Secret-Wars-2-cover-Alex-Ross

by Xavier Lancel

Welcome to yet another Marvel Sales Analysis. Reminder: I’m French, so that’s why I’m talking funny. Please address your complaints to my let’s-scare-Courtney-Love-with-our-mean-taxi-drivers country.

A few reminders: these sales numbers are estimates of sales to comics shops situated in North America. American comics do get sold around the world in their original floppy editions, but these sales are not taken into account.  In addition, keep in mind that just because a shop buys a copy of a comic does not mean a customer ever purchases it from the shop. Finally, digital sales are not taken into account in this analysis.

Secret Wars is here. Some Marvel titles are ending quietly while others are shifting their narratives and settings to suit the crossover event. New titles are appearing, and for each we are faced with a mystery: is this title an ongoing or a mini? All the fuss over the All-New All-Different Marvel preview catalog is a clue: readers and retailers are being kept in the dark as to the details of Marvel’s new line of titles.

However, one thing seems sure: following the conclusion of Secret Wars, all titles will be renumbered at #1—even titles that didn’t reach double-digit issue numbers. This includes books like Hawkeye, Howard the Duck and the armada of female spider characters.

As expected, the “Last Days” banner is attracting a bunch of buyers to titles which were on the brink of cancellation. Of course, this will not change a thing in the end—these readers will leave as quickly as they came.

It’s difficult to compare the sales numbers of Battleworld spin-offs like Civil War and Siege to those of their original incarnations because in some cases, too many years have passed between the two series to make an accurate comparison without adjusting numbers for the shifting size of comics readership. In other situations, a twist inflicted on the title is too strong for readers to make a clear connection between the series despite them sharing a name.

This being the case, what’s left? Unsurprisingly, the Star Wars franchise books are still doing well, with comic shops reordering half of the issues Marvel has already produced under the intergalactic franchise’s banner. Is there even one shop in the US without copies of Marvel’s Star Wars titles on their racks? It seems not, as reorder activity is strong even for titles in their third printing! Money, money, money!

DEADPOOL TPB. VOL.8

176p, $25
Cents per page: 14.2
Sales since May 2015: 4,113
Average +TPB sales #41-45: +10.3%
Average +TPB sales #35-40: +11.7%
DEADPOOL TPB VOL.7 : 5,448 [+445]

Another new Deadpool collection, another huge success. Vol.8 sold at almost the same level as vol.7 did in its first month. Each of the previous contemporary Deadpool volumes as well as a few others are in Diamond’s TOP 300, leaving the merc with a mouth with a total of 16 books in the charts. This title is indisputably Marvel’s sales leader.

1-2- SECRET WARS #1 and #2 LTD ($5)

05/15 Secret Wars Ltd #1 – 527,678
05/15 Secret Wars Ltd #2 – 210,807 (-60.1%)

These numbers are really good, especially given the series’ 5$ price tag. We’ll probably see a $6 price tag on next year’s big event.

3- STAR WARS

01/15 Stars Wars #1 – 1,045,476         [+13,619]
02/15 Stars Wars #2 –   206,492 (-80.2%) [+6,705]
03/15 Star Wars #3 –   169,648 (-17.8%) [+8,422]
04/15 Star Wars #4 –     203,817 (+20.1%)
05/15 Star Wars #5 –     146,850 (-27.9%)

Since issue #2: -28.9%

The numbers are falling, but with such an intense reorder activity month after month, it seems like the series as nothing to worry about.

4- DEADPOOLS SECRET SECRET WARS LTD ($5)

05/15 Deadpool SSW Ltd 1- 131,839

Since issue #2: +2.0%

Screw the other Battleworld titles! Way ahead of all the others, this mini reveals that Deadpool was a part of the first Secret Wars, and you didn’t even know it! Despite its $5 tag price, it crushed the competition. Deadpool is really one of the most popular characters in the Marvel catalog.

5- A-FORCE

05/15 A-Force- 114,528

This all-female Avengers team (it uses the Force brand-title usually associated with the X-Men— another theft following the mass usage of the “Uncanny” name) is trying to ride the wave of successful female-leading titles appearing here and there. Attracting buyers with a #1 was expected after all the internet fuss about this new team, but we’ll soon see if readers are ready for a change or if buyers were only speculating.

6- OLD MAN LOGAN LTD ($5)

05/15 Old Man Logan Ltd 1 –     114,184

Look who’s back! Seriously, how often can you extort readers with the stories about Wolverine’s origin or final fate? Marvel has proven it can fool 100,000 people once and could probably fool one person 100,000 times, but I didn’t think they’d be able to fool 100,000 people 100,000 times. I guess I’m wrong (plus you can make them pay $5 for the privilege)!

7-DARTH VADER

02/15 Darth Vader #1- 289,591         [+13,505]
02/15 Darth Vader #2 – 119,693 (-58.7%) [+11,092]
03/15 Darth Vader #3 – 119,454 (- 0.2%)
04/15 Darth Vader #4 – 130,773 (+ 9.5%) [+7,379]
05/15 Darth Vader #5 – 113,025 (-13.6%)

Since issue #2: -5.6%

This title is safely above the 100k barrier and reorder activity is still working like crazy! Following the pattern drawn, issue #5 should climb to 130k with reorder activity in the next months.

8- INFINITY GAUNTLET LTD

05/15 Infinity Gauntlet Ltd 1 –     95,131

Oh, look, a new version of the Infinity Gauntlet event focusing on the Nova family. Thanos and 90’s nostalgia are the key words here. Very good numbers, for sure.

9- AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

04/14 Amazing v3 #1 – 532,586 ( 293.1%)[23,871]
05/14 Amazing v3 #2 – 123,945 ( -76.7%)
06/14 Amazing v3 #3 – 109,029 ( -12.0%)
07/14 Amazing v3 #4 – 117,917 (   8.2%)O.Sin
08/14 Amazing v3 #5 – 101,655 ( -13.8%)O.Sin
09/14 Amazing v3 #6 – 93,564 ( -8.0%)
10/14 Amazing v3 #7 – 116,051 ( 24.0%)
10/14 Amazing v3 #8 – 99,549 ( -14.2%)
11/14 Amazing v3 #9 – 135,280
11/14 Amazing v3 #10 – 100,899
12/14 Amazing v3 #11 – 104,739 ( +3.8%)
01/15 Amazing v3 #12 – 105,458 ( +0.6%)
01/15 Amazing v3 #13 – 103,093 ( -2.2%)
02/15 Amazing v3 #14 – 106,778 ( +3.6%)
02/15 Amazing v3 #15 – 99,660 ( -6.7%)
03/15 Amazing v3 #16 – 92,289 ( -7.4%)
03/15 Amazing v3 #16.1- 73,170 (-20.7%)
04/15 Amazing v3 #17 – 99.964 ( +8.3%)
04/15 Amazing v3 #17.1- 68.907 (- 5.8%)
05/15 Amazing v3 #18 –     88,338 (-11.6%)

Since issue #2: -19.3%

The promise of a huge change in Peter Parker professional life delivered the lowest sales so far for this volume. Still impressive, though. Issue 18.1 was late.

10- SPIDER-GWEN

02/15 Spider-Gwen #1 – 278,575
03/15 Spider-Gwen #2 – 107,070 (-61.6%)
04/15 spider-Gwen #3 – 102,234 (- 4.5%)
05/15 Spider-Gwen #4 – 86,586 (-15.3%)

Since issue #2: -19.1%

Scheduled to be re-launched! Will we see again the same craziness over its new #1 sales this fall? Nothing surprises me anymore…

11- THOR

12/12 Thor v5 #1   – 110,443

02/14 Thor #19.Now– 42.034 ( 10.1%)

09/14 Thor v5 #25 – 53,047 ( 38.4%)
10/14 Thor v6 #1 – 150,862 ( 184.4%)
11/14 Thor v6 #2 – 89,131 ( -40.9%)
12/14 Thor v6 #3 – 72,563 ( -18.6%)
01/15 Thor v6 #4 – 69,497 ( -4.2%)
02/15 Thor v6 #5 – 69,513 ( +0.0%)
03/15 Thor v6 #6 – 70,569 ( +1.5%)
04/15 Thor v6 #7 – 71,372 ( +1.1%)
05/15 Thor v6 #8 – 86,222 (+20.1%)

Since issue #2: -3.3%

Average +% TPB SALES #1-5: +5.6%

The good old « who is it? » mystery worked like a charm. I would never have guessed that Ka-Zar could wear such long blond hair!

THOR HC VOL.1

136p, $25, cents per page: 18.3

Since May 2015: 3,874

The first collection of « female Thor » is out and it’s doing wonders with a first month sales level close to the Deadpool collections.

12- ANT-MAN

01/15 Ant-Man #1 – 73,370
02/15 Ant-Man #2 – 40,192 (-45.2%)
03/15 Ant-Man #3 – 37,139 (- 7.6%)
04/15 Ant-Man #4 – 31,637 (-14.8%)
05/15 Ant-Man #5 – 83,095 (+162.7%)

Since issue #2: +106.8%

There is probably a special retailer deal behind this explosion in sales because, even taking the movie release into account, you can’t expect to lure so many people into reading the floppy final part of an arc!

13- SPIDER-VERSE ($5)

05/15 Spider-Verse #1 – 76,536

I expected this one, featuring many spider-brand characters, to do better. Anyway, fear not, it’s scheduled to be renumbered and rebranded as Web Warriors once Secret Wars is over. We don’t know yet if it will still be $5…the All New All Different Marvel Previews don’t want you to care about price tags, so there are none.

14- ULTIMATE END LTD

05/15 Ultimate End Ltd #1 – 75,525

It’s surprising to see so many readers attracted to this Battleworld title since the difference between this issue’s sales and the sales of the final Ultimate line one are quite noticeable. Way less than 30,000 were interested by it before.

15- PLANET HULK ($5)

05/15 Planet Hulk #1 – 72,868

That’s quite an impressive number of buyers for a return to an event which is less than 10 years old and is expensive!

