201208271213.jpg

by Paul O’Brien

The AVENGERS VS X-MEN crossover continued to dominate both franchises in July. There are also two new ongoing titles – CAPTAIN MARVEL and X-TREME X-MEN – which unusually launch in the middle of the big crossover. And while Marvel have generally eased off on their miniseries of late, we have two this month – SPACE PUNISHER and INFERNAL MAN-THING.

In terms of market share, DC won the month, leading Marvel by 37% to 35% in units and 33% to 32% in dollars. The other big news, of course, is the remarkable sales of WALKING DEAD #100, which topped the charts with an extraordinary estimated sale of over 335,000 – but that’s a story for another column. (It also seems like a good opportunity to remind people that these figures only reflect sales to the direct market in North America. Total sales are therefore bound to be higher once you factor in sales through other channels, most obviously to the UK and Europe.)

Thanks as always to ICV2.com for permission to use these figures.

2,3. AVENGERS VS X-MEN
03/12  #0 of 12 - 165,821
04/12  #1 of 12 - 258,586  (+55.9%)
04/12  #2 of 12 - 193,162  (-25.3%)
05/12  #3 of 12 - 184,126  ( -4.7%)
05/12  #4 of 12 - 182,255  ( -1.0%)
06/12  #5 of 12 - 190,705  ( +4.6%)
06/12  #6 of 12 - 186,555  ( -2.2%)
07/12  #7 of 12 - 179,208  ( -3.9%)
07/12  #8 of 12 - 174,910  ( -2.4%)

The core miniseries continues to pile on the re-orders, at least on the early issues. This month, issue #0 adds 4,501; issue #1 adds 4,648, issue #2 adds 4,424; and issue #3 adds 4,605. All of those are factored into the totals shown above.

The book is starting to settle into a more conventional sales pattern as it goes on, but the total numbers remain extremely impressive.

7. AVX: VS
04/12  #1 of 6 - 111,913
05/12  #2 of 6 -  98,819  (-11.7%)
06/12  #3 of 6 -  94,528  ( -4.3%)
07/12  #4 of 6 -  86,526  ( -8.5%)

This isn’t holding on to its sales quite so well, perhaps because the “no story whatsoever” gimmick wears thin more quickly. Nonetheless, it remains a very high seller for a crossover B-title.

14,16. UNCANNY X-MEN
07/07  #488 -  86,747
07/08  #500 - 151,955
07/09  #513 -  83,399
07/10  #526 -  66,723
=====
07/11  #540 -  57,206  ( +5.4%)
07/11  #541 -  55,856  ( -2.4%)
08/11  #542 -  54,840  ( -1.8%)
09/11  #543 -  58,326  ( +6.4%)
10/11  #544 -  60,212  ( +3.2%)
11/11  #1   - 109,911  (+82.5%)
11/11  #2   -  72,485  (-34.1%)
12/11  #3   -  64,112  (-11.6%)
01/12  #4   -  63,175  ( -1.5%)
01/12  #5   -  63,477  ( +0.5%)
02/12  #6   -  59,834  ( -5.7%)
02/12  #7   -  59,200  ( -1.1%)
03/12  #8   -  57,568  ( -2.8%)
03/12  #9   -  56,976  ( -1.0%)
04/12  #10  -  56,906  ( -0.1%)
04/12  #11  -  75,109  (+32.0%)
05/12  #12  -  69,265  ( -7.8%)
06/12  #13  -  70,521  ( +1.8%)
06/12  #14  -  67,793  ( -3.9%)
07/12  #15  -  66,114  ( -2.5%)
07/12  #16  -  63,835  ( -3.4%)
               6 mnth  ( +0.6%)
               1 year  (+11.6%)
               2 year  ( -4.3%)
               3 year  (-23.5%)
               4 year  (-58.0%)
               5 year  (-26.4%)

Still benefitting from the crossover, which has been running now since issue #11. The book is scheduled for a relaunch as ALL-NEW X-MEN after issue #20.

18. AVENGERS
07/10  #3  - 87,410
=====
07/11  #15 - 62,580  (-17.9%)
08/11  #16 - 60,295  ( -3.7%)
09/11  #17 - 61,492  ( +2.0%)
10/11  #18 - 58,897  ( -4.2%)
11/11  #19 - 56,620  ( -3.9%)
12/11  #20 - 57,145  ( +0.9%)
01/12  #21 - 54,803  ( -4.1%)
02/12  #22 - 52,683  ( -3.9%)
02/12  #23 - 52,222  ( -0.9%)
03/12  #24 - 52,242  ( +0.0%)
03/12  #.1 - 52,164  ( -0.1%)
04/12  #25 - 65,664  (+25.9%)
05/12  #26 - 67,744  ( +3.2%)
06/12  #27 - 68,885  ( +1.7%)
07/12  #28 - 63,169  ( -8.3%)
             6 mnth  (+15.3%)
             1 year  ( +0.9%)
             2 year  (-27.7%)

19. NEW AVENGERS
07/07  #32 - 122,991
07/08  #43 - 108,751
07/09  #55 -  84,745
07/10  #2  -  83,397
=====
07/11  #14 -  58,306  ( +1.1%)
08/11  #15 -  56,035  ( -3.9%)
09/11  #16 -  57,959  ( +3.4%)
09/11  #.1 -  51,506  (-11.1%)
10/11  #17 -  55,732  ( +8.2%)
11/11  #18 -  54,454  ( -2.3%)
12/11  #19 -  52,915  ( -2.8%)
01/12  #20 -  52,910  ( -0.0%)
02/12  #21 -  54,105  ( +2.3%)
02/12  #22 -  51,235  ( -5.3%)
03/12  #23 -  51,697  ( +0.9%)
04/12  #24 -  64,533  (+24.8%)
04/12  #25 -  61,950  ( -4.0%)
05/12  #26 -  64,326  ( +3.8%)
06/12  #27 -  64,927  ( +0.9%)
07/12  #28 -  62,739  ( -3.4%)
              6 mnth  (+18.6%)
              1 year  ( +7.6%)
              2 year  (-24.8%)
              3 year  (-26.0%)
              4 year  (-42.3%)
              5 year  (-49.0%)

Much the same applies here. Both core Avengers titles are seeing big increases from the crossover – more than they usually get from major events, presumably because this one’s bringing in more X-Men readers. And both titles are set for a relaunch after issue #34.

20,22. WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN
10/11  #1  - 99,611
11/11  #2  - 83,356  (-16.3%)
12/11  #3  - 58,438  (-29.9%)
01/12  #4  - 59,530  ( +1.9%)
02/12  #5  - 55,788  ( -6.3%)
02/12  #6  - 55,341  ( -0.8%)
03/12  #7  - 54,559  ( -1.4%)
04/12  #8  - 53,757  ( -1.5%)
04/12  #9  - 64,984  (+20.9%)
05/12  #10 - 63,650  ( -2.1%)
05/12  #11 - 64,936  ( +2.0%)
06/12  #12 - 64,838  ( -0.2%)
07/12  #13 - 62,689  ( -3.3%)
07/12  #14 - 61,029  ( -2.6%)
             6 mnth  ( +2.5%)

A similar story, except without the imminent reboot. This title has been running crossover stories since issue #9 and will continue all the way through to issue #17.

23,61. WOLVERINE
07/07  #55  - 130,707
07/08  #67  -  89,062
07/09  ---
07/10  #15  -  29,555
=====
07/11  #12  -  42,110  (  +0.7%)
08/11  #13  -  39,296  (  -0.7%)
08/11  #14  -  38,869  (  -0.1%)
09/11  #15  -  37,951  (  -2.4%)
09/11  #16  -  37,796  (  -0.4%)
10/11  #17  -  39,405  (  +4.3%)
11/11  #18  -  40,170  (  +1.9%)
11/11  #19  -  37,997  (  -5.4%)
12/11  #20  -  37,360  (  -1.7%)
01/12  #300 -  58,681  ( +57.1%)
02/12  #301 -  38,891  ( -33.7%)
03/12  #302 -  37,213  (  -4.3%)
03/12  #303 -  36,368  (  -2.3%)
04/12  #304 -  37,836  (  +4.0%)
04/12  #305 -  37,440  (  -1.0%)
05/12  #306 -  34,873  (  -6.9%)
05/12  #307 -  34,485  (  -1.1%)
06/12  #308 -  35,142  (  +1.9%)
07/12  #309 -  33,148  (  -5.7%)
07/12  #310 -  60,880  ( +83.7%)
               6 mnth  (  +3.7%)
               1 year  ( +44.6%)
               2 year  (+106.0%)
               3 year  (   --- )
               4 year  ( -31.6%)
               5 year  ( -53.4%)

Two issues this month. Issue #309 is a fill-in story, so sales are fairly ordinary.

