On the surface, December 2010 was a great month for DC Comics. The company had a bigger share of the market than its main competitor Marvel, if only in terms of dollar value, and took all of the Top 5 spots on the chart, as well as a total 8 out of the Top 10. That doesn’t happen a lot.
Upon closer inspection, though, a less rosy picture emerges: DC’s average comic-book sales in the direct market were slightly down from November, average dollar and unit sales were only slightly up. So, despite big releases like the debut of writer/artist David Finch’s Batman: The Dark Knight and, over in the “Graphic Novel” section, J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One book, it turns out December was more or less business as usual, from a commercial vantage point.
Meanwhile, DC’s WildStorm imprint, which the company bought from Jim Lee in 1998 and then proceeded to slowly but determinedly squeeze the life out of, ceased publication in December. Average WildStorm sales sagged below the 5K mark, to the lowest number in history.
See below for the details, and please consider the small 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.
—–
1 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT 12/2010: Dark Knight #1 -- 89,985
Originally solicited for November 24, David Finch’s new, supposedly monthly ongoing series finally scraped into stores more than a month late, on December 29 — the initial release date of the second issue, incidentally, which is currently meant to go on sale March 23, if DC’s Web site is to be believed.
There are two major points to take away from this. One: DC’s biggest book for the time being debuts with sales well below the 100K mark. Two: It was already wildly off-schedule by the time the first issue went to the printer. Not a terribly good omen for 2011.
There were 1:25 and 1:200 variant-cover editions to boost the numbers.
—–
2/5 - GREEN LANTERN 12/2005: Green Lantern #6 -- 88,437 12/2006: -- 12/2007: Green Lantern #25 -- 90,545 12/2007: Green Lantern #26 -- 69,986 12/2008: Green Lantern #36 -- 64,755 [ 74,005] -------------------------------------- 12/2009: Green Lantern #49 -- 97,285 (- 3.1%) 01/2010: Green Lantern #50 -- 106,444 (+ 9.4%) 02/2010: Green Lantern #51 -- 95,509 (-10.3%) 03/2010: Green Lantern #52 -- 97,369 (+ 2.0%) 04/2010: Green Lantern #53 -- 100,356 (+ 3.1%) 05/2010: Green Lantern #54 -- 88,292 (-12.0%) 06/2010: Green Lantern #55 -- 85,930 (- 2.7%) 07/2010: Green Lantern #56 -- 84,164 (- 2.1%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: Green Lantern #57 -- 85,179 (+ 1.2%) 10/2010: Green Lantern #58 -- 81,626 (- 4.2%) 11/2010: Green Lantern #59 -- 76,173 (- 6.7%) 12/2010: Green Lantern #60 -- 76,360 (+ 0.3%) 12/2010: Green Lantern #61 -- 72,203 (- 5.4%) ----------------- 6 months: - 13.6% 1 year : - 23.7% 2 years : + 14.7% 5 years : - 16.0%
The “Brightest Day” branding goes on, but it no longer brings the sales. After a very strong couple of years, Green Lantern returns to a lower baseline.
—–
3/4 - BRIGHTEST DAY 04/2010: Brightest Day #0 -- 129,446 05/2010: Brightest Day #1 -- 129,158 (- 0.2%) 05/2010: Brightest Day #2 -- 112,806 (-12.7%) 06/2010: Brightest Day #3 -- 107,269 (- 4.9%) 06/2010: Brightest Day #4 -- 101,730 (- 5.2%) 07/2010: Brightest Day #5 -- 97,245 (- 4.4%) 07/2010: Brightest Day #6 -- 94,684 (- 2.6%) 08/2010: Brightest Day #7 -- 93,459 (- 1.3%) 08/2010: Brightest Day #8 -- 91,546 (- 2.1%) 09/2010: Brightest Day #9 -- 88,446 (- 3.4%) 09/2010: Brightest Day #10 -- 87,241 (- 1.4%) 10/2010: Brightest Day #11 -- 83,823 (- 3.9%) 10/2010: Brightest Day #12 -- 82,394 (- 1.7%) 11/2010: Brightest Day #13 -- 79,955 (- 3.0%) 11/2010: Brightest Day #14 -- 78,452 (- 1.9%) 12/2010: Brightest Day #15 -- 75,450 (- 3.8%) 12/2010: Brightest Day #16 -- 74,871 (- 0.8%) ----------------- 6 months: - 28.1%
DC’s longform event series continues with a fairly standard attrition rate. And, comparing the individual drops from the last four months, there’s more evidence that more people tend to drop titles in-between calendar months than in the middle of a given month, I suppose.
—–
6 - BATMAN, INC. 11/2010: Batman, Inc. #1 -- 95,587 11/2010: Batman, Inc. #2 -- 71,544 (-25.2%)
That’s a stiff drop, probably explained by the lack of a 1:200 variant edition this time around. Be that as it may, Batman, Inc. #3 won’t be out until March, either, so DC enters 2011 on two months without the two new flagship titles of its current flagship franchise.
—–
7 - BATMAN AND ROBIN 12/2009: -- 01/2010: Batman and Robin #7 -- 87,780 (- 8.3%) 02/2010: Batman and Robin #8 -- 87,302 (- 0.6%) 02/2010: Batman and Robin #9 -- 84,562 (- 3.1%) 03/2010: Batman and Robin #10 -- 85,292 (+ 0.9%) 04/2010: Batman and Robin #11 -- 84,006 (- 1.5%) 05/2010: Batman and Robin #12 -- 84,843 (+ 1.0%) 06/2010: -- 07/2010: Batman and Robin #13 -- 85,804 (+ 1.1%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: Batman and Robin #14 -- 82,894 (- 3.4%) 10/2010: Batman and Robin #15 -- 80,173 (- 3.3%) 11/2010: Batman and Robin #16 -- 80,343 (+ 0.2%) 11/2010: Batman and Robin #17 -- 70,600 (-12.1%) 12/2010: Batman and Robin #18 -- 68,814 (- 2.5%) ---------------- 6 months: n.a. 1 year : n.a.
Holding up reasonably well, considering that the book has effectively been “demoted” to a secondary Batman title. Also, we’re still in the middle of a last-minute fill-in run, which the numbers probably aren’t an accurate reflection of yet.
—–
10 - BATMAN 12/2005: Batman #648 -- 63,151 [64,760] 12/2006: Batman #660 -- 76,967 12/2006: Batman #661 -- 75,512 12/2007: Batman #672 -- 71,189 12/2008: Batman #682 -- 93,469 ------------------------------- 12/2009: Batman #694 -- 65,908 (- 4.5%) 01/2010: Batman #695 -- 63,467 (- 3.7%) 02/2010: Batman #696 -- 61,290 (- 3.4%) 03/2010: Batman #697 -- 61,157 (- 0.2%) 04/2010: Batman #698 -- 60,934 (- 0.4%) 05/2010: Batman #699 -- 62,377 (+ 2.4%) 06/2010: Batman #700 -- 104,755 (+67.9%) 07/2010: Batman #701 -- 76,398 (-27.1%) 08/2010: Batman #702 -- 73,414 (- 3.9%) 09/2010: Batman #703 -- 77,033 (+ 4.9%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Batman #704 -- 65,212 (-15.4%) 12/2010: Batman #705 -- 63,262 (- 3.0%) ---------------- 6 months: -39.6% 1 year : - 4.0% 2 years : -32.3% 5 years : + 0.2%
Back in an average decline.
—–
12/18 - THE FLASH 12/2005: Flash #229 -- 41,459 12/2006: Flash: FMA #7 -- 53,600 12/2007: Flash #235 -- 43,788 12/2008: Flash #247 -- 26,498 ----------------------------------- 12/2009: -- 01/2010: -- 02/2010: Rebirth #6 of 6 -- 70,824 (- 4.1%) 03/2010: -- 04/2010: Flash #1 -- 100,903 (+ 42.5%) 05/2010: Flash #2 -- 76,560 (- 24.1%) 06/2010: Flash #3 -- 68,804 (- 10.1%) 07/2010: Flash #4 -- 64,832 (- 5.8%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: Flash #5 -- 62,063 (- 4.3%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Flash #6 -- 57,673 (- 7.1%) 12/2010: Flash #7 -- 56,304 (- 2.4%) 12/2010: Flash #8 -- 53,975 (- 4.1%) ----------------- 6 months: - 19.9% 1 year : n.a. 2 years : +108.1% 5 years : + 33.0%
The book seems to be settling down at about 50K — a solid number for The Flash, historically.
—–
16 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS 12/2005: GLC: Recharge #3 of 5 -- 64,490 [65,669] 12/2006: Green Lantern Corps #7 -- 38,737 12/2007: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 50,516 12/2008: Green Lantern Corps #31 -- 44,033 ------------------------------------------ 12/2009: Green Lantern Corps #43 -- 77,774 (- 3.3%) 01/2010: Green Lantern Corps #44 -- 76,458 (- 1.7%) 02/2010: Green Lantern Corps #45 -- 75,404 (- 1.4%) 03/2010: Green Lantern Corps #46 -- 76,720 (+ 1.8%) 04/2010: Green Lantern Corps #47 -- 72,163 (- 5.9%) 05/2010: Green Lantern Corps #48 -- 68,826 (- 4.6%) 06/2010: Green Lantern Corps #49 -- 66,652 (- 3.2%) 07/2010: Green Lantern Corps #50 -- 67,035 (+ 0.6%) 08/2010: Green Lantern Corps #51 -- 67,124 (+ 0.1%) 09/2010: Green Lantern Corps #52 -- 63,577 (- 5.3%) 10/2010: Green Lantern Corps #53 -- 60,808 (- 4.4%) 11/2010: Green Lantern Corps #54 -- 57,448 (- 5.5%) 12/2010: Green Lantern Corps #55 -- 54,387 (- 5.3%) ---------------- 6 months: -18.4% 1 year : -30.1% 2 years : +23.5% 5 years : -15.7%
See Green Lantern: The franchise is contracting again.
—–
21 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA 12/2005: JLA #123 -- 76,899 12/2006: Justice League #4 -- 136,709 [139,123] 12/2006: Justice League #5 -- 132,460 [133,924] 12/2007: Justice League #15 -- 100,234 12/2007: Justice League #16 -- 95,557 12/2008: Justice League #27 -- 75,803 -------------------------------------- 12/2009: Justice League #40 -- 68,672 (-23.2%) 01/2010: Justice League #41 -- 62,262 (- 9.3%) 02/2010: Justice League #42 -- 57,522 (- 7.6%) 03/2010: Justice League #43 -- 56,461 (- 1.9%) 04/2010: Justice League #44 -- 62,342 (+10.4%) 05/2010: Justice League #45 -- 62,465 (+ 0.2%) 06/2010: Justice League #46 -- 62,754 (+ 0.5%) 07/2010: Justice League #47 -- 60,368 (- 3.8%) 08/2010: Justice League #48 -- 60,733 (+ 0.6%) 09/2010: Justice League #49 -- 57,616 (- 5.1%) 10/2010: Justice League #50 -- 59,686 (+ 3.6%) 11/2010: Justice League #51 -- 50,887 (-14.7%) 12/2010: Justice League #52 -- 48,501 (- 4.7%) ---------------- 6 months: -22.7% 1 year : -29.4% 2 years : -36.0% 5 years : -36.9%
The book has seen better days, obviously.
—–
25 - GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS 08/2010: Emerald Warriors #1 -- 68,332 09/2010: Emerald Warriors #2 -- 56,289 (-17.6%) 10/2010: Emerald Warriors #3 -- 50,490 (-10.3%) 11/2010: Emerald Warriors #4 -- 46,319 (- 8.3%) 12/2010: Emerald Warriors #5 -- 44,077 (- 4.8%)
Bottoming out, though very slowly.
—–
26 - SUPERMAN 12/2005: Superman #224 -- 63,719 [ 65,300] 12/2006: -- 12/2007: Superman #671 -- 45,290 12/2008: Superman #683 -- 55,287 --------------------------------- 12/2009: Superman #695 -- 32,482 (- 5.7%) 01/2010: Superman #696 -- 31,940 (- 1.7%) 02/2010: Superman #697 -- 31,504 (- 1.4%) 03/2010: Superman #698 -- 33,336 (+ 5.8%) 04/2010: Superman #699 -- 33,183 (- 0.5%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Superman #700 -- 67,571 (+103.6%) 07/2010: Superman #701 -- 54,506 (- 19.3%) 08/2010: Superman #702 -- 50,023 (- 8.2%) 09/2010: -- 10/2010: Superman #703 -- 50,460 (+ 0.9%) 10/2010: Superman #704 -- 46,741 (- 7.4%) 11/2010: Superman #705 -- 46,261 (- 1.0%) 12/2010: Superman #706 -- 43,027 (- 7.0%) ----------------- 6 months: - 36.3% 1 year : + 32.5% 2 years : - 22.2% 5 years : - 32.5%
Another unbelievable management failure on DC’s part: J. Michael Straczynski abandons his much ballyhooed, much maligned Superman makeover halfway through, leaving for greener pastures after issue #707. Issue #706 was a last-minute fill-in, meanwhile.
