Image Comics Month-to Month Sales March 2016: These Boots Are Made for Walkin’

By David Carter

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

Just a reminder that I’m not doing this as a permanent gig; just filling in until Heidi finds someone to take on the indy month-to-month chart. Although that keeps looking less and less likely with each passing month, so y’all might be stuck with me for a while…

Please refer to July’s column for a preamble and explanation as to why sales standards for Image books are likely to be different than those for DC or Marvel.

Image shipped 52 comics in March, compared to 50 comics in February, 56 comics in January, 67 comics in December, 62 in November, 55 in October and 73 in September. Of those 52 comics, 20 did not place in Diamond’s Top 300, and another 19 placed below the 10K mark.

Warning: The commentary below may contain reasoned analysis, speculation (unfounded and otherwise), opinion, and/or snark. Those looking for a more straightforward analysis are directed to John Jackson Miller’s excellent Comichron analysis, posted earlier this month over at Comichron!

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

(Note that the percentage comparisons are done with total orders including reorder activity, as opposed to initial orders.)

---

12 - THE WALKING DEAD ($2.99)
03/2006: The Walking Dead #26  --  19,385
03/2011: The Walking Dead #82  --  31,174 
03/2011: The Walking Dead #83  --  33,686  [39,938] 
03/2012: The Walking Dead #95  --  33,916
03/2013: The Walking Dead #108 --  67,426 
03/2014: The Walking Dead #123 --  64,460  [64,691]
03/2014: The Walking Dead #124 --  64,659  [64,712]
-----------------------------------------
03/2015: The Walking Dead #138 --  66,778 (+  2.0%) [67,008]
03/2015: The Walking Dead #139 --  67,349 (+  3.9%) [69,652]
04/2015: The Walking Dead #140 --  66,553 (-  3.9%) [66,944]
05/2015: The Walking Dead #141 --  68,931 (+  4.5%) [69,970]
06/2015: The Walking Dead #142 --  68,221 (-  1.3%) [69,079]
06/2015: The Walking Dead #143 --  67,989 (+  0.4%) [69,325]
07/2015: The Walking Dead #144 --  79,496 (+ 15.2%) [79,882]
08/2015: The Walking Dead #145 --  82,792 (+  4.7%) [83,671]
09/2015: The Walking Dead #146 --  69,006 (- 16.6%) [69,799]
10/2015: The Walking Dead #147 --  67,056 (-  2.6%) [68,007]
11/2015: The Walking Dead #148 --  65,526 (-  2.3%) [66,446]
12/2015: The Walking Dead #149 --  65,406 (-  1.6%) 
01/2016: The Walking Dead #150 -- 156,166 (+138.8%) 
02/2016: The Walking Dead #151 --  67,381 (- 59.6%) 
03/2016: The Walking Dead #152 --  67,258 (-  0.2%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  3.6%
1 year  : -  1.6%
2 years : +  4.0%
5 years : + 89.2%
10 years: +247.0%

No surprise that The Walking Dead is the top-selling Image book in March, with sales nearly identical to last month. Sales of individual issues seem to have plateaued (with the occasional spike for variant stunts or special issues), but if so that’s an excellent number to plateau at.

—

28 - SAGA ($2.99)
03/2013: Saga #11 -- 50,023 
03/2014: --
---------------------------
03/2015: Saga #26 -- 54,892 (-  3.5%) [54,876]
04/2015: Saga #27 -- 54,897 (-  0.0%) [54,868]
05/2015: Saga #28 -- 55,239 (+  2.6%) [56,275]
06/2015: Saga #29 -- 55,131 (-  0.9%) [55,752]
07/2015: Saga #30 -- 60,937 (+  3.1%) [57,501]
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Saga #31 -- 53,980 (-  5.0%) [54,650]
12/2015: Saga #32 -- 51,850 (-  5.1%) 
01/2016: Saga #33 -- 50,415 (-  2.8%) 
02/2016: Saga #34 -- 49,363 (-  2.1%) 
03/2016: Saga #35 -- 48,845 (-  1.0%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 11.0%
2 years :    n.a.

Things aren’t quite as settled yet for Saga, though the last few months have looked an awful lot like standard attrition.

