential #10 -- 28,724 (- 0.5%)
11/2007: Batman Confidential #11 -- 27,397 (- 4.6%)
12/2007: --
01/2008: --
02/2008: Batman Confidential #12 -- 27,208 (- 0.7%)
02/2008: Batman Confidential #13 -- 25,735 (- 5.4%)
03/2008: Batman Confidential #14 -- 25,330 (- 1.6%)
03/2008: Batman Confidential #15 -- 24,283 (- 4.1%)
04/2008: Batman Confidential #16 -- 24,038 (- 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: -16.3%
1 year  : -33.6%

Standard attrition. The long-term comparisons don’t look great, however.

—–

94 - FABLES (Vertigo)
04/2003: Fables #12 -- 24,929
04/2004: Fables #24 -- 25,464
04/2005: Fables #36 -- 24,975
04/2006: Fables #48 -- 24,476
-----------------------------
04/2007: Fables #60 -- 26,048 (+0.9%)
05/2007: Fables #61 -- 26,056 (+0.0%)
06/2007: Fables #62 -- 25,726 (-1.3%)
07/2007: Fables #63 -- 25,603 (-0.5%)
08/2007: Fables #64 -- 25,498 (-0.4%)
09/2007: Fables #65 -- 25,311 (-0.7%)
10/2007: Fables #66 -- 25,016 (-1.2%)
11/2007: Fables #67 -- 24,841 (-0.7%)
12/2007: Fables #68 -- 24,574 (-1.1%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: Fables #69 -- 24,337 (-1.0%)
02/2008: Fables #70 -- 23,975 (-1.5%)
03/2008: Fables #71 -- 24,006 (+0.1%)
04/2008: Fables #72 -- 23,853 (-0.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.7%
1 year  : - 8.4%
2 years : - 2.6%
5 years : - 4.3%

Vertigo’s best remaining performer in terms of periodicals and first-month collection sales remains solidly in its usual neighborhood.

—–

95 - GOTHAM UNDERGROUND
10/2007: Gotham Underground #1 of 9 -- 31,003
11/2007: Gotham Underground #2 of 9 -- 26,537 (-14.4%)
12/2007: Gotham Underground #3 of 9 -- 25,386 (- 4.3%)
01/2008: Gotham Underground #4 of 9 -- 24,737 (- 2.6%)
02/2008: Gotham Underground #5 of 9 -- 24,098 (- 2.6%)
03/2008: Gotham Underground #6 of 9 -- 23,773 (- 1.4%)
04/2008: Gotham Underground #7 of 9 -- 23,525 (- 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: -24.1%

If you forget that the book was billed as a Countdown spin-off, these are decent numbers.

—–

98 - BIRDS OF PREY
04/2001: Birds of Prey #30  -- 24,179*
04/2002: Birds of Prey #42  -- 26,360*
04/2003: Birds of Prey #54  -- 23,521
04/2004: Birds of Prey #66  -- 31,525
04/2005: Birds of Prey #81  -- 29,832
04/2006: Birds of Prey #93  -- 34,404
-------------------------------------
04/2007: Birds of Prey #105 -- 28,328 (- 0.5%)
05/2007: Birds of Prey #106 -- 28,363 (+ 0.1%)
06/2007: Birds of Prey #107 -- 28,632 (+ 1.0%)
07/2007: Birds of Prey #108 -- 28,025 (- 2.1%)
08/2007: Birds of Prey #109 -- 28,268 (+ 0.9%)
09/2007: Birds of Prey #110 -- 27,148 (- 4.0%)
10/2007: Birds of Prey #111 -- 26,400 (- 2.8%)
11/2007: Birds of Prey #112 -- 25,117 (- 4.9%)
12/2007: Birds of Prey #113 -- 24,717 (- 1.6%)
01/2008: Birds of Prey #114 -- 24,211 (- 2.1%)
02/2008: Birds of Prey #115 -- 23,157 (- 4.4%)
03/2008: Birds of Prey #116 -- 22,627 (- 2.3%)
04/2008: Birds of Prey #117 -- 22,181 (- 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: -16.0%
1 year  : -21.7%
2 years : -35.5%
5 years : - 5.7%

Sales continue a standard decline.

—–

103 - BATMAN: DEATH MASK
04/2008: Batman: Death Mask #1 of 4 -- 20,217

This is a manga take on Batman written and drawn by Yoshinori Natsume. Each issue of Batman: Death Mask is double-sized, black & white and has a spine and cardboard cover at the regular price of $ 2.99. Sales are what you’d expect for this sort of thing, which means that nobody except the Batman completists seems to be bothering.

It’s another DC Universe title produced by WildStorm, by the way.

—–

104 - SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL
04/2007: --
05/2007: --
06/2007: --
07/2007: Superman Confidential #5  -- 35,180 (- 4.4%)
08/2007: --
09/2007: Superman Confidential #6  -- 31,152 (-11.5%)
10/2007: Superman Confidential #7  -- 29,228 (- 6.2%)
10/2007: Superman Confidential #8  -- 26,535 (- 9.2%)
11/2007: Superman Confidential #9  -- 24,841 (- 6.4%)
12/2007: Superman Confidential #10 -- 23,172 (- 6.7%)
01/2008: Superman Confidential #11 -- 22,556 (- 2.7%)
02/2008: Superman Confidential #12 -- 21,015 (- 6.8%)
03/2008: Superman Confidential #13 -- 20,427 (- 2.8%)
04/2008: Superman Confidential #14 -- 18,923 (- 7.4%)
----------------
6 months: -32.1%
1 year  :  n.a.

The book has quietly been cancelled, it appears. Unusually for DC, there hasn’t been an official statement, but no further issues past #14 have been solicited, and the numbers certainly don’t suggest that more material might be forthcoming.

Given that JLA: Classified and JSA: Classified have also been axed, and Batman Confidential isn’t setting the charts on fire either, this type of book seems well past its sell-by date. Self-contained stories which everybody knows won’t affect the status quo evidently don’t sell books anymore, unless you throw in big-name creators. And even if you do that, you’d probably get better results by giving those creators their own limited series. Also, don’t get me started about the titles.

—–

106 - CATWOMAN
04/2001: Catwoman #93 -- 23,566*
04/2002: Catwoman #6  -- 31,895*
04/2003: Catwoman #18 -- 23,199
04/2004: Catwoman #30 -- 24,286
04/2005: Catwoman #42 -- 21,029
04/2006: Catwoman #54 -- 28,922
-------------------------------
04/2007: Catwoman #66 -- 19,896 (- 1.7%)
05/2007: Catwoman #67 -- 19,926 (+ 0.2%)
06/2007: Catwoman #68 -- 20,132 (+ 1.0%)
07/2007: Catwoman #69 -- 19,387 (- 3.7%)
08/2007: Catwoman #70 -- 20,518 (+ 5.8%)
09/2007: Catwoman #71 -- 19,492 (- 5.0%)
10/2007: Catwoman #72 -- 19,473 (- 0.1%)
11/2007: Catwoman #73 -- 18,815 (- 3.4%)
12/2007: Catwoman #74 -- 18,623 (- 1.0%)
01/2008: Catwoman #75 -- 21,580 (+15.9%)
02/2008: Catwoman #76 -- 18,798 (-12.9%)
03/2008: Catwoman #77 -- 18,609 (- 1.0%)
04/2008: Catwoman #78 -- 18,553 (- 0.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.7%
1 year  : - 6.8%
2 years : -35.9%
5 years : -20.0%

Sales are stabilizing, but the book is still cancelled with issue #82.

—–

107 - DC SPECIAL: RAVEN
03/2008: Raven #1 of 5 -- 24,535
04/2008: Raven #2 of 5 -- 17,962 (-26.8%)

That’s a steep drop for a limited series.

—–

113 - JACK OF FABLES (Vertigo)
04/2007: Jack of Fables #9  -- 20,273 (+ 1.1%)
05/2007: Jack of Fables #10 -- 19,982 (- 1.4%)
06/2007: Jack of Fables #11 -- 19,797 (- 0.9%)
06/2007: Jack of Fables #12 -- 19,337 (- 2.3%)
07/2007: --
08/2007: Jack of Fables #13 -- 19,187 (- 0.8%)
09/2007: Jack of Fables #14 -- 18,728 (- 2.4%)
10/2007: Jack of Fables #15 -- 18,329 (- 2.1%)
10/2007: Jack of Fables #16 -- 17,743 (- 3.2%)
11/2007: Jack of Fables #17 -- 17,456 (- 1.6%)
12/2007: Jack of Fables #18 -- 17,242 (- 1.2%)
01/2008: Jack of Fables #19 -- 16,886 (- 2.1%)
02/2008: Jack of Fables #20 -- 16,650 (- 1.4%)
03/2008: Jack of Fables #21 -- 16,597 (- 0.3%)
04/2008: Jack of Fables #22 -- 16,305 (- 1.8%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.6%
1 year  : -19.6%

An average drop.

—–

117 - SUPERNATURAL: RISING SON (WildStorm)
05/2007: Origins #1         -- 21,128
06/2007: Origins #2         -- 15,955 (-24.5%)
07/2007: Origins #3         -- 14,812 (- 7.2%)
08/2007: Origins #4         -- 13,915 (- 6.1%)
09/2007: Origins #5         -- 13,034 (- 6.3%)
10/2007: Origins #6         -- 12,350 (- 5.5%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: --
01/2008: --
02/2008: --
03/2008: --
04/2008: Rising Son #1 of 6 -- 16,013 (+29.7%)
----------------
6 months: +29.7%

The follow-up to last year’s series starts with decent numbers. The issue was promoted with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition, so a stiff drop-off can be expected for #2. Still, this is one of WildStorm’s more successful licensed properties of late.

—–

121 - CHECKMATE
04/2006: Checkmate #1  -- 49,156 [55,375]
--------------------------------
04/2007: --
05/2007: Checkmate #13 -- 22,554 (+12.1%)
05/2007: Checkmate #14 -- 22,074 (- 2.1%)
06/2007: Checkmate #15 -- 22,015 (- 0.3%)
07/2007: Checkmate #16 -- 20,225 (- 8.1%)
08/2007: Checkmate #17 -- 19,841 (- 1.9%)
09/2007: Checkmate #18 -- 18,742 (- 5.5%)
10/2007: Checkmate #19 -- 18,096 (- 3.5%)
11/2007: Checkmate #20 -- 17,663 (- 2.4%)
12/2007: Checkmate #21 -- 17,363 (- 1.7%)
01/2008: Checkmate #22 -- 17,087 (- 1.6%)
02/2008: Checkmate #23 -- 16,595 (- 2.9%)
03/2008: Checkmate #24 -- 16,147 (- 2.7%)
04/2008: Checkmate #25 -- 15,857 (- 1.8%)
----------------
6 months: -12.4%
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years : -67.7%

That’s a standard decline.