What’s probably worse for DC is that the current, already less-than-spectacular numbers reflect the demand for the Straczynski story, rather than the filler piece that took its place. Once the news of his departure had time to sink in at the retail level, I doubt the numbers will get better.
—–
30/43 - BATMAN ANNUALS 12/2010: Detective Comics Annual #12 -- 33,522 12/2010: Batman Annual #28 -- 41,484
The two annuals were part of the same story, by the same creative team. The fact that the Batman Annual was part 2 doesn’t seem to have been of much interest to retailers, looking at the numbers.
—–
33 - GREEN LANTERN: LARFLEEZE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 12/2010: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 -- 39,673
A one-shot special written by Geoff Johns, with rock-solid sales for this type of book.
—–
36 - DETECTIVE COMICS 12/2005: Detective Comics #814 -- 37,145 12/2006: Detective Comics #826 -- 59,657 12/2006: Detective Comics #827 -- 55,031 12/2007: Detective Comics #839 -- 62,297 [65,773] 12/2008: Detective Comics #851 -- 64,961 ----------------------------------------- 12/2009: Detective Comics #860 -- 52,295 (- 3.9%) 01/2010: Detective Comics #861 -- 45,937 (-12.2%) 02/2010: -- 03/2010: Detective Comics #862 -- 44,687 (- 2.7%) 03/2010: Detective Comics #863 -- 43,119 (- 3.5%) 04/2010: Detective Comics #864 -- 42,436 (- 1.6%) 05/2010: Detective Comics #865 -- 41,501 (- 2.2%) 06/2010: Detective Comics #866 -- 46,178 (+11.3%) 07/2010: Detective Comics #867 -- 40,371 (-12.6%) 08/2010: Detective Comics #868 -- 38,682 (- 4.2%) 09/2010: Detective Comics #869 -- 37,394 (- 3.3%) 10/2010: Detective Comics #870 -- 35,674 (- 4.6%) 11/2010: Detective Comics #871 -- 36,941 (+ 3.6%) 12/2010: Detective Comics #872 -- 37,961 (+ 2.8%) ----------------- 6 months: - 17.8% 1 year : - 27.4% 2 years : - 41.6% 5 years : + 2.2%
Two issues into the run by the new creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock, sales continue a slow climb. That’s some much-needed good news for the Batman line.
—–
37 - GREEN ARROW 12/2005: Green Arrow #57 -- 31,778 12/2006: Green Arrow #69 -- 32,234 12/2007: Arrow/Canary #3 -- 40,321 12/2008: Arrow/Canary #15 -- 24,526 ----------------------------------- 12/2009: Arrow&Canary #27 -- 16,904 (- 2.8%) 01/2010: Arrow&Canary #28 -- 16,482 (- 2.5%) 02/2010: Arrow&Canary #29 -- 16,600 (+ 0.7%) 02/2010: Black Arrow #30 -- 42,014 (+153.1%) 03/2010: Green Arrow #31 -- 28,486 (- 32.2%) 04/2010: Green Arrow #32 -- 29,137 (+ 2.3%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Green Arrow #1 -- 54,400 (+ 86.7%) [57,554] 07/2010: Green Arrow #2 -- 44,118 (- 18.9%) 08/2010: Green Arrow #3 -- 46,308 (+ 5.0%) 09/2010: Green Arrow #4 -- 44,220 (- 4.5%) 10/2010: Green Arrow #5 -- 42,188 (- 4.6%) 11/2010: Green Arrow #6 -- 39,575 (- 6.2%) 12/2010: Green Arrow #7 -- 36,835 (- 6.9%) ----------------- 6 months: - 32.3% 1 year : +117.9% 2 years : + 50.2% 5 years : + 15.9%
The impression that retailers massively over-ordered a whole bunch of DC titles earlier in 2010 persists. Green Arrow is still doing very well, historically, but it’s been quite a slide for the last few issues, and it’s getting faster.
—–
38 - WONDER WOMAN 12/2005: Wonder Woman #224 -- 47,224 12/2006: -- 12/2007: Wonder Woman #15 -- 44,628 12/2008: Wonder Woman #27 -- 32,322 ------------------------------------- 12/2009: Wonder Woman #39 -- 26,152 (- 0.4%) 01/2010: Wonder Woman #40 -- 25,156 (- 3.8%) 02/2010: Wonder Woman #41 -- 25,354 (+ 0.8%) 03/2010: Wonder Woman #42 -- 25,240 (- 0.5%) 04/2010: Wonder Woman #43 -- 25,369 (+ 0.5%) 05/2010: Wonder Woman #44 -- 25,443 (+ 0.3%) 06/2010: Wonder Woman #600 -- 53,525 (+110.4%) [63,700] 07/2010: Wonder Woman #601 -- 39,672 (- 25.9%) 08/2010: Wonder Woman #602 -- 38,012 (- 4.2%) 09/2010: Wonder Woman #603 -- 38,852 (+ 2.2%) 10/2010: Wonder Woman #604 -- 37,405 (- 3.7%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Wonder Woman #605 -- 35,495 (- 5.1%) ----------------- 6 months: - 33.7% 1 year : + 35.7% 2 years : + 9.8% 5 years : - 24.8%
Another book abandoned in mid-run by highly publicized writer J. Michael Straczynski. The solicitations list him as the sole series writer through issue #607, but he’s handed off his outline for the book to another writer as of the December issue. Sales, as unimpressive as they already are, still reflect the demand for the Straczynski run.
—–
45 - BIRDS OF PREY 12/2005: Birds of Prey #89 -- 30,653 12/2006: Birds of Prey #101 -- 29,825 12/2007: Birds of Prey #113 -- 24,717 12/2008: Birds of Prey #125 -- 20,161 ------------------------------------- 05/2010: Birds of Prey #1 -- 50,428 (+135.4%) [54,965] 06/2010: Birds of Prey #2 -- 44,064 (- 12.6%) 07/2010: Birds of Prey #3 -- 43,420 (- 1.5%) 08/2010: Birds of Prey #4 -- 46,149 (+ 6.3%) 09/2010: Birds of Prey #5 -- 40,146 (- 13.0%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Birds of Prey #6 -- 34,440 (- 14.2%) 12/2010: Birds of Prey #7 -- 33,114 (- 3.9%) ----------------- 6 months: - 24.9% 2 years : + 64.3% 5 years : + 8.0%
Another book that retailers overestimated last year, it seems. Not that current sales are bad, mind you — it’s still doing very well, compared to the last five years.
—–
49 - ACTION COMICS 12/2005: Action Comics #834 -- 42,425 12/2006: -- 12/2007: Action Comics #860 -- 56,254 12/2008: Action Comics #872 -- 57,175 ------------------------------------- 12/2009: Action Comics #884 -- 31,873 (- 4.5%) 01/2010: Action Comics #885 -- 30,678 (- 3.8%) 02/2010: Action Comics #886 -- 29,845 (- 2.7%) 03/2010: Action Comics #887 -- 29,460 (- 1.3%) 04/2010: Action Comics #888 -- 29,536 (+ 0.3%) 04/2010: Action Comics #889 -- 29,106 (- 1.5%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Action Comics #890 -- 34,744 (+19.4%) [40,039] 07/2010: Action Comics #891 -- 35,328 (+ 1.7%) 08/2010: Action Comics #892 -- 36,401 (+ 3.0%) 09/2010: Action Comics #893 -- 33,948 (- 6.7%) 10/2010: Action Comics #894 -- 42,291 (+24.6%) 11/2010: Action Comics #895 -- 33,089 (-21.8%) 12/2010: Action Comics #896 -- 32,357 (- 2.2%) ---------------- 6 months: - 6.9% 1 year : + 1.5% 2 years : -43.4% 5 years : -23.7%
The Paul Cornell/Pete Woods run continues to yield solid numbers.
—–
51/54 - JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST 05/2010: Generation Lost #1 -- 50,784 05/2010: Generation Lost #2 -- 44,711 (-12.0%) 06/2010: Generation Lost #3 -- 43,278 (- 3.2%) 06/2010: Generation Lost #4 -- 41,702 (- 3.6%) 07/2010: Generation Lost #5 -- 40,370 (- 3.2%) 07/2010: Generation Lost #6 -- 39,190 (- 2.9%) 08/2010: Generation Lost #7 -- 39,971 (+ 2.0%) 08/2010: Generation Lost #8 -- 38,745 (- 3.1%) 09/2010: Generation Lost #9 -- 37,151 (- 4.1%) 09/2010: Generation Lost #10 -- 36,624 (- 1.4%) 10/2010: Generation Lost #11 -- 35,504 (- 3.1%) 10/2010: Generation Lost #12 -- 34,752 (- 2.1%) 11/2010: Generation Lost #13 -- 33,504 (- 3.6%) 11/2010: Generation Lost #14 -- 32,722 (- 2.3%) 12/2010: Generation Lost #15 -- 31,871 (- 2.6%) 12/2010: Generation Lost #16 -- 31,048 (- 2.6%) ---------------- 6 months: -26.0%
Declining, slowly and steadily.
—–
52 - SUPERBOY 11/2010: Superboy #1 -- 39,701 12/2010: Superboy #2 -- 31,761 (-20.0%)
That’s an average drop for an ongoing series. With a little bit of luck, DC might get a solid mid-list title out of this one.
—–
53 - JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA 12/2005: JSA #80 -- 50,862 12/2006: Justice Society #1 -- 102,990 [108,140] 12/2007: Justice Society #11 -- 89,613 12/2008: Justice Society #21 -- 69,662 12/2008: Justice Society #22 -- 67,615 --------------------------------------- 12/2009: Justice Society #34 -- 41,734 (- 3.4%) 01/2010: Justice Society #35 -- 39,934 (- 4.3%) 02/2010: Justice Society #36 -- 39,060 (- 2.2%) 03/2010: Justice Society #37 -- 37,381 (- 4.3%) 04/2010: Justice Society #38 -- 36,648 (- 2.0%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Justice Society #39 -- 36,630 (- 0.1%) 06/2010: Justice Society #40 -- 36,008 (- 1.7%) 07/2010: Justice Society #41 -- 48,858 (+ 35.7%) 08/2010: Justice Society #42 -- 48,420 (- 0.9%) 09/2010: Justice Society #43 -- 36,576 (- 24.5%) 10/2010: Justice Society #44 -- 35,483 (- 3.0%) 11/2010: Justice Society #45 -- 33,582 (- 5.4%) 12/2010: Justice Society #46 -- 31,497 (- 6.2%) ---------------- 6 months: -13.3% 1 year : -24.5% 2 years : -54.1% 5 years : -38.1%
Another 2,000 units gone. The book is back in a free-fall.
——
55 - RED ROBIN 12/2005: Robin #145 -- 28,532 12/2006: Robin #157 -- 30,556 12/2007: Robin #169 -- 48,665 [51,441] 12/2008: Robin #181 -- 27,891 -------------------------------- 12/2009: Red Robin #7 -- 39,528 (- 6.8%) 01/2010: Red Robin #8 -- 37,869 (- 4.2%) 02/2010: Red Robin #9 -- 36,466 (- 3.7%) 03/2010: Red Robin #10 -- 36,708 (+ 0.7%) 04/2010: Red Robin #11 -- 36,205 (- 1.4%) 05/2010: Red Robin #12 -- 36,273 (+ 0.2%) 06/2010: Red Robin #13 -- 35,917 (- 1.0%) 07/2010: Red Robin #14 -- 35,652 (- 0.7%) 08/2010: Red Robin #15 -- 34,709 (- 2.7%) 09/2010: Red Robin #16 -- 33,753 (- 2.8%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Red Robin #17 -- 31,825 (- 5.7%) 12/2010: Red Robin #18 -- 30,873 (- 3.0%) ----------------- 6 months: - 14.0% 1 year : - 21.9% 2 years : + 10.7% 5 years : + 8.2%
This one keeps sliding down the charts, but the numbers remain well within the established spectrum for a Robin series.
—–
57 - SUPERMAN/BATMAN 12/2005: Superman/Batman #23 -- 102,248 [103,726] 12/2006: Superman/Batman #31 -- 81,716 12/2007: Superman/Batman #44 -- 53,057 12/2008: Superman/Batman #54 -- 45,968 --------------------------------------- 12/2009: Superman/Batman #67 -- 49,650 (- 4.8%) 01/2010: Superman/Batman #68 -- 33,869 (-31.8%) 02/2010: Superman/Batman #69 -- 33,224 (- 1.9%) 03/2010: Superman/Batman #70 -- 32,196 (- 3.1%) 04/2010: Superman/Batman #71 -- 31,714 (- 1.5%) 05/2010: Superman/Batman #72 -- 32,047 (+ 1.1%) 06/2010: Superman/Batman #73 -- 31,425 (- 1.9%) 07/2010: Superman/Batman #74 -- 30,847 (- 1.8%) 08/2010: Superman/Batman #75 -- 34,324 (+11.3%) 09/2010: Superman/Batman #76 -- 32,003 (- 6.8%) 10/2010: Superman/Batman #77 -- 31,741 (- 0.8%) 11/2010: Superman/Batman #78 -- 31,337 (- 1.3%) 12/2010: Superman/Batman #79 -- 30,586 (- 2.4%) ---------------- 6 months: - 2.7% 1 year : -38.4% 2 years : -33.5% 5 years : -70.1%
2010 was very stable for Superman/Batman, overall. The book has been jittering up and down above the 30K mark for the last year.
