by Paul O’Brien
The AGE OF ULTRON crossover anchored Marvel’s line in April, with tie-in issues spreading across a range of titles. As often happens when event titles are underway, it’s a quiet month for new releases, with the notable exception of the THANOS RISING origin mini. And of course, as the months roll on, we’re getting an increasingly clear picture of how the assorted Marvel Now launches and relaunches are working out.
Oh, and following Marc-Oliver’s lead from last month, I’ve included the ten-year comparisons, for those of you wondering how the long-running books stack up compared with 2003.
As usual, Marvel had the largest share of the North American direct market – and the margin is pretty big. They beat DC by 42% to 28% in terms of units, and by 38% to 26% in dollars.
Thanks as always to ICV2.com for letting us use these figures.
2. THANOS RISING 04/13 Thanos Rising #1 of 5 - 114,720
Even allowing for the multiple covers – there were six in total – this is a remarkably good number for an origin miniseries. It’s a further illustration of the fact that Marvel have been able to convince people that the cosmic titles matter, after many years where they were seen as a bit of a backwater niche. Obviously it helps that everyone knows Thanos is going to be in the next Avengers film, but the bottom line is that the sales say that readers are taking these books more seriously than they have a long time.
4,6,7. AGE OF ULTRON 03/13 Age of Ultron #1 of 10 - 174,952 03/13 Age of Ultron #2 of 10 - 109,383 (-37.5%) 03/13 Age of Ultron #3 of 10 - 105,505 ( -3.5%) 04/13 Age of Ultron #4 of 10 - 101,057 ( -4.2%) 04/13 Age of Ultron #5 of 10 - 97,982 ( -3.0%) 04/13 Age of Ultron #6 of 10 - 97,242 ( -0.8%)
Another three issues this month, and the experiment with releasing this particular event book on a more accelerated schedule seems to be working well. After the inevitable second-issue drop, sales have held up solidly. Issue #3 picks up reorders of 5,158, which are included in the number above. Without those numbers, issue #4 would actually have posted a slight gain.
10. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
04/09 Guardians v2 #13 - 27,107
04/10 Guardians v2 #25 - 24,568
=====
02/13 Guardians #0.1 - 80,344
03/13 Guardians v3 #1 - 217,993 (+171.3%)
04/13 Guardians v3 #2 - 88,184 ( -59.5%)
4 year (+258.9%)
5 year (+225.3%)
The vast array of variant covers on issue #1 meant that there was always going to be a big drop on the second issue – though it’s worth noting that even this second issue still comes equipped with 1:25. 1:50, 1:100, 1:150 and 1:200 variants, marking this unmistakably as a book that Marvel are determined to make work. After all, they’ve got a film in the works.
Even allowing for that, though, this is a better number than GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY has seen in many a year. The strategy of putting big name creators on lesser-known properties has worked well here.
Issue #1 picks up re-orders of 6,681, which are added into the figures above.
11,12. SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN
04/03 Amaz. v2 #52 - 96,624
04/08 Amazing #557 - 77,057
04/09 Amazing #591 - 60,508
04/10 Amazing #629 - 53,560
04/11 Amazing #658 - 61,687
=====
04/12 Amazing #683 - 59,153 ( +3.5%)
04/12 Amazing #684 - 57,454 ( -2.9%)
05/12 Amazing #685 - 58,121 ( +1.2%)
05/12 Amazing #686 - 58,337 ( +0.4%)
06/12 Amazing #687 - 62,680 ( +7.4%)
06/12 Amazing #688 - 60,409 ( -3.6%)
07/12 Amazing #689 - 59,859 ( -0.9%)
07/12 Amazing #690 - 58,976 ( -1.5%)
08/12 Amazing #691 - 60,767 ( +3.0%)
08/12 Amazing #692 - 91,071 ( +49.9%)
09/12 Amazing #693 - 59,772 ( -34.4%)
09/12 Amazing #694 - 58,461 ( -2.2%)
10/12 Amazing #695 - 58,185 ( -0.5%)
10/12 Amazing #696 - 57,950 ( -0.4%)
11/12 Amazing #697 - 59,872 ( +3.3%)
11/12 Amazing #698 - 87,537 ( +46.2%)
12/12 Amazing #699 - 80,048 ( -8.6%)
12/12 Amazing #.1 - 71,344 ( -10.9%)
12/12 Amazing #700 - 267,971 (+275.6%)
01/13 Superior #1 - 209,944 ( -21.7%)
01/13 Superior #2 - 118,104 ( -43.7%)
02/13 Superior #3 - 101,811 ( -13.8%)
02/13 Superior #4 - 95,892 ( -5.8%)
03/13 Superior #5 - 94,224 ( -1.7%)
03/13 Superior #6 - 86,614 ( -8.1%)
03/13 S. S-M #6AU - 85,807 ( -0.9%)
04/13 Superior #7 - 87,945 ( +2.5%)
04/13 Superior #8 - 85,671 ( -2.6%)
6 mnth ( +47.8%)
1 year ( +44.8%)
2 year ( +38.9%)
3 year ( +60.0%)
4 year ( +41.6%)
5 year ( +11.2%)
10 year ( -11.3%)
A slight bump on issue #7, for no immediately apparent reason – in fact, it’s the first issue of the series that didn’t have a variant cover. Overall, there’s a very slight downward trend in evidence, but the book appears to be settling down quite happily in the mid-80K range – better than it’s been managing in quite some years.
13. ALL-NEW X-MEN 11/12 All-New X-Men #1 - 181,693 11/12 All-New X-Men #2 - 100,983 (-44.4%) 12/12 All-New X-Men #3 - 90,161 (-10.7%) 12/12 All-New X-Men #4 - 90,946 ( +0.9%) 01/13 All-New X-Men #5 - 86,301 ( -5.1%) 01/13 All-New X-Men #6 - 85,403 ( -1.0%) 02/13 All-New X-Men #7 - 85,234 ( -0.2%) 03/13 All-New X-Men #8 - 90,990 ( +6.8%) 03/13 All-New X-Men #9 - 81,692 (-10.2%) 04/13 All-New X-Men #10 - 84,760 ( +3.8%)
The variant covers skipped issue #9 for some reason, but return here. That probably explains the slightly odd rebound we’re seeing here.
14,20. UNCANNY AVENGERS
10/12 Uncanny Avengers #1 - 303,722
11/12 Uncanny Avengers #2 - 114,257 (-62.4%)
12/12 ---
01/13 Uncanny Avengers #3 - 92,165 (-19.3%)
02/13 Uncanny Avengers #4 - 87,539 ( -5.0%)
03/13 Uncanny Avengers #5 - 84,382 ( -3.6%)
04/13 Uncanny Avengers #6 - 80,863 ( -4.2%)
04/13 Uncanny Avengers #7 - 77,027 ( -4.7%)
6 mnth (-74.6%)
Both of this month’s issues drop 4%, which is a bit more than you’d ideally want at this stage. Retailers still seem to be figuring out a level for this title.
15,16. UNCANNY X-MEN
04/03 Uncanny X-Men #421 - 86,503
04/08 Uncanny X-Men #497 - 93,369
04/09 Uncanny X-Men #508 - 76,443
04/10 Uncanny X-Men #523 - 74,090
04/11 Uncanny X-Men #535 - 56,795
=====
04/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #10 - 56,906 ( -0.1%)
04/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #11 - 75,109 ( +32.0%)
05/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #12 - 69,265 ( -7.8%)
06/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #13 - 70,521 ( +1.8%)
06/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #14 - 67,793 ( -3.9%)
07/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #15 - 66,114 ( -2.5%)
07/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #16 - 63,835 ( -3.4%)
08/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #17 - 61,095 ( -4.3%)
09/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #18 - 59,794 ( -2.1%)
10/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #19 - 59,283 ( -0.9%)
10/12 Uncanny X-Men v2 #20 - 65,981 ( +11.3%)
11/12 ---
12/12 ---
01/13 ---
02/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #1 - 177,463 (+169.0%)
02/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #2 - 94,615 ( -46.7%)
03/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #3 - 85,775 ( -9.3%)
04/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #4 - 80,047 ( -6.7%)
04/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #5 - 78,919 ( -1.4%)
6 mnth ( +19.6%)
1 year ( +38.7%)
2 year ( +39.0%)
3 year ( +6.5%)
4 year ( +3.2%)
5 year ( -15.5%)
10 year ( -8.8%)
Two issues this month, and the book is still comfortably up from the sales of the last couple of years. The drop on issue #4 isn’t great, but issue #5 is rather more encouraging. It’s too early to say whether this is levelling out, though – for whatever reason, where books ship two issues a month, retailers often cut their orders more heavily on the first one.
17,19. AVENGERS
04/03 Avengers v3 #66 - 58,312
04/11 Avengers v4 #12 - 63,441
=====
04/12 Avengers v4 #25 - 65,664 ( +25.9%)
05/12 Avengers v4 #26 - 67,744 ( +3.2%)
06/12 Avengers v4 #27 - 68,885 ( +1.7%)
07/12 Avengers v4 #28 - 63,169 ( -8.3%)
08/12 Avengers v4 #29 - 61,653 ( -2.4%)
09/12 Avengers v4 #30 - 58,609 ( -4.9%)
10/12 Avengers v4 #31 - 62,495 ( +6.6%)
10/12 Avengers v4 #32 - 56,204 ( -10.1%)
11/12 Avengers v4 #33 - 53,336 ( -5.1%)
11/12 Avengers v4 #34 - 57,315 ( +7.5%)
12/12 Avengers v5 #1 - 186,989 (+226.2%)
12/12 Avengers v5 #2 - 99,028 ( -47.0%)
01/13 Avengers v5 #3 - 92,165 ( -6.9%)
01/13 Avengers v5 #4 - 83,088 ( -9.8%)
02/13 Avengers v5 #5 - 82,452 ( -0.8%)
02/13 Avengers v5 #6 - 84,868 ( +2.9%)
03/13 Avengers v5 #7 - 78,278 ( -7.8%)
03/13 Avengers v5 #8 - 82,691 ( +5.6%)
04/13 Avengers v5 #9 - 77,780 ( -5.9%)
04/13 Avengers v5 #10 - 78,905 ( +1.4%)
6 mnth ( +40.4%)
1 year ( +20.2%)
2 year ( +24.4%)
10 year ( +35.3%)
The title seems to be wandering around the high 70K range over the last couple of months – which seems like a sign that the book is finding its level.
22. NEW AVENGERS
04/08 New Avengers #40 - 110,470
04/09 New Avengers #52 - 93,975
04/10 New Avengers #64 - 75,430
04/11 New Avengers v2 #11 - 61,778
=====
04/12 New Avengers v2 #24 - 64,533 ( +24.8%)
04/12 New Avengers v2 #25 - 61,950 ( -4.0%)
05/12 New Avengers v2 #26 - 64,326 ( +3.8%)
06/12 New Avengers v2 #27 - 64,927 ( +0.9%)
07/12 New Avengers v2 #28 - 62,739 ( -3.4%)
08/12 New Avengers v2 #29 - 59,441 ( -5.3%)
09/12 New Avengers v2 #30 - 56,742 ( -4.5%)
10/12 New Avengers v2 #31 - 53,456 ( -5.8%)
11/12 New Avengers v2 #32 - 52,784 ( -1.3%)
11/12 New Avengers v2 #33 - 50,045 ( -5.2%)
11/12 New Avengers v2 #34 - 53,862 ( +7.6%)
12/12 ---
01/13 New Avengers v3 #1 - 116,280 (+115.9%)
01/13 New Avengers v3 #2 - 79,433 ( -31.7%)
02/13 New Avengers v3 #3 - 72,110 ( -9.2%)
03/13 New Avengers v3 #4 - 65,150 ( -9.7%)
04/13 New Avengers v3 #5 - 63,423 ( -2.7%)
6 mnth ( +18.6%)
1 year ( -1.7%)
2 year ( -2.7%)
3 year ( -15.9%)
4 year ( -32.5%)
5 year ( -42.6%)
After some rather steep drops in the previous two months, this is a bit more encouraging. It’s still a good 15,000 adrift of AVENGERS, despite both books being written by Jonathan Hickman and supposedly building to a story connection down the road.