Issue #310, on the other hand, is the first part of Jeph Loeb and Simone Bianchi’s arc, a sequel to a story from over five years ago which, so far as I’m aware, doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation among online fans. Nonetheless, Marvel have heavily promoted this arc, and sales nearly double as a result – presumably helped by three variant covers, with incentive ratios of 1:50, 1:100 and 1:200.

Curiously, these two issues shipped in reverse order. One plausible theory is that Marvel wanted issue #310 to be out in time for San Diego.

24,25. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
07/07  #542 - 105,715
07/08  #566 -  68,912
07/09  #599 -  72,412
07/10  #636 -  56,011
=====
07/11  #665 -  56,948  (  +3.9%)
07/11  #666 - 135,568  (+138.1%)
08/11  #667 -  71,235  ( -47.5%)
08/11  #668 -  57,533  ( -19.2%)
09/11  #669 -  71,944  ( +25.0%)
09/11  #670 -  57,959  ( -19.4%)
10/11  #671 -  59,426  (  +2.5%)
10/11  #672 -  57,860  (  -2.6%)
11/11  #673 -  57,159  (  -1.2%)
11/11  #674 -  57,723  (  +1.0%)
12/11  #675 -  54,652  (  -5.3%)
12/11  #676 -  54,001  (  -1.2%)
01/12  #677 -  57,186  (  +5.9%)
01/12  #678 -  54,252  (  -5.1%)
02/12  #679 -  52,564  (  -3.1%)
02/12  #.1  -  50,624  (  -3.7%)
02/12  #680 -  51,872  (  +2.5%)
03/12  #681 -  52,143  (  +0.5%)
03/12  #682 -  57,143  (  +9.6%)
04/12  #683 -  59,153  (  +3.5%)
04/12  #684 -  57,454  (  -2.9%)
05/12  #685 -  58,121  (  +1.2%)
05/12  #686 -  58,337  (  +0.4%)
06/12  #687 -  62,680  (  +7.4%)
06/12  #688 -  60,409  (  -3.6%)
07/12  #689 -  59,859  (  -0.9%)
07/12  #690 -  58,976  (  -1.5%)
               6 mnth  (  +8.7%)
               1 year  (  +3.6%)
               2 year  (  +5.3%)
               3 year  ( -18.6%)
               4 year  ( -14.4%)
               5 year  ( -44.2%)

Continuing to hover around the upper 50K range, which Marvel should be happy with, considering that six months ago they were around 52K. Both of these issues have Lizard variant covers.

26. SPIDER-MEN
06/12  #1 of 5 - 94,548
06/12  #2 of 5 - 68,283  (-27.8%)
07/12  #3 of 5 - 57,739  (-15.4%)

Significant drops now that the initial burst of hype is complete – but even so, the book is selling at around the same level as AMAZING, and way ahead of ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN. That’s a good result.

31,32. UNCANNY X-FORCE
07/08  #5  - 72,818
07/09  #17 - 61,104
07/10  #28 - 61,680
=====
07/11  #12 - 55,413  ( +4.2%)
08/11  #13 - 53,904  ( -2.7%)
08/11  #14 - 50,770  ( -5.8%)
09/11  #15 - 53,771  ( +5.9%)
10/11  #16 - 52,398  ( -2.6%)
11/11  #17 - 50,974  ( -2.7%)
12/11  #18 - 54,274  ( +6.5%)
12/11  #19 - 55,333  ( +2.0%)
01/12  #.1 - 50,399  ( -8.9%)
01/12  #20 - 51,054  ( +1.3%)
02/12  #21 - 50,654  ( -0.8%)
02/12  #22 - 49,665  ( -2.0%)
03/12  #23 - 48,867  ( -1.6%)
04/12  #24 - 50,667  ( +3.7%)
05/12  #25 - 50,851  ( +0.4%)
06/12  #26 - 47,522  ( -6.0%)
07/12  #27 - 46,325  ( -2.5%)
07/12  #28 - 46,367  ( +0.1%)
             6 mnth  ( -9.2%)
             1 year  (-16.3%)
             2 year  (-24.8%)
             3 year  (-24.1%)
             4 year  (-36.3%)

X-FORCE sales seem to wobble up and down a little bit more than most books. The general trend is very slowly down, but there’s certainly nothing to worry about here – this X-Men spin-off is, after all, comfortably outselling most of the actual X-Men books.

35. HIT-GIRL  [Icon]
06/12  #1 of 5 - 60,409
07/12  #2 of 5 - 45,338  (-24.9%)

Perhaps on the steep side for a second issue drop, but nothing out of the ordinary.

37. X-MEN LEGACY
07/07  #201 - 86,278
07/08  #214 - 69,863
07/09  #226 - 59,298
07/10  #238 - 53,313
=====
07/11  #252 - 41,365  ( -4.9%)
08/11  #253 - 40,466  ( -2.2%)
08/11  #254 - 39,896  ( -1.4%)
09/11  #255 - 39,284  ( -1.5%)
09/11  #256 - 38,680  ( -1.5%)
10/11  #257 - 38,070  ( -1.6%)
11/11  #258 - 38,334  ( +0.7%)
11/11  #259 - 41,967  ( +9.5%)
12/11  #260 - 37,946  ( -9.6%)
01/12  #.1  - 37,160  ( -2.1%)
01/12  #261 - 37,577  ( +1.1%)
02/12  #262 - 36,461  ( -3.0%)
03/12  #263 - 35,999  ( -1.3%)
03/12  #264 - 35,953  ( -0.1%)
04/12  #265 - 35,712  ( -0.7%)
05/12  #266 - 43,199  (+21.0%)
05/12  #267 - 46,279  ( +7.1%)
06/12  #268 - 49,163  ( +6.2%)
06/12  #269 - 46,923  ( -4.6%)
07/12  #270 - 44,914  ( -4.3%)
              6 mnth  (+19.5%)
              1 year  ( +8.6%)
              2 year  (-15.8%)
              3 year  (-24.3%)
              4 year  (-35.7%)
              5 year  (-47.9%)

Back to the AVENGERS VS X-MEN crossover. This is the book’s final crossover issue, and sales remain some 10K up from normal. It returns to regular stories in August and then gets relaunched after issue #275.

40. ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN
07/07  #111    - 75,487
07/08  #124    - 55,262
07/09  #2 of 2 - 41,374
07/10  #12     - 37,879
=====
07/11  #1 of 6 - 49,084  ( -70.6%)
07/11  #2 of 6 - 45,371  (  -7.6%)
07/11  #3 of 6 - 44,492  (  -1.9%)
08/11  #4 of 6 - 96,815  (+117.6%)
08/11  #5 of 6 - 41,336  ( -57.3%)
08/11  #6 of 6 - 39,190  (  -5.2%)
09/11  #1      - 95,483  (+143.6%)
09/11  #2      - 58,672  ( -38.6%)
10/11  #3      - 52,521  ( -10.5%)
11/11  #4      - 51,558  (  -1.8%)
12/11  #5      - 48,308  (  -6.3%)
01/12  #6      - 49,840  (  +3.2%)
02/12  #7      - 45,266  (  -9.2%)
03/12  #8      - 46,290  (  +2.3%)
04/12  #9      - 43,724  (  -5.5%)
05/12  #10     - 42,356  (  -3.1%)
06/12  #11     - 42,549  (  +0.5%)
07/12  #12     - 42,050  (  -1.2%)
                 6 mnth  ( -15.6%)
                 1 year  ( -14.3%)
                 2 year  ( +11.0%)
                 3 year  (  +1.6%)
                 4 year  ( -23.9%)
                 5 year  ( -44.3%)

Virtually level over the last couple of months, which must be a good sign.