—–
66 - ACTION COMICS ANNUAL 12/2010: Action Comics Annual #13 -- 27,031
The story ties in with the mother title, but sales are still 5,000 units below those of Action Comics proper.
If people care at all about the contents of these annuals, it’s not evident on the December chart.
—–
70 - TEEN TITANS 12/2005: Teen Titans #30 -- 67,155 12/2006: Teen Titans #42 -- 60,165 12/2007: Teen Titans #54 -- 53,790 12/2008: Teen Titans #66 -- 36,808 ---------------------------------- 12/2009: Teen Titans #78 -- 43,400 (- 6.1%) 01/2010: Teen Titans #79 -- 27,790 (-36.0%) 02/2010: Teen Titans #80 -- 26,537 (- 4.5%) 03/2010: Teen Titans #81 -- 25,758 (- 2.9%) 04/2010: Teen Titans #82 -- 25,303 (- 1.8%) 05/2010: Teen Titans #83 -- 24,960 (- 1.4%) 06/2010: Teen Titans #84 -- 24,593 (- 1.5%) 07/2010: Teen Titans #85 -- 24,248 (- 1.4%) 08/2010: Teen Titans #86 -- 24,971 (+ 3.0%) 09/2010: Teen Titans #87 -- 23,259 (- 6.9%) 10/2010: Teen Titans #88 -- 27,637 (+18.8%) 11/2010: Teen Titans #89 -- 26,444 (- 4.3%) 12/2010: Teen Titans #90 -- 25,997 (- 1.7%) ---------------- 6 months: + 5.7% 1 year : -40.1% 2 years : -29.4% 5 years : -61.3%
Bottoming out again; another book that’s had a relatively stable 2010, overall.
—–
72 - BATGIRL 12/2005: Batgirl #71 -- 26,378 12/2008: Batgirl #6 of 6 -- 20,750 ---------------------------------- 12/2009: Batgirl #5 -- 32,482 (- 6.4%) 01/2010: Batgirl #6 -- 30,403 (- 6.4%) 02/2010: Batgirl #7 -- 29,524 (- 2.9%) 03/2010: Batgirl #8 -- 30,886 (+ 4.6%) 04/2010: Batgirl #9 -- 29,445 (- 4.7%) 05/2010: Batgirl #10 -- 28,641 (- 2.7%) 06/2010: Batgirl #11 -- 28,563 (- 0.3%) 07/2010: Batgirl #12 -- 28,011 (- 1.9%) 08/2010: Batgirl #13 -- 27,247 (- 2.7%) 09/2010: Batgirl #14 -- 26,861 (- 1.4%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Batgirl #15 -- 25,827 (- 3.9%) 12/2010: Batgirl #16 -- 25,225 (- 2.3%) ---------------- 6 months: -11.7% 1 year : -22.3% 2 years : +21.6% 5 years : - 4.4%
Standard attrition.
—–
73 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES 12/2005: -- 12/2006: SLoSH #25 -- 33,288 12/2007: LoSH #37 -- 45,803 12/2008: LoSH #49 -- 22,180 --------------------------------------- 05/2010: LoSH #1 -- 44,415 (+98.9%) [50,106] 06/2010: LoSH #2 -- 39,102 (-12.0%) 07/2010: LoSH #3 -- 36,360 (- 7.0%) 08/2010: LoSH #4 -- 34,239 (- 5.8%) 09/2010: LoSH #5 -- 32,417 (- 5.3%) 10/2010: LoSH #6 -- 30,246 (- 6.7%) 11/2010: LoSH #7 -- 26,439 (-12.6%) 12/2010: LoSH #8 -- 25,063 (- 5.2%) ----------------- 6 months: - 35.9% 2 years : + 13.0% 5 years : n.a.
Sales keep sliding down the chart too fast for comfort.
—–
74 - BATMAN 80-PAGE GIANT 12/2010: Batman 80-Page Giant 2010 #1 -- 24,582
Not bad sales for an inconsequential $ 5.99 anthology special.
—–
76 - ADVENTURE COMICS 12/2009: Adventure Comics #5 -- 59,876 (-29.7%) 01/2010: Adventure Comics #6 -- 42,514 (-29.0%) 02/2010: Adventure Comics #7 -- 53,721 (+26.4%) 03/2010: Adventure Comics #8 -- 39,351 (-26.8%) 03/2010: Adventure Comics #9 -- 37,515 (- 4.7%) 04/2010: Adventure Comics #10 -- 37,573 (+ 0.2%) 05/2010: Adventure Comics #11 -- 34,794 (- 7.4%) 06/2010: Adventure Comics #12 -- 34,663 (- 0.4%) 07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 (-10.9%) 08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 (- 6.3%) 09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 (- 6.7%) 10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 (- 6.2%) 11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 (- 3.2%) 12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 (- 6.9%) ----------------- 6 months: - 31.4% 1 year : - 60.3%
Well, it’s not bottoming out, after all.
—–
78 - FABLES (Vertigo) 12/2005: Fables #44 -- 24,515 12/2006: Fables #56 -- 25,892 12/2007: Fables #68 -- 24,574 12/2008: Fables #79 -- 22,769 ------------------------------ 12/2009: Fables #91 -- 20,450 (- 2.1%) 01/2010: Fables #92 -- 20,180 (- 1.3%) 02/2010: -- 03/2010: Fables #93 -- 20,003 (- 0.9%) 04/2010: Fables #94 -- 19,965 (- 0.2%) 05/2010: Fables #95 -- 19,932 (- 0.2%) 06/2010: Fables #96 -- 19,842 (- 0.5%) 07/2010: -- 08/2010: Fables #97 -- 19,625 (- 1.1%) 09/2010: Fables #98 -- 19,594 (- 0.2%) 10/2010: Fables #99 -- 19,656 (+ 0.3%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Fables #100 -- 23,014 (+17.1%) ---------------- 6 months: +16.0% 1 year : +12.5% 2 years : + 1.1% 5 years : - 6.1%
Fables celebrates its 100th issue with a 100-page $ 9.99 special. The issue was originally meant to be out in November.
—–
79 - SUPERGIRL 12/2005: -- 12/2006: Supergirl #12 -- 59,819 12/2006: Supergirl #13 -- 56,648 12/2007: Supergirl #24 -- 37,922 12/2008: Supergirl #36 -- 45,491 --------------------------------- 12/2009: Supergirl #48 -- 28,176 (- 3.4%) 01/2010: Supergirl #49 -- 27,728 (- 1.6%) 02/2010: Supergirl #50 -- 33,338 (+20.2%) 03/2010: Supergirl #51 -- 29,845 (-10.5%) 04/2010: Supergirl #52 -- 29,490 (- 1.2%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Supergirl #53 -- 28,317 (- 4.0%) 07/2010: Supergirl #54 -- 26,941 (- 4.9%) 08/2010: Supergirl #55 -- 25,891 (- 3.9%) 09/2010: Supergirl #56 -- 25,034 (- 3.3%) 10/2010: Supergirl #57 -- 23,842 (- 4.8%) 11/2010: Supergirl #58 -- 25,412 (+ 6.6%) 12/2010: Supergirl #59 -- 22,606 (-11.0%) ---------------- 6 months: -20.2% 1 year : -19.8% 2 years : -50.3% 5 years : n.a.
No variant edition in December, so sales crash back into the ongoing decline. These are the lowest figures yet for the current series.
—–
80 - TITANS 12/2008: Titans #8 -- 39,154 --------------------------------- 12/2009: Titans #20 -- 25,887 (- 4.5%) 01/2010: Titans #21 -- 24,924 (- 3.7%) 02/2010: Titans #22 -- 24,489 (- 1.8%) 03/2010: Titans #23 -- 24,260 (- 0.9%) 04/2010: -- 05/2010: VfH Special #1 -- 31,718 (+30.7%) 06/2010: Titans #24 -- 33,079 (+ 4.3%) 07/2010: Titans #25 -- 31,505 (- 4.8%) 08/2010: Titans #26 -- 32,800 (+ 4.1%) 09/2010: Titans #27 -- 28,438 (-13.3%) 10/2010: Titans #28 -- 27,430 (- 3.6%) 11/2010: Titans #29 -- 24,138 (-12.0%) 12/2010: Titans #30 -- 22,483 (- 6.9%) ---------------- 6 months: -32.0% 1 year : -13.2% 2 years : -42.6%
It’s been an erratic year, but Titans sales have seen much better days.
—–
81 - TIME MASTERS: VANISHING POINT 07/2010: Vanishing Point #1 of 6 -- 34,509 08/2010: Vanishing Point #2 of 6 -- 26,918 (-22.0%) 09/2010: Vanishing Point #3 of 6 -- 24,177 (-10.2%) 10/2010: Vanishing Point #4 of 6 -- 22,813 (- 5.6%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Vanishing Point #5 of 6 -- 22,312 (- 2.2%)
82 - DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES 05/2010: DCU Legacies #1 of 10 -- 34,429 06/2010: DCU Legacies #2 of 10 -- 29,286 (-14.9%) 07/2010: DCU Legacies #3 of 10 -- 26,708 (- 8.8%) 08/2010: DCU Legacies #4 of 10 -- 25,691 (- 3.8%) 09/2010: DCU Legacies #5 of 10 -- 25,851 (+ 0.6%) 10/2010: DCU Legacies #6 of 10 -- 24,210 (- 6.4%) 11/2010: DCU Legacies #7 of 10 -- 23,215 (- 4.1%) 12/2010: DCU Legacies #8 of 10 -- 21,886 (- 5.7%) ---------------- 6 months: -25.3%
Retailers seem to be treating these as token inessential DC Universe miniseries.
—–
83 - BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM 12/2009: Batman: SoG #7 -- 30,290 (- 6.2%) 01/2010: Batman: SoG #8 -- 28,313 (- 6.5%) 02/2010: Batman: SoG #9 -- 27,023 (- 4.6%) 03/2010: Batman: SoG #10 -- 26,396 (- 2.3%) 04/2010: Batman: SoG #11 -- 25,925 (- 1.8%) 05/2010: Batman: SoG #12 -- 25,446 (- 1.9%) 06/2010: Batman: SoG #13 -- 25,205 (- 1.0%) 07/2010: Batman: SoG #14 -- 24,767 (- 1.7%) 08/2010: Batman: SoG #15 -- 24,171 (- 2.4%) 09/2010: Batman: SoG #16 -- 23,830 (- 1.4%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: Batman: SoG #17 -- 22,390 (- 6.0%) 12/2010: Batman: SoG #18 -- 21,684 (- 3.2%) ---------------- 6 months: -14.0% 1 year : -28.4%
85 - GOTHAM CITY SIRENS 12/2009: GC Sirens #7 -- 29,709 (- 4.1%) 01/2010: GC Sirens #8 -- 28,254 (- 4.9%) 02/2010: GC Sirens #9 -- 27,172 (- 3.8%) 03/2010: GC Sirens #10 -- 26,550 (- 2.3%) 04/2010: GC Sirens #11 -- 26,359 (- 0.7%) 05/2010: GC Sirens #12 -- 26,029 (- 1.3%) 06/2010: GC Sirens #13 -- 25,867 (- 0.6%) 07/2010: GC Sirens #14 -- 25,315 (- 2.1%) 08/2010: GC Sirens #15 -- 24,589 (- 2.9%) 09/2010: GC Sirens #16 -- 23,821 (- 3.1%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: GC Sirens #17 -- 22,107 (- 7.2%) 12/2010: GC Sirens #18 -- 21,344 (- 3.5%) ----------------- 6 months: - 17.5% 1 year : - 28.2%
Two Batman spin-off titles that have been selling back to back for their entire run, which usually means retailers are ordering out of inertia more than anything else. Streets of Gotham is cancelled with issue #21.
