201102101523.jpg

by Marc-Oliver Frisch

On the surface, December 2010 was a great month for DC Comics. The company had a bigger share of the market than its main competitor Marvel, if only in terms of dollar value, and took all of the Top 5 spots on the chart, as well as a total 8 out of the Top 10. That doesn’t happen a lot.

Upon closer inspection, though, a less rosy picture emerges: DC’s average comic-book sales in the direct market were slightly down from November, average dollar and unit sales were only slightly up. So, despite big releases like the debut of writer/artist David Finch’s Batman: The Dark Knight and, over in the “Graphic Novel” section, J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One book, it turns out December was more or less business as usual, from a commercial vantage point.

Meanwhile, DC’s WildStorm imprint, which the company bought from Jim Lee in 1998 and then proceeded to slowly but determinedly squeeze the life out of, ceased publication in December. Average WildStorm sales sagged below the 5K mark, to the lowest number in history.

See below for the details, and please consider the small print at the end of the column. Thanks to Milton Griepp and ICv2.com for the permission to use their figures. An overview of ICv2.com‘s estimates can be found here.

—–

1 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT
12/2010: Dark Knight #1  --  89,985

Originally solicited for November 24, David Finch’s new, supposedly monthly ongoing series finally scraped into stores more than a month late, on December 29 — the initial release date of the second issue, incidentally, which is currently meant to go on sale March 23, if DC’s Web site is to be believed.

There are two major points to take away from this. One: DC’s biggest book for the time being debuts with sales well below the 100K mark. Two: It was already wildly off-schedule by the time the first issue went to the printer. Not a terribly good omen for 2011.

There were 1:25 and 1:200 variant-cover editions to boost the numbers.

—–

2/5 - GREEN LANTERN
12/2005: Green Lantern #6   --  88,437
12/2006: --
12/2007: Green Lantern #25  --  90,545
12/2007: Green Lantern #26  --  69,986
12/2008: Green Lantern #36  --  64,755 [ 74,005]
--------------------------------------
12/2009: Green Lantern #49  --  97,285 (- 3.1%)
01/2010: Green Lantern #50  -- 106,444 (+ 9.4%)
02/2010: Green Lantern #51  --  95,509 (-10.3%)
03/2010: Green Lantern #52  --  97,369 (+ 2.0%)
04/2010: Green Lantern #53  -- 100,356 (+ 3.1%)
05/2010: Green Lantern #54  --  88,292 (-12.0%)
06/2010: Green Lantern #55  --  85,930 (- 2.7%)
07/2010: Green Lantern #56  --  84,164 (- 2.1%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: Green Lantern #57  --  85,179 (+ 1.2%)
10/2010: Green Lantern #58  --  81,626 (- 4.2%)
11/2010: Green Lantern #59  --  76,173 (- 6.7%)
12/2010: Green Lantern #60  --  76,360 (+ 0.3%)
12/2010: Green Lantern #61  --  72,203 (- 5.4%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.6%
1 year  : - 23.7%
2 years : + 14.7%
5 years : - 16.0%

The “Brightest Day” branding goes on, but it no longer brings the sales. After a very strong couple of years, Green Lantern returns to a lower baseline.

—–

3/4 - BRIGHTEST DAY
04/2010: Brightest Day #0  -- 129,446
05/2010: Brightest Day #1  -- 129,158 (- 0.2%)
05/2010: Brightest Day #2  -- 112,806 (-12.7%)
06/2010: Brightest Day #3  -- 107,269 (- 4.9%)
06/2010: Brightest Day #4  -- 101,730 (- 5.2%)
07/2010: Brightest Day #5  --  97,245 (- 4.4%)
07/2010: Brightest Day #6  --  94,684 (- 2.6%)
08/2010: Brightest Day #7  --  93,459 (- 1.3%)
08/2010: Brightest Day #8  --  91,546 (- 2.1%)
09/2010: Brightest Day #9  --  88,446 (- 3.4%)
09/2010: Brightest Day #10 --  87,241 (- 1.4%)
10/2010: Brightest Day #11 --  83,823 (- 3.9%)
10/2010: Brightest Day #12 --  82,394 (- 1.7%)
11/2010: Brightest Day #13 --  79,955 (- 3.0%)
11/2010: Brightest Day #14 --  78,452 (- 1.9%)
12/2010: Brightest Day #15 --  75,450 (- 3.8%)
12/2010: Brightest Day #16 --  74,871 (- 0.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 28.1%

DC’s longform event series continues with a fairly standard attrition rate. And, comparing the individual drops from the last four months, there’s more evidence that more people tend to drop titles in-between calendar months than in the middle of a given month, I suppose.

—–

6 - BATMAN, INC.
11/2010: Batman, Inc. #1  --  95,587
11/2010: Batman, Inc. #2  --  71,544 (-25.2%)

That’s a stiff drop, probably explained by the lack of a 1:200 variant edition this time around. Be that as it may, Batman, Inc. #3 won’t be out until March, either, so DC enters 2011 on two months without the two new flagship titles of its current flagship franchise.

—–

7 - BATMAN AND ROBIN
12/2009: --
01/2010: Batman and Robin #7  --  87,780 (- 8.3%)
02/2010: Batman and Robin #8  --  87,302 (- 0.6%)
02/2010: Batman and Robin #9  --  84,562 (- 3.1%)
03/2010: Batman and Robin #10 --  85,292 (+ 0.9%)
04/2010: Batman and Robin #11 --  84,006 (- 1.5%)
05/2010: Batman and Robin #12 --  84,843 (+ 1.0%)
06/2010: --
07/2010: Batman and Robin #13 --  85,804 (+ 1.1%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: Batman and Robin #14 --  82,894 (- 3.4%)
10/2010: Batman and Robin #15 --  80,173 (- 3.3%)
11/2010: Batman and Robin #16 --  80,343 (+ 0.2%)
11/2010: Batman and Robin #17 --  70,600 (-12.1%)
12/2010: Batman and Robin #18 --  68,814 (- 2.5%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.

Holding up reasonably well, considering that the book has effectively been “demoted” to a secondary Batman title. Also, we’re still in the middle of a last-minute fill-in run, which the numbers probably aren’t an accurate reflection of yet.

—–

10 - BATMAN
12/2005: Batman #648 --  63,151 [64,760]
12/2006: Batman #660 --  76,967
12/2006: Batman #661 --  75,512
12/2007: Batman #672 --  71,189
12/2008: Batman #682 --  93,469
-------------------------------
12/2009: Batman #694 --  65,908 (- 4.5%)
01/2010: Batman #695 --  63,467 (- 3.7%)
02/2010: Batman #696 --  61,290 (- 3.4%)
03/2010: Batman #697 --  61,157 (- 0.2%)
04/2010: Batman #698 --  60,934 (- 0.4%)
05/2010: Batman #699 --  62,377 (+ 2.4%)
06/2010: Batman #700 -- 104,755 (+67.9%)
07/2010: Batman #701 --  76,398 (-27.1%)
08/2010: Batman #702 --  73,414 (- 3.9%)
09/2010: Batman #703 --  77,033 (+ 4.9%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Batman #704 --  65,212 (-15.4%)
12/2010: Batman #705 --  63,262 (- 3.0%)
----------------
6 months: -39.6%
1 year  : - 4.0%
2 years : -32.3%
5 years : + 0.2%

Back in an average decline.

—–

12/18 - THE FLASH
12/2005: Flash #229      --  41,459
12/2006: Flash: FMA #7   --  53,600
12/2007: Flash #235      --  43,788
12/2008: Flash #247      --  26,498
-----------------------------------
12/2009: --
01/2010: --
02/2010: Rebirth #6 of 6 --  70,824 (-  4.1%)
03/2010: --
04/2010: Flash #1        -- 100,903 (+ 42.5%)
05/2010: Flash #2        --  76,560 (- 24.1%)
06/2010: Flash #3        --  68,804 (- 10.1%)
07/2010: Flash #4        --  64,832 (-  5.8%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: Flash #5        --  62,063 (-  4.3%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Flash #6        --  57,673 (-  7.1%)
12/2010: Flash #7        --  56,304 (-  2.4%)
12/2010: Flash #8        --  53,975 (-  4.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.9%
1 year  :   n.a.
2 years : +108.1%
5 years : + 33.0%

The book seems to be settling down at about 50K — a solid number for The Flash, historically.

—–

16 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
12/2005: GLC: Recharge #3 of 5   -- 64,490 [65,669]
12/2006: Green Lantern Corps #7  -- 38,737
12/2007: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 50,516
12/2008: Green Lantern Corps #31 -- 44,033
------------------------------------------
12/2009: Green Lantern Corps #43 -- 77,774 (- 3.3%)
01/2010: Green Lantern Corps #44 -- 76,458 (- 1.7%)
02/2010: Green Lantern Corps #45 -- 75,404 (- 1.4%)
03/2010: Green Lantern Corps #46 -- 76,720 (+ 1.8%)
04/2010: Green Lantern Corps #47 -- 72,163 (- 5.9%)
05/2010: Green Lantern Corps #48 -- 68,826 (- 4.6%)
06/2010: Green Lantern Corps #49 -- 66,652 (- 3.2%)
07/2010: Green Lantern Corps #50 -- 67,035 (+ 0.6%)
08/2010: Green Lantern Corps #51 -- 67,124 (+ 0.1%)
09/2010: Green Lantern Corps #52 -- 63,577 (- 5.3%)
10/2010: Green Lantern Corps #53 -- 60,808 (- 4.4%)
11/2010: Green Lantern Corps #54 -- 57,448 (- 5.5%)
12/2010: Green Lantern Corps #55 -- 54,387 (- 5.3%)
----------------
6 months: -18.4%
1 year  : -30.1%
2 years : +23.5%
5 years : -15.7%

See Green Lantern: The franchise is contracting again.

—–

21 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
12/2005: JLA #123           --  76,899
12/2006: Justice League #4  -- 136,709 [139,123]
12/2006: Justice League #5  -- 132,460 [133,924]
12/2007: Justice League #15 -- 100,234
12/2007: Justice League #16 --  95,557
12/2008: Justice League #27 --  75,803
--------------------------------------
12/2009: Justice League #40 --  68,672 (-23.2%)
01/2010: Justice League #41 --  62,262 (- 9.3%)
02/2010: Justice League #42 --  57,522 (- 7.6%)
03/2010: Justice League #43 --  56,461 (- 1.9%)
04/2010: Justice League #44 --  62,342 (+10.4%)
05/2010: Justice League #45 --  62,465 (+ 0.2%)
06/2010: Justice League #46 --  62,754 (+ 0.5%)
07/2010: Justice League #47 --  60,368 (- 3.8%)
08/2010: Justice League #48 --  60,733 (+ 0.6%)
09/2010: Justice League #49 --  57,616 (- 5.1%)
10/2010: Justice League #50 --  59,686 (+ 3.6%)
11/2010: Justice League #51 --  50,887 (-14.7%)
12/2010: Justice League #52 --  48,501 (- 4.7%)
----------------
6 months: -22.7%
1 year  : -29.4%
2 years : -36.0%
5 years : -36.9%

The book has seen better days, obviously.

—–

25 - GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS
08/2010: Emerald Warriors #1  -- 68,332
09/2010: Emerald Warriors #2  -- 56,289 (-17.6%)
10/2010: Emerald Warriors #3  -- 50,490 (-10.3%)
11/2010: Emerald Warriors #4  -- 46,319 (- 8.3%)
12/2010: Emerald Warriors #5  -- 44,077 (- 4.8%)

Bottoming out, though very slowly.

—–

26 - SUPERMAN
12/2005: Superman #224 --  63,719 [ 65,300]
12/2006: --
12/2007: Superman #671 --  45,290
12/2008: Superman #683 --  55,287
---------------------------------
12/2009: Superman #695 --  32,482 (-  5.7%)
01/2010: Superman #696 --  31,940 (-  1.7%)
02/2010: Superman #697 --  31,504 (-  1.4%)
03/2010: Superman #698 --  33,336 (+  5.8%)
04/2010: Superman #699 --  33,183 (-  0.5%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Superman #700 --  67,571 (+103.6%)
07/2010: Superman #701 --  54,506 (- 19.3%)
08/2010: Superman #702 --  50,023 (-  8.2%)
09/2010: --
10/2010: Superman #703 --  50,460 (+  0.9%)
10/2010: Superman #704 --  46,741 (-  7.4%)
11/2010: Superman #705 --  46,261 (-  1.0%)
12/2010: Superman #706 --  43,027 (-  7.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 36.3%
1 year  : + 32.5%
2 years : - 22.2%
5 years : - 32.5%

Another unbelievable management failure on DC’s part: J. Michael Straczynski abandons his much ballyhooed, much maligned Superman makeover halfway through, leaving for greener pastures after issue #707. Issue #706 was a last-minute fill-in, meanwhile.