—–

122 - JSA: CLASSIFIED
04/2006: JSA: Classified #11 -- 37,815
--------------------------------------
04/2007: JSA: Classified #25 -- 22,052 (- 0.3%)
05/2007: JSA: Classified #26 -- 21,569 (- 2.2%)
06/2007: JSA: Classified #27 -- 21,295 (- 1.3%)
07/2007: JSA: Classified #28 -- 20,736 (- 2.6%)
08/2007: JSA: Classified #29 -- 20,195 (- 2.6%)
09/2007: JSA: Classified #30 -- 19,382 (- 4.0%)
10/2007: JSA: Classified #31 -- 18,585 (- 4.1%)
11/2007: JSA: Classified #32 -- 17,756 (- 4.5%)
12/2007: JSA: Classified #33 -- 17,413 (- 1.9%)
01/2008: JSA: Classified #34 -- 16,852 (- 3.2%)
02/2008: JSA: Classified #35 -- 16,561 (- 1.7%)
03/2008: JSA: Classified #36 -- 16,132 (- 2.6%)
04/2008: JSA: Classified #37 -- 15,736 (- 2.5%)
----------------
6 months: -15.3%
1 year  : -28.6%
2 years : -58.4%

Cancelled with issue #39.

—–

124 - SUICIDE SQUAD: RAISE THE FLAG
04/2002: Suicide Squad #8 of 8  -- 16,039* 
-----------------------------------------
09/2007: Raise the Flag #1 of 8 -- 29,506
10/2007: Raise the Flag #2 of 8 -- 22,774 (-22.8%)
11/2007: Raise the Flag #3 of 8 -- 19,774 (-13.2%)
12/2007: Raise the Flag #4 of 8 -- 18,025 (- 8.9%)
01/2008: Raise the Flag #5 of 8 -- 17,094 (- 5.2%)
02/2008: Raise the Flag #6 of 8 -- 16,152 (- 5.5%)
03/2008: Raise the Flag #7 of 8 -- 15,781 (- 2.3%)
04/2008: Raise the Flag #8 of 8 -- 15,508 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: -31.9%

After the rather unhealthy drops in the first few months, the book finishes with a standard limited series decline. Considering the level it’s been selling at, there’s not a lot of demand for the concept, apparently.

—–

126 - EX MACHINA (WildStorm)
04/2005: Ex Machina #10 -- 22,101
04/2006: Ex Machina #19 -- 20,358
---------------------------------
04/2007: Ex Machina #27 -- 18,242 (- 1.8%)
05/2007: Ex Machina #28 -- 18,164 (- 0.4%)
06/2007: Ex Machina #29 -- 17,719 (- 2.5%)
07/2007: --
08/2007: --
09/2007: Ex Machina #30 -- 17,163 (- 3.1%)
10/2007: Ex Machina #31 -- 16,772 (- 2.3%)
11/2007: Ex Machina #32 -- 16,328 (- 2.7%)
12/2007: Ex Machina #33 -- 16,067 (- 1.6%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: Ex Machina #34 -- 15,579 (- 3.0%)
03/2008: Ex Machina #35 -- 15,500 (- 0.5%)
04/2008: Ex Machina #36 -- 15,188 (- 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.4%
1 year  : -16.7%
2 years : -25.4%

The numbers are slowly declining as the book finishes its third year worth of issues, but the drops keep adding up. To be fair, Ex Machina collections seem to be doing fairly well, according to first-month sales in the direct market.

—–

129 - THE SPIRIT
04/2007: The Spirit #5     -- 23,887 (- 2.0%)
05/2007: The Spirit #6     -- 23,708 (- 0.8%)
06/2007: The Spirit #7     -- 22,621 (- 4.6%)
07/2007: The Spirit #8     -- 21,984 (- 2.8%)
08/2007: The Spirit #9     -- 20,841 (- 5.2%)
09/2007: The Spirit #10    -- 19,962 (- 4.2%)
10/2007: --
11/2007: The Spirit #11    -- 18,892 (- 5.4%)
12/2007: --
01/2008: The Spirit #12    -- 18,894 (+ 0.0%)
01/2008: The Spirit #13    -- 17,475 (- 7.5%)
02/2008: The Spirit #14    -- 17,277 (- 1.1%)
03/2008: The Spirit #15    -- 16,038 (- 7.2%)
04/2008: The Spirit #16    -- 14,697 (- 8.4%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  : -38.5%

This isn’t looking good by any standard. The Spirit is another title put together by WildStorm, so it’ll likely have to be judged by the standard of WildStorm books. Given the catastrophic rate at which it’s plummeting down the charts, however, that probably won’t buy it much time.

—–

130 - SHADOWPACT
04/2007: Shadowpact #12 -- 20,746 (- 1.7%)
05/2007: Shadowpact #13 -- 20,335 (- 2.0%)
06/2007: Shadowpact #14 -- 19,899 (- 2.1%)
07/2007: Shadowpact #15 -- 19,689 (- 1.2%)
08/2007: Shadowpact #16 -- 19,410 (- 1.4%)
09/2007: Shadowpact #17 -- 18,382 (- 5.3%)
10/2007: Shadowpact #18 -- 17,818 (- 3.1%)
11/2007: Shadowpact #19 -- 17,103 (- 4.0%)
12/2007: Shadowpact #20 -- 16,459 (- 3.8%)
01/2008: Shadowpact #21 -- 16,014 (- 2.7%)
02/2008: Shadowpact #22 -- 15,292 (- 4.5%)
03/2008: Shadowpact #23 -- 14,971 (- 2.1%)
04/2008: Shadowpact #24 -- 14,512 (- 3.1%)
----------------
6 months: -18.6%
1 year  : -30.1%

Cancelled with issue #25.

—–

132 - METAL MEN
08/2007: Metal Men #1 of 8 -- 30,454
09/2007: Metal Men #2 of 8 -- 23,658 (-22.3%)
10/2007: Metal Men #3 of 8 -- 20,571 (-13.1%)
11/2007: Metal Men #4 of 8 -- 18,707 (- 9.1%)
12/2007: --
01/2008: Metal Men #5 of 8 -- 16,152 (-13.7%)
02/2008: Metal Men #6 of 8 -- 15,374 (- 4.8%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Metal Men #7 of 8 -- 14,370 (- 6.5%)
----------------
6 months: -30.1%

Consistently horrible sales.

—–

133 - BLUE BEETLE
04/2006: Blue Beetle #2  -- 43,770 [50,190]
----------------------------------
04/2007: Blue Beetle #14 -- 17,167 (- 2.8%)
05/2007: Blue Beetle #15 -- 16,906 (- 1.5%)
06/2007: Blue Beetle #16 -- 17,016 (+ 0.7%)
07/2007: Blue Beetle #17 -- 16,128 (- 5.2%)
08/2007: Blue Beetle #18 -- 19,140 (+18.7%)
09/2007: Blue Beetle #19 -- 15,737 (-17.8%)
10/2007: Blue Beetle #20 -- 27,611 (+75.5%)
11/2007: Blue Beetle #21 -- 15,645 (-43.3%)
12/2007: Blue Beetle #22 -- 15,256 (- 2.5%)
01/2008: Blue Beetle #23 -- 14,961 (- 1.9%)
02/2008: Blue Beetle #24 -- 14,378 (- 3.9%)
03/2008: Blue Beetle #25 -- 14,304 (- 0.5%)
04/2008: Blue Beetle #26 -- 14,285 (- 0.1%)
----------------
6 months: -48.3%
1 year  : -16.8%
2 years : -67.4%

As a gimmick, the text in the April issue is mostly in Spanish. The numbers are continuing to stabilize, so it doesn’t seem to have bothered anyone.

—–

135 - SIMON DARK
10/2007: Simon Dark #1  -- 24,256
11/2007: Simon Dark #2  -- 18,492 (-23.8%)
12/2007: Simon Dark #3  -- 17,391 (- 6.0%)
01/2008: Simon Dark #4  -- 16,242 (- 6.6%)
02/2008: Simon Dark #5  -- 15,360 (- 5.4%)
03/2008: Simon Dark #6  -- 14,684 (- 4.4%)
04/2008: Simon Dark #7  -- 13,936 (- 5.1%)
----------------
6 months: -38.4%

Awful numbers. Unless there’s a major trend reversal soon, it’s unlikely that the book survives past issue #12.

—–

142 - UNCLE SAM & THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS
09/2007: Uncle Sam & FF #1 of 8 -- 23,731 (+ 5.4%)
10/2007: Uncle Sam & FF #2 of 8 -- 19,006 (-19.9%)
11/2007: Uncle Sam & FF #3 of 8 -- 17,157 (- 9.7%)
12/2007: Uncle Sam & FF #4 of 8 -- 15,832 (- 7.7%)
01/2008: Uncle Sam & FF #5 of 8 -- 14,989 (- 5.3%)
02/2008: Uncle Sam & FF #6 of 8 -- 14,126 (- 5.8%)
03/2008: Uncle Sam & FF #7 of 8 -- 13,706 (- 3.0%)
04/2008: Uncle Sam & FF #8 of 8 -- 13,452 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -29.2%

Average limited series drops, to no one’s surprise. The world didn’t particularly demand a second Uncle Sam miniseries.

—–

143 - JONAH HEX
04/2006: Jonah Hex #6  -- 22,763
--------------------------------
04/2007: Jonah Hex #18 -- 16,880 (- 1.2%)
05/2007: Jonah Hex #19 -- 16,473 (- 2.4%)
06/2007: Jonah Hex #20 -- 16,150 (- 2.0%)
07/2007: Jonah Hex #21 -- 15,734 (- 2.6%)
08/2007: Jonah Hex #22 -- 15,362 (- 2.4%)
09/2007: Jonah Hex #23 -- 15,157 (- 1.4%)
10/2007: Jonah Hex #24 -- 14,749 (- 2.7%)
11/2007: Jonah Hex #25 -- 14,577 (- 1.2%)
12/2007: Jonah Hex #26 -- 14,088 (- 3.5%)
01/2008: Jonah Hex #27 -- 13,881 (- 1.5%)
02/2008: Jonah Hex #28 -- 13,614 (- 1.9%)
03/2008: Jonah Hex #29 -- 13,439 (- 1.3%)
04/2008: Jonah Hex #30 -- 13,253 (- 1.4%)
----------------
6 months: -10.1%
1 year  : -21.5%
2 years : -41.8%

Standard attrition. Sales are dangerously low for a DC Universe title, but the paperback collections seem to be doing reasonably well.

—–

145/156 - THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST (WildStorm)
04/2008: The Number of the Beast #1 of 6 -- 12,734
04/2008: The Number of the Beast #2 of 6 -- 11,275 (-11.5%)

The third and final act of WildStorm’s latest attempt at revamping their struggling superhero line comes around with predictably poor numbers. No, scratch that: They’re even poorer than expected, actually. Unlike the two previous series Armageddon and Revelations, sales of the first two issues of The Number of the Beast were boosted with 1-for-10 variant cover editions.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering why it says “of 6” when it’s meant to be an eight-issue series, it’s not a typo. The book was supposed to be six issues at first. They didn’t change their mind until issues #5 and #6 were solicited. Considering that an Apollo project was also recently shelved after it had been greenlighted and work was well underway according to the artist, there seems to be some confusion at WildStorm.