16- SECRET WARS BATTLEWORLD LTD

05/15 SW Battleworld Ltd #1 – 67,485

A secondary Secret Wars Battleworld mini, focused on…fights! The fact that it’s selling way more than Secret Wars Journal makes you wonder why bother trying to write something elaborate when you can attract way more people with the promise of a purposeless fight!

17- KANAN THE LAST PADAWAN LTD

04/15 Kanan TLP #1 – 113.158 [+4,991]
05/15 Kanan TLP #2 –   64,960 (-42.6%)

It seems that people are WAY less interested in characters who are not from the original movie saga. Still, there is some reorder activity on #1.

18- INHUMAN ATTILAN RISING LTD

05/15 Inhuman Attilan Rising Ltd #1 – 56,963

Attracting readers to this « mini-event » worked quite well, despite the fact that, with a title like « Attilan Rising », customers could have been cast away believing that Attilan would change location once again!

19- GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

04/13 Guardians v3 #2 – 88,184

01/14 Guardian #11.NOW – 61,111 ( 14.7%)
02/14 Guardians v3 #12 – 55,454 ( -9.3%)
03/14 Guardians v3 #13 – 56,764 (   2.4%)
04/14 Guardians v3 #14 – 53,976 ( -4.9%)
05/14 Guardians v3 #15 – 54,332 (   0.7%)
06/14 Guardians v3 #16 – 54,827 (   0.9%)
07/14 Guardians v3 #17 – 62,986 ( 14.9%)
08/14 Guardians v3 #18 – 60,657 ( -3.7%) O.Sin
09/14 Guardians v3 #19 – 55,891 ( -7.9%) O.Sin
10/14 Guardians v3 #20 – 61,072 (   9.3%)
11/14 Guardians v3 #21 – 62,387 (   2.2%)
12/14 Guardians v3 #22 – 52,470 ( -15.9%)
01/15 Guardians v3 #23 – 51,466 ( -1.9%)
02/15 Guardians v3 #24 – 60,046 (+16.7%) B.Vortex
03/15 Guardians v3 #25 – 61,798 (+ 2.9%) B.Vortex
04/15 Guardians v3 #26 – 54,124 (-12.4%)
05/15 Guardians v3 #27 – 49,308 (- 8.9%)

Since issue #2: -44.1%

Average +% TPB SALES #18-23: +3.6%

GUARDIANS OTG VOL.4 HC: 2,241

The series fell behind the 50k line for the first time. It is, however, re-launching with the same creative team post-Secret Wars.

20- INFERNO LTD

05/15 Inferno Ltd #1 – 46,801

I expected this retelling of the Inferno crossover with a twist to do better. But perhaps that’s because I’m old (more than 40). It seems that the current audience is more attracted by the 90’s nostalgia. Yikes, that’s a frightening thought…

21- UNCANNY AVENGERS

03/14 Uncanny Avengers #18.NOW   – 63,516 ( 19.4%)

10/14 Uncanny Avengers #25 – 53,263 ( 7.7%)

10/14 Aven & X-Men Axis #1 – 138,966 (180.9%)

12/14 Aven & X-Men Axis #9 – 69,518 ( 0.1%)
01/15 Uncanny Avengers v2 #1 – 74,849
02/15 Uncanny Avengers v2 #2 – 51,339 (-31.4%)

04/15 Uncanny Avengers v2 #3 – 50,595 (-1.4%)
05/15 Uncanny Avengers v2 #4 – 46,682 (-7.7%)

Since issue #2: -9.1%

This one will be re-launched ONCE MORE after Secret Wars without Rick Remender, who’s leaving work-for-hire to focus on his creator owned projects. Don’t expect this 3rd re-launch to do better.

22- SECRET WARS 2099 LTD

05/15 Secret Wars 20999 Ltd #1 – 46,228

The final fate of the 2099 universe. Not as popular as the Ultimate one, but this universe has only made a small come back with Spider-Man less than a year ago. Seeing that this mini is selling way more than Spider-Man 2099 did, it can be called a moderate success.

23- UNCANNY X-MEN

02/13 Uncanny X-Men v3 #2 – 94,615

03/14 U X-Men #19.NOW     – 64,514 ( 17.5%)
04/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #20 – 55,359 (-14.2%)
05/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #21 – 54,747 ( -1.1%)
06/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #22 – 52,731 ( -3.7%)
07/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #23 – 55,738 ( 5.7%)
07/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #24 – 53,677 ( 5.7%)O.Sin
08/14 —
09/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #25 – 58,062 ( 8.2%)
09/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #26 – 51,862 (-10.7%)
10/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #27 – 57,908 ( 11.7%)
11/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #28 – 55,939 ( -3.4%)
12/14 Uncanny X-Men v3 #29 – 53,502 ( -4.4%)
01/15 Uncanny X-Men v3 #30 – 48,824 (-8.7%)
02/15 Uncanny X-Men v3 #31 – 46,993 (-3.8%)
03/15 Uncanny X-Men v3 #32 – 49,639 (+5.6%)
04/15 Uncanny X-Men v3 #33 – 49,278 (-0.7%)
05/15 Uncanny X-Men v3 #34 – 45,267 (-8.1%)

Since issue #2: -52.2%

Average +% TPB sales #26-31: +2.7%

UNCANNY X-MEN VOL. 5HC: 1,380

Scheduled to re-launch after Secret Wars with a new creative team in a quite reduced line of X-men titles.

24- SECRET WARS JOURNAL LTD

05/15 Secret Wars Journal Ltd #1 – 44,606

Despite being advertised as the most continuity-important title of the Battleworld brand, this anthology is selling rather poorly, especially since it’s losing more than 30% of its readers each month!

41- SILK

02/15 Silk #1 – 86,263
03/15 Silk #2 – 69,369 (-19.6%)
04/15 Silk #3 – 58.755 (-15.3%)
05/15 Silk #4 – 44,316 (-24.6%)

Since issue #2: -36.1%

OMG! Silk is dating a character known for making barbecues and nobody told me? Worse, sales are falling like a stone? Let’s….make a re-launch (I’m not kidding)!

44- ULTRON FOREVER LTD ($5)

04/15 Avengers Ultron Forever        1 of 3- 60,351
04/15 New Avengers ultron Forever   2 of 3 – 42,349 (-39.8%)
05/15 Uncanny Avengers Ultron Forever 3 of 3 – 40,619 (- 4.1%)

Final part of this Alan Davis mini, weirdly decomposed into three #1 issues. It sold well.

50- ALL NEW HAWKEYE

03/15 All New Hawkeye #1 – 66,608
04/15 All New Hawkeye #2 – 42,730 (-35.8%)
05/15 All New Hawkeye #3 – 38,087 (-10.9%)

Since issue#2: -10.9%

Scheduled for a re-launch, we will be at volume 3 when the final issue of volume 1 will still not be out. Cry or laugh, I don’t know anymore.

56- HOWARD THE DUCK

03/15 Howard the Duck #1 – 85,929
04/15 Howard the Duck #2 – 43.572 (-49.3%)
05/15 Howard the Duck #3 – 35,391 (-18.2%)

Since issue#2: -18.2%

Scheduled to be re-launched post Secret Wars with no change. I guess we will never have the time to discover its sales pattern.

58- RETURN OF LIVING DEADPOOL Ltd

02/15 Return of Living Deadpool #1 of 4 – 41,911
03/15 Return of Living Deadpool #2 of 4 – 35,400 (-15.5%)
04/15 Return of Living Deadpool #3 of 4 – 34,220 (- 3.3%)
05/15 Return of Living Deadpool #4 of 4 – 33,945 (- 0.8%)

HAWKEYE VS DEADPOOL TPB: 6,413 [+746]
DEADPOOL ART OF WAR TPB: 4,917

Now you see why there will always be at least a limited Deadpool series next to its ongoing title. Meanwhile, as usual, almost all the back catalog of Deadpool continues to sell month after month. Hawkeye VS Deadpool is now breaking the 6K barrier!

62- AVENGERS VS LTD ($6)

05/15 Avengers Vs Ltd #1 – 32,662

This compilation of 4 short stories probably comes from Marvel digital, but for some reason, Marvel doesn’t want us to truly know where it comes from. In such conditions, selling more than 30k is quite good and encourages them to continue to this practice.

64- MS. MARVEL

02/14 Ms. Marvel #1 – 50,286 ( — )
03/14 Ms. Marvel #2 – 38,357 (-23.7%)
04/14 Ms. Marvel #3 – 37,140 ( -3.2%)
05/14 Ms. Marvel #4 – 34,839 ( -6.2%)
06/14 Ms. Marvel #5 – 33,795 ( -3.0%)
07/14 Ms. Marvel #6 – 36,041 ( 6.6%)
08/14 Ms. Marvel #7 – 32,866 ( -8.8%)
09/14 Ms. Marvel #8 – 32,182 ( -2.1%)
10/14 Ms. Marvel #9 – 32,915 ( 2.3%)

12/14 Ms. Marvel #10 – 30,282 ( -8.0%)

02/15 Ms. Marvel #11 – 29,851 ( -1.4%)
02/15 Ms. Marvel #12 – 29,054 ( -2.7%)
03/15 Ms. Marvel #13 – 32,425 (+11.6%)
04/15 Ms. Marvel #14 – 32,058 (- 1.1%)
05/15 Ms. Marvel #15 – 32,185

Since issue #2: -16.4%

Average +% TPB sales #6-11: +25.7%

MS MARVEL VOL.2 GENERATION WHY TPB: 9,250 [+1,886]

Finally, no Last Days banner, this title is scheduled for a re-launch (the only that makes real sense among all those useless ones). It’s only $3, hurrah! Meanwhile, the second TPB continue to climb for the third month in a row, almost reaching the out-of-this-world 10k mark!