What’s probably worse for DC is that the current, already less-than-spectacular numbers reflect the demand for the Straczynski story, rather than the filler piece that took its place. Once the news of his departure had time to sink in at the retail level, I doubt the numbers will get better.

—–

30/43 - BATMAN ANNUALS
12/2010: Detective Comics Annual #12 -- 33,522
12/2010: Batman Annual #28           -- 41,484

The two annuals were part of the same story, by the same creative team. The fact that the Batman Annual was part 2 doesn’t seem to have been of much interest to retailers, looking at the numbers.

—–

33 - GREEN LANTERN: LARFLEEZE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
12/2010: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 -- 39,673

A one-shot special written by Geoff Johns, with rock-solid sales for this type of book.

—–

36 - DETECTIVE COMICS
12/2005: Detective Comics #814 --  37,145
12/2006: Detective Comics #826 --  59,657
12/2006: Detective Comics #827 --  55,031
12/2007: Detective Comics #839 --  62,297 [65,773]
12/2008: Detective Comics #851 --  64,961
-----------------------------------------
12/2009: Detective Comics #860 --  52,295 (- 3.9%)
01/2010: Detective Comics #861 --  45,937 (-12.2%)
02/2010: --
03/2010: Detective Comics #862 --  44,687 (- 2.7%)
03/2010: Detective Comics #863 --  43,119 (- 3.5%)
04/2010: Detective Comics #864 --  42,436 (- 1.6%)
05/2010: Detective Comics #865 --  41,501 (- 2.2%)
06/2010: Detective Comics #866 --  46,178 (+11.3%)
07/2010: Detective Comics #867 --  40,371 (-12.6%)
08/2010: Detective Comics #868 --  38,682 (- 4.2%)
09/2010: Detective Comics #869 --  37,394 (- 3.3%)
10/2010: Detective Comics #870 --  35,674 (- 4.6%)
11/2010: Detective Comics #871 --  36,941 (+ 3.6%)
12/2010: Detective Comics #872 --  37,961 (+ 2.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.8%
1 year  : - 27.4%
2 years : - 41.6%
5 years : +  2.2%

Two issues into the run by the new creative team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock, sales continue a slow climb. That’s some much-needed good news for the Batman line.

—–

37 - GREEN ARROW
12/2005: Green Arrow #57  -- 31,778
12/2006: Green Arrow #69  -- 32,234
12/2007: Arrow/Canary #3  -- 40,321
12/2008: Arrow/Canary #15 -- 24,526
-----------------------------------
12/2009: Arrow&Canary #27 -- 16,904 (-  2.8%)
01/2010: Arrow&Canary #28 -- 16,482 (-  2.5%)
02/2010: Arrow&Canary #29 -- 16,600 (+  0.7%)
02/2010: Black Arrow #30  -- 42,014 (+153.1%)
03/2010: Green Arrow #31  -- 28,486 (- 32.2%)
04/2010: Green Arrow #32  -- 29,137 (+  2.3%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Green Arrow #1   -- 54,400 (+ 86.7%) [57,554]
07/2010: Green Arrow #2   -- 44,118 (- 18.9%)
08/2010: Green Arrow #3   -- 46,308 (+  5.0%)
09/2010: Green Arrow #4   -- 44,220 (-  4.5%)
10/2010: Green Arrow #5   -- 42,188 (-  4.6%)
11/2010: Green Arrow #6   -- 39,575 (-  6.2%)
12/2010: Green Arrow #7   -- 36,835 (-  6.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 32.3%
1 year  : +117.9%
2 years : + 50.2%
5 years : + 15.9%

The impression that retailers massively over-ordered a whole bunch of DC titles earlier in 2010 persists. Green Arrow is still doing very well, historically, but it’s been quite a slide for the last few issues, and it’s getting faster.

—–

38 - WONDER WOMAN
12/2005: Wonder Woman #224 --  47,224
12/2006: --
12/2007: Wonder Woman #15  --  44,628
12/2008: Wonder Woman #27  --  32,322
-------------------------------------
12/2009: Wonder Woman #39  --  26,152 (-  0.4%)
01/2010: Wonder Woman #40  --  25,156 (-  3.8%)
02/2010: Wonder Woman #41  --  25,354 (+  0.8%)
03/2010: Wonder Woman #42  --  25,240 (-  0.5%)
04/2010: Wonder Woman #43  --  25,369 (+  0.5%)
05/2010: Wonder Woman #44  --  25,443 (+  0.3%)
06/2010: Wonder Woman #600 --  53,525 (+110.4%) [63,700]
07/2010: Wonder Woman #601 --  39,672 (- 25.9%)
08/2010: Wonder Woman #602 --  38,012 (-  4.2%)
09/2010: Wonder Woman #603 --  38,852 (+  2.2%)
10/2010: Wonder Woman #604 --  37,405 (-  3.7%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: Wonder Woman #605 --  35,495 (-  5.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 33.7%
1 year  : + 35.7%
2 years : +  9.8%
5 years : - 24.8%

Another book abandoned in mid-run by highly publicized writer J. Michael Straczynski. The solicitations list him as the sole series writer through issue #607, but he’s handed off his outline for the book to another writer as of the December issue. Sales, as unimpressive as they already are, still reflect the demand for the Straczynski run.

—–

45 - BIRDS OF PREY
12/2005: Birds of Prey #89  -- 30,653
12/2006: Birds of Prey #101 -- 29,825
12/2007: Birds of Prey #113 -- 24,717
12/2008: Birds of Prey #125 -- 20,161
-------------------------------------
05/2010: Birds of Prey #1   -- 50,428 (+135.4%) [54,965]
06/2010: Birds of Prey #2   -- 44,064 (- 12.6%)
07/2010: Birds of Prey #3   -- 43,420 (-  1.5%)
08/2010: Birds of Prey #4   -- 46,149 (+  6.3%)
09/2010: Birds of Prey #5   -- 40,146 (- 13.0%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Birds of Prey #6   -- 34,440 (- 14.2%)
12/2010: Birds of Prey #7   -- 33,114 (-  3.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.9%
2 years : + 64.3%
5 years : +  8.0%

Another book that retailers overestimated last year, it seems. Not that current sales are bad, mind you — it’s still doing very well, compared to the last five years.

—–

49 - ACTION COMICS
12/2005: Action Comics #834 -- 42,425
12/2006: --
12/2007: Action Comics #860 -- 56,254
12/2008: Action Comics #872 -- 57,175
-------------------------------------
12/2009: Action Comics #884 -- 31,873 (- 4.5%)
01/2010: Action Comics #885 -- 30,678 (- 3.8%)
02/2010: Action Comics #886 -- 29,845 (- 2.7%)
03/2010: Action Comics #887 -- 29,460 (- 1.3%)
04/2010: Action Comics #888 -- 29,536 (+ 0.3%)
04/2010: Action Comics #889 -- 29,106 (- 1.5%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Action Comics #890 -- 34,744 (+19.4%) [40,039]
07/2010: Action Comics #891 -- 35,328 (+ 1.7%)
08/2010: Action Comics #892 -- 36,401 (+ 3.0%)
09/2010: Action Comics #893 -- 33,948 (- 6.7%)
10/2010: Action Comics #894 -- 42,291 (+24.6%)
11/2010: Action Comics #895 -- 33,089 (-21.8%)
12/2010: Action Comics #896 -- 32,357 (- 2.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.9%
1 year  : + 1.5%
2 years : -43.4%
5 years : -23.7%

The Paul Cornell/Pete Woods run continues to yield solid numbers.

—–

51/54 - JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST
05/2010: Generation Lost #1  -- 50,784
05/2010: Generation Lost #2  -- 44,711 (-12.0%)
06/2010: Generation Lost #3  -- 43,278 (- 3.2%)
06/2010: Generation Lost #4  -- 41,702 (- 3.6%)
07/2010: Generation Lost #5  -- 40,370 (- 3.2%)
07/2010: Generation Lost #6  -- 39,190 (- 2.9%)
08/2010: Generation Lost #7  -- 39,971 (+ 2.0%)
08/2010: Generation Lost #8  -- 38,745 (- 3.1%)
09/2010: Generation Lost #9  -- 37,151 (- 4.1%)
09/2010: Generation Lost #10 -- 36,624 (- 1.4%)
10/2010: Generation Lost #11 -- 35,504 (- 3.1%)
10/2010: Generation Lost #12 -- 34,752 (- 2.1%)
11/2010: Generation Lost #13 -- 33,504 (- 3.6%)
11/2010: Generation Lost #14 -- 32,722 (- 2.3%)
12/2010: Generation Lost #15 -- 31,871 (- 2.6%)
12/2010: Generation Lost #16 -- 31,048 (- 2.6%)
----------------
6 months: -26.0%

Declining, slowly and steadily.

—–

52 - SUPERBOY
11/2010: Superboy #1  --  39,701
12/2010: Superboy #2  --  31,761 (-20.0%)

That’s an average drop for an ongoing series. With a little bit of luck, DC might get a solid mid-list title out of this one.

—–

53 - JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
12/2005: JSA #80             --  50,862
12/2006: Justice Society #1  -- 102,990 [108,140]
12/2007: Justice Society #11 --  89,613
12/2008: Justice Society #21 --  69,662
12/2008: Justice Society #22 --  67,615
---------------------------------------
12/2009: Justice Society #34 --  41,734 (-  3.4%)
01/2010: Justice Society #35 --  39,934 (-  4.3%)
02/2010: Justice Society #36 --  39,060 (-  2.2%)
03/2010: Justice Society #37 --  37,381 (-  4.3%)
04/2010: Justice Society #38 --  36,648 (-  2.0%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Justice Society #39 --  36,630 (-  0.1%)
06/2010: Justice Society #40 --  36,008 (-  1.7%)
07/2010: Justice Society #41 --  48,858 (+ 35.7%)
08/2010: Justice Society #42 --  48,420 (-  0.9%)
09/2010: Justice Society #43 --  36,576 (- 24.5%)
10/2010: Justice Society #44 --  35,483 (-  3.0%)
11/2010: Justice Society #45 --  33,582 (-  5.4%)
12/2010: Justice Society #46 --  31,497 (-  6.2%)
----------------
6 months: -13.3%
1 year  : -24.5%
2 years : -54.1%
5 years : -38.1%

Another 2,000 units gone. The book is back in a free-fall.

——

55 - RED ROBIN
12/2005: Robin #145    -- 28,532
12/2006: Robin #157    -- 30,556
12/2007: Robin #169    -- 48,665 [51,441]
12/2008: Robin #181    -- 27,891
--------------------------------
12/2009: Red Robin #7  -- 39,528 (-  6.8%)
01/2010: Red Robin #8  -- 37,869 (-  4.2%)
02/2010: Red Robin #9  -- 36,466 (-  3.7%)
03/2010: Red Robin #10 -- 36,708 (+  0.7%)
04/2010: Red Robin #11 -- 36,205 (-  1.4%)
05/2010: Red Robin #12 -- 36,273 (+  0.2%)
06/2010: Red Robin #13 -- 35,917 (-  1.0%)
07/2010: Red Robin #14 -- 35,652 (-  0.7%)
08/2010: Red Robin #15 -- 34,709 (-  2.7%)
09/2010: Red Robin #16 -- 33,753 (-  2.8%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Red Robin #17 -- 31,825 (-  5.7%)
12/2010: Red Robin #18 -- 30,873 (-  3.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 14.0%
1 year  : - 21.9%
2 years : + 10.7%
5 years : +  8.2%

This one keeps sliding down the charts, but the numbers remain well within the established spectrum for a Robin series.

—–

57 - SUPERMAN/BATMAN
12/2005: Superman/Batman #23 -- 102,248 [103,726]
12/2006: Superman/Batman #31 --  81,716
12/2007: Superman/Batman #44 --  53,057
12/2008: Superman/Batman #54 --  45,968
---------------------------------------
12/2009: Superman/Batman #67 --  49,650 (- 4.8%)
01/2010: Superman/Batman #68 --  33,869 (-31.8%)
02/2010: Superman/Batman #69 --  33,224 (- 1.9%)
03/2010: Superman/Batman #70 --  32,196 (- 3.1%)
04/2010: Superman/Batman #71 --  31,714 (- 1.5%)
05/2010: Superman/Batman #72 --  32,047 (+ 1.1%)
06/2010: Superman/Batman #73 --  31,425 (- 1.9%)
07/2010: Superman/Batman #74 --  30,847 (- 1.8%)
08/2010: Superman/Batman #75 --  34,324 (+11.3%)
09/2010: Superman/Batman #76 --  32,003 (- 6.8%)
10/2010: Superman/Batman #77 --  31,741 (- 0.8%)
11/2010: Superman/Batman #78 --  31,337 (- 1.3%)
12/2010: Superman/Batman #79 --  30,586 (- 2.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 2.7%
1 year  : -38.4%
2 years : -33.5%
5 years : -70.1%

2010 was very stable for Superman/Batman, overall. The book has been jittering up and down above the 30K mark for the last year.