41. SECRET AVENGERS
07/10  #3  - 72,293
=====
07/11  #15 - 46,712  ( -6.4%)
08/11  #16 - 46,317  ( -0.8%)
09/11  #17 - 44,890  ( -3.1%)
10/11  #18 - 43,280  ( -3.6%)
11/11  #19 - 41,191  ( -4.8%)
12/11  #20 - 38,202  ( -7.3%)
01/12  #21 - 38,082  ( -0.3%)
01/12  #.1 - 35,320  ( -7.3%)
02/12  #22 - 39,337  (+11.4%)
02/12  #23 - 37,140  ( -5.6%)
03/12  #24 - 38,359  ( +3.3%)
04/12  #25 - 38,466  ( +0.3%)
04/12  #26 - 54,854  (+42.6%)
05/12  #27 - 49,851  ( -9.1%)
06/12  #28 - 51,572  ( +3.5%)
07/12  #29 - 41,653  (-19.2%)
             6 mnth  ( +9.4%)
             1 year  (-10.8%)
             2 year  (-42.4%)

The first X-Men/Avengers title to emerge from the other side of the AVENGERS VS X-MEN crossover and return to its normal stories. Sales are naturally down, but they’re still up by over 9% from before the crossover – not a bad result.

42. CAPTAIN MARVEL
07/07  Ms Marvel #17     - 38,003
07/08  Ms Marvel #29     - 41,231
07/09  Ms Marvel #42     - 25,103
=====
07/12  Captain Marvel #1 - 41,582
                           3 year  (+65.6%)
                           4 year  ( +0.9%)
                           5 year  ( +9.4%)

The first of this month’s two new titles. Although Captain Marvel (the former Ms Marvel) is appearing in AVENGERS VS X-MEN, the launch hasn’t been tied in to the crossover. In some ways that’s a rather surprising decision, though it can also be viewed as a commendable willingness to let the series launch on its own terms rather than forcing a promotional stunt on it.

For comparison, a launch at 42K puts the book in similar territory to 2011’s launches of PUNISHER (45K), and GHOST RIDER (41K).

46. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
03/12  #1 - 100,883
04/12  #2 -  53,024  (-47.4%)
05/12  #3 -  43,886  (-17.2%)
06/12  #4 -  43,022  ( -2.0%)
07/12  #5 -  38,951  ( -9.5%)

This is the first issue without a variant, hence the steeper than usual drop. Even so, the book is losing sales rather more quickly than you’d expect.

47. DAREDEVIL
07/07  ---
07/08  #109 - 39,258
07/09  ---
07/10  #508 - 38,438
=====
07/11  #1   - 64,866  (+147.8%)
08/11  #2   - 40,990  ( -36.8%)
09/11  #3   - 39,477  (  -3.7%)
09/11  #4   - 40,311  (  +2.1%)
10/11  #5   - 39,413  (  -2.2%)
11/11  #6   - 38,302  (  -2.8%)
12/11  #7   - 38,824  (  +1.4%)
01/12  #8   - 43,494  ( +12.0%)
02/12  #9   - 37,891  ( -12.9%)
03/12  #10  - 38,137  (  +0.6%)
04/12  #.1  - 38,463  (  +0.9%)
04/12  #11  - 46,111  ( +19.9%)
05/12  #12  - 39,231  ( -14.9%)
05/12  #13  - 39,056  (  -0.4%)
06/12  #14  - 43,865  ( +12.3%)
07/12  #15  - 38,469  ( -12.3%)
              6 mnth  ( -11.6%)
              1 year  ( -40.7%)
              2 year  (  +0.1%)
              3 year  (   --- )
              4 year  (  -2.0%)
              5 year  (   --- )

The book continues to hover stubbornly around the 38-39K mark (when it isn’t being spiked by variant covers or crossovers).

48. FANTASTIC FOUR
07/07  ---
07/08  ---
07/09  #568 - 45,828
07/10  #581 - 35,505
=====
07/11  #6   - 55,601  ( -5.6%)
07/11  #7   - 54,022  ( -2.8%)
08/11  #8   - 51,917  ( -0.2%)
09/11  #9   - 53,091  ( +2.3%)
10/11  #10  - 49,642  ( -6.5%)
10/11  #11  - 48,433  ( -2.4%)
11/11  #600 - 73,809  (+52.4%)
12/11  #601 - 51,080  (-30.8%)
01/12  #602 - 45,131  (-11.6%)
02/12  #603 - 42,419  ( -6.0%)
03/12  #604 - 42,126  ( -0.7%)
04/12  #605 - 42,372  ( +0.6%)
05/12  #.1  - 39,475  ( -6.8%)
05/12  #606 - 39,914  ( +1.1%)
06/12  #607 - 40,453  ( +1.4%)
07/12  #608 - 37,776  ( -6.6%)
              6 mnth  (-16.3%)
              1 year  (-32.1%)
              2 year  ( +6.4%)
              3 year  (-17.6%)
              4 year  (  --- )
              5 year  (  --- )

Set for a relaunch after issue #611.

49. AVENGING SPIDER-MAN
11/11  #1 - 112,153
12/11  #2 -  60,682  (-45.9%)
01/12  #3 -  52,371  (-13.7%)
02/12  #4 -  45,622  (-12.9%)
03/12  #5 -  40,877  (-10.4%)
04/12  #6 -  47,430  (+16.0%)
05/12  #7 -  38,012  (-19.9%)
06/12  #8 -  39,861  ( +4.9%)
07/12  #9 -  37,134  ( -6.8%)
             6 mnth  (-29.1%)

Still drifting downwards, though last month’s crossover bump slightly exaggerates the drop.

50,54. CAPTAIN AMERICA
07/07  #28  -  89,721
07/08  #40  -  79,317
07/09  #1   - 193,142
07/10  ---
=====
07/11  #1   -  96,926  (+116.4%)
08/11  #2   -  54,384  ( -43.9%)
09/11  #3   -  54,413  (  +0.1%)
10/11  ---
11/11  #4   -  54,157  (  -0.5%)
12/11  #5   -  47,333  ( -12.6%)
12/11  #6   -  47,753  (  +0.9%)
01/12  #7   -  46,954  (  -1.7%)
02/12  #8   -  43,487  (  -7.4%)
03/12  #9   -  41,631  (  -4.3%)
04/12  #10  -  41,474  (  -0.4%)
05/12  #11  -  39,012  (  -5.9%)
05/12  #12  -  38,800  (  -0.5%)
06/12  #13  -  39,456  (  +1.7%)
07/12  #14  -  36,812  (  -6.7%)
07/12  #15  -  36,433  (  -1.0%)
               6 mnth  ( -22.4%)
               1 year  ( -62.4%)
               2 year  (   --- )
               3 year  ( -81.1%)
               4 year  ( -54.1%)
               5 year  ( -59.4%)

Seems to be levelling out. The current run ends with issue #19, after which it’s relaunch time again.

51. X-TREME X-MEN
07/12  #1 - 36,802

This is a spin-off from a recent ASTONISHING X-MEN arc featuring an alternate-reality team of X-Men jumping between worlds. In other words, despite the title, it’s effectively a relaunch of EXILES, which was cancelled back in 2009.

If the idea here is that the “X-Men” label ought to sell more copies, it hasn’t really worked. Estimated sales of 37K put the book almost exactly on par with the late 2010 launches of NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT (37,399) and GENERATION HOPE (37,398). Should this be seen as a warning sign that Marvel has stretched the X-Men brand too thin?

52. INCREDIBLE HULK
07/07  #108 - 105,036
07/08  ---
07/09  #600 -  92,343
07/10  ---
=====
07/11  #632 -  28,518  (  +3.9%)
07/11  #633 -  27,216  (  -4.6%)
08/11  #634 -  27,310  (  +0.3%)
08/11  #635 -  38,223  ( +40.0%)
09/11  ---
10/11  #1   - 106,472  (+178.6%)
11/11  #2   -  80,143  ( -24.7%)
12/11  #3   -  46,446  ( -42.0%)
01/12  #4   -  45,876  (  -1.2%)
02/12  #5   -  42,760  (  -6.8%)
03/12  #6   -  40,522  (  -5.2%)
04/12  #7   -  42,135  (  +4.0%)
05/12  #7.1 -  38,472  (  -8.7%)
05/12  #8   -  42,076  (  +9.4%)
06/12  #9   -  40,467  (  -3.8%)
06/12  #10  -  38,122  (  -5.8%)
07/12  #11  -  36,743  (  -3.6%)
               6 mnth  ( -19.9%)
               1 year  ( +28.8%)
               2 year  (   --- )
               3 year  ( -60.2%)
               4 year  (   --- )
               5 year  ( -65.0%)

Set for a relaunch after issue #15. Sales are drifting down, but remain comfortably improved from the previous run.