70- ROCKET RACCOON

07/14 Rocket Raccoon #1 – 293,913 ( — )
08/14 Rocket Raccoon #2 –   56,597 (-80.7%)
09/14 Rocket Raccoon #3 –   52,288 ( -7.6%)
10/14 Rocket Raccoon #4 –   57,830 ( 10.6%)
11/14 Rocket Raccoon #5 –   52,979 ( -8.4%)
12/14 Rocket Raccoon #6 –   41,154 (-22.3%)
01/15 Rocket Raccoon #7 –   39,342 ( -4.4%)
02/15 Rocket Raccoon #8 –   38,769 ( -1.5%)
03/15 Rocket Raccoon #9 –   37,549 ( -3.1%)
04/15 Rocket Raccoon#10 –   35,311 ( -6.0%)
05/15 Rocket Raccoon#11 –   30,983 (-12.3%)

Since issue #2: -45.3%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-6: +5.3%

ROCKET RACOON VOL.1 HC: 3,016

Will it come back past Secret Wars? The sales pattern is not good, but it still has a lot of rope to cling to.

71- HULK ($5)

12/12 Incred Hulk v5 #2   – 63,653

03/14 Indestructible #20 – 30,042 ( -3.7%)
04/14 Hulk v3 #1         – 73,551
04/14 Hulk v3 #2         – 40,590 (-44.8%)
05/14 Hulk v3 #3         – 37,639 ( -7.3%)
06/14 Hulk v3 #4         – 35,377 ( -6.0%)
08/14 Hulk v3 #5         – 34,903 ( -1.3%)
09/14 Hulk v3 #6         – 33,032 ( -5.4%)
10/14 Hulk v3 #7         – 35,084 ( 6.2%)
11/14 Hulk v3 #8         – 34,483 ( -1.7%)
12/14 Hulk v3 #9         – 27,697 (-19.7%)
01/15 Hulk v3 #10            – 27,553 ( -0.5%)
02/15 Hulk v3 #11            – 27,317 ( -0.9%)
03/15 Hulk v3 #12         – 25,568 ( -6.4%)
03/15 Hulk v3 #13        – 26,890 ( +5.2%)
04/15 Hulk v3 #14          – 28,494   (+6.0%)
04/15 Hulk v3 #15         – 26,118 (-8.3%)
05/15 Hulk v3 #16          – 30,730 (+17.7%)

Since issue #2: -24.3%

Average +% TPB sales #5-10: +4.0%

HULK TPB VOL.2 OMEGA HULK: 1,412

That’s the final issue of this volume of Hulk, it will change during Secret Wars and then will be re-launched after with a new creative team. It seems that this issue is packed with revelations and resolutions of Gerry Dugan’s subplots, hence the nice bump despite the $5 price tag.

75- SPIDER-WOMAN

11/14 Spider-Woman #1 – 93,723 (Spider-Verse)
12/14 Spider-Woman #2 – 44,618 ( -52.4%)(Spider-Verse)
01/15 Spider-Woman #3 – 38,484 (-13.8%) (spider-Verse)
02/15 Spider-Woman #4 – 36,058 (- 6.3%)
03/15 Spider-Woman #5 – 40,068 (+11.1%)
04/15 Spider-Woman #6 – 32,041 (-20.0%)
05/15 Spider-Woman #7 – 29,567 (- 7.3%)

Since issue #2: -33.7%

Of course, it’s scheduled for a re-launch…but with a twist. Let’s just say that Jessica will be fatter.

77- ALL NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA SPECIAL ($5)

03/15 Amazing Spider-Man Special Ltd 1 of 3 – 51,632
04/15 Inhuman Special           Ltd 2 of 3 – 27,234 (-47.3%)
05/15 Captain America special   Ltd 3 of 3 – 29,221 (+ 7.3%)

2k readers found their way back to this confusingly numbered mini-series (each issue is a special#1), and gave their $5 to Marvel

81- DAREDEVIL

02/14 Daredevil v3 #36 – 31,494 ( -1.8%)
03/14 Daredevil v4 #1 – 76,006 (141.3%)
04/14 Daredevil #1.50 – 48,462 (-36.2%)
04/14 Daredevil v4 #2 – 42,811 (-11.7%)
05/14 Daredevil v4 #3 – 39,316 (-8.2%)
06/14 Daredevil v4 #4 – 37,902 (-3.6%)
07/14 Daredevil v4 #5 – 36,825 (-2.8%)
07/14 Daredevil v4 #6 – 37,959 ( 3.1%)
07/14 Daredevil #0.1 – 33,437
08/14 Daredevil v4 #7 – 36,785 (-3.1%)
09/14 Daredevil v4 #8 – 37,739 ( 2.6%)
10/14 Daredevil v4 #9 – 33,996 (-9.9%)
11/14 Daredevil v4 #10 – 32,438 (-4.6%)
12/14 Daredevil v4 #11 – 31,382 (-3.3%)
01/15 Daredevil v4 #12 – 31,989 (+1.9%)
02/15 Daredevil v4 #13 – 31,483 (-1.6%)
03/15 Daredevil v4 #14 – 29,575 (-6.1%)
04/15 Daredevil v4 #15 – 32,541 (+10.0%)
05/15 Daredevil v4#15.1- 28,919 (-11,1%)

Since issue #2: -24.0%

Average +% TPB Sales #6-10: +5.5%

DAREDEVIL VOL.2 TPB: 2,098

Mark Waid’s run is quietly reaching its final months. Of course, Daredevil is re-launching post Secret Wars, with a new creative team…and a sidekick!

82- SPIDER-MAN 2099

07/14 Spider-Man 2099 #1 – 90,690 ( — )
08/14 Spider-Man 2099 #2 – 47,512 (-47.6%)
09/14 Spider-Man 2099 #3 – 43,418 ( -8.6%)
10/14 Spider-Man 2099 #4 – 40,755 ( -6.1%)
10/14 Spider-Man 2099 #5 – 40,880 ( 0.3%)
11/14 Spider-Man 2099 #6 – 38,634 ( -5.5%)

01/15 Spider-Man 2099 #7 – 38,455 (-0.5%)
01/15 Spider-Man 2099 #8 – 37,484 (-2.5%)
02/15 Spider-Man 2099 #9 – 34,374 (-8.3%)
03/15 Spider-Man 2099 #10 – 33,528 (-2.5%)
04/15 Spider-Man 2099 #11 – 31,665 (-5.6%)
05/15 Spider-Man 2099 #12 – 28,916 (-8.7%)

Since issue #2: -39.1%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-5: +5.4%

SPIDER-MAN 2099 VOL.1 TPB: 2,556

You know the song: scheduled for a re-launch post Secret Wars. The sales pattern is not very good.

87- MAGNETO

03/14 Magneto #1 – 55,337
04/14 Magneto #2 – 35,772 (-35.4%)
05/14 Magneto #3 – 35,504 ( -0.7%)
05/14 Magneto #4 – 33,070 ( -6.9%)
06/14 Magneto #5 – 32,837 ( -0.7%)
07/14 Magneto #6 – 32,675 ( -0.5%)
07/14 Magneto #7 – 31,001 ( -5.1%)
08/14 Magneto #8 – 29,727 ( -4.1%)
09/14 Magneto #9 – 31,563 ( 6.2%)(Axis)
09/14 Magneto #10– 30,769 ( -2.5%)(Axis)
10/14 Magneto #11– 31,642 ( 2.8%)(Axis)
11/14 Magneto #12– 30,107 ( -4.9%)(Axis)
12/14 Magneto #13– 27,418 ( -8.9%)
01/15 Magneto #14- 26,306 (- 4.1%)
02/15 Magneto #15- 24,052 (- 8.6%)
03/15 Magneto #16- 22,888 (- 4.8%)
04/15 Magneto #17- 22,072 (- 3.6%)
05/15 Magneto #18- 27,788 (+25.9%)

Since issue #2: -22.3%

The « Last days of » banner magnetizes a bunch of new readers for the final issues.

92- WHERE MONSTERS DWELL LTD

05/15 Where Monsters Dwell Ltd #1 – 26,574

It could have been worse! It’s selling more than Master of Kung-Fu and is above the 20k barrier, which is quite a miracle for a classic monsters series.

93- INHUMAN ANNUAL ($5)

05/15 Inhuman Annual #1 – 26,411

This annual takes the place of #15 of the ongoing series and is selling the number of copies it should have, confirming a slow but steady rise, a good sign, especially with a $5 price tag.

95- LEGENDARY STAR LORD

07/14 Star Lord #1 – 78,501
08/14 Star Lord #2 – 37,109 (-52.7%)
09/14 Star Lord #3 – 32,918 (-11.3%)
10/14 Star Lord #4 – 37,123 ( 12.8%)
11/14 Star Lord #5 – 36,905 ( -0.6%)
12/14 Star Lord #6 – 32,863 (-11.0%)
01/15 Star Lord #7 – 28,174 (-14.3%)
01/15 Star Lord #8 – 25,227 (-10.5%)
02/15 Star Lord #9 – 38,655 (+53.2%)   B. Vortex
03/15 Star Lord#10 – 40,836 (+ 4.5%)   B. Vortex
04/15 Star Lord#11 – 41,325 (+ 1.2%)   B. Vortex
05/15 Star Lord#12 – 25,580 (-38.1%)

Since issue #2: -31.1%

After its Secret Wars interlude as a romance book, will be re-launched as simply Star-Lord, with Dave Johnson as the new penciller. There doesn’t seem to be a huge enthusiasm for an ongoing Star-Lord series and I really doubt that a re-launch will change that.

97- GUARDIANS TEAM-UP

03/15 Guardians Team-up #1 – 155,388
03/15 Guardians Team-up #2 –   38,390 (-75.3%)
03/15 Guardians Team-up #3 –   40,637 (+ 5.9%) B. Vortex
04/15 Guardians Team-up #4 –   28,877 (-28.9%)
05/15 Guardians Team-Up #5 –   25,093 (-13.1%)

Since issue #2: -34.6%

Will not come back post Secret Wars. The sales pattern looked atrocious.