—–

66 - ACTION COMICS ANNUAL
12/2010: Action Comics Annual #13 -- 27,031

The story ties in with the mother title, but sales are still 5,000 units below those of Action Comics proper.

If people care at all about the contents of these annuals, it’s not evident on the December chart.

—–

70 - TEEN TITANS
12/2005: Teen Titans #30 -- 67,155
12/2006: Teen Titans #42 -- 60,165
12/2007: Teen Titans #54 -- 53,790
12/2008: Teen Titans #66 -- 36,808
----------------------------------
12/2009: Teen Titans #78 -- 43,400 (- 6.1%)
01/2010: Teen Titans #79 -- 27,790 (-36.0%)
02/2010: Teen Titans #80 -- 26,537 (- 4.5%)
03/2010: Teen Titans #81 -- 25,758 (- 2.9%)
04/2010: Teen Titans #82 -- 25,303 (- 1.8%)
05/2010: Teen Titans #83 -- 24,960 (- 1.4%)
06/2010: Teen Titans #84 -- 24,593 (- 1.5%)
07/2010: Teen Titans #85 -- 24,248 (- 1.4%)
08/2010: Teen Titans #86 -- 24,971 (+ 3.0%)
09/2010: Teen Titans #87 -- 23,259 (- 6.9%)
10/2010: Teen Titans #88 -- 27,637 (+18.8%)
11/2010: Teen Titans #89 -- 26,444 (- 4.3%)
12/2010: Teen Titans #90 -- 25,997 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: + 5.7%
1 year  : -40.1%
2 years : -29.4%
5 years : -61.3%

Bottoming out again; another book that’s had a relatively stable 2010, overall.

—–

72 - BATGIRL
12/2005: Batgirl #71     -- 26,378
12/2008: Batgirl #6 of 6 -- 20,750
----------------------------------
12/2009: Batgirl #5      -- 32,482 (-  6.4%)
01/2010: Batgirl #6      -- 30,403 (-  6.4%)
02/2010: Batgirl #7      -- 29,524 (-  2.9%)
03/2010: Batgirl #8      -- 30,886 (+  4.6%)
04/2010: Batgirl #9      -- 29,445 (-  4.7%)
05/2010: Batgirl #10     -- 28,641 (-  2.7%)
06/2010: Batgirl #11     -- 28,563 (-  0.3%)
07/2010: Batgirl #12     -- 28,011 (-  1.9%)
08/2010: Batgirl #13     -- 27,247 (-  2.7%)
09/2010: Batgirl #14     -- 26,861 (-  1.4%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Batgirl #15     -- 25,827 (-  3.9%)
12/2010: Batgirl #16     -- 25,225 (-  2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -11.7%
1 year  : -22.3%
2 years : +21.6%
5 years : - 4.4%

Standard attrition.

—–

73 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
12/2005: --
12/2006: SLoSH #25            -- 33,288
12/2007: LoSH #37             -- 45,803
12/2008: LoSH #49             -- 22,180
---------------------------------------
05/2010: LoSH #1              -- 44,415 (+98.9%) [50,106]
06/2010: LoSH #2              -- 39,102 (-12.0%)
07/2010: LoSH #3              -- 36,360 (- 7.0%)
08/2010: LoSH #4              -- 34,239 (- 5.8%)
09/2010: LoSH #5              -- 32,417 (- 5.3%)
10/2010: LoSH #6              -- 30,246 (- 6.7%)
11/2010: LoSH #7              -- 26,439 (-12.6%)
12/2010: LoSH #8              -- 25,063 (- 5.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 35.9%
2 years : + 13.0%
5 years :  n.a.

Sales keep sliding down the chart too fast for comfort.

—–

74 - BATMAN 80-PAGE GIANT
12/2010: Batman 80-Page Giant 2010 #1 -- 24,582

Not bad sales for an inconsequential $ 5.99 anthology special.

—–

76 - ADVENTURE COMICS
12/2009: Adventure Comics #5   -- 59,876 (-29.7%)
01/2010: Adventure Comics #6   -- 42,514 (-29.0%)
02/2010: Adventure Comics #7   -- 53,721 (+26.4%)
03/2010: Adventure Comics #8   -- 39,351 (-26.8%)
03/2010: Adventure Comics #9   -- 37,515 (- 4.7%)
04/2010: Adventure Comics #10  -- 37,573 (+ 0.2%)
05/2010: Adventure Comics #11  -- 34,794 (- 7.4%)
06/2010: Adventure Comics #12  -- 34,663 (- 0.4%)
07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 (-10.9%)
08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 (- 6.3%)
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 (- 6.7%)
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 (- 6.2%)
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 (- 3.2%)
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 (- 6.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 31.4%
1 year  : - 60.3%

Well, it’s not bottoming out, after all.

—–

78 - FABLES (Vertigo)
12/2005: Fables #44  -- 24,515
12/2006: Fables #56  -- 25,892
12/2007: Fables #68  -- 24,574
12/2008: Fables #79  -- 22,769
------------------------------
12/2009: Fables #91  -- 20,450 (- 2.1%)
01/2010: Fables #92  -- 20,180 (- 1.3%)
02/2010: --
03/2010: Fables #93  -- 20,003 (- 0.9%)
04/2010: Fables #94  -- 19,965 (- 0.2%)
05/2010: Fables #95  -- 19,932 (- 0.2%)
06/2010: Fables #96  -- 19,842 (- 0.5%)
07/2010: --
08/2010: Fables #97  -- 19,625 (- 1.1%)
09/2010: Fables #98  -- 19,594 (- 0.2%)
10/2010: Fables #99  -- 19,656 (+ 0.3%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: Fables #100 -- 23,014 (+17.1%)
----------------
6 months: +16.0%
1 year  : +12.5%
2 years : + 1.1%
5 years : - 6.1%

Fables celebrates its 100th issue with a 100-page $ 9.99 special. The issue was originally meant to be out in November.

—–

79 - SUPERGIRL
12/2005: --
12/2006: Supergirl #12 --  59,819
12/2006: Supergirl #13 --  56,648
12/2007: Supergirl #24 --  37,922
12/2008: Supergirl #36 --  45,491
---------------------------------
12/2009: Supergirl #48 --  28,176 (- 3.4%)
01/2010: Supergirl #49 --  27,728 (- 1.6%)
02/2010: Supergirl #50 --  33,338 (+20.2%)
03/2010: Supergirl #51 --  29,845 (-10.5%)
04/2010: Supergirl #52 --  29,490 (- 1.2%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Supergirl #53 --  28,317 (- 4.0%)
07/2010: Supergirl #54 --  26,941 (- 4.9%)
08/2010: Supergirl #55 --  25,891 (- 3.9%)
09/2010: Supergirl #56 --  25,034 (- 3.3%)
10/2010: Supergirl #57 --  23,842 (- 4.8%)
11/2010: Supergirl #58 --  25,412 (+ 6.6%)
12/2010: Supergirl #59 --  22,606 (-11.0%)
----------------
6 months: -20.2%
1 year  : -19.8%
2 years : -50.3%
5 years :  n.a.

No variant edition in December, so sales crash back into the ongoing decline. These are the lowest figures yet for the current series.

—–

80 - TITANS
12/2008: Titans #8      -- 39,154
---------------------------------
12/2009: Titans #20     -- 25,887 (- 4.5%)
01/2010: Titans #21     -- 24,924 (- 3.7%)
02/2010: Titans #22     -- 24,489 (- 1.8%)
03/2010: Titans #23     -- 24,260 (- 0.9%)
04/2010: --
05/2010: VfH Special #1 -- 31,718 (+30.7%)
06/2010: Titans #24     -- 33,079 (+ 4.3%)
07/2010: Titans #25     -- 31,505 (- 4.8%)
08/2010: Titans #26     -- 32,800 (+ 4.1%)
09/2010: Titans #27     -- 28,438 (-13.3%)
10/2010: Titans #28     -- 27,430 (- 3.6%)
11/2010: Titans #29     -- 24,138 (-12.0%)
12/2010: Titans #30     -- 22,483 (- 6.9%)
----------------
6 months: -32.0%
1 year  : -13.2%
2 years : -42.6%

It’s been an erratic year, but Titans sales have seen much better days.

—–

81 - TIME MASTERS: VANISHING POINT
07/2010: Vanishing Point #1 of 6 -- 34,509
08/2010: Vanishing Point #2 of 6 -- 26,918 (-22.0%)
09/2010: Vanishing Point #3 of 6 -- 24,177 (-10.2%)
10/2010: Vanishing Point #4 of 6 -- 22,813 (- 5.6%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: Vanishing Point #5 of 6 -- 22,312 (- 2.2%)
82 - DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES
05/2010: DCU Legacies #1  of 10 -- 34,429
06/2010: DCU Legacies #2  of 10 -- 29,286 (-14.9%)
07/2010: DCU Legacies #3  of 10 -- 26,708 (- 8.8%)
08/2010: DCU Legacies #4  of 10 -- 25,691 (- 3.8%)
09/2010: DCU Legacies #5  of 10 -- 25,851 (+ 0.6%)
10/2010: DCU Legacies #6  of 10 -- 24,210 (- 6.4%)
11/2010: DCU Legacies #7  of 10 -- 23,215 (- 4.1%)
12/2010: DCU Legacies #8  of 10 -- 21,886 (- 5.7%)
----------------
6 months: -25.3%

Retailers seem to be treating these as token inessential DC Universe miniseries.

—–

83 - BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM
12/2009: Batman: SoG #7  -- 30,290 (- 6.2%)
01/2010: Batman: SoG #8  -- 28,313 (- 6.5%)
02/2010: Batman: SoG #9  -- 27,023 (- 4.6%)
03/2010: Batman: SoG #10 -- 26,396 (- 2.3%)
04/2010: Batman: SoG #11 -- 25,925 (- 1.8%)
05/2010: Batman: SoG #12 -- 25,446 (- 1.9%)
06/2010: Batman: SoG #13 -- 25,205 (- 1.0%)
07/2010: Batman: SoG #14 -- 24,767 (- 1.7%)
08/2010: Batman: SoG #15 -- 24,171 (- 2.4%)
09/2010: Batman: SoG #16 -- 23,830 (- 1.4%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: Batman: SoG #17 -- 22,390 (- 6.0%)
12/2010: Batman: SoG #18 -- 21,684 (- 3.2%)
----------------
6 months: -14.0%
1 year  : -28.4%
85 - GOTHAM CITY SIRENS
12/2009: GC Sirens #7  -- 29,709 (- 4.1%)
01/2010: GC Sirens #8  -- 28,254 (- 4.9%)
02/2010: GC Sirens #9  -- 27,172 (- 3.8%)
03/2010: GC Sirens #10 -- 26,550 (- 2.3%)
04/2010: GC Sirens #11 -- 26,359 (- 0.7%)
05/2010: GC Sirens #12 -- 26,029 (- 1.3%)
06/2010: GC Sirens #13 -- 25,867 (- 0.6%)
07/2010: GC Sirens #14 -- 25,315 (- 2.1%)
08/2010: GC Sirens #15 -- 24,589 (- 2.9%)
09/2010: GC Sirens #16 -- 23,821 (- 3.1%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: GC Sirens #17 -- 22,107 (- 7.2%)
12/2010: GC Sirens #18 -- 21,344 (- 3.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.5%
1 year  : - 28.2%

Two Batman spin-off titles that have been selling back to back for their entire run, which usually means retailers are ordering out of inertia more than anything else. Streets of Gotham is cancelled with issue #21.

—–

94 - SECRET SIX
12/2006: Secret Six #6 of 6 -- 35,513
12/2008: Secret Six #4      -- 24,657
-------------------------------------
12/2009: Secret Six #16     -- 22,638 (- 2.4%)
01/2010: Secret Six #17     -- 38,515 (+70.1%)
02/2010: Secret Six #18     -- 37,876 (- 1.7%)
03/2010: Secret Six #19     -- 23,181 (-38.8%)
04/2010: Secret Six #20     -- 22,695 (- 2.1%)
05/2010: Secret Six #21     -- 22,334 (- 1.6%)
06/2010: Secret Six #22     -- 21,941 (- 1.8%)
07/2010: Secret Six #23     -- 21,554 (- 1.8%)
08/2010: Secret Six #24     -- 21,177 (- 1.8%)
09/2010: Secret Six #25     -- 20,775 (- 1.9%)
10/2010: Secret Six #26     -- 20,377 (- 1.9%)
11/2010: Secret Six #27     -- 19,963 (- 2.0%)
12/2010: Secret Six #28     -- 19,587 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -10.7%
1 year  : -13.5%
2 years : -20.6%

Very slowly, very steadily declining, as always.

