GreenTeam6.jpg
by Marc-Oliver Frisch

November was more of the same for DC, basically, with the “Forever Evil” and “Zero Year” crossovers rolling on, along with a couple of smaller ones. Oh, and Harley Quinn debuted.

See below for the details and, as usual, 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.

—–

293 - GREEN TEAM
05/2013: Green Team #1  -- 27,775
06/2013: Green Team #2  -- 14,328 (-48.4%)
07/2013: Green Team #3  -- 11,220 (-21.7%)
08/2013: Green Team #4  --  8,493 (-24.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Green Team #5  --  ?
11/2013: Green Team #6  --  5,286
----------------
6 months: -81.0%

Cancelled with issue #8.

For all its effectiveness as a system that gets product to people who already know they want it, the comic-book direct market remains a toxic environment for untested properties and creators who haven’t been able to cultivate a large following.

Increasingly, though, we’re seeing a split on that. Image, over the last few years, has become something like an HBO for genre comics, in terms of the hits it’s produced — new properties from popular Marvel and DC creators, but also books like Chew or Peter Panzerfaust, which have been able to succeed completely on their own merits.

It will be interesting to see where this trend leads, and how DC and Marvel will respond to it.

(Corrections Department: The book actually shipped in October, too, but missed the chart. I’ve adjusted the averages accordingly.)

—–

284 - TOM STRONG AND THE PLANET OF PERIL (Vertigo)
06/2010: Robots of Doom #1 of 6  -- 10,552
07/2010: Robots of Doom #2 of 6  --  7,655
08/2010: Robots of Doom #3 of 6  --  6,989
09/2010: Robots of Doom #4 of 6  --  6,661
10/2010: Robots of Doom #5 of 6  --  6,271
11/2010: Robots of Doom #6 of 6  --  5,995
------------------------------------------
07/2013: Planet of Peril #1 of 6 -- 10,492
08/2013: Planet of Peril #2 of 6 --  7,593 (-27.6%)
09/2013: Planet of Peril #3 of 6 --  6,746 (-11.2%)
10/2013: Planet of Peril #4 of 6 --  ?
11/2013: Planet of Peril #5 of 6 --  5,688

Another book that missed the chart last month.

Are Peter Hogan and Chris Sprouse still on good terms with Alan Moore? It’s getting hard to keep track. People must have very strange and complicated feelings steering a Moore comic, these days.

At any rate, the move from the now defunct WildStorm to Vertigo hasn’t affected the numbers in any way.

—–

230 - 100 BULLETS: BROTHER LONO (Vertigo)
11/2003: --
11/2008: 100 Bullets #97      -- 10,580
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Brother Lono #1 of 8 -- 17,489
07/2013: Brother Lono #2 of 8 -- 11,984 (-31.5%)
08/2013: Brother Lono #3 of 8 -- 10,051 (-16.1%)
09/2013: Brother Lono #4 of 8 --  8,891 (-11.5%)
10/2013: Brother Lono #5 of 8 --  8,591 (- 3.4%)
11/2013: Brother Lono #6 of 8 --  7,954 (- 7.4%)
----------------
5 years : -24.8%
10 years:   n.a.

Harsh sales for a 100 Bullets sequel. I wonder how an Image title by Azzarello and Risso would do.

—–

229 - THE MOVEMENT
05/2013: The Movement #1  -- 29,246
06/2013: The Movement #2  -- 18,001 (-38.5%)
07/2013: The Movement #3  -- 14,524 (-19.3%)
08/2013: The Movement #4  -- 11,095 (-23.6%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: The Movement #5  --  9,110 (-17.9%)
11/2013: The Movement #6  --  7,957 (-12.7%)
----------------
6 months: -72.8%

Still officially ongoing as I’m writing this.

—–

220/214/206/169 - ESSENTIALS
11/2013: Y: The Last Man #1 --  8,446
11/2013: Fables #1          --  8,752
11/2013: Green Lantern #1   --  9,233
11/2013: Justice League #1  -- 12,561

A bunch of DC Universe and Vertigo evergreens, freshly reprinted.

—–

218 - KATANA
02/2013: Katana #1  -- 27,021
03/2013: Katana #2  -- 19,247 (-28.8%)
04/2013: Katana #3  -- 16,157 (-16.1%)
05/2013: Katana #4  -- 14,804 (- 8.4%)
06/2013: Katana #5  -- 12,998 (-12.2%)
07/2013: Katana #6  -- 11,346 (-12.7%)
08/2013: Katana #7  -- 10,386 (- 8.5%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Katana #8  --  9,392 (- 9.6%)
11/2013: Katana #9  --  8,542 (- 9.1%)
----------------
6 months: -42.3%

Cancelled with issue #10.

—–

204 - BEWARE THE BATMAN (All-Ages)
11/2003: Batman Adventures #8  -- 12,930
11/2009: Brave & Bold #11      --  6,438
11/2010: All-New BBB #1        --  8,408
11/2011: All-New BBB #13       --  7,143
----------------------------------------
10/2013: Beware the Batman #1  -- 19,830
10/2013: Beware the Batman #2  -- 10,368 (-47.7%)
-----------------
2 years : + 45.2%
10 years: - 19.8%

Quite a big drop, but the book sold unexpectedly well to begin with for an All-Ages title. This is more what you’d expect.

(Beware the Batman was made returnable by DC and had its numbers reduced on the chart by Diamond, before I re-adjusted them for the column. The same applies to Hinterkind and Coffin Hill. At best, figures will be more accurate as a result; at worst, they’ll be a different kind of wrong from what Diamond provides. Either way, take these with a grain of salt.)

(Corrections Department: I’d blanked on the All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold iteration of the series last month, in the long-term comparisons.)

—–

203 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA'S VIBE
02/2013: Vibe #1  -- 27,051
03/2013: Vibe #2  -- 19,092 (-29.4%)
04/2013: Vibe #3  -- 16,972 (-11.1%)
05/2013: Vibe #4  -- 14,970 (-11.8%)
06/2013: Vibe #5  -- 13,706 (- 8.4%)
07/2013: Vibe #6  -- 12,241 (-10.7%)
08/2013: Vibe #7  -- 11,184 (- 8.6%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Vibe #8  -- 10,139 (- 9.3%)
11/2013: Vibe #9  --  9,387 (- 7.4%)
----------------
6 months: -37.3%

Cancelled with issue #10.

—–

194 - STORMWATCH
11/2003: --
11/2008: StormWatch: PHD #16  --  6,824
11/2009: StormWatch: PHD #24  --  4,598
11/2011: Stormwatch #3        -- 39,262
---------------------------------------
11/2012: Stormwatch #14       -- 16,559 (- 6.0%)
12/2012: Stormwatch #15       -- 15,437 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Stormwatch #16       -- 14,411 (- 6.7%)
02/2013: Stormwatch #17       -- 13,657 (- 5.2%)
03/2013: Stormwatch #18       -- 13,255 (- 2.9%)
04/2013: Stormwatch #19       -- 13,626 (+ 2.8%)
05/2013: Stormwatch #20       -- 13,049 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Stormwatch #21       -- 12,277 (- 5.9%)
07/2013: Stormwatch #22       -- 11,792 (- 4.0%)
08/2013: Stormwatch #23       -- 10,969 (- 7.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Stormwatch #24       -- 10,067 (- 8.2%)
11/2013: Stormwatch #25       --  9,881 (- 1.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.3%
1 year  : - 40.3%
2 years : - 74.8%
5 years : + 44.8%
10 years:   n.a.

Cancelled with issue #30.

—–

186 - FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS (Vertigo)
07/2013: Collider #1  -- 17,336
08/2013: FBP #2       -- 14,068 (-18.9%)
09/2013: FBP #3       -- 13,977 (- 0.7%)
10/2013: FBP #4       -- 11,600 (-17.0%)
11/2013: FBP #5       -- 10,391 (-10.4%)

The book was off to a good start, but these numbers are discouraging.

—–

182 - BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED (Digital-First)
11/2012: Arkham Unhinged #8  -- 18,393 (- 7.5%)
12/2012: Arkham Unhinged #9  -- 17,220 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Arkham Unhinged #10 -- 16,113 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Arkham Unhinged #11 -- 15,703 (- 2.6%)
03/2013: Arkham Unhinged #12 -- 15,067 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Arkham Unhinged #13 -- 14,702 (- 2.4%)
05/2013: Arkham Unhinged #14 -- 14,048 (- 4.5%)
06/2013: Arkham Unhinged #15 -- 13,729 (- 2.3%)
07/2013: Arkham Unhinged #16 -- 13,046 (- 5.0%)
08/2013: Arkham Unhinged #17 -- 13,360 (+ 2.4%)
09/2013: Arkham Unhinged #18 -- 12,984 (- 2.8%)
10/2013: Arkham Unhinged #19 -- 11,879 (- 8.5%)
11/2013: Arkham Unhinged #20 -- 11,204 (- 5.7%)
----------------
6 months: -20.3%
1 year  : -39.1%

Cancelled with issue #20.

—–

172 - BATMAN: LI'L GOTHAM (Digital-First)
04/2013: Li'l Gotham #1  -- 27,591
05/2013: Li'l Gotham #2  -- 18,573 (-32.7%)
06/2013: Li'l Gotham #3  -- 18,578 (+ 0.0%)
07/2013: Li'l Gotham #4  -- 21,646 (+16.5%)
08/2013: Li'l Gotham #5  -- 14,696 (-32.1%)
09/2013: Li'l Gotham #6  -- 13,654 (- 7.1%)
10/2013: Li'l Gotham #7  -- 12,919 (- 5.4%)
11/2013: Li'l Gotham #8  -- 12,054 (- 6.7%)
----------------
6 months: -35.1%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

167 - HINTERKIND (Vertigo)
10/2013: Hinterkind #1  -- 23,516
11/2013: Hinterkind #2  -- 13,994 (-40.5%)

—–

162 - COFFIN HILL (Vertigo)
10/2013: Coffin Hill #1  -- 24,129
11/2013: Coffin Hill #2  -- 14,472 (-40.0)

That initial boost the recent Vertigo books received si losing steam quickly. Also, retailers still seem unable to distinguish between these two titles, for no other reason than because they happen to be two Vertigo series that launched in the same month. That’s bad news, because it suggests that there’s no distinct audience for either of them. (Both were still returnable in November, see above.)