23. WOLVERINE
04/03 Wolverine #189 - 61,282
04/08 Wolverine v3 #64 - 64,871
04/09 ---
04/10 W: Weapon X #12 - 30,050
04/11 Wolverine v4 #8 - 47,010
=====
04/12 Wolverine #304 - 37,836 ( +4.0%)
04/12 Wolverine #305 - 37,440 ( -1.0%)
05/12 Wolverine #306 - 34,873 ( -6.9%)
05/12 Wolverine #307 - 34,485 ( -1.1%)
06/12 Wolverine #308 - 35,142 ( +1.9%)
07/12 Wolverine #309 - 33,148 ( -5.7%)
07/12 Wolverine #310 - 60,880 ( +83.7%)
08/12 Wolverine #311 - 42,404 ( -30.3%)
08/12 Wolverine #312 - 41,030 ( -3.2%)
09/12 Wolverine #313 - 39,262 ( -4.3%)
10/12 Wolverine #314 - 34,504 ( -12.1%)
10/12 Wolverine #315 - 38,557 ( +11.7%)
11/12 Wolverine #316 - 32,208 ( -16.5%)
12/12 Wolverine #317 - 34,367 ( +6.7%)
01/13 ---
02/13 ---
03/13 Wolverine v5 #1 - 117,669 (+242.4%)
04/13 Wolverine v5 #2 - 57,165 ( -51.4%)
6 mnth ( +48.3%)
1 year ( +51.1%)
2 year ( +21.6%)
3 year ( +90.2%)
4 year ( --- )
5 year ( -11.9%)
10 year ( -6.7%)
That’s on the steep side for a second issue drop, even by the standards of Marvel Now relaunches. For what it’s worth, this title launched higher than SAVAGE WOLVERINE, but now finds itself at about the same level with issue #2.
Both titles, of course, are doing significantly better than WOLVERINE has managed in quite some time, ever since the botched WOLVERINE: WEAPON X relaunch of 2009.
24,28. DEADPOOL
04/09 Deadpool v3 #9 - 48,483
04/10 Deadpool v3 #22 - 43,061
04/11 Deadpool v3 #35 - 28,517
=====
04/12 Deadpool v3 #53 - 29,334 ( +4.8%)
05/12 Deadpool v3 #54 - 29,644 ( +1.1%)
05/12 Deadpool v3 #55 - 29,022 ( -2.1%)
06/12 Deadpool v3 #56 - 29,513 ( +1.7%)
07/12 Deadpool v3 #57 - 29,155 ( -1.2%)
07/12 Deadpool v3 #58 - 28,706 ( -1.5%)
08/12 Deadpool v3 #59 - 28,507 ( -0.7%)
09/12 Deadpool v3 #60 - 28,548 ( +0.1%)
09/12 Deadpool v3 #61 - 28,351 ( -0.7%)
10/12 Deadpool v3 #62 - 28,897 ( +1.9%)
10/12 Deadpool v3 #63 - 29,049 ( +0.5%)
11/12 Deadpool v4 #1 - 127,977 (+340.6%)
11/12 Deadpool v4 #2 - 76,445 ( -40.3%)
12/12 Deadpool v4 #3 - 64,591 ( -15.5%)
01/13 Deadpool v4 #4 - 57,061 ( -11.7%)
02/13 Deadpool v4 #5 - 57,312 ( +0.4%)
03/13 Deadpool v4 #6 - 57,095 ( -0.4%)
04/13 Deadpool v4 #7 - 57,016 ( -0.1%)
04/13 Deadpool v4 #8 - 52,851 ( -7.3%)
6 mnth ( +81.9%)
1 year ( +80.2%)
2 year ( +85.3%)
3 year ( +22.7%)
4 year ( +9.0%)
After holding steady for four straight issues, DEADPOOL suddenly lurches down by 4K. The obvious reason is that issue #8 is the first since the relaunch not to have a variant cover, though that seems like a surprisingly large chunk of sales to be attributing to routine variants. Even so, this relaunch is still one of the big successes of Marvel Now, in terms of breathing life into the sales of a moribund title.
26. INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK
04/03 Incredible v3 #53 - 57,837
04/08 Hulk #3 - 100,167
04/09 Hulk #11 - 82,726
04/10 ---
04/11 Incredible Hulks #626 - 29,782
=====
04/12 Incredible v4 #7 - 42,135 ( +4.0%)
05/12 Incredible v4 #.1 - 38,472 ( -8.7%)
05/12 Incredible v4 #8 - 42,076 ( +9.4%)
06/12 Incredible v4 #9 - 40,467 ( -3.8%)
06/12 Incredible v4 #10 - 38,122 ( -5.8%)
07/12 Incredible v4 #11 - 36,743 ( -3.6%)
08/12 Incredible v4 #12 - 36,860 ( +0.3%)
09/12 Incredible v4 #13 - 33,858 ( -8.1%)
09/12 Incredible v4 #14 - 33,887 ( +0.1%)
10/12 Incredible v4 #15 - 36,091 ( +6.5%)
11/12 Indestructible #1 - 118,200 (+227.5%)
12/12 Indestructible #2 - 63,653 ( -46.1%)
01/13 Indestructible #3 - 59,431 ( -6.6%)
02/13 Indestructible #4 - 56,214 ( -5.4%)
03/13 Indestructible #5 - 54,967 ( -2.2%)
04/13 Indestructible #6 - 55,470 ( +0.9%)
6 mnth ( +53.7%)
1 year ( +31.6%)
2 year ( +86.3%)
3 year ( --- )
4 year ( -33.1%)
5 year ( -44.6%)
10 year ( -4.1%)
A very slight uptick this month. The real significance is that the book has been more or less steady over the last couple of months, which suggests that it’s found its level – and at a level very much increased from the previous run.
31. THOR: GOD OF THUNDER
04/03 Thor v2 #62 - 34,638
04/08 ---
04/09 ---
04/10 Thor #601 - 79,626
04/11 Thor #609 - 64,522
=====
04/12 Thor v4 #.1 - 33,533 ( -1.3%)
04/12 Thor v4 #13 - 34,500 ( +2.9%)
05/12 Thor v4 #14 - 32,550 ( -5.7%)
06/12 Thor v4 #15 - 33,674 ( +3.5%)
06/12 Thor v4 #16 - 31,798 ( -5.6%)
07/12 Thor v4 #17 - 30,879 ( -2.9%)
08/12 Thor v4 #18 - 35,392 ( +14.6%)
09/12 Thor v4 #19 - 30,289 ( -14.4%)
09/12 Thor v4 #20 - 30,172 ( -0.4%)
10/12 Thor v4 #21 - 34,550 ( +14.5%)
10/12 Thor v4 #22 - 35,328 ( +2.3%)
11/12 Thor v5 #1 - 110,443 (+212.6%)
11/12 Thor v5 #2 - 65,533 ( -40.7%)
12/12 Thor v5 #3 - 55,547 ( -15.2%)
01/13 Thor v5 #4 - 50,478 ( -9.1%)
02/13 Thor v5 #5 - 51,861 ( +2.7%)
03/13 Thor v5 #6 - 50,481 ( -2.7%)
04/13 Thor v5 #7 - 51,526 ( +2.1%)
6 mnth ( +45.9%)
1 year ( +49.4%)
2 year ( -20.1%)
3 year ( -35.3%)
4 year ( --- )
5 year ( --- )
10 year ( +48.8%)
Sales have been rock solid over the last four issues. That’s actually a little strange, since issue #6 didn’t have a variant cover, but the overall impression is still that the book has found its level following the relaunch. And here, too, the sales are very comfortably up from the previous run. Another one in the win column for Marvel Now.
33. CAPTAIN AMERICA
04/03 Captain America v3 #12 - 51,804
04/08 Captain America v6 #37 - 80,635
04/09 Captain America v6 #49 - 63,874
04/10 Captain America #605 - 59,051
04/11 Captain America #617 - 45,400
=====
04/12 Captain America v7 #10 - 41,474 ( -0.4%)
05/12 Captain America v7 #11 - 39,012 ( -5.9%)
05/12 Captain America v7 #12 - 38,800 ( -0.5%)
06/12 Captain America v7 #13 - 39,456 ( +1.7%)
07/12 Captain America v7 #14 - 36,812 ( -6.7%)
07/12 Captain America v7 #15 - 36,433 ( -1.0%)
08/12 Captain America v7 #16 - 35,155 ( -3.5%)
09/12 Captain America v7 #17 - 34,279 ( -2.5%)
10/12 Captain America v7 #18 - 38,318 ( +11.8%)
10/12 Captain America v7 #19 - 40,205 ( +4.9%)
11/12 Captain America v8 #1 - 123,667 (+207.6%)
12/12 Captain America v8 #2 - 64,377 ( -47.9%)
01/13 Captain America v8 #3 - 59,836 ( -7.1%)
02/13 Captain America v8 #4 - 53,112 ( -11.2%)
03/13 Captain America v8 #5 - 49,186 ( -7.4%)
04/13 Captain America v8 #6 - 47,802 ( -2.8%)
6 mnth ( +18.9%)
1 year ( +15.3%)
2 year ( +5.3%)
3 year ( -19.0%)
4 year ( -25.2%)
5 year ( -40.7%)
10 year ( -7.7%)
The position here is a little less clear. CAPTAIN AMERICA was losing sales rather quickly through to issue #5. In April, it seems to be levelling out somewhat. But it’s too early to say whether the trend is slowing, or whether it’s just a one-off.
At any rate, the book is still a good 10K up from its typical pre-relaunch sales.
34,44. WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN
04/12 Wolverine/X-Men #8 - 53,757 ( -1.5%)
04/12 Wolverine/X-Men #9 - 64,984 (+20.9%)
05/12 Wolverine/X-Men #10 - 63,650 ( -2.1%)
05/12 Wolverine/X-Men #11 - 64,936 ( +2.0%)
06/12 Wolverine/X-Men #12 - 64,838 ( -0.2%)
07/12 Wolverine/X-Men #13 - 62,689 ( -3.3%)
07/12 Wolverine/X-Men #14 - 61,029 ( -2.6%)
08/12 Wolverine/X-Men #15 - 58,441 ( -4.2%)
09/12 Wolverine/X-Men #16 - 55,857 ( -4.4%)
09/12 Wolverine/X-Men #17 - 54,768 ( -1.9%)
10/12 Wolverine/X-Men #18 - 52,331 ( -4.4%)
10/12 Wolverine/X-Men #19 - 50,008 ( -4.4%)
11/12 Wolverine/X-Men #20 - 48,432 ( -3.2%)
11/12 Wolverine/X-Men #21 - 48,244 ( -0.4%)
12/12 Wolverine/X-Men #22 - 45,658 ( -5.4%)
01/13 Wolverine/X-Men #23 - 43,963 ( -3.7%)
01/13 Wolverine/X-Men #24 - 44,716 ( +1.7%)
02/13 Wolverine/X-Men #25 - 45,057 ( +0.8%)
03/13 Wolverine/X-Men #26 - 42,019 ( -6.7%)
03/13 Wolverine/X-Men #27 - 41,960 ( -0.1%)
04/13 Wolv & X-Men #27AU - 47,055 (+12.1%)
04/13 Wolverine/X-Men #28 - 42,718 ( -9.2%)
6 mnth (-14.6%)
1 year (-20.5%)
Two issues this month – a regular one, and issue #27AU, which is part of the AGE OF ULTRON crossover. It has pretty much nothing whatsoever to do with the regular series, other than having Wolverine in it, but notionally it’s an issue of WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN, so I’m including it in the list above. (See also: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE.)
Still, if we’re going to count these books as issues of the regular series, then we’ve got to acknowledge that the crossover delivers a healthy sales boost for that issue. Leaving that issue aside, the regular series would have posted a slight increase over issues #26-27 – but that’s most likely due to a 1:20 variant cover.
38. SAVAGE WOLVERINE 01/13 Savage Wolverine #1 - 102,530 02/13 Savage Wolverine #2 - 58,254 (-43.2%) 03/13 Savage Wolverine #3 - 50,310 (-13.6%) 04/13 Savage Wolverine #4 - 45,933 ( -8.7%)
The drops are getting smaller, but they’re still a lot larger than you’d like to see four months in – particularly on a book where every issue has a 1:50 variant cover.
It’s only fair to point out that sales on the first two issues of WOLVERINE (the Cornell/Davis title) are pretty close to the first two issues of SAVAGE, and that both books are still doing pretty decently by the standards of WOLVERINE comics over the last couple of years.
41. ULTRON 04/13 Ultron #1AU - 44,854
Despite the title, this is actually a story about Victor Mancha from the Runaways. This makes a lot more sense when you realise that Mancha is being reintroduced in advance of his role in the AVENGERS A.I. series launching in July.