—–

98 - ZATANNA
05/2010: Zatanna #1  -- 33,691
06/2010: Zatanna #2  -- 29,564 (-12.3%)
07/2010: Zatanna #3  -- 27,792 (- 6.0%)
08/2010: Zatanna #4  -- 27,203 (- 2.1%)
09/2010: Zatanna #5  -- 25,393 (- 6.7%)
10/2010: Zatanna #6  -- 23,427 (- 7.7%)
11/2010: Zatanna #7  -- 20,671 (-11.8%)
12/2010: Zatanna #8  -- 19,321 (- 6.5%)
----------------
6 months: -34.7%

The numbers aren’t bottoming out in any meaningful way yet.

—–

99/106 - AMERICAN VAMPIRE (Vertigo)
03/2010: American Vampire #1  -- 33,762          [36,831]
04/2010: American Vampire #2  -- 26,770 (-20.7%)
05/2010: American Vampire #3  -- 26,510 (- 1.0%)
06/2010: American Vampire #4  -- 25,977 (- 2.0%)
07/2010: American Vampire #5  -- 24,857 (- 4.3%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: American Vampire #6  -- 23,349 (- 6.1%)
10/2010: American Vampire #7  -- 21,910 (- 6.2%)
11/2010: American Vampire #8  -- 19,850 (- 9.4%)
12/2010: American Vampire #9  -- 19,019 (- 4.2%)
12/2010: American Vampire #10 -- 17,761 (- 6.6%)
----------------
6 months: -29.2%

The book keeps shedding units, but remains Vertigo’s second-best-selling title, for now.

—–

101 - JSA ALL-STARS
12/2009: JSA All-Stars #1  -- 42,493
01/2010: JSA All-Stars #2  -- 32,601 (-23.3%)
02/2010: JSA All-Stars #3  -- 29,666 (- 9.0%)
03/2010: JSA All-Stars #4  -- 28,526 (- 3.8%)
04/2010: JSA All-Stars #5  -- 26,581 (- 6.8%)
05/2010: JSA All-Stars #6  -- 25,306 (- 4.8%)
06/2010: JSA All-Stars #7  -- 24,436 (- 3.4%)
07/2010: JSA All-Stars #8  -- 23,478 (- 3.9%)
08/2010: JSA All-Stars #9  -- 22,347 (- 4.8%)
09/2010: JSA All-Stars #10 -- 21,646 (- 3.1%)
10/2010: JSA All-Stars #11 -- 20,496 (- 5.3%)
11/2010: JSA All-Stars #12 -- 19,630 (- 4.2%)
12/2010: JSA All-Stars #13 -- 18,395 (- 6.3%)
----------------
6 months: -24.7%
1 year  : -56.7%

No end in sight for the book’s downward slide.

—–

103 - FIRST WAVE
11/2009: B/DS Special #1    -- 32,636
-------------------------------------
03/2010: First Wave #1 of 6 -- 38,365
04/2010: --
05/2010: First Wave #2 of 6 -- 30,705 (-20.0%)
06/2010: --
07/2010: First Wave #3 of 6 -- 25,920 (-15.6%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: First Wave #4 of 6 -- 20,497 (-20.9%)
10/2010: --
11/2010: --
12/2010: First Wave #5 of 6 -- 18,241 (-11.0%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.

Retailers aimed way too high on this one early on, it appears. The current sales level seems about right for this type of book.

—–

104/112 - BATMAN: ORPHANS
12/2010: Batman: Orphans #1 of 2 -- 18,164
12/2010: Batman: Orphans #2 of 2 -- 16,705 (-8.0%)

The spring-cleaning of DC’s flat file drawers continues. Not bad sales for inventory material.

—–

110 - POWER GIRL
12/2009: Power Girl #7  -- 22,533 (-16.7%)
01/2010: Power Girl #8  -- 21,760 (- 3.4%)
02/2010: Power Girl #9  -- 20,900 (- 4.0%)
03/2010: Power Girl #10 -- 20,801 (- 0.5%)
04/2010: Power Girl #11 -- 20,675 (- 0.6%)
05/2010: Power Girl #12 -- 20,681 (+ 0.0%)
06/2010: Power Girl #13 -- 20,583 (- 0.5%)
07/2010: Power Girl #14 -- 19,739 (- 4.1%)
08/2010: Power Girl #15 -- 19,091 (- 3.3%)
09/2010: Power Girl #16 -- 18,404 (- 3.6%)
10/2010: Power Girl #17 -- 17,847 (- 3.0%)
11/2010: Power Girl #18 -- 17,300 (- 3.1%)
12/2010: Power Girl #19 -- 16,763 (- 3.1%)
----------------
6 months: -18.6%
1 year  : -25.6%
114 - BOOSTER GOLD
12/2007: Booster Gold #5  -- 38,228
12/2008: Booster Gold #15 -- 26,835
-----------------------------------
12/2009: Booster Gold #27 -- 40,256 (- 29.5%)
01/2010: Booster Gold #28 -- 21,967 (- 45.4%)
02/2010: Booster Gold #29 -- 21,020 (-  4.3%)
03/2010: Booster Gold #30 -- 20,187 (-  4.0%)
04/2010: Booster Gold #31 -- 19,818 (-  1.8%)
05/2010: Booster Gold #32 -- 20,343 (+  2.7%)
06/2010: Booster Gold #33 -- 19,895 (-  2.2%)
07/2010: Booster Gold #34 -- 19,592 (-  1.5%)
08/2010: Booster Gold #35 -- 19,104 (-  2.5%)
09/2010: Booster Gold #36 -- 18,504 (-  3.1%)
10/2010: Booster Gold #37 -- 17,806 (-  3.8%)
11/2010: Booster Gold #38 -- 17,276 (-  3.0%)
12/2010: Booster Gold #39 -- 16,686 (-  3.4%)
----------------
6 months: -16.1%
1 year  : -58.6%
2 years : -37.8%

Two ongoing titles that have been in search of an audience since their original creative teams moved on.

—–

120 - GREEN LANTERN/PLASTIC MAN: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION
12/2010: Weapons of Mass Deception #1 -- 16,082
141 - TEEN TITANS: COLD CASE
12/2010: Cold Case #1 -- 13,819
143 - DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010
12/2010: DCU Holiday Special 2010 #1 -- 13,679

Three $ 4.99 one-shots with inconsequential inventory material. The numbers are as you’d expect.

—–

145 - BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL
12/2006: Batman Confidential #1  -- 61,119
12/2007: --
12/2008: Batman Confidential #24 -- 21,470
------------------------------------------
12/2009: Batman Confidential #38 -- 16,132 (- 1.4%)
12/2009: Batman Confidential #39 -- 15,906 (- 1.4%)
01/2010: Batman Confidential #40 -- 17,241 (+ 8.4%)
02/2010: Batman Confidential #41 -- 16,856 (- 2.2%)
03/2010: Batman Confidential #42 -- 16,652 (- 1.2%)
04/2010: Batman Confidential #43 -- 16,449 (- 1.2%)
05/2010: Batman Confidential #44 -- 15,279 (- 7.1%)
06/2010: Batman Confidential #45 -- 15,070 (- 1.4%)
07/2010: Batman Confidential #46 -- 14,621 (- 3.0%)
08/2010: Batman Confidential #47 -- 14,341 (- 1.9%)
09/2010: Batman Confidential #48 -- 14,329 (- 0.1%)
10/2010: Batman Confidential #49 -- 14,112 (- 1.5%)
11/2010: Batman Confidential #50 -- 14,450 (+ 2.4%)
12/2010: Batman Confidential #51 -- 13,495 (- 6.6%)
----------------
6 months: -10.5%
1 year  : -16.4%
2 years : -37.2%

Cancelled with issue #54.

—–

147 - THE OUTSIDERS
12/2005: Outsiders #31 -- 46,555
12/2006: Outsiders #43 -- 34,243
12/2007: Batsiders #3  -- 40,371
12/2008: Batsiders #14 -- 32,163
--------------------------------
12/2009: Outsiders #25 -- 37,847 (- 25.7%)
01/2010: Outsiders #26 -- 22,626 (- 40.2%)
02/2010: Outsiders #27 -- 21,167 (-  6.5%)
03/2010: Outsiders #28 -- 19,632 (-  7.3%)
04/2010: Outsiders #29 -- 19,094 (-  2.7%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Outsiders #30 -- 18,045 (-  5.5%)
07/2010: Outsiders #31 -- 17,173 (-  4.8%)
08/2010: Outsiders #32 -- 15,754 (-  8.3%)
09/2010: --
10/2010: Outsiders #33 -- 15,253 (-  3.2%)
11/2010: Outsiders #34 -- 13,576 (- 11.0%)
12/2010: Outsiders #35 -- 13,133 (-  3.3%)
----------------
6 months: -27.2%
1 year  : -65.3%
2 years : -59.2%
5 years : -71.8%

Not cancelled yet as I’m writing this, somewhat surprisingly.

—–

148 - JLA/THE 99
10/2010: JLA/The 99 #1 of 6 -- 19,995
11/2010: JLA/The 99 #2 of 6 -- 15,525 (-22.4%)
12/2010: JLA/The 99 #3 of 6 -- 12,819 (-17.4%)
153 - KNIGHT AND SQUIRE
10/2010: Knight & Squire #1 of 6 -- 21,867
11/2010: Knight & Squire #2 of 6 -- 14,466 (-33.9%)
12/2010: Knight & Squire #3 of 6 -- 12,142 (-16.1%)

Two miniseries with a decidedly niche appeal. It’s never easy to tell whether the direct market is a curse or a blessing for something like Knight and Squire.

—–

155 - I, ZOMBIE
05/2010: I, Zombie #1  -- 33,025
06/2010: I, Zombie #2  -- 18,620 (-43.6%)
07/2010: I, Zombie #3  -- 16,898 (- 9.3%)
08/2010: I, Zombie #4  -- 15,772 (- 6.7%)
09/2010: I, Zombie #5  -- 14,839 (- 5.9%)
10/2010: I, Zombie #6  -- 13,782 (- 7.1%)
11/2010: I, Zombie #7  -- 12,800 (- 7.1%)
12/2010: I, Zombie #8  -- 12,038 (- 6.0%)
----------------
6 months: -35.4%
158 - THE UNWRITTEN (Vertigo)
12/2009: The Unwritten #8  -- 14,257 (- 3.4%)
01/2010: The Unwritten #9  -- 13,792 (- 3.3%)
02/2010: The Unwritten #10 -- 13,644 (- 1.1%)
03/2010: The Unwritten #11 -- 13,630 (- 0.1%)
04/2010: The Unwritten #12 -- 13,507 (- 0.9%)
05/2010: The Unwritten #13 -- 13,467 (- 0.3%)
06/2010: The Unwritten #14 -- 13,396 (- 0.5%)
07/2010: The Unwritten #15 -- 13,023 (- 2.8%)
08/2010: The Unwritten #16 -- 12,778 (- 1.9%)
09/2010: The Unwritten #17 -- 12,796 (+ 0.2%)
10/2010: The Unwritten #18 -- 12,273 (- 4.1%)
11/2010: The Unwritten #19 -- 12,036 (- 1.9%)
12/2010: The Unwritten #20 -- 11,684 (- 2.9%)
----------------
6 months: -12.8%
1 year  : -18.1%

Two of the more successful Vertigo launches in recent memory, though I, Zombie may want to find its level soon.

—–

165 - T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS
11/2010: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1  -- 16,122
12/2010: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2  -- 11,227 (-30.4%)

A stiff second-issue drop, but that was to be expected, given that there was no variant-cover edition in December. As low as the numbers are, they’re probably as good as can be expected for this type of book.