—–

146 - THE ALL-NEW ATOM
04/2007: The All-New Atom #10 -- 16,739 (- 4.4%)
05/2007: The All-New Atom #11 -- 16,193 (- 3.3%)
06/2007: The All-New Atom #12 -- 16,848 (+ 4.1%)
07/2007: The All-New Atom #13 -- 16,982 (+ 0.8%)
08/2007: The All-New Atom #14 -- 17,894 (+ 5.4%)
09/2007: The All-New Atom #15 -- 17,266 (- 3.5%)
10/2007: The All-New Atom #16 -- 16,013 (- 7.3%)
11/2007: The All-New Atom #17 -- 15,529 (- 3.0%)
12/2007: The All-New Atom #18 -- 14,701 (- 5.3%)
01/2008: The All-New Atom #19 -- 13,861 (- 5.7%)
02/2008: The All-New Atom #20 -- 13,560 (- 2.2%)
03/2008: The All-New Atom #21 -- 13,048 (- 3.8%)
04/2008: The All-New Atom #22 -- 12,577 (- 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: -21.5%
1 year  : -24.9%

Cancelled with issue #25.

—–

148 - NORTHLANDERS (Vertigo)
12/2007: Northlanders #1  -- 19,805
01/2008: Northlanders #2  -- 15,945 (-19.5%)
02/2008: Northlanders #3  -- 14,699 (- 7.8%)
03/2008: Northlanders #4  -- 12,851 (-12.6%)
04/2008: Northlanders #5  -- 12,278 (- 4.5%)

Now that variant cover editions are no longer a factor, sales are beginning to level out. It looks like Northlanders will settle down at around 12,000 units, which is perfectly decent for a Vertigo title these days. Of course, it’s written by Brian Wood, so collection sales are likely going to be reasonably healthy for the book.

—–

150 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo)
04/2001: Hellblazer #161 -- 17,860*
04/2002: Hellblazer #173 -- 18,596*
04/2003: Hellblazer #183 -- 16,905
04/2004: Hellblazer #195 -- 14,887
04/2005: Hellblazer #207 -- 15,368
04/2006: Hellblazer #219 -- 14,206
----------------------------------
04/2007: Hellblazer #231 -- 13,142 (-0.5%)
05/2007: Hellblazer #232 -- 13,164 (+0.2%)
06/2007: Hellblazer #233 -- 13,201 (+0.3%)
07/2007: Hellblazer #234 -- 13,112 (-0.7%)
08/2007: Hellblazer #234 -- 13,214 (+0.8%)
08/2007: Hellblazer #235 -- 13,153 (-0.5%)
09/2007: Hellblazer #236 -- 12,938 (-1.6%)
10/2007: Hellblazer #237 -- 12,703 (-1.8%)
11/2007: Hellblazer #238 -- 12,536 (-1.3%)
12/2007: Hellblazer #239 -- 12,344 (-1.5%)
01/2008: Hellblazer #240 -- 12,213 (-1.1%)
02/2008: Hellblazer #241 -- 11,998 (-1.8%)
03/2008: Hellblazer #242 -- 11,916 (-0.7%)
04/2008: Hellblazer #243 -- 11,958 (+0.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.9%
1 year  : - 9.0% 
2 years : -15.8%
5 years : -29.3%

The numbers have been hovering around 12K for the last couple of months. Hellblazer remains one of the more stable periodical performers at Vertigo.

—–

151 - GEN13 (WildStorm)
04/2001: Gen13 #64 -- 20,100*
04/2002: Gen13 #76 -- 16,210*
04/2003: Gen13 #8  -- 17,227
----------------------------
04/2007: Gen13 #7  -- 20,555 (- 3.8%)
05/2007: Gen13 #8  -- 19,638 (- 4.5%)
06/2007: Gen13 #9  -- 18,644 (- 5.1%)
07/2007: Gen13 #10 -- 17,720 (- 5.0%)
08/2007: Gen13 #11 -- 16,955 (- 4.3%)
09/2007: Gen13 #12 -- 16,112 (- 5.0%)
10/2007: Gen13 #13 -- 15,539 (- 3.6%)
11/2007: Gen13 #14 -- 14,831 (- 4.6%)
12/2007: Gen13 #15 -- 14,330 (- 3.4%)
01/2008: Gen13 #16 -- 13,618 (- 5.0%)
02/2008: Gen13 #17 -- 12,844 (- 5.7%)
03/2008: Gen13 #18 -- 12,396 (- 3.5%)
04/2008: Gen13 #19 -- 11,887 (- 4.1%)
----------------
6 months: -23.5%
1 year  : -42.2%
5 years : -31.0%

The numbers are still declining too fast. I’m rather skeptical whether there’s much of a chance that’s going to change once the book returns from its two-month hiatus in August. But hey, maybe the market has just been waiting for one more WildStorm Universe reboot before it was ready to embrace the line, and we’re in for a feeding frenzy once the new batch of titles comes around.

—–

157 - TINY TITANS (Johnny DC)
02/2008: Tiny Titans #1  -- 15,238
03/2008: Tiny Titans #2  -- 11,432 (-25.0%)
04/2008: Tiny Titans #3  -- 11,197 (- 2.1%)

A Johnny DC book. See disclaimers.

—–

159 - 100 BULLETS (Vertigo)
04/2001: 100 Bullets #23 -- 15,163*
04/2002: 100 Bullets #35 -- 17,102*
04/2003: 100 Bullets #43 -- 17,273
04/2004: --
04/2005: 100 Bullets #60 -- 14,882
04/2006: 100 Bullets #71 -- 13,514
----------------------------------
04/2007: --
05/2007: 100 Bullets #83 -- 12,475 (+ 1.8%)
06/2007: 100 Bullets #84 -- 12,148 (- 2.6%)
07/2007: --
08/2007: --
09/2007: 100 Bullets #85 -- 11,888 (- 2.1%)
10/2007: --
11/2007: 100 Bullets #86 -- 11,599 (- 2.4%)
12/2007: --
01/2008: 100 Bullets #87 -- 11,244 (- 3.1%)
02/2008: 100 Bullets #88 -- 11,077 (- 1.5%)
03/2008: 100 Bullets #89 -- 10,878 (- 1.8%)
04/2008: 100 Bullets #90 -- 10,856 (- 0.2%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years : -19.7%
5 years : -37.2%

Sales are holding level in April. 100 Bullets is Vertigo’s second-best performer in terms of first-month paperback collection sales in the direct market, mind you. I think it’s safe to say that the series will complete its 100-issue run no matter what happens to single issue sales at this stage.

—–

161 - INFINITY INC.
09/2007: Infinity Inc. #1  -- 33,400
10/2007: Infinity Inc. #2  -- 24,158 (-27.7%)
11/2007: Infinity Inc. #3  -- 18,776 (-22.3%)
12/2007: Infinity Inc. #4  -- 15,861 (-15.5%)
01/2008: Infinity Inc. #5  -- 13,951 (-12.0%)
02/2008: Infinity Inc. #6  -- 12,523 (-10.2%)
03/2008: Infinity Inc. #7  -- 11,328 (- 9.5%)
04/2008: Infinity Inc. #8  -- 10,649 (- 6.0%)
----------------
6 months: -55.9%

Cancelled at issue #12, to nobody’s surprise. These numbers have been a disaster.

—–

162 - THE MIDNIGHTER (WildStorm)
04/2007: The Midnighter #6  -- 20,561 (- 4.2%)
05/2007: The Midnighter #7  -- 19,910 (- 3.2%)
06/2007: The Midnighter #8  -- 18,076 (- 9.2%)
07/2007: The Midnighter #9  -- 16,656 (- 7.9%)
08/2007: The Midnighter #10 -- 15,654 (- 6.0%)
09/2007: The Midnighter #11 -- 14,349 (- 8.3%)
10/2007: The Midnighter #12 -- 13,741 (- 4.2%)
11/2007: The Midnighter #13 -- 12,996 (- 5.4%)
12/2007: The Midnighter #14 -- 12,358 (- 4.9%)
01/2008: The Midnighter #15 -- 11,929 (- 3.5%)
02/2008: The Midnighter #16 -- 11,309 (- 5.2%)
03/2008: The Midnighter #17 -- 10,854 (- 4.0%)
04/2008: The Midnighter #18 -- 10,457 (- 3.7%)
----------------
6 months: -23.9%
1 year  : -49.1%

Cancelled with issue #20.

—–

169 - DMZ (Vertigo)
04/2006: DMZ #6  -- 15,212
--------------------------
04/2007: DMZ #18 -- 13,120 (+0.3%)
05/2007: DMZ #19 -- 13,116 (-0.0%)
06/2007: DMZ #20 -- 12,704 (-3.1%)
07/2007: DMZ #21 -- 12,433 (-2.1%)
08/2007: DMZ #22 -- 12,175 (-2.1%)
09/2007: DMZ #23 -- 11,858 (-2.6%)
10/2007: DMZ #24 -- 11,583 (-2.3%)
11/2007: DMZ #25 -- 11,277 (-2.6%)
12/2007: DMZ #26 -- 11,027 (-2.2%)
01/2008: DMZ #27 -- 10,662 (-3.3%)
02/2008: DMZ #28 -- 10,463 (-1.9%)
03/2008: DMZ #29 -- 10,266 (-1.9%)
04/2008: DMZ #30 -- 10,038 (-2.2%)
----------------
6 months: -13.3%
1 year  : -23.5%
2 years : -34.0%

Settling into an average decline again.

—–

170 - YOUNG LIARS (Vertigo)
03/2008: Young Liars #1  -- 13,177
04/2008: Young Liars #2  --  9,917 (-24.7%)

That’s a standard second-issue drop. Mark Young Liars down as another Vertigo periodical failing to sustain sales above 10,000.

—–

183 - SUPER FRIENDS (Johnny DC)
03/2008: Super Friends #1  -- 12,554
04/2008: Super Friends #2  --  8,935 (-28.8%)

Another Johnny DC title. See disclaimers.

—–

185 - THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE AUTHORITY: JACK HAWKSMOOR (WildStorm)
03/2008: Jack Hawksmoor #1 of 6 -- 10,967
04/2008: Jack Hawksmoor #2 of 6 --  8,771 (-20.0%)

Bit of a stiff second-issue drop for a miniseries.

—–

187 - BAT LASH
12/2007: Bat Lash #1 of 6 -- 18,324
01/2008: Bat Lash #2 of 6 -- 12,428 (-32.2%)
02/2008: Bat Lash #3 of 6 -- 10,102 (-18.7%)
03/2008: Bat Lash #4 of 6 --  9,065 (-10.3%)
04/2008: Bat Lash #5 of 6 --  8,586 (- 5.3%)

Bottoming out.