—

86 - MONSTRESS ($3.99)
11/2015: Monstress #1 -- 33,045           [36,876]
12/2015: Monstress #2 -- 23,367 (- 36.6%) 
01/2016: Monstress #3 -- 22,945 (-  1.8%) 
02/2016: --
01/2016: Monstress #4 -- 22,406 (-  2.3%)

The first three issues were returnable, but this one was not. Note the nice, sensible sales curve.

With a few of Image’s better-selling titles taking the month off (e.g. Paper Girls & I Hate Fairyland) there’s quite a gap on the chart between their #2 & #3 books.

—

90 - OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA ($2.99)
03/2015: Outcast #7  -- 38,077 (+  6.1%) [38,574]
04/2015: Outcast #8  -- 36,188 (- 14.4%) [33,012]
05/2015: Outcast #9  -- 28,961 (-  8.8%) [30,104]
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Outcast #10 -- 28,012 (-  6.9%) 
08/2015: Outcast #11 -- 27,087 (-  3.3%) 
09/2015: Outcast #12 -- 26,115 (-  3.6%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Outcast #13 -- 24,051 (-  7.9%) 
12/2015: Outcast #14 -- 23,319 (-  3.0%) 
01/2016: Outcast #15 -- 22,195 (-  4.8%) 
02/2016: Outcast #16 -- 21,801 (-  1.8%) 
03/2016: Outcast #17 -- 21,426 (-  1.7%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 18.0%
1 year  : - 44.5%

The television series starts in early June.

—

97 - THE DISCIPLINE ($2.99)
03/2016: Discipline #1  -- 20,221

The new erotic horror title from Peter Milligan & Leandro Fernandez is the top debut for Image in March. 20K seems like a good number, but that’s where Cry Havoc debuted a couple of months ago and that book is already below 8K. You might expect a book from name creators to debut higher, but this book’s subject is likely to be a tougher sell.

—

100 - HUCK ($3.50)
11/2015: Huck #1 -- 35,299           [37,775]
12/2015: Huck #2 -- 22,937 (- 39.3%)
01/2016: Huck #3 -- 20,986 (-  8.5%)
02/2016: Huck #4 -- 20,183 (-  3.8%)
03/2016: Huck #5 -- 19,917 (-  1.3%)

—

103 - DESCENDER ($2.99)
03/2015: Descender #1  -- 61,910           [71,989]
04/2015: Descender #2  -- 43,946 (- 41.9%) [41,853]
05/2015: Descender #3  -- 29,717 (- 22.7%) [32,343]
06/2015: Descender #4  -- 27,163 (- 10.2%) [29,046]
07/2015: Descender #5  -- 26,039 (- 10.4%) 
08/2015: Descender #6  -- 24,615 (-  5.5%) 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Descender #7  -- 23,684 (-  3.8%) 
12/2015: Descender #8  -- 20,999 (- 11.3%) 
01/2015: Descender #9  -- 20,017 (-  4.7%) 
02/2015: Descender #10 -- 19,642 (-  3.4%) 
03/2015: Descender #11 -- 18,842 (-  2.6%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 73.8%

—

133 - LOW ($3.99)
03/2015: --
04/2015: -- 
05/2015: --
06/2015: Low #7  -- 24,317 (+ 22.6%) 
07/2015: Low #8  -- 16,169 (- 33.5%) 
08/2015: Low #9  -- 15,717 (-  2.8%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: Low #10 -- 15,351 (-  2.3%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Low #11 -- 14,939 (-  2.7%) 
03/2016: Low #12 -- 14,494 (-  3.0%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.

—

139 - JUPITER'S CIRCLE ($3.50)
03/2014: Jupiter's Legacy #4 -- 36,918  [37,125]
--------------------------------------
03/2015: --
04/2015: Jupiter's Circle #1 -- 32,542 (+ 12.0%)
05/2015: Jupiter's Circle #2 -- 24,499 (- 24.7%)
06/2015: Jupiter's Circle #3 -- 21,287 (- 13.1%) 
07/2015: Jupiter's Circle #4 -- 19,522 (-  8.3%) 
08/2015: Jupiter's Circle #5 -- 18,889 (-  3.2%) 
09/2015: Jupiter's Circle #6 -- 18,732 (-  0.8%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: Jupiter's Crc v2 #1 -- 18,175 (-  3.0%)
12/2015: Jupiter's Crc v2 #2 -- 15,719 (- 13.5%)
01/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #3 -- 14,631 (-  6.9%)
02/2016: -- 
03/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #4 -- 13,726 (-  6.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 26.7%
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years : - 63.0%