102- MODOK ASSASSIN LTD

05/15 Modok Assassin Ltd #1 – 26,574

This funny take on MODOK was never expected to sell more. In a crowd of serious titles about fights, destruction and angst, this one is a very enjoyable oasis.

104- 105- 106- WOLVERINES

01/15 Wolverines #1 – 73,650
01/15 Wolverines #2 – 43,573 (-41.8%)
01/15 Wolverines #3 – 42,051 (- 3.5%)
01/15 Wolverines #4 – 39,790 (- 5.4%)
02/15 Wolverines #5 – 32,953 (-17.2%)
02/15 Wolverines #6 – 31,710 (-3.8%)
02/15 Wolverines #7 – 30,617 (-3.4%)
02/15 Wolverines #8 – 29,923 (-2.3%)
03/15 Wolverines #9 – 28,004 (-6.4%)
03/15 Wolverines #10– 27,590 (-1.5%)
03/15 Wolverines #11– 27,148 (-1.6%)
03/15 Wolverines #12– 26,755 (-1.4%)
04/15 Wolverines #13- 25,790 (-3.6%)
04/15 Wolverines #14- 25,434 (-1.4%)
04/15 Wolverines #15- 25,173 (-1.0%)
04/15 Wolverines #16- 25,239 (+0.3%)
05/15 Wolverines #17- 24,333 (-3.6%)
05/15 Wolverines #18- 24,037 (-1.2%)
05/15 Wolverines #19- 23,999 (-0.2%)

Since issue #2: -44.9%

Average +% TPB sales #1-5 : +5.0%

Average +% TPB sales #6-10: +5.0%

WOLVERINES TPV VOL. 1: 2,175

One issue left to go. It began way too high but did ok once the first month excitement was over. Planning a weekly series on more than 20 issues at Marvel seems like a risky move (except one starring Spider-Man or Deadpool).

WOLVERINES VOL. 2 TPB

112p, $16, cents per page: 14.3

Since May 2015: 1,570

The second collection is out and sales take a hit, falling to mediocre levels but maintaining the +% of people buying the paperback compared to the floppy edition.

107- CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE MIGHTY AVENGERS

09/14 Mighty Avengers v2 #14 – 21,516 ( -4.3%)
10/14 —
11/14 Cap & M. Avengers #1 – 60,206 (179.8%)
11/14 Cap & M. Avengers #2 – 34,428 (-42.8%)
12/14 Cap & M. Avengers #3 – 28,744 (-16.5%)
01/15 Cap & M. Avengers #4 – 25,352 (-11.8%)
02/15 Cap & M. Avengers #5 – 22,246 (-12.3%)
03/15 Cap & M. Avengers #6 – 20,235 (- 9.0%)
04/15 Cap Amer &M. Avengers #7 – 18,362 (- 9.3%)
05/15 Cap Amer &M. Avengers #8 – 23,996 (+30.7%)

Since issue #2: -30.3%

Call upon the « Last days of » banner and suddenly everything is fine.

109- MASTER OF KUNG-FU LTD

05/15 Master of Kung-Fu Ltd #1 – 23,407

Despite the support of a « Battleworld » banner, those numbers are quite low. Marvel has been trying hard to make Shang-Shi a viable character again (with a Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu mini released last year) but it just doesn’t click with buyers.

110- SHIELD

12/14 SHIELD #1 – 94,503
01/15 SHIELD #2 – 33,965 (-64.1%)
02/15 SHIELD #3 – 29,790 (-12.3%)

04/15 SHIELD #4 – 26,930 (-9.6%)
04/15 SHIELD #5 – 26,614 (-1.2%)
05/15 SHILED #6 – 23,152(-13.0%)

Since issue #2: -31.8%

Scheduled to be re-launched post Secret Wars with a new creative team and a new name, Agents of SHIELD. French artist extraordinaire Paul Renaud is pencilling the final issues.

113- ANGELA: ASGARD’S ASSASSIN

12/14 Angela #1 – 61,398
01/15 Angela #2 – 36,992 (-39.8%)
02/15 Angela #3 – 31,096 (-15.9%)
03/15 Angela #4 – 25,529 (-17.9%)
04/15 Angela #5 – 23,551 (- 7.7%)
05/15 Angela #6 – 22,272

Since issue #2: -5.4%

Scheduled for a re-launch post Secret Wars as Angela: Asgard’s local baker. Only one bit of information is false in this sentence.

114- LOKI, AGENT OF ASGARD

02/14 Loki #1 – 41,921 ( — )
03/14 Loki #2 – 27,968 ( -33.3%)
04/14 Loki #3 – 27,472 ( -1.8%)
05/14 Loki #4 – 26,012 ( -7.0%)
06/14 Loki #5 – 24,794 ( -4.7%)
09/14 Loki #6 – 25,131 (   1.4%)(Axis)
10/14 Loki #7 – 25,430 (   1.2%)(Axis)
11/14 Loki #8 – 23,333 ( -8.2%)(Axis)
12/14 Loki #9 – 21,697 ( -7.0%)(Axis)
01/15 Loki #10- 19,856 ( – 8.5%)
02/15 Loki #11- 18,623 ( – 6.2%)
03/15 Loki #12- 17,940 ( -3.7%)
04/15 Loki #13- 17,212 ( -4.0%)
05/15 Loki #14- 21,904 ( +27.3%)

Since issue #2: -21.7%

Average +% TPB sales #6-11: +8.3%

LOKI TPB VOL. 02: 2,092

The power of the « Last Days of » banner? Rewinding time as it was like 5 months ago.

115- MOON KNIGHT
12/11 Moon Knight v4 #8 – 24,626

03/14 Moon Knight v5 #1 – 58,022 ( — )
04/14 Moon Knight v5 #2 – 40,885 (-29.5%)
05/14 Moon Knight v5 #3 – 42,607 ( 4.2%)
06/14 Moon Knight v5 #4 – 40,348 ( -5.3%)
07/14 Moon Knight v5 #5 – 38,630 ( -4.3%)
08/14 Moon Knight v5 #6 – 37,646 ( -2.5%)
09/14 Moon Knight v5 #7 – 35,630 ( -5.4%)
10/14 Moon Knight v5 #8 – 32,434 ( -9.0%)
11/14 Moon Knight v5 #9 – 28,739 (-11.4%)
12/14 Moon Knight v5 #10 – 26,633 ( -7.3%)
01/15 Moon Knight v5 #11 – 24,464 ( -8.1%)
02/15 Moon Knight v5 #12 – 23,486 ( -4.0%)
03/15 Moon Knight v5 #13 – 22,871 ( -2.6%)
04/15 Moon Knight v5 #14 – 22,303 ( -2.5%)
05/15 Moon Knight v5 #15 – 21,794 ( -2.3%)

Since issue #2: -46.7%

Average +% TPB sales: +7.3%

MOON KNIGHT TPB VOL. 02: 2,593

Moon Knight will not reappear after Secret Wars. This volume had a strong visual appeal but has changed writers too many times make a strong impression in the character’s history.

116- BLACK WIDOW
01/14 Black Widow #1 – 53,879
01/14 Black Widow #2 – 31,260 ( -42.0%)
02/14 Black Widow #3 – 28,127 ( -10.0%)
03/14 Black Widow #4 – 27,378 ( -2.7%)
04/14 Black Widow #5 – 27,055 ( -1.2%)
05/14 Black Widow #6 – 26,136 ( -3.4%)
06/14 Black Widow #7 – 25,423 ( -2.7%)
07/14 Black Widow #8 – 24,555 ( -3.4%)
08/14 Black Widow #9 – 24,885 (   1.3%)
09/14 Black Widow #10 – 23,687 ( -4.8%)
10/14 Black Widow #11 – 23,922 (   1.0%)
11/14 Black Widow #12 – 22,971 ( -4.0%)
12/14 Black Widow #13 – 21,444 ( -6.6%)
01/15 Black Widow #14 – 20,292 ( – 5,4%)
02/15 Black Widow #15 – 20,581 ( + 1.4%)
03/15 Black Widow #16 – 21,607 ( + 5.0%)
04/15 Black Widow #17 – 18,851 ( -12.8%)
05/15 Black Widow #18 – 21,532 ( +14.2%)

Since issue #2: -31.1%

The series is living its last days and will not come back. It managed to stay nicely afloat the 20k.

120- 146- AVENGERS WORLD
01/14 Avengers World #2 – 53,693

05/14 Avengers World #6 – 28,969 ( -6.9%)
06/14 Avengers World #7 – 27,854 ( -3.8%)
06/14 Avengers World #8 – 26,912 ( -3.4%)
07/14 Avengers World #9 – 24,771 ( -8.0%)
07/14 Avengers World #10– 24,196 ( -2.3%)
08/14 Avengers World #11– 23,493 ( -2.9%)
09/14 Avengers World #12– 22,375 ( -4.8%)
09/14 Avengers World #13– 21,599 ( -3.5%)
10/14 Avengers World #14– 21,095 ( -2.3%)
11/14 Avengers World #15– 27,139 ( 28.7%)(Axis)
12/14 Avengers World #16– 20,853 (-23.2%)(Axis)

02/15 Avengers World #17– 20,228 (-3.0%)
03/15 Avengers World #18- 19,497 (-4.6%)
04/15 Avengers World #19- 20,491 (+5.1%)
04/15 Avengers World #20- 20,193 (-1.5%)
05/15 Avengers World #21- 20,108 (-0.4%)

Since issue #2: -62.6%

Average +% TPB sales #10-16: +4.6%

AVENGERS WORLD VOL.3 TPB: 1,111

This one is, of course, not coming back once Secret Wars is over.

121- UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL
01/15 Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 – 41,693
02/15 Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #2 – 24,621 (-40.9%)
03/15 Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #3 – 26,586 ( +8.0%)
04/15 Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #4 – 20,987 (-21.1%)
05/15 Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #5 – 20,088 (- 4.3%)

Since issue #2: -18.4%

It doesn’t seem to be scheduled for a re-launch post Secret Wars so does it means good-bye soon? [Ed. Note: It is, of course, coming back this fall with the same creative team, so no tears now. Only dreams.]