57. ASTONISHING X-MEN
07/07  ---
07/08  #25 - 110,724
07/09  ---
07/10  ---
=====
07/11  #40 -  35,593  ( -4.1%)
08/11  #41 -  33,470  ( -6.0%)
09/11  #42 -  32,700  ( -2.3%)
10/11  #43 -  32,620  ( -0.2%)
11/11  #44 -  32,729  ( +0.3%)
12/11  #45 -  31,392  ( -4.1%)
01/12  #46 -  31,134  ( -0.8%)
02/12  #47 -  30,490  ( -2.1%)
03/12  #48 -  34,182  (+12.1%)
04/12  #49 -  31,291  ( -8.5%)
05/12  #50 -  61,866  (+97.7%)
06/12  #51 -  82,654  (+33.6%)
07/12  #52 -  35,766  (-56.7%)
              6 mnth  (+14.9%)
              1 year  ( +0.5%)
              2 year  (  --- )
              3 year  (  --- )
              4 year  (-67.7%)
              5 year  (  --- )

Back to regular material after the wedding hype. The book does hold on a few thousand extra readers, though.

59. X-MEN
07/10  #1  - 140,332
=====
07/11  #14 -  45,150  ( +1.1%)
07/11  #15 -  43,038  ( -4.7%)
08/11  #.1 -  38,078  (-11.5%)
08/11  #16 -  43,161  (+13.3%)
09/11  #17 -  43,200  ( +0.1%)
09/11  #18 -  42,066  ( -2.6%)
10/11  #19 -  40,906  ( -2.8%)
11/11  #20 -  43,515  ( +6.4%)
11/11  #21 -  39,919  ( -8.3%)
12/11  #22 -  39,121  ( -2.0%)
01/12  #23 -  38,719  ( -1.0%)
02/12  #24 -  36,906  ( -4.7%)
02/12  #25 -  36,488  ( -1.1%)
03/12  #26 -  35,833  ( -1.8%)
04/12  #27 -  36,843  ( +2.8%)
05/12  #28 -  35,838  ( -2.7%)
05/12  #29 -  35,483  ( -1.0%)
06/12  #30 -  37,690  ( +6.2%)
06/12  #31 -  35,789  ( -5.0%)
07/12  #32 -  35,091  ( -2.0%)
              6 mnth  ( -9.4%)
              1 year  (-22.3%)
              2 year  (-75.0%)

The familiar gentle drift down.

62,65. INVINCIBLE IRON MAN
07/07  #20  - 72,831
07/08  #3   - 63,043
07/09  #15  - 50,554
07/10  #28  - 48,690
=====
07/11  #506 - 41,052  ( -3.0%)
08/11  #507 - 40,082  ( -2.4%)
09/11  #508 - 41,295  ( +3.0%)
10/11  #509 - 38,721  ( -6.2%)
11/11  #510 - 38,118  ( -1.6%)
12/11  #511 - 35,402  ( -7.1%)
01/12  #512 - 35,159  ( -0.7%)
02/12  #513 - 32,748  ( -6.9%)
03/12  #514 - 31,424  ( -4.0%)
04/12  #515 - 32,409  ( +3.1%)
05/12  #516 - 31,374  ( -3.2%)
05/12  #517 - 31,536  ( +0.5%)
06/12  #518 - 32,553  ( -3.2%)
06/12  #519 - 32,518  ( -0.1%)
07/12  #520 - 32,765  ( +0.8%)
07/12  #521 - 32,172  ( -1.8%)
              6 mnth  ( -8.5%)
              1 year  (-21.6%)
              2 year  (-33.9%)
              3 year  (-36.4%)
              4 year  (-49.0%)
              5 year  (-55.8%)

Due to relaunch after issue #527. Sales are currently rock solid in the 31-32K range.

63. FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL
07/12  #33 - 32,435

About 5,000 behind the regular title, which isn’t bad at all.

64. ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES
07/07  ---
07/08  ---
07/09  ---
07/10  #3 of 5 - 47,840
=====
07/11  #6 of 6 - 42,760  ( -0.1%)
08/11  #1      - 58,522  (+36.9%)
09/11  #2      - 42,728  (-27.0%)
10/11  #3      - 40,792  ( -4.5%)
11/11  #4      - 39,342  ( -3.6%)
12/11  #5      - 36,396  ( -7.5%)
01/12  #6      - 34,865  ( -4.2%)
02/12  #7      - 33,863  ( -2.9%)
03/12  #8      - 32,222  ( -4.8%)
04/12  #9      - 31,336  ( -2.7%)
05/12  #10     - 31,257  ( -0.3%)
05/12  #11     - 31,344  ( +0.3%)
06/12  #12     - 30,845  ( -1.6%)
07/12  #13     - 32,380  ( +5.0%)
                 6 mnth  ( -7.1%)
                 1 year  (-24.3%)
                 2 year  (-32.3%)
                 3 year  (  --- )
                 4 year  (  --- )
                 5 year  (  --- )

A variant cover explains the slight increase.

68. AVENGERS ACADEMY
07/10  #2  - 38,061
=====
07/11  #16 - 25,379  ( -3.8%)
08/11  #17 - 24,898  ( -1.9%)
08/11  #18 - 24,538  ( -1.4%)
09/11  #19 - 23,928  ( -2.5%)
10/11  #20 - 23,412  ( -2.2%)
11/11  #21 - 22,713  ( -3.0%)
11/11  #22 - 22,531  ( -0.8%)
12/11  #23 - 22,422  ( -0.5%)
01/12  #24 - 21,857  ( -2.5%)
02/12  #25 - 21,963  ( +0.5%)
02/12  #26 - 21,633  ( -1.5%)
03/12  #27 - 21,830  ( +0.9%)
04/12  #28 - 22,333  ( +2.3%)
05/12  #29 - 29,460  (+31.9%)
05/12  #30 - 29,213  ( -0.8%)
06/12  #31 - 34,040  (+16.5%)
06/12  #32 - 32,243  ( -5.3%)
07/12  #33 - 31,687  ( -1.7%)
             6 mnth  (+45.0%)
             1 year  (+24.9%)
             2 year  (-16.7%)

Cancelled with issue #39, though it’s always possible some sort of successor title will emerge.

69. FF
07/11  #6  - 55,601  ( -5.6%)
07/11  #7  - 54,022  ( -2.8%)
08/11  #8  - 51,917  ( -0.2%)
09/11  #9  - 53,091  ( +2.3%)
10/11  #10 - 49,642  ( -6.5%)
10/11  #11 - 48,433  ( -2.4%)
11/11  #12 - 49,449  ( +2.1%)
12/11  #13 - 44,970  ( -9.1%)
01/12  #14 - 42,609  ( -5.3%)
02/12  #15 - 40,583  ( -4.8%)
03/12  #16 - 37,152  ( -8.5%)
04/12  #17 - 37,325  ( +0.5%)
05/12  #18 - 34,555  ( -7.4%)
06/12  #19 - 34,260  ( -0.9%)
07/12  #20 - 31,652  ( -7.6%)
             6 mnth  (-25.7%)
             1 year  (-43.1%)

Set for a relaunch after issue #23.

71. MIGHTY THOR
07/07  #1   - 165,325
07/08  #10  -  83,784
07/09  ---
07/10  #612 -  53,373
=====
07/11  #4   -  44,586  ( -7.3%)
08/11  #5   -  44,594  ( +0.0%)
09/11  #6   -  45,231  ( +1.4%)
10/11  #7   -  44,017  ( -2.7%)
11/11  #8   -  40,703  ( -7.5%)
12/11  #9   -  38,000  ( -6.6%)
01/12  #10  -  37,577  ( -1.1%)
02/12  #11  -  35,066  ( -6.7%)
03/12  #12  -  33,967  ( -3.1%)
04/12  #.1  -  33,533  ( -1.3%)
04/12  #13  -  34,500  ( +2.9%)
05/12  #14  -  32,550  ( -5.7%)
06/12  #15  -  33,674  ( +3.5%)
06/12  #16  -  31,798  ( -5.6%)
07/12  #17  -  30,879  ( -2.9%)
               6 mnth  (-17.8%)
               1 year  (-30.7%)
               2 year  (-42.1%)
               3 year  (  --- )
               4 year  (-63.1%)
               5 year  (-81.3%)

Set for a relaunch after issue #22.