—

148 - BLACK SCIENCE ($3.99)
03/2014: -- 
------------------------------------
03/2015: Black Science #12 -- 26,112 (+ 32.6%)
04/2015: Black Science #13 -- 17,876 (- 31.5%) 
05/2015: Black Science #14 -- 17,090 (-  4.4%)
06/2015: Black Science #15 -- 17,932 (+  4.9%) 
07/2015: Black Science #16 -- 18,298 (+  2.0%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Black Science #17 -- 15,094 (- 17.5%) 
12/2015: Black Science #18 -- 14,465 (-  4.2%) 
01/2016: Black Science #19 -- 13,966 (-  3.4%) 
02/2016: Black Science #20 -- 13,251 (-  5.1%) 
03/2016: Black Science #21 -- 13,092 (-  1.2%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 49.9%
2 years :    n.a.

—

162 - RAT QUEENS ($3.99)
03/2014: --
---------------------------------
03/2015: Rat Queens #9  -- 14,425 (-  2.0%)
04/2015: Rat Queens #10 -- 14,228 (-  1.4%) 
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: Rat Queens #11 -- 14,271 (+  0.3%) 
09/2015: Rat Queens #12 -- 13,615 (-  4.6%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Rat Queens #13 -- 13,075 (-  4.0%) 
12/2015: Rat Queens #14 -- 12,468 (-  4.6%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: Rat Queens #15 -- 11,997 (-  3.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.9%
1 year  : - 16.8%
2 years :    n.a.

Going on hiatus after issue #16.

—

165 - INJECTION ($2.99)
05/2015: Injection #1  -- 41,648           [43,733]
06/2015: Injection #2  -- 23,484 (- 43.6%) 
07/2015: Injection #3  -- 19,754 (- 15.9%) 
08/2015: Injection #4  -- 17,113 (- 13.4%) 
09/2015: Injection #5  -- 16,020 (-  6.4%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Injection #6  -- 13,153 (- 17.9%) 
02/2016: Injection #7  -- 12,459 (-  5.3%) 
03/2016: Injection #8  -- 11,855 (-  4.8%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 26.0%

—

169 - DEADLY CLASS ($3.99)
03/2015: --
04/2015: Deadly Class #12 -- 13,780 (+  7.6%)
05/2015: Deadly Class #13 -- 12,299 (- 10.7%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Deadly Class #14 -- 11,798 (-  4.1%) 
08/2015: Deadly Class #15 -- 11,779 (-  0.2%) 
09/2015: Deadly Class #16 -- 11,394 (-  3.3%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: --
12/2015: Deadly Class #17 -- 11,035 (-  3.2%) 
01/2016: Deadly Class #18 -- 10,485 (-  5.0%) 
02/2016: --
03/2016: Deadly Class #19 -- 10,440 (-  0.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  8.4%
1 year  :    n.a.

—

179 - BIRTHRIGHT ($2.99)
03/2015: --
04/2015: Birthright #6  -- 14,081 (+  6.5%)
05/2015: Birthright #7  -- 12,561 (- 10.8%)
06/2015: Birthright #8  -- 12,058 (-  4.0%) 
07/2015: Birthright #9  -- 11,496 (-  4.7%) 
08/2015: Birthright #10 -- 11,072 (-  3.7%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: --
11/2015: Birthright #11 -- 10,989 (-  0.7%) 
12/2015: Birthright #12 -- 10,633 (-  3.2%) 
01/2016: Birthright #13 --  9,931 (-  6.6%) 
02/2016: Birthright #14 --  9,519 (-  4.1%) 
03/2016: Birthright #14 --  9,344 (-  1.8%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.

—

192 - CIRCUIT BREAKER ($2.99)
03/2016: Circuit Breaker #1 of 5 -- 8,326

Not an auspicious start for the mini-series.