—–

188 - JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED (Johnny DC)
04/2002: JL Adventures #6  -- 18,417*
04/2003: JL Adventures #18 -- 14,241
04/2004: JL Adventures #30 -- 12,194
04/2005: JL Unlimited #8   -- 12,145
04/2006: JL Unlimited #20  -- 10,620
------------------------------------
04/2007: JL Unlimited #32  --  9,326 (+ 2.8%)
05/2007: JL Unlimited #33  --  9,230 (- 1.0%)
06/2007: JL Unlimited #34  --  9,328 (+ 1.1%)
07/2007: JL Unlimited #35  --  8,998 (- 3.5%)
08/2007: JL Unlimited #36  --  9,043 (+ 0.5%)
09/2007: JL Unlimited #37  --  8,706 (- 3.7%)
10/2007: JL Unlimited #38  --  8,461 (- 2.8%)
11/2007: JL Unlimited #39  --  8,367 (- 1.1%)
12/2007: JL Unlimited #40  --  8,272 (- 1.1%)
01/2008: JL Unlimited #41  --  8,308 (+ 0.4%)
02/2008: JL Unlimited #42  --  8,144 (- 2.0%)
03/2008: JL Unlimited #43  --  8,659 (+ 6.3%)
04/2008: JL Unlimited #44  --  8,515 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: + 0.6%
1 year  : - 8.7%
2 years : -19.8%
5 years : -40.2%

A Johnny DC book.

—–

191 - FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE ABUSER AND THE ABUSED (WildStorm)
04/2007: Friday the 13th #5      --  8,724 (+ 1.0%)
05/2007: Friday the 13th #6      --  8,605 (- 1.4%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Pamela's Tale #1 of 2   --  8,420 (- 2.2%)
08/2007: Pamela's Tale #2 of 2   --  7,635 (- 9.3%)
09/2007: Summer Vacation #1 of 2 --  7,839 (+ 2.7%)
10/2007: Summer Vacation #2 of 2 --  7,431 (- 5.2%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: --
01/2008: Bad Land #1 of 2        --  8,128 (+ 9.4%)
02/2008: Bad Land #2 of 2        --  7,708 (- 5.2%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Abuser and Abused #1    --  8,259 (+ 7.2%)
----------------
6 months: +11.1%
1 year  : - 5.3%

The one-shot sells in the book’s usual neighborhood.

—–

199 - BATMAN STRIKES! (Johnny DC)
04/2001: Gotham Adventures #37 -- 12,523*
04/2002: Gotham Adventures #49 -- 12,142*
04/2003: Batman Adventures #1  -- 15,619 [16,700]
04/2004: Batman Adventures #13 -- 12,092
04/2005: Batman Strikes! #8    -- 10,368
04/2006: Batman Strikes! #20   --  8,331
----------------------------------------
04/2007: Batman Strikes! #32   --  7,294 (+ 2.7%)
05/2007: Batman Strikes! #33   --  7,235 (- 0.8%)
06/2007: Batman Strikes! #34   --  7,115 (- 1.7%)
07/2007: Batman Strikes! #35   --  7,222 (+ 1.5%)
08/2007: Batman Strikes! #36   --  7,511 (+ 4.0%)
09/2007: Batman Strikes! #37   --  6,833 (- 9.0%)
10/2007: Batman Strikes! #38   --  6,664 (- 2.5%)
11/2007: Batman Strikes! #39   --  6,464 (- 3.0%)
12/2007: Batman Strikes! #40   --  6,492 (+ 0.4%)
01/2008: Batman Strikes! #41   --  6,723 (+ 3.6%)
02/2008: Batman Strikes! #42   --  6,623 (- 1.5%)
03/2008: Batman Strikes! #43   --  6,544 (- 1.2%)
04/2008: Batman Strikes! #44   --  7,541 (+15.2%)
----------------
6 months: +13.2%
1 year  : + 3.4%
2 years : - 9.5%
5 years : -51.7%

A Johnny DC title.

—–

202 - AMERICAN SPLENDOR: SEASON TWO (Vertigo)
09/2006: American Splendor #1 of 4 -- 11,529
10/2006: American Splendor #2 of 4 --  9,202 (-20.2%)
11/2006: American Splendor #3 of 4 --  7,737 (-15.9%)
12/2006: American Splendor #4 of 4 --  7,104 (- 8.2%)
--------------------------------------------
04/2008: Season Two #1 of 4        --  7,469 (+ 5.1%)

Okay, this is probably more a long-term investment in the publisher’s collection backlist than anything else. But still. Comparing the numbers to those of the first Vertigo-published American Splendor series, they’re terrible.

—–

203 - TEEN TITANS GO (Johnny DC)
04/2004: Teen Titans Go #6  -- 14,612
04/2005: Teen Titans Go #18 -- 14,152
04/2006: Teen Titans Go #30 -- 11,225
-------------------------------------
04/2007: Teen Titans Go #42 --  9,050 (+ 1.7%)
05/2007: Teen Titans Go #43 --  8,918 (- 1.5%)
06/2007: Teen Titans Go #44 --  8,738 (- 2.0%)
07/2007: Teen Titans Go #45 --  8,554 (- 2.1%)
08/2007: Teen Titans Go #46 --  8,427 (- 1.5%)
09/2007: Teen Titans Go #47 --  8,229 (- 2.4%)
10/2007: Teen Titans Go #48 --  7,927 (- 3.7%)
11/2007: Teen Titans Go #49 --  7,699 (- 2.9%)
12/2007: Teen Titans Go #50 --  7,966 (+ 3.5%)
01/2008: Teen Titans Go #51 --  7,602 (- 4.6%)
02/2008: Teen Titans Go #52 --  7,496 (- 1.4%)
03/2008: Teen Titans Go #53 --  7,325 (- 2.3%)
04/2008: Teen Titans Go #54 --  7,469 (+ 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.8%
1 year  : -17.5% 
2 years : -33.5% 

Another Johnny DC book.

—–

206 - COUNTDOWN SPECIAL 80-PAGE GIANT
10/2007: The Flash        -- 16,381
11/2007: Jimmy Olsen      -- 12,106 (-26.1%)
12/2007: The Atom #1 of 2 --  9,404 (-22.3%)
12/2007: The Atom #2 of 2 --  9,005 (- 4.2%)
01/2008: The New Gods     -- 10,157 (+12.8%)
02/2008: OMAC             --  9,447 (- 7.0%)
03/2008: Eclipso          --  6,831 (-27.7%)
04/2008: Kamandi          --  7,156 (+ 4.8%)
----------------
6 months: -56.3%

These, we recall, are $ 4.99 reprint books. Sales are perfectly alright for that sort of thing.

—–

208 - THE NEW DYNAMIX (WildStorm)
03/2008: The New Dynamix #1 of 5 -- 11,081
04/2008: The New Dynamix #2 of 5 --  7,114 (-35.8%)

That’s a gigantic drop, which comes despite the fact that the book was still supported with a 1-for-10 variant cover edition.

—–

209 - SCALPED (Vertigo)
04/2007: Scalped #4  --  9,163 (- 3.9%)
05/2007: Scalped #5  --  9,022 (- 1.5%)
06/2007: Scalped #6  --  8,689 (- 3.7%)
07/2007: Scalped #7  --  8,303 (- 4.4%)
08/2007: Scalped #8  --  7,942 (- 4.4%)
09/2007: Scalped #9  --  7,678 (- 3.3%)
10/2007: Scalped #10 --  7,536 (- 1.9%)
11/2007: Scalped #11 --  7,323 (- 2.8%)
12/2007: Scalped #12 --  7,048 (- 3.8%)
01/2008: Scalped #13 --  6,993 (- 0.8%)
02/2008: Scalped #14 --  6,903 (- 1.3%)
03/2008: Scalped #15 --  7,004 (+ 1.5%)
04/2008: Scalped #16 --  7,071 (+ 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.2%
1 year  : -22.8%

The numbers are edging upward for the second month. All right, so it’s 67 copies. It’s a start, though.

—–

217 - THE EXTERMINATORS (Vertigo)
04/2006: The Exterminators #4  -- 11,342
----------------------------------------
04/2007: The Exterminators #16 --  8,758 (- 1.0%)
05/2007: The Exterminators #17 --  8,813 (+ 0.6%)
06/2007: The Exterminators #18 --  8,651 (- 1.8%)
07/2007: The Exterminators #19 --  8,454 (- 2.3%)
08/2007: The Exterminators #20 --  8,289 (- 2.0%)
09/2007: The Exterminators #21 --  7,950 (- 4.1%)
10/2007: The Exterminators #22 --  7,792 (- 2.0%)
11/2007: The Exterminators #23 --  7,461 (- 4.3%)
12/2007: The Exterminators #24 --  7,211 (- 3.4%)
01/2008: The Exterminators #25 --  7,096 (- 1.6%)
02/2008: The Exterminators #26 --  6,834 (- 3.7%)
03/2008: The Exterminators #27 --  6,717 (- 1.7%)
04/2008: The Exterminators #28 --  6,587 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -15.5%
1 year  : -24.8%
2 years : -41.9%

Cancelled with issue #30.

—–

219 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES IN THE 31ST CENTURY (Johnny DC)
04/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #1  -- 13,519
05/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #2  -- 11,121 (-17.7%)
06/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #3  --  9,252 (-16.8%)
07/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #4  --  8,236 (-11.0%)
08/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #5  --  7,681 (- 6.7%)
09/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #6  --  7,362 (- 4.2%)
10/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #7  --  7,010 (- 4.8%)
11/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #8  --  6,886 (- 1.8%)
12/2007: The LoSH in the 31st Century #9  --  6,777 (- 1.6%)
01/2008: The LoSH in the 31st Century #10 --  6,674 (- 1.5%)
02/2008: The LoSH in the 31st Century #11 --  6,568 (- 1.6%)
03/2008: The LoSH in the 31st Century #12 --  6,331 (- 3.6%)
04/2008: The LoSH in the 31st Century #13 --  6,331 (  0.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.7%
1 year  : -53.2%

A Johnny DC title.

—–

224 - THE VINYL UNDERGROUND (Vertigo)
10/2007: The Vinyl Underground #1  -- 10,823
11/2007: The Vinyl Underground #2  --  8,237 (-23.9%)
12/2007: The Vinyl Underground #3  --  7,432 (- 9.8%)
01/2008: The Vinyl Underground #4  --  6,854 (- 7.8%)
02/2008: The Vinyl Underground #5  --  6,384 (- 6.9%)
03/2008: The Vinyl Underground #6  --  6,035 (- 5.5%)
04/2008: The Vinyl Underground #7  --  5,862 (- 2.9%)
----------------
6 months: -45.8%

Still officially ongoing, but probably not for much longer. The book would have to shift a pretty impressive number of collections to make up for these sales.