—–

161 - SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP (All-Ages)
11/2013: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #1  -- 13,036

A new All-Ages title.

Scooby-Doo rarely makes the charts, but someone at DC must be happy with it for some reason. This isn’t a stellar start, though.

—–

160 - ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Digital-First)
11/2003: Adventures of Superman #622 -- 27,254
----------------------------------------------
05/2013: Adventures of Superman #1   -- 30,992
06/2013: Adventures of Superman #2   -- 22,407 (-27.7%)
07/2013: Adventures of Superman #3   -- 19,453 (-13.2%)
08/2013: Adventures of Superman #4   -- 17,370 (-10.7%)
09/2013: Adventures of Superman #5   -- 16,011 (- 7.8%)
10/2013: Adventures of Superman #6   -- 14,484 (- 9.5%)
11/2013: Adventures of Superman #7   -- 13,140 (- 9.3%)
----------------
6 months: -57.6%
10 years: -51.8%

Another Digital-First book sliding down the charts rather quickly.

—–

157 - SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 (Digital-First)
11/2012: Smallville S11 #7  -- 19,104 (- 2.8%)
12/2012: Smallville S11 #8  -- 18,633 (- 2.5%)
01/2013: Smallville S11 #9  -- 17,845 (- 4.2%)
02/2013: Smallville S11 #10 -- 17,024 (- 4.6%)
03/2013: Smallville S11 #11 -- 16,502 (- 3.1%)
04/2013: Smallville S11 #12 -- 15,930 (- 3.5%)
05/2013: Smallville S11 #13 -- 15,442 (- 3.1%)
06/2013: Smallville S11 #14 -- 15,097 (- 2.2%)
07/2013: Smallville S11 #15 -- 14,930 (- 1.1%)
08/2013: Smallville S11 #16 -- 14,640 (- 1.9%)
09/2013: Smallville S11 #17 -- 14,153 (- 3.3%)
10/2013: Smallville S11 #18 -- 13,794 (- 2.5%)
11/2013: Smallville S11 #19 -- 13,286 (- 3.7%)
----------------
6 months: -14.0%
1 year  : -30.5%

Cancelled with issue #19.

—–

153 - ALL STAR WESTERN
11/2008: Jonah Hex #37 -- 12,537
11/2009: Jonah Hex #49 -- 11,146
11/2010: Jonah Hex #61 -- 10,796
11/2011: ASW #3        -- 32,776
--------------------------------
11/2012: ASW #14       -- 20,186 (-  6.0%)
12/2012: ASW #15       -- 19,190 (-  4.9%)
01/2013: ASW #16       -- 18,254 (-  4.9%)
02/2013: ASW #17       -- 17,398 (-  4.7%)
03/2013: ASW #18       -- 16,897 (-  2.9%)
04/2013: ASW #19       -- 16,838 (-  0.4%)
05/2013: ASW #20       -- 16,184 (-  3.9%)
06/2013: ASW #21       -- 15,788 (-  2.5%)
07/2013: ASW #22       -- 15,376 (-  2.6%)
08/2013: ASW #23       -- 15,276 (-  0.7%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: ASW #24       -- 14,378 (-  5.9%)
11/2013: ASW #25       -- 13,937 (-  3.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.9%
1 year  : - 31.0%
2 years : - 57.5%
5 years : + 11.2%

Slowly drifting down, but still ahead of its pre-“New 52” numbers.

—–

149 - FABLES (Vertigo)
11/2003: Fables #19  -- 25,948
11/2008: Fables #78  -- 23,345
11/2009: Fables #90  -- 20,882
11/2010: --
11/2011: Fables #111 -- 17,687
------------------------------
11/2012: Fables #123 -- 16,229 (- 1.7%)
12/2012: Fables #124 -- 16,018 (- 1.3%)
01/2013: Fables #125 -- 15,983 (- 0.2%)
02/2013: Fables #126 -- 15,480 (- 3.2%)
03/2013: Fables #127 -- 15,529 (+ 0.3%)
04/2013: Fables #128 -- 15,606 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Fables #129 -- 15,380 (- 1.5%)
06/2013: Fables #130 -- 15,129 (- 1.6%)
07/2013: Fables #131 -- 15,109 (- 0.1%)
08/2013: Fables #132 -- 14,893 (- 1.4%)
09/2013: Fables #133 -- 14,639 (- 1.7%)
10/2013: Fables #134 -- 14,575 (- 0.4%)
11/2013: Fables #135 -- 14,383 (- 1.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.5%
1 year  : -11.4%
2 years : -18.7%
5 years : -38.4%
10 years: -44.6%

Standard attrition.

—–

139 - HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
11/2012: He-Man #4 of 6 -- 17,499 (- 4.2%)
12/2012: He-Man #5 of 6 -- 16,858 (- 3.7%)
01/2013: He-Man #6 of 6 -- 16,441 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: --
03/2013: --
04/2013: He-Man #1      -- 25,254 (+53.6%)
05/2013: He-Man #2      -- 19,410 (-23.1%)
06/2013: He-Man #3      -- 18,277 (- 5.8%)
07/2013: He-Man #4      -- 18,101 (- 1.0%)
08/2013: He-Man #5      -- 16,898 (- 6.7%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: He-Man #6      -- 16,294 (- 3.6%)
10/2013: He-Man #7      -- 16,059 (- 1.4%)
11/2013: He-Man #8      -- 15,154 (- 5.6%)
----------------
6 months: -21.9%
1 year  : -13.4%

The book hasn’t found its level, but it’s still doing relatively well for a licensed title.

—–

135 - ASTRO CITY (Vertigo)
11/2003: --
11/2008: --
11/2011: --
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Astro City #1        -- 27,700
07/2013: Astro City #2        -- 20,193 (-27.1%)
08/2013: Astro City #3        -- 18,802 (- 6.9%)
09/2013: Astro City #4        -- 17,641 (- 6.2%)
10/2013: Astro City #5        -- 16,927 (- 4.1%)
11/2013: Astro City #6        -- 16,031 (- 5.3%)
-----------------
5 years :   n.a.
10 years:   n.a.

Drifting down. Another book that makes me wonder how it might be doing at Image.

—–

132 - LARFLEEZE
06/2013: Larfleeze #1  -- 36,638
07/2013: Larfleeze #2  -- 30,221 (-17.5%)
08/2013: Larfleeze #3  -- 21,955 (-27.4%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Larfleeze #4  -- 18,061 (-17.7%)
11/2013: Larfleeze #5  -- 16,157 (-10.5%)

No more variant-cover editions, plastic rings or crossovers to sugar-coat the numbers.

—–

131 - BATWING
11/2011: Batwing #3  -- 35,110
------------------------------
11/2012: Batwing #14 -- 15,967 (- 7.0%)
12/2012: Batwing #15 -- 14,674 (- 8.1%)
01/2013: Batwing #16 -- 13,427 (- 8.5%)
02/2013: Batwing #17 -- 12,595 (- 6.2%)
03/2013: Batwing #18 -- 12,084 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Batwing #19 -- 13,570 (+12.3%)
05/2013: Batwing #20 -- 13,302 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Batwing #21 -- 12,437 (- 6.5%)
07/2013: Batwing #22 -- 12,062 (- 3.0%)
08/2013: Batwing #23 -- 11,584 (- 4.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batwing #24 -- 11,114 (- 4.1%)
11/2013: Batwing #25 -- 16,207 (+45.8%)
----------------
6 months: +21.8%
1 year  : + 1.5%
2 years : -53.8%

Part of the “Zero Year” crossover, if you didn’t guess it right away.

—–

128 - BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE (Digital-First)
11/2012: Unlimited #10  -- 19,004 (- 4.4%)
12/2012: Unlimited #11  -- 18,089 (- 4.8%)
01/2013: Unlimited #12  -- 17,446 (- 3.6%)
02/2013: Unlimited #13  -- 17,025 (- 2.4%)
03/2013: Unlimited #14  -- 16,456 (- 3.3%)
04/2013: Unlimited #15  -- 16,283 (- 1.1%)
05/2013: Unlimited #16  -- 15,822 (- 2.8%)
06/2013: Unlimited #17  -- 15,464 (- 2.3%)
07/2013: Unlimited #18  -- 15,275 (- 1.2%)
08/2013: Universe #1    -- 23,358 (+52.9%)
09/2013: Universe #2    -- 18,332 (-21.5%)
10/2013: Universe #3    -- 17,658 (- 3.7%)
11/2013: Universe #4    -- 16,889 (- 4.4%)
----------------
6 months: + 6.7%
1 year  : -11.1%

Drifting down.

—–

123 - TALON
11/2012: Talon #2  -- 41,250 (-26.0%)
12/2012: Talon #3  -- 35,034 (-15.1%)
01/2013: Talon #4  -- 30,909 (-11.8%)
02/2013: Talon #5  -- 28,003 (- 9.4%)
03/2013: Talon #6  -- 25,440 (- 9.2%)
04/2013: Talon #7  -- 24,045 (- 5.5%)
05/2013: Talon #8  -- 22,710 (- 5.6%)
06/2013: Talon #9  -- 21,755 (- 4.2%)
07/2013: Talon #10 -- 20,296 (- 6.7%)
08/2013: Talon #11 -- 19,449 (- 4.2%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Talon #12 -- 18,218 (- 6.3%)
11/2013: Talon #13 -- 17,218 (- 5.5%)
----------------
6 months: -24.2%
1 year  : -58.3%

Cancelled with issue #17.