—–
94 - SECRET SIX 12/2006: Secret Six #6 of 6 -- 35,513 12/2008: Secret Six #4 -- 24,657 ------------------------------------- 12/2009: Secret Six #16 -- 22,638 (- 2.4%) 01/2010: Secret Six #17 -- 38,515 (+70.1%) 02/2010: Secret Six #18 -- 37,876 (- 1.7%) 03/2010: Secret Six #19 -- 23,181 (-38.8%) 04/2010: Secret Six #20 -- 22,695 (- 2.1%) 05/2010: Secret Six #21 -- 22,334 (- 1.6%) 06/2010: Secret Six #22 -- 21,941 (- 1.8%) 07/2010: Secret Six #23 -- 21,554 (- 1.8%) 08/2010: Secret Six #24 -- 21,177 (- 1.8%) 09/2010: Secret Six #25 -- 20,775 (- 1.9%) 10/2010: Secret Six #26 -- 20,377 (- 1.9%) 11/2010: Secret Six #27 -- 19,963 (- 2.0%) 12/2010: Secret Six #28 -- 19,587 (- 1.9%) ---------------- 6 months: -10.7% 1 year : -13.5% 2 years : -20.6%
Very slowly, very steadily declining, as always.
—–
98 - ZATANNA 05/2010: Zatanna #1 -- 33,691 06/2010: Zatanna #2 -- 29,564 (-12.3%) 07/2010: Zatanna #3 -- 27,792 (- 6.0%) 08/2010: Zatanna #4 -- 27,203 (- 2.1%) 09/2010: Zatanna #5 -- 25,393 (- 6.7%) 10/2010: Zatanna #6 -- 23,427 (- 7.7%) 11/2010: Zatanna #7 -- 20,671 (-11.8%) 12/2010: Zatanna #8 -- 19,321 (- 6.5%) ---------------- 6 months: -34.7%
The numbers aren’t bottoming out in any meaningful way yet.
—–
99/106 - AMERICAN VAMPIRE (Vertigo) 03/2010: American Vampire #1 -- 33,762 [36,831] 04/2010: American Vampire #2 -- 26,770 (-20.7%) 05/2010: American Vampire #3 -- 26,510 (- 1.0%) 06/2010: American Vampire #4 -- 25,977 (- 2.0%) 07/2010: American Vampire #5 -- 24,857 (- 4.3%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: American Vampire #6 -- 23,349 (- 6.1%) 10/2010: American Vampire #7 -- 21,910 (- 6.2%) 11/2010: American Vampire #8 -- 19,850 (- 9.4%) 12/2010: American Vampire #9 -- 19,019 (- 4.2%) 12/2010: American Vampire #10 -- 17,761 (- 6.6%) ---------------- 6 months: -29.2%
The book keeps shedding units, but remains Vertigo’s second-best-selling title, for now.
—–
101 - JSA ALL-STARS 12/2009: JSA All-Stars #1 -- 42,493 01/2010: JSA All-Stars #2 -- 32,601 (-23.3%) 02/2010: JSA All-Stars #3 -- 29,666 (- 9.0%) 03/2010: JSA All-Stars #4 -- 28,526 (- 3.8%) 04/2010: JSA All-Stars #5 -- 26,581 (- 6.8%) 05/2010: JSA All-Stars #6 -- 25,306 (- 4.8%) 06/2010: JSA All-Stars #7 -- 24,436 (- 3.4%) 07/2010: JSA All-Stars #8 -- 23,478 (- 3.9%) 08/2010: JSA All-Stars #9 -- 22,347 (- 4.8%) 09/2010: JSA All-Stars #10 -- 21,646 (- 3.1%) 10/2010: JSA All-Stars #11 -- 20,496 (- 5.3%) 11/2010: JSA All-Stars #12 -- 19,630 (- 4.2%) 12/2010: JSA All-Stars #13 -- 18,395 (- 6.3%) ---------------- 6 months: -24.7% 1 year : -56.7%
No end in sight for the book’s downward slide.
—–
103 - FIRST WAVE 11/2009: B/DS Special #1 -- 32,636 ------------------------------------- 03/2010: First Wave #1 of 6 -- 38,365 04/2010: -- 05/2010: First Wave #2 of 6 -- 30,705 (-20.0%) 06/2010: -- 07/2010: First Wave #3 of 6 -- 25,920 (-15.6%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: First Wave #4 of 6 -- 20,497 (-20.9%) 10/2010: -- 11/2010: -- 12/2010: First Wave #5 of 6 -- 18,241 (-11.0%) ---------------- 6 months: n.a.
Retailers aimed way too high on this one early on, it appears. The current sales level seems about right for this type of book.
—–
104/112 - BATMAN: ORPHANS 12/2010: Batman: Orphans #1 of 2 -- 18,164 12/2010: Batman: Orphans #2 of 2 -- 16,705 (-8.0%)
The spring-cleaning of DC’s flat file drawers continues. Not bad sales for inventory material.
—–
110 - POWER GIRL 12/2009: Power Girl #7 -- 22,533 (-16.7%) 01/2010: Power Girl #8 -- 21,760 (- 3.4%) 02/2010: Power Girl #9 -- 20,900 (- 4.0%) 03/2010: Power Girl #10 -- 20,801 (- 0.5%) 04/2010: Power Girl #11 -- 20,675 (- 0.6%) 05/2010: Power Girl #12 -- 20,681 (+ 0.0%) 06/2010: Power Girl #13 -- 20,583 (- 0.5%) 07/2010: Power Girl #14 -- 19,739 (- 4.1%) 08/2010: Power Girl #15 -- 19,091 (- 3.3%) 09/2010: Power Girl #16 -- 18,404 (- 3.6%) 10/2010: Power Girl #17 -- 17,847 (- 3.0%) 11/2010: Power Girl #18 -- 17,300 (- 3.1%) 12/2010: Power Girl #19 -- 16,763 (- 3.1%) ---------------- 6 months: -18.6% 1 year : -25.6%
114 - BOOSTER GOLD 12/2007: Booster Gold #5 -- 38,228 12/2008: Booster Gold #15 -- 26,835 ----------------------------------- 12/2009: Booster Gold #27 -- 40,256 (- 29.5%) 01/2010: Booster Gold #28 -- 21,967 (- 45.4%) 02/2010: Booster Gold #29 -- 21,020 (- 4.3%) 03/2010: Booster Gold #30 -- 20,187 (- 4.0%) 04/2010: Booster Gold #31 -- 19,818 (- 1.8%) 05/2010: Booster Gold #32 -- 20,343 (+ 2.7%) 06/2010: Booster Gold #33 -- 19,895 (- 2.2%) 07/2010: Booster Gold #34 -- 19,592 (- 1.5%) 08/2010: Booster Gold #35 -- 19,104 (- 2.5%) 09/2010: Booster Gold #36 -- 18,504 (- 3.1%) 10/2010: Booster Gold #37 -- 17,806 (- 3.8%) 11/2010: Booster Gold #38 -- 17,276 (- 3.0%) 12/2010: Booster Gold #39 -- 16,686 (- 3.4%) ---------------- 6 months: -16.1% 1 year : -58.6% 2 years : -37.8%
Two ongoing titles that have been in search of an audience since their original creative teams moved on.
—–
120 - GREEN LANTERN/PLASTIC MAN: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION 12/2010: Weapons of Mass Deception #1 -- 16,082
141 - TEEN TITANS: COLD CASE 12/2010: Cold Case #1 -- 13,819
143 - DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010 12/2010: DCU Holiday Special 2010 #1 -- 13,679
Three $ 4.99 one-shots with inconsequential inventory material. The numbers are as you’d expect.
—–
145 - BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL 12/2006: Batman Confidential #1 -- 61,119 12/2007: -- 12/2008: Batman Confidential #24 -- 21,470 ------------------------------------------ 12/2009: Batman Confidential #38 -- 16,132 (- 1.4%) 12/2009: Batman Confidential #39 -- 15,906 (- 1.4%) 01/2010: Batman Confidential #40 -- 17,241 (+ 8.4%) 02/2010: Batman Confidential #41 -- 16,856 (- 2.2%) 03/2010: Batman Confidential #42 -- 16,652 (- 1.2%) 04/2010: Batman Confidential #43 -- 16,449 (- 1.2%) 05/2010: Batman Confidential #44 -- 15,279 (- 7.1%) 06/2010: Batman Confidential #45 -- 15,070 (- 1.4%) 07/2010: Batman Confidential #46 -- 14,621 (- 3.0%) 08/2010: Batman Confidential #47 -- 14,341 (- 1.9%) 09/2010: Batman Confidential #48 -- 14,329 (- 0.1%) 10/2010: Batman Confidential #49 -- 14,112 (- 1.5%) 11/2010: Batman Confidential #50 -- 14,450 (+ 2.4%) 12/2010: Batman Confidential #51 -- 13,495 (- 6.6%) ---------------- 6 months: -10.5% 1 year : -16.4% 2 years : -37.2%
Cancelled with issue #54.
—–
147 - THE OUTSIDERS 12/2005: Outsiders #31 -- 46,555 12/2006: Outsiders #43 -- 34,243 12/2007: Batsiders #3 -- 40,371 12/2008: Batsiders #14 -- 32,163 -------------------------------- 12/2009: Outsiders #25 -- 37,847 (- 25.7%) 01/2010: Outsiders #26 -- 22,626 (- 40.2%) 02/2010: Outsiders #27 -- 21,167 (- 6.5%) 03/2010: Outsiders #28 -- 19,632 (- 7.3%) 04/2010: Outsiders #29 -- 19,094 (- 2.7%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Outsiders #30 -- 18,045 (- 5.5%) 07/2010: Outsiders #31 -- 17,173 (- 4.8%) 08/2010: Outsiders #32 -- 15,754 (- 8.3%) 09/2010: -- 10/2010: Outsiders #33 -- 15,253 (- 3.2%) 11/2010: Outsiders #34 -- 13,576 (- 11.0%) 12/2010: Outsiders #35 -- 13,133 (- 3.3%) ---------------- 6 months: -27.2% 1 year : -65.3% 2 years : -59.2% 5 years : -71.8%
Not cancelled yet as I’m writing this, somewhat surprisingly.
—–
148 - JLA/THE 99 10/2010: JLA/The 99 #1 of 6 -- 19,995 11/2010: JLA/The 99 #2 of 6 -- 15,525 (-22.4%) 12/2010: JLA/The 99 #3 of 6 -- 12,819 (-17.4%)
153 - KNIGHT AND SQUIRE 10/2010: Knight & Squire #1 of 6 -- 21,867 11/2010: Knight & Squire #2 of 6 -- 14,466 (-33.9%) 12/2010: Knight & Squire #3 of 6 -- 12,142 (-16.1%)
Two miniseries with a decidedly niche appeal. It’s never easy to tell whether the direct market is a curse or a blessing for something like Knight and Squire.
—–
155 - I, ZOMBIE 05/2010: I, Zombie #1 -- 33,025 06/2010: I, Zombie #2 -- 18,620 (-43.6%) 07/2010: I, Zombie #3 -- 16,898 (- 9.3%) 08/2010: I, Zombie #4 -- 15,772 (- 6.7%) 09/2010: I, Zombie #5 -- 14,839 (- 5.9%) 10/2010: I, Zombie #6 -- 13,782 (- 7.1%) 11/2010: I, Zombie #7 -- 12,800 (- 7.1%) 12/2010: I, Zombie #8 -- 12,038 (- 6.0%) ---------------- 6 months: -35.4%
158 - THE UNWRITTEN (Vertigo) 12/2009: The Unwritten #8 -- 14,257 (- 3.4%) 01/2010: The Unwritten #9 -- 13,792 (- 3.3%) 02/2010: The Unwritten #10 -- 13,644 (- 1.1%) 03/2010: The Unwritten #11 -- 13,630 (- 0.1%) 04/2010: The Unwritten #12 -- 13,507 (- 0.9%) 05/2010: The Unwritten #13 -- 13,467 (- 0.3%) 06/2010: The Unwritten #14 -- 13,396 (- 0.5%) 07/2010: The Unwritten #15 -- 13,023 (- 2.8%) 08/2010: The Unwritten #16 -- 12,778 (- 1.9%) 09/2010: The Unwritten #17 -- 12,796 (+ 0.2%) 10/2010: The Unwritten #18 -- 12,273 (- 4.1%) 11/2010: The Unwritten #19 -- 12,036 (- 1.9%) 12/2010: The Unwritten #20 -- 11,684 (- 2.9%) ---------------- 6 months: -12.8% 1 year : -18.1%
Two of the more successful Vertigo launches in recent memory, though I, Zombie may want to find its level soon.
—–
165 - T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS 11/2010: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1 -- 16,122 12/2010: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2 -- 11,227 (-30.4%)
A stiff second-issue drop, but that was to be expected, given that there was no variant-cover edition in December. As low as the numbers are, they’re probably as good as can be expected for this type of book.