42. IRON MAN
04/03 Iron Man v3 #67 - 32,479
04/08 Iron Man v4 #28 - 35,754
04/09 Iron Man v5 #12 - 51,774
04/10 Iron Man v5 #25 - 73,694
04/11 Iron Man #503 - 45,314
=====
04/12 Iron Man #515 - 32,409 ( +3.1%)
05/12 Iron Man #516 - 31,374 ( -3.2%)
05/12 Iron Man #517 - 31,536 ( +0.5%)
06/12 Iron Man #518 - 32,553 ( -3.2%)
06/12 Iron Man #519 - 32,518 ( -0.1%)
07/12 Iron Man #520 - 32,765 ( +0.8%)
07/12 Iron Man #521 - 32,172 ( -1.8%)
08/12 Iron Man #522 - 31,464 ( -2.2%)
08/12 Iron Man #523 - 31,568 ( +0.3%)
09/12 Iron Man #524 - 30,976 ( -1.9%)
09/12 Iron Man #525 - 30,885 ( -0.3%)
10/12 Iron Man #526 - 35,934 ( +16.3%)
10/12 Iron Man #527 - 36,981 ( +2.9%)
11/12 Iron Man v6 #1 - 116,529 (+215.1%)
11/12 Iron Man v6 #2 - 72,902 ( -37.4%)
12/12 Iron Man v6 #3 - 59,041 ( -19.0%)
12/12 Iron Man v6 #4 - 56,708 ( -4.0%)
01/13 Iron Man v6 #5 - 50,899 ( -10.2%)
02/13 Iron Man v6 #6 - 46,206 ( -9.2%)
03/13 Iron Man v6 #7 - 44,040 ( -4.7%)
04/13 Iron Man v6 #8 - 43,974 ( -0.1%)
6 mnth ( +18.9%)
1 year ( +35.7%)
2 year ( -3.0%)
3 year ( -40.3%)
4 year ( -15.1%)
5 year ( +23.0%)
10 year ( +35.4%)
After months of decline, IRON MAN suddenly levels out – despite this issue being the find part of a storyline. I’d assume it’s a spillover effect from the movie launch, plus the return of a variant cover (which skipped last month).
47. CABLE & X-FORCE 12/12 Cable & X-Force #1 - 90,334 12/12 Cable & X-Force #2 - 57,719 (-36.1%) 01/13 Cable & X-Force #3 - 51,761 (-10.3%) 02/13 Cable & X-Force #4 - 46,104 (-10.9%) 03/13 Cable & X-Force #5 - 44,680 ( -3.1%) 03/13 Cable & X-Force #6 - 42,896 ( -4.0%) 04/13 Cable & X-Force #7 - 41,500 ( -3.3%)
This seems to be settling into a steady erosion of 3-4% an issue.
49,55. FANTASTIC FOUR
04/03 Fantast. Four v3 #68 - 51,405
04/08 Fantastic Four #545 - 74,700
04/09 Fantastic Four #556 - 65,013
04/10 Fantastic Four #570 - 37,940
04/11 FF #2 - 72,697
=====
04/12 Fantastic Four #605 - 42,372 ( +0.6%)
05/12 Fantastic Four #.1 - 39,475 ( -6.8%)
05/12 Fantastic Four #606 - 39,914 ( +1.1%)
06/12 Fantastic Four #607 - 40,453 ( +1.4%)
07/12 Fantastic Four #608 - 37,776 ( -6.6%)
08/12 Fantastic Four #609 - 36,496 ( -3.4%)
09/12 Fantastic Four #610 - 35,388 ( -3.0%)
10/12 Fantastic Four #611 - 45,322 ( +28.1%)
11/12 Fantastic Four v5 #1 - 114,532 (+152.7%)
12/12 Fantastic Four v5 #2 - 58,421 ( -49.0%)
01/13 Fantastic Four v5 #3 - 50,555 ( -13.5%)
02/13 Fantastic Four v5 #4 - 44,999 ( -11.0%)
03/13 Fantastic Four v5 #5 - 42,590 ( -5.4%)
03/13 Fantastic Four #5AU - 45,756 ( +7.4%)
04/13 Fantastic Four v5 #6 - 41,291 ( -4.8%)
04/13 Fantastic Four v5 #7 - 39,314 ( -4.8%)
6 mnth ( -13.3%)
1 year ( -7.2%)
2 year ( -45.9%)
3 year ( +3.6%)
4 year ( -39.5%)
5 year ( -47.4%)
10 year ( -23.5%)
Two issues this month. The drop on issue #6 looks worse than it is, because of the Age of Ultron issue – on a straight comparison with issue #5, it would be down 3.1%. Nonetheless, between the two issues, the book has still shed over 7% of its audience in a month and is set to drop below the previous sales level very soon. This relaunch doesn’t seem to be taking.
51. NOVA
04/08 Nova v4 #12 - 28,185
04/09 Nova v4 #24 - 26,240
04/10 Nova v4 #36 - 22,365
=====
02/13 Nova v5 #1 - 80,857
03/13 Nova v5 #2 - 46,725 (-42.2%)
04/13 Nova v5 #3 - 40,548 (-13.2%)
3 year (+81.3%)
4 year (+54.5%)
5 year (+79.3%)
While Marvel have turned GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY into a major franchise, it hasn’t worked quite so well with NOVA. Sales are still way up from any recent version of the character, but the fact remains that it’s going to wind up as a mid-table book, and one where Marvel are paying for big name creators in Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.
52. DAREDEVIL
04/03 Daredevil v2 #46 - 60,517
04/08 ---
04/09 Daredevil v2 #118 - 44,982
04/10 Daredevil #506 - 37,467
04/11 ---
=====
04/12 Daredevil v3 #.1 - 38,463 ( +0.9%)
04/12 Daredevil v3 #11 - 46,111 (+19.9%)
05/12 Daredevil v3 #12 - 39,231 (-14.9%)
05/12 Daredevil v3 #13 - 39,056 ( -0.4%)
06/12 Daredevil v3 #14 - 43,865 (+12.3%)
07/12 Daredevil v3 #15 - 38,469 (-12.3%)
08/12 Daredevil v3 #16 - 37,804 ( -1.7%)
08/12 Daredevil v3 #17 - 38,149 ( +0.9%)
09/12 Daredevil v3 #18 - 37,185 ( -2.5%)
10/12 Daredevil v3 #19 - 37,228 ( +0.1%)
11/12 Daredevil v3 #20 - 36,515 ( -1.9%)
12/12 Daredevil v3 #21 - 35,848 ( -1.8%)
01/13 Daredevil v3 #22 - 36,102 ( +0.7%)
02/13 Daredevil v3 #23 - 37,170 ( +3.0%)
03/13 Daredevil v3 #24 - 37,231 ( +0.2%)
04/13 Daredevil v3 #25 - 39,678 ( +6.6%)
6 mnth ( +6.6%)
1 year ( +3.2%)
2 year ( --- )
3 year ( +5.9%)
4 year (-11.8%)
5 year ( --- )
10 year (-23.4%)
There are two variant covers on this issue, hence the sales increase. Overall, DAREDEVIL remains a very consistent seller.
53. HAWKEYE
08/12 Hawkeye v4 #1 - 48,346
09/12 Hawkeye v4 #2 - 33,563 (-30.6%)
10/12 Hawkeye v4 #3 - 35,403 ( +5.5%)
11/12 Hawkeye v4 #4 - 34,208 ( -3.4%)
12/12 Hawkeye v4 #5 - 34,385 ( +0.5%)
12/12 Hawkeye v4 #6 - 33,440 ( -2.7%)
01/13 Hawkeye v4 #7 - 37,000 (+10.6%)
02/13 Hawkeye v4 #8 - 36,898 ( -0.3%)
03/13 ---
04/13 Hawkeye v4 #9 - 39,678 ( +7.5%)
6 mnth (+12.1%)
No variant covers here. No gimmicks. It’s just going up. Once in a while, it seems, good word of mouth actually does translate into sales.
56. SECRET AVENGERS
04/11 Secret Avengers #12 - 50,641
=====
04/12 Secret Avengers #25 - 38,466 ( +0.3%)
04/12 Secret Avengers #26 - 54,854 ( +42.6%)
05/12 Secret Avengers #27 - 49,851 ( -9.1%)
06/12 Secret Avengers #28 - 51,572 ( +3.5%)
07/12 Secret Avengers #29 - 41,653 ( -19.2%)
08/12 Secret Avengers #30 - 38,243 ( -8.2%)
09/12 Secret Avengers #31 - 35,987 ( -5.9%)
10/12 Secret Avengers #32 - 35,346 ( -1.8%)
10/12 Secret Avengers #33 - 34,260 ( -3.1%)
11/12 Secret Avengers #34 - 32,146 ( -6.2%)
12/12 Secret Avengers #35 - 30,755 ( -4.3%)
01/13 Secret Avengers #36 - 29,330 ( -4.6%)
01/13 Secret Avengers #37 - 32,139 ( +9.6%)
02/13 Secret Avengers v2 #1 - 85,267 (+196.4%)
03/13 Secret Avengers v2 #2 - 46,419 ( -45.6%)
04/13 Secret Avengers v2 #3 - 38,676 ( -16.7%)
6 mnth ( +12.9%)
1 year ( +0.5%)
2 year ( -23.6%)
That’s a very steep drop for a third issue. Retailers seem to be chasing this one downwards.
57. THUNDERBOLTS
04/03 Thunderbolts #78 - 21,806
04/08 ---
04/09 Thunderbolts #131 - 49,155
04/10 Thunderbolts #143 - 35,656
04/11 Thunderbolts #156 - 25,117
=====
04/12 Thunderbolts #172 - 19,203 ( +0.7%)
04/12 Thunderbolts #173 - 19,017 ( -1.0%)
05/12 Thunderbolts #174 - 18,792 ( -1.2%)
06/12 ---
07/12 ---
08/12 ---
09/12 ---
10/12 ---
11/12 ---
12/12 Thunderbolts v2 #1 - 83,396
12/12 Thunderbolts v2 #2 - 50,897 (-39.0%)
01/13 Thunderbolts v2 #3 - 44,272 (-13.0%)
02/13 Thunderbolts v2 #4 - 43,287 ( -2.2%)
02/13 Thunderbolts v2 #5 - 41,663 ( -3.8%)
03/13 Thunderbolts v2 #6 - 39,293 ( -5.7%)
03/13 Thunderbolts v2 #7 - 38,553 ( -1.9%)
04/13 Thunderbolts v2 #8 - 36,979 ( -4.1%)
6 mnth ( --- )
1 year (+92.6%)
2 year (+47.2%)
3 year ( +3.7%)
4 year (-24.8%)
5 year ( --- )
10 year (+69.6%)
Shedding a couple of thousand readers a month, it seems – but for now, at least, these are still pretty good sales by THUNDERBOLTS standards. (Though granted, the book doesn’t have much in common with earlier incarnations besides the name.)
59. AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
04/12 Avengers Assemble #2 - 53,024 (-47.4%)
05/12 Avengers Assemble #3 - 43,886 (-17.2%)
06/12 Avengers Assemble #4 - 43,022 ( -2.0%)
07/12 Avengers Assemble #5 - 38,951 ( -9.5%)
08/12 Avengers Assemble #6 - 36,131 ( -7.2%)
09/12 Avengers Assemble #7 - 36,259 ( +0.4%)
10/12 Avengers Assemble #8 - 36,453 ( +0.5%)
11/12 Avengers Assemble #9 - 42,088 (+15.5%)
12/12 Avengers Assemble #10 - 34,035 (-19.1%)
01/13 Avengers Assemble #11 - 31,027 ( -8.8%)
02/13 Avengers Assemble #12 - 29,475 ( -5.0%)
03/13 Avengers Assemble #13 - 28,432 ( -3.6%)
04/13 Av. Assemble #14AU - 35,985 (+26.6%)
6 mnth ( -1.3%)
No regular issue this month, but we do have an AGE OF ULTRON tie-in issue. Admittedly, the actual content is more of a Black Widow solo story by a completely different creative team, but officially, it’s an issue of AVENGERS ASSEMBLE. Quite why you’d choose the lowest-selling Avengers title to randomly attach a one-shot to, I don’t altogether understand. At any rate, compared to regular issues, it does get a big increase.
61. ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN
04/03 Spider-Man #39 - 103,531
04/08 Spider-Man #121 - 56,633
04/09 ---
04/10 Spider-Man v2 #9 - 39,955
04/11 Spider-Man #157 - 50,896
=====
04/12 Spider-Man v3 #9 - 43,724 ( -5.5%)
05/12 Spider-Man v3 #10 - 42,356 ( -3.1%)
06/12 Spider-Man v3 #11 - 42,549 ( +0.5%)
07/12 Spider-Man v3 #12 - 42,050 ( -1.2%)
08/12 Spider-Man v3 #13 - 42,642 ( +1.4%)
09/12 Spider-Man v3 #14 - 40,960 ( -3.9%)
09/12 Spider-Man v3 #15 - 40,435 ( -1.3%)
10/12 Spider-Man v3 #16 - 39,679 ( -1.9%)
10/12 Spider-Man v3 #.1 - 38,321 ( -3.4%)
11/12 Spider-Man v3 #17 - 38,481 ( +0.4%)
12/12 Spider-Man v3 #18 - 36,944 ( -4.0%)
01/13 Spider-Man v3 #19 - 36,017 ( -2.5%)
02/13 Spider-Man v3 #20 - 35,461 ( -1.5%)
03/13 Spider-Man v3 #21 - 35,284 ( -0.5%)
04/13 Spider-Man v3 #22 - 34,918 ( -1.0%)
6 mnth (-12.0%)
1 year (-20.1%)
2 year (-31.4%)
3 year (-12.6%)
4 year ( --- )
5 year (-38.3%)
10 year (-66.3%)
Continuing its steady drift downwards.