—–

121 - TRINITY OF SIN: PHANTOM STRANGER
11/2012: Phantom Stranger #2  -- 24,979 (-25.1%)
12/2012: Phantom Stranger #3  -- 23,378 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Phantom Stranger #4  -- 19,903 (-14.9%)
02/2013: Phantom Stranger #5  -- 18,032 (- 9.4%)
03/2013: Phantom Stranger #6  -- 17,375 (- 3.6%)
04/2013: Phantom Stranger #7  -- 17,326 (- 0.3%)
05/2013: Phantom Stranger #8  -- 16,269 (- 6.1%)
06/2013: ToS: PS #9           -- 17,241 (+ 6.0%)
07/2013: ToS: PS #10          -- 20,636 (+19.7%)
08/2013: ToS: PS #11          -- 26,986 (+30.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: ToS: PS #12          -- 19,732 (-26.9%)
11/2013: ToS: PS #13          -- 17,779 (- 9.9%)
----------------
6 months: + 9.3%
1 year  : -28.8%

The crossover lingers in the title, but retailers are having none of it.

—–

113 - ANIMAL MAN
11/2011: Animal Man #3     -- 49,184
------------------------------------
11/2012: Animal Man #14    -- 33,503 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Animal Man #15    -- 32,013 (- 4.5%)
01/2013: Animal Man #16    -- 30,322 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Animal Man #17    -- 29,425 (- 3.0%)
03/2013: Animal Man #18    -- 28,711 (- 2.4%)
04/2013: Animal Man #19    -- 27,562 (- 4.0%)
05/2013: Animal Man #20    -- 25,807 (- 6.4%)
06/2013: Animal Man #21    -- 23,862 (- 7.5%)
07/2013: Animal Man #22    -- 22,974 (- 3.7%)
08/2013: Animal Man #23    -- 21,634 (- 5.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Animal Man #24    -- 20,554 (- 5.0%)
11/2013: Animal Man #25    -- 19,710 (- 4.1%)
----------------
6 months: -23.6%
1 year  : -41.2%
2 years : -59.9%

Ending with issue #29. Not a bad run for an Animal Man title, actually, but then again, given the creative team and the initial buzz, it’s clear from looking at these numbers that something went very wrong along the way. They had a hit here, and then they botched it.

—–

107 - TRILLIUM (Vertigo)
08/2013: Trillium #1 of 8 -- 30,712
09/2013: Trillium #2 of 8 -- 24,482 (-20.3%)
10/2013: Trillium #3 of 8 -- 23,037 (- 5.9%)
11/2013: Trillium #4 of 8 -- 20,914 (- 9.2%)

Jeff Lemire’s new Vertigo book, meanwhile, now outsells his signature DC Universe title.

—–

106 - CONSTANTINE
11/2003: Hellblazer #190 -- 15,602
11/2008: Hellblazer #249 -- 11,445
11/2009: Hellblazer #261 -- 10,553
11/2010: Hellblazer #273 --  9,645
11/2011: Hellblazer #285 --  9,500
----------------------------------
11/2012: Hellblazer #297 --  9,146 (-  1.2%)
12/2012: Hellblazer #298 --  9,132 (-  0.2%)
01/2013: Hellblazer #299 --  9,329 (+  2.2%)
02/2013: Hellblazer #300 -- 12,522 (+ 34.2%)
03/2013: Constantine #1  -- 37,564 (+200.0%)
04/2013: Constantine #2  -- 30,789 (- 18.0%)
05/2013: Constantine #3  -- 29,106 (-  5.5%)
06/2013: Constantine #4  -- 26,417 (-  9.2%)
07/2013: Constantine #5  -- 30,664 (+ 16.1%) [35,027]
08/2013: Constantine #6  -- 25,174 (- 17.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Constantine #7  -- 22,954 (-  8.8%)
11/2013: Constantine #8  -- 20,981 (-  8.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 27.9%
1 year  : +129.4%
2 years : +120.9%
5 years : + 83.3%
10 years: + 34.5%

That the book keeps declining like this is not unexpected, given the fumbled relaunch. More relevant question: When will it stop?

—–

105 - SWAMP THING
11/2011: Swamp Thing #3  -- 52,300
----------------------------------
11/2012: Swamp Thing #14 -- 42,036 (+16.5%)
12/2012: Swamp Thing #15 -- 33,916 (-19.3%)
01/2013: Swamp Thing #16 -- 32,262 (- 4.9%)
02/2013: Swamp Thing #17 -- 31,497 (- 2.4%)
03/2013: Swamp Thing #18 -- 30,716 (- 2.5%)
04/2013: Swamp Thing #19 -- 29,254 (- 4.8%)
05/2013: Swamp Thing #20 -- 27,338 (- 6.6%)
06/2013: Swamp Thing #21 -- 25,186 (- 7.9%)
07/2013: Swamp Thing #22 -- 23,885 (- 5.2%)
08/2013: Swamp Thing #23 -- 22,695 (- 5.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Arcane   -- 40,390 (+78.0%)
10/2013: Swamp Thing #24 -- 21,724 (-46.2%)
11/2013: Swamp Thing #25 -- 21,141 (- 2.7%)
----------------
6 months: -22.7%
1 year  : -49.7%
2 years : -59.6%

Levelling out above 20K, it seems. Not bad, given that Scott Snyder has moved on.

—–

104 - TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA
07/2013: Pandora #1  -- 35,106          [41,678]
07/2013: Pandora #2  -- 32,170 (- 8.4%)
08/2013: Pandora #3  -- 34,563 (+ 7.4%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Pandora #4  -- 25,708 (-25.6%)
11/2013: Pandora #5  -- 21,267 (-17.3%)

Another crossover title that keeps crashing now that the crossover is, uh, over.

—–

103 - SUPERBOY
11/2011: Superboy #3  --  47,442
--------------------------------
11/2012: Superboy #14 --  28,017 (+  8.9%)
12/2012: Superboy #15 --  27,619 (-  1.4%)
01/2013: Superboy #16 --  27,110 (-  1.8%)
02/2013: Superboy #17 --  26,762 (-  1.3%)
03/2013: Superboy #18 --  24,455 (-  8.6%)
04/2013: Superboy #19 --  24,211 (-  1.0%)
05/2013: Superboy #20 --  22,508 (-  7.0%)
06/2013: Superboy #21 --  20,952 (-  6.9%)
07/2013: Superboy #22 --  19,984 (-  4.6%)
08/2013: Superboy #23 --  20,235 (+  1.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Superboy #24 --  18,341 (-  9.4%)
11/2013: Superboy #25 --  21,449 (+ 17.0%)
-----------------
6 months: -  4.7%
1 year  : - 23.4%
2 years : - 54.8%

Crossover.

—–

101 - INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US ANNUAL (Digital-First)
11/2013: Injustice Annual #1 -- 21,764

Very close to the mother title. Not bad sales.

—–

99 - WORLDS' FINEST
11/2012: Worlds' Finest #6  -- 34,338 (- 4.5%)
12/2012: Worlds' Finest #7  -- 32,010 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Worlds' Finest #8  -- 30,399 (- 5.0%)
02/2013: Worlds' Finest #9  -- 28,332 (- 6.8%)
03/2013: Worlds' Finest #10 -- 28,469 (+ 0.5%)
04/2013: Worlds' Finest #11 -- 27,453 (- 3.6%)
05/2013: Worlds' Finest #12 -- 27,073 (- 1.4%)
06/2013: Worlds' Finest #13 -- 25,815 (- 4.7%)
07/2013: Worlds' Finest #14 -- 25,143 (- 2.6%)
08/2013: Worlds' Finest #15 -- 24,159 (- 3.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Worlds' Finest #16 -- 22,987 (- 4.9%)
11/2013: Worlds' Finest #17 -- 21,920 (- 4.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.0%
1 year  : - 36.2%

Drifting down.

—–

98 - INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US (Digital-First)
01/2013: Injustice #1  -- 20,733          [35,438]
02/2013: Injustice #2  -- 17,068 (-17.7%) [29,096]
03/2013: Injustice #3  -- 18,608 (+ 9.0%) [24,469]
04/2013: Injustice #4  -- 21,669 (+16.5%) [26,739]
05/2013: Injustice #5  -- 25,215 (+16.4%)
06/2013: Injustice #6  -- 26,011 (+ 3.2%)
07/2013: Injustice #7  -- 25,731 (- 1.1%)
08/2013: Injustice #8  -- 25,223 (- 2.0%)
09/2013: Injustice #9  -- 24,333 (- 3.5%)
10/2013: Injustice #10 -- 24,788 (+ 1.9%)
11/2013: Injustice #11 -- 22,704 (- 8.4%)
----------------
6 months: -10.0%

To be relaunched after issue #12.

—–

96 - BIRDS OF PREY
11/2003: Birds of Prey #61  -- 30,768
11/2008: Birds of Prey #124 -- 20,959
11/2010: Birds of Prey #6   -- 34,440
11/2011: Birds of Prey #3   -- 40,891
-------------------------------------
11/2012: Birds of Prey #14  -- 24,904 (-  3.7%)
12/2012: Birds of Prey #15  -- 24,026 (-  3.5%)
01/2013: Birds of Prey #16  -- 23,182 (-  3.5%)
02/2013: Birds of Prey #17  -- 22,112 (-  4.6%)
03/2013: Birds of Prey #18  -- 21,957 (-  0.7%)
04/2013: Birds of Prey #19  -- 21,707 (-  1.1%)
05/2013: Birds of Prey #20  -- 21,126 (-  2.7%)
06/2013: Birds of Prey #21  -- 20,767 (-  1.7%)
07/2013: Birds of Prey #22  -- 20,209 (-  2.7%)
08/2013: Birds of Prey #23  -- 19,364 (-  4.2%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Birds of Prey #24  -- 18,382 (-  5.1%)
11/2013: Birds of Prey #25  -- 22,751 (+ 23.8%)
-----------------
6 months: +  7.7%
1 year  : -  8.7%
2 years : - 44.4%
5 years : +  8.6%
10 years: - 26.1%

Crossover.