72,81. DARK AVENGERS
07/07  ---
07/08  #122 - 47,170
07/09  #134 - 40,885
07/10  #146 - 31,501
=====
07/11  #160 - 27,810  (  +1.3%)
08/11  #161 - 26,439  (  -4.9%)
08/11  #162 - 25,990  (  -1.7%)
09/11  #163 - 24,199  (  -6.9%)
09/11  #.1  - 22,596  (  -6.6%)
10/11  #164 - 23,712  (  +4.9%)
11/11  #165 - 22,536  (  -5.0%)
11/11  #166 - 22,680  (  +0.6%)
12/11  #167 - 21,167  (  -6.7%)
01/12  #168 - 20,585  (  -2.7%)
01/12  #169 - 20,316  (  -1.3%)
02/12  #170 - 19,505  (  -4.0%)
03/12  #171 - 19,073  (  -2.2%)
04/12  #172 - 19,203  (  +0.7%)
04/12  #173 - 19,017  (  -1.0%)
05/12  #174 - 18,792  (  -1.2%)
06/12  #175 - 39,532  (+110.4%)
06/12  #176 - 34,614  ( -12.4%)
07/12  #177 - 30,643  ( -11.5%)
07/12  #178 - 28,572  (  -6.8%)
              6 mnth  ( +40.6%)
              1 year  (  +2.7%)
              2 year  ( -10.5%)
              3 year  ( -30.1%)
              4 year  ( -39.4%)
              5 year  (   --- )

Rapidly dropping back following issue #175’s relaunch – but it’s still a good 10K ahead of former THUNDERBOLTS sales, for now at least.

73. ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN
07/07  #84 - 59,929
07/08  #96 - 48,011
07/09  ---
07/10  ---
=====
07/11  ---
08/11  ---
09/11  #1  - 67,625  (+94.7%)
10/11  #2  - 44,399  (-34.3%)
11/11  #3  - 39,657  (-10.7%)
12/11  #4  - 37,115  ( -6.4%)
12/11  #5  - 35,153  ( -5.3%)
01/12  #6  - 33,975  ( -3.4%)
02/12  #7  - 32,353  ( -4.8%)
02/12  #8  - 30,822  ( -4.7%)
03/12  #9  - 30,080  ( -2.4%)
04/12  #10 - 29,743  ( -1.1%)
05/12  #11 - 28,711  ( -3.5%)
05/12  #12 - 28,839  ( +0.4%)
06/12  #13 - 29,159  ( +1.1%)
07/12  #14 - 29,879  ( +2.5%)
             6 mnth  (-12.1%)
             1 year  (  --- )
             2 year  (  --- )
             3 year  (  --- )
             4 year  (-37.8%)
             5 year  (-50.1%)

There’s a variant cover on this issue, but since it’s the third consecutive issue to post an increase, there may be some underlying momentum too.

78,80. DEADPOOL
07/09  #12 - 58,807
07/10  #25 - 36,828
=====
07/11  #40 - 27,303  ( -3.9%)
08/11  #41 - 26,766  ( -2.0%)
08/11  #42 - 26,794  ( +0.1%)
09/11  #43 - 26,643  ( -0.6%)
10/11  #44 - 26,678  ( +0.1%)
10/11  #45 - 27,552  ( +3.3%)
11/11  #46 - 26,260  ( -4.7%)
12/11  #47 - 25,910  ( -1.3%)
12/11  #48 - 25,458  ( -1.7%)
01/12  #49 - 24,783* ( -2.7%)
01/12  #.1 - 24,783* (  --- )
02/12  #50 - 40,695  (+64.2%)
02/12  #51 - 27,458  (-32.5%)
03/12  #52 - 27,990  ( +1.9%)
04/12  #53 - 29,334  ( +4.8%)
05/12  #54 - 29,644  ( +1.1%)
05/12  #55 - 29,022  ( -2.1%)
06/12  #56 - 29,513  ( +1.7%)
07/12  #57 - 29,155  ( -1.2%)
07/12  #58 - 28,706  ( -1.5%)
             6 mnth  (+15.8%)
             1 year  ( +5.1%)
             2 year  (-22.1%)
             3 year  (-51.2%)

Set for a relaunch after issue #63.

79. SCARLET SPIDER
01/12  #1 - 53,410
02/12  #2 - 33,794  (-36.7%)
03/12  #3 - 32,616  ( -3.5%)
04/12  #4 - 33,097  ( +1.5%)
05/12  #5 - 30,932  ( -6.5%)
06/12  #6 - 30,722  ( -0.7%)
07/12  #7 - 29,140  ( -5.1%)
            6 mnth  (-45.4%)

85. WINTER SOLDIER
02/12  #1 - 50,932
02/12  #2 - 41,164  (-19.2%)
03/12  #3 - 34,923  (-15.2%)
04/12  #4 - 33,519  ( -4.0%)
05/12  #5 - 30,646  ( -8.6%)
06/12  #6 - 30,386  ( -0.8%)
06/12  #7 - 28,984  ( -4.6%)
07/12  #8 - 27,317  ( -5.8%)

86. AGE OF APOCALYPSE
03/12  #1 - 56,426
04/12  #2 - 39,263  (-30.4%)
05/12  #3 - 32,085  (-18.3%)
06/12  #4 - 30,469  ( -5.0%)
07/12  #5 - 27,223  (-10.7%)

Three recent launches, all of which are still to find their level. In explaining his upcoming departure from WINTER SOLDIER, Ed Brubaker was originally going to end around issue #14 due to low sales, but has since been reprieved. Make of that what you will.

87,88. VENOM
07/11  #5  - 35,102  ( -9.9%)
08/11  #6  - 35,033  ( -0.2%)
09/11  #7  - 33,130  ( -5.4%)
10/11  #8  - 32,266  ( -2.6%)
11/11  #9  - 32,506  ( +0.7%)
12/11  #10 - 29,465  ( -9.4%)
12/11  #11 - 28,658  ( -2.7%)
01/12  #12 - 28,728  ( +0.2%)
02/12  #13 - 33,174  (+15.5%)
02/12  #.1 - 27,520  (-17.0%)
02/12  #.2 - 27,155  ( -1.3%)
02/12  #.3 - 26,969  ( -0.7%)
02/12  #.4 - 27,135  ( +0.6%)
03/12  #14 - 28,926  ( +6.6%)
04/12  #15 - 28,858  ( -0.2%)
04/12  #16 - 28,440  ( -1.4%)
05/12  #17 - 30,157  ( +6.0%)
05/12  #18 - 28,309  ( -6.1%)
06/12  #19 - 28,702  ( +1.4%)
07/12  #20 - 26,941  ( -6.1%)
07/12  #21 - 26,534  ( -1.5%)
             6 mnth  ( -7.6%)
             1 year  (-24.4%)

A slow downward trend, once you filter out the variant spikes.

91,93. X-FACTOR
07/07  #21  - 50,227
07/08  #33  - 53,088
07/09  #46  - 31,213
07/10  #207 - 32,082
=====
07/11  #222 - 24,794  ( +1.2%)
08/11  #223 - 23,854  ( -3.8%)
08/11  #224 - 23,681  ( -0.7%)
09/11  #.1  - 23,220  ( -1.9%)
09/11  #225 - 23,507  ( +1.2%)
10/11  #226 - 23,569  ( +0.3%)
11/11  #227 - 23,742  ( +0.7%)
12/11  #228 - 23,461  ( -1.2%)
12/11  #229 - 23,667  ( +0.9%)
01/12  #230 - 25,707  ( +8.6%)
02/12  #231 - 24,362  ( -5.2%)
02/12  #232 - 24,173  ( -0.8%)
03/12  #233 - 23,840  ( -1.4%)
04/12  #234 - 23,821  ( -0.1%)
05/12  #235 - 24,051  ( +1.0%)
05/12  #236 - 24,031  ( -0.1%)
06/12  #237 - 24,854  ( +3.4%)
06/12  #238 - 23,607  ( -5.0%)
07/12  #239 - 23,506  ( -0.4%)
07/12  #240 - 23,223  ( -1.2%)
              6 mnth  ( -9.7%)
              1 year  ( -6.3%)
              2 year  (-27.6%)
              3 year  (-25.6%)
              4 year  (-56.3%)
              5 year  (-53.8%)

Rock solid as usual.