—–

226 - THE PROGRAMME (WildStorm)
07/2007: The Programme #1  of 12 -- 14,293
08/2007: The Programme #2  of 12 --  9,412 (-34.2%)
09/2007: The Programme #3  of 12 --  8,545 (- 9.2%)
10/2007: The Programme #4  of 12 --  7,717 (- 9.7%)
11/2007: The Programme #5  of 12 --  7,262 (- 5.9%)
12/2007: The Programme #6  of 12 --  6,856 (- 5.6%)
01/2008: The Programme #7  of 12 --  6,640 (- 3.2%)
02/2008: The Programme #8  of 12 --  6,221 (- 6.3%)
03/2008: The Programme #9  of 12 --  6,020 (- 3.2%)
04/2008: The Programme #10 of 12 --  5,748 (- 4.5%)
----------------
6 months: -25.5%

The numbers keep sliding away.

—–

260 - THE UN-MEN (Vertigo)
08/2007: The Un-Men #1  -- 11,868
09/2007: The Un-Men #2  --  8,758 (-26.2%)
10/2007: The Un-Men #3  --  7,566 (-13.6%)
11/2007: The Un-Men #4  --  6,678 (-11.7%)
12/2007: The Un-Men #5  --  6,094 (- 8.8%)
01/2008: The Un-Men #6  --  5,525 (- 9.3%)
02/2008: The Un-Men #7  --  4,925 (-10.9%)
03/2008: The Un-Men #8  --  4,760 (- 3.4%)
04/2008: The Un-Men #9  --  4,411 (- 7.3%)
----------------
6 months: -41.7%

Cancelled with issue #13.

—–

261 - SCOOBY DOO (Johnny DC)
04/2001: Scooby Doo #47  -- 4,973*
04/2002: Scooby Doo #59  -- 5,746*
04/2003: Scooby Doo #71  -- 5,895
04/2004: Scooby Doo #83  -- 5,528
04/2005: Scooby Doo #95  -- 4,800
04/2006: Scooby Doo #107 -- 4,359
---------------------------------
04/2007: Scooby Doo #119 -- 4,373 (- 0.5%)
05/2007: Scooby Doo #120 -- 4,343 (- 0.7%)
06/2007: Scooby Doo #121 -- 4,415 (+ 1.7%)
07/2007: Scooby Doo #122 -- 4,424 (+ 0.2%)
08/2007: Scooby Doo #123 -- 4,641 (+ 4.9%)
09/2007: Scooby Doo #124 -- 4,401 (- 5.2%)
10/2007: Scooby Doo #125 -- 4,407 (+ 0.1%)
11/2007: Scooby Doo #126 -- 4,237 (- 3.9%)
12/2007: Scooby Doo #127 -- 4,293 (+ 1.3%)
01/2008: Scooby Doo #128 -- 4,147 (- 3.4%)
02/2008: Scooby Doo #129 -- 4,161 (+ 0.4%)
03/2008: Scooby Doo #130 -- 4,463 (+ 7.3%)
04/2008: Scooby Doo #131 -- 4,403 (- 1.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 0.1%
1 year  : + 0.7%
2 years : + 1.0%
5 years : -25.3%

And another Johnny DC book.

—–

REORDERS:
4,226 -- Justice League of America #10
4,098 -- Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13
4,083 -- Batman #659

A word on these “reorders”: Given that the three DC titles which made the chart again in April came out ages ago, I suspect that these are not genuine reorders at all, but a case of the publisher dumping excess copies on retailers in time for Free Comic Book Day. I would be surprised if anyone was desperate for a copy of Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13 at this point, at any rate. If I’m wrong, though, feel free to let me know, then I’ll happily mark those books down as reorders.

—–

6-MONTH COMPARISONS
+ 29.7%: Supernatural
+ 15.2%: Superman
+ 13.2%: Batman Strikes
+ 11.1%: Friday the 13th
+  7.0%: Robin
+  5.7%: Legion
+  5.4%: Nightwing
+  0.6%: Justice League Unlimited
-  0.1%: Scooby-Doo
-  1.2%: Action Comics
-  4.3%: Superman/Batman
-  4.7%: Catwoman
-  4.7%: Fables
-  5.7%: Detective Comics
-  5.8%: Teen Titans Go
-  5.9%: Hellblazer
-  6.2%: Scalped
-  7.5%: Batman
-  7.6%: Trials of SHAZAM
-  8.3%: Countdown
-  8.6%: Booster Gold
-  9.4%: Ex Machina
-  9.6%: Jack of Fables
-  9.7%: The LoSH in the 31st Century
- 10.1%: Jonah Hex
- 12.4%: Checkmate
- 13.3%: DMZ
- 14.2%: Teen Titans
- 15.3%: JSA: Classified
- 15.5%: Exterminators
- 15.7%: JLA
- 16.0%: Birds of Prey
- 16.3%: Batman Confidential
- 16.9%: Green Lantern
- 18.4%: Wonder Woman
- 18.6%: Shadowpact
- 19.0%: JSA
- 21.5%: Atom
- 22.1%: Green Lantern Corps
- 22.5%: The Brave and the Bold
- 22.9%: Green Arrow
- 23.5%: Gen13
- 23.9%: Midnighter
- 24.1%: Gotham Underground
- 24.9%: Supergirl
- 25.5%: Programme
- 27.3%: Death of the New Gods
- 29.2%: Uncle Sam
- 30.1%: Metal Men
- 31.9%: Suicide Squad
- 32.1%: Superman Confidential
- 34.0%: Flash
- 38.4%: Simon Dark
- 41.7%: Un-Men
- 45.8%: Vinyl Underground
- 48.3%: Blue Beetle
- 55.9%: Infinity Inc.
- 56.3%: Countdown Special

—–

1-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 39.6%: Green Lantern Corps
+  4.5%: Green Arrow
+  3.4%: Batman Strikes
+  0.7%: Scooby-Doo
-  1.6%: Superman
-  3.0%: Robin
-  5.1%: Nightwing
-  5.3%: Friday the 13th
-  6.8%: Catwoman
-  7.3%: Legion
-  8.4%: Fables
-  8.7%: Justice League Unlimited
-  9.0%: Hellblazer
- 14.0%: Detective Comics
- 15.4%: Action Comics
- 16.7%: Ex Machina
- 16.8%: Blue Beetle
- 17.5%: Teen Titans Go
- 17.9%: JSA
- 19.6%: Jack of Fables
- 21.5%: Jonah Hex
- 21.7%: Birds of Prey
- 22.4%: Teen Titans
- 22.8%: Scalped
- 22.8%: Trials of SHAZAM
- 23.5%: DMZ
- 24.8%: Exterminators
- 24.9%: Atom
- 28.1%: Superman/Batman
- 28.2%: Flash
- 28.6%: JSA: Classified
- 30.1%: Shadowpact
- 33.6%: Batman Confidential
- 33.6%: Wonder Woman
- 36.3%: The Brave and the Bold
- 38.5%: The Spirit
- 39.2%: Supergirl
- 42.2%: Gen13
- 44.6%: JLA
- 49.1%: Midnighter
- 53.2%: The LoSH in the 31st Century

—–

2-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 51.2%: JSA
+  1.0%: Scooby-Doo
-  2.4%: Batman
-  2.6%: Fables
-  9.5%: Batman Strikes
- 11.0%: Green Arrow
- 15.8%: Hellblazer
- 19.7%: 100 Bullets
- 19.8%: Justice League Unlimited
- 19.9%: Detective Comics
- 20.2%: Outsiders
- 25.2%: Superman
- 25.4%: Ex Machina
- 29.1%: Robin
- 33.5%: Teen Titans Go
- 34.0%: DMZ
- 35.4%: Legion
- 35.4%: Nightwing
- 35.5%: Birds of Prey
- 35.9%: Catwoman
- 41.8%: Jonah Hex
- 41.9%: Exterminators
- 42.6%: Teen Titans
- 58.4%: JSA: Classified
- 67.4%: Blue Beetle
- 67.7%: Checkmate

—–

5-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 90.8%: JSA
+ 63.9%: Action Comics
+ 58.4%: Superman
+ 52.9%: Wonder Woman
+ 45.7%: Green Lantern
+ 42.7%: JLA
+ 26.7%: Detective Comics
+ 24.7%: Legion
+ 16.3%: Robin
+  9.2%: Flash
+  1.4%: Nightwing
-  4.3%: Fables
-  5.7%: Birds of Prey
- 20.0%: Catwoman
- 25.3%: Scooby-Doo
- 29.3%: Hellblazer
- 31.0%: Gen13
- 37.2%: 100 Bullets
- 40.2%: Justice League Unlimited
- 41.1%: Green Arrow
- 51.7%: Batman Strikes
- 53.5%: Batman

—–

Average Sales per Title
(not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, Johnny DC titles and magazines)

DC COMICS
04/2003: 25,804
04/2004: 31,332
04/2005: 30,053
04/2006: 33,566
---------------
04/2007: 39,134 (+20.8%)
05/2007: 34,489 (-11.9%)
06/2007: 32,437 (- 6.0%)
07/2007: 34,330 (+ 5.8%)
08/2007: 34,885 (+ 1.6%)
09/2007: 32,332 (- 7.3%)
10/2007: 31,489 (- 2.6%)
11/2007: 29,427 (- 6.6%)
12/2007: 33,138 (+12.6%)
01/2008: 27,033 (-18.4%)
02/2008: 27,652 (+ 2.3%)
03/2008: 26,423 (- 4.5%)
04/2008: 28,051 (+ 6.1%)
----------------
6 months: -10.9%
1 year  : -28.3%
2 years : -16.4%
3 years : - 6.7%
4 years : -10.5%
5 years : + 8.7%
DC UNIVERSE
04/2003: 32,397
04/2004: 37,031
04/2005: 39,140
04/2006: 45,129
---------------
04/2007: 52,768 (+23.8%)
05/2007: 47,294 (-10.4%)
06/2007: 45,380 (- 4.1%)
07/2007: 47,134 (+ 3.9%)
08/2007: 46,717 (- 0.9%)
09/2007: 42,894 (- 8.2%)
10/2007: 39,409 (- 8.1%)
11/2007: 37,257 (- 5.5%)
12/2007: 40,074 (+ 7.6%)
01/2008: 33,654 (-16.0%)
02/2008: 35,994 (+ 7.0%)
03/2008: 33,151 (- 7.9%)
04/2008: 35,452 (+ 6.9%)
----------------
6 months: -10.0%
1 year  : -32.8%
2 years : -21.4%
3 years : - 9.4%
4 years : - 4.3%
5 years : + 9.4%
VERTIGO
04/2003: 16,215
04/2004: 16,427
04/2005: 13,050
04/2006: 15,473
---------------
04/2007: 12,105 (-12.0%)
05/2007: 12,256 (+ 1.3%)
06/2007: 12,732 (+ 3.9%)
07/2007: 12,193 (- 4.2%)
08/2007: 10,817 (-11.3%)
09/2007: 11,806 (+ 9.1%)
10/2007: 10,678 (- 9.6%)
11/2007: 10,946 (+ 2.5%)
12/2007: 11,035 (+ 0.8%)
01/2008: 10,115 (- 8.3%)
02/2008: 10,885 (+ 7.6%)
03/2008: 10,484 (- 3.7%)
04/2008: 10,550 (+ 0.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 1.2%
1 year  : -12.9%
2 years : -31.8%
3 years : -19.2%
4 years : -35.8%
5 years : -34.9%
WILDSTORM
04/2003: 15,933
04/2004: 16,866
04/2005: 12,846
04/2006: 16,036
---------------
04/2007: 13,609 (-10.6%)
05/2007: 14,260 (+ 4.8%)
06/2007: 12,272 (-13.9%)
07/2007: 11,234 (- 8.5%)
08/2007: 10,744 (- 4.4%)
09/2007: 11,379 (+ 5.9%)
10/2007: 11,960 (+ 5.1%)
11/2007: 15,109 (+26.3%)
12/2007: 15,601 (+ 3.3%)
01/2008: 14,033 (-10.1%)
02/2008: 13,155 (- 6.3%)
03/2008: 12,842 (- 2.4%)
04/2008: 12,156 (- 5.3%)
----------------
6 months: + 1.6%
1 year  : -10.7%
2 years : -24.2%
3 years : - 5.4%
4 years : -27.9%
5 years : -23.7%