—–

90 - FOREVER EVIL: A.R.G.U.S.
10/2013: A.R.G.U.S. #1 of 6 -- 32,146
11/2013: A.R.G.U.S. #2 of 6 -- 25,071 (-22.0%)

The second-issue drop is on the stiff side for a miniseries.

—–

88 - SUPERGIRL
11/2008: Supergirl #35 --  45,518
11/2009: Supergirl #47 --  29,159
11/2010: Supergirl #58 --  25,412
11/2011: Supergirl #3  --  50,784
---------------------------------
11/2012: Supergirl #14 --  31,270 (+  6.2%)
12/2012: Supergirl #15 --  30,814 (-  1.5%)
01/2013: Supergirl #16 --  30,350 (-  1.5%)
02/2013: Supergirl #17 --  30,146 (-  0.7%)
03/2013: Supergirl #18 --  28,051 (-  7.0%)
04/2013: Supergirl #19 --  29,558 (+  5.4%)
05/2013: Supergirl #20 --  27,509 (-  6.9%)
06/2013: Supergirl #21 --  25,856 (-  6.0%)
07/2013: Supergirl #22 --  25,514 (-  1.3%)
08/2013: Supergirl #23 --  24,747 (-  3.0%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Supergirl #24 --  23,321 (-  5.8%)
11/2013: Supergirl #25 --  25,377 (+  8.8%)
-----------------
6 months: -  7.8%
1 year  : - 18.9%
2 years : - 50.0%
5 years : - 44.3%

Crossover.

—–

87 - BATWOMAN
11/2011: Batwoman #3  --  61,997
--------------------------------
11/2012: Batwoman #14 --  36,395 (- 2.5%)
12/2012: Batwoman #15 --  34,964 (- 3.9%)
01/2013: Batwoman #16 --  34,103 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: Batwoman #17 --  32,041 (- 6.1%)
03/2013: Batwoman #18 --  31,381 (- 2.1%)
04/2013: Batwoman #19 --  31,538 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Batwoman #20 --  29,698 (- 5.8%)
06/2013: Batwoman #21 --  28,173 (- 5.1%)
07/2013: Batwoman #22 --  27,400 (- 2.7%)
08/2013: Batwoman #23 --  26,223 (- 4.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batwoman #24 --  25,609 (- 2.3%)
11/2013: Batwoman #25 --  25,987 (+ 1.5%)
----------------
6 months: -12.5%
1 year  : -28.6%
2 years : -58.1%

Crossover, but not advertised in the solicitations due to short-notice creative shuffle.

—–

83 - BATMAN '66 (Digital-First)
07/2013: Batman '66 #1  -- 50,430
08/2013: Batman '66 #2  -- 37,113 (-26.4%)
09/2013: Batman '66 #3  -- 32,954 (-11.2%)
10/2013: Batman '66 #4  -- 30,099 (- 8.7%)
11/2013: Batman '66 #5  -- 26,785 (-11.0%)

Crashing down the charts, but still doing fairly well for a Digital-First book.

—–

82 - SUICIDE SQUAD
11/2011: Suicide Squad #3       -- 40,827
-----------------------------------------
11/2012: Suicide Squad #14      -- 63,691 (+130.4%) [69,185]
12/2012: Suicide Squad #15      -- 57,132 (- 10.3%)
01/2013: Suicide Squad #16      -- 27,061 (- 52.6%)
02/2013: Suicide Squad #17      -- 26,370 (-  2.6%)
03/2013: Suicide Squad #18      -- 25,232 (-  4.3%)
04/2013: Suicide Squad #19      -- 24,300 (-  3.7%)
05/2013: Suicide Squad #20      -- 23,537 (-  3.1%)
06/2013: Suicide Squad #21      -- 22,907 (-  2.7%)
07/2013: Suicide Squad #22      -- 22,447 (-  2.0%)
08/2013: Suicide Squad #23      -- 22,166 (-  1.3%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Suicide Squad #24      -- 27,762 (+ 25.3%)
11/2013: Suicide Squad #25      -- 27,067 (-  2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: + 15.0%
1 year  : - 57.5%
2 years : - 33.7%

Crossover.

—–

80 - RED LANTERNS
11/2011: Red Lanterns #3  -- 60,823
-----------------------------------
11/2012: Red Lanterns #14 -- 40,779 (- 4.7%)
12/2012: Red Lanterns #15 -- 39,071 (- 4.2%)
01/2013: Red Lanterns #16 -- 38,223 (- 2.2%)
02/2013: Red Lanterns #17 -- 35,839 (- 6.2%)
03/2013: Red Lanterns #18 -- 35,203 (- 1.8%)
04/2013: Red Lanterns #19 -- 34,673 (- 1.5%)
05/2013: Red Lanterns #20 -- 33,923 (- 2.2%)
06/2013: Red Lanterns #21 -- 37,312 (+10.0%)
07/2013: Red Lanterns #22 -- 35,236 (- 5.6%)
08/2013: Red Lanterns #23 -- 29,623 (-15.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Red Lanterns #24 -- 30,771 (+ 3.9%)
11/2013: Red Lanterns #25 -- 27,786 (- 9.7%)
----------------
6 months: -18.1%
1 year  : -31.9%
2 years : -54.3%

And this is what happens when a book is no longer part of a crossover.

—–

75 - CATWOMAN
11/2003: Catwoman #25 -- 26,345
11/2011: Catwoman #3  -- 52,196
-------------------------------
11/2012: Catwoman #14 -- 63,653 (+58.6%)
12/2012: Catwoman #15 -- 35,020 (-45.0%)
01/2013: Catwoman #16 -- 33,915 (- 3.2%)
02/2013: Catwoman #17 -- 30,194 (-11.0%)
03/2013: Catwoman #18 -- 33,220 (+10.0%)
04/2013: Catwoman #19 -- 28,058 (-15.5%)
05/2013: Catwoman #20 -- 26,886 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Catwoman #21 -- 25,611 (- 4.7%)
07/2013: Catwoman #22 -- 24,737 (- 3.4%)
08/2013: Catwoman #23 -- 24,262 (- 1.9%) [32,158]
09/2013: --
10/2013: Catwoman #24 -- 35,134 (+44.8%)
11/2013: Catwoman #25 -- 29,471 (-16.1%)
-----------------
6 months: +  9.6%
1 year  : - 53.7%
2 years : - 43.5%
10 years: + 11.9%

Crossover.

—–

74 - GREEN ARROW
11/2003: Green Arrow #32  -- 38,385
11/2008: Arrow/Canary #14 -- 25,599
11/2009: Arrow&Canary #26 -- 17,384
11/2010: Green Arrow #6   -- 39,575
11/2011: Green Arrow #3   -- 46,899
-----------------------------------
11/2012: Green Arrow #14  -- 21,825 (-  1.1%)
12/2012: Green Arrow #15  -- 20,672 (-  5.3%)
01/2013: Green Arrow #16  -- 19,888 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Green Arrow #17  -- 36,043 (+ 81.2%)
03/2013: Green Arrow #18  -- 28,080 (- 22.1%)
04/2013: Green Arrow #19  -- 29,922 (+  6.6%)
05/2013: Green Arrow #20  -- 27,541 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Green Arrow #21  -- 26,924 (-  2.2%)
07/2013: Green Arrow #22  -- 26,172 (-  2.8%)
08/2013: Green Arrow #23  -- 25,449 (-  2.8%)
09/2013: #23.1: CtVertigo -- 43,234 (+ 69.9%)
10/2013: Green Arrow #24  -- 24,620 (- 43.1%)
11/2013: Green Arrow #25  -- 29,591 (+ 20.2%)
-----------------
6 months: +  7.4%
1 year  : + 35.6%
2 years : - 36.9%
5 years : + 15.6%
10 years: - 22.9%

Crossover.

—–

71 - FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES' REBELLION
10/2013: Rogues' Rebellion #1 of 6 -- 36,545
11/2013: Rogues' Rebellion #2 of 6 -- 30,317 (-17.04%)

Fairly standard miniseries drop.

—–

88 - THE WAKE (Vertigo)
05/2013: The Wake #1  of 10 -- 44,867          [50,188]
06/2013: The Wake #2  of 10 -- 32,562 (-27.4%)
07/2013: The Wake #3  of 10 -- 30,622 (- 6.0%)
08/2013: --
09/2013: The Wake #4  of 10 -- 31,674 (+ 3.4%)
10/2013: --
11/2013: The Wake #5  of 10 -- 30,463 (- 3.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 32.0%

In the absence of The Sandman, this Snyder/Robinson vehicle remains the best-selling Vertigo title by quite a margin.

—-

68 - RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS
11/2011: Red Hood #3  -- 50,140
-------------------------------
11/2012: Red Hood #14 -- 37,710 (+ 6.5%)
12/2012: Red Hood #15 -- 64,103 (+70.0%)
01/2013: Red Hood #16 -- 59,621 (- 7.0%)
02/2013: Red Hood #17 -- 53,076 (-11.0%)
03/2013: Red Hood #18 -- 37,731 (-28.9%) [42,901]
04/2013: Red Hood #19 -- 36,630 (- 2.9%)
05/2013: Red Hood #20 -- 35,542 (- 3.0%)
06/2013: Red Hood #21 -- 32,416 (- 8.8%)
07/2013: Red Hood #22 -- 30,534 (- 5.8%)
08/2013: Red Hood #23 -- 28,821 (- 5.6%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Red Hood #24 -- 27,128 (- 5.9%)
11/2013: Red Hood #25 -- 30,632 (+12.9%)
----------------
6 months: -13.8%
1 year  : -18.8%
2 years : -38.9%

Crossover.