94. PUNISHER
07/07  #9  - 56,854
07/08  #21 - 26,299
07/09  #7  - 31,277
07/10  #19 - 24,947
=====
07/11  ---
08/11  #1  - 44,725  (+209.1%)
08/11  #2  - 42,459  (  -5.1%)
09/11  #3  - 26,802  ( -36.9%)
10/11  #4  - 25,847  (  -3.6%)
11/11  #5  - 25,399  (  -1.7%)
12/11  #6  - 23,971  (  -5.6%)
01/12  #7  - 22,908  (  -4.4%)
02/12  #8  - 22,488  (  -1.8%)
03/12  #9  - 22,318  (  -0.8%)
04/12  #10 - 32,412  ( +45.2%)
05/12  #11 - 23,303  ( -28.1%)
06/12  #12 - 23,329  (  +0.1%)
07/12  #13 - 23,075  (  -1.1%)
             6 mnth  (  +0.7%)
             1 year  (   --- )
             2 year  (  -7.5%)
             3 year  ( -26.2%)
             4 year  ( -12.3%)
             5 year  ( -59.4%)

The current run ends with issue #16, leading into the WAR ZONE mini.

95. SECRET SERVICE [Icon]
04/12  #1 of 7 - 39,505
05/12  #2 of 7 - 28,265  (-28.5%)
06/12  ---
07/12  #3 of 7 - 22,993  (-18.7%)

Unusually heavy for a third issue drop, but still a very good number for a creator-owned book.

97. DEFENDERS
12/11  #1 - 85,969
01/12  #2 - 38,935  (-54.7%)
02/12  #3 - 33,548  (-13.8%)
03/12  #4 - 29,789  (-11.2%)
04/12  #5 - 27,893  ( -6.4%)
05/12  #6 - 25,518  ( -8.5%)
06/12  #7 - 23,574  ( -7.6%)
07/12  #8 - 22,504  ( -4.5%)
            6 mnth  (-42.2%)

Cancelled with issue #12.

99. HULK
07/09  ---
07/10  ---
=====
07/11  #36 - 28,651  ( +0.4%)
07/11  #37 - 30,318  ( +5.8%)
08/11  #38 - 29,059  ( -4.2%)
08/11  #39 - 26,895  ( -7.4%)
09/11  #40 - 26,591  ( -1.1%)
09/11  #41 - 26,084  ( -1.9%)
10/11  #42 - 27,025  ( +3.6%)
10/11  #43 - 25,514  ( -5.6%)
11/11  #44 - 24,596  ( -3.6%)
12/11  #45 - 23,273  ( -5.4%)
12/11  #46 - 22,974  ( -1.3%)
01/12  #47 - 22,720  ( -1.1%)
02/12  #48 - 21,751  ( -4.3%)
03/12  #49 - 21,510  ( -1.1%)
04/12  #50 - 34,437  (+60.1%)
05/12  #51 - 22,085  (-35.9%)
05/12  #52 - 21,882  ( -0.9%)
06/12  #53 - 22,386  ( +2.3%)
06/12  #54 - 22,070  ( -1.4%)
07/12  #55 - 22,141  ( +0.3%)
             6 mnth  ( -2.5%)
             1 year  (-22.7%)
             2 year  (  --- )
             3 year  (  --- )

This is being revamped as a RED SHE-HULK title with issue #59. Curiously, Marvel are passing up what would seem to be a legitimate opportunity for an issue #1.

104,106. NEW MUTANTS
07/09  #3  - 42,961
07/10  #15 - 35,426
=====
07/11  #27 - 27,963  ( +0.4%)
07/11  #28 - 26,130  ( -6.6%)
08/11  #29 - 27,205  ( -4.1%)
08/11  #30 - 26,678  ( -1.9%)
09/11  #31 - 25,672  ( -3.8%)
10/11  #32 - 25,364  ( -1.2%)
11/11  #33 - 28,665  (+13.0%)
11/11  #34 - 25,847  ( -9.8%)
12/11  #35 - 25,564  ( -1.1%)
01/12  #36 - 23,891  ( -6.5%)
02/12  #37 - 23,262  ( -2.6%)
02/12  #38 - 22,656  ( -2.6%)
03/12  #39 - 21,508  ( -5.1%)
04/12  #40 - 21,343  ( -0.8%)
04/12  #41 - 21,012  ( -1.6%)
05/12  #42 - 24,572  (+16.9%)
05/12  #43 - 24,160  ( -1.7%)
06/12  #44 - 22,069  ( -8.7%)
07/12  #45 - 20,751  ( -6.0%)
07/12  #46 - 20,396  ( -1.7%)
             6 mnth  (-14.6%)
             1 year  (-27.1%)
             2 year  (-42.4%)
             3 year  (-52.5%)

Cancelled with issue #50.

105. CAPTAIN AMERICA ANDÉ
07/11  #620 - 51,187
08/11  #621 - 36,069  (-29.5%)
09/11  #622 - 34,096  ( -5.5%)
10/11  #623 - 32,041  ( -6.0%)
11/11  #624 - 30,472  ( -4.9%)
12/11  #625 - 28,652  ( -6.0%)
01/12  #626 - 27,632  ( -3.6%)
02/12  #627 - 26,276  ( -4.9%)
03/12  #628 - 24,881  ( -5.3%)
04/12  #629 - 24,750  ( -0.5%)
05/12  #630 - 23,774  ( -3.9%)
05/12  #631 - 22,684  ( -4.6%)
06/12  #632 - 21,674  ( -4.5%)
06/12  #633 - 21,822  ( +0.7%)
07/12  #634 - 20,641  ( -5.4%)
              6 mnth  (-25.3%)
              1 year  (-59.7%)

Still going, but with sales like this, you have to wonder how long that can last.

109. JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY
07/11  #625 - 33,781  ( -5.7%)
08/11  #626 - 31,549  ( -6.6%)
08/11  #.1  - 27,877  (-11.6%)
09/11  #627 - 29,678  ( +6.5%)
09/11  #628 - 28,843  ( -2.8%)
10/11  #629 - 28,054  ( -2.7%)
10/11  #630 - 27,701  ( -1.3%)
11/11  #631 - 27,161  ( -1.9%)
12/11  #632 - 24,159  (-11.0%)
01/12  #633 - 23,869  ( -1.2%)
02/12  #634 - 22,323  ( -6.5%)
03/12  #635 - 21,617  ( -3.2%)
04/12  #636 - 21,148  ( -2.2%)
05/12  #637 - 24,378  (+15.3%)
05/12  #638 - 23,766  ( -2.5%)
06/12  #639 - 21,914  ( -7.8%)
06/12  #640 - 20,714  ( -5.5%)
07/12  #641 - 19,850  ( -4.2%)
              6 mnth  (-16.8%)
              1 year  (-41.2%)

This is being relaunched as a Sif title with issue #646. Again, the decision to pass up an issue #1 seems curious.

123. SPACE PUNISHER
07/12  #1 of 4 - 17,446

It’s the Punisher in space. Not a great number, but probably better than it would have done in the days when Marvel were deluging the lower end of the chart with minis.

125,158. INFERNAL MAN-THING
07/12  #1 of 3 - 17,132
07/12  #2 of 3 - 12,476  (-27.2%)

This is a previously unpublished Steve Gerber script which has been in the pipeline for years.

135. FURY MAX
05/12  #1 - 20,620
05/12  #2 - 19,021  (-7.8%)
06/12  #3 - 17,152  (-9.8%)
07/12  #4 - 16,329  (-4.8%)

This hasn’t been solicited past issue #6, but Marvel say it’s not cancelled. Presumably it’s going to a series-of-minis format.

151. UNTOLD TALES OF THE PUNISHER MAX
06/12  #1 of 5 - 16,449
07/12  #2 of 5 - 14.148  (-14.0%)

This isn’t too far below the sales of the ongoing series when it was cancelled, so Marvel should be happy enough.