—–
173 - JONAH HEX 12/2005: Jonah Hex #2 -- 26,227 12/2006: Jonah Hex #14 -- 18,295 12/2007: Jonah Hex #26 -- 14,088 12/2008: Jonah Hex #38 -- 12,132 -------------------------------- 12/2009: Jonah Hex #50 -- 15,131 (+35.8%) 01/2010: Jonah Hex #51 -- 11,184 (-26.1%) 02/2010: Jonah Hex #52 -- 11,213 (+ 0.3%) 03/2010: Jonah Hex #53 -- 11,565 (+ 3.1%) 04/2010: Jonah Hex #54 -- 11,306 (- 2.2%) 05/2010: Jonah Hex #55 -- 11,327 (+ 0.2%) 06/2010: Jonah Hex #56 -- 13,441 (+18.7%) 07/2010: Jonah Hex #57 -- 12,318 (- 8.4%) 08/2010: Jonah Hex #58 -- 11,775 (- 4.4%) 09/2010: Jonah Hex #59 -- 11,444 (- 2.8%) 10/2010: Jonah Hex #60 -- 11,141 (- 2.7%) 11/2010: Jonah Hex #61 -- 10,796 (- 3.1%) 12/2010: Jonah Hex #62 -- 10,899 (+ 1.0%) ---------------- 6 months: -18.9% 1 year : -28.0% 2 years : -10.2% 5 years : -58.4%
Jonah Hex sees one of its occasional upticks, this time presumably thanks to guest art by Eduardo Risso.
The book had a good, solid year in 2010.
—–
176 - R.E.B.E.L.S. 12/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #11 -- 31,489 (- 38.4%) 01/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #12 -- 12,428 (- 60.5%) 02/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #13 -- 11,836 (- 4.8%) 03/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #14 -- 11,362 (- 4.0%) 04/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #15 -- 11,271 (- 0.8%) 05/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #16 -- 11,120 (- 1.3%) 06/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #17 -- 11,048 (- 0.7%) 07/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #18 -- 11,007 (- 0.4%) 08/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #19 -- 10,851 (- 1.4%) 09/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #20 -- 11,745 (+ 8.2%) 10/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #21 -- 11,262 (- 4.1%) 11/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #22 -- 10,797 (- 4.1%) 12/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #23 -- 10,619 (- 1.7%) ----------------- 6 months: - 3.9% 1 year : - 66.3%
Another title with very low but very steady sales figures.
—–
183 - FREEDOM FIGHTERS 12/2006: US & FF #6 of 8 -- 23,321 12/2007: US & FF #4 of 8 -- 15,832 --------------------------------------- 09/2010: Freedom Fighters #1 -- 19,378 10/2010: Freedom Fighters #2 -- 12,758 (-34.2%) 11/2010: Freedom Fighters #3 -- 11,186 (-12.3%) 12/2010: Freedom Fighters #4 -- 10,028 (-10.4%)
This, on the other hand, looks like a disaster waiting to happen. It’s not like the two miniseries that preceded the book set the charts on fire.
—–
186 - JACK OF FABLES (Vertigo) 12/2006: Jack of Fables #6 -- 20,950 12/2007: Jack of Fables #18 -- 17,242 12/2008: Jack of Fables #29 -- 14,151 ------------------------------------- 12/2009: Jack of Fables #40 -- 12,970 (- 1.5%) 12/2009: Jack of Fables #41 -- 12,559 (- 3.2%) 01/2010: Jack of Fables #42 -- 11,966 (- 4.7%) 02/2010: -- 03/2010: Jack of Fables #43 -- 11,878 (- 0.7%) 03/2010: Jack of Fables #44 -- 11,472 (- 3.4%) 04/2010: Jack of Fables #45 -- 11,324 (- 1.3%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: -- 07/2010: Jack of Fables #46 -- 11,195 (- 1.1%) 08/2010: -- 09/2010: Jack of Fables #47 -- 11,026 (- 1.5%) 10/2010: Jack of Fables #48 -- 10,347 (- 6.2%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Jack of Fables #49 -- 9,828 (- 5.0%) ---------------- 6 months: n.a. 1 year : -23.0% 2 years : -30.6%
The Fables spin-off is still one of Vertigo’s better-selling comic books, but it’s obvious by now that the franchise has seen better days.
——
188 - DOOM PATROL 12/2009: Doom Patrol #5 -- 35,348 (- 34.2%) 01/2010: Doom Patrol #6 -- 17,117 (- 51.6%) 02/2010: Doom Patrol #7 -- 15,689 (- 8.3%) 03/2010: Doom Patrol #8 -- 14,197 (- 9.5%) 04/2010: Doom Patrol #9 -- 13,126 (- 7.5%) 05/2010: Doom Patrol #10 -- 12,334 (- 6.0%) 06/2010: Doom Patrol #11 -- 11,857 (- 3.9%) 07/2010: Doom Patrol #12 -- 11,267 (- 5.0%) 08/2010: Doom Patrol #13 -- 10,878 (- 3.5%) 09/2010: Doom Patrol #14 -- 10,780 (- 0.9%) 10/2010: Doom Patrol #15 -- 10,081 (- 6.5%) 11/2010: Doom Patrol #16 -- 9,955 (- 1.3%) 12/2010: Doom Patrol #17 -- 9,564 (- 3.9%) ---------------- 6 months: -19.3% 1 year : -72.9%
Not dead yet, evidently, but I’d be surprised if there was a lot of rope left, at this stage.
—–
191 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo) 12/2005: Hellblazer #215 -- 14,405 12/2006: Hellblazer #227 -- 13,231 12/2007: Hellblazer #239 -- 12,344 12/2008: Hellblazer #250 -- 12,478 ---------------------------------- 12/2009: Hellblazer #262 -- 10,334 (-2.1%) 01/2010: Hellblazer #263 -- 10,179 (-1.5%) 02/2010: Hellblazer #264 -- 10,025 (-1.5%) 03/2010: Hellblazer #265 -- 10,295 (+2.7%) 04/2010: Hellblazer #266 -- 10,256 (-0.4%) 05/2010: Hellblazer #267 -- 10,155 (-1.0%) 06/2010: Hellblazer #268 -- 10,221 (+0.7%) 07/2010: Hellblazer #269 -- 10,048 (-1.7%) 08/2010: Hellblazer #270 -- 9,928 (-1.2%) 09/2010: Hellblazer #271 -- 9,851 (-0.8%) 10/2010: Hellblazer #272 -- 9,650 (-2.0%) 11/2010: Hellblazer #273 -- 9,645 (-0.1%) 12/2010: Hellblazer #274 -- 9,342 (-3.1%) ---------------- 6 months: - 8.6% 1 year : - 9.6% 2 years : -25.1% 5 years : -35.2%
The longest-running Vertigo title keeps up its slow, fairly consistent decline.
—–
198 - THE X-FILES/30 DAYS OF NIGHT (WildStorm) 07/2008: Special #0 -- 23,805 11/2008: X-Files #1 of 6 -- 16,042 (-32.6%) 12/2008: X-Files #2 of 6 -- 11,562 (-27.9%) 01/2009: X-Files #3 of 6 -- 9,808 (-15.2%) 02/2009: X-Files #4 of 6 -- 9,268 (- 5.5%) 03/2009: X-Files #5 of 6 -- 8,999 (- 2.9%) 04/2009: X-Files #6 of 6 -- 8,789 (- 2.3%) ---------------------------------- 07/2010: XF30DoN #1 of 6 -- 16,109 (+83.3%) 08/2010: XF30DoN #2 of 6 -- 11,163 (-30.7%) 09/2010: XF30DoN #3 of 6 -- 10,803 (- 3.2%) 10/2010: XF30DoN #4 of 6 -- 9,780 (- 9.5%) 11/2010: XF30DoN #5 of 6 -- 9,403 (- 3.9%) 12/2010: XF30DoN #6 of 6 -- 9,000 (- 4.3%) ---------------- 2 years : -22.2%
The best-selling WildStorm comic in December.
—–
203 - DOC SAVAGE 04/2010: Doc Savage #1 -- 24,539 05/2010: Doc Savage #2 -- 19,073 (-22.3%) 06/2010: Doc Savage #3 -- 16,153 (-15.3%) 07/2010: Doc Savage #4 -- 14,621 (- 9.5%) 08/2010: Doc Savage #5 -- 13,125 (-10.2%) 09/2010: Doc Savage #6 -- 11,838 (- 9.8%) 10/2010: Doc Savage #7 -- 10,050 (-15.1%) 11/2010: Doc Savage #8 -- 9,257 (- 7.9%) 12/2010: Doc Savage #9 -- 8,681 (- 6.2%) ---------------- 6 months: -46.3%
Not levelling out.
—–
206 - SWEET TOOTH (Vertigo) 12/2009: Sweet Tooth #4 -- 9,817 (- 5.3%) 01/2010: Sweet Tooth #5 -- 9,787 (- 0.3%) 02/2010: Sweet Tooth #6 -- 9,740 (- 0.5%) 03/2010: Sweet Tooth #7 -- 9,718 (- 0.2%) 04/2010: Sweet Tooth #8 -- 9,612 (- 1.1%) 05/2010: Sweet Tooth #9 -- 9,654 (+ 0.4%) 06/2010: Sweet Tooth #10 -- 9,570 (- 0.9%) 07/2010: Sweet Tooth #11 -- 9,478 (- 1.0%) 08/2010: Sweet Tooth #12 -- 9,246 (- 2.5%) 09/2010: Sweet Tooth #13 -- 9,097 (- 1.6%) 10/2010: Sweet Tooth #14 -- 8,933 (- 1.8%) 11/2010: Sweet Tooth #15 -- 8,750 (- 2.1%) 12/2010: Sweet Tooth #16 -- 8,602 (- 1.7%) ---------------- 6 months: -10.1% 1 year : -12.4%
Standard attrition.
—–
209 - THE SPIRIT 12/2010: The Spirit #24 -- 10,048 --------------------------------- 04/2010: The Spirit #1 -- 19,849 (+158.8%) 05/2010: The Spirit #2 -- 14,274 (- 28.1%) 06/2010: The Spirit #3 -- 13,030 (- 8.7%) 07/2010: The Spirit #4 -- 11,915 (- 8.6%) 08/2010: The Spirit #5 -- 11,015 (- 7.6%) 09/2010: The Spirit #6 -- 10,083 (- 8.5%) 10/2010: The Spirit #7 -- 9,233 (- 8.4%) 11/2010: The Spirit #8 -- 8,706 (- 5.7%) 12/2010: The Spirit #9 -- 8,297 (- 4.7%) ----------------- 6 months: - 36.3% 2 years : - 17.4%
This one’s finally finding its level around 8K, evidently.
—–
219 - AZRAEL 12/2009: Azrael #3 -- 17,757 (-17.0%) 01/2010: Azrael #4 -- 14,703 (-17.2%) 02/2010: Azrael #5 -- 12,856 (-12.6%) 03/2010: Azrael #6 -- 11,825 (- 8.0%) 04/2010: Azrael #7 -- 11,080 (- 6.3%) 05/2010: Azrael #8 -- 10,228 (- 7.7%) 06/2010: Azrael #9 -- 9,802 (- 4.2%) 07/2010: Azrael #10 -- 9,223 (- 5.9%) 08/2010: Azrael #11 -- 8,930 (- 3.2%) 09/2010: Azrael #12 -- 8,559 (- 4.2%) 10/2010: Azrael #13 -- 8,198 (- 4.2%) 11/2010: Azrael #14 -- 7,841 (- 4.4%) 12/2010: Azrael #15 -- 7,699 (- 1.8%) ---------------- 6 months: -21.5% 1 year : -56.6%
Cancelled with issue #18.
—–
222 - CONSTANTINE: HELLBLAZER: CITY OF DEMONS (Vertigo) 10/2010: CH: CoD #1 of 5 -- 8,784 10/2010: CH: CoD #2 of 5 -- 8,097 (-7.8%) 11/2010: CH: CoD #3 of 5 -- 7,791 (-3.8%) 11/2010: CH: CoD #4 of 5 -- 7,566 (-2.9%) 12/2010: CH: CoD #5 of 5 -- 7,601 (+0.5%)
All-right sales for a Hellblazer spin-off.
—–
224 - TINY TITANS (Johnny DC) 12/2008: Tiny Titans #11 -- 9,085 ---------------------------------- 12/2009: Tiny Titans #23 -- 8,017 (- 1.0%) 01/2010: Tiny Titans #24 -- 7,844 (- 2.2%) 02/2010: Tiny Titans #25 -- 8,566 (+ 9.2%) 03/2010: Tiny Titans #26 -- 7,878 (- 8.0%) 04/2010: Tiny Titans #27 -- 8,224 (+ 4.4%) 05/2010: Tiny Titans #28 -- 7,959 (- 3.2%) 06/2010: Tiny Titans #29 -- 8,195 (+ 3.0%) 07/2010: Tiny Titans #30 -- 8,038 (- 1.9%) 08/2010: Tiny Titans #31 -- 7,987 (- 0.6%) 09/2010: Tiny Titans #32 -- 8,073 (+ 1.1%) 10/2010: Tiny Titans #33 -- 8,045 (- 0.4%) 11/2010: Tiny Titans #34 -- 7,713 (- 4.1%) 12/2010: Tiny Titans #35 -- 7,515 (- 2.6%) ---------------- 6 months: - 8.3% 1 year : - 6.3% 2 years : -17.3%
227 - TINY TITANS/LITTLE ARCHIE (Johnny DC) 10/2010: TT/LA #1 of 3 -- 9,968 11/2010: TT/LA #2 of 3 -- 8,025 (-19.5%) 12/2010: TT/LA #3 of 3 -- 7,425 (- 7.5%)
Two Johnny DC books. See small print.