—–

66 - GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS
11/2010: Emerald Warriors #4  -- 46,319
11/2011: New Guardians #3     -- 59,774
---------------------------------------
11/2012: New Guardians #14    -- 47,062 (- 3.0%)
12/2012: New Guardians #15    -- 45,136 (- 4.1%)
01/2013: New Guardians #16    -- 43,770 (- 3.0%)
02/2013: New Guardians #17    -- 42,285 (- 3.4%)
03/2013: New Guardians #18    -- 42,028 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: New Guardians #19    -- 41,481 (- 1.3%)
05/2013: New Guardians #20    -- 40,569 (- 2.2%)
06/2013: New Guardians #21    -- 42,290 (+ 4.2%)
07/2013: New Guardians #22    -- 40,788 (- 3.6%)
08/2013: New Guardians #23    -- 34,473 (-15.5%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: New Guardians #24    -- 35,417 (+ 2.7%)
11/2013: New Guardians #25    -- 32,069 (- 9.5%)
----------------
6 months: -21.0%
1 year  : -31.9%
2 years : -46.4%

Coming out of a crossover.

—–

65 - TEEN TITANS
11/2003: Teen Titans #5   -- 68,078 [71,313]
11/2008: Teen Titans #65  -- 37,880
11/2009: Teen Titans #77  -- 46,239
11/2010: Teen Titans #89  -- 26,444
11/2011: Teen Titans #3   -- 60,758
-----------------------------------
11/2012: Teen Titans #14  -- 39,745 (-  3.3%)
12/2012: Teen Titans #15  -- 68,707 (+ 72.9%)
01/2013: Teen Titans #16  -- 63,726 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: Teen Titans #17  -- 39,186 (- 38.5%)
03/2013: Teen Titans #18  -- 42,055 (+  7.3%)
04/2013: Teen Titans #19  -- 39,532 (-  6.0%)
05/2013: Teen Titans #20  -- 36,391 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Teen Titans #21  -- 34,710 (-  4.6%)
07/2013: Teen Titans #22  -- 33,062 (-  4.8%)
08/2013: Teen Titans #23  -- 31,742 (-  4.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Trigon    -- 48,974 (+ 54.3%)
09/2013: #23.2: Dthstroke -- 49,920 (+  1.9%)
10/2013: Teen Titans #24  -- 34,536 (- 30.8%)
11/2013: Teen Titans #25  -- 32,395 (-  6.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.0%
1 year  : - 18.5%
2 years : - 46.7%
5 years : - 14.5%
10 years: - 52.4%

Cancelled with issue #30. Sales have been sliding down the charts, but DC obviously isn’t losing money here. Which probably means a high-profile relaunch of the property is in the pipeline.

—–

61 - BATMAN BLACK & WHITE
09/2013: Batman B&W #1 of 6 -- 65,018
10/2013: Batman B&W #2 of 6 -- 37,523 (-42.3%)
11/2013: Batman B&W #3 of 6 -- 33,370 (-11.6%)

Still falling fast, but still doing very well for this type of book. I wonder what motivated retailers to go overboard on the first issue.

—–

60 - WONDER WOMAN
11/2003: Wonder Woman #198 --  28,977
11/2008: Wonder Woman #26  --  33,277
11/2009: Wonder Woman #38  --  26,265
11/2010: --
11/2011: Wonder Woman #3   --  65,621
-------------------------------------
11/2012: Wonder Woman #14  --  42,384 (-  3.1%)
12/2012: Wonder Woman #15  --  41,641 (-  1.8%)
01/2013: Wonder Woman #16  --  40,105 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Wonder Woman #17  --  39,110 (-  2.5%)
03/2013: Wonder Woman #18  --  38,406 (-  1.8%)
04/2013: Wonder Woman #19  --  46,492 (+ 21.1%)
05/2013: Wonder Woman #20  --  37,132 (- 20.1%)
06/2013: Wonder Woman #21  --  35,999 (-  3.1%)
07/2013: Wonder Woman #22  --  35,539 (-  1.3%)
08/2013: Wonder Woman #23  --  34,747 (-  2.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Cheetah    --  49,297 (+ 41.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: First Born --  44,154 (- 10.4%)
10/2013: Wonder Woman #24  --  34,308 (- 22.3%)
11/2013: Wonder Woman #25  --  33,532 (-  2.3%)
-----------------
6 months: -  9.7%
1 year  : - 20.9%
2 years : - 48.9%
5 years : +  0.8%
10 years: + 15.7%

Standard attrition.

—–

49 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
11/2008: Green Lantern Corps #30 -- 43,600
11/2009: Green Lantern Corps #42 -- 80,391
11/2010: Green Lantern Corps #54 -- 57,448
11/2011: Green Lantern Corps #3  -- 65,393
------------------------------------------
11/2012: Green Lantern Corps #14 -- 49,594 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Green Lantern Corps #15 -- 47,841 (- 3.5%)
01/2013: Green Lantern Corps #16 -- 45,387 (- 5.1%)
02/2013: Green Lantern Corps #17 -- 44,497 (- 2.0%)
03/2013: Green Lantern Corps #18 -- 44,215 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 43,903 (- 0.8%)
05/2013: Green Lantern Corps #20 -- 43,026 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Green Lantern Corps #21 -- 45,423 (+ 5.6%)
07/2013: Green Lantern Corps #22 -- 42,194 (- 7.1%)
08/2013: Green Lantern Corps #23 -- 36,229 (-14.1%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Green Lantern Corps #24 -- 37,312 (+ 3.0%)
11/2013: Green Lantern Corps #25 -- 38,369 (+ 2.8%)
----------------
6 months: -10.8%
1 year  : -22.6%
2 years : -41.3%
5 years : -12.0%

Crossover.

—–

47 - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
11/2011: Justice League Dark #3   -- 51,674
-------------------------------------------
11/2012: Justice League Dark #14  -- 28,966 (-  3.5%)
12/2012: Justice League Dark #15  -- 27,712 (-  4.3%)
01/2013: Justice League Dark #16  -- 26,902 (-  2.9%)
02/2013: Justice League Dark #17  -- 25,841 (-  3.9%)
03/2013: Justice League Dark #18  -- 25,664 (-  0.7%)
04/2013: Justice League Dark #19  -- 25,407 (-  1.0%)
05/2013: Justice League Dark #20  -- 24,693 (-  2.8%)
06/2013: Justice League Dark #21  -- 24,663 (-  0.1%)
07/2013: Justice League Dark #22  -- 68,294 (+176.9%) [76,570]
08/2013: Justice League Dark #23  -- 71,157 (+  4.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Creeper           -- 46,326 (- 34.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: Eclipso           -- 45,138 (-  2.6%)
10/2013: Justice League Dark #24  -- 45,401 (+  0.6%)
11/2013: Justice League Dark #25  -- 38,760 (- 14.6%)
-----------------
6 months: + 57.0%
1 year  : + 33.8%
2 years : - 25.0%

Crossover.

—–

44 - SUPERMAN
11/2003: Superman #199 --  33,429
11/2008: Superman #682 --  55,435
11/2009: Superman #694 --  34,430
11/2010: Superman #705 --  46,261
11/2011: Superman #3   --  86,386
---------------------------------
11/2012: Superman #14  --  52,572 (+  0.8%)
12/2012: Superman #15  --  51,225 (-  2.6%)
01/2013: Superman #16  --  50,621 (-  1.2%)
02/2013: --
03/2013: Superman #17  --  49,666 (-  1.9%)
03/2013: Superman #18  --  48,236 (-  2.9%)
04/2013: Superman #19  --  48,598 (+  0.8%)
05/2013: Superman #20  --  45,458 (-  6.5%)
06/2013: Superman #21  --  44,285 (-  2.6%)
07/2013: Superman #22  --  42,961 (-  3.0%)
08/2013: Superman #23  --  42,155 (-  1.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Bzarro --  59,589 (+ 41.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Brniac --  58,197 (-  2.3%)
09/2013: #23.3: H'el   --  55,069 (-  5.4%)
09/2013: #23.4: Prsite --  59,811 (+  8.6%)
10/2013: Superman #24  --  39,580 (- 33.8%)
11/2013: Superman #25  --  39,295 (-  0.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.6%
1 year  : - 25.3%
2 years : - 54.5%
5 years : - 29.1%
10 years: + 17.6%

Crossover.

—–

43 - EARTH 2
11/2012: Earth 2 #6  -- 58,271 (- 4.8%)
12/2012: Earth 2 #7  -- 54,409 (- 6.6%)
01/2013: Earth 2 #8  -- 50,860 (- 6.5%)
02/2013: Earth 2 #9  -- 48,208 (- 5.2%)
03/2013: Earth 2 #10 -- 46,213 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Earth 2 #11 -- 45,468 (- 1.6%)
05/2013: Earth 2 #12 -- 43,983 (- 3.3%)
06/2013: Earth 2 #13 -- 42,916 (- 2.4%)
07/2013: Earth 2 #14 -- 42,022 (- 2.1%)
08/2013: Earth 2 #15 -- 40,845 (- 2.8%)
09/2013: #15.1: Desd -- 51,850 (+26.9%)
09/2013: #15.2: SlGr -- 52,369 (+ 1.0%)
10/2013: Earth 2 #16 -- 38,389 (-26.7%)
11/2013: Earth 2 #17 -- 39,846 (+ 3.8%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.4%
1 year  : -31.6%

Cr… No, wait.