—

201 - CRY HAVOC ($3.99)
01/2016: Cry Havoc #1 -- 20,677 
02/2016: Cry Havoc #2 --  9,692 (- 53.1%) 
03/2016: Cry Havoc #3 --  7,813 (- 19.4%)

—

204 - SNOWFALL ($3.99)
02/2016: Snowfall #1  -- 17,195 
03/2016: Snowfall #2  --  7,595 (- 55.8%)

—

207 - HEAD LOPPER ($5.99)
09/2015: Head Lopper #1 of 4 -- 11,337 
10/2015: --
11/2015: --
12/2015: Head Lopper #2 of 4 --  8,755 (- 22.8%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: Head Lopper #3 of 4 --  7,494 (- 14.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 33.9%

This is an oversized quarterly comic, so the regular economics may not apply.

—

225 - ODY-C ($3.99)
03/2015: --
04/2015: ODY-C #4  -- 14,086 (- 23.9%)
05/2015: ODY-C #5  -- 12,557 (- 10.9%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: ODY-C #6  --  9,679 (- 22.9%) 
09/2015: ODY-C #7  --  8,882 (-  8.2%) 
10/2015: ODY-C #8  --  7,959 (- 10.4%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: ODY-C #9  --  7,165 (- 10.0%)
02/2016: --
03/2016: ODY-C #10 --  6,665 (-  7.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 25.0%
1 year  :    n.a.

—

232 - MIRROR ($2.99)
02/2016: Mirror #1  -- 14,884 
03/2016: Mirror #2  --  6,269 (- 57.9%)

—

236 - WAYWARD ($3.50)
03/2015: Wayward #6  -- 12,247 (+ 22.4%)
04/2015: Wayward #7  --  8,389 (- 31.5%)
05/2015: Wayward #8  --  8,073 (-  3.8%)
06/2015: Wayward #9  --  7,913 (-  2.0%) 
07/2015: Wayward #10 --  7,859 (-  0.7%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Wayward #11 --  8,024 (+  4.4%) 
12/2015: Wayward #12 --  7,015 (- 14.5%) 
01/2016: Wayward #13 --  6,589 (-  6.1%) 
02/2016: Wayward #14 --  6,397 (-  2.9%) 
03/2016: Wayward #15 --  6,089 (-  4.8%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 50.3%

—

241, 246 - REVIVAL ($3.99)
03/2013: Revival #8  -- 17,082 
03/2014: Revival #18 -- 10,456 
------------------------------
03/2015: Revival #28 --  7,913 (-  1.8%)
04/2015: Revival #29 --  7,786 (-  1.6%)
05/2015: --
06/2015: Revival #30 --  7,545 (-  3.1%) 
07/2015: Revival #31 --  7,337 (-  2.8%) 
08/2015: Revival #32 --  7,019 (-  4.3%) 
09/2015: Revival #33 --  6,824 (-  2.8%) 
10/2015: Revival #34 --  6,921 (+  1.4%) 
11/2015: --
12/2015: Revival #35 --  6,510 (-  5.9%) 
01/2016: Revival #36 --  6,182 (-  5.0%) 
02/2016: --
03/2016: Revival #37 --  5,987 (-  3.2%) 
03/2016: Revival #38 --  5,826 (-  2.7%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 14.6%
1 year  : - 26.4%
2 years : - 44.3%

—

242 - POWER LINES ($3.50)
03/2016: Power Lines #1  -- 5,978

New series by Jimmie Robinson.

—

247 - NOWHERE MEN ($2.99)
03/2013: Nowhere Men #4  -- 13,368 
03/2014: --
----------------------------------
03/2015: --
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Nowhere Men #7  --  7,498 (- 41.0%) 
02/2016: Nowhere Men #8  --  6,317 (- 15.8%) 
03/2016: Nowhere Men #9  --  5,731 (-  9.3%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years :    n.a.

—

260 - THE VIOLENT ($2.99)
12/2015: The Violent #1 -- 11,751 
01/2016: The Violent #2 --  6,474 (- 44.9%) 
02/2016: --
03/2016: The Violent #3 --  5,372 (- 17.0%)

—

261 - THEY'RE NOT LIKE US ($2.99)
03/2015: They're Not Like Us #4  --  9,255 (-  1.8%)
04/2015: They're Not Like Us #5  --  8,903 (-  3.8%)
05/2015: They're Not Like Us #6  --  8,368 (-  6.0%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: They're Not Like Us #7  --  7,599 (-  9.2%) 
09/2015: They're Not Like Us #8  --  6,988 (-  8.0%) 
10/2015: They're Not Like Us #9  --  6,780 (-  3.0%) 
11/2015: --
12/2015: They're Not Like Us #10 --  6,294 (-  7.2%) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: They're Not Like Us #11 --  5,813 (-  7.6%) 
03/2016: They're Not Like Us #12 --  5,341 (-  8.1%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 23.6%
1 year  : - 42.3%

No further issues have been solicited.