—–

173 - JONAH HEX
12/2005: Jonah Hex #2  -- 26,227
12/2006: Jonah Hex #14 -- 18,295
12/2007: Jonah Hex #26 -- 14,088
12/2008: Jonah Hex #38 -- 12,132
--------------------------------
12/2009: Jonah Hex #50 -- 15,131 (+35.8%)
01/2010: Jonah Hex #51 -- 11,184 (-26.1%)
02/2010: Jonah Hex #52 -- 11,213 (+ 0.3%)
03/2010: Jonah Hex #53 -- 11,565 (+ 3.1%)
04/2010: Jonah Hex #54 -- 11,306 (- 2.2%)
05/2010: Jonah Hex #55 -- 11,327 (+ 0.2%)
06/2010: Jonah Hex #56 -- 13,441 (+18.7%)
07/2010: Jonah Hex #57 -- 12,318 (- 8.4%)
08/2010: Jonah Hex #58 -- 11,775 (- 4.4%)
09/2010: Jonah Hex #59 -- 11,444 (- 2.8%)
10/2010: Jonah Hex #60 -- 11,141 (- 2.7%)
11/2010: Jonah Hex #61 -- 10,796 (- 3.1%)
12/2010: Jonah Hex #62 -- 10,899 (+ 1.0%)
----------------
6 months: -18.9%
1 year  : -28.0%
2 years : -10.2%
5 years : -58.4%

Jonah Hex sees one of its occasional upticks, this time presumably thanks to guest art by Eduardo Risso.

The book had a good, solid year in 2010.

—–

176 - R.E.B.E.L.S.
12/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #11 -- 31,489 (- 38.4%)
01/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #12 -- 12,428 (- 60.5%)
02/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #13 -- 11,836 (-  4.8%)
03/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #14 -- 11,362 (-  4.0%)
04/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #15 -- 11,271 (-  0.8%)
05/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #16 -- 11,120 (-  1.3%)
06/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #17 -- 11,048 (-  0.7%)
07/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #18 -- 11,007 (-  0.4%)
08/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #19 -- 10,851 (-  1.4%)
09/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #20 -- 11,745 (+  8.2%)
10/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #21 -- 11,262 (-  4.1%)
11/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #22 -- 10,797 (-  4.1%)
12/2010: R.E.B.E.L.S. #23 -- 10,619 (-  1.7%)
-----------------
6 months: -  3.9%
1 year  : - 66.3%

Another title with very low but very steady sales figures.

—–

183 - FREEDOM FIGHTERS
12/2006: US & FF #6 of 8      -- 23,321
12/2007: US & FF #4 of 8      -- 15,832
---------------------------------------
09/2010: Freedom Fighters #1  -- 19,378
10/2010: Freedom Fighters #2  -- 12,758 (-34.2%)
11/2010: Freedom Fighters #3  -- 11,186 (-12.3%)
12/2010: Freedom Fighters #4  -- 10,028 (-10.4%)

This, on the other hand, looks like a disaster waiting to happen. It’s not like the two miniseries that preceded the book set the charts on fire.

—–

186 - JACK OF FABLES (Vertigo)
12/2006: Jack of Fables #6  -- 20,950
12/2007: Jack of Fables #18 -- 17,242
12/2008: Jack of Fables #29 -- 14,151
-------------------------------------
12/2009: Jack of Fables #40 -- 12,970 (- 1.5%)
12/2009: Jack of Fables #41 -- 12,559 (- 3.2%)
01/2010: Jack of Fables #42 -- 11,966 (- 4.7%)
02/2010: --
03/2010: Jack of Fables #43 -- 11,878 (- 0.7%)
03/2010: Jack of Fables #44 -- 11,472 (- 3.4%)
04/2010: Jack of Fables #45 -- 11,324 (- 1.3%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: --
07/2010: Jack of Fables #46 -- 11,195 (- 1.1%)
08/2010: --
09/2010: Jack of Fables #47 -- 11,026 (- 1.5%)
10/2010: Jack of Fables #48 -- 10,347 (- 6.2%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: Jack of Fables #49 --  9,828 (- 5.0%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  : -23.0%
2 years : -30.6%

The Fables spin-off is still one of Vertigo’s better-selling comic books, but it’s obvious by now that the franchise has seen better days.

——

188 - DOOM PATROL
12/2009: Doom Patrol #5  -- 35,348 (- 34.2%)
01/2010: Doom Patrol #6  -- 17,117 (- 51.6%)
02/2010: Doom Patrol #7  -- 15,689 (-  8.3%)
03/2010: Doom Patrol #8  -- 14,197 (-  9.5%)
04/2010: Doom Patrol #9  -- 13,126 (-  7.5%)
05/2010: Doom Patrol #10 -- 12,334 (-  6.0%)
06/2010: Doom Patrol #11 -- 11,857 (-  3.9%)
07/2010: Doom Patrol #12 -- 11,267 (-  5.0%)
08/2010: Doom Patrol #13 -- 10,878 (-  3.5%)
09/2010: Doom Patrol #14 -- 10,780 (-  0.9%)
10/2010: Doom Patrol #15 -- 10,081 (-  6.5%)
11/2010: Doom Patrol #16 --  9,955 (-  1.3%)
12/2010: Doom Patrol #17 --  9,564 (-  3.9%)
----------------
6 months: -19.3%
1 year  : -72.9%

Not dead yet, evidently, but I’d be surprised if there was a lot of rope left, at this stage.

—–

191 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo)
12/2005: Hellblazer #215 -- 14,405
12/2006: Hellblazer #227 -- 13,231
12/2007: Hellblazer #239 -- 12,344
12/2008: Hellblazer #250 -- 12,478
----------------------------------
12/2009: Hellblazer #262 -- 10,334 (-2.1%)
01/2010: Hellblazer #263 -- 10,179 (-1.5%)
02/2010: Hellblazer #264 -- 10,025 (-1.5%)
03/2010: Hellblazer #265 -- 10,295 (+2.7%)
04/2010: Hellblazer #266 -- 10,256 (-0.4%)
05/2010: Hellblazer #267 -- 10,155 (-1.0%)
06/2010: Hellblazer #268 -- 10,221 (+0.7%)
07/2010: Hellblazer #269 -- 10,048 (-1.7%)
08/2010: Hellblazer #270 --  9,928 (-1.2%)
09/2010: Hellblazer #271 --  9,851 (-0.8%)
10/2010: Hellblazer #272 --  9,650 (-2.0%)
11/2010: Hellblazer #273 --  9,645 (-0.1%)
12/2010: Hellblazer #274 --  9,342 (-3.1%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.6%
1 year  : - 9.6%
2 years : -25.1%
5 years : -35.2%

The longest-running Vertigo title keeps up its slow, fairly consistent decline.

—–

198 - THE X-FILES/30 DAYS OF NIGHT (WildStorm)
07/2008: Special #0      -- 23,805
11/2008: X-Files #1 of 6 -- 16,042 (-32.6%)
12/2008: X-Files #2 of 6 -- 11,562 (-27.9%)
01/2009: X-Files #3 of 6 --  9,808 (-15.2%)
02/2009: X-Files #4 of 6 --  9,268 (- 5.5%)
03/2009: X-Files #5 of 6 --  8,999 (- 2.9%)
04/2009: X-Files #6 of 6 --  8,789 (- 2.3%)
----------------------------------
07/2010: XF30DoN #1 of 6 -- 16,109 (+83.3%)
08/2010: XF30DoN #2 of 6 -- 11,163 (-30.7%)
09/2010: XF30DoN #3 of 6 -- 10,803 (- 3.2%)
10/2010: XF30DoN #4 of 6 --  9,780 (- 9.5%)
11/2010: XF30DoN #5 of 6 --  9,403 (- 3.9%)
12/2010: XF30DoN #6 of 6 --  9,000 (- 4.3%)
----------------
2 years : -22.2%

The best-selling WildStorm comic in December.

—–

203 - DOC SAVAGE
04/2010: Doc Savage #1   -- 24,539
05/2010: Doc Savage #2   -- 19,073 (-22.3%)
06/2010: Doc Savage #3   -- 16,153 (-15.3%)
07/2010: Doc Savage #4   -- 14,621 (- 9.5%)
08/2010: Doc Savage #5   -- 13,125 (-10.2%)
09/2010: Doc Savage #6   -- 11,838 (- 9.8%)
10/2010: Doc Savage #7   -- 10,050 (-15.1%)
11/2010: Doc Savage #8   --  9,257 (- 7.9%)
12/2010: Doc Savage #9   --  8,681 (- 6.2%)
----------------
6 months: -46.3%

Not levelling out.

—–

206 - SWEET TOOTH (Vertigo)
12/2009: Sweet Tooth #4  --  9,817 (- 5.3%)
01/2010: Sweet Tooth #5  --  9,787 (- 0.3%)
02/2010: Sweet Tooth #6  --  9,740 (- 0.5%)
03/2010: Sweet Tooth #7  --  9,718 (- 0.2%)
04/2010: Sweet Tooth #8  --  9,612 (- 1.1%)
05/2010: Sweet Tooth #9  --  9,654 (+ 0.4%)
06/2010: Sweet Tooth #10 --  9,570 (- 0.9%)
07/2010: Sweet Tooth #11 --  9,478 (- 1.0%)
08/2010: Sweet Tooth #12 --  9,246 (- 2.5%)
09/2010: Sweet Tooth #13 --  9,097 (- 1.6%)
10/2010: Sweet Tooth #14 --  8,933 (- 1.8%)
11/2010: Sweet Tooth #15 --  8,750 (- 2.1%)
12/2010: Sweet Tooth #16 --  8,602 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: -10.1%
1 year  : -12.4%

Standard attrition.

—–

209 - THE SPIRIT
12/2010: The Spirit #24 -- 10,048
---------------------------------
04/2010: The Spirit #1  -- 19,849 (+158.8%)
05/2010: The Spirit #2  -- 14,274 (- 28.1%)
06/2010: The Spirit #3  -- 13,030 (-  8.7%)
07/2010: The Spirit #4  -- 11,915 (-  8.6%)
08/2010: The Spirit #5  -- 11,015 (-  7.6%)
09/2010: The Spirit #6  -- 10,083 (-  8.5%)
10/2010: The Spirit #7  --  9,233 (-  8.4%)
11/2010: The Spirit #8  --  8,706 (-  5.7%)
12/2010: The Spirit #9  --  8,297 (-  4.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 36.3%
2 years : - 17.4%

This one’s finally finding its level around 8K, evidently.

—–

219 - AZRAEL
12/2009: Azrael #3  -- 17,757 (-17.0%)
01/2010: Azrael #4  -- 14,703 (-17.2%)
02/2010: Azrael #5  -- 12,856 (-12.6%)
03/2010: Azrael #6  -- 11,825 (- 8.0%)
04/2010: Azrael #7  -- 11,080 (- 6.3%)
05/2010: Azrael #8  -- 10,228 (- 7.7%)
06/2010: Azrael #9  --  9,802 (- 4.2%)
07/2010: Azrael #10 --  9,223 (- 5.9%)
08/2010: Azrael #11 --  8,930 (- 3.2%)
09/2010: Azrael #12 --  8,559 (- 4.2%)
10/2010: Azrael #13 --  8,198 (- 4.2%)
11/2010: Azrael #14 --  7,841 (- 4.4%)
12/2010: Azrael #15 --  7,699 (- 1.8%)
----------------
6 months: -21.5%
1 year  : -56.6%

Cancelled with issue #18.

—–

222 - CONSTANTINE: HELLBLAZER: CITY OF DEMONS (Vertigo)
10/2010: CH: CoD #1 of 5 -- 8,784
10/2010: CH: CoD #2 of 5 -- 8,097 (-7.8%)
11/2010: CH: CoD #3 of 5 -- 7,791 (-3.8%)
11/2010: CH: CoD #4 of 5 -- 7,566 (-2.9%)
12/2010: CH: CoD #5 of 5 -- 7,601 (+0.5%)

All-right sales for a Hellblazer spin-off.

—–

224 - TINY TITANS (Johnny DC)
12/2008: Tiny Titans #11 --  9,085
----------------------------------
12/2009: Tiny Titans #23 --  8,017 (- 1.0%)
01/2010: Tiny Titans #24 --  7,844 (- 2.2%)
02/2010: Tiny Titans #25 --  8,566 (+ 9.2%)
03/2010: Tiny Titans #26 --  7,878 (- 8.0%)
04/2010: Tiny Titans #27 --  8,224 (+ 4.4%)
05/2010: Tiny Titans #28 --  7,959 (- 3.2%)
06/2010: Tiny Titans #29 --  8,195 (+ 3.0%)
07/2010: Tiny Titans #30 --  8,038 (- 1.9%)
08/2010: Tiny Titans #31 --  7,987 (- 0.6%)
09/2010: Tiny Titans #32 --  8,073 (+ 1.1%)
10/2010: Tiny Titans #33 --  8,045 (- 0.4%)
11/2010: Tiny Titans #34 --  7,713 (- 4.1%)
12/2010: Tiny Titans #35 --  7,515 (- 2.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.3%
1 year  : - 6.3%
2 years : -17.3%
227 - TINY TITANS/LITTLE ARCHIE (Johnny DC)
10/2010: TT/LA #1 of 3 --  9,968
11/2010: TT/LA #2 of 3 --  8,025 (-19.5%)
12/2010: TT/LA #3 of 3 --  7,425 (- 7.5%)

Two Johnny DC books. See small print.