—–
OTHER PUBLISHERS

11 - BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (Dark Horse Comics)
04/2001: Buffy #32 --  16,970*
04/2002: Buffy #44 --  16,371*
04/2003: Buffy #56 --  14,746
-----------------------------
04/2007: Buffy #2  --  96,409 (-12.3%) [132,378]
05/2007: Buffy #3  -- 106,634 (+10.6%) [125,078]
06/2007: Buffy #4  -- 102,430 (- 3.9%) [117,866]
07/2007: Buffy #5  -- 100,830 (- 2.0%) [109,322]
08/2007: --
09/2007: Buffy #6  --  96,556 (- 4.2%) [107,551]
10/2007: Buffy #7  --  94,144 (- 2.4%) [101,979]
11/2007: Buffy #8  --  91,595 (- 2.7%) [ 96,975]
12/2007: Buffy #9  --  89,556 (- 2.2%)
01/2008: Buffy #10 --  88,474 (- 1.2%)
02/2008: Buffy #11 --  88,070 (- 0.5%)
03/2008: Buffy #12 --  88,930 (+ 1.0%)
04/2008: Buffy #13 --  83,580 (- 6.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.2%
1 year  : - 13.3%
5 years : +466.8%

That drop is a little higher than you’d have expected at this stage. Perhaps the book’s brief media flash due to Buffy being outed as lesbian boosted the numbers of issue #12, after all, and those casual readers are now leaving again. Be that as it may, there’s still no good reason to complain about these numbers.

Reorders continue to roll in, meanwhile. Issues #6 and #7 each sold around 4,800 additional units in April. As usual, there was a variant cover edition of issue #13.

—–

32 - SERENITY: BETTER DAYS (Dark Horse Comics)
07/2005: Serenity #1 of 3    -- 38,502 [91,594]
08/2005: Serenity #2 of 3    -- 47,095 [57,290]
09/2005: Serenity #3 of 3    -- 52,312 [57,189]
--------------------------------------
03/2008: Better Days #1 of 3 -- 62,300          [66,611]
04/2008: Better Days #2 of 3 -- 56,128 (- 9.9%)

Ooops, this one apparently slipped through last month. Anyway: The book is based on Joss Whedon’s Firefly/Serenity franchise, and it’s a prequel to the Serenity limited series released three years ago.

In terms of first-month sales, Better Days is outselling its predecessor very handsomely, despite the fact that no variant cover editions are involved this time – the first series had two for each issue. And issue #1 also sold another 4,311 units in April.

Evidently, the franchise has aged quite well. It’s another hit for Dark Horse.

—–

45 - ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL (IDW)
04/2006: Old Friends #5 of 5    -- 12,785
-----------------------------------------
11/2007: After the Fall #1      -- 47,563 (+648.9%) [68,302]
12/2007: After the Fall #2      -- 44,792 (-  5.8%) [56,396]
01/2008: After the Fall #3      -- 46,013 (+  2.7%) [50,175]
02/2008: After the Fall #4      -- 48,407 (+  5.2%) [57,555]
03/2008: After the Fall #5      -- 49,558 (+  2.4%) 
04/2008: After the Fall #6      -- 46,645 (-  5.9%) [51,044]
-----------------
6 months:  n.a.
2 years : +164.8%

Sales remain perfectly good on the third-bestselling Joss Whdon property on the charts in April. As usual, Angel: After the Fall was promoted with variant cover editions, and previous issues kept making the charts again.

I’ve treated those 4,399 units of issue #6 that showed up on the March chart as reorders, by the way. I’m still not sure what’s going on there, but it doesn’t seem to be an accident, since issue #7 – which wasn’t officially out until May – appeared on the April chart with 4,403 units. Given that the two numbers are pretty close, I take it that around 4,400 copies each of the last two issues were released early for some reason. If anyone knows more, please do let me know, though.

—–

51 - PROJECT: SUPERPOWERS (Dynamite Entertainment)
02/2008: Project: Superpowers #1 of 6 -- 53,755
03/2008: --
04/2008: Project: Superpowers #2 of 7 -- 41,623 (-22.6%)

On the one hand, that’s a bit of a steep drop for a limited series. Then again, Project: Superpowers is, for all intents and purposes, a new property, and it’s still doing pretty well by those standards. Meanwhile, Dynamite Entertainment also seem to have some trouble deciding how many issues their books are supposed to run: Since last time, the series’ length has changed from six issues to seven.

As usual, the series was promoted through variant cover editions. Issue #0, a $ 1.00 promo pamphlet, didn’t appear on the charts when it was first released, but for some reason, Diamond seem to have changed their mind for the reorders, which is why it shows up on the April chart with 4,283 units.

—–

69 - STAR WARS: LEGACY (Dark Horse Comics)
04/2007: -- 
05/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #11 -- 33,138 (+2.5%)
05/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #12 -- 32,161 (-3.0%)
06/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #13 -- 32,149 (-0.0%)
07/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #14 -- 31,652 (-1.6%)
08/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #15 -- 31,539 (-0.4%)
09/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #16 -- 31,240 (-1.0%)
10/2007: -- 
11/2007: Star Wars: Legacy #17 -- 31,197 (-0.1%)
12/2007: -- 
01/2008: Star Wars: Legacy #18 -- 31,038 (-0.5%)
02/2008: Star Wars: Legacy #19 -- 30,953 (-0.3%)
02/2008: Star Wars: Legacy #20 -- 29,896 (-3.4%)
03/2008: Star Wars: Legacy #21 -- 30,228 (+1.1%)
04/2008: Star Wars: Legacy #22 -- 30,205 (-0.1%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.

Sales are holding level at 30K.

—–

80 - THE BOYS (Dynamite Entertainment)
04/2007: --
05/2007: The Boys #7  -- 31,616 (+16.9%) [37,255]
06/2007: The Boys #8  -- 30,639 (- 3.1%) [32,868]
07/2007: --
08/2007: The Boys #9  -- 32,570 (+ 6.3%)
09/2007: The Boys #10 -- 32,077 (- 1.5%)
10/2007: The Boys #11 -- 30,852 (- 3.8%)
11/2007: The Boys #12 -- 29,754 (- 3.6%)
12/2007: The Boys #13 -- 29,195 (- 1.9%)
01/2008: The Boys #14 -- 28,559 (- 2.2%)
02/2008: The Boys #15 -- 28,347 (- 0.7%)
03/2008: The Boys #16 -- 27,886 (- 1.6%)
04/2008: The Boys #17 -- 28,057 (+ 0.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.1%
1 year  :   n.a.

The Boys seems to have found its level around 28,000. This is very good, obviously, and it’s again worth mentioning that the book summarily outsells the periodical output of DC’s Vertigo and WildStorm imprints.

—–

92 - STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC (Dark Horse Comics)
04/2006: Star Wars: KotOR #4  -- 22,581
---------------------------------------
04/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #15 -- 23,560 (+ 0.7%)
05/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #16 -- 23,572 (+ 0.1%)
05/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #17 -- 22,907 (- 2.8%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #18 -- 22,713 (- 0.9%)
08/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #19 -- 22,396 (- 1.4%)
09/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #20 -- 21,836 (- 2.5%)
10/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #21 -- 21,879 (+ 0.2%)
11/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #22 -- 21,694 (- 0.9%)
11/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #23 -- 20,519 (- 5.4%)
12/2007: Star Wars: KotOR #24 -- 20,396 (- 0.6%)
01/2008: Star Wars: KotOR #25 -- 25,035 (+22.8%) [27,054]
02/2008: --
03/2008: Star Wars: KotOR #26 -- 23,467 (- 6.3%)
04/2008: Star Wars: KotOR #27 -- 24,287 (+ 3.5%)
----------------
6 months: +11.0%
1 year  : + 3.1%
2 years : + 7.6%

The “Vector” crossover gets the book another slight increase.

A correction: Last month, I neglected to mention that issue #25, which was part one of “Vector,” sold another estimated 2,019 units in February.

—–

97 - THE WALKING DEAD (Image Comics)
04/2004: Walking Dead #6  --  7,726 [9,871]
04/2005: Walking Dead #17 -- 15,617
04/2005: Walking Dead #18 -- 15,542
04/2006: --
-----------------------------------
04/2007: Walking Dead #37 -- 21,737 (+ 2.1%)
05/2007: --
06/2007: Walking Dead #38 -- 22,193 (+ 2.1%)
07/2007: Walking Dead #39 -- 22,487 (+ 1.3%)
08/2007: Walking Dead #40 -- 22,989 (+ 2.2%)
08/2007: Walking Dead #41 -- 22,681 (- 1.3%)
09/2007: Walking Dead #42 -- 23,107 (+ 1.9%)
10/2007: Walking Dead #43 -- 22,737 (- 1.6%)
11/2007: Walking Dead #43 -- 22,569 (- 0.7%)
12/2007: Walking Dead #45 -- 22,674 (+ 0.5%)
01/2008: --
02/2008: Walking Dead #46 -- 22,870 (+ 0.9%)
03/2008: Walking Dead #47 -- 22,612 (- 1.1%)
04/2008: Walking Dead #48 -- 22,465 (- 0.7%)
-----------------
6 months: -  1.2%
1 year  : +  3.4%
2 years :   n.a.

The book has seen some standard attrition in the last couple of months, but remains rock-solid overall.