—–
229 - HOUSE OF MYSTERY (Vertigo) 12/2008: House of Mystery #8 -- 14,273 --------------------------------------- 12/2009: House of Mystery #20 -- 10,175 (- 2.9%) 01/2010: House of Mystery #21 -- 9,888 (- 2.8%) 02/2010: House of Mystery #22 -- 9,401 (- 4.9%) 03/2010: House of Mystery #23 -- 9,350 (- 0.5%) 04/2010: House of Mystery #24 -- 9,168 (- 2.0%) 05/2010: House of Mystery #25 -- 9,253 (+ 0.9%) 06/2010: House of Mystery #26 -- 8,742 (- 5.5%) 07/2010: House of Mystery #27 -- 8,481 (- 3.0%) 08/2010: House of Mystery #28 -- 8,238 (- 2.9%) 09/2010: House of Mystery #29 -- 8,087 (- 1.8%) 10/2010: House of Mystery #30 -- 7,913 (- 2.2%) 11/2010: House of Mystery #31 -- 7,610 (- 3.8%) 12/2010: House of Mystery #32 -- 7,348 (- 3.4%) ---------------- 6 months: -16.0% 1 year : -27.8% 2 years : -48.5%
The drops are adding up, obviously. The longer-term comparisons aren’t healthy.
—–
234 - NORTHLANDERS (Vertigo) 12/2007: Northlanders #1 -- 19,805 12/2008: Northlanders #13 -- 9,777 ----------------------------------- 12/2009: Northlanders #23 -- 8,069 (- 0.8%) 01/2010: Northlanders #24 -- 7,935 (- 1.7%) 02/2010: Northlanders #25 -- 7,807 (- 1.6%) 03/2010: Northlanders #26 -- 7,824 (+ 0.2%) 04/2010: Northlanders #27 -- 7,683 (- 1.8%) 05/2010: Northlanders #28 -- 7,630 (- 0.7%) 06/2010: Northlanders #29 -- 7,498 (- 1.7%) 07/2010: Northlanders #30 -- 7,421 (- 1.0%) 08/2010: Northlanders #31 -- 7,376 (- 0.6%) 09/2010: Northlanders #32 -- 7,321 (- 0.8%) 10/2010: Northlanders #33 -- 7,169 (- 2.1%) 11/2010: Northlanders #34 -- 7,018 (- 2.1%) 12/2010: Northlanders #35 -- 7,061 (+ 0.6%) ---------------- 6 months: - 5.8% 1 year : -12.5% 2 years : -27.8%
Holding level above 7K with the start of a two-parter drawn by Becky Cloonan.
—–
236 - WORLD OF WARCRAFT: CURSE OF THE WORGEN (WildStorm) 12/2007: World of WarCraft #2 -- 32,740 [36,340] 12/2008: World of WarCraft #14 -- 16,058 12/2009: WoW Special #1 -- 10,323 ---------------------------------------- 11/2010: WoW: CotW #1 of 5 -- 7,521 (-27.1%) 12/2010: WoW: CotW #2 of 5 -- 6,938 (- 7.8%) ---------------- 1 year : -32.8% 2 years : -56.8%
The first of a number of licensed titles that survive WildStorm as an imprint. The series continues under the DC Universe logo in 2011.
—–
238 - THE ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (Johnny DC) 12/2005: Batman Strikes! #16 -- 8,462 12/2006: Batman Strikes! #28 -- 7,427 12/2007: Batman Strikes! #40 -- 6,492 ---------------------------------------- 12/2009: Brave & Bold #12 -- 6,342 (- 1.5%) 01/2010: Brave & Bold #13 -- 6,129 (- 3.4%) 02/2010: Brave & Bold #14 -- 6,084 (- 0.7%) 03/2010: Brave & Bold #15 -- 6,208 (+ 2.0%) 04/2010: Brave & Bold #16 -- 6,506 (+ 4.8%) 05/2010: Brave & Bold #17 -- 6,103 (- 6.2%) 06/2010: Brave & Bold #18 -- 6,270 (+ 2.7%) 07/2010: Brave & Bold #19 -- 6,489 (+ 3.5%) 08/2010: Brave & Bold #20 -- 6,244 (- 3.8%) 09/2010: Brave & Bold #21 -- 6,345 (+ 1.6%) 10/2010: Brave & Bold #22 -- 6,044 (- 4.7%) 11/2010: All-New BBB #1 -- 8,408 (+ 39.1%) 12/2010: All-New BBB #2 -- 6,688 (- 20.5%) ---------------- 6 months: + 6.7% 1 year : + 5.5% 2 years : n.a. 5 years : -21.0%
A relaunched Johnny DC title.
—–
246 - SCALPED (Vertigo) 12/2007: Scalped #12 -- 7,048 12/2008: Scalped #24 -- 6,777 ------------------------------ 12/2009: Scalped #33 -- 6,752 (- 2.2%) 01/2010: -- 02/2010: Scalped #34 -- 6,731 (- 0.3%) 02/2010: Scalped #35 -- 6,443 (- 4.3%) 03/2010: Scalped #36 -- 6,648 (+ 3.2%) 04/2010: Scalped #37 -- 6,584 (- 1.0%) 05/2010: Scalped #38 -- 6,632 (+ 0.7%) 06/2010: -- 07/2010: Scalped #39 -- 6,682 (+ 0.8%) 08/2010: Scalped #40 -- 6,593 (- 1.3%) 09/2010: -- 10/2010: Scalped #41 -- 6,623 (+ 0.5%) 10/2010: Scalped #42 -- 6,476 (- 2.2%) 11/2010: Scalped #43 -- 6,324 (- 2.4%) 12/2010: Scalped #44 -- 6,192 (- 2.1%) ---------------- 6 months: n.a. 1 year : - 8.3% 2 years : - 8.6%
250 - DMZ (Vertigo) 12/2005: DMZ #2 -- 14,840 12/2006: DMZ #14 -- 13,731 12/2007: DMZ #26 -- 11,027 12/2008: DMZ #37 -- 8,823 -------------------------- 12/2009: DMZ #48 -- 6,977 (-2.9%) 01/2010: DMZ #49 -- 6,872 (-1.5%) 02/2010: DMZ #50 -- 7,262 (+5.7%) 03/2010: DMZ #51 -- 6,840 (-5.8%) 04/2010: DMZ #52 -- 6,826 (-0.2%) 05/2010: DMZ #53 -- 6,759 (-1.0%) 06/2010: DMZ #54 -- 6,661 (-1.5%) 07/2010: DMZ #55 -- 6,581 (-1.2%) 08/2010: DMZ #56 -- 6,524 (-0.9%) 09/2010: DMZ #57 -- 6,333 (-2.9%) 10/2010: DMZ #58 -- 6,198 (-2.1%) 11/2010: DMZ #59 -- 6,046 (-2.5%) 12/2010: DMZ #60 -- 6,023 (-0.4%) ---------------- 6 months: - 9.6% 1 year : -13.7% 2 years : -31.7% 5 years : -59.4%
Two of Vertigo’s longer-running series. DMZ is about to conclude in a year, so it should be fine.
Scalped has lost some of its stability of late. If the trend persists, that could be a problem, since it’s not selling terribly well to begin with.
—–
251 - ASSASSIN'S CREED: THE FALL (WildStorm) 11/2010: The Fall #1 of 3 -- 6,941 12/2010: The Fall #2 of 3 -- 5,915 (-14.8%)
Another WildStorm title that will wrap up under the mainstream DC banner.
—–
253 - THE AUTHORITY (WildStorm) 12/2005: -- 12/2006: -- 12/2007: Prime #3 of 6 -- 16,623 12/2008: The Authority v4 #5 -- 11,534 --------------------------------------- 12/2009: The Authority v4 #17 -- 7,829 (- 2.9%) 01/2010: The Authority v4 #18 -- 7,952 (+ 1.6%) 02/2010: The Authority v4 #19 -- 7,943 (- 0.1%) 03/2010: The Authority v4 #20 -- 7,781 (- 2.0%) 04/2010: The Authority v4 #21 -- 7,563 (- 2.8%) 05/2010: The Authority v4 #22 -- 7,295 (- 3.5%) 06/2010: The Authority v4 #23 -- 7,226 (- 1.0%) 07/2010: The Authority v4 #24 -- 7,062 (- 2.3%) 08/2010: The Authority v4 #25 -- 6,860 (- 2.9%) 09/2010: The Authority v4 #26 -- 6,596 (- 3.9%) 10/2010: The Authority v4 #27 -- 6,556 (- 0.6%) 11/2010: The Authority v4 #28 -- 5,984 (- 8.7%) 12/2010: The Authority v4 #29 -- 5,798 (- 3.1%) ---------------- 6 months: -19.8% 1 year : -25.9% 2 years : -49.7% 5 years : n.a.
Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch from the commercial ashes of StormWatch in 1998, The Authority has been the flagship of the WildStorm Universe line for most of its tenure at DC. But in practice, the book lost much of its relevance when Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, after a run that was repeatedly delayed and maligned by a very hands-on DC management, left the series in 2000.
A relaunch by Grant Morrison and Gene Ha briefly resulted in a surge of interest in 2006, then got delayed, then disappeared for good. In retrospect, this seems like a book that stuck around 10 years longer than anyone needed it to.
—–
264 - VICTORIAN UNDEAD II: SHERLOCK HOLMES VS. DRACULA (WildStorm) 11/2009: Victorian Undead #1 of 6 -- 11,422 12/2009: Victorian Undead #2 of 6 -- 7,430 01/2010: Victorian Undead #3 of 6 -- 6,663 02/2010: Victorian Undead #4 of 6 -- 6,365 03/2010: Victorian Undead #5 of 6 -- 6,285 04/2010: Victorian Undead #6 of 6 -- 6,102 ------------------------------------------- 10/2010: Victorian Undead Special -- 5,723 (- 6.2%) 11/2010: Holmes/Dracula #1 of 5 -- 6,066 (+ 6.0%) 12/2010: Holmes/Dracula #2 of 5 -- 5,248 (-13.5%) ---------------- 1 year : -29.4%
One of the more successful “creator-driven” titles WildStorm produced in the last few years, also to be continued with a plain old DC logo on the cover.
—–
268 - WILDCATS (WildStorm) 12/2005: Nemesis #4 of 9 -- 15,428 12/2006: -- 12/2007: -- 12/2008: World's End #6 -- 10,450 ---------------------------------- 12/2009: World's End #18 -- 6,487 (- 3.2%) 01/2010: World's End #19 -- 6,791 (+ 4.7%) 02/2010: World's End #20 -- 6,669 (- 1.8%) 03/2010: World's End #21 -- 6,491 (- 2.7%) 04/2010: World's End #22 -- 6,367 (- 1.9%) 05/2010: World's End #23 -- 6,185 (- 2.9%) 06/2010: World's End #24 -- 6,051 (- 2.2%) 07/2010: World's End #25 -- 5,823 (- 3.8%) 08/2010: World's End #26 -- 5,607 (- 3.7%) 09/2010: World's End #27 -- 5,514 (- 1.7%) 10/2010: World's End #28 -- 5,532 (+ 0.3%) 11/2010: World's End #29 -- 5,151 (- 6.9%) 12/2010: World's End #30 -- 4,965 (- 3.6%) ---------------- 6 months: -18.0% 1 year : -23.5% 2 years : -52.5% 5 years : -67.8%
Wildcats #30 was the final WildStorm Universe comic, for the time being. As WildC.A.T.s, one of the first Image books — created, drawn and co-written by Jim Lee — the title had its commercial heyday in the early 1990s.
Throughout multiple relaunches, writers Alan Moore and Joe Casey have since contributed memorable runs to the series. A 2006 revamp by Grant Morrison and Jim Lee might have saved the property if more than one issue had materialized, but then again, the same could be said about Ambush Bug.
DC had something special here with Wildcats Version 3.0, but they were unable or unwilling to profit from that. As a result, this now looks like another concept that’s at least 10 years past its sell-by date.
—–
269 - RED ONE-SHOTS (WildStorm) 09/2010: Frank Special #1 -- 5,138 09/2010: Victoria Special #1 -- 5,057 09/2010: Joe Special #1 -- 5,036 09/2010: Marvin Special #1 -- 5,030 12/2010: Eyes Only #1 -- 4,955
A late sequel to tie in with the film. At least it was by one of the comic’s original creators.