62. DEADPOOL: KILLUSTRATED 01/13 Killustrated #1 of 4 - 41,980 02/13 Killustrated #2 of 4 - 35,846 (-14.6%) 03/13 Killustrated #3 of 4 - 35,275 ( -1.6%) 04/13 Killustrated #4 of 4 - 34,703 ( -1.6%)
The previous run on DEADPOOL had orders below the 30K mark, so the fact that he’s now sustaining a miniseries at this level is more evidence that the Marvel Now relaunch has reinvigorated him. Paring down the number of minis so that they stand out more will also have helped, I suspect.
Understandably, another miniseries – DEADPOOL KILLS DEADPOOL – is due in July.
64. YOUNG AVENGERS
04/08 YA Presents #4 - 30,483
=====
01/13 Young Avengers v2 #1 - 76,144
02/13 Young Avengers v2 #2 - 43,559 (-42.8%)
03/13 Young Avengers v2 #3 - 38,469 (-11.7%)
04/13 Young Avengers v2 #4 - 34,378 (-10.6%)
5 year (-12.8%)
Well, that’s not showing any obvious signs of levelling out. YOUNG AVENGERS reads like a book that ought to have a cult audience, but the question is how big that audience turns out to be.
66. FF
04/11 FF #2 - 72,897
=====
04/12 FF #17 - 37,325 ( +0.5%)
05/12 FF #18 - 34,555 ( -7.4%)
06/12 FF #19 - 34,260 ( -0.9%)
07/12 FF #20 - 31,652 ( -7.6%)
08/12 FF #21 - 30,220 ( -4.5%)
09/12 FF #22 - 29,847 ( -1.2%)
10/12 FF #23 - 30,844 ( +3.3%)
11/12 FF v2 #1 - 80,701 (+161.6%)
12/12 FF v2 #2 - 46,096 ( -42.9%)
01/13 FF v2 #3 - 41,108 ( -10.8%)
02/13 FF v2 #4 - 35,815 ( -12.9%)
03/13 FF v2 #5 - 34,601 ( -3.4%)
04/13 FF v2 #6 - 32,937 ( -4.8%)
6 mnth ( +6.8%)
1 year ( -11.8%)
2 year ( -54.8%)
Like parent title FANTASTIC FOUR, FF isn’t holding on to its audience at all well, and should be dropping back below its inherited sales level in early course.
68. A+X
04/12 Versus #1 of 6 - 111,913
05/12 Versus #2 of 6 - 98,819 (-11.7%)
06/12 Versus #3 of 6 - 94,528 ( -4.3%)
07/12 Versus #4 of 6 - 86,526 ( -8.5%)
08/12 Versus #5 of 6 - 78,380 ( -9.4%)
09/12 ---
10/12 Versus #6 of 6 - 75,298 ( -3.9%)
10/12 A+X #1 - 105,420 (+40.0%)
11/12 A+X #2 - 64,606 (-38.7%)
12/12 A+X #3 - 56,700 (-12.2%)
01/13 A+X #4 - 48,091 (-15.2%)
02/13 ---
03/13 A+X #5 - 37,250 (-22.5%)
03/13 A+X #6 - 34,434 ( -7.6%)
04/13 A+X #7 - 31,183 ( -9.4%)
6 mnth (-58.6%)
1 year (-72.1%)
Bleeding – though as I’ve said before, I doubt that the launch sales of this title were ever remotely sustainable, given that it’s a throwaway team-up anthology.
71,77. AVENGERS ARENA 12/12 Avengers Arena #1 - 64,626 12/12 Avengers Arena #2 - 43,014 (-33.4%) 01/13 Avengers Arena #3 - 38,461 (-10.6%) 02/13 Avengers Arena #4 - 33,611 (-12.6%) 02/13 Avengers Arena #5 - 32,548 ( -3.2%) 03/13 Avengers Arena #6 - 31,617 ( -2.9%) 04/13 Avengers Arena #7 - 29,784 ( -5.8%) 04/13 Avengers Arena #8 - 27,900 ( -6.3%)
Also in need of a tourniquet, from the looks of it. Over April’s two issues, AVENGERS ARENA sheds more than 3,500 in sales. That doesn’t look like it can be sustainable.
74. AVENGING SPIDER-MAN
04/12 Avenging Spider-Man #6 - 47,430 (+16.0%)
05/12 Avenging Spider-Man #7 - 38,012 (-19.9%)
06/12 Avenging Spider-Man #8 - 39,861 ( +4.9%)
07/12 Avenging Spider-Man #9 - 37,134 ( -6.8%)
08/12 Avenging Spider-Man #10 - 34,537 ( -7.0%)
08/12 Avenging Spider-Man #11 - 33,808 ( -2.1%)
09/12 Avenging Spider-Man #12 - 35,462 ( +4.9%)
10/12 Avenging Spider-Man #13 - 32,908 ( -7.2%)
11/12 Avenging Spider-Man #14 - 30,102 ( -8.5%)
12/12 Avenging Spider-Man #15 - 28,240 ( -6.2%)
12/12 Avenging Spider-Man #.1 - 41,504 (+47.0%)
01/13 Avenging Spider-Man #16 - 29,032 (-30.1%)
02/13 Avenging Spider-Man #17 - 30,783 ( +6.0%)
03/13 Avenging Spider-Man #18 - 31,657 ( +2.8%)
04/13 Avenging Spider-Man #19 - 28,740 ( -9.2%)
6 mnth (-12.7%)
1 year (-39.4%)
Sales are kind of all over the place on this book, aren’t they? Overall, it seems to be hovering in the high 20K range, but it’s not very consistent. The book relaunches as SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP in July (because he’s not in the Avengers any more).
75. X-MEN LEGACY
04/03 New X-Men #139 - 95,981
04/08 X-Men Legacy #210 - 77,441
04/09 X-Men Legacy #223 - 71,935
04/10 X-Men Legacy #235 - 65,302
04/11 X-Men Legacy #247 - 51,970
=====
04/12 X-Men Legacy #265 - 35,712 ( -0.7%)
05/12 X-Men Legacy #266 - 43,199 ( +21.0%)
05/12 X-Men Legacy #267 - 46,279 ( +7.1%)
06/12 X-Men Legacy #268 - 49,163 ( +6.2%)
06/12 X-Men Legacy #269 - 46,923 ( -4.6%)
07/12 X-Men Legacy #270 - 44,914 ( -4.3%)
08/12 X-Men Legacy #271 - 37,206 ( -17.2%)
08/12 X-Men Legacy #272 - 37,120 ( -0.2%)
09/12 X-Men Legacy #273 - 36,020 ( -3.0%)
09/12 X-Men Legacy #274 - 35,168 ( -2.4%)
10/12 X-Men Legacy #275 - 38,726 ( +10.1%)
11/12 X-Men Legacy v2 #1 - 87,081 (+124.9%)
11/12 X-Men Legacy v2 #2 - 58,037 ( -33.4%)
12/12 X-Men Legacy v2 #3 - 45,407 ( -21.8%)
01/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #4 - 37,673 ( -17.0%)
01/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #5 - 34,823 ( -7.6%)
02/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #6 - 31,074 ( -10.8%)
03/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #7 - 29,231 ( -5.9%)
03/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #8 - 28,174 ( -3.6%)
04/13 X-Men Legacy v2 #9 - 28,405 ( -0.8%)
6 mnth ( -26.7%)
1 year ( -20.5%)
2 year ( -45.3%)
3 year ( -56.5%)
4 year ( -60.5%)
5 year ( -63.3%)
10 year ( -70.4%)
There’s a variant cover on this issue, which probably accounts for the drop being lower than usual.
81. ASTONISHING X-MEN
04/08 ---
04/09 Astonishing X-Men #29 - 67,774
04/10 ---
04/11 ---
=====
04/12 Astonishing X-Men #49 - 31,291 ( -8.5%)
05/12 Astonishing X-Men #50 - 61,866 (+97.7%)
06/12 Astonishing X-Men #51 - 82,654 (+33.6%)
07/12 Astonishing X-Men #52 - 35,766 (-56.7%)
08/12 Astonishing X-Men #53 - 32,268 ( -9.8%)
09/12 Astonishing X-Men #54 - 30,225 ( -6.3%)
10/12 Astonishing X-Men #55 - 29,060 ( -3.9%)
11/12 Astonishing X-Men #56 - 27,583 ( -5.1%)
12/12 Astonishing X-Men #57 - 26,263 ( -4.8%)
01/13 Astonishing X-Men #58 - 25,159 ( -4.2%)
02/13 Astonishing X-Men #59 - 24,195 ( -3.8%)
03/13 Astonishing X-Men #60 - 27,683 (+14.4%)
04/13 Astonishing X-Men #61 - 27,090 ( -2.1%)
6 mnth ( -6.8%)
1 year (-13.4%)
2 year ( --- )
3 year ( --- )
4 year (-60.0%)
5 year ( --- )
Part of the X-Termination crossover, which helps sales marginally. Of course, since the other participating titles were AGE OF APOCALYPSE and X-TREME X-MEN, both of which are on life support, it was never likely that ASTONISHING would see much of a gain from crossing over with them.
82. X-TERMINATION 03/13 X-Termination #1 of 2 - 33,377 04/13 X-Termination #2 of 2 - 26,538 (-20.5%)
Yes, the one-shot comes in slightly below one of the participating titles. Logical, I guess, but still somewhat unusual.
83. DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS 10/12 End of Days #1 of 8 - 40,911 11/12 End of Days #2 of 8 - 32,072 (-21.6%) 12/12 End of Days #3 of 8 - 29,273 ( -8.7%) 01/13 End of Days #4 of 8 - 27,770 ( -5.1%) 02/13 End of Days #5 of 8 - 26,777 ( -3.6%) 03/13 End of Days #6 of 8 - 26,316 ( -1.7%) 04/13 End of Days #7 of 8 - 25,577 ( -2.8%)
Reasonable miniseries numbers, especially for an out of continuity title.
88. SCARLET SPIDER
03/12 Scarlet Spider #3 - 32,616 ( -3.5%)
04/12 Scarlet Spider #4 - 33,097 ( +1.5%)
05/12 Scarlet Spider #5 - 30,932 ( -6.5%)
06/12 Scarlet Spider #6 - 30,722 ( -0.7%)
07/12 Scarlet Spider #7 - 29,140 ( -5.1%)
08/12 Scarlet Spider #8 - 27,690 ( -5.0%)
09/12 Scarlet Spider #9 - 27,140 ( -2.0%)
10/12 Scarlet Spider #10 - 31,786 (+17.1%)
11/12 Scarlet Spider #11 - 32,287 ( +1.6%)
12/12 Scarlet Spider #12 - 26,652 (-17.5%)
12/12 Scarlet Spider #.1 - 25,771 ( -3.3%)
01/13 Scarlet Spider #13 - 25,919 ( +0.6%)
02/13 Scarlet Spider #14 - 24,388 ( -5.9%)
03/13 Scarlet Spider #15 - 23,682 ( -2.9%)
04/13 Scarlet Spider #16 - 24,207 ( +2.2%)
6 mnth (-23.8%)
1 year (-25.8%)
Variant cover.
90. FEARLESS DEFENDERS
04/08 Last D. #2 of 6 - 25,731
=====
04/12 Defenders v4 #5 - 27,893 ( -6.4%)
05/12 Defenders v4 #6 - 25,518 ( -8.5%)
06/12 Defenders v4 #7 - 23,574 ( -7.6%)
07/12 Defenders v4 #8 - 22,504 ( -4.5%)
08/12 Defenders v4 #9 - 21,500 ( -4.5%)
09/12 Defenders v4 #10 - 20,220 ( -6.0%)
10/12 Defenders v4 #11 - 19,361 ( -4.2%)
11/12 Defenders v4 #12 - 18,588 ( -4.0%)
12/12 ---
01/13 ---
02/13 Defenders v5 #1 - 53,688 (+188.8%)
03/13 Defenders v5 #2 - 28,244 ( -47.4%)
04/13 Defenders v5 #3 - 23,514 ( -16.7%)
6 mnth ( +21.5%)
1 year ( -15.7%)
5 year ( -8.6%)
Not looking too healthy. It’s going to have to level out very quickly from here.