—–

99 - STAR WARS: DARK TIMES (Dark Horse Comics)
04/2007: --
05/2007: Star Wars: Dark Times #3 of 5 -- 29,501 (- 3.3%)
06/2007: --
07/2007: Star Wars: Dark Times #4 of 5 -- 27,514 (- 6.7%)
08/2007: --
09/2007: --
10/2007: Star Wars: Dark Times #5 of 5 -- 26,573 (- 3.4%)
10/2007: Star Wars: Dark Times #6      -- 25,121 (- 5.5%)
11/2007: --
12/2007: Star Wars: Dark Times #7      -- ?
01/2008: Star Wars: Dark Times #8      -- 23,353
02/2008: Star Wars: Dark Times #9      -- 23,047 (- 1.3%)
03/2008: --
04/2008: Star Wars: Dark Times #10     -- 21,989 (- 4.6%)
----------------
6 months: -14.9%
1 year  :  n.a.

This one’s dropping a bit more stiffly than the two Star Wars books further up the chart, but “Vector” is just around the corner.

—–
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 traditionally known to be 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. The estimates from March 2001 to February 2003 (marked with an asterisk) were for initial orders rather than actual sales, so they’re only roughly compatible with the subsequent figures.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Reorders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month.

If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after the book’s initial month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in parenthesis 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 will be used.

Titles released under the Johnny DC imprint 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 and some WildStorm 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.

—–
Germany-based Marc-Oliver Frisch has a weblog and regularly contributes to German online magazine Comicgate.

1 COMMENT

  1. A few words. Why hammer Superman sales ? It only had an over all drop of -1.5 , while Action had a -15. drop. It was still miles above where it was 5 years ago.

    Green Lantern Corp success: Fan favorite Kyle Rayner. He may not be able to sustain his own book-but he is the Greeen Lantern of my generatoin and popular. Plus the story is damn decent.

    Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighter had two things going against it: Daniel Acura was missing (although I loved the new artist personally). He brought a certian surealism to the book that allowed the quirkyness to work. Second of all, it seemed to have way too many subplots and had no sense of direction. The first series had a basic over all plot of Bad guy tried to take over th government and Uncle Same forms hte freedome fighters to stop them. This one? Something about alien bees. Or a Phantom Lady getting drunk and killing someone…or soemthing. And the ending seemed rather rushed…as if they were hoping to get a series but decided to wrap everything up when they knew they werent.

    Batman undeerground wasn’t a huge Countdown tie in…it was underplayed. The reason why it did so well was because it was a decent Batman in a supercriminal gang war and highlighted eveyone in his cre.

    And for American Splendor? Hell I didn’t even know it was being released as a monthly. DC does not promote their good books…like Blue Beetle.

  2. So depressing to see that “The Programme” is doing so horribly. I’ll be the first to admit the art is off-putting at first, but the story is first rate.

  3. In regards to those wildstorm numbers – if the world ends and nobody shows up, what do you do then?

  4. I think these month to month sales charts are a fantastic feature and really enjoy going over the trends of the numbers along with your comments. I’m hoping the numbers for Scalped keep rising (even if it is only slightly). I was wondering why the Terry Moore’s Echo isn’t on here under OTHER PUBLISHERS? Will issue number one not be included until the May chart?

  5. John Byrne and Wayne Osborne’s FX series doesent even chart its so horrible..under 5k in sales..how the mighty have fallen!

    Remember when Byrne used to be good? Now his art is crapped out at a breakneck pace and he indulges in fanfic crap like FX because Wayne Osborne pays him big bucks for commissions…so sad.

    Whats up with FX anyway? i byrne stole the first issue and it was about some retard who makes VROOM VROOM noises and a car appears…i mean this is the best Byrne could do after being blacklisted by DC and Marvel?

  6. It’s nice to see Scalped improve its numbers for the second month running, even if it is only very slightly. I was a bit worried that even small declines on a continuing basis would get it cancelled. There just isn’t that much room for manoeuvre at the lower end of the charts.

  7. I feel bad for my artist friend Mike Hawthorne that UN-MEN is down to some 4,000 copies a month and is canceled with issue 13.

    There were a lot of series that leveled off and found there numbers that they seem to sit at every month. The Spirit comic is dying bad but I still read it.

    Anyway, I saw this part of it and smiled. In the two year comparisons (What the books are selling like now as opposed to last this time last year), guess what was number 2 on the + side. Yes, you’re reading it right…JSA and Scooby-Doo! I’ll take that 1% growth! And I’m not baised becasue I draw it. Ok, I am a bit. And that’s not counting the sales outside the babymen stores where they sell more! Booyah! The rest is in the shitter it seems….

    2-YEAR COMPARISONS
    + 51.2%: JSA
    + 1.0%: Scooby-Doo
    – 2.4%: Batman

  8. I feel bad for my artist friend Mike Hawthorne that UN-MEN is down to some 4,000 copies a month and is canceled with issue 13.

    There were a lot of series that leveled off and found there numbers that they seem to sit at every month. The Spirit comic is dying bad but I still read it.

    Anyway, I saw this part of it and smiled. In the two year comparisons (What the books are selling like now as opposed to last this time last year), guess what was number 2 on the + side. Yes, you’re reading it right…JSA and Scooby-Doo! I’ll take that 1% growth! And I’m not biased because I draw it. Ok, I am a bit. And that’s not counting the sales outside the babymen stores where they sell more! Booyah! The rest is in the shitter it seems….

    2-YEAR COMPARISONS
    + 51.2%: JSA
    + 1.0%: Scooby-Doo
    – 2.4%: Batman

  9. 185 – THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE AUTHORITY: JACK HAWKSMOOR (WildStorm)

    03/2008: Jack Hawksmoor #1 of 6 — 10,967

    04/2008: Jack Hawksmoor #2 of 6 — 8,771 (-20.0%)

    Bit of a stiff second-issue drop for a miniseries.

    So stiff that they ended the whole idea of doing “Secret History of the Authority” mini-series. You know, I don’t see how it went wrong since Hawksmoor should have obviously been the most marketable character to start off with. Certainly, it would have been incredibly silly to start off with a Cully Hamner drawn Apollo mini, am I right? Folks? Folks?

    Luke, I’d hammer Superman sales that are worse than Green Lantern sales and precariously close to being beat by GLC. Personally, I’m baffled at how Action is beat by GL; same writer, great artists on both, but on unequal footing as far as how well known they are. Of course, Detective is being trounced by all of those, I believe.

  10. Every month I read these and I get the distinct impression that quality doesn’t matter (yes, I know that shouldn’t be a shocker, that in Americna culture quality doesn’t move product), that it’s the marketing the fans respond to (which includes “big name” creators). Otherwise, we’d see more titles moving up as word of mouth spreads. Now days, I guess word of mouth probably translates into trade sales, but we don’t seem to get the same level of analysis of trade sales as we do floppies even though everyone seems to realize that is where the market is headed.

  11. some retard who makes VROOM VROOM noises and a car appears

    That. Sounds. BRILLIANT. Like Kid Eternity, but with onomatopoeia. Like Shazam!, but with Michael Winslow! DAKKA-DAKKA: gun. ZEEEOOOSSH: jet plane. CHHLLOPPLOPPLOP: creme caramel.

    Karaoke with this guy must be murder, though.

    “Quit manifestin’ Mama Cass, Virgil!”

    “Not until you promise to stop hittin’ on my Britney Spearses!”

    “Aw, come on, man! One more time?”

    …I’ll get me coat.

    //Oo/\

  12. “A few words. Why hammer Superman sales ? It only had an over all drop of -1.5 , while Action had a -15. drop. It was still miles above where it was 5 years ago.”

    There was also a third Superman title 5 years ago.

  13. “A few words. Why hammer Superman sales ? It only had an over all drop of -1.5 , while Action had a -15. drop. It was still miles above where it was 5 years ago.”

    There was also a third Superman title 3 years ago. (Superman Confidential notwithstanding.)

  14. HBO should do a Scalped series. It is incredible.

    In general it looks like the staple DC books are finally stabilizing, so that’s a good sign. Their top tier books are a looking good: Action, Batman, Green Lantern, JSA, and JLA. With Final Crisis coming around and James Robinson on Supes, DC is looking up now. It’ll be interesting to see how House of Mystery debuts. That was a good read as well.

    Thanks for doing the list. I love this and the Marvel breakdown.

  15. Sadly, I find reading this column to be more entertaining than nearly any DC book, with the exception of Justice Society (when it comes out).

  16. Can those Vertigo numbers go any lower? DMZ’s almost below 10K. Will Northlanders hover at 12K or will it continue to drift toward 11K by #8 when the first story wraps up? Also, there’s a $9.99 Northlanders vol. 1 paperback on the schedule for October. That low price is a double-edged sword. While it makes for an attractive starting point for the new readers, old readers might feel slighted that they paid twice as much to get the exact same story and decide to become tradewaiters.

    Young Liars! Ouch – those numbers are going to look ugly by #6. Maybe there’s a ton of reorders out there? Scalped, Vinyl Underground – terrible numbers! At these sales levels, DC must be still be making some money on the periodicals, but there’s got to be a breaking point.

  17. “The book that was probably the publisher’s highest seller for the month, the 50-cent primer DC Universe #0, didn’t show up on the charts, because Diamond Comic Distributors don’t count promotional comics.”

    But sometimes they do. It’s all too confusing.

  18. Kevin H> -“Luke, I’d hammer Superman sales that are worse than Green Lantern sales and precariously close to being beat by GLC. Personally, I’m baffled at how Action is beat by GL; same writer, great artists on both, but on unequal footing as far as how well known they are. Of course, Detective is being trounced by all of those, I believe.”

    Action is easy to explain: The delays on the title definintely weakened the numbers. In the case of Batman-I believe it’s that Morrison “I’m a comic god” reputation is begging to loose it’s luster. I dropped the book after the Joker issue.

    Detective , Superman and Action are seeing far better numbers than they have in years and are selling steady. While Batman and Superman both are most recognisable fictional characters in the world-it doesn’t mean their adventures made them #1 amoung DC mags ALL the time. Jeoff Johns is doing remarkable work on Green Lantern-it’s engaging and exciting. He’s agot a great space opera vibe going for it. Green Lantern Corp is finally tapping into that. And with Fan favorite Rayner…the book will have solid sales.

    But that doesn’t answer my question of how a -1 drop is worse than -15 drop. It only shows that Busiek is a sold writer that keeps his audience.

  19. “04/2008: Titans #1 — 75,584 (+52.0%)

    The new ongoing series by writer Judd Winick and artist Ian Churchill debuts with surprisingly good numbers, considering that both the mother title, Teen Titans, is selling below 50K…”

    And so will this title in 2 months. People are speculating on first issues and variant covers like crazy these days.

  20. Simon Dark probably should have been a Vertigo title…

    or a run in Hellblazer—same kind of topic.

    I like this book (for what that’s worth to the Sarcastic Webnuts). ;)

  21. Alan Coil Says:

    06/10/08 at 8:55 pm
    Simon Dark probably should have been a Vertigo title…

    or a run in Hellblazer—same kind of topic.

    I like this book (for what that’s worth to the Sarcastic Webnuts).