It’s a 1:100 variant that’s causing the slight increase here.

—–

41 - BATGIRL
11/2003: Batgirl #46     -- 27,167
11/2008: Batgirl #5 of 6 -- 21,595
11/2009: Batgirl #4      -- 34,697
11/2010: Batgirl #15     -- 25,827
11/2011: Batgirl #3      -- 69,971
----------------------------------
11/2012: Batgirl #14     -- 77,468 (+ 54.7%)
12/2012: Batgirl #15     -- 75,341 (-  2.8%)
01/2013: Batgirl #16     -- 72,470 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Batgirl #17     -- 65,751 (-  9.6%)
03/2013: Batgirl #18     -- 51,677 (- 21.4%)
04/2013: Batgirl #19     -- 45,939 (- 11.1%)
05/2013: Batgirl #20     -- 42,600 (-  7.3%)
06/2013: Batgirl #21     -- 40,252 (-  5.5%)
07/2013: Batgirl #22     -- 39,218 (-  2.6%)
08/2013: Batgirl #23     -- 37,707 (-  3.9%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Batgirl #24     -- 36,666 (-  2.8%)
11/2013: Batgirl #25     -- 40,752 (+ 11.1%)
-----------------
6 months: -  4.3%
1 year  : - 47.4%
2 years : - 41.8%
5 years : + 88.7%
10 years: + 50.0%

Crossover.

—–

38 - AQUAMAN
11/2003: Aquaman #12 -- 23,993
11/2011: Aquaman #3  -- 69,137
------------------------------
11/2012: Aquaman #14 -- 53,664 (- 1.8%)
12/2012: Aquaman #15 -- 75,947 (+41.5%)
01/2013: Aquaman #16 -- 62,153 (-18.2%)
02/2013: Aquaman #17 -- 58,578 (- 5.8%)
03/2013: Aquaman #18 -- 53,337 (- 9.0%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: Aquaman #19 -- 53,415 (+ 0.2%)
05/2013: Aquaman #20 -- 49,697 (- 7.0%)
06/2013: Aquaman #21 -- 46,832 (- 5.8%)
07/2013: Aquaman #22 -- 45,653 (- 2.5%)
08/2013: Aquaman #23 -- 44,140 (- 3.3%)
09/2013: #23.1: BMta -- 58,207 (+31.9%)
09/2013: #23.2: OMtr -- 53,679 (- 7.8%)
10/2013: Aquaman #24 -- 42,248 (-21.3%)
11/2013: Aquaman #25 -- 41,264 (- 2.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 20.0%
1 year  : - 23.1%
2 years : - 40.3%
10 years: + 72.0%

Geoff Johns’s final issue. Not a bad run, commercially, for an Aquaman book.

—–

37 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT
11/2011: Dark Knight #3  --  87,133
-----------------------------------
11/2012: Dark Knight #14 --  62,792 (-  3.8%)
12/2012: Dark Knight #15 --  60,569 (-  3.6%)
01/2013: Dark Knight #16 --  58,258 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Dark Knight #17 --  55,990 (-  3.9%)
03/2013: Dark Knight #18 --  54,269 (-  3.1%)
04/2013: Dark Knight #19 --  52,644 (-  3.0%)
05/2013: Dark Knight #20 --  50,423 (-  4.2%)
06/2013: Dark Knight #21 --  48,612 (-  3.6%)
07/2013: Dark Knight #22 --  47,096 (-  3.1%)
08/2013: Dark Knight #23 --  45,584 (-  3.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Vtrlqust --  57,363 (+ 25.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: MrFreeze --  57,349 (-  0.0%)
09/2013: #23.3: Clayface --  55,084 (-  4.0%)
09/2013: #23.4: JkrsDgtr --  64,952 (+ 17.9%) [86,016]
10/2013: Dark Knight #24 --  43,382 (- 33.2%)
11/2013: Dark Knight #25 --  41,634 (-  4.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.4%
1 year  : - 33.7%
2 years : - 52.2%

Slipping down.

—–

36 - FLASH
11/2003: Flash #204      --  35,423
11/2008: Flash #246      --  27,746
11/2009: Rebirth #5 of 6 --  73,875
11/2010: Flash #6        --  57,673
11/2011: Flash #3        --  90,417
-----------------------------------
11/2012: Flash #14       --  48,012 (-  3.9%)
12/2012: Flash #15       --  45,925 (-  4.4%)
01/2013: Flash #16       --  44,093 (-  4.0%)
02/2013: Flash #17       --  42,936 (-  2.6%)
03/2013: Flash #18       --  41,659 (-  3.0%)
04/2013: Flash #19       --  42,079 (+  1.0%)
05/2013: Flash #20       --  39,667 (-  5.7%)
06/2013: Flash #21       --  38,848 (-  2.1%)
07/2013: Flash #22       --  38,993 (+  0.4%)
08/2013: Flash #23       --  38,860 (-  0.3%)
09/2013: #23.1: Grodd    --  52,901 (+ 36.1%)
09/2013: #23.2: RvrsFlsh --  53,359 (+  0.9%)
09/2013: #23.3: Rogues   --  51,072 (-  4.3%)
10/2013: Flash #24       --  38,190 (- 25.2%)
11/2013: Flash #25       --  41,838 (+ 10.0%)
-----------------
6 months: +  5.5%
1 year  : - 12.9%
2 years : - 53.7%
5 years : + 50.8%
10 years: + 18.1%

Crossover.

—–

32 - NIGHTWING
11/2003: Nightwing #87 --  29,674
11/2008: Nightwing #150 -- 50,993
11/2011: Nightwing #3   -- 64,098
---------------------------------
11/2012: Nightwing #14  -- 50,720 (+ 7.5%)
12/2012: Nightwing #15  -- 74,407 (+46.7%)
01/2013: Nightwing #16  -- 69,643 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Nightwing #17  -- 62,107 (-10.8%)
03/2013: Nightwing #18  -- 48,223 (-22.4%) [53,978]
04/2013: Nightwing #19  -- 46,978 (- 2.6%)
05/2013: Nightwing #20  -- 45,038 (- 4.1%)
06/2013: Nightwing #21  -- 43,353 (- 3.7%)
07/2013: Nightwing #22  -- 42,073 (- 3.0%)
08/2013: Nightwing #23  -- 40,522 (- 3.7%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: Nightwing #24  -- 39,853 (- 1.7%)
11/2013: Nightwing #25  -- 44,039 (+10.5%)
-----------------
6 months: -  2.2%
1 year  : - 13.1%
2 years : - 31.3%
5 years : - 13.6%
10 years: + 48.4%

Crossover.

—–

31 - FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR
10/2013: Arkham War #1 of 6 -- 52,004
11/2013: Arkham War #2 of 6 -- 44,133 (-15.1%)

Standard miniseries drop.

—–

29 - ACTION COMICS
11/2003: Action Comics #809 --  29,819
11/2008: Action Comics #871 --  58,547
11/2009: Action Comics #883 --  33,386
11/2010: Action Comics #895 --  33,089
11/2011: Action Comics #3   -- 134,875
--------------------------------------
11/2012: Action Comics #14  --  64,341 (-  4.3%)
12/2012: Action Comics #15  --  61,298 (-  4.7%)
01/2013: Action Comics #16  --  58,645 (-  4.3%)
02/2013: Action Comics #17  --  57,189 (-  2.5%)
03/2013: Action Comics #18  --  61,879 (+  8.2%)
04/2013: Action Comics #19  --  52,007 (- 16.0%)
05/2013: Action Comics #20  --  48,324 (-  7.1%)
06/2013: Action Comics #21  --  46,475 (-  3.8%)
07/2013: Action Comics #22  --  44,861 (-  3.5%)
08/2013: Action Comics #23  --  42,603 (-  5.0%)
09/2013: #23.1: Cyborg Smn  --  69,796 (+ 63.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: Zod         --  69,356 (-  0.6%)
09/2013: #23.3: Lex Luthor  --  67,621 (-  2.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Metallo     --  51,807 (- 23.4%)
10/2013: Action Comics #24  --  39,620 (- 23.5%)
11/2013: Action Comics #25  --  46,550 (+ 17.5%)
-----------------
6 months: -  3.7%
1 year  : - 27.7%
2 years : - 65.5%
5 years : - 20.5%
10 years: + 56.1%

Crossover.

—–

27 - DAMIAN: SON OF BATMAN
10/2013: Son of Batman #1 of 4 -- 63,453
11/2013: Son of Batman #2 of 4 -- 51,840 (-18.3%)

Great sales for what’s basically a nostalgic riff on an old Morrison/Kubert issue.

—–

26 - BATMAN AND CARRIE KELLEY
11/2009: Batman and Robin #6  --  95,690
11/2010: Batman and Robin #16 --  80,343
11/2010: Batman and Robin #17 --  70,600
11/2011: Batman and Robin #3  --  86,309
----------------------------------------
11/2012: Batman and Robin #14 --  75,543 (+19.7%)
12/2012: Batman and Robin #15 --  89,878 (+19.0%)
01/2013: Batman and Robin #16 --  81,494 (- 9.3%)
02/2013: Batman and Robin #17 --  60,988 (-25.2%)
03/2013: Batman and Robin #18 --  69,614 (+14.1%) [76,575]
04/2013: and Red Robin #19    --  89,182 (+28.1%)
05/2013: and Red Hood #20     --  65,222 (-26.9%)
06/2013: and Batgirl #21      --  60,601 (- 7.1%)
07/2013: and Catwoman #22     --  57,808 (- 4.6%)
08/2013: and Nightwing #23    --  55,707 (- 3.6%)
09/2013: #23.1: Two-Face      --  77,073 (+38.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Court of Owls --  75,546 (- 2.0%)
09/2013: #23.3: Ra's al Ghul  --  73,746 (- 2.4%)
09/2013: #23.4: Killer Croc   --  69,428 (- 5.9%)
10/2013: and Two-Face #24     --  52,060 (-25.0%)
11/2013: and Carrie K. #25    --  53,374 (+ 2.5%)
----------------
6 months: -18.2%
1 year  : -29.4%
2 years : -38.2%

The slight increase comes thanks to the introduction of the Carrie Kelley character from Dark Knight Returns into mainstream continuity. Between all the crossovers and variant covers, that’s almost an original gimmick.