124- CAPTAIN MARVEL

11/13 Captain Marvel v6 #17 – 18,173 (-20.5%)
12/13 —
01/14 —
02/14 —
03/14 Captain Marvel v7 #1 – 44,248
04/14 Captain Marvel v7 #2 – 28,008 (-36.7%)
05/14 Captain Marvel v7 #3 – 26,057 ( -7.0%)
06/14 Captain Marvel v7 #4 – 24,062 ( -7.7%)
07/14 Captain Marvel v7 #5 – 23,666 ( -1.6%)
08/14 Captain Marvel v7 #6 – 21,221 (-10.3%)
09/14 Captain Marvel v7 #7 – 21,022 ( -0.9%)
10/14 Captain Marvel v7 #8 – 20,692 ( -1.6%)
11/14 Captain Marvel v7 #9 – 19,885 ( -3.9%)
12/14 Captain Marvel v7 #10 – 19,973 ( 0.4%)
01/15 Captain Marvel v7 #11 – 19,527 ( -2,2%)
02/15 Captain Marvel v7 #12 – 19,199 ( -1.7%)
03/15 Captain Marvel v7 #13 – 21,915 (+14.1%)
04/15 Captain Marvel v7 #14 – 30,560 (+39.5%) B. Vortex
05/15 Captain Marvel v7 #15 – 19,740 (-35.4%)

Since issue #2: -29.5%

Average +%TPB sales #7-12: +14.0%

CAPTAIN MARVEL TPB VOL.2 : 2,942

Scheduled for a re-launch with a new creative team post Secret Wars and its temporary Blackhawk mini-series recreation.

125- PUNISHER
02/14 Punisher v10 #1 – 54,558 (   — )
02/14 Punisher v10 #2 – 31,709 ( -41.9%)
03/14 Punisher v10 #3 – 29,636 ( -5.6%)
04/14 Punisher v10 #4 – 28,435 ( -5.0%)
05/14 Punisher v10 #5 – 27,471 ( -3.4%)
06/14 Punisher v10 #6 – 26,606 ( -3.1%)
06/14 Punisher v10 #7 – 26,192 ( -1.6%)
07/14 Punisher v10 #8 – 25,957 ( -0.9%)
08/14 Punisher v10 #9 – 25,876 ( -0.3%)
09/14 Punisher v10 #10 – 23,680 ( -8.5%)
10/14 Punisher v10 #11 – 28,710 ( 21.2%)
11/14 Punisher v10 #12 – 21,785 ( -24.1%)
12/14 Punisher v10 #13 – 21,248 ( -2.5%)
01/15 Punisher v10 #14 – 21,382 (+ 0.4%)
02/15 Punisher v10 #15 – 19,825 (- 7.3%)
03/15 Punisher v10 #16 – 21,607 (+ 9.0%)
04/15 Punisher v10 #17 – 19,762 (- 8.5%)
05/15 Punisher v10 #18 – 19,563 (- 1.0%)

Since issue #2: -38.3%

Quietly finishing its run.

128- NOVA
02/14 Nova#13.Now – 26,147 (   4.4%)
03/14 Nova v5 #14 – 23,459 ( -10.3%)
03/14 Nova v5 #15 – 22,996 ( -2.0%)
04/14 Nova v5 #16 – 22,020 ( -4.2%)
05/14 Nova v5 #17 – 21,652 ( -1.7%)
06/14 Nova v5 #18 – 25,875 ( 19.5%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14 Nova v5 #19 – 24,580 ( -5.0%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14 Nova v5 #20 – 24,377 ( -0.8%) O.S. Tie-In
09/14 Nova v5 #21 – 22,338 ( -8.4%)
10/14 Nova v5 #22 – 22,485 (   0.7%)
11/14 Nova v5 #23 – 21,706 ( -3.5%)(Axis)
11/14 Nova v5 #24 – 21,575 ( -0.6%)(Axis)
12/14 Nova v5 #25 – 21,805 (   1.1%)(Axis)
01/15 Nova v5 #26 – 19,639 ( -9.9%)
02/15 Nova v5 #27 – 19,168 ( -2.4%)
03/15 Nova v5 #28 – 29,175 ( +52.2%) B. Vortex
04/15 Nova v5 #29 – 18,228 ( -37.5%)
04/15 Nova v5 #30 – 18,635 ( + 2.2%)
05/15 Nova v5 #31 – 18,129 ( -2.7%)

Scheduled for a re-launch post Secret Wars with a completely new creative team, and a stronger father + son angle it seems.

137- GUARDIANS 3000
10/14 Guardians 3000 #1 – 58,574 (—)
11/14 Guardians 3000 #2 – 34,467 (-41.2%)
12/14 Guardians 3000 #3 – 25,509 (-26.0%)
01/15 Guardians 3000 #4 – 20,318 (-20.3%)
02/15 Guardians 3000 #5 – 18,155 (-10.6%)
03/15 Guardians 3000 #6 – 17,494 (- 3.6%)
04/15 Guardians 3000 #7 – 16,532 (- 5.5%)
05/15 Guardians 3000 #8 – 15,660 (- 5.3%)

Since issue #2: -54.6%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-6: +4.2%

The good old Guardians will not come back post Secret Wars.

GUARDIANS 3000 TPB VOL.01
128p, $16, cents per page: 12.5 cents
Since May 2015: 1,446
Despite its nice price tag, the first collection is doing rather badly, selling below the 1,500 mark despite having the Guardians label and no HC edition.

142- IRON FIST LIVING WEAPON LTD
04/14 Iron Fist LW #1 of 12 – 53,613 ( — )
05/14 Iron Fist LW #2 of 12 – 33,643 ( -37.2%)
06/14 Iron Fist LW #3 of 12 – 29,816 ( -11.4%)
07/14 Iron Fist LW #4 of 12 – 26,147 ( -12.3%)
08/14 Iron Fist LW #5 of 12 – 24,178 ( -7.5%)
09/14 Iron Fist LW #6 of 12 – 21,926 ( -9.3%)
10/14 —
11/14 —
12/14 Iron Fist LW #7 of 12 – 19,526 (-10.9%)
01/15 Iron Fist LW #8 of 12- 17,676 (- 9.5%)
02/15 Iron Fist LW #9 of 12- 16,413 (- 7.1%)
03/15 Iron Fist LW #10of 12- 16,237 (- 1.1%)
04/15 Iron Fist LW #11of 12- 15,542 (- 4.3%)
05/15 Iron Fist LW #12of 12- 15,059 (- 3.1%)

Since issue #2: -55.2%

Probably not the success Marvel was hoping for. It could have been the ultimate Iron Fist story, attracting new readers to the character. There is still the trade market but Marvel is not very good at selling trades.

146- AVENGERS
12/12 Avengers v5 #2 – 93,894

12/13 Avengers#24.NOW – 127,466 ( +91.7%)

12/14 Avengers v5 #39 -47,062 ( -13.4%)
01/15 Avengers v5 #40 -47,483 ( +0.9%) (SW prelude)
02/15 Avengers v5 #41 -48,437 ( +2.0%) (SW prelude)
03/15 Avengers v5 #42 -50,811 ( +4.9%) (SW prelude)
04/15 Avengers v5 #43 -47.200 ( +7.1%) (SW prelude)
04/15 Avengers v5 #44 -77.233 (SW prelude) END [+14,294]

Since issue #2: -33.0%

Look who’s back! The fact that it’s overselling all the other remaining titles to follow just with reorders due to its « final issue » tag is kind of depressing.

147- BUCKY BARNES WINTER SOLDIER

05/14 Winter Soldier Bitter March #4 – 19,930

10/14 Bucky Barnes: Winter Solder #1 – 47,471
11/14 Bucky Barnes: Winter Solder #2 – 32,409 (-31.7%)

01/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #3 – 22,125 (-31,7%)
01/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #4 – 19,280 (-12,9%)
02/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #5 – 17,647 (- 8.5%)
03/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #6 – 15,150 (-14.1%)
04/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #7 – 14,779 (– 2.4%)
05/15 Bucky Barnes Winter soldier #8 – 13,646 (- 7.7%)

Since issue #2: -57.9%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-5: +5.2%

Winter is coming for the Winter Soldier. Marvel really pushed it but it didn’t work.

BUCKY BARNES WINTER SOLIDER TPB VOL.1

112p, $17, cents per page: 14.2

Since May 2015: 1,682

The first collection is out and is not setting the charts on fire. The numbers are nothing to be ashamed of either, but they’re no reason to save the series from cancellation.

156- STORM
07/14 Storm #1 – 47,566
08/14 Storm #2 – 25,268 ( -46.9%)
09/14 Storm #3 – 22,078 ( -12.6%)
10/14 Storm #4 – 19,862 ( -10.0%)
11/14 Storm #5 – 17,999 ( – 9.4%)
12/14 Storm #6 – 17,028 ( – 5.4%)
01/15 Storm #7 – 15,784 ( – 7.3%)
02/15 Storm #8 – 14,155 ( -10.3%)
03/15 Storm #9 – 13,712 (- 3.1%)
04/15 Storm #10 – 13,398 (- 2.3%)
05/15 Storm #11 – 12,674 (- 5.4%)

Since issue #2: -49.8%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-5: +6.1%

STORM VOL.1 TPB: 1,542

This Storm title will disappear during Secret Wars and not come back…no surprise here. Don’t expect new solo X-Men titles before a long time.

171- OPERATION SIN LTD
01/15 Operation Sin #1 of 5 – 26,732
02/15 Operation Sin #2 of 5 – 16,240 (-39.2%)
03/15 Operation Sin #3 of 5 – 13,811 (-15.0%)
04/15 Operation Sin #4 of 5 – 11,949 (-13.5%)
05/15 Operation Sin #5 of 5 – 10,638 (-10.9%)

There is no point in starting strongly if, at the end….