—–

229 - HOUSE OF MYSTERY (Vertigo)
12/2008: House of Mystery #8  -- 14,273
---------------------------------------
12/2009: House of Mystery #20 -- 10,175 (- 2.9%)
01/2010: House of Mystery #21 --  9,888 (- 2.8%)
02/2010: House of Mystery #22 --  9,401 (- 4.9%)
03/2010: House of Mystery #23 --  9,350 (- 0.5%)
04/2010: House of Mystery #24 --  9,168 (- 2.0%)
05/2010: House of Mystery #25 --  9,253 (+ 0.9%)
06/2010: House of Mystery #26 --  8,742 (- 5.5%)
07/2010: House of Mystery #27 --  8,481 (- 3.0%)
08/2010: House of Mystery #28 --  8,238 (- 2.9%)
09/2010: House of Mystery #29 --  8,087 (- 1.8%)
10/2010: House of Mystery #30 --  7,913 (- 2.2%)
11/2010: House of Mystery #31 --  7,610 (- 3.8%)
12/2010: House of Mystery #32 --  7,348 (- 3.4%)
----------------
6 months: -16.0%
1 year  : -27.8%
2 years : -48.5%

The drops are adding up, obviously. The longer-term comparisons aren’t healthy.

—–

234 - NORTHLANDERS (Vertigo)
12/2007: Northlanders #1  -- 19,805
12/2008: Northlanders #13 --  9,777
-----------------------------------
12/2009: Northlanders #23 --  8,069 (- 0.8%)
01/2010: Northlanders #24 --  7,935 (- 1.7%)
02/2010: Northlanders #25 --  7,807 (- 1.6%)
03/2010: Northlanders #26 --  7,824 (+ 0.2%)
04/2010: Northlanders #27 --  7,683 (- 1.8%)
05/2010: Northlanders #28 --  7,630 (- 0.7%)
06/2010: Northlanders #29 --  7,498 (- 1.7%)
07/2010: Northlanders #30 --  7,421 (- 1.0%)
08/2010: Northlanders #31 --  7,376 (- 0.6%)
09/2010: Northlanders #32 --  7,321 (- 0.8%)
10/2010: Northlanders #33 --  7,169 (- 2.1%)
11/2010: Northlanders #34 --  7,018 (- 2.1%)
12/2010: Northlanders #35 --  7,061 (+ 0.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.8%
1 year  : -12.5%
2 years : -27.8%

Holding level above 7K with the start of a two-parter drawn by Becky Cloonan.

—–

236 - WORLD OF WARCRAFT: CURSE OF THE WORGEN (WildStorm)
12/2007: World of WarCraft #2  -- 32,740 [36,340]
12/2008: World of WarCraft #14 -- 16,058
12/2009: WoW Special #1        -- 10,323
----------------------------------------
11/2010: WoW: CotW #1 of 5     --  7,521 (-27.1%)
12/2010: WoW: CotW #2 of 5     --  6,938 (- 7.8%)
----------------
1 year  : -32.8%
2 years : -56.8%

The first of a number of licensed titles that survive WildStorm as an imprint. The series continues under the DC Universe logo in 2011.

—–

238 - THE ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (Johnny DC)
12/2005: Batman Strikes! #16   --  8,462
12/2006: Batman Strikes! #28   --  7,427
12/2007: Batman Strikes! #40   --  6,492
----------------------------------------
12/2009: Brave & Bold #12      --  6,342 (-  1.5%)
01/2010: Brave & Bold #13      --  6,129 (-  3.4%)
02/2010: Brave & Bold #14      --  6,084 (-  0.7%)
03/2010: Brave & Bold #15      --  6,208 (+  2.0%)
04/2010: Brave & Bold #16      --  6,506 (+  4.8%)
05/2010: Brave & Bold #17      --  6,103 (-  6.2%)
06/2010: Brave & Bold #18      --  6,270 (+  2.7%)
07/2010: Brave & Bold #19      --  6,489 (+  3.5%)
08/2010: Brave & Bold #20      --  6,244 (-  3.8%)
09/2010: Brave & Bold #21      --  6,345 (+  1.6%)
10/2010: Brave & Bold #22      --  6,044 (-  4.7%)
11/2010: All-New BBB #1        --  8,408 (+ 39.1%)
12/2010: All-New BBB #2        --  6,688 (- 20.5%)
----------------
6 months: + 6.7%
1 year  : + 5.5%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : -21.0%

A relaunched Johnny DC title.

—–

246 - SCALPED (Vertigo)
12/2007: Scalped #12 --  7,048
12/2008: Scalped #24 --  6,777
------------------------------
12/2009: Scalped #33 --  6,752 (- 2.2%)
01/2010: --
02/2010: Scalped #34 --  6,731 (- 0.3%)
02/2010: Scalped #35 --  6,443 (- 4.3%)
03/2010: Scalped #36 --  6,648 (+ 3.2%)
04/2010: Scalped #37 --  6,584 (- 1.0%)
05/2010: Scalped #38 --  6,632 (+ 0.7%)
06/2010: --
07/2010: Scalped #39 --  6,682 (+ 0.8%)
08/2010: Scalped #40 --  6,593 (- 1.3%)
09/2010: --
10/2010: Scalped #41 --  6,623 (+ 0.5%)
10/2010: Scalped #42 --  6,476 (- 2.2%)
11/2010: Scalped #43 --  6,324 (- 2.4%)
12/2010: Scalped #44 --  6,192 (- 2.1%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  : - 8.3%
2 years : - 8.6%
250 - DMZ (Vertigo)
12/2005: DMZ #2  -- 14,840
12/2006: DMZ #14 -- 13,731
12/2007: DMZ #26 -- 11,027
12/2008: DMZ #37 --  8,823
--------------------------
12/2009: DMZ #48 --  6,977 (-2.9%)
01/2010: DMZ #49 --  6,872 (-1.5%)
02/2010: DMZ #50 --  7,262 (+5.7%)
03/2010: DMZ #51 --  6,840 (-5.8%)
04/2010: DMZ #52 --  6,826 (-0.2%)
05/2010: DMZ #53 --  6,759 (-1.0%)
06/2010: DMZ #54 --  6,661 (-1.5%)
07/2010: DMZ #55 --  6,581 (-1.2%)
08/2010: DMZ #56 --  6,524 (-0.9%)
09/2010: DMZ #57 --  6,333 (-2.9%)
10/2010: DMZ #58 --  6,198 (-2.1%)
11/2010: DMZ #59 --  6,046 (-2.5%)
12/2010: DMZ #60 --  6,023 (-0.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 9.6%
1 year  : -13.7%
2 years : -31.7%
5 years : -59.4%

Two of Vertigo’s longer-running series. DMZ is about to conclude in a year, so it should be fine.

Scalped has lost some of its stability of late. If the trend persists, that could be a problem, since it’s not selling terribly well to begin with.

—–

251 - ASSASSIN'S CREED: THE FALL (WildStorm)
11/2010: The Fall #1 of 3 -- 6,941
12/2010: The Fall #2 of 3 -- 5,915 (-14.8%)

Another WildStorm title that will wrap up under the mainstream DC banner.

—–

253 - THE AUTHORITY (WildStorm)
12/2005: --
12/2006: --
12/2007: Prime #3 of 6        -- 16,623
12/2008: The Authority v4 #5  -- 11,534
---------------------------------------
12/2009: The Authority v4 #17 --  7,829 (- 2.9%)
01/2010: The Authority v4 #18 --  7,952 (+ 1.6%)
02/2010: The Authority v4 #19 --  7,943 (- 0.1%)
03/2010: The Authority v4 #20 --  7,781 (- 2.0%)
04/2010: The Authority v4 #21 --  7,563 (- 2.8%)
05/2010: The Authority v4 #22 --  7,295 (- 3.5%)
06/2010: The Authority v4 #23 --  7,226 (- 1.0%)
07/2010: The Authority v4 #24 --  7,062 (- 2.3%)
08/2010: The Authority v4 #25 --  6,860 (- 2.9%)
09/2010: The Authority v4 #26 --  6,596 (- 3.9%)
10/2010: The Authority v4 #27 --  6,556 (- 0.6%)
11/2010: The Authority v4 #28 --  5,984 (- 8.7%)
12/2010: The Authority v4 #29 --  5,798 (- 3.1%)
----------------
6 months: -19.8%
1 year  : -25.9%
2 years : -49.7%
5 years :  n.a.

Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch from the commercial ashes of StormWatch in 1998, The Authority has been the flagship of the WildStorm Universe line for most of its tenure at DC. But in practice, the book lost much of its relevance when Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, after a run that was repeatedly delayed and maligned by a very hands-on DC management, left the series in 2000.

A relaunch by Grant Morrison and Gene Ha briefly resulted in a surge of interest in 2006, then got delayed, then disappeared for good. In retrospect, this seems like a book that stuck around 10 years longer than anyone needed it to.

—–

264 - VICTORIAN UNDEAD II: SHERLOCK HOLMES VS. DRACULA (WildStorm)
11/2009: Victorian Undead #1 of 6 -- 11,422
12/2009: Victorian Undead #2 of 6 --  7,430
01/2010: Victorian Undead #3 of 6 --  6,663
02/2010: Victorian Undead #4 of 6 --  6,365
03/2010: Victorian Undead #5 of 6 --  6,285
04/2010: Victorian Undead #6 of 6 --  6,102
-------------------------------------------
10/2010: Victorian Undead Special --  5,723 (- 6.2%)
11/2010: Holmes/Dracula #1 of 5   --  6,066 (+ 6.0%)
12/2010: Holmes/Dracula #2 of 5   --  5,248 (-13.5%)
----------------
1 year  : -29.4%

One of the more successful “creator-driven” titles WildStorm produced in the last few years, also to be continued with a plain old DC logo on the cover.

—–

268 - WILDCATS (WildStorm)
12/2005: Nemesis #4 of 9 -- 15,428
12/2006: --
12/2007: --
12/2008: World's End #6  -- 10,450
----------------------------------
12/2009: World's End #18 --  6,487 (- 3.2%)
01/2010: World's End #19 --  6,791 (+ 4.7%)
02/2010: World's End #20 --  6,669 (- 1.8%)
03/2010: World's End #21 --  6,491 (- 2.7%)
04/2010: World's End #22 --  6,367 (- 1.9%)
05/2010: World's End #23 --  6,185 (- 2.9%)
06/2010: World's End #24 --  6,051 (- 2.2%)
07/2010: World's End #25 --  5,823 (- 3.8%)
08/2010: World's End #26 --  5,607 (- 3.7%)
09/2010: World's End #27 --  5,514 (- 1.7%)
10/2010: World's End #28 --  5,532 (+ 0.3%)
11/2010: World's End #29 --  5,151 (- 6.9%)
12/2010: World's End #30 --  4,965 (- 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: -18.0%
1 year  : -23.5%
2 years : -52.5%
5 years : -67.8%

Wildcats #30 was the final WildStorm Universe comic, for the time being. As WildC.A.T.s, one of the first Image books — created, drawn and co-written by Jim Lee — the title had its commercial heyday in the early 1990s.

Throughout multiple relaunches, writers Alan Moore and Joe Casey have since contributed memorable runs to the series. A 2006 revamp by Grant Morrison and Jim Lee might have saved the property if more than one issue had materialized, but then again, the same could be said about Ambush Bug.

DC had something special here with Wildcats Version 3.0, but they were unable or unwilling to profit from that. As a result, this now looks like another concept that’s at least 10 years past its sell-by date.

—–

269 - RED ONE-SHOTS (WildStorm)
09/2010: Frank Special #1    -- 5,138
09/2010: Victoria Special #1 -- 5,057
09/2010: Joe Special #1      -- 5,036
09/2010: Marvin Special #1   -- 5,030
12/2010: Eyes Only #1        -- 4,955

A late sequel to tie in with the film. At least it was by one of the comic’s original creators.

—–

273 - THE MIGHTY CRUSADERS
05/2010: Special #1               -- 7,017
06/2010: --
07/2010: Mighty Crusaders #1 of 6 -- 9,361 (+33.4%)
08/2010: Mighty Crusaders #2 of 6 -- 6,751 (-27.9%)
09/2010: Mighty Crusaders #3 of 6 -- 6,035 (-10.6%)
10/2010: Mighty Crusaders #4 of 6 -- 5,436 (- 9.9%)
11/2010: Mighty Crusaders #5 of 6 -- 5,006 (- 7.9%)
12/2010: Mighty Crusaders #6 of 6 -- 4,827 (- 3.6%)

Completely below the radar.