So: How long before the Watchmen characters show up in the DC Universe, now that they’re just another DC property?

Tick, tock.

—–

25 - GREEN LANTERN
11/2003: Green Lantern #171 --  32,374
11/2008: --
11/2009: Green Lantern #48  -- 100,371
11/2010: Green Lantern #59  --  76,173
11/2011: Green Lantern #3   -- 122,644
--------------------------------------
11/2012: Green Lantern #14  --  78,499 (-14.5%)
12/2012: Green Lantern #15  --  74,363 (- 5.3%)
01/2013: Green Lantern #16  --  72,884 (- 2.0%)
02/2013: Green Lantern #17  --  71,060 (- 2.5%)
03/2013: Green Lantern #18  --  69,801 (- 1.8%)
04/2013: Green Lantern #19  --  71,018 (+ 1.7%)
05/2013: Green Lantern #20  --  67,414 (- 5.1%)
06/2013: Green Lantern #21  --  71,870 (+ 6.6%)
07/2013: Green Lantern #22  --  62,415 (-13.2%)
08/2013: Green Lantern #23  --  59,176 (- 5.2%)
09/2013: #23.1: Relic       --  66,495 (+12.4%)
09/2013: #23.2: Mongul      --  63,731 (- 4.2%)
09/2013: #23.3: Black Hand  --  62,753 (- 1.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Sinestro    --  70,893 (+13.0%)
10/2013: Green Lantern #24  --  57,109 (-19.4%)
11/2013: Green Lantern #25  --  54,322 (- 4.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.4%
1 year  : - 30.8%
2 years : - 55.7%
5 years :   n.a.
10 years: + 67.8%

These are the lowest Green Lantern sales since September 2004, right before… well, right before Geoff Johns came along and relaunched the book. Geoff Johns left in May 2013.

—–

20 - SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN
10/2013: Superman/Wonder Woman #1  -- 94,859
11/2013: Superman/Wonder Woman #2  -- 60,185 (-36.6%)

Big second-issue drop, but still good sales for another team-up title.

—–

17 - DETECTIVE COMICS
11/2003: Detective Comics #788 --  37,543
11/2008: Detective Comics #850 --  64,196
11/2009: Detective Comics #859 --  54,392
11/2010: Detective Comics #871 --  36,941
11/2011: Detective Comics #3   -- 111,197
-----------------------------------------
11/2012: Detective Comics #14  --  74,560 (-  2.4%)
12/2012: Detective Comics #15  -- 106,395 (+ 42.7%)
01/2013: Detective Comics #16  --  92,300 (- 13.3%)
02/2013: Detective Comics #17  --  85,824 (-  7.0%)
03/2013: Detective Comics #18  --  76,237 (- 11.2%)
04/2013: Detective Comics #19  --  77,922 (+  2.2%)
05/2013: Detective Comics #20  --  78,252 (+  0.4%)
06/2013: Detective Comics #21  --  65,200 (- 16.7%)
07/2013: Detective Comics #22  --  63,949 (-  1.9%)
08/2013: Detective Comics #23  --  61,448 (-  3.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Poison Ivy     --  78,522 (+ 27.8%)
09/2013: #23.2: Harley Quinn   --  89,636 (+ 14.2%)
09/2013: #23.3: Scarecrow      --  73,043 (- 18.5%)
09/2013: #23.4: Man-Bat        --  68,110 (-  6.8%)
10/2013: Detective Comics #24  --  59,310 (- 12.9%)
11/2013: Detective Comics #25  --  64,392 (+  8.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.7%
1 year  : - 13.6%
2 years : - 42.1%
5 years : +  0.3%
10 years: + 71.5%

Crossover.

—–

12 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
11/2003: JLA #90             --  60,093 
11/2008: --
11/2009: JL of America #39   --  89,376
11/2010: JL of America #51   --  50,887
---------------------------------------
02/2013: JL of America #1    -- 307,734          [326,959]
03/2013: JL of America #2    --  91,734 (-70.2%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: JL of America #3    --  83,283 (- 9.2%)
05/2013: JL of America #4    --  77,856 (- 6.5%)
06/2013: JL of America #5    --  71,793 (- 7.8%)
07/2013: JL of America #6    --  86,192 (+20.1%) [91,344]
08/2013: JL of America #7    --  93,777 (+ 8.8%)
09/2013: #7.1: Deadshot      --  66,815 (-28.8%)
09/2013: #7.2: Killer Frost  --  62,706 (- 6.2%)
09/2013: #7.3: Shadow Thief  --  60,397 (- 3.7%)
09/2013: #7.4: Black Adam    --  74,875 (+24.0%)
10/2013: JL of America #8    --  77,305 (+ 3.3%)
11/2013: JL of America #9    --  71,008 (- 8.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.9%
5 years :   n.a.
10 years: + 18.2%

Crossover.

—–

9 - BATMAN/SUPERMAN
11/2003: --
11/2008: --
11/2009: Superman/Batman #66 --  52,143
11/2010: Superman/Batman #78 --  31,337
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Batman/Superman #1  -- 143,457          [151,054]
07/2013: Batman/Superman #2  --  92,558 (-35.5%) [ 97,961]
08/2013: Batman/Superman #3  --  87,337 (- 5.6%)
09/2013: #3.1: Doomsday      --  92,290 (+ 5.7%)
10/2013: Batman/Superman #4  --  82,990 (-10.1%)
11/2013: Batman/Superman #5  --  77,198 (- 7.0%)
-----------------
5 years :  n.a.
10 years:  n.a.

Slipping, but still doing very well.

—–

5 - FOREVER EVIL
09/2013: Forever Evil #1 of 7 -- 139,976
10/2013: Forever Evil #2 of 7 -- 112,944 (-19.3%)
11/2013: Forever Evil #3 of 7 -- 105,755 (- 6.4%)

The flagship miniseries for one of the company’s current crossovers remains a sales juggernaut, but looks like it’s dropping out of the 100K+ club soon.

—–

4 - SUPERMAN UNCHAINED
06/2013: Superman Unchained #1  -- 256,792          [271,721]
07/2013: Superman Unchained #2  -- 165,754 (-35.5%)
08/2013: Superman Unchained #3  -- 136,319 (-17.8%)
09/2013: --
10/2013: --
11/2013: Superman Unchained #4  -- 110,611 (-18.9%)

Snyder = Snyder

–> Capullo + Batman > Lee + Superman

—–

2 - HARLEY QUINN
11/2003: Harley Quinn #38 --  14,305
------------------------------------
11/2013: Harley Quinn #0  -- 114,212
-----------------
10 years: +698.4%

Quite a good debut number. Variants and charities are involved.

—–

1 - BATMAN
11/2003: Batman #621 --  96,784 [100,754]
11/2008: Batman #681 -- 103,151 [114,657]
11/2009: Batman #693 --  68,983
11/2010: Batman #704 --  65,212
11/2011: Batman #3   -- 150,984
-------------------------------
11/2012: Batman #14  -- 159,729 (+  7.7%)
12/2012: Batman #15  -- 151,568 (-  5.1%)
01/2013: Batman #16  -- 145,923 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Batman #17  -- 150,684 (+  3.3%)
03/2013: Batman #18  -- 137,893 (-  8.5%)
04/2013: Batman #19  -- 132,147 (-  4.2%)
05/2013: Batman #20  -- 129,039 (-  2.4%)
06/2013: Batman #21  -- 142,088 (+ 10.1%) [156,845]
07/2013: Batman #22  -- 132,047 (-  7.1%)
08/2013: Batman #23  -- 128,230 (-  2.9%)
09/2013: #23.1: Jkr  -- 151,351 (+ 18.0%)
09/2013: #23.2: Rdlr -- 140,065 (-  7.5%)
09/2013: #23.3: Pngn -- 120,026 (- 14.3%)
09/2013: #23.4: Bane -- 124,382 (+  3.6%)
10/2013: Batman #24  -- 124,652 (+  0.2%)
11/2013: Batman #25  -- 125,602 (+  0.8%)
-----------------
6 months: -  2.7%
1 year  : - 21.4%
2 years : - 16.8%
5 years : + 21.8%
10 years: + 29.8%

Snyder + Capullo + Batman

=

ー═┻┳︻▄ξ(✿ ❛‿❛)ξ▄︻┻┳═一

(Corrections Department: I quit. Goodbye.)