92. ULTIMATES
04/08 ---
04/09 ---
04/10 ---
04/11 Ultimates v4 #3 - 43,822
=====
04/12 Ultimates v5 #9 - 31,336 ( -2.7%)
05/12 Ultimates v5 #10 - 31,257 ( -0.3%)
05/12 Ultimates v5 #11 - 31,344 ( +0.3%)
06/12 Ultimates v5 #12 - 30,845 ( -1.6%)
07/12 Ultimates v5 #13 - 32,380 ( +5.0%)
08/12 Ultimates v5 #14 - 30,311 ( -6.4%)
09/12 Ultimates v5 #15 - 30,382 ( +0.2%)
09/12 Ultimates v5 #16 - 30,533 ( +0.5%)
10/12 Ultimates v5 #17 - 29,382 ( -3.8%)
11/12 Ultimates v5 #18 - 29,072 ( -1.1%)
12/12 Ultimates v5 #.1 - 27,659 ( -4.9%)
12/12 Ultimates v5 #19 - 26,971 ( -2.5%)
01/13 Ultimates v5 #20 - 25,613 ( -5.0%)
02/13 Ultimates v5 #21 - 23,811 ( -7.0%)
03/13 Ultimates v5 #22 - 23,442 ( -1.5%)
04/13 Ultimates v5 #23 - 22,778 ( -2.8%)
6 mnth (-22.5%)
1 year (-27.3%)
2 year (-48.0%)
3 year ( --- )
4 year ( --- )
5 year ( --- )
ULTIMATES was relatively solid until about six months ago when it lurched downhill. It’s been levelling out a bit over the last couple of months, but it’s still not looking entirely comfortable.
93,94. VENOM
04/11 Venom v2 #2 - 41,006
=====
04/12 Venom v2 #15 - 28,858 ( -0.2%)
04/12 Venom v2 #16 - 28,440 ( -1.4%)
05/12 Venom v2 #17 - 30,157 ( +6.0%)
05/12 Venom v2 #18 - 28,309 ( -6.1%)
06/12 Venom v2 #19 - 28,702 ( +1.4%)
07/12 Venom v2 #20 - 26,941 ( -6.1%)
07/12 Venom v2 #21 - 26,534 ( -1.5%)
08/12 Venom v2 #22 - 26,734 ( +0.8%)
08/12 Venom v2 #23 - 26,854 ( +0.4%)
09/12 Venom v2 #24 - 30,080 (+12.0%)
09/12 Venom v2 #25 - 25,242 (-16.1%)
10/12 Venom v2 #26 - 31,711 (+25.6%)
11/12 Venom v2 #27 - 31,118 ( -1.9%)
11/12 Venom v2 #.1 - 25,727 (-17.3%)
12/12 Venom v2 #28 - 25,573 ( -0.6%)
01/13 Venom v2 #29 - 24,644 ( -3.6%)
01/13 Venom v2 #30 - 24,551 ( -0.4%)
02/13 Venom v2 #31 - 23,441 ( -4.5%)
03/13 Venom v2 #32 - 22,521 ( -3.9%)
04/13 Venom v2 #33 - 22,327 ( -0.9%)
04/13 Venom v2 #34 - 22,120 ( -0.9%)
6 mnth (-30.2%)
1 year (-23.3%)
2 year (-46.1%)
The six-month comparison is misleading, since October’s issue #26 was an unusually high seller (it was the first part of the “Minimum Carnage” crossover). Filter out the occasional spikes and the basic trend here has been one of steady erosion over the last year.
99. AGE OF APOCALYPSE
04/12 Age of Apocalypse #2 - 39,263 (-30.4%)
05/12 Age of Apocalypse #3 - 32,085 (-18.3%)
06/12 Age of Apocalypse #4 - 30,469 ( -5.0%)
07/12 Age of Apocalypse #5 - 27,223 (-10.7%)
08/12 Age of Apocalypse #6 - 25,393 ( -6.7%)
09/12 Age of Apocalypse #7 - 23,618 ( -7.0%)
10/12 Age of Apocalypse #8 - 22,293 ( -5.6%)
11/12 Age of Apocalypse #9 - 20,630 ( -7.5%)
12/12 Age of Apocalypse #10 - 19,337 ( -6.3%)
01/13 Age of Apocalypse #11 - 18,555 ( -4.0%)
02/13 Age of Apocalypse #12 - 17,643 ( -4.9%)
03/13 Age of Apocalypse #13 - 20,670 (+17.2%)
04/13 Age of Apocalypse #14 - 21,486 ( +3.9%)
6 mnth ( -3.6%)
1 year (-45.2%)
Cancelled. The sales increase on the last two issues was due to the “X-Termination” crossover.
100. ULTIMATE COMICS WOLVERINE
03/13 Wolverine #1 of 4 - 29,537
03/13 Wolverine #2 of 4 - 25,472 (-13.8%)
04/13 Wolverine #3 of 4 - 21,431 (-15.9%)
102. ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN
04/03 X-Men #32 - 90,484
04/08 X-Men #93 - 49,107
04/09 ---
04/10 Ult X #2 - 47,996
04/11 ---
=====
04/12 X-Men v2 #10 - 29,743 ( -1.1%)
05/12 X-Men v2 #11 - 28,711 ( -3.5%)
05/12 X-Men v2 #12 - 28,839 ( +0.4%)
06/12 X-Men v2 #13 - 29,159 ( +1.1%)
07/12 X-Men v2 #14 - 29,879 ( +2.5%)
08/12 X-Men v2 #15 - 27,847 ( -6.8%)
09/12 X-Men v2 #16 - 27,066 ( -2.8%)
10/12 X-Men v2 #17 - 26,503 ( -2.1%)
10/12 X-Men v2 #18 - 26,322 ( -0.7%)
11/12 X-Men v2 #.1 - 25,425 ( -3.4%)
11/12 X-Men v2 #19 - 25,419 ( -0.0%)
12/12 X-Men v2 #20 - 24,789 ( -2.5%)
01/13 X-Men v2 #21 - 23,479 ( -5.3%)
02/13 X-Men v2 #22 - 22,456 ( -4.4%)
02/13 X-Men v2 #23 - 22,197 ( -1.2%)
03/13 X-Men v2 #24 - 21,862 ( -1.5%)
04/13 X-Men v2 #25 - 21,139 ( -3.3%)
6 mnth (-19.7%)
1 year (-28.9%)
2 year ( --- )
3 year (-56.0%)
4 year ( --- )
5 year (-57.0%)
10 year (-76.6%)
Eroding away. Technically it’s being outsold by a cancelled book, AGE OF APOCALYPSE. But to be fair, that wouldn’t be the case without the sales boost that AOA got from its closing crossover. Nonetheless, we must surely be approaching a crunch time where Marvel have to decide what they’re going to do with this imprint.
106. X-FACTOR
04/08 X-Factor v3 #30 - 51,447
04/09 X-Factor v3 #42 - 32,000
04/10 X-Factor #204 - 40,534
04/11 X-Factor #218 - 24,826
=====
04/12 X-Factor #234 - 23,821 ( -0.1%)
05/12 X-Factor #235 - 24,051 ( +1.0%)
05/12 X-Factor #236 - 24,031 ( -0.1%)
06/12 X-Factor #237 - 24,854 ( +3.4%)
06/12 X-Factor #238 - 23,607 ( -5.0%)
07/12 X-Factor #239 - 23,506 ( -0.4%)
07/12 X-Factor #240 - 23,223 ( -1.2%)
08/12 X-Factor #241 - 22,943 ( -1.2%)
08/12 X-Factor #242 - 22,782 ( -0.7%)
09/12 X-Factor #243 - 22,118 ( -2.9%)
09/12 X-Factor #244 - 22,193 ( +0.3%)
10/12 X-Factor #245 - 22,364 ( +0.8%)
11/12 X-Factor #246 - 22,165 ( -0.9%)
11/12 X-Factor #247 - 22,005 ( -0.7%)
12/12 X-Factor #248 - 21,664 ( -1.5%)
12/12 X-Factor #249 - 21,211 ( -2.1%)
01/13 X-Factor #250 - 22,521 ( +6.2%)
02/13 X-Factor #251 - 21,096 ( -6.3%)
02/13 X-Factor #252 - 20,929 ( -0.8%)
03/13 X-Factor #253 - 20,835 ( -0.4%)
04/13 X-Factor #254 - 20,579 ( -1.2%)
6 mnth ( -8.0%)
1 year (-13.6%)
2 year (-17.1%)
3 year (-49.2%)
4 year (-35.7%)
5 year (-60.0%)
Cancelled with issue #262, as even its slow erosion finally catches up with it.
107. WINTER SOLDIER
04/12 Winter Soldier #4 - 33,519 ( -4.0%)
05/12 Winter Soldier #5 - 30,646 ( -8.6%)
06/12 Winter Soldier #6 - 30,386 ( -0.8%)
06/12 Winter Soldier #7 - 28,984 ( -4.6%)
07/12 Winter Soldier #8 - 27,317 ( -5.8%)
08/12 Winter Soldier #9 - 26,255 ( -3.9%)
09/12 Winter Soldier #10 - 25,811 ( -1.7%)
09/12 Winter Soldier #11 - 25,310 ( -1.9%)
10/12 Winter Soldier #12 - 24,807 ( -2.0%)
11/12 ---
12/12 Winter Soldier #13 - 23,951 ( -3.5%)
01/13 Winter Soldier #14 - 22,873 ( -4.5%)
02/13 Winter Soldier #15 - 22,199 ( -2.9%)
03/13 Winter Soldier #16 - 20,973 ( -5.5%)
04/13 Winter Soldier #17 - 19,395 ( -7.5%)
6 mnth (-21.8%)
1 year (-42.1%)
Cancelled with issue #19.
108. GAMBIT
08/12 Gambit v5 #1 - 40,418
08/12 Gambit v5 #2 - 32,336 (-20.0%)
09/12 Gambit v5 #3 - 28,530 (-11.8%)
10/12 Gambit v5 #4 - 27,828 ( -2.5%)
11/12 Gambit v5 #5 - 26,723 ( -4.0%)
11/12 Gambit v5 #6 - 25,522 ( -4.5%)
12/12 Gambit v5 #7 - 23,978 ( -6.0%)
01/13 Gambit v5 #8 - 22,396 ( -6.6%)
02/13 Gambit v5 #9 - 20,851 ( -6.9%)
03/13 Gambit v5 #10 - 20,187 ( -3.2%)
04/13 Gambit v5 #11 - 19,355 ( -4.1%)
6 mnth (-30.4%)
At time of writing, not yet cancelled – but with sales like this, it’s surely a matter of time.
109. WOLVERINE MAX
10/12 Wolverine: Max #1 - 37,509
11/12 Wolverine: Max #2 - 27,217 (-27.4%)
12/12 ---
01/13 Wolverine: Max #3 - 24,058 (-11.6%)
02/13 Wolverine: Max #4 - 22,072 ( -8.3%)
03/13 Wolverine: Max #5 - 20,479 ( -7.2%)
04/13 Wolverine: Max #6 - 19,316 ( -5.7%)
6 mnth (-48.5%)
The Max imprint is much more willing to tolerate sales like this – see FURY MAX below. But the rate of decline still poses a real problem.
112. CAPTAIN MARVEL
04/08 Ms Marvel v2 #26 - 42,277
04/09 Ms Marvel v2 #38 - 27,535
=====
07/12 Captain Marvel v6 #1 - 41,582
08/12 Captain Marvel v6 #2 - 28,434 (-31.6%)
08/12 Captain Marvel v6 #3 - 27,649 ( -2.8%)
09/12 Captain Marvel v6 #4 - 24,799 (-10.3%)
10/12 Captain Marvel v6 #5 - 28,619 (+15.4%)
10/12 Captain Marvel v6 #6 - 23,103 (-19.3%)
11/12 Captain Marvel v6 #7 - 21,744 ( -5.9%)
12/12 Captain Marvel v6 #8 - 19,970 ( -8.2%)
01/13 Captain Marvel v6 #9 - 19,151 ( -4.1%)
02/13 Captain Marvel v6 #10 - 18,359 ( -4.1%)
03/13 Captain Marvel v6 #11 - 17,743 ( -3.4%)
04/13 Captain Marvel v6 #12 - 18,344 ( +3.4%)
6 mnth (-20.6%)
1 year ( --- )
2 year ( --- )
3 year ( --- )
4 year (-33.4%)
5 year (-56.6%)
Variant cover. The next two issues are part of a crossover with AVENGERS ASSEMBLE, but I struggle to see that turning things around.