174- POWERS
05/14 Bureau #10   – 9,002 ( 0.5%)
06/14 —
07/14 —
08/14 —
09/14 Bureau #11   – 8,747 ( -2.8%)
10/14 —
11/14 Bureau #12   – 8,379 ( -4.2%)


01/15 Powers #1 – 16,467

03/15 Powers #2 – 12,266 (-25.5%)

05/15 Powers #3 – 10,485 (-14.5%)

Since issue#2: -14.5%

It should be issue #6 by now. It’s clear that the title is bimonthly, not monthly. There is no problem with that as long as the schedule is regular. Marvel should just stop advertising the book as a monthly series in their previews. It’s ridiculous.

190- DARK TOWER DRAWING 3 HOUSE CARDS LTD
03/15 Dark Tower D3HC Ltd #1 of 5 – 11,107
04/15 Dark Tower D3HC Ltd #2 of 5 – 10,019 (-9.8%)
05/15 Dark Tower D3HC Ltd #3 of 5 – 9,248 (-7.7%)

No miracle here, this type of title is doomed to go below 10k.

193- DEATHLOK

12/09 Deathlok #2 – 14,059

10/14 Deathlok #1 – 43,991
11/14 Deathlok #2 – 20,883 (-52.5%)
12/14 Deathlok #3 – 18,112 (-13.3%)
01/15 Deathlok #4 – 14,498 (-20.0%)
02/15 Deathlok #5 – 12,053 (-16.9%)
03/15 Deathlok #6 – 10,066 (-16.5%)
04/15 Deathlok #7 – 9,871 (- 1.9%)
05/15 Deathlok #8 – 8,931 (- 9.5%)

Since issue #2: -57.2%

Average +% TPB Sales #1-5: +4.7%

Will of course not come back after Secret Wars. It could break a record as the lowest selling ongoing series at Marvel with its final issue. That’s sad.

DEATHLOK TPB VOL.1

120p, $17, cents per page: 14.2

Since May 2015: 980

First collection is out and can’t even crack the 1K which is really bad for a first edition collection of new material. There will be a vol.2 but its release will be a technical one.

204- BIG THUNDER MOUTAIN ROAD LTD

03/15 Big Thunder Mountain Road Ltd #1 of 5– 17,567
04/15 Big Thunder Mountain Road Ltd #2 of 5– 11,231 (-36.1%)
05/15 Big Thunder Mountain Road Ltd #3 of 5- 8,407 (-25.1%)

Shops are probably too fed up to stock unsold issues of these mini-series from outside the MU.

20?- NIGHT NURSE ($8)

05/15 Night Nurse- 8,344

This reprint one shot is composed not only of the hard to find first 4 issues of Night Nurse but also a modern issue of Daredevil where she makes an appearance. Usually these reprints appear with other floppies but, strangely enough, this one was put in the TPB section. This makes no sense because you can bet that you will not find Night Nurse in bookshops. The price is incredibly attractive though: $8 for 112p, that’s even cheaper than DC Comics Presents reprint collections.

Can we attribute the sales to the cheaper price or the fact that those Night Nurse issues are scarce? It attracted a nice bunch of people. The numbers aren’t extraordinary, but for a collection featuring such an obscure character, it did quite well.

218- MU GUARDIANS OF GALAXY
02/15 MU Guardians of Galaxy #1 of 4 – 12,047
03/15 MU Guardians of Galaxy #2 of 4 – 9,108 (-24.4%)
04/15 MU Guardians of Galaxy #3 of 4 – 8,406 (- 7.7%)
05/15 MU Guardians of Galaxy #4 of 4 – 7,468 (-18.0%)

Ending in mystery as it was selling 3K more than the others MU young age titles.

224- GEORGE ROMERO EMPIRE OF THE DEAD: ACT THREE LTD
01/14 Act One #1 of 5 – 24,515

06/14 Act One #5 of 5 – 13,924 (-6.3%)

09/14 Act Two #1 of 5 – 13,163 (-5.5%)

01/15 Act Two #5 of 5 – 7,780 (-6,6%)

04/15 Act 3   #1 of 5 – 8,623
05/15 Act 3   #2 of 5 – 7,191

Given the current trend of declining sales, Act 4, if there is one, would began below 5k!

228- ALL-NEW X-MEN
11/12 All-New X-Men #2 – 100,983

01/14 All-New #22.NOW   – 76,565 (+21.8%)
02/14 All-New X-Men #23 – 64,625 (-15.6%)
03/14 All-New X-Men #24 – 63,739 ( -1.4%)
04/14 All-New X-Men #25 – 63,827 ( 0.1%)
04/14 All-New X-Men #26 – 58,918 ( -7.7%)
05/14 All-New X-Men #27 – 62,269 ( 5.7%)
06/14 All-New X-Men #28 – 57,135 ( -8.2%)
07/14 All-New X-Men #29 – 58,817 ( 2.9%)
08/14 All-New X-Men #30 – 54,882 ( -6.7%)
08/14 All-New X-Men #31 – 58,535 ( 6.7%)
09/14 All-New X-Men #32 – 54,654 ( -6.6%)
10/14 All-New X-Men #33 – 60,032 ( 9.8%)
11/14 —
12/14 All-New X-Men #34 – 57,569 ( -4.1%)
01/15 All-New X-Men #35 – 51,823 (-10.0%)
02/15 All-New X-Men #36 – 49,464 ( -4.6%)
02/15 All-New X-Men #38 – 58,037 (+17.3%) B. Vortex
03/15 All-New X-Men #37 – 48,140 (-17.1%)
03/15 All-New X-Men #39 – 58,490 (+ 0.8%) B. vortex
04/15 All-New X-Men #40 – 57,797   [+7,027]

Since issue #2: -49.7%

Average +% TPB sales #31-36: +3.2%

ALL NEW X-MEN VOL.6 HC: 1,901

The « OMG you’re gay !» issue is making a comeback. Seeing that it pushed the sales to the same level as the Black Vortex issue, I guess you can open the salvo of gay-themed jokes using Black or Vortex references now…

266- PRINCESS LEIA LTD*
03/15 Princess Leia Ltd #1 of 5 – 264,071
03/15 Princess Leia Ltd #2 of 5- 101,727 (-61.5%)[+5,465]
04/15 Princess Leia Ltd #3 of 5- 102,434 (+0.7%)

Since issue #2: +0.7%

While issue #4 is late, sales of #2 is rising to the level of #3 sales thanks to reorders.

MU ULT SPIDER-MAN WEB WARRIORS

06/14 MUU Spider-Man #27 – 4,713 ( -1.0%)
10/14 —
11/14 MUU Spider-Man WW #1 – 6,343 ( -1.0%)
12/14 MUU Spider-Man WW #2 – 5,063 ( -20.2%)
01/15 MUU spider-Man WW #3 – 4,873 (-3,8%)
?
?
?
05/15 MUU spider-man WW #7 – 4,843

Since issue #2: -4,3%

Keeping its sales level after being invisible in the charts for many months.

291- MU AVENGERS ASSEMBLE SEASON TWO
 
01/15 MU Avengers Assemble Season Two #3 – 4,503
?
?
?
05/15 MU Avengers Assemble Season Two #7 – 4,665

This one managed to even gain 200 new readers!

Thanks for reading! Hope to see you next time. Feel free to comment!

Xavier Lancel, born 1973 in France, living in the beautiful city of Lyon, has been working since 1999 for Scarce, one of the longest running fanzine on US comics (32 years old!). He is the new editor of the magazine since 2008. He also runs two blogs, one devoted to Ernie Colon and the other devoteded to barechested men in comics. He sometimes appear as a comics character (because French people are funny-weird) in strips by Tim Fish.

48 COMMENTS

  1. 109- MASTER OF KUNG-FU LTD
    05/15 Master of Kung-Fu Ltd #1 – 23,407

    Disappointing, because this is honestly one of the genuinely best (art and writing) Secret Wars minis right now! I was hoping post this mini, the same team would stay on for an on-going – but with these numbers…

  2. The last Master Of Kung Fu mini series they did, I gave up on it after the second issue. Still gave the Master Of Kung Fu Secret Wars mini a shot and was I ever surprised!! Can’t wait to see how it ends. You can see bits and pieces of the original series in it but these concepts are presented in a different way that actually works. Would like to see a regular series but with these sales it’s not likely to happen.

  3. Wow, extremely negative on so many of these very good books. It’s disappointing that someone that doesn’t like Marvel is doing the sales chart. The other charts are much more even-handed, IMO.

  4. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: “Shops are probably too fed up to stock unsold issues of these mini-series from outside the MU.”

    I think that comment is a little too brusque. The Disney Kingdoms titles (which IIRC BTMR is only the third one so far) are well outside the interest of the majority of comic shop customers. But it is pretty clear that shops underestimated demand for the Figment mini-series, so I’m not sure that “fed up” is really what’s going on here.

    Storm: “Don’t expect new solo X-Men titles before a long time.” Sure, there is a general track record of solo X-Men titles not selling in huge numbers. However, I don’t see why Storm’s cancellation should be any more of a belwether event than the cancellation of other X-Men solo titles.
    We already know that Old Man Logan and All New Wolverine are coming out. And maybe Wolverine-related titles are special exceptions, but Marvel has a history of trying solo X-Men titles on a fairly regular basis.

    The Editor also inserted a note regarding the return of the Squirrel Girl title.

    It’s stuff like this that make me wonder if maybe Lancel’s knowledge is too spotty to be effective for this column.

  5. MJ: Sorry for the formating, something happened that indeed, made this chart look different than usual. I will use a completly new format beginnign in August.