—–
273 - THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS 05/2010: Special #1 -- 7,017 06/2010: -- 07/2010: Mighty Crusaders #1 of 6 -- 9,361 (+33.4%) 08/2010: Mighty Crusaders #2 of 6 -- 6,751 (-27.9%) 09/2010: Mighty Crusaders #3 of 6 -- 6,035 (-10.6%) 10/2010: Mighty Crusaders #4 of 6 -- 5,436 (- 9.9%) 11/2010: Mighty Crusaders #5 of 6 -- 5,006 (- 7.9%) 12/2010: Mighty Crusaders #6 of 6 -- 4,827 (- 3.6%)
Completely below the radar.
—–
275 - SCOOBY DOO: WHERE ARE YOU? (Johnny DC) 12/2005: Scooby Doo #103 -- 4,490 12/2006: Scooby Doo #115 -- 4,364 12/2007: Scooby Doo #127 -- 4,293 12/2008: Scooby Doo #139 -- ? --------------------------------- 12/2009: Scooby Doo #151 -- 3,906 (- 3.4%) 01/2010: Scooby Doo #152 -- 3,724 (- 4.7%) 02/2010: Scooby Doo #153 -- 3,780 (+ 1.5%) 03/2010: Scooby Doo #154 -- 3,846 (+ 1.8%) 04/2010: Scooby Doo #155 -- 3,836 (- 0.3%) 05/2010: Scooby Doo #156 -- 3,857 (+ 0.6%) 06/2010: Scooby Doo #157 -- ? 07/2010: Scooby Doo #158 -- 4,147 08/2010: Scooby Doo #159 -- 4,092 (- 1.3%) 09/2010: SD:WAY? #1 -- 6,186 (+51.2%) 10/2010: SD:WAY? #2 -- 4,926 (-20.4%) 11/2010: SD:WAY? #3 -- 4,861 (- 1.3%) 12/2010: SD:WAY? #4 -- 4,802 (- 1.2%) ---------------- 6 months: ? 1 year : +22.9% 2 years : ? 5 years : + 7.0%
A Johnny DC title.
—–
277 - GEARS OF WAR (WildStorm) 12/2010: GoW #3 -- 12,095 -------------------------- 12/2009: -- 01/2010: GoW #11 -- 7,157 (-11.3%) 02/2010: -- 03/2010: -- 04/2010: -- 05/2010: -- 06/2010: GoW #12 -- 6,165 (-13.9%) 07/2010: -- 08/2010: GoW #13 -- 5,962 (- 3.3%) 09/2010: -- 10/2010: GoW #14 -- 5,204 (-12.7%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: GoW #15 -- 4,709 (- 9.5%) ---------------- 6 months: -23.6% 1 year : n.a. 2 years : -61.1%
To be continued at DC proper, evidently.
—–
282 - DC COMICS PRESENTS 10/2010: Green Lantern #1 -- 4,418 10/2010: Jack Cross #1 -- 3,662 10/2010: Batman/Catwoman #1 -- 4,076 10/2010: Brightest Day #1 -- 4,988 10/2010: Batman #1 -- 4,643 10/2010: Superman #1 -- 3,685 10/2010: Young Justice #1 -- ? 11/2010: Flash/GL #1 -- 3,664 11/2010: Batman #2 -- 3,643 11/2010: Brightest Day #2 -- 3,292 11/2010: Superman #2 -- 2,915 12/2010: Batman Beyond #1 -- 4,531
Further DC Comics Presents reprint books that shipped in December but did not make the chart: JLA #1, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1, Brightest Day #3, Batman #3, Superman #3 and Young Justice #3.
—–
292 - GEN13 (WildStorm) 12/2006: Gen13 #3 -- 30,233 12/2007: Gen13 #15 -- 14,330 12/2008: Gen13 #25 -- 8,954 ---------------------------- 12/2009: Gen13 #33 -- 5,718 (- 5.4%) 01/2010: -- 02/2010: Gen13 #34 -- 5,412 (- 5.4%) 03/2010: -- 04/2010: Gen13 #35 -- 5,257 (- 2.9%) 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Gen13 #36 -- 5,124 (- 2.5%) 07/2010: -- 08/2010: Gen13 #37 -- 4,757 (- 7.2%) 09/2010: -- 10/2010: Gen13 #38 -- 4,404 (- 7.4%) 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Gen13 #39 -- 4,123 (- 6.4%) ---------------- 6 months: -19.5% 1 year : -27.9% 2 years : -54.0%
The final WildStorm Universe title on the chart is another one that saw its prime long before DC acquired the company. The highly publicized relaunches by Chris Claremont and Gail Simone only briefly reignited interest in the 2000s.
—–
- RESIDENT EVIL (WildStorm) 12/2009: -- 01/2010: -- 02/2010: -- 03/2010: Resident Evil #4 of 6 -- 5,074 (-22.0%) 04/2010: -- 05/2010: -- 06/2010: Resident Evil #5 of 6 -- 4,782 (- 5.8%) 07/2010: -- 08/2010: -- 09/2010: -- 10/2010: -- 11/2010: -- 12/2010: Resident Evil #6 of 6 -- 4,045 (-15.4%) ---------------- 6 months: -15.4% 1 year : n.a.
Another video-game adaptation from WildStorm concludes.
—–
300 - VERTIGO RESURRECTED (Vertigo) 10/2010: Vertigo Resurrected #1 -- 10,358 11/2010: The Extremist #1 -- 3,041 12/2010: Winter's Edge #1 -- 3,811
Another Vertigo reprint book. Also out in December, but not on the chart: The reprint special WildStorm Presents: Planetary: Lost Worlds #1.
Speaking of which, the WildStorm titles Welcome to Tranquility: One Foot in the Grave #6, Kane and Lynch #4, Ides of Blood #5, Ratchet and Clank #4 and Telara Chronicles #4 failed to chart in December. As always, for the purposes of the average periodical statistics below, I’m presuming each of them sold as many units as the No. 300 book on the chart, although the actual number is likely to be lower.
—–
6-MONTH COMPARISONS + 16.0%: Fables + 6.7%: All-New BBB + 5.7%: Teen Titans - 2.7%: Superman/Batman - 3.9%: REBELS - 5.8%: Northlanders - 6.9%: Action Comics - 8.3%: Tiny Titans - 8.6%: Hellblazer - 9.6%: DMZ - 10.1%: Sweet Tooth - 10.5%: Batman Confidential - 10.7%: Secret Six - 11.7%: Batgirl - 12.8%: Unwritten - 13.3%: JSA - 13.6%: Green Lantern - 14.0%: Batman: SoG - 14.0%: Red Robin - 15.4%: Resident Evil - 16.0%: House of Mystery - 16.1%: Booster Gold - 17.5%: GC Sirens - 17.8%: Detective Comics - 18.0%: Wildcats - 18.4%: GL Corps - 18.6%: Power Girl - 18.9%: Jonah Hex - 19.3%: Doom Patrol - 19.5%: Gen13 - 19.8%: Authority - 19.9%: Flash - 20.2%: Supergirl - 21.5%: Azrael - 22.7%: JLA - 23.6%: GoW - 24.7%: JSA All-Stars - 24.9%: Birds of Prey - 25.3%: DCU Legacies - 26.0%: Generation Lost - 27.2%: Outsiders - 28.1%: Brightest Day - 29.2%: American Vampire - 31.4%: Adventure Comics - 32.0%: Titans - 32.3%: Green Arrow - 33.7%: Wonder Woman - 34.7%: Zatanna - 35.4%: I, Zombie - 35.9%: LoSH - 36.3%: Spirit - 36.3%: Superman - 39.6%: Batman - 46.3%: Doc Savage
—–
1-YEAR COMPARISONS +117.9%: Green Arrow + 35.7%: Wonder Woman + 32.5%: Superman + 22.9%: Scooby-Doo + 12.5%: Fables + 5.5%: All-New BBB + 1.5%: Action Comics - 4.0%: Batman - 6.3%: Tiny Titans - 8.3%: Scalped - 9.6%: Hellblazer - 12.4%: Sweet Tooth - 12.5%: Northlanders - 13.2%: Titans - 13.5%: Secret Six - 13.7%: DMZ - 16.4%: Batman Confidential - 18.1%: Unwritten - 19.8%: Supergirl - 21.9%: Red Robin - 22.3%: Batgirl - 23.0%: Jack of Fables - 23.5%: Wildcats - 23.7%: Green Lantern - 24.5%: JSA - 25.6%: Power Girl - 25.9%: Authority - 27.4%: Detective Comics - 27.8%: House of Mystery - 27.9%: Gen13 - 28.0%: Jonah Hex - 28.2%: GC Sirens - 28.4%: Batman: SoG - 29.4%: JLA - 29.4%: Victorian Undead - 30.1%: GL Corps - 32.8%: WoW - 38.4%: Superman/Batman - 40.1%: Teen Titans - 56.6%: Azrael - 56.7%: JSA All-Stars - 58.6%: Booster Gold - 60.3%: Adventure Comics - 65.3%: Outsiders - 66.3%: REBELS - 72.9%: Doom Patrol
—–
2-YEAR COMPARISONS +108.1%: Flash + 64.3%: Birds of Prey + 50.2%: Green Arrow + 23.5%: GL Corps + 21.6%: Batgirl + 14.7%: Green Lantern + 13.0%: LoSH + 10.7%: Red Robin + 9.8%: Wonder Woman + 1.1%: Fables - 8.6%: Scalped - 10.2%: Jonah Hex - 17.3%: Tiny Titans - 17.4%: Spirit - 20.6%: Secret Six - 22.2%: Superman - 22.2%: X-Files - 25.1%: Hellblazer - 27.8%: Northlanders - 29.4%: Teen Titans - 30.6%: Jack of Fables - 31.7%: DMZ - 32.3%: Batman - 33.5%: Superman/Batman - 36.0%: JLA - 37.2%: Batman Confidential - 37.8%: Booster Gold - 41.6%: Detective Comics - 42.6%: Titans - 43.4%: Action Comics - 48.5%: House of Mystery - 49.7%: Authority - 50.3%: Supergirl - 52.5%: Wildcats - 54.0%: Gen13 - 54.1%: JSA - 56.8%: WoW - 59.2%: Outsiders - 61.1%: GoW
—–
5-YEAR COMPARISONS + 33.0%: Flash + 15.9%: Green Arrow + 8.2%: Red Robin + 8.0%: Birds of Prey + 7.0%: Scooby-Doo + 2.2%: Detective Comics + 0.2%: Batman - 4.4%: Batgirl - 6.1%: Fables - 15.7%: GL Corps - 16.0%: Green Lantern - 23.7%: Action Comics - 24.8%: Wonder Woman - 32.5%: Superman - 35.2%: Hellblazer - 36.9%: JLA - 38.1%: JSA - 58.4%: Jonah Hex - 59.4%: DMZ - 61.3%: Teen Titans - 67.8%: Wildcats - 70.1%: Superman/Batman - 71.8%: Outsiders
—–
Average Periodical Sales (not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, Johnny DC titles and magazines)
DC COMICS 12/2005: 36,147 12/2006: 34,418 12/2007: 33,138 12/2008: 26,793** --------------- 12/2009: 25,904 (-10.4%)** 01/2010: 25,657 (- 1.0%)** 02/2010: 26,199 (+ 2.1%)** 03/2010: 23,299 (-11.1%)** 04/2010: 23,740 (+ 1.9%)** 05/2010: 27,785 (+17.0%)** 06/2010: 25,788 (- 7.2%)** 07/2010: 25,841 (+ 0.2%)** 08/2010: 23,331 (- 9.7%)** 09/2010: 23,212 (- 0.5%)** 10/2010: 23,756 (- 2.3%)** 11/2010: 25,497 (+ 7.3%)** 12/2010: 23,869 (- 6.4%)** ---------------- 6 months: - 7.4% 1 year : - 7.9% 2 years : -10.9% 5 years : -34.0%
DC UNIVERSE 12/2005: 44,993 12/2006: 44,641 12/2007: 40,074 12/2008: 35,050 --------------- 12/2009: 35,473 (- 7.8%)** 01/2010: 33,698 (- 5.0%) 02/2010: 35,895 (+ 6.5%) 03/2010: 32,375 (- 9.8%) 04/2010: 32,859 (+ 1.5%) 05/2010: 37,463 (+14.0%) 06/2010: 34,612 (- 7.6%)** 07/2010: 35,372 (+ 2.2%) 08/2010: 33,411 (- 5.5%) 09/2010: 32,042 (- 4.1%) 10/2010: 32,832 (+ 2.5%) 11/2010: 34,180 (+ 4.1%) 12/2010: 30,870 (- 9.7%) ---------------- 6 months: -10.8% 1 year : -13.0% 2 years : -11.9% 5 years : -31.4%
VERTIGO 12/2005: 16,320 12/2006: 13,834 12/2007: 11,035 12/2008: 11,603 --------------- 12/2009: 10,583 (- 4.1%) 01/2010: 11,267 (+ 6.5%) 02/2010: 9,256 (-17.9%) 03/2010: 11,394 (+23.1%) 04/2010: 10,815 (- 5.1%) 05/2010: 11,756 (+ 8.7%) 06/2010: 10,995 (- 6.5% 07/2010: 9,515 (-13.5%) 08/2010: 9,094 (- 4.4%) 09/2010: 11,622 (+27.8%) 10/2010: 9,546 (-17.9%) 11/2010: 9,034 (- 5.4%) 12/2010: 11,193 (+23.9%) ---------------- 6 months: + 1.8% 1 year : + 5.8% 2 years : - 3.5% 5 years : -31.4%
WILDSTORM 12/2005: 15,068 12/2006: 17,288 12/2007: 15,601 12/2008: 9,415** --------------- 12/2009: 7,260 (+ 2.1%)** 01/2010: 6,532 (-10.0%)** 02/2010: 5,692 (-12.9%)** 03/2010: 7,691 (+35.1%)** 04/2010: 5,923 (-23.0%)** 05/2010: 6,808 (+14.9%)** 06/2010: 6,140 (- 9.8%)** 07/2010: 7,054 (+14.9%)** 08/2010: 6,179 (-12.4%)** 09/2010: 6,046 (- 2.2%)** 10/2010: 5,158 (-14.7%)** 11/2010: 5,429 (+ 5.3%)** 12/2010: 4,983 (- 8.2%)** ---------------- 6 months: -18.8% 1 year : -31.4% 2 years : -47.1% 5 years : -66.9%
—–
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 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.