114. X-TREME X-MEN
07/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #1 - 36,802
08/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #2 - 25,689 (-30.2%)
09/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #3 - 24,490 ( -4.7%)
09/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #4 - 22,584 ( -7.8%)
10/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #5 - 19,841 (-12.1%)
11/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #6 - 17,947 ( -9.5%)
11/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #7 - 17,602 ( -1.9%)
12/12 X-Treme X-Men #7.1 - 16,682 ( -5.2%)
12/12 X-Treme X-Men v2 #8 - 16,536 ( -0.9%)
01/13 X-Treme X-Men v2 #9 - 15,529 ( -6.1%)
02/13 X-Treme X-Men v2 #10 - 14,813 ( -4.6%)
02/13 X-Treme X-Men v2 #11 - 14,623 ( -1.3%)
03/13 X-Treme X-Men v2 #12 - 17,782 (+21.6%)
04/13 X-Treme X-Men v2 #13 - 18,007 ( +1.3%)
6 mnth ( -9.2%)
Final issue. Again, the sales boost on the last two issues is due to the X-Termination crossover.
115. MORBIUS: THE LIVING VAMPIRE 01/13 Morbius v2 #1 - 43,883 02/13 Morbius v2 #2 - 25,735 (-41.4%) 03/13 Morbius v2 #3 - 20,262 (-21.3%) 04/13 Morbius v2 #4 - 17,544 (-13.4%)
This looks like it’s going to be a very short run.
117. JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY
04/11 J/into Mystery #622 - 43,925
=====
04/12 J/into Mystery #636 - 21,148 ( -2.2%)
05/12 J/into Mystery #637 - 24,378 (+15.3%)
05/12 J/into Mystery #638 - 23,766 ( -2.5%)
06/12 J/into Mystery #639 - 21,914 ( -7.8%)
06/12 J/into Mystery #640 - 20,714 ( -5.5%)
07/12 J/into Mystery #641 - 19,850 ( -4.2%)
08/12 J/into Mystery #642 - 22,336 (+12.5%)
09/12 J/into Mystery #643 - 21,109 ( -5.5%)
09/12 J/into Mystery #644 - 20,588 ( -2.5%)
10/12 J/into Mystery #645 - 20,705 ( +0.6%)
11/12 J/into Mystery #646 - 22,898 (+10.6%)
12/12 J/into Mystery #647 - 22,514 ( -1.7%)
01/13 J/into Mystery #648 - 20,887 ( -7.2%)
02/13 J/into Mystery #649 - 20,064 ( -3.9%)
03/13 J/into Mystery #650 - 19,007 ( -5.3%)
04/13 J/into Mystery #651 - 17,443 ( -8.2%)
6 mnth (-15.8%)
1 year (-17.5%)
2 year (-60.3%)
Much the same applies here, though Marvel have proved remarkably willing to stick with the book despite sales which have been pretty lousy for quite some time.
118. SECRET SERVICE [Icon] 04/12 Secret Service #1 of 6 - 39,505 05/12 Secret Service #2 of 6 - 28,265 (-28.5%) 06/12 --- 07/12 Secret Service #3 of 6 - 22,993 (-18.7%) 08/12 --- 09/12 --- 10/12 Secret Service #4 of 6 - 21,751 ( -5.4%) 11/12 --- 12/12 --- 01/13 Secret Service #5 of 6 - 19,365 (-11.0%) 02/13 --- 03/13 --- 04/13 Secret Service #6 of 6 - 17,328 (-10.5%)
Not one of Mark Millar’s bigger hits by any stretch of the imagination, but still a very respectable performance for a creator-owned series.
124. DARK AVENGERS
06/12 Dark Avengers #175 - 39,532 (+110.4%)
06/12 Dark Avengers #176 - 34,614 ( -12.4%)
07/12 Dark Avengers #177 - 30,643 ( -11.5%)
07/12 Dark Avengers #178 - 28,572 ( -6.8%)
08/12 Dark Avengers #179 - 25,835 ( -9.6%)
09/12 Dark Avengers #180 - 23,761 ( -8.0%)
09/12 Dark Avengers #181 - 23,044 ( -3.0%)
10/12 Dark Avengers #182 - 21,936 ( -4.8%)
11/12 Dark Avengers #183 - 21,109 ( -3.8%)
12/12 Dark Avengers #184 - 20,584 ( -2.5%)
01/13 Dark Avengers #185 - 19,229 ( -6.6%)
01/13 Dark Avengers #186 - 18,937 ( -1.5%)
02/13 Dark Avengers #187 - 18,213 ( -3.8%)
03/13 Dark Avengers #188 - 17,448 ( -4.2%)
04/13 Dark Avengers #189 - 16,654 ( -4.6%)
6 mnth ( -24.1%)
Cancelled with issue #190.
136. RED SHE-HULK
04/08 Hulk #3 - 100,167
04/09 Hulk #11 - 82,726
04/10 ---
04/11 Hulk #32 - 30,652
=====
04/12 Hulk #50 - 34,437 (+60.1%)
05/12 Hulk #51 - 22,085 (-35.9%)
05/12 Hulk #52 - 21,882 ( -0.9%)
06/12 Hulk #53 - 22,386 ( +2.3%)
06/12 Hulk #54 - 22,070 ( -1.4%)
07/12 Hulk #55 - 22,141 ( +0.3%)
08/12 Hulk #56 - 21,558 ( -2.6%)
08/12 Hulk #57 - 21,553 ( -0.0%)
09/12 ---
10/12 Red She-Hulk #58 - 31,136 (+44.5%)
11/12 Red She-Hulk #59 - 20,668 (-33.6%)
12/12 Red She-Hulk #60 - 20,798 ( +0.6%)
01/13 Red She-Hulk #61 - 18,815 ( -9.5%)
02/13 Red She-Hulk #62 - 17,766 ( -5.6%)
03/13 Red She-Hulk #63 - 15,941 (-10.3%)
04/13 Red She-Hulk #64 - 15,055 ( -5.6%)
6 mnth (-51.6%)
1 year (-56.3%)
2 year (-50.9%)
3 year ( --- )
4 year (-81.8%)
5 year (-85.0%)
I can only assume this is being allowed to complete a storyline, since the sales certainly don’t seem to justify keeping the book around.
156. FURY MAX 05/12 Fury Max #1 - 20,620 05/12 Fury Max #2 - 19,021 (-7.8%) 06/12 Fury Max #3 - 17,152 (-9.8%) 07/12 Fury Max #4 - 16,329 (-4.8%) 08/12 Fury Max #5 - 15,646 (-4.2%) 09/12 Fury Max #6 - 14,646 (-6.4%) 10/12 --- 11/12 --- 12/12 Fury Max #7 - 14,345 (-2.1%) 01/13 Fury Max #8 - 13,703 (-4.5%) 02/13 Fury Max #9 - 13,283 (-3.1%) 03/13 Fury Max #10 - 13,096 (-1.4%) 04/13 Fury Max #11 - 12,937 (-1.2%)
Cancelled with issue #13.
162. DARK TOWER: GUNSLINGER - EVIL GROUND
04/08 Long Road Home #2 - 103,029
04/09 Sorcerer #1 - 39,210
04/10 Jericho Hill #5 - 25,096
04/11 Little Sisters #5 - 17,283
=====
04/12 Way Station #5 - 13,823 ( -1.2%)
05/12 ---
06/12 Man in Black #1 - 14,672 ( +6.1%)
07/12 #2 of 5 - 13,831 ( -5.7%)
08/12 #3 of 5 - 13,677 ( -1.1%)
09/12 #4 of 5 - 13,240 ( -3.2%)
10/12 #5 of 5 - 13,310 ( +0.5%)
11/12 ---
12/12 ---
01/13 Sheemie's #1 of 2 - 12,985 ( -2.4%)
02/13 Sheemie's #2 of 2 - 12,723 ( -2.0%)
03/13 ---
04/13 Evil Ground #1 of 2 - 12,473 ( -2.0%)
6 mnth ( -6.3%)
1 year ( -9.8%)
2 year (-27.8%)
3 year (-50.3%)
4 year (-68.2%)
5 year (-87.9%)
New miniseries, same sales.
166. ALPHA: BIG TIME 01/13 Alpha: Big Time #0.1 - 8,534 02/13 Alpha: Big Time #1 of 5 - 22,778 (+166.9%) 03/13 Alpha: Big Time #2 of 5 - 16,305 ( -28.4%) 04/13 Alpha: Big TIme #3 of 5 - 12,265 ( -24.8%)
These have to be disappointing numbers considering the fanfare with which the character was introduced.
And finally, the two all-ages books and a stray adaptation…
279. MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
04/12 MUU Spider-Man #1 - 10,886
05/12 MUU Spider-Man #2 - 7,581 (-30.4%)
06/12 MUU Spider-Man #3 - 6,756 (-10.9%)
07/12 MUU Spider-Man #4 - 6,447 ( -4.6%)
08/12 MUU Spider-Man #5 - 6,310 ( -2.1%)
09/12 MUU Spider-Man #6 - 5,873 ( -6.9%)
10/12 MUU Spider-Man #7 - 5,768 ( -1.8%)
11/12 MUU Spider-Man #8 - 5,588 ( -3.1%)
12/12 MUU Spider-Man #9 - 5,235 ( -6.3%)
01/13 MUU Spider-Man #10 - 5,077 ( -3.0%)
02/13 MUU Spider-Man #11 - 5,086 ( +0.1%)
03/13 MUU Spider-Man #12 - 4,978 ( -2.1%)
04/13 MUU Spider-Man #13 - 5,004 ( +0.5%)
6 mnth (-13.2%)
1 year (-54.0%)
282. MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS
04/12 MU Avengers #1 - 12,874
05/12 MU Avengers #2 - 6,733 (-47.7%)
06/12 MU Avengers #3 - 6,345 ( -5.8%)
07/12 MU Avengers #4 - 6,421 ( +1.2%)
08/12 MU Avengers #5 - 6,134 ( -4.5%)
09/12 MU Avengers #6 - 5,906 ( -3.7%)
10/12 MU Avengers #7 - 5,630 ( -4.7%)
11/12 MU Avengers #8 - 5,389 ( -4.3%)
12/12 MU Avengers #9 - 5,207 ( -3.4%)
01/13 MU Avengers #10 - 4,951 ( -4.9%)
02/13 MU Avengers #11 - 4,940 ( -0.2%)
03/13 MU Avengers #12 - 4,960 ( +0.4%)
04/13 MU Avengers #13 - 4,911 ( -1.0%)
6 mnth (-12.8%)
1 year (-61.9%)
298. CASTLE: A CALM BEFORE THE STORM
12/12 Castle #1 of 5 - 7,174
01/13 Castle #2 of 5 - 5,911 (-17.6%)
02/13 Castle #3 of 5 - 4,656 (-21.2%)
03/13 ---
04/13 Castle #4 of 5 - 4,383 ( -5.9%)
6 month comparisons
===================
+ 81.9% - Deadpool
+ 53.7% - Hulk
+ 48.3% - Wolverine
+ 47.8% - Superior Spider-Man
+ 45.9% - Thor
+ 40.4% - Avengers
+ 21.5% - Defenders
+ 19.6% - Uncanny X-Men
+ 18.9% - Iron Man
+ 18.9% - Captain America
+ 18.6% - New Avengers
+ 12.9% - Secret Avengers
+ 12.1% - Hawkeye
+ 6.8% - FF
+ 6.6% - Daredevil
- 1.3% - Avengers Assemble
- 3.6% - Age of Apocalypse
- 6.3% - Dark Tower
- 6.8% - Astonishing X-Men
- 8.0% - X-Factor
- 9.2% - X-Treme X-Men
- 12.0% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 12.7% - Avenging Spider-Man
- 13.2% - MUU Spider-Man
- 13.3% - Fantastic Four
- 14.6% - Wolverine and the X-Men
- 15.8% - Journey into Mystery
- 19.7% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 20.6% - Captain Marvel
- 21.8% - Winter Soldier
- 22.5% - Ultimates
- 23.8% - Scarlet Spider
- 24.1% - Dark Avengers
- 26.7% - X-Men Legacy
- 30.2% - Venom
- 30.4% - Gambit
- 48.5% - Wolverine Max
- 51.6% - Red She-Hulk
- 54.0% - MU Avengers
- 58.6% - A+X
- 74.6% - Uncanny Avengers
1 year comparisons
==================
+ 92.6% - Thunderbolts
+ 80.2% - Deadpool
+ 51.1% - Wolverine
+ 49.4% - Thor
+ 44.8% - Superior Spider-Man
+ 38.7% - Uncanny X-Men
+ 35.7% - Iron Man
+ 31.6% - Hulk
+ 20.2% - Avengers
+ 15.3% - Captain America
+ 3.2% - Daredevil
+ 0.5% - Secret Avengers
- 1.7% - New Avengers
- 7.2% - Fantastic Four
- 9.8% - Dark Tower
- 11.8% - FF
- 13.4% - Astonishing X-Men
- 13.6% - X-Factor
- 15.7% - Defenders
- 17.5% - Journey into Mystery
- 20.1% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 20.5% - Wolverine and the X-Men
- 20.5% - X-Men Legacy
- 23.3% - Venom
- 25.8% - Scarlet Spider
- 27.3% - Ultimates
- 28.9% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 39.4% - Avenging Spider-Man
- 42.1% - Winter Soldier
- 45.2% - Age of Apocalypse
- 54.0% - MUU Spider-Man
- 56.3% - Red She-Hulk
- 61.9% - MU Avengers
- 72.1% - A+X
2 year comparisons
==================
+ 86.3% - Hulk
+ 85.3% - Deadpool
+ 47.2% - Thunderbolts
+ 39.0% - Uncanny X-Men
+ 38.9% - Superior Spider-Man
+ 24.4% - Avengers
+ 21.6% - Wolverine
+ 5.3% - Captain America
- 2.7% - New Avengers
- 3.0% - Iron Man
- 17.1% - X-Factor
- 20.1% - Thor
- 23.6% - Secret Avengers
- 27.8% - Dark Tower
- 31.4% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 45.3% - X-Men Legacy
- 45.9% - Fantastic Four
- 46.1% - Venom
- 48.0% - Ultimates
- 50.9% - Red She-Hulk
- 54.8% - FF
- 60.3% - Journey into Mystery
3 year comparisons
==================
+ 90.2% - Wolverine
+ 81.3% - Nova
+ 60.0% - Superior Spider-Man
+ 22.7% - Deadpool
+ 6.5% - Uncanny X-Men
+ 5.9% - Daredevil
+ 3.7% - Thunderbolts
+ 3.6% - Fantastic Four
- 12.6% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 15.9% - New Avengers
- 19.0% - Captain America
- 35.3% - Thor
- 40.3% - Iron Man
- 49.2% - X-Factor
- 50.3% - Dark Tower
- 56.0% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 56.5% - X-Men Legacy
4 year comparisons
==================
+258.9% - Guardians of the Galaxy
+ 54.5% - Nova
+ 41.6% - Superior Spider-Man
+ 9.0% - Deadpool
+ 3.2% - Uncanny X-Men
- 11.8% - Daredevil
- 15.1% - Iron Man
- 24.8% - Thunderbolts
- 25.2% - Captain America
- 32.5% - New Avengers
- 33.1% - Hulk
- 33.4% - Captain Marvel
- 35.7% - X-Factor
- 39.5% - Fantastic Four
- 60.0% - Astonishing X-Men
- 60.5% - X-Men Legacy
- 68.2% - Dark Tower
- 81.8% - Red She-Hulk
5 year comparisons
==================
+225.3% - Guardians of the Galaxy
+ 79.3% - Nova
+ 23.0% - Iron Man
+ 11.2% - Superior Spider-Man
