Diamond December 2010 sales charts

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Five $2.99 titles in the Top Ten. (But look at #78!)

The Top Ten GNs by dollar value are more spread out… it seems that cost is less of an issue.

And when is Hachette a “small publisher”?!

(Also… “Top 25 Small Publisher Comics” duplicates the GN list below it, and you might need to shrink text as some data is cut off on the right margin.)

“Five $2.99 titles in the Top Ten. (But look at #78!)”
topp
Between that and topping the GN list, it was a good month for Fables.

Interesting. Some quick figuring and I estimate the order index will wind up being around 650 (±2%). That makes three consecutive months of nothing topping 100K (and no big release in the next few months likely to reverse that, unless I’m really misjudging the interest in something), and possibly the lowest top-selling comic in the modern history of the direct market.

The top Marvel comic might not even reach 70K, and is definitely at an all-time low. Joe Quesada ends his tenure on a high note…

And somehow I don’t see Fear Itself giving Marvel the big boost they expect. It’ll sell well but it’s not going to be a monster hit and that’s what Marvel needs right now. DC on the other hand has managed to do this without a big event of their own and if they play it right can really challenge for the top spot in the comic market.

Looks like my 650 estimate was a bit on the high side, according to the numbers Comichron and ICV2 put up. Closer to 632. So all sorts of record lows.

And no real top-tier launch in January (can’t see DAREDEVIL REBORN getting much traction, maybe BATMAN EUROPA #1 will do well with it being Jim Lee drawing Batman), so if DARK KNIGHT gets the usual #2 drop to about 70K, I’m not sure what January release will top 80K, much less 100K. February looks equally bleak, I really don’t see that death gimmick in FF capturing the world’s imagination.

Fables #100 is the 6th highest dollar ranking comic? DC (and the creators) must be over the moon with that result!

And is that the 4th month of the SUPERMAN EARTH ONE HC ranking in the Top 10? Great Work!

Marvel need to fix their trade program pronto. Their first entry is at #17!
I’m actually glad to see them doing so poorly. They are even more expensive than their single issues! Yes, MORE than $4 an issue! It means that people arn’t being stooged into buying 4 issue trades for $20.
Marvel is pricing themselves right out of the competition.

I see Marvel’s Fear Itself doing Seige numbers … if their lucky ;)

Generation Hope #3 at 7,395 copies is quite a drop.

LL

Marvel’s trade division needs some shaking up.

The omnibus of Squadron Supreme, one of Marvel’s top titles, a big ticket item, should have shipped to bookstores in November, to capitalize on holiday sales, and post-holiday gift card redemption. Instead, it won’t be published until the end of this month.

Marvel had great success with the Halo GN, which was only available in harcover. Yet Joe Quesada insists on serializing everything first, which leads to the current flood of Thor titles on the shelves (if stores actually order copies).

Hachette distributes the books to libraries and stores. Disney Worldwide Publishing and Hyperion have capable staff which can advise Marvel.

Of course… if the content isn’t there, the sales and marketing won’t matter.

I was shocked to see Marvel TPBs selling so poorly. Not that DC is any better in this regard but by the time the “premier” HC comes out, followed by the softcover 3-5 months later, any non-X-Men/Avengers storyline is long forgotten about.