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 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 between them 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.
** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.
For a more lyrical approach to discussing sales figures that covers all the essentials in a more condensed, less tedious fashion, finally, go right here.
—–
Marc-Oliver Frisch writes about comics at his weblog and at Comicgate. You can also follow him on Twitter.
RIP Wildstorm :-(
The most depressing column I read every month. But nice to have.
I really wish DC would do to Doom Patrol what they did during the Morrison run. Instead of just out right cancelling the title (which seems inevitable), bring in a brand new creative team (Sorry, Keith!) to see if it gets a boost! If they hadn’t done this previously, we might have never had Grant’s run, which would have been tragic!
Why would you say that [“Meanwhile, DC’s WildStorm imprint, which the company bought from Jim Lee in 1998 and then proceeded to slowly but determinedly squeeze the life out of, ceased publication in December. Average WildStorm sales sagged below the 5K mark, to the lowest number in history.”]
If WildStorm put out comic that people wanted they would have purchased them. Are you saying the Jim Lee is a sellout for the money that DC gave him, and could care less about the books he put out, I doubt that very much.
You must have a poor opinion about Jim Lee to say that or I’m missing the point here.
Interesting… the DC Comics Presents comics cost $7.99 for four issues, yet the hardcover Fantastic Four collections cost $20 ($16 TP).
I’d love to see a post-mortem on the Wildstorm legacy titles (Wild C.A.T.S., Authority, Gen13), analyzing the entire sales history. (At least when at DC. Add Image numbers if available.)
The number for Fables is remarkable. Considering the price point is more than 3X the normal cover price, pulling in 23k is incredible. And this book is still great. If anyone took off after the Adversary story line, now is a great time to get back on.
The numbers on THUNDER Agents doesn’t reflect the quality of this book. The story is tight and face-paced with above average art with clean lines. Go grab issues 1-4, you won’t be disappointed.
And lastly, hang in there Scalped. This series is so good. Best on-going book out there right now.
Thanks for the numbers Marc. Cheers!
really…i hate to admit it but it looks like the factors we are all aware of are just killing monthly comics. everything is down, new people arent coming (with a few exceptions, but even then those are mostly in trade/HC), even the diehards are cutting back/dropping out.
i dont know how much longer people can keep pretending that it ISNT really as bad as some of the more sensationalized headlines make it out to be.
i have recently been getting heavily into ebay…have you see what the average new comic sells for on there? 99 cents. and even then, most new stuff doesnt even sell at that price. the market there is dictated by the ACTUAL demand, and the actual demand does not paint a pretty picture.
i just dont know how the industry is going to survive. it will obviously change (and most likely VERY soon) but what shape is that going to take?
*and yes, i know these numbers are not 100% accurate, but they dont even need to be at this point. everything is trending downward, for months on end now. it makes me sad.
Not to put words in anyone’s mouth, but I got more of a sense that he was criticizing DC for buying it and then doing everything they could to remove the things that made it unique and interesting until there was no more interest.
@Allen Sant – don’t want to speak for Marc, but I believe you are missing his point. I think his comment was more about the mismanaging of Wildstorm by DC.
Aaahhhh Ben beat me to it, sorry didn’t see your post before I submitted
“143 – DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010
12/2010: DCU Holiday Special 2010 #1 — 13,679
Three $ 4.99 one-shots with inconsequential inventory material.”
That may be, but this issue features my first inconsequential inventory material for DC.
:)
(The Spectre story, in case anyone’s curious)
Ben & Joseph: Yes!
Dara:
For what it’s worth, 99% of the comics I buy these days are inconsequential (and the rest by Grant Morrison).
Regarding Birds of Prey, I wonder if the exit of artist Ed Benes played a part in it’s quick sales decline?
Thunder Agents is a really great book, one of the best new launches in recent memory.
I wonder if DC’s 2.99 strategy will have any effect on upcoming sales numbers? May take a while to show up, but I have to admit it’s something they’re doing that I admire greatly. I was considering dropping Emerald Warriors if it stayed a 3.99 book, but now I’ll hang in at 2.99.
“And this book is still great. If anyone took off after the Adversary story line, now is a great time to get back on”
It really isn’t; Fables has been only OK since the end of the Great Fables Crossover.
Between the obscene price point for a single issue and fraudulent solicitation copy for #100, I’m very interested to see the effect on Fables numbers (those orders for #100 only represent what retailers think they can sell after all). I know I dropped and I made sure my retailer knows why.
From my point of view, Fables issue 100 was worth every penny. Truly a great issue, and the fight scene of the year.
With the way the Direct Market’s been contracting for the last couple of years, I fear that the best DC can hope for with its $2.99 pricing strategy is to keep any more readers from walking away. It’s obvious that many more people are quitting comics in general than picking up the habit.
It’s a shame that Batgirl sales continue to drop. Artist Dustin Nguyen is DC’s secret weapon – I can only guess that DC is afraid to promote their talent, in case they might leave and take their audience with them: in the meantime, of course, they’re losing potential readers (see: Marvel, 1992)…
Meanwhile, DC’s number-one book is awful – they’re betting on the wrong horse with David Finch; with his track record (and lack of storytelling skills), they should have known better.
I hope the “new DC” takes a hard look at their marketing, because whoever’s in charge now should be shot. Twice.
I wonder what Marc would say about the Marvel numbers if he and Paul switched publishers for a month.
Would it be as negative?
That would a great idea – get them to sawp the sales chart for a month!
It’ll be fun – and something different for both reviewers!! ;)
Continued…
It would be interesting to see if Marc continues his glass half empty approach. And if the other guy continues his glass half full. ;)
I agree with joe.distort. It is sad but it seems inevitable that the industry is . It is ridiculous that new series get axed so quickly due to poor sales. I used to try new stuff all the time and am now holding back because so many of the new series I pick up get axed in the first 2 years. At this pace what will the market look like in the next 2 years? With Digital comics coming in it will be worst. (We all know 80% will be illegally downloaded and 20% will be honest purchases). It is sad, my 2 year old son may not even know what reading a comic book was about…..
These numbers are horrendous! And they only reflect what’s sold to retailers. The sell-through on most of these titles is terrible. A used-book store near where I work has a used-comic bin and it’s filled with relatively new comics discounted to a $1 and they still don’t sell. I picked up all of Brightest Day there. I can find a title within a month of it’s release date in that bin — multiple copies too. It’s really sad. A comic like Scalped, which is really good, has 6,000-ish numbers but how many out of that number actually get bought?
I was buying DC regularly for the last five years but I’m stopping again because I’ve lost interest in most of their titles. $2.99 isn’t going to keep me around if the storytelling isn’t there.
Joe Gualtieri:
What was fraudulent about the solicitation for Fables #100?
Marc-Oliver: Jack of Fables ends with #50.
These sales figures are depressing. I hope the $2.99 price point will stop the hemorrhaging, we’ll see.
The Great Fables Crossover was the worst storyline I’ve read in years, of ANY book. Fables #100 was easily the best anniversary book I’ve read in DECADES. Can’t win them all.
Thanks for all the hard work, Marc!
“Wildcats #30 was the final WildStorm Universe comic, for the time being. As WildC.A.T.s, one of the first Image books — created, drawn and co-written by Jim Lee — the title had its commercial heyday in the early 1990s.”
“Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch from the commercial ashes of StormWatch in 1998, The Authority has been the flagship of the WildStorm Universe line for most of its tenure at DC. But in practice, the book lost much of its relevance when Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, after a run that was repeatedly delayed and maligned by a very hands-on DC management, left the series in 2000.”
Marc, I really appreciate your summation of the sad fates of these flagship series. Authority should have really become an adults-only title, which we know makes DC nervous; I don’t get why they couldn’t better support W.I.L.D.Cats. Both are such tragic missed opportunities.
I do get why the Morrison planned revivals didn’t help; he’s just stretched too thin to save an offshoot company, and DC doesn’t really have a history of playing nice with their aquired properties.
Shawn, its no big surprise that DC only bought Wildstorm to get one thing out of it: creator Jim Lee!!!
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is so freaking good! I have no idea what DC could have done to drag people to it…hate that it’ll probably be over soon! :(
BiffordMichael:
That’s DC’s marketing department’s job. They simply have no clue how to do it right.
All we can do as readers is spread the word about good comics – word-of-mouth is the slowest but surest path to real sales success for books that deserve it!
Brian, here’s the first line of the solicitation copy for Fables #100:
“In this fantastic 100-page issue, it’s time to put an end to Mister Dark once and for all, and time for the Fables to return home to Fabletown”
As anyone who read it knows, Fables #100 hardly put an end to Mister Dark, and that awful storyline is still going.
and again Marc I ask why do you keep writing about a company you hate so much? You cant write about a single title without making a snide remark
Maybe he’s just a figures geek. Or maybe he doesn’t hate the company, just its current direction.
Also, I don’t even really get much hate for DC itself in the remarks, more of a “None of this is working” vibe.
12/2010: Fables #100 — 23,014 (+17.1%)
12/2010: American Vampire #10 — 17,761 (- 6.6%)
12/2010: I, Zombie #8 — 12,038 (- 6.0%)
12/2010: The Unwritten #20 — 11,684 (- 2.9%)
12/2010: Jack of Fables #49 — 9,828 (- 5.0%)
12/2010: Hellblazer #274 — 9,342 (-3.1%)
12/2010: Sweet Tooth #16 — 8,602 (- 1.7%)
12/2010: CH: CoD #5 of 5 — 7,601 (+0.5%)
12/2010: House of Mystery #32 — 7,348 (- 3.4%)
12/2010: Northlanders #35 — 7,061 (+ 0.6%)
12/2010: Scalped #44 — 6,192 (- 2.1%)
12/2010: DMZ #60 — 6,023 (-0.4%)
So less than 10K is the new normal for Vertigo pamphlets? Half the titles aren’t even selling 9K. Time to come up with a new business model.
@morganagrom – Vertigo has a different business model. You have to factor their outstanding long term trade sales into the equation for the publisher. Personally, I sell more copies of the trades of all of the Vertigo books than I do of the issues. I actually sell more copies of the trade the day it comes out than I do of the monthly issues. But every week I am getting someone started on at least one Vertigo series, which is going to lead to the sale of the rest of the books in the series as well as the good possibility of jumping to another title.
I also would love to see the reversal of the two analysts.
Alan Waid: “and again Marc I ask why do you keep writing about a company you hate so much? You cant write about a single title without making a snide remark”
If you don’t like what he says Alan then DON’T READ ANY OF HIS ARTICLES ANYMORE! Or just read the months #’s and stop right there. Its really that simple…
And, unsurprisingly, a bunch of these titles have now been canceled: Rebels, Doom Patrol, Freedom Fighters, JSA-All Stars.
I can say that price point is the single biggest reason why the vast majority of the titles on my pull-list are now DC titles. About the only Marvel ones remaining are Amazing Spider-Man (with no spin-offs or subsidiary minis – which I used to read all the time at the lower prices) and Captain America. Whereas on DC, I have the two main Green Lantern Comics, Batman, B&R, Dark Knight, Sirens, Streets of Gotham, Booster Gold and so on.
How would you like to win a Free Ipad 2? Well we found a site that is giving away Ipad 2 if you complete some surveys or offer.t’s an excellent offer but we are not too sure they are going to keep it up. As you know ipad 2 is an excellent new version of the ipad and there are limited quantities at the moment!If you’re looking to Buy ipad why not try out this free ipad offer first.