—–

275 - SCOOBY DOO: WHERE ARE YOU? (Johnny DC)
12/2005: Scooby Doo #103 -- 4,490
12/2006: Scooby Doo #115 -- 4,364
12/2007: Scooby Doo #127 -- 4,293
12/2008: Scooby Doo #139 -- ?
---------------------------------
12/2009: Scooby Doo #151 -- 3,906 (- 3.4%)
01/2010: Scooby Doo #152 -- 3,724 (- 4.7%)
02/2010: Scooby Doo #153 -- 3,780 (+ 1.5%)
03/2010: Scooby Doo #154 -- 3,846 (+ 1.8%)
04/2010: Scooby Doo #155 -- 3,836 (- 0.3%)
05/2010: Scooby Doo #156 -- 3,857 (+ 0.6%)
06/2010: Scooby Doo #157 -- ?
07/2010: Scooby Doo #158 -- 4,147
08/2010: Scooby Doo #159 -- 4,092 (- 1.3%)
09/2010: SD:WAY? #1      -- 6,186 (+51.2%)
10/2010: SD:WAY? #2      -- 4,926 (-20.4%)
11/2010: SD:WAY? #3      -- 4,861 (- 1.3%)
12/2010: SD:WAY? #4      -- 4,802 (- 1.2%)
----------------
6 months:  ?
1 year  : +22.9%
2 years :  ?
5 years : + 7.0%

A Johnny DC title.

—–

277 - GEARS OF WAR (WildStorm)
12/2010: GoW #3  -- 12,095
--------------------------
12/2009: --
01/2010: GoW #11 --  7,157 (-11.3%)
02/2010: --
03/2010: --
04/2010: --
05/2010: --
06/2010: GoW #12 --  6,165 (-13.9%)
07/2010: --
08/2010: GoW #13 --  5,962 (- 3.3%)
09/2010: --
10/2010: GoW #14 --  5,204 (-12.7%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: GoW #15 --  4,709 (- 9.5%)
----------------
6 months: -23.6%
1 year  :  n.a.
2 years : -61.1%

To be continued at DC proper, evidently.

—–

282 - DC COMICS PRESENTS
10/2010: Green Lantern #1   -- 4,418
10/2010: Jack Cross #1      -- 3,662
10/2010: Batman/Catwoman #1 -- 4,076
10/2010: Brightest Day #1   -- 4,988
10/2010: Batman #1          -- 4,643
10/2010: Superman #1        -- 3,685
10/2010: Young Justice #1   -- ?
11/2010: Flash/GL #1        -- 3,664
11/2010: Batman #2          -- 3,643
11/2010: Brightest Day #2   -- 3,292
11/2010: Superman #2        -- 2,915
12/2010: Batman Beyond #1   -- 4,531

Further DC Comics Presents reprint books that shipped in December but did not make the chart: JLA #1, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1, Brightest Day #3, Batman #3, Superman #3 and Young Justice #3.

—–

292 - GEN13 (WildStorm)
12/2006: Gen13 #3  -- 30,233
12/2007: Gen13 #15 -- 14,330
12/2008: Gen13 #25 --  8,954
----------------------------
12/2009: Gen13 #33 --  5,718 (- 5.4%)
01/2010: --
02/2010: Gen13 #34 --  5,412 (- 5.4%)
03/2010: --
04/2010: Gen13 #35 --  5,257 (- 2.9%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: Gen13 #36 --  5,124 (- 2.5%)
07/2010: --
08/2010: Gen13 #37 --  4,757 (- 7.2%)
09/2010: --
10/2010: Gen13 #38 --  4,404 (- 7.4%)
11/2010: --
12/2010: Gen13 #39 --  4,123 (- 6.4%)
----------------
6 months: -19.5%
1 year  : -27.9%
2 years : -54.0%

The final WildStorm Universe title on the chart is another one that saw its prime long before DC acquired the company. The highly publicized relaunches by Chris Claremont and Gail Simone only briefly reignited interest in the 2000s.

—–

 - RESIDENT EVIL (WildStorm)
12/2009: --
01/2010: --
02/2010: --
03/2010: Resident Evil #4 of 6 --  5,074 (-22.0%)
04/2010: --
05/2010: --
06/2010: Resident Evil #5 of 6 --  4,782 (- 5.8%)
07/2010: --
08/2010: --
09/2010: --
10/2010: --
11/2010: --
12/2010: Resident Evil #6 of 6 --  4,045 (-15.4%)
----------------
6 months: -15.4%
1 year  :  n.a.

Another video-game adaptation from WildStorm concludes.

—–

300 - VERTIGO RESURRECTED (Vertigo)
10/2010: Vertigo Resurrected #1 -- 10,358
11/2010: The Extremist #1       --  3,041
12/2010: Winter's Edge #1       --  3,811

Another Vertigo reprint book. Also out in December, but not on the chart: The reprint special WildStorm Presents: Planetary: Lost Worlds #1.

Speaking of which, the WildStorm titles Welcome to Tranquility: One Foot in the Grave #6, Kane and Lynch #4, Ides of Blood #5, Ratchet and Clank #4 and Telara Chronicles #4 failed to chart in December. As always, for the purposes of the average periodical statistics below, I’m presuming each of them sold as many units as the No. 300 book on the chart, although the actual number is likely to be lower.

—–

6-MONTH COMPARISONS
+ 16.0%: Fables
+  6.7%: All-New BBB
+  5.7%: Teen Titans
-  2.7%: Superman/Batman
-  3.9%: REBELS
-  5.8%: Northlanders
-  6.9%: Action Comics
-  8.3%: Tiny Titans
-  8.6%: Hellblazer
-  9.6%: DMZ
- 10.1%: Sweet Tooth
- 10.5%: Batman Confidential
- 10.7%: Secret Six
- 11.7%: Batgirl
- 12.8%: Unwritten
- 13.3%: JSA
- 13.6%: Green Lantern
- 14.0%: Batman: SoG
- 14.0%: Red Robin
- 15.4%: Resident Evil
- 16.0%: House of Mystery
- 16.1%: Booster Gold
- 17.5%: GC Sirens
- 17.8%: Detective Comics
- 18.0%: Wildcats
- 18.4%: GL Corps
- 18.6%: Power Girl
- 18.9%: Jonah Hex
- 19.3%: Doom Patrol
- 19.5%: Gen13
- 19.8%: Authority
- 19.9%: Flash
- 20.2%: Supergirl
- 21.5%: Azrael
- 22.7%: JLA
- 23.6%: GoW
- 24.7%: JSA All-Stars
- 24.9%: Birds of Prey
- 25.3%: DCU Legacies
- 26.0%: Generation Lost
- 27.2%: Outsiders
- 28.1%: Brightest Day
- 29.2%: American Vampire
- 31.4%: Adventure Comics
- 32.0%: Titans
- 32.3%: Green Arrow
- 33.7%: Wonder Woman
- 34.7%: Zatanna
- 35.4%: I, Zombie
- 35.9%: LoSH
- 36.3%: Spirit
- 36.3%: Superman
- 39.6%: Batman
- 46.3%: Doc Savage

—–

1-YEAR COMPARISONS
+117.9%: Green Arrow
+ 35.7%: Wonder Woman
+ 32.5%: Superman
+ 22.9%: Scooby-Doo
+ 12.5%: Fables
+  5.5%: All-New BBB
+  1.5%: Action Comics
-  4.0%: Batman
-  6.3%: Tiny Titans
-  8.3%: Scalped
-  9.6%: Hellblazer
- 12.4%: Sweet Tooth
- 12.5%: Northlanders
- 13.2%: Titans
- 13.5%: Secret Six
- 13.7%: DMZ
- 16.4%: Batman Confidential
- 18.1%: Unwritten
- 19.8%: Supergirl
- 21.9%: Red Robin
- 22.3%: Batgirl
- 23.0%: Jack of Fables
- 23.5%: Wildcats
- 23.7%: Green Lantern
- 24.5%: JSA
- 25.6%: Power Girl
- 25.9%: Authority
- 27.4%: Detective Comics
- 27.8%: House of Mystery
- 27.9%: Gen13
- 28.0%: Jonah Hex
- 28.2%: GC Sirens
- 28.4%: Batman: SoG
- 29.4%: JLA
- 29.4%: Victorian Undead
- 30.1%: GL Corps
- 32.8%: WoW
- 38.4%: Superman/Batman
- 40.1%: Teen Titans
- 56.6%: Azrael
- 56.7%: JSA All-Stars
- 58.6%: Booster Gold
- 60.3%: Adventure Comics
- 65.3%: Outsiders
- 66.3%: REBELS
- 72.9%: Doom Patrol

—–

2-YEAR COMPARISONS
+108.1%: Flash
+ 64.3%: Birds of Prey
+ 50.2%: Green Arrow
+ 23.5%: GL Corps
+ 21.6%: Batgirl
+ 14.7%: Green Lantern
+ 13.0%: LoSH
+ 10.7%: Red Robin
+  9.8%: Wonder Woman
+  1.1%: Fables
-  8.6%: Scalped
- 10.2%: Jonah Hex
- 17.3%: Tiny Titans
- 17.4%: Spirit
- 20.6%: Secret Six
- 22.2%: Superman
- 22.2%: X-Files
- 25.1%: Hellblazer
- 27.8%: Northlanders
- 29.4%: Teen Titans
- 30.6%: Jack of Fables
- 31.7%: DMZ
- 32.3%: Batman
- 33.5%: Superman/Batman
- 36.0%: JLA
- 37.2%: Batman Confidential
- 37.8%: Booster Gold
- 41.6%: Detective Comics
- 42.6%: Titans
- 43.4%: Action Comics
- 48.5%: House of Mystery
- 49.7%: Authority
- 50.3%: Supergirl
- 52.5%: Wildcats
- 54.0%: Gen13
- 54.1%: JSA
- 56.8%: WoW
- 59.2%: Outsiders
- 61.1%: GoW

—–

5-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 33.0%: Flash
+ 15.9%: Green Arrow
+  8.2%: Red Robin
+  8.0%: Birds of Prey
+  7.0%: Scooby-Doo
+  2.2%: Detective Comics
+  0.2%: Batman
-  4.4%: Batgirl
-  6.1%: Fables
- 15.7%: GL Corps
- 16.0%: Green Lantern
- 23.7%: Action Comics
- 24.8%: Wonder Woman
- 32.5%: Superman
- 35.2%: Hellblazer
- 36.9%: JLA
- 38.1%: JSA
- 58.4%: Jonah Hex
- 59.4%: DMZ
- 61.3%: Teen Titans
- 67.8%: Wildcats
- 70.1%: Superman/Batman
- 71.8%: Outsiders

—–

Average Periodical Sales (not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, Johnny DC titles and magazines)

DC COMICS
12/2005: 36,147
12/2006: 34,418
12/2007: 33,138
12/2008: 26,793**
---------------
12/2009: 25,904 (-10.4%)**
01/2010: 25,657 (- 1.0%)**
02/2010: 26,199 (+ 2.1%)**
03/2010: 23,299 (-11.1%)**
04/2010: 23,740 (+ 1.9%)**
05/2010: 27,785 (+17.0%)**
06/2010: 25,788 (- 7.2%)**
07/2010: 25,841 (+ 0.2%)**
08/2010: 23,331 (- 9.7%)**
09/2010: 23,212 (- 0.5%)**
10/2010: 23,756 (- 2.3%)**
11/2010: 25,497 (+ 7.3%)**
12/2010: 23,869 (- 6.4%)**
----------------
6 months: - 7.4%
1 year  : - 7.9%
2 years : -10.9%
5 years : -34.0%
DC UNIVERSE
12/2005: 44,993
12/2006: 44,641
12/2007: 40,074
12/2008: 35,050
---------------
12/2009: 35,473 (- 7.8%)**
01/2010: 33,698 (- 5.0%)
02/2010: 35,895 (+ 6.5%)
03/2010: 32,375 (- 9.8%)
04/2010: 32,859 (+ 1.5%)
05/2010: 37,463 (+14.0%)
06/2010: 34,612 (- 7.6%)**
07/2010: 35,372 (+ 2.2%)
08/2010: 33,411 (- 5.5%)
09/2010: 32,042 (- 4.1%)
10/2010: 32,832 (+ 2.5%)
11/2010: 34,180 (+ 4.1%)
12/2010: 30,870 (- 9.7%)
----------------
6 months: -10.8%
1 year  : -13.0%
2 years : -11.9%
5 years : -31.4%
VERTIGO
12/2005: 16,320
12/2006: 13,834
12/2007: 11,035
12/2008: 11,603
---------------
12/2009: 10,583 (- 4.1%)
01/2010: 11,267 (+ 6.5%)
02/2010:  9,256 (-17.9%)
03/2010: 11,394 (+23.1%)
04/2010: 10,815 (- 5.1%)
05/2010: 11,756 (+ 8.7%)
06/2010: 10,995 (- 6.5%
07/2010:  9,515 (-13.5%)
08/2010:  9,094 (- 4.4%)
09/2010: 11,622 (+27.8%)
10/2010:  9,546 (-17.9%)
11/2010:  9,034 (- 5.4%)
12/2010: 11,193 (+23.9%)
----------------
6 months: + 1.8%
1 year  : + 5.8%
2 years : - 3.5%
5 years : -31.4%
WILDSTORM
12/2005: 15,068
12/2006: 17,288
12/2007: 15,601
12/2008:  9,415**
---------------
12/2009:  7,260 (+ 2.1%)**
01/2010:  6,532 (-10.0%)**
02/2010:  5,692 (-12.9%)**
03/2010:  7,691 (+35.1%)**
04/2010:  5,923 (-23.0%)**
05/2010:  6,808 (+14.9%)**
06/2010:  6,140 (- 9.8%)**
07/2010:  7,054 (+14.9%)**
08/2010:  6,179 (-12.4%)**
09/2010:  6,046 (- 2.2%)**
10/2010:  5,158 (-14.7%)**
11/2010:  5,429 (+ 5.3%)**
12/2010:  4,983 (- 8.2%)**
----------------
6 months: -18.8%
1 year  : -31.4%
2 years : -47.1%
5 years : -66.9%

—–
Disclaimers, et cetera

The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.