    Alan,

    This is, without a doubt, my favorite book at the moment. It is unpredictable in the extreme. Every page is just perfect… I really wish there were more books like this!

  22. The continuing slide on Flash is depressing, especially since the book has improved drastically over the last few issues with Tom Peyer as writer.

    This probably means DC will freak out and relaunch it again, thereby proving to readers that they shouldn’t get involved with the book because nothing will actually stick longer than half a year.

  23. I say this half-jokingly, but maybe the book will be turned around by the return of Barry Allen. The formula has seemingly worked for Green Lantern.

  24. One guy says American culture doesn’t indulge in quality and another states Byrne has been reduced to accepting fanfic commissions to remain in business.

    Quality work is a point of view.

    Some people could argue that most of DC’s line represents fanfic commissions by the ultimate fans in business, DC editorial.

  25. John Byrne’s old stuff was better.the few comics he is allowed to put out these days just show how pathetic he has become. I also read FX 1 in my store and put it back on the shelf. It is a sad example of a creator who has lost his talent, morals, and self respect.

    John Byrne just retire gracefully,log off and save maybe a shred of dignity.

  26. … the difference is, Wayne Osborne is a fan wealthy enough to pay out of his own pocket and the other is that the ultimate fan-unprofessionals, DC edit, is using a company to pay for their commissions.

    And the bit about The Flash in serious decline, even with Tom Peyer as a writer? Well, people could be staying away from The Flash because of the relaunch disasters by Didio — he did piss off the entire fan base, both for Wally and Bart.

    The other could be that Tom Peyer isn’t as much of a draw as some may think. After all, he is the writer who took over Titans a few years ago and had them shooting off into outer space with aluminum foil hats (no joke) on their heads. He’s also the writer who turned Princess Projectra from The Legion into a silly talking snake.

    Some may find work like that quality, others may find it absurd. That could be another reason why people aren’t jumping up and down now that Peyer is on the Flash.

  27. <>

    I’ve heard the argument made that once fans became pros in the business, most of the stories could be considered fanfic.

    I know a couple people who think the whole “Multiple Lantern Corps” Johns is doing now has probably been used in fanfic stories for decades, but now that one of the business’ biggest names is doing it, it’s “okay.”

  28. “He’s also the writer who turned Princess Projectra from The Legion into a silly talking snake.”

    I thought that was Roger Stern’s wife that did that.

  29. “I’ve heard the argument made that once fans became pros in the business, most of the stories could be considered fanfic.

    I know a couple people who think the whole “Multiple Lantern Corps” Johns is doing now has probably been used in fanfic stories for decades, but now that one of the business’ biggest names is doing it, it’s “okay.”- Mark Coale:

    No, that would be Grant Morrison writing the fan fiction. Geoff Johns writes very well and builds on what came before. He’s attempting something very ambitious-bringing something new to the Green Lantern tales. And his mastery of the craft is pulling it off.

    Now Grant Morrison is trying so hard to “deconstruct” the DC universe and rebuild it…it’s pathetic. Having EVERY issue of Batman in Continuity? I’m sorry, that’s bloody retarded. A Batman fan and writer should be able to ignore dumb stories, while picking up old concepts to use creatively.

    As for the Flash: Rebooting wasn’t bad idea…it was the whole execution of said reboots. When they put Bart in the suit, they took far tool long for him to be comfortable with being the “Flash” Flash should have hit the ground running. And they should have used some form of Barts old personality.

    When they brought back Wally, the kids were fine-but Waid had an incomprehensible threat for the first story arc. Plus he threw in the old “The kids could die any moment by aging” shtick. Between the bizzare water villains and Daniel Acuras art (Which I thought was great, by the way) most fans just decided the book wasn’t worth it.

    Bringing Back Barry would be the stuipidest move o DC part. Who are they trying to get back? Barry fans? It’s almost been over 25 years since he’s been a DC regular. At least Hal was only “Gone” 10 years….and five of those he was a major DC bad guy.

    These love letters to the Silver Age is gonna hurt DC. Again: Geoff Johns Green Lantern reboot worked because it did not ignore what went on before.

  30. In a perfect world, Dan Didio would just give The Flash to John Rogers and say “look, we can’t control where the numbers go from here–we’ve fucked this up pretty bad. But if you do your thing for a few years, we can rebuild the franchise.” But this is not a perfect world and really what the fuck do I, an unwashed internet yokel, know about it anyway?

    But yeah, no more revamps or reboots. Take it out of strict continuity, if at all possible. Go back to basics, please.

  31. “Why hammer Superman sales ? It only had an over all drop of -1.5 , while Action had a -15. drop.”

    Well, yes. But that’s because SUPERMAN had an “anniversary” issue with a 1-for-10 variant-cover edition out in April. Its regular level is much lower.

  32. “I was wondering why the Terry Moore’s Echo isn’t on here under OTHER PUBLISHERS?”

    Because it didn’t make the Top 100, basically. There’s no hard rule on which other books to include, but that’s where I tend to stop.

  33. “In a perfect world, Dan Didio would just give The Flash to John Rogers and say “look, we can’t control where the numbers go from here–we’ve fucked this up pretty bad. But if you do your thing for a few years, we can rebuild the franchise.””

    Yes, that makes sense in light of the blockbuster sales of Blue Beetleborg.

  34. Maybe you should also include Invincible. It may not be on the Top 100, but is the other Robert Kirkman Image book and its sales (and sales curve) are similar to Walking Dead.

    Best,
    Hunter (Pedro Bouça)

  35. Man, DC’s sales just suck these days. I think the company is really going to have to figure out a new business model for non-DCU stuff. I mean, why bother releasing the Programme as a comic, for example, when most of the readership is going to buy the trade? I think it’s pretty clear that people don’t buy self contained series in floppy form anymore. Just follow the Empowered example: release volume one with chapters, follow it up with v2 a few months later.

    Now I’m off to buy the Programme v1 at my LCBS!

  36. But is there any real reason to think that THE PROGRAMME would do better in trade paperback form? Might it not just be a book that not many people want to read?

    And if it *is* going to do well in the trade format, what’s the harm in publishing a periodical too?

  37. Paul,

    I think the harm is it’s a money waster. People who make decisions based on finances – which is, sadly, all corporations – look at the sales of something like The Programme and think, “Well, no one wants to read stories like this….” Then, less books like The Programme get published and there are less interesting trades put out by a company like DC, and then sales continue to trail off, and the whole cycle continues.

    I bought the first two issues of The Programme and loved it, but I thought I’d like to read it much more as a trade. I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I’d rather read Omega as a trade, too, but I got scared it wouldn’t make it that far without the sales, so I bought a bunch of floppies I feel resentful for having purchased. (Who is my resentment towards? Me, or Marvel?)

    I firmly believe the periodical model is an out-dated business model. If we can’t have comics delivered digitally, then I can’t see a point in a periodic distribution system. But that’s just me….

  38. But as long as the periodicals make money, they’ll still get published. For anything selling above Marvel’s typical cancellation point, the TPBs are “free” – that is, the page rate & more has been completely earned back, and thus the only front-end costs are the physical production & shipping cost. Without that, an OGN has to sell that much more, or be that much more expensive to make back advance creator costs.

    [Royalties, where applicable, only being paid where the item’s already in profit, of course]

  39. >Each issue of Batman: Death Mask is double-sized, black & white and has a spine and cardboard cover at the regular price of $ 2.99.

    Spine? Cardboard cover? Not on any of the editions I’ve seen.

    >It’s another DC Universe title produced by WildStorm, by the way.

    Technically it’s by CMX.

  40. Looking at the sales of DC plummeting, I’m left to wonder why superheroes are still considered the mainstream? 85,000 sales is the top book? So, .002% of the U.S.’s population is buying the best selling book of DC? A company with characters as recognizable as Mickey Mouse and Mario?

    It’s over. Turn the lights off and leave the room. *No* one wants to buy comic books about superheroes with continuity anymore. (And yes, .005% qualifies as *no* one.)

  41. Somebody,

    I’ve heard that arguement from Quesada before, and I don’t think he’s telling the whole story. I think what Marvel & DC don’t want to give up is the ad space they can sell in floppies. They make a nice bit of money off the ads, and that’s the really scary part, that they even have cancellation cut off numbers they hit frequently enough where a book is no longer profitable to print even with the ad space sold.

  42. Bear in mind profitability isn’t an absolute thing – if office A at Marvel can put out ten books with the staff they have, it could well be worth cutting the lowest-selling book (call it book Z) even if it’s still above break-even if they think they have a concept that can make more money, since adding the cost of an extra staff member to deal with an eleventh book may not make financial sense even if that book will sell more than book Z.

  43. Right. I recall reading that BATMAN: DEATH MASK was a “prestige format” series, but I can’t seem to find it now. So either I misremember or they changed the information at the website – either way, thanks for the corrections.

  44. 1) Too bad the non-continuity DC books are floundering so badly; those are the only ones I have any interest in reading

    2) Has anyone else noticed that 90% of the ads in DC books are house ads? Does that mean they don’t need outside ad money or are unable to get outside ad money?

    3) Appropos of nothing – I was reading an old Priest Black Panther comic (#26 or 27 maybe?) yesterday and saw a letter printed from one Marc Oliver Frisch. Well done, Marc.

  45. Tom Peyer’s Flash run doesn’t sell because its been really awful. He has Wally acting like a jerk. It’s just not interesting. It ignores all the development done by (first run) Waid and Johns.

  46. Sometimes I wonder if this downward spiral of the Flash titles the last couple of years was all part of an elaborate plan to get fans to accept Barry Allen when he returns. But that’s probably giving them too much credit.

  47. THE FLASH is puzzling.

    DC just can’t figure out what to do with it. Wally? Bart? Wally? Barry? I haven’t enjoyed the title since Mark Waid’s previous run, years ago, back when it was a fun, light-hearted comic. I gave this new writer a try, Tom Peyer, but he’s not very good, and he launched with a sprawling six-part story arc, which is seldom a wise idea.

    With Barry Allen’s return coming in FINAL CRISIS, I guess THE FLASH will get rebooted for the third time in three years? And poor Wally West will be sent to join Kyle Rayner in superhero-replacement limbo.

    Maybe it’s a Teen Titans-related curse. DC seems at a similar loss with NIGHTWING.

  48. someone using a term like “Marvel Apologist” can only be Faux_Pat from the newsarama boards.

    dude’s got to be 15 years old.

  49. A typical drop for Titans #2 would be around 20%, but they’re losing Churchill, so I’m guessing #2 will rate closer to -30% than to -20%. That’ll put it to low 50s.

    Also, I find it amusing to consider “Teen Titans” a “mother” title to “Titans”. “Titans” is a continuation of a book that’s been going on since 1980 — arguably even since 1966. “Teen Titans” is a continuation of a 90s book. “Teen Titans” is the next iteration, the newer “Titans” characters compared to the much more longer running original “Titans”. The McKeever book are new guys, the Winick book has the Real McCoys.

    “Mother” book indeed…