    Chris: negative? I don’t think i wrote many negative comments on the quality of the books produced but would be happy to argue about anything. I remind that this analysis shouldn’t be taken too seriously, there is some black humor here. To not like Marvel? I’m not sure what that means. I for sure don’t like at all their current pricing and relaunching policy but otherwise, I don’t have anything negative to say about the quality of the books produced.
    You’re right when you say that perhaps the other charts are perhaps more even-handed. Good thing: different people are wirting each of them. :)

    comicssatemybrain: yes, I repeat, you can find perhaps that some coments are too brusque (but did you spot the “probably”, how can that be brusque?), it’s part of the style in which this column is written. Seing how th shops are cutting theirs orders of those outside-of-the-MU people and reducing their orders drastically from one mini-serie to the other, I really think that they seem to give up on trying to guess how much they’re gonna sell and prefer to cut their orders.

    Not Storm more than the other, this comment could have find its way also with the Cyclops serie. Wolverine is certainly not a fair example, he is a brand of his own, that’s pretty clear.

    Yes, the editor (thanks to him) inserted a note regarding the Squirrel Girl title because, at the time I wrote this column, there was no confirmation of the return of the title. I corrected this in the June marvel sales charts, written some weeks after this one, if it can help erase one of your many doubts about my ability to write this column.

    I can for sure make mistakes and thank god, many people can disagree with many of my comments and find them not fair – but I don’t see in any of your examples any fault on my part, only that we have slightly different opinions on some very specific matters-, that’s the spirit for me of this column.

    Anyway, thank you all for your comments!

  6. Is there this much cynicism and negativity in the Month-to-Month analysis for the other companies? Or just Marvel?

  7. I plaid ghuilty with the cynicism (but frankly, currently, with Marvel renumbering its titles every 6 months and , despite being the leader, having the lowest production value of all the publishers, its hard for me not to play with that), but not with the negativity. The only really negative comment was on Old Man Logan. Reading the rest, I find many nice things said, and other mainly neutral/factual.
    No, the others column have their own tone.
    Again, this analysis shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I’m happy to take any comment and will be happy to try to improve this column, but frankly, don’t expect leaps of joys from me for relaunch/renumbering overused gimmicks. Content of those comics matter to me more than the gimmicks surrounding them. I’m trying not to hurt anyone feeling writing it, that’s why I’m almost never saying anything about their inner artistic value and when it happens, it’s mostly for saying how good one member of the artistic team is.

  8. Xavier, you’re doing a great job with the numbers, and your insight is certainly welcome in this internet already filled with spaces devoted to the behemoth Marvel. Keep up the good work.

    One quick thing. Since you’ve got a better handle on Marvel numbers, would it be safe to say that if you separated the Star Wars titles and made them their own company, they would be number four? With just FOUR books! And where does that leave Marvel numbers against DC and Image? Food for thought.

    Thanks again!

  9. “We’ll probably see a $6 price tag on next year’s big event.” Cynical supposition, not really supported by any of the figures in this chart.

    “Attracting buyers with a #1 was expected after all the internet fuss about this new team, but we’ll soon see if readers are ready for a change or if buyers were only speculating.” So a book that never existed before is “attracting buyers with a #1”? That’s a weird, cynical argument.

    And these are all books in the Top 10. Books that are clearly followed and enjoyed by a wide number of people. And it’d be easy to go on and do this for the rest of the column. Is there good analysis in here? Sure. But is there also a lot of supposition and potshots based on the writer’s own personal biases? No question.

    “Scheduled to be re-launched! Will we see again the same craziness over its new #1 sales this fall? Nothing surprises me anymore…” The previous writer for this column didn’t make these kinds of cynical editorial potshots.

    “Oh, look, a new version of the Infinity Gauntlet event focusing on the Nova family. Thanos and 90’s nostalgia are the key words here.” Sensing a pattern yet?

    “Marvel has proven it can fool 100,000 people once and could probably fool one person 100,000 times, but I didn’t think they’d be able to fool 100,000 people 100,000 times. I guess I’m wrong (plus you can make them pay $5 for the privilege)!” Never seen anything this cynical on the DC counterpart to this ongoing article.

  10. ok, thanks for taking the time to point those.
    The final citation on old man Logan, Isaid it, 100%ok with you, completly cynical, to the point of being funny that was the purpose. Can’t work on everyone.

    The infinity gauntlet comment: Uh? Were do you see anything negative about this? Or do you deny that this new version is trying ro ride on the nostalgia of this 90’s event and the popularit of Thanos? Was it wrong with that?

    The “scheduled to be relaunched..” comment: that’s what I was talking about. Marvel is really pushing this trend to renumber its series at the N° 1 too far, that’s my opinion and frankly, I don’t think I’m the only one here to think it. With sometimes 2 relaunchs for a title in less than 6 months, you cna’t expect people t not react. I don’t think there is that much cynicism in believing that Marvel won’t be able to repeat indefinitively this trick with always the same effects. The cynism would almost to believe the opposite.
    I’m really concerned by any trick to make more sales with buyers-buyers, not buyers-readers. That means variant cover crazyness, renumbering with n°1. Most of the people buying comics because of that are not readers. You can see it in shops or with the numbers, by the growing gap beetween issue 1 and 2 and the buyers leaving a title after a variant in sales thanks to a special variant. If any publisher is selling an ever-growing portion of its comics production not because of the comics inner content, there is a risk he would not care that much about what’s inside. Remeber the 90’s? And less far from us, a publisher like Dynamite?
    I’m a reader-buyer and the ultra-repetition of tricks like that have an effect on my comics purchase. I REALLY don”‘t think I’m alone to think that so I’m really surprised that you think that this huge concern of mine and my fatigue of relaunch (reasons for those cynical comments) are so out-of-this-world and outragious. Yes, I’m using this column to share my concern in a way. That will not always be the case, at one moment I will probably be fed up to write several times the same thing. I’m still quite new in writing this column. As I said, one thing you can’t ever expect from me here is overjoy over renumbering a title. I’m sorry if it troubles you but frankly, I’m baffled that you, after all those years working for Marvel, would expect a basic buyer and long time comics readers to be enthousiasmic about this over-used relaunching politic. But I can perfectly understand a kind of “cultural company concern” -culture d’entreprise in french, probably not the right translation- that would make you support in public Marvel policy on this.

    And yes, perhaps the way I wrote it didn”t made it clear but, welcome to reality, a LOT of people are buying n°1 issues only because it’s hype or whatever other reasons they can have, but not because of the comics itself. How else wpould the explain the ever-falling beetween issue 2 and 1 and marvel ever relaunching politic. Folowwing your logic, that would means that allthose people are really buying those n°1 issues expecting t follow the serie and give up massively after issue 1 because the artistic team are making a bad job, more and more. I don’t think thazt’s true at all. Quality inside the book is here, there is many many good books at Marvel out there.

    The $6 price tag comment? Well, you know what, I only had to wait 3 months for it. Check the new Marvel preview, there is some $6 dollar n°1 issues.
    Speculations is the roots of this column. As I repeated it in the previous column introduction, I’m speculating, using a scrying glass here, I will not fool anyone into believing the comments in my analysis are the TRUTH, the result of a top analysis of an incredible mind.

    Again, again, again, please do not take this column tooo seriously. I’m like a drunk pithie here, nothing more. A cynical pithie yes, a concerned pithie too.
    Sorry you’re not enjoying it, but I can see how this kind of column can be hard to enjoy for people involved into the creation of comics.
    Thanks for taking the time to comment and pinpoint all this. Frankly, you have not convince me that I’m that overly cynical. If you’re thinking that all those exemples are proof of bad analysing on my part, I really can’t see anywhere where you can find good analysis anywhere else in my column, but perhaps you were only being polite. :p

  11. Rereading the whole thing, I think you’re expecting a kind of almost robotic neutral column, not biased by the author of the column. That’s the complete opposite of what I’m trying to do here. The risk is, of course, to upset some people who will completly disagree with my point of vue. So yes, I will be many times wrong, make assumptions, I just expect people to be entertained 5 times reading figures. Anybody with some logic can extract and is in fact extracting from those numbers their own conclusions.

  12. Regarding Ant-Man #5, a variant issue was included in the Ant-Man themed Marvel Collector Corps box, so maybe that accounts for the jump to some extent?

  13. This is a news blog. Readers are not expecting a “robotic neutral column”, Xavier. They’re expecting information and insight– basically, a Month-to-Month sales chart and analysis.

    It’s not about “entertaining people 5 times while reading the figures”, it’s about informing them.

    It should be about your analysis of the books and figures based on the information, not based on a suitcase full of cynicism that the writer’s bringing with him before he’s even looked over the chart.

  14. You can’t extract pure information (as in the real sense of information, from a journalistic point of vue) from those numbers.
    Because:
    – they are estimations
    – they are not comics sales in total: we are missing sales from outside the US, to newstand, digital sales
    – it’s not sales to customers, its sales to comics shops

    I am at the service of the Beat and its readers here. If at one point , Heidi would like me to try another approach to it or, I suppose if lots of people complained about my cynicism, I could try another approach.
    But I would definitively not write a column only saying “its goes up”, “it goes down” “its speeding in its fall”, nobody would need me to understand that. I like the Beat for its insight , its differents points of vue and sometimes the debates it starts, and overall for its nice mixture of seriousness in the news provided and its crazyness about other frolic topics. I’m putting this column into the “frolic” section. That’s why I keep reminding people every month that it’s not a column whose comments are to be taken too seriously.

    I’m not a walking bag of cynicism. I hope you’ll see that with some news posts that I will provide to Heidi and that I hope will find their way here.

  15. “You can’t extract pure information (as in the real sense of information, from a journalistic point of vue) from those numbers. Because: – they are estimations – they are not comics sales in total: we are missing sales from outside the US, to newstand, digital sales – it’s not sales to customers, its sales to comics shops”

    All true. But there is information that can be gleaned from trends over the medium and long terms, as well as deviations from those trends.

    “But I would definitively not write a column only saying “its goes up”, “it goes down” “its speeding in its fall”, nobody would need me to understand that.”

    The other sales chart columns don’t seem to have this problem. They are able to provide interesting insights without the deep cynicism. Speaking for myself, I don’t find cynicism to be entertaining, clever, or insightful.