- 8.6% - Defenders
- 11.9% - Wolverine
- 12.8% - Young Avengers
- 15.5% - Uncanny X-Men
- 38.3% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 40.7% - Captain America
- 42.6% - New Avengers
- 44.6% - Hulk
- 47.4% - Fantastic Four
- 56.6% - Captain Marvel
- 57.0% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
- 60.0% - X-Factor
- 63.3% - X-Men Legacy
- 85.0% - Red She-Hulk
- 87.9% - Dark Tower
10 year comparisons
===================
+ 69.6% - Thunderbolts
+ 48.8% - Thor
+ 35.4% - Iron Man
+ 35.3% - Avengers
- 4.1% - Hulk
- 6.7% - Wolverine
- 7.7% - Captain America
- 8.8% - Uncanny X-Men
- 11.3% - Superior Spider-Man
- 23.4% - Daredevil
- 23.5% - Fantastic Four
- 66.3% - Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
- 70.4% - X-Men Legacy
- 76.6% - Ultimate Comics X-Men
Morbius, Red She-Hulk, and Gambit are ending per the August solicitations (out today). I believe Gambit has an issue in September.
I’d probably buy the Nova book if it weren’t written by Loeb. He has disappointed me too many times in the last 5-7 years. I would still get CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHITE if he and Sale would finish it.
Warms my heart to see an untalented but popular guy like Loeb can barely move higher units on Nova than the much less popular but infinitely more skilled writers that worked on the last Nova series.
X-Men Legacy #9 has an increase, not a decrease, according to the numbers there.
Whoops, you’re right. Numbers clearly swimming in front of my eyes there.
Loeb & McGuiness are only on NOVA for 5 issues ; after that, it’s Wells & Medina, who are surely cheaper.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE seems to be on crossover life-support : #14 & #15 are part of AGE OF ULTRON (curiously, unlike other titles there are no regular issues with those issue numbers), #16 & #17 are “The Enemy Within”, and #18 starts an INFINITY tie-in. (It’s mildly ironic since it was originally the “freestanding” Avengers title…)
Marvel notified subscribers within the last week that Avengers Assemble will be cancelled at some point in the near future. Avengers Arena has also been announced as ending sometime this year, with an eye towards a possible Season Two style series in the future.
#66. FF
“Like parent title FANTASTIC FOUR, FF isn’t holding on to its audience at all well, and should be dropping back below its inherited sales level in early course.”
Such a puzzle…may I propose one theory? Maybe nobody gets the jokey hipster art on the Fantastic Four. They could use that money to buy a vegan cupcake instead.
The Ultimate Universe must surely be winding down. It’s my hope that Bendis’ Ultimate Spider-Man will be allowed to continue without them trying to wrap that character into the mainstream Marvel Universe.
But I fear that the Spider-Men crossover partially existed just to lay the groundwork for that.
Happy to see the good work being done on Superior Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Hawkeye being rewarded with consistent sales.
Remember when comic sold in the millions and that was a low number?
108. GAMBIT
08/12 Gambit v5 #1 – 40,418
08/12 Gambit v5 #2 – 32,336 (-20.0%)
09/12 Gambit v5 #3 – 28,530 (-11.8%)
10/12 Gambit v5 #4 – 27,828 ( -2.5%)
11/12 Gambit v5 #5 – 26,723 ( -4.0%)
11/12 Gambit v5 #6 – 25,522 ( -4.5%)
12/12 Gambit v5 #7 – 23,978 ( -6.0%)
01/13 Gambit v5 #8 – 22,396 ( -6.6%)
02/13 Gambit v5 #9 – 20,851 ( -6.9%)
03/13 Gambit v5 #10 – 20,187 ( -3.2%)
04/13 Gambit v5 #11 – 19,355 ( -4.1%)
6 mnth (-30.4%)
At time of writing, not yet cancelled – but with sales like this, it’s surely a matter of time.
_______
The August solicitations list that month’s issue as the penultimate one. It, appears, GAMBIT will be ending in September.
Red She-Hulk is done with #67, which is out in July (the trade, out in August, ends with that issue). MORBIUS and GAMBIT end in September, according to the solicits. X-FACTOR does too, looks like.
BTW, that image above reminds me: we’re FINALLY getting a one-shot of Skottie Young’s Marvel NOW variant covers from the last 6-8 months – hopefully by year’s end…. :)
The August solicitations show Fearless Defenders going up to 3.99, so apparently Marvel isn’t even trying to keep it alive.
Such a puzzle…may I propose one theory? Maybe nobody gets the jokey hipster art on the Fantastic Four. They could use that money to buy a vegan cupcake instead.
….
I have no idea what that means. Mark Bagley has “jokey hipster art”…? Or did you mean Mike Allred? And he does? And what on earth do those words even mean…?
Oh man, lots of ground to cover…..
First, it looks like I’m losing two books soon. Morbius has been a lot better than I expected, too bad it’s crashing and burning so badly. Also, I’ve been an X-Factor reader for years: I’ll be sad to see that title go.
From what I gather, Arena was always scheduled to have a finite run, with a Season Two style book as a follow-up. Wouldn’t surprise me if that one took some of the kids from Wolverine and the X-Men as stars, given how little some of them are used. It’s a shame that Arena’s sales are dwindling like they are: the art is fantastic and the story really is suspenseful, you never know who might be done in any given issue.
I think the steep drop on Deadpool might be because Tony Moore left the title. It might seem unrealistic, but it’s quite a jarring shift going from his art to that of Hawthorne, who is currently on the book.
….
I have no idea what that means. Mark Bagley has “jokey hipster art”…? Or did you mean Mike Allred? And he does? And what on earth do those words even mean…?
—
You don’t see the problem with FF? not even addressed in the selling analysis? These are not bad artists and its cool looking in postery sort of way, but lets be frank…its kid of hipstery, lets make fun of it all take , style over substance that undermines the book (say like playing bongo drums at a protest ). Fantastic Four has a funny side but making that the focus seems a bad decision. It all feels throw-away, like nobody should care and it looks to be the case. If it was actually dramatic with humor as a co-star, i.e. without alien kids and 80s sitcoms situations, it might have worked better. Stories seem like just an excuse to odd-draw characters, not much more.
Well, I can see from the numbers that FF isn’t selling super-well, but I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying. I guess I don’t know what “hipster” or “hipstery” refers to in regards to comic book art, particularly when applied to Mike Allred’s artwork, which is much, much, much closer to that of the original Fantastic Four artist than most folks who draw most Marvel comics these days.
I guess you don’t like the style of the art and/or writing, which is fine, but I don’t think Allred or Fraction are making fun of the characters or concepts or anything. That’s just the way Allred draws: Awesomely.
Yeah I don’t get it either. I just find the comics a bit bland after really enjoying Hickman’s run. I was surprised that my local shop had Guardians 2 sell out and they had a lot of issues ordered too. I almost got tricked into buying that Age of Ultron Wolverine and the X-Men because I regularly pick up the series but was fortunate enough to realize the names on the covers and realized the comic focused on Sue Storm. So that was odd. I didn’t realize X-Factor was cancelled. That’s kind of sad after all these years.
FF’s art isn’t the problem. The book stars She-Hulk, Scott Lang, Medusa, and a pop star in a Thing costume. It was destined to be a cult book. None of those characters is a headliner.
I don’t get anyone pointing to Allred’s art and saying it’s bad or killing a book. He’s drawn quirky stuff in the past, but he’s also one of the best artists alive. If you don’t like Allred’s art, what do you want? I mean that in all seriousness, btw. Do you want a more retro Neal Adams/John Byrne style?
I love Allred’s stuff, but I can see it coming off as a bit hipster-y. It’s certainly got a 60s pop-art sensibility to it.
To be honest, I kind of like his art too. I don’t seek him out but see why he has a following. I was actually interested in this book until I started flipping through it,
All I’m saying its a self indulgent book, the creative team looks like its having a blast but it looks more like a collection of posters and fun art than a sequential book series. People thinking they’ll see the FF or its variant version will feel confused. Now this may be a sign of art in some circles but perhaps to the readers not buying it, it looks they overlaid Madmen or an It Girl stories onto quirky FF characters. That it’s just a sub-book or an extra version just for play signals to the paying public don’t bother to follow unless you dig this kind of thing.
I’d say make another team, “Ant man & Medusa meet the pop star”and not call them FF. It faces expectations, fair or not, when you do that to a book with its kind of history.
I’m still confused…who thinks a collection of posters and “fun art” is a sign of art? That sounds like a typical 90s Image book, not something anyone’s ever accused Allred of doing. I don’t want to sound like a fanboy, but Allred is easily one of the best sequential story tellers in the world.
Is it the premise you don’t like? I can get that…it’s a collection of oddball characters with the “Fantastic Four” branding, but isn’t that the responsibility of everyone involved in the book?
I’m not trying to give you a hard time, I’m just trying to get at the core of what you don’t like. I’m not a regular superhero reader so I’m honestly trying to understand what is appealing to regular superhero readers and what isn’t. Not everyone will like the same stuff, I get that, but still…it’s interesting to learn where the divide exists.
“I’m not trying to give you a hard time, I’m just trying to get at the core of what you don’t like. I’m not a regular superhero reader so I’m honestly trying to understand what is appealing to regular superhero readers and what isn’t. Not everyone will like the same stuff, I get that, but still…it’s interesting to learn where the divide exists.”
—–
You can be a fan of an artist and not gett they do now. (I’m sure Miller, Byrne & McFarlane know that all too well) Sometime the artists visual instincts are better than there taste in projects.. Its how it goes. …Numbers don’t lie, And noone really talks about the FF book much. Seems like a good idea with the retro approach bu something isn’t working. I think I’m trying to get at the heart of it more than :
—-
“Like parent title FANTASTIC FOUR, FF isn’t holding on to its audience at all well, and should be dropping back below its inherited sales level in early course.”