153. DARK TOWER: GUNSLINGER - MAN IN BLACK
07/07  Gun'r Born #6     - 128,336
07/08  Long Road Home #5 -  74,981
07/09  Fall of Gilead #3 -  36,982
07/10  Gunslinger #3     -  22,744
=====
07/11  Tull #2 of 5      -  16,888  ( -4.4%)
08/11  #3 of 5           -  16,337  ( -3.3%)
09/11  #4 of 5           -  15,788  ( -3.4%)
10/11  #5 of 5           -  15,613  ( -1.1%)
11/11  ---
12/11  Way Station #1    -  15,367  ( -1.6%)
01/12  #2 of 5           -  14,827  ( -3.5%)
02/12  #3 of 5           -  14,302  ( -3.5%)
03/12  #4 of 5           -  13,987  ( -2.2%)
04/12  #5 of 5           -  13,823  ( -1.2%)
05/12  ---
06/12  Man in Black #1   -  14,672  ( +6.1%)
07/12  #2 of 5           -  13,831  ( -5.7%)
                            6 mnth  ( -6.7%)
                            1 year  (-18.1%)
                            2 year  (-39.2%)
                            3 year  (-62.6%)
                            4 year  (-81.6%)
                            5 year  (-89.2%)

The concluding volume of the adaptation.

161. MARVEL ZOMBIES DESTROY!
05/12  #1 of 5 - 16,375
05/12  #2 of 5 - 15,072  ( -8.0%)
06/12  #3 of 5 - 13,049  (-13.4%)
06/12  #4 of 5 - 12,501  ( -4.2%)
07/12  #5 of 5 - 11,859  ( -5.1%)

The franchise will be back for a Hallowe’en special, so Marvel apparently consider these numbers satisfactory.

222. MUPPETS
07/12  #1 of 4 - 7,558

The first MUPPETS book to come out from Marvel after the Boom licence expired. Licensed all-ages properties never do especially well in the direct market, and by those standards, this is actually a decent performance.

240. MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN 
04/12  #1 - 10,886
05/12  #2 -  7,581  (-30.4%)
06/12  #3 -  6,756  (-10.9%)
07/12  #4 -  6,447  ( -4.6%)

241. MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS
04/12  #1 - 12,874
05/12  #2 -  6,733  (-47.7%)
06/12  #3 -  6,345  ( -5.8%)
07/12  #4 -  6,421  ( +1.2%)

Both appear to be levelling out at reasonably healthy levels – again, by the standards of all-ages titles. Neither of these titles should be relying on the direct market.

271. TAKIO [Icon]
05/12  #1 - 9,793
06/12  ---
07/12  #2 - 5,337  (-45.5%)

Considering that this is a Bendis/Oeming comic, albeit an all-ages one, I really am surprised by these numbers.

Finally, JOHN CARTER: GODS OF MARS #5 failed to make the top 300, implying estimated orders below 4,187.

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

+ 45.0% - Avengers Academy
+ 40.6% - Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts
+ 19.5% - X-Men Legacy
+ 18.6% - New Avengers
+ 15.8% - Deadpool
+ 15.3% - Avengers
+ 14.9% - Astonishing X-Men
+  9.4% - Secret Avengers
+  8.7% - Amazing Spider-Man
+  3.7% - Wolverine
+  2.5% - Wolverine and the X-Men
+  0.7% - Punisher
+  0.6% - Uncanny X-Men
-  2.5% - Hulk
-  6.7% - Dark Tower
-  7.1% - Ultimates
-  7.6% - Venom
-  8.5% - Iron Man
-  9.2% - X-Force
-  9.4% - X-Men
-  9.7% - X-Factor
- 11.6% - Daredevil
- 12.1% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 14.6% - New Mutants
- 15.6% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 16.3% - Fantastic Four
- 16.8% - Journey into Mystery
- 17.8% - Thor
- 19.9% - Incredible Hulk
- 22.4% - Captain America
- 25.3% - Captain America And...
- 25.7% - FF
- 29.1% - Avenging Spider-Man
- 42.2% - Defenders
- 45.4% - Scarlet Spider


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

+ 44.6% - Wolverine
+ 28.8% - Incredible Hulk
+ 24.9% - Avengers Academy
+ 11.6% - Uncanny X-Men
+  8.6% - X-Men Legacy
+  7.6% - New Avengers
+  5.1% - Deadpool
+  3.6% - Amazing Spider-Man
+  2.7% - Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts
+  0.9% - Avengers
+  0.5% - Astonishing X-Men
-  6.3% - X-Factor
- 10.8% - Secret Avengers
- 14.3% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 16.3% - X-Force
- 18.1% - Dark Tower
- 21.6% - Iron Man
- 22.3% - X-Men
- 22.7% - Hulk
- 24.3% - Ultimates
- 24.4% - Venom
- 27.1% - New Mutants
- 30.7% - Thor
- 32.1% - Fantastic Four
- 40.7% - Daredevil
- 41.2% - Journey into Mystery
- 43.1% - FF
- 59.7% - Captain America And ...
- 62.4% - Captain America


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

+106.0% - Wolverine
+ 11.0% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
+  6.4% - Fantastic Four
+  5.3% - Amazing Spider-Man
+  0.1% - Daredevil
-  4.3% - Uncanny X-Men
-  7.5% - Punisher
- 10.5% - Dark Avengers
- 15.8% - X-Men Legacy
- 16.7% - Avengers Academy
- 22.1% - Deadpool
- 24.8% - New Avengers
- 24.8% - X-Force
- 27.6% - X-Factor
- 27.7% - Avengers
- 32.3% - Ultimates
- 33.9% - Iron Man
- 39.2% - Dark Tower
- 42.1% - Thor
- 42.4% - Secret Avengers
- 42.4% - New Mutants
- 75.0% - X-Men


3 year comparisons
==================

+ 65.6% - Captain Marvel / Ms Marvel
+  1.6% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 17.6% - Fantastic Four
- 18.6% - Amazing Spider-Man
- 23.5% - Uncanny X-Men
- 24.1% - X-Force
- 24.3% - X-Men Legacy
- 25.6% - X-Factor
- 26.0% - New Avengers
- 26.2% - Punisher
- 30.1% - Dark Avengers
- 36.4% - Iron Man
- 51.2% - Deadpool
- 52.5% - New Mutants
- 60.2% - Incredible Hulk
- 62.6% - Dark Tower
- 81.1% - Captain America


4 year comparisons
==================

+  0.9% - Captain Marvel / Ms Marvel
-  2.0% - Daredevil
- 12.3% - Punisher
- 14.4% - Amazing Spider-Man
- 23.9% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 31.6% - Wolverine
- 35.7% - X-Men Legacy
- 36.3% - X-Force
- 37.8% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 39.4% - Dark Avengers
- 42.3% - New Avengers
- 49.0% - Iron Man
- 54.1% - Captain America
- 56.3% - X-Factor
- 58.0% - Uncanny X-Men
- 63.1% - Thor
- 67.7% - Astonishing X-Men
- 81.6% - Dark Tower


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

- 26.4% - Uncanny X-Men
- 44.2% - Amazing Spider-Man
- 44.3% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 47.9% - X-Men Legacy
- 49.0% - New Avengers
- 50.1% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 53.4% - Wolverine
- 53.8% - X-Factor
- 55.8% - Iron Man
- 59.4% - Captain America
- 59.4% - Punisher
- 65.0% - Incredible Hulk
- 81.3% - Thor
- 89.2% - Dark Tower

36 COMMENTS

  1. Great, something fun to talk about now.

    Really detest these AvsX books! I could tell they didn’t have a story after maybe the 2nd issue ( Drat, those snake oil salesmen got about $8 out of me because I like JR Jr’s art) Along with maybe 50 of DC’s new 52, these are the epitome of corporate comics.

    Keep looking for good independent stuff/fresh visions and AvsX’s will go away one day.

  2. Delighted to see Captain Marvel with a good opening. Hopefully good word of mouth and reorders will push it even higher.

    GO, KELLY SUE.

  3. Gail Simone

    are captain marvel numbers really good? ghost rider has been already closed and punisher not exactly a best sellers.

  4. 14 titles double shipping (12 if you count out AvX and Man-Thing which are not monthly titles) if I counted correctly.

    I’d gladly buy more Marvel titles if they always shipped once per month.

    I really despise this practice. It limits customer choice and it causes heavy artist rotation which is also not good.