  16. Well, can’t win them all.
    For people who don’t enjoy cynicism, please don’t read the comment of those 7 entries (1- 6- 10 -16 -21- 41 -50). 7 out of 73. Not sure that makes this column full on cyninism

  17. Well comments section ended up being rather interesting.

    Back in the day DC column was done by a guy who really, really didn’t like DC. Each analysis was full of snark and cynicism. Couple of people would complain about it, but mostly everyone was basically high fiving him and congratulating on well written “analysis”.

    Now someone here dares to write couple of snarky comments about Marvel’s pricing and constant relaunching, what happens? Suddenly we have a battle in comments section.

    I don’t think that there is a problem with your column Xavier, I think that Beats readership are a bit pro-Marvel and thats where these negative comments are mostly coming from.

    As for “this column should provide more analysis” argument, look at the list of titles being sold:

    1. Star Wars are still selling well and doing good reorders.
    2. Bunch of new #1 miniseries about which nobody can say much before we see sales on #2 and #3 issues.
    3. Couple of titles getting nice boost due to Last Days banner.
    4. Bunch of titles having worrisome drops and getting relaunched after Secret Wars.
    5. Few titles who managed to release only a handful of issues getting relaunched after Secret Wars.
    6. Deadpool being sales juggernaut.

    All of that was mentioned by Xavier and there isn’t really anything else to tell due to nature of the month.

  18. Thanks HsssH, its nice to hear another voice here (and thanks to V Wiley also way up in the comments).
    Yes, I arrived at the most difficult time for this column because all the titles keep being relaunched or slightly rebranded under another name: that makes more work on the formating side, and less things to say on the comment side about sales because those n°1 sales numbers are not a a good indicator of how a title will behave saleswise.
    I would have add
    7- Ms Marvel second sales juggernautin TPB form.
    But you resumed perfectly the whole sales situation on the last Marvel sales charts.
    The foggy situation about “is it a mini, an ongoing, are they waiting to see the numbers to make it one or the other” is also difficult to follow and I’m trying to be as up to date as I can.
    My comics retailer here in Lyons keeps biting his fingers when Marvel comics arrive because he has everytime to reprogram those titles in his software because the price is often changing from one issue to the other and because customers have to renew their subcriptions everytime there is a relaunch.

  19. I have to admit, the cynical tone of the entire column made it hard (and depressing) to read. If there’s anywhere to find the numbers without the commentary, please point me to that website.

  20. MJ: you can find the sales estimates every month at the ICV2 website (whithout the +/-% and the previous issues numbers). But the way this column is formated, it should be very easy to read only the numbers and not the commentary, I myself do it a lot of times to check for the difference beetween US/Europe with . and ,

  21. It’s your column and you write it the way you want it, obviously, but yeah, I didn’t enjoy reading it at all. Your comments had often very little insight about how well or badly a title was doing. We got that you really, really hate the relaunches way before you said it a hundred times.

  22. Sorry it wasnt to your taste and that you find the sale analysis poor. It tried for each title to convey the information about weither or not it will be relaunch and its price tag. Sometimes, couldnt help myself to notice that some titles will relaunch two times in less than 6 months.
    Hopefully, i will have some meat to chew on in some months with titles reaching double digits.

  23. Again, I’ll mention that the internet is filled with sites dedicated to pushing Marvel to the point of even less objectivity that is accused in this article. It’s nice to have a column devoted to the business end and it’s mechanizations, rather than the endless amounts of hype given Marvel elsewhere. They have 40% of the business. Who cares if Xavier looks at it from another perspective? If you need ” objective” reports on Matvel, I’m sure sites like CBR and IBN can give up all you need.

  24. http://marvel.com/comics/issue/53707/night_nurse_2015_1
    Night Nurse is a trade paperback, as it has an EAN on the front cover. (Yes, that’s unusual, but not against the laws of barcodes.) 9780785194200

    Why? Because it’s a reprint book.
    Why? Because Marvel doesn’t distribute comics to the newsstands.
    Why? So it can be sold in bookstores, libraries, and online. (Not that they are… Hachette didn’t submit the data to Books In Print.)

    Why did they reprint it? Probably because of Rosario Dawson.

    Formatting… could you please “quote” the trade paperback data, so it gets formatted differently and is easier to parse from the comics data?

    It would also be nice if the commas in the sales amounts could be aligned for better reading. .

    As for the analysis and opinion…
    I think anyone who analyzes sales figures, ESPECIALLY those of comics which are full of gimmicks, renumbering, relaunching, bulk orders.. eventually sees the monkey behind the curtain pulling the levers to get treats.

    …and just as there is positive reinforcement, there is negative reinforcement as well, when a reader or, in this case, retailer, experiences disappointment over sales or stories. Given that they are extremely conservative when ordering, due to non-returnability of product, they are going to be more skittish when seeing another “#1” or an event which doesn’t change anything. “Bite me once…”

  25. I for one really enjoyed this column. I think this is a voice that should be represented. To the guy who got depressed reading this, you should be depressed about the tactics used to ensure sales by Marvel and not the guy who is pointing them out. The comic book industry is not sustainable right now. The July numbers just came out and for the majority of the #2 issues of the Secret Wars banners the titles went down around 40%. That proves Xavier’s point. Many of his points have been proved by Marvel either explicitly or implicitly. There will be no more solo X-Men titles besides that of Wolverine. In CBR Axel said what the X-Men line was until Feb. I think the reason why Dan Slott & some of the other people commenting on here have felt the need to attack you is because you are calling out the practices of Marvel which create a unreliable measure of how much comics are actually being read versus sold. I think you are on the right path (as long as you spell check and fix formatting issues) and know that you must be doing something right in order to get the writer of Amazing Spider-man to comment on your article. Keep going!

  26. I enjoyed the column quite a bit. Keep it up.

    If folks at Marvel don’t want snarky comments about relaunches and price hikes, maybe they should quit relaunching everything all the time and raising prices each time they do.

    What was the last Marvel comic to make it from #1 to #50 without being relaunched?
    hat was the last Marvel comic that was relaunched without a price hike?

    I still dig the books I get from Marvel but they are far from perfect and are definitely not above reproach.

  27. I enjoyed the column–It doesn’t seem like the hatchet-job others have been quick to declare it. Good job, Xavier!

  28. keep up the snarky vibe, xavier! this is a, fan-made, personal commentary and not a “professional” sales analysis for a business publication. you don’t get paid for it, so, first and foremost, you should enjoy doing it and we should be thankful that you invest your precious time doing it.
    if anyone wants objectivity, they should just go over to ic2v or comichron and just stare at the bare numbers or just skip xavier’s complementary comments. i prefer to have a laugh going with the incredible nerdiness that is the study of comic book sales, but, obviously, not everybody does.

  29. Thank you all, it’s nice that not all the reactions were negative about this column, thanks for having taken the time to write it.
    Torsten: thanks for the info on the Night Nurse compilation. Yes! I was thinking about a way to inlight differretly the TPB section comments, your proposition is perfect, I’m gonna do that (once I find the right html thingie to do that). And yep, alignement is on its way, now that I stopped putting . instead of , and $ after the price tag instead of before. All those things are reverse for me, so I have to be careful! :p

  30. I appreciate the blunt tone of your assessment. Thank you, Xavier, for your insight and cheekiness. Please keep it up.

  31. I’d like to join the late chorus of voices opining that this column is right on-track!

    Xavier, you’re clearly taking shots at Marvel’s business practices — not taking shots at the content of Marvel’s books — so it’s silly that anyone here would accuse you of “not liking Marvel”.

    I think your cynicism is perfectly justified! As you (and commenter Justin) argue, it’s unsustainable for Marvel to — with increasing frequency — re-launch so many series at higher price points.

    Long-time fans of this column who think it’s “sad” to read comments expressing pessimism towards previews that refuse to announce pricing or even “ongoing”/”mini” status need to wake up!

  32. Three small pieces of criticism to leave you with (proving I’m not just a cheerleader):

    1) “Scheduled for a re-launch, we will be at [Hawkeye] volume 3 when the final issue of volume 1 will still not be out.” You were wrong on this one, but I’m awfully glad you were. (It’s finally here!)

    2) “[Ms Marvel] is scheduled for a re-launch (the only [one] that makes real sense among all those useless ones).” In fairness, I’d argue that it *sorta* makes sense that Daredevil is re-launching.

    3) The trade sales figures are sometimes interesting, but I wish they were separate from the figures for single issues. (On a positive formatting note, though, I love your highlighting of $5 books!)

  33. Thanks Rand, it’s nice to have a balanced voice here, with +/-.

    1- Right! And oh, boy, I’m gonna try to take a pill before writing Hawkeye vol.1 comment on July chart, because I do have a lot of complains to let out. about it! :p

    2- Yep, there is probably others. the good thing for Ms Marvel is that the relaunch will give an opportunity for people to “catch the train” now that they know from TPB sales and critics that the title is so good.

    3- I put them separatly when I began the column and it didn’t work out. I’m gonna inlight them in a different wxay beginning with next month analysis.

  34. Oh?
    I’m big fan of Marvel (i don’t care anymore about the renumbering thing for example..) and I laughed a lot at Xavier’s sentences. Perhaps it’s because it’s french humour.. and we like to be cruel about what we love.
    But, Marvel can deny that with DC, they put lots of useless gimmicks to boost sales (variants, relaunches, Death and resurrections, guest Stars..) above just putting a good serie.
    I don’t think relaunch and variants etc etc will really help to add new readers.
    Japan or France and many countries sells more “comics or mangas or BD” when you look at the populations numbers than North America… But you find “comics/mangas/BD” a lot easier and at a better price (or best when you look at the product… example for french Hardcovers ..).

    And 4$ for 20 pages… it s a lot of money when you compare to other form of entertainment if you’re not a comics fans like us already.

  35. As somebody mentioned above, Marc Oliver did the DC column with a heaping helping of snark for years and nobody batted an eye. Personally, I appreciate Xavier’s differing perspective. It’s nice to see somebody with an “across the pond” view of the sales charts.

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