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

DC COMICS
11/2003: 25,397
11/2008: 25,340
11/2009: 28,913**
11/2010: 25,497**
11/2011: 41,414**
---------------
11/2012: 33,872 (+  3.0%)
12/2012: 34,272 (+  1.2%)
01/2013: 31,759 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: 34,711 (+  9.1%)
03/2013: 30,819 (- 11.2%)**
04/2013: 29,914 (-  2.9%)
05/2013: 31,412 (+  5.0%)
06/2013: 34,517 (+  9.9%)
07/2013: 34,402 (-  0.3%)
08/2013: 30,843 (- 10.4%)
09/2013: 54,892 (+ 78.0%)
10/2013: 31,928 (- 41.8%)**
11/2013: 32,664 (+  2.3%)
-----------------
6 months: +  4.0%
1 year  : -  3.6%
2 years : - 21.1%
5 years : + 28.9%
10 years: + 28.6%
DC UNIVERSE
11/2003: 28,712
11/2008: 33,096
11/2009: 38,488
11/2010: 34,180
11/2011: 46,670**
---------------
11/2012: 36,585 (+  0.0%)
12/2012: 36,880 (+  0.8%)
01/2013: 33,485 (-  9.2%)
02/2013: 36,838 (+ 10.0%)
03/2013: 32,294 (- 12.3%)**
04/2013: 31,426 (-  2.7%)
05/2013: 32,015 (+  1.9%)
06/2013: 37,133 (+ 16.0%)
07/2013: 36,524 (-  1.6%)
08/2013: 33,583 (-  8.1%)
09/2013: 61,036 (+ 81.8%)
10/2013: 33,568 (- 45.0%)**
11/2013: 35,282 (+  5.1%)
-----------------
6 months: + 10.2%
1 year  : -  3.6%
2 years : - 24.4%
5 years : +  6.6%
10 years: + 22.9%
VERTIGO
11/2003: 18,008
11/2008: 11,936
11/2009: 11,036
11/2010:  9,034
11/2011: 10,355
---------------
11/2012: 11,487 (- 0.1%)
12/2012: 11,771 (+ 2.5%)
01/2013: 10,764 (- 8.6%)
02/2013: 12,019 (+11.7%)
03/2013: 11,055 (- 8.0%)
04/2013: 11,467 (+ 3.7%)
05/2013: 20,860 (+81.9%)
06/2013: 17,368 (-16.7%)
07/2013: 16,099 (- 7.3%)
08/2013: 14,130 (-12.2%)
09/2013: 14,951 (+ 5.8%)
10/2013: 22,228 (+48.7%)**
11/2013: 13,958 (-37.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 33.1%
1 year  : + 21.5%
2 years : + 34.8%
5 years : + 16.9%
10 years: - 22.5%

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

** 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 is no longer writing this column. He is leaving it here at The Beat. He would like to thank Heidi MacDonald for approaching him, way back when this was still a Usenet operation, and for electing to run every single one of these things since then, except the German one. He would further like to thank all of his readers and commentators, except John Layman. If you want to pay him with money and eternal gratitude (but mostly money) to write about comics, give him a call. If it has nothing to do with DC Comics, or sales figures, he might be interested. You can find him at his weblog and on Twitter.

40 COMMENTS

  1. “Marc-Oliver Frisch is no longer writing this column.”
    I’m gonna miss these sales columns. Is someone else taking over from Marc-Oliver?

  2. So long, and thanks for all the fish, Frisch. This column is far and away my favourite read on The Beat, month after month, and it will not be the same without you. Thank you for years of on-the-nose, often inflammatory commentary.

  3. There is something wrong with what the company is doing when the primary Superman title (self named) is “selling” (ordered) under 40K.
    And the name of that wrong is Scott Lobdell.
    Seriously, DC should be able to sell Superman mostly on-par with Batman. It should probably be within about 20K in units moved. Batman shouldn’t be selling over 3 times as much.
    (and yes, I know Superman Unchained is within that range, but that title is essentially a mini-series, not the primary monthly title)

  4. Damn, sorry to see him go. His column was actually entertaining to read. Going back to the dry avoid offending anyone approach makes for a dull column. Can’t help but wonder what the behind the scenes stuff was cause pretty sure the column was read by industry types and they tend to have thin skins so probably was causing The Beat access problems.

    Any case thanks for the years of work, good luck on next endeavors.

  5. Wow, end of an era! I’ve been reading the month-to-months for a good 8 years now, I think…it’s going to be weird seeing the DC analysis done by someone else!

  6. RE: Batman and Robin 25: “The slight increase comes thanks to the introduction of the Carrie Kelley character from Dark Knight Returns into mainstream continuity. Between all the crossovers and variant covers, that’s almost an original gimmick.”

    Carrie Kelley was in a few of the earlier five stages of grief books 19, 20, and 22. Was this her first appearance as Robin or something?

  7. That blog post about Alan Moore’s latest interview/diatribe was a great read. Nice to see that Marc’s views on Moore and Morrison are more balanced than some previous DC sales columns made them seem.

    About this last column, just one correction: issue #25 of the book formerly known as Batman and Robin ended up being published as Batman and Two-Face, which will remain the book’s title until issue #29. Carrie Kelley was nowhere to be seen in the issue, and she’s probably sitting out of the rest of the current arc, although her name in issue #25’s solicited title was probably the reason behind the sales bump.

  8. I’ve followed this column since Usenet – it’s a mighty big shame to lose my monthly dose of Frisch’s snark. I hope he finds another outlet for his contempt and bemusement toward popular culture.

  9. I’m a long time, regular reader of the column and have enjoyed it a lot over the years. Thanks for all the effort (and I always appreciated that you found different themes for the columns from beers, to weird icons, to German to keep things fresh.) You’ve been a fun and entertaining writer and I’ll miss seeing it. All the best.

    Rich

  10. Hope the new writer, whomever he or she may be, can keep up the standards set by Mr. Frisch.

    Some observations:

    1. With the just-announced wave of cancellations, over half of the original 52 titles have been cancelled. Be honest now—after reading all 52 #1 issues in 2011 and then asked to list the titles that would still be alive today, would anyone in their right mind have listed Batwing among the survivors?

    2. Batman: The Dark Knight. Nightwing. Teen Titans. Justice League America. Suicide Squad. Superman Unchained. Seems DC’s following Marvel’s lead in cancelling good selling books who’s current storylines had reached an end. You never can tell when a book’ll be cancelled anymore.

    3. So glad that not only is All-Star Western still alive, but that they’re sending Jonah back to his proper time. Good storyline at the start, but really dragged towards the end.

    4. The upcoming Secret Origins book sounds interesting, but as DC Universe Presents showed, anthologies aren’t usually strong sellers. Hope this one bucks the trend.

    5. Lastly, is anyone else with me in saying that those “Channel 52” pages at the back of every DC book are a colossal waste of space and time? Please, DC, use those pages for letter columns, extra story, pin-ups, hell, even ads—but, PLEASE LOSE THOSE TWO PAGES OF GARBAGE!

    Till next month…..

  11. BLUE 50 BLUE 50 SEET HUUUUUUTT ARF ARF ARF AAAA BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK RRRRF BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKBARK BARKm

  12. Thanks for the kind words, everyone.

    Let me dispel any suspicions of behind-the-scenes stuff: Heidi’s been a great editor all these years, and the only time she had serious words with me — and rightly so — was when I turned in a German-language column without talking to her first. (Cause that’s how I roll.)

    The reason I’m leaving is, I gradually stopped paying attention to most of the ‘mainstream’ industry goings on over the last year or so, which increasingly made it a chore to get up to speed for the column (not to mention the calculations, which were never the fun part to begin with). So, as I took longer and longer to do it, I made up my mind over the holidays that it was time to quit.

    It wouldn’t be a proper send-off if I didn’t bungle at least one thing, of course, so thanks for correcting the BATMAN AND TWO-FACE error.

    I’m looking forward to both the interim guy and the new regular columnist. Thanks for reading, and for all your comments. (Even John!)

  13. When did it get announced that Nightwing was getting cancelled?
    ———————————————————————————————-

    Jason, I saw it in the DC April 2014 solicitations. Nightwing, Suicide Squad, Teen Titans, and Stormwatch are all being cancelled with their 30th issue. Superman Unchained with #9. Looks like they’re clearing room for a few new books. Except for Stormwatch, the books are being cancelled because their storylines came to an end, as opposed to weak sales.

  14. Oh, I almost forget, Justice League of America is also gone in April, with #14 being the last—also for storyline reasons.

  15. Soule’s Swamp Thing is amazing. By far DC’s best title I pick up. Way better than Snyder’s run in my opinion. I like his short arcs, but ongoing subplots. Saiz (and Pina on the annual) rock it on the art as well. Real detailed.
    Lemire’s Animal Man is just one big continuing saga. I don’t think he knows how to end an issue without a ‘to be continued’. Even after Rotworld. I’m kind of glad it’s ending, even despite some minor highlights. Gonna skip his JL Unlimited, due to this and the price.

  16. I’m going to miss MOF on this column. I generally really liked what he did.

    “Not a bad run for an Animal Man title, actually, but then again, given the creative team and the initial buzz, it’s clear from looking at these numbers that something went very wrong along the way. They had a hit here, and then they botched it.”

    It was called Rotworld. Animal Man fans had to deal with a tedious six-month build-up and then a tedious six-month crossover. Most of us hung on for as long as we could, because the first six or so issues of the title before all that were really good. But Lemire could only do so much once he was told to be a placeholder for another pointlessly violent and ranty Snyder event.

    And I do agree with the commenter above about Swamp Thing. It’s been excellent under Soule.

  17. I guess I should add that Animal Man has been much better over the last 10 months or so. But after Rotworld I think people just gave up and didn’t want to take a chance anymore.

  18. Goodbye Marc, reading this column was always fun and helped me not be angry at DC anymore, I hope you and DC are successful in your future endeavours.

  19. Wow, I’m going to miss MOF. I hadn’t been reading all that long, but it’s always been a treat coming to this particular column every month (or so!). I think Frisch’s thinly-veiled utter cynicism regarding the (mainstream) industry and his seemingly taking it out on his DC month-to-month reporting made said reporting that much sweeter.

    It’ll be interesting to see where the column goes from here.

  20. Thank you for all your hard work, Marc! I’m another one who’s followed you since Usenet and it’ll be weird to suddenly be deprived of both you and Paul at the same time. But it must be a big relief to get this off your shoulders. All the best!!

  21. Thank you for years of great reads MOF! I truly enjoyed reading this column over the years. It was for a lot the time even the highlight of my month. Thank you so much. :)

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