Home News Business News THUNDERCATS #1 orders hit 170,000 copies

THUNDERCATS #1 orders hit 170,000 copies

Lion-O is back!

01/19/2024 11:10 am

Looks like we have the first hit comic of 2024, with Thundercats #1, which hit 170,000 in orders to comics shops, Dynamite reports. Proudly reports, one might add.

As we wrote last week*, Thundercats #1, by Declan Shalvey and Drew Moss, was at 100K initial orders, but then came word of a Rob Liefeld variant cover and another 70K units moved. It was all part of the plan, as Dynamite rolled out all the tools they had, including working closely with retailers and media to get fans excited about the book, which debuts on February 7.

You can see all the information about the first issue below, but a historical note here: You’d have to be an old timer to remember this, but back when comics sales were recovering in the early 00s, licensed books like Masters of the Universe and Transformers and yes, THUNDERCATS, helped get sales revved up again. We’re seeing a similar phenomenon now, with Skybound’s Hasbro line, IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and now ThunderCats again creating some sales traction. And there’s nothing wrong with that: licensed properties are a key part of all kinds of publishing, and frankly, if top franchises weren’t selling a lot of comics, it would be more of a concern.

Also, Lion-O.

170,000 copies is a good number, although obviously boosted by variants.

*and left in drafts.

THUNDERCATS #1
February 7, 2024

$4.99

32 Pages Cardstock Covers

Writer: Declan Shalvey

Artist: Drew Moss

Covers: David Nakayama, Lucio Parrillo, Declan Shalvey, Jae Lee, Ivan Tao, Action Figure, Logo, Drew Moss Design, Rob Liefeld (FOC)

Fleeing through space to escape their dying home world, the ThunderCats were attacked en route by their mortal enemies, the Mutants of Plun-Darr. After diverting their damaged flagship to a planet called Third Earth, the surviving ThunderCats now strive to rebuild their society in harmony with the new world’s natives. But the Mutants, determined to possess the ThunderCats’ mystical gem, the Eye of Thundera, have tracked them down – and they’ve also forged an alliance with Mumm-Ra, the devil-priest of Third Earth!

Now the ThunderCats, led by an inexperienced Lion-O, must band together as never before to protect their legacy from this combined enemy. But will they be able to withstand the onslaught of Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living, once he sets his eyes upon them? The triple-threat talents (writers, artists, and ThunderCats superfans) of DECLAN SHALVEY and DREW MOSS join forces to bring this exciting new entry in the ThunderCats canon to life! This premier issue features 24 story pages as well as a host of the finest cover artists the galaxy has ever seen, including SHALVEY, DAVID NAKAYAMA, LUCIO PARRILLO, JAE LEE & JUNE CHUNG, and IVAN TAO!