ICv2.com‘s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it’s a “month-to-month” column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass-market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month.

If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book’s initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in parenthesis behind those issues (e.g. “[36,599]”). Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used.

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

** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.

For a more lyrical approach to discussing sales figures that covers all the essentials in a more condensed, less tedious fashion, finally, go right here.
—–
Marc-Oliver Frisch writes about comics at his weblog and at Comicgate. You can also follow him on Twitter.

1 COMMENT

  1. I really wish DC would do to Doom Patrol what they did during the Morrison run. Instead of just out right cancelling the title (which seems inevitable), bring in a brand new creative team (Sorry, Keith!) to see if it gets a boost! If they hadn’t done this previously, we might have never had Grant’s run, which would have been tragic!

  2. Why would you say that [“Meanwhile, DC’s WildStorm imprint, which the company bought from Jim Lee in 1998 and then proceeded to slowly but determinedly squeeze the life out of, ceased publication in December. Average WildStorm sales sagged below the 5K mark, to the lowest number in history.”]

    If WildStorm put out comic that people wanted they would have purchased them. Are you saying the Jim Lee is a sellout for the money that DC gave him, and could care less about the books he put out, I doubt that very much.

    You must have a poor opinion about Jim Lee to say that or I’m missing the point here.

  3. Interesting… the DC Comics Presents comics cost $7.99 for four issues, yet the hardcover Fantastic Four collections cost $20 ($16 TP).

    I’d love to see a post-mortem on the Wildstorm legacy titles (Wild C.A.T.S., Authority, Gen13), analyzing the entire sales history. (At least when at DC. Add Image numbers if available.)

  4. The number for Fables is remarkable. Considering the price point is more than 3X the normal cover price, pulling in 23k is incredible. And this book is still great. If anyone took off after the Adversary story line, now is a great time to get back on.

    The numbers on THUNDER Agents doesn’t reflect the quality of this book. The story is tight and face-paced with above average art with clean lines. Go grab issues 1-4, you won’t be disappointed.

    And lastly, hang in there Scalped. This series is so good. Best on-going book out there right now.

    Thanks for the numbers Marc. Cheers!

  5. really…i hate to admit it but it looks like the factors we are all aware of are just killing monthly comics. everything is down, new people arent coming (with a few exceptions, but even then those are mostly in trade/HC), even the diehards are cutting back/dropping out.

    i dont know how much longer people can keep pretending that it ISNT really as bad as some of the more sensationalized headlines make it out to be.

    i have recently been getting heavily into ebay…have you see what the average new comic sells for on there? 99 cents. and even then, most new stuff doesnt even sell at that price. the market there is dictated by the ACTUAL demand, and the actual demand does not paint a pretty picture.

    i just dont know how the industry is going to survive. it will obviously change (and most likely VERY soon) but what shape is that going to take?

    *and yes, i know these numbers are not 100% accurate, but they dont even need to be at this point. everything is trending downward, for months on end now. it makes me sad.

  6. Not to put words in anyone’s mouth, but I got more of a sense that he was criticizing DC for buying it and then doing everything they could to remove the things that made it unique and interesting until there was no more interest.

  7. @Allen Sant – don’t want to speak for Marc, but I believe you are missing his point. I think his comment was more about the mismanaging of Wildstorm by DC.

  8. “143 – DCU HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010
    12/2010: DCU Holiday Special 2010 #1 — 13,679

    Three $ 4.99 one-shots with inconsequential inventory material.”

    That may be, but this issue features my first inconsequential inventory material for DC.

    :)

    (The Spectre story, in case anyone’s curious)

  9. Regarding Birds of Prey, I wonder if the exit of artist Ed Benes played a part in it’s quick sales decline?

  10. I wonder if DC’s 2.99 strategy will have any effect on upcoming sales numbers? May take a while to show up, but I have to admit it’s something they’re doing that I admire greatly. I was considering dropping Emerald Warriors if it stayed a 3.99 book, but now I’ll hang in at 2.99.

  11. “And this book is still great. If anyone took off after the Adversary story line, now is a great time to get back on”

    It really isn’t; Fables has been only OK since the end of the Great Fables Crossover.

    Between the obscene price point for a single issue and fraudulent solicitation copy for #100, I’m very interested to see the effect on Fables numbers (those orders for #100 only represent what retailers think they can sell after all). I know I dropped and I made sure my retailer knows why.

  12. With the way the Direct Market’s been contracting for the last couple of years, I fear that the best DC can hope for with its $2.99 pricing strategy is to keep any more readers from walking away. It’s obvious that many more people are quitting comics in general than picking up the habit.

    It’s a shame that Batgirl sales continue to drop. Artist Dustin Nguyen is DC’s secret weapon – I can only guess that DC is afraid to promote their talent, in case they might leave and take their audience with them: in the meantime, of course, they’re losing potential readers (see: Marvel, 1992)…

    Meanwhile, DC’s number-one book is awful – they’re betting on the wrong horse with David Finch; with his track record (and lack of storytelling skills), they should have known better.

    I hope the “new DC” takes a hard look at their marketing, because whoever’s in charge now should be shot. Twice.

  13. I wonder what Marc would say about the Marvel numbers if he and Paul switched publishers for a month.

    Would it be as negative?

  14. That would a great idea – get them to sawp the sales chart for a month!

    It’ll be fun – and something different for both reviewers!! ;)

  15. Continued…

    It would be interesting to see if Marc continues his glass half empty approach. And if the other guy continues his glass half full. ;)

  16. I agree with joe.distort. It is sad but it seems inevitable that the industry is . It is ridiculous that new series get axed so quickly due to poor sales. I used to try new stuff all the time and am now holding back because so many of the new series I pick up get axed in the first 2 years. At this pace what will the market look like in the next 2 years? With Digital comics coming in it will be worst. (We all know 80% will be illegally downloaded and 20% will be honest purchases). It is sad, my 2 year old son may not even know what reading a comic book was about…..

  17. These numbers are horrendous! And they only reflect what’s sold to retailers. The sell-through on most of these titles is terrible. A used-book store near where I work has a used-comic bin and it’s filled with relatively new comics discounted to a $1 and they still don’t sell. I picked up all of Brightest Day there. I can find a title within a month of it’s release date in that bin — multiple copies too. It’s really sad. A comic like Scalped, which is really good, has 6,000-ish numbers but how many out of that number actually get bought?

    I was buying DC regularly for the last five years but I’m stopping again because I’ve lost interest in most of their titles. $2.99 isn’t going to keep me around if the storytelling isn’t there.

  18. These sales figures are depressing. I hope the $2.99 price point will stop the hemorrhaging, we’ll see.

    The Great Fables Crossover was the worst storyline I’ve read in years, of ANY book. Fables #100 was easily the best anniversary book I’ve read in DECADES. Can’t win them all.

    Thanks for all the hard work, Marc!

  19. “Wildcats #30 was the final WildStorm Universe comic, for the time being. As WildC.A.T.s, one of the first Image books — created, drawn and co-written by Jim Lee — the title had its commercial heyday in the early 1990s.”

    “Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch from the commercial ashes of StormWatch in 1998, The Authority has been the flagship of the WildStorm Universe line for most of its tenure at DC. But in practice, the book lost much of its relevance when Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, after a run that was repeatedly delayed and maligned by a very hands-on DC management, left the series in 2000.”

    Marc, I really appreciate your summation of the sad fates of these flagship series. Authority should have really become an adults-only title, which we know makes DC nervous; I don’t get why they couldn’t better support W.I.L.D.Cats. Both are such tragic missed opportunities.

    I do get why the Morrison planned revivals didn’t help; he’s just stretched too thin to save an offshoot company, and DC doesn’t really have a history of playing nice with their aquired properties.

  20. Shawn, its no big surprise that DC only bought Wildstorm to get one thing out of it: creator Jim Lee!!!

  21. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is so freaking good! I have no idea what DC could have done to drag people to it…hate that it’ll probably be over soon! :(

  22. BiffordMichael:

    That’s DC’s marketing department’s job. They simply have no clue how to do it right.

    All we can do as readers is spread the word about good comics – word-of-mouth is the slowest but surest path to real sales success for books that deserve it!

  23. Brian, here’s the first line of the solicitation copy for Fables #100:

    “In this fantastic 100-page issue, it’s time to put an end to Mister Dark once and for all, and time for the Fables to return home to Fabletown”

    As anyone who read it knows, Fables #100 hardly put an end to Mister Dark, and that awful storyline is still going.

  24. and again Marc I ask why do you keep writing about a company you hate so much? You cant write about a single title without making a snide remark

  25. Maybe he’s just a figures geek. Or maybe he doesn’t hate the company, just its current direction.

    Also, I don’t even really get much hate for DC itself in the remarks, more of a “None of this is working” vibe.

  26. 12/2010: Fables #100 — 23,014 (+17.1%)
    12/2010: American Vampire #10 — 17,761 (- 6.6%)
    12/2010: I, Zombie #8 — 12,038 (- 6.0%)
    12/2010: The Unwritten #20 — 11,684 (- 2.9%)
    12/2010: Jack of Fables #49 — 9,828 (- 5.0%)
    12/2010: Hellblazer #274 — 9,342 (-3.1%)
    12/2010: Sweet Tooth #16 — 8,602 (- 1.7%)
    12/2010: CH: CoD #5 of 5 — 7,601 (+0.5%)
    12/2010: House of Mystery #32 — 7,348 (- 3.4%)
    12/2010: Northlanders #35 — 7,061 (+ 0.6%)
    12/2010: Scalped #44 — 6,192 (- 2.1%)
    12/2010: DMZ #60 — 6,023 (-0.4%)

    So less than 10K is the new normal for Vertigo pamphlets? Half the titles aren’t even selling 9K. Time to come up with a new business model.

  27. @morganagrom – Vertigo has a different business model. You have to factor their outstanding long term trade sales into the equation for the publisher. Personally, I sell more copies of the trades of all of the Vertigo books than I do of the issues. I actually sell more copies of the trade the day it comes out than I do of the monthly issues. But every week I am getting someone started on at least one Vertigo series, which is going to lead to the sale of the rest of the books in the series as well as the good possibility of jumping to another title.

    I also would love to see the reversal of the two analysts.

  28. Alan Waid: “and again Marc I ask why do you keep writing about a company you hate so much? You cant write about a single title without making a snide remark”

    If you don’t like what he says Alan then DON’T READ ANY OF HIS ARTICLES ANYMORE! Or just read the months #’s and stop right there. Its really that simple…

  29. And, unsurprisingly, a bunch of these titles have now been canceled: Rebels, Doom Patrol, Freedom Fighters, JSA-All Stars.

  30. I can say that price point is the single biggest reason why the vast majority of the titles on my pull-list are now DC titles. About the only Marvel ones remaining are Amazing Spider-Man (with no spin-offs or subsidiary minis – which I used to read all the time at the lower prices) and Captain America. Whereas on DC, I have the two main Green Lantern Comics, Batman, B&R, Dark Knight, Sirens, Streets of Gotham, Booster Gold and so on.

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