—

262 - THE LEGACY OF LUTHER STRODE ($3.50)
04/2015: Legacy #1 -- 11,084
05/2015: --
06/2015: Legacy #2 --  7,601 (- 31.4%)
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Legacy #3 --  6,919 (-  9.0%)
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Legacy #4 --  5,467 (- 21.0%)
02/2016: --
03/2016: Legacy #5 --  5,290 (-  3.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 23.5%

—

270 - STARVE ($3.99)
06/2015: Starve #1  -- 24,847  
07/2015: Starve #2  -- 10,646 (- 57.2%)  
08/2015: Starve #3  --  8,379 (- 21.3%)  
09/2015: Starve #4  --  7,050 (- 15.9%)  
10/2015: Starve #5  --  6,416 (-  9.0%)  
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2015: Starve #6  --  5,422 (- 15.5%)  
03/2015: Starve #7  --  4,942 (-  8.9%)  
-----------------
6 months: - 29.9%

—

285 - SYMMETRY ($3.99)
12/2015: Symmetry #1 -- 19,274 
01/2016: Symmetry #2 --  7,893 (- 59.1%)
02/2016: Symmetry #3 --  5,907 (- 25.2%)
03/2016: Symmetry #4 --  4,649 (- 21.3%)

The previous three issues were returnable, though this one was not.

—

287 - SONS OF THE DEVIL ($2.99)
05/2015: Sons of the Devil #1  -- 21,331 
06/2015: Sons of the Devil #2  -- 11,959 (- 43.9%) 
07/2015: Sons of the Devil #3  --  9,805 (- 18.0%) 
08/2015: Sons of the Devil #4  --  7,373 (- 24.8%) 
09/2015: Sons of the Devil #5  --  6,935 (-  5.9%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: Sons of the Devil #6  --  4,618 (- 33.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 33.4%

The long hiatus didn’t do the devil any favors.

—

295 - PROPHET: EARTH WAR ($3.99)
03/2012: Prophet #23               -- 6,289 
03/2013: -- 
03/2014: Prophet #43               -- 4,840 
-------------------------------------------
01/2016: Prophet Earth War #1 of 6 -- 6,015 
02/2016: --
03/2016: Prophet Earth War #2 of 6 -- 4,426 (- 26.4%) 
-----------------
2 years : -  8.6%

—

299 - THE 13TH ARTIFACT ($3.99)
03/2016: 13th Artifact one-shot -- 4,325

One-shot from the 2015 Top Cow Talent hunt winners.

—

Image titles shipping but not making the Top 300 in February include: Astronauts in Trouble, Black Jack Ketchum, Codename Baboushka: Conclave of Death, Dream Police, Elephantmen, Empty Zone, Four Eyes, The Fuse, IXth Generation, Limbo, No Mercy, Pencil Head, Postal, Ringside, Roche Limit, Saints, Savage Dragon, Shutter, Stray Bullets, Thrilling Adventure Hour Presents: Beyond Belief.

Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that any of them are in danger of being cancelled; there are many reasons that the creators of these books may desire to keep them going.

---

The Fine Print (Disclaimers, et cetera)

The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.

ICv2.com’s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it’s a “month-to-month” column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales of physical comics to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass-market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month. Keep in mind that sales for some titles may include incentives to acquire variants and not every unit sold is necessarily even intended to be sold to a customer.

If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book’s initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in brackets behind those issues (e.g. “[36,599]”). Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used.

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

Please keep in mind that raw sales numbers do not tell us about how profitable a book is for a publisher or for the creators.

Above all, do not allow sales numbers to dictate your purchasing and enjoyment of a particular comic. If you enjoy reading a comic series then go right on buying and reading that comic, no matter what the sales figures say.

Opinions expressed in this column are mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer, Heidi MacDonald or anyone at The Comics Beat, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, or my former neighbor’s dog Miles.

The author of this column does weekly snapshots of Amazon comic sales charts at http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/ and tweets about comics and related subjects on Twitter at @davereadscomics (PM me there is you need to contact me).

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