—
I understand the need for nuetrality in reportage but since this is the comments section, figuring out the real deal is the sport of it all. No one doubts the talent of the people in the industry but somehow they don’t add up to too many good comics these days. Its how you put it together that makes it a good book. The missing parts should be figured out, they are slumping for a reason. Self indulgence and doing cool stuff for its own sake is usually one of those reasons. There’s nothing wrong with the comic or superhero comics as an storytelling art form . Better stories give you better results. Gimmicks, I don’t know, a spike than severe dropoffs seems to be the pattern. (How many Robins are there left?)
I think we’re just talking past one another, and that’s ok, but I don’t feel we’re going to get why Allred’s art is what’s failing FF. In my opinion, the fault lies with Fraction’s writing. I can’t stand his work. (I find it smug and self-satisfied all his work is when it’s so empty of anything but pop culture references.) But people seem to love his Hawkeye, a book I find ugly and boring on every level. Like, I don’t understand why Hawkeye is loved and embraced but a book with a much better artist is hated and people are blaming the artist.
I love Allred but I hate FF because of how poorly it’s written. I’ve only read the first issue and I have a stack of issues past that I’ve poured through looking at all the fundamentally awesome stuff Allred is doing. I can’t bring myself to read any of it because the first issue sucked and I can’t wash the taste of that putrid Hawkeye comic out of my brain.
I don’t get why FF isn’t selling gangbusters across the country. It’s my #13 Marvel title, and #30 overall for subs in my store.
Matt Fraction and Mike Allred have, in their short run, made me laugh, made me mad (at characters), and made me cry multiple times. The book is filled with such genuine emotion. AND it’s all about family, which is what any book about any incarnation of the Fantastic Four SHOULD be about, without sacrificing the action that a super-hero comic depends on.
Everyone out there reading Hawkeye should be reading FF, too.
The divide is generally between people who read the stories for the characters and people who read the stories, expecting stories. If a reader is hooked on a character, he’ll follow that character from issue to issue, series to series, irrespective of the creators. The handling of the X-characters is an example of Marvel relying on the soap opera mentality among readers, since the titles are interconnected.
If a reader expects to get stories comparable to prose works, he’ll often be frustrated, but it’s tempting to keep trying, issue after issue, because the potential for complete functional stories with endings is always there. The potential to see the superheroes written as SF characters is always there. If someone asks for proof, he can be referred to the ’70s, when Marvel was arguably at its height as far as writing series was concerned. That’s when I started reading comics. People who read stories for the stories will complain about things such as continuity errors, plot holes, and hackneyed concepts because those are serious problems in standalone stories. The fans of the characters are less bothered by them.
Note that being a character fan can be a highbrow attitude, since if you read a story, “knowing” that the hero is a corporate-owned character, will never die, and probably not even significantly change, then reading a story for the characters and the artwork, not for the plot or other elements, is the intelligent approach. The problem with that is that making the characters likable in general ways is exceptionally easy, given the artwork. Giving those likable characters something to do–the story’s plot–is much harder.
The soap opera mentality results in fans being more devoted to characters, and thus sustaining sales, than story-oriented readers would be, but it also, I think, makes them less receptive to new characters, experimental approaches–things that have to be actively marketed to find audiences.
SRS
@johnrobiethecat
I’d advise staying far away from the X-force/X-statix series that Mike Allred did from 2001-2004 for Marvel.
You’re brain will melt from trying to properly align your immature labels to something created before “hipsters” and “jokey art” were the insult du jour.
BTW – My Fraction/Hawkeye comments got ugly there. I was starting to edit them into something more respectful and then lost track due to a distraction. I know a LOT of people enjoy Fraction’s writing, so I’m curious as to the why and also why they’re turned off to it when paired with Allred. I don’t enjoy the vast majority of superhero writing, but I am curious about what I’m missing.
Fraction’s Hawkeye is abominable! Even though I love me some David Aja art, I can’t stand the title because Fraction’s writing is so vacuous and empty. He treats Clint with utter contempt too — almost like he’s not even the same character I’ve read over the years.
It’s interesting how the response thread here always kind of gets hikacked by a long string of discussion about one book or subject. For a while it was everyone arguing about the sales on Amazing Spider Man, this month it’s on the merits of Mike Allred. Anybody want to talk about a broader spectrum of titles or books?
@Kentucky – yes
OK, Marvel is just not that exciting anymore in the comics world….What’s there to talk about? Hulk stealing Thor’s hammer? Captain America in tripworld.. Ultron, ?! Marvel has arrived as Disney’s go-to property to make it and actors lining out the door money off its IP but its dullsville out there on the printed page.
Actually the Marvel’s Shield show in the fall looks like it might be fun. At least the character actors there seem more charming, funnier than whats in Hawkeye or FF. That where I hope we see the other stock, low rent Marvel characters appear, with more personality and less apocalypse stories. That might be exciting. I never liked Shield in the comics or movies but this looks like a good idea. The first thing I look forward too from Marvel and its on TV.
I am perplexed that there are 15,000ish people buying Hickman’s Avengers that apparently have no interest in Hickman’s New Avengers. Any theories on that one?
I’m sad to see RED SHE-HULK go. I’m not suprised, just sad. It’s hard to believe that Jeff Parker has been writing Hulk titles since 2010s FALL OF THE HULKS – and writing them well.
Why does no one buy things that I like and everyone buys things I don’t like?
Joseph, I recall New Avengers and Mighty Avengers tracking the same way when Bendis had both. Hard to say, but I guess a fair number of people only pick up what is considered the core/lead title.
“I am perplexed that there are 15,000ish people buying Hickman’s Avengers that apparently have no interest in Hickman’s New Avengers. Any theories on that one?”
It’s easy to theorize when you’re one of them. I buy A but not NA. Neither the characters nor the concept of New Avengers excite me, and since they can be read separately, I’m not forced into buying NA.
Rich, I would pick up NA and not A, if the concept and characters were reversed between the books. Being the “lead title” has nothing to do with why I buy a book — the concept, characters and creators do. NA only has one of three, which isn’t enough when A has three of three.
I tried HAWKEYE #1 and #8, due to enthusiastic reader reactions. Issue #1 was so-so; #8 had a flimsy plot. So much for HAWKEYE.
One terrible thing about reading stories for the characters instead of the stories is that the writer’s interpretation of the character is ultimately dependent on the story’s ending. Superman’s virtues exist only in the context of forever fighting menaces as they arise. If someone writes Superman’s life as a tragedy, then he becomes a fool for forever putting other persons’ needs ahead of his own. The “With great power comes great responsibility” line has the same problem: forever fighting menaces is _____’s responsibility only if other people make it his. Every person has his own sets of needs.
SRS
I probably would have jumped on to Fantastic Four (or FF) if I had any confidence when they launched that I could read one without the other. As things stood, I decided to wait for the trades, so I have a better idea of the shape (and price) of the story I’m buying when I buy it.
The problem with waiting for the trade, though, is that by the time it’s out, the conversation has moved on, so there’s no impetus to buy it immediately. Or often, even eventually.
See, this is more like it! :D
I’m someone who buys Avengers but not new Avengers. My reasoning is that I like the rotating cast concept in Avengers and I really like the “New Universe” storyline they’ve got going right now.
New Avengers is kind of the continuation of Bendis’ “Illuminati” idea, an idea I never much cared for to begin with. Add in the fact that the only cast member of that book that I’m not indifferent on is the Beast and you’ve got my reasons for not buying.
I personally don’t think Marvel is DOA at all creatively. Avengers Arena, Daredevil and Avengers, at least to me, are all featuring interesting concepts. Want to read something really outside the box? Issues 1-6 of the current Deadpool title were really unique!
As far as Hawkeye goes, I really don’t think anyone has written him worth a crap since Kurt Busiek had him back in Thunderbolts. Bendis and subsequent writers have really soured me on the character. It’s almost like he’s reverted back to his rebellious wise-ass days: I preferred the version of the character that was a great leader back in the WCA and TBolts days.
@Rob — Ironically, the first Fantastic Four tpb is #1-3 of Fantastic Four _and_ #1-3 of FF. ;-)
I don’t know about Marvel no longer being exciting as I’m currently buying five of their titles regularly and only two (soon to be one) DC. So I might agree with that statement but with the addition that for me DC’s even worse.
I don’t like the Illuminati and think the characters must be fools to reform it so I bought the first 3 Avengers issues but nary a New Avenger one.
I liked Matt Fraction’s Iron Man until the arcs got longer with very little happening. Fear Itself pissed me off and Uncanny was horrendous. Casanova’s not my thing but I can see why others might love it. His first Thor arc was fun but after that I didn’t even bother finishing the issues I had. I think Hawkeye is fun. I think his FF and Fantastic Four lost the elements Hickman added that I enjoyed (but I’m not a regular Fan 4 reader).
It’s a plain fact that Marvelhead shave never warmed up to Allred’s art, which is no reflection on the quality of the work, which I think is peachy.
Who’s Marvelhead shave? I thought the guy against Allred’s art was johnrobiethecat?
” Who’s Marvelhead shave? I thought the guy against Allred’s art was johnrobiethecat?”
———-
Hipsters are a pet peeve of mine but just the annoying ones (who overcharge us all for their “craftwork” and cause inflation) not people being young . For the record, I like Allred’s art. Something just didn’t jibe. think creators would like to hear the real deal where their projects went wrong. Maybe they really wanted do Archie comics in the guise of FF and without the FF, just look at the sales numbers above. Its was a bad idea. Maybe its a seed for a better idea somewhere down the line, often thats how it happens.
(Just sayiing… in case there is squad of red-panted, horn-rimmed glass dudes on old Schwinn bikes gliding through streets of Monaco trying to hunt me down to avenge his honor, Allred’s good. Just one opinion in the scheme of things)
Hipsters cause inflation?
Chris Hero,
I’ve been wondering why, even though I’ve been buying it, that I don’t really get excited about FF and I’m considering dropping it. I’ve never been able to place my finger on it. Allred’s art has been great, I’m a fan of She-Hulk, Scott Lang, and Medusa, and I love the Fantastic Four. It’s Fraction’s writing. You use the term “smug and self-satisfied” and I agree with you.
“I am perplexed that there are 15,000ish people buying Hickman’s Avengers that apparently have no interest in Hickman’s New Avengers. Any theories on that one?”
As a long time Marvel reader, I think the Illuminati is not only a stupid concept but it betrays the long-time characterization of it’s members to be Bendis-ized for the purpose of existing.
@Shawn Kane:
Here, here!
New Avengers is less fun cause it’s kind of the “Wild Hogs” of the Marvel Universe. The oldest male characters who maybe don’t need more exposure. Avengers has fun new characters a rotating cast and some women. It’s just more enjoyable to read though I do read both.
I love FF so much but could get how Fraction’s writing would be off putting. The art is fantastic though and is what keeps me buying. Same as with Hawkeye. They are books I buy because I want to see the art.
FF is one of my favorite books right now and the only Marvel book I will buy after X-Factor ends, and I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a ‘hipster’. I love it for the wonderful art and the quirky sense of humor, but I guess quirky humor has never been a big seller.
I can understand the criticisms of Fraction’s “smug, vacuous, self-satisfied writing”. But I still like Hawkeye.
Much like the case with Bendis, it’s just painfully obvious to me when Fraction is putting in a lot of effort with his plots and/or innovation, and when he’s just sort of coasting by with hipster (yes, hipster!) sensibilities. The first two Casanova series are examples of the former. The most recent Casanova series, and his X-Men run, were instances of the latter.
Personally, I’ve never read FF. It looks TOO jokey to me and therefore I think the Fraction that I don’t enjoy would probably come out too much. On some level, I just think Fraction’s hipsterism better suits Hawkeye the character than it does a team bearing the Fantastic Four aegis. Not that the FF was always super-serious or whatever, but Clint himself is sort of a slacker.
Glad to see that Hawkeye and Daredevil are being rewarded. Less happy to see FF failing – I’m thoroughly enjoying the Allred art and hangout vibe.
I’m also not happy to see Avengers Arena slipping, as I think it’s a strong book with great Kev Walker art, but frankly the concept is of limited duration anyway . I’d much rather see the plot draw to an organic conclusion while the sales are sustainable leaving a solid start-to-finish story than see creative teams get swapped out and the project die on the vine.
JIM is just sad. Schiti is doing amazing things on art, and like Hawkeye and FF, I get the impression the creative team is just trying to make the most fun comics they can, and succeeding. I guess I’ll just enjoy this one while I can.
Interesting, thanks for the responses to my Avengers/New Avengers question. I guess I’m more surprised by the number (15,000) than the reasons – hard to believe that almost 1/5 of the Avengers readership has no interest in a relatively similarly themed book by the same writer. I actually like them both equally. I think the Illunminati concept makes perfect sense and like the combination of characters in the book.
“Everyone out there reading Hawkeye should be reading FF, too.”
Excactly. I love both, but then I’m kind of a jokey hipster.
My “core” Avengers book is Uncanny, I generally avoid Hickman, period.
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