    I believe the only reason for double shipping is to compete with DC for the #1 spot but it is a very customer unfriendly way to do so.

    I also think that Marvel might be cannibalizing its own “second tier” titles which are often very good but often sell poorly.

  5. “Ed Brubaker was originally going to end around issue #14 due to low sales, but has since been reprieved.”

    Glad to hear that Ed got a reprieve and is not going to end.

  6. I would think that Captain Marvel is going to drop off pretty quickly, if it gets to 12 issues I’ll be surprised. The writing is average at best but the big problem is the art – you look at those lush bright covers and think “I’ll get me some of that!” and you open it and it’s some dull muddy mess is not particularly well-suited to the stories being told.

  7. Regarding Captain Marvel, too bad Marvel seems to want this book to fail–okay, okay, I know they really don’t but the covers and the interior artwork for this title sure seems that way!

  8. Re: Captain Marvel’s art.

    The interior art has grown on me and I enjoyed #2 quite a bit.

    I like the covers too but I do agree that they are stylistically too distant from the interiors, to the point they set wrong expectations for what’s inside.

  9. I haven’t read Captain Marvel, but I do wish it well since superhero comics are badly in need of more women creators.

    However, looking at the artwork, I feel the artist, Dexter Soy, is a poor choice for this book. His work is more suited to a masculine character with his angular lines, stiff character poses, and heavy, blocky character builds. The covers are also not doing the book any favors.

    Oh well.

  10. Judging by what I’m seeing in books like “Saga” and “Wolves”, women creators are doing some of the best stuff in comics I’ve seen in a long time.

    I say let all the Jim Lee wannabes stay in the big two and keep creating line art versions of Van Damme movies.

  11. I think its great that Gail Simone gave a shout out to Kelly Sue and Captain Marvel. Supportive and positive! Better than reading the Rob angry tweets

  12. The other problem with issue 2 was that the reader was way way too far ahead of the character – which makes Captain Marvel look like a putz.

  13. How can this Incredible Hulk reboot sell more than the previous one! I have been reading Hulk titles for approx 10 years and this is the poorest and cheesiest relaunch yet. Thank GOD Red Hulk is still good enough….also, reboot often means jumping off points for fans like myself, so farewell to FF, Fantastic Four, Iron Man…for now….may give Cap America a try, but wonder if it is worth it as this is probably the comic book character that has had the most reboots in the US comic industry (tied with Aquaman)…..until things get better and Marvel stops double shipping $4 comics, Make Mine Marvel (NOW)!

  14. Glad to see Muppets doing well. Roger Landridge is a great talent responsible for some really fun books.

    I hope to see more Disney comics being published, like, errr, Disney Comics?

  15. Naveed said:
    “may give Cap America a try, but wonder if it is worth it as this is probably the comic book character that has had the most reboots in the US comic industry (tied with Aquaman)”

    I could be mistaken but I think there is a significant difference between Captain America and Aquaman. I would guess that Aquaman has often legitimately been cancelled several times due to low sales. The book actually ends and disappears for months/years at a time. With Captain America each “final” issue was immediately followed by a new number one the very next month. That’s not a cancellation it is a gimmick/stunt.

  16. Hate to disappoint you, Naveed, but the Red Hulk comic is changing to a Red She-Hulk comic. Too bad, Hulk has been one of Marvel’s best titles.

  17. I’ve liked the first two issues of Captain Marvel but if Marvel was really serious about pushing the book, they’d put a big name artist with Kelly Sue Deconnick instead of a new guy. Comics are still a visual medium no matter how good a writer is and I’m not sure that Dexter Soy’s art help sells the book.

  18. @ Torsten Adair

    I can’t even find his numbers for Snarked :(

    Hello people, it won an Eisner! These comics aren’t going to buy themselves! You read his stuff when we was writing Thor so why do you think you won’t like this? Do you really want a market with only reheated corporate superhero comics?

  19. YAY! A Roger Landridge discussion!!

    Snarked is *awesome*! It’s probably the best periodical comic being produced right now. Landridge has always had amazing skills, but his character work in Snarked is hitting a new high with his ability to tell a story just with characters’ faces.

    He’s a guy who’s always going to have a harder time finding an audience in the current comic market because most comic shops don’t understand all ages material. They kinda lump it all together in the kids’ section and don’t bother learning anything about it.

    The sad thing to me is Landridge should be held in the same regard as other masters like Jeff Smith, Chris Ware, or Jamie Hernandez, but most people still look down on all ages material. (For example, when is the last time anyone wrote critically about all ages material except for perennial favorites like Carl Barks or Jeff Smith?)

  20. Snarked is awsome and Kaboom have a solid line up of all-ages comics. They truly deserve a wider audience and I hope they are already finding it outside the direct market.

  21. I love his work on Popeye.

    Was his Boom Muppets work ever collected? Would Marvel collect it now seeing as they own the Muppets?

    People forget the comic industry at one time was all ages. Superhero comics would be 1,000,000 time more fun if they were written for the kids again instead of a select audience of 40 year old men.

  22. 14 titles double shipping (12 if you count out AvX and Man-Thing which are not monthly titles) if I counted correctly.

    I’d gladly buy more Marvel titles if they always shipped once per month.

    I really despise this practice. It limits customer choice and it causes heavy artist rotation which is also not good.

    I believe the only reason for double shipping is to compete with DC for the #1 spot but it is a very customer unfriendly way to do so.

    I also think that Marvel might be cannibalizing its own “second tier” titles which are often very good but often sell poorly.

    ____________________

    Quoted for the truth.

  23. “I believe the only reason for double shipping is to compete with DC for the #1 spot but it is a very customer unfriendly way to do so.”

    You are wrong. We don’t double ship for “#1” spot.
    We run publishing as a business that amongst many things creates revenue rivers and grows bottom line for the near- and long-term future. We don’t goal-set based on fleeting rankings. Thanks.

  24. A discussion on this site with Chris Hero actually got me to pick up Snarked and I totally agree with him. I look forward to reading it each month and sharing it with my daughter when she’s old enough to enjoy it.

  25. Muppets was collected – by Boom and then for some of the four issue minis by Marvel. They are terrific reads and retail for $10 or less.

  26. “You are wrong. We don’t double ship for “#1″ spot.”

    Then why do it? Double shipping is a clear publishing difference between DC and Marvel and, when you look at what the approach has done to the sales of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN long term, it doesn’t appear to serve any purpose other than maximizing immediate returns at the risk of future sales erosion.

    Mike

  27. I was told Dark Avengers is turning back to Thunderbolts. Is that true? And I got to echo the sentiments of previous posters about the enormous discrepancy between the Captain Marvel covers and interiors. Not sure what Marvel’s going for with that decision.

  28. Marvel has been doing these things revolved around the New Avengers books where they come up with some vague idea or title and passes it off as a story.

    You know, like ‘Intiative’ or the ‘Heroic Age’. That last one barely got going and it’s over. I read AvsX until I didn’t see the point. Everything seems so messed up, it doesn’t matter anymore. Whose who? What’s what? It will change next year.

    I want read to read my good old Uncanny X-Men. I can’t. It’s been cancelled… twice!

    See my point.

  29. It’s weird to see an industry professional congratulate the Captain Marvel title as if it were a success, because it really isn’t. By all accounts, the writer is the LEAST thing wrong with the title, but it still seems odd to congratulate the title, basically, just because there’s a female writer on it.

  30. The Muppets “four seasons” collection has been announced:

    http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/muppets-marvel-comics/1110912332?ean=9780785165385

    Double shipping means a publisher can issue twice as many trades a year. The comics sales pay for the costs of production. Also, there might be erosion, but that will be mitigated by digital sales (perhaps in bulk or special offers) and trade sales.

    Eventually, with digital, you want a weekly product that replicates the Wednesday crowd at comics shops. Each day of the week could be a specific character. Monday is Spider-Man, Tuesday is Avengers, Wednesday is X-Men…

    Spider-Man shows that you can raise readership on the lower titles by re-branding it all under one title, and tightening the storyline. Imagine the various Avengers titles, with three/four storylines running through each issue. Lots of transitions, but you get the Avengers, the Secrets, the Thunderbolts, and maybe some solo character stories. Perhaps you have one mastermind plotter, and various scripters who do certain arcs. This way you develop talent who can then take over when the mastermind gets bored or tired.

Comments are closed.