201008061455.jpgby Marc-Oliver Frisch

After unleashing a deluge of new titles in May, DC Comics’ lineup of major periodicals was fairly restrained in June. There were oversized “milestone” issues of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, the latest Green Arrow relaunch and, following up on a 2008 event, a second wave of Joker’s Asylum one-shots. Average and overall unit sales were slightly down from May as a result, but overall dollar sales still went up, so it wasn’t a bad month by any stretch.

At Vertigo and WildStorm, it was business as usual, meaning June was another steady month for Vertigo — and a predictably dire one for WildStorm, given that neither of their two flagship titles Astro City and Ex Machina came out. Average WildStorm sales were down to fewer than 6,140 units; the actual number we don’t know, because three of WildStorm’s new comic books failed to make the Top 300 chart in June.

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.

—–

2 - BATMAN
06/2005: Batman #641 --  67,208 [70,748]
06/2006: Batman #654 --  76,525 [78,671]
06/2007: --
06/2008: --
-------------------------------
06/2009: Batman #687 --  96,913 (+ 8.7%)
07/2009: Batman #688 --  83,040 (-14.3%)
08/2009: Batman #689 --  78,392 (- 5.6%)
09/2009: Batman #690 --  77,001 (- 1.8%)
10/2009: Batman #691 --  71,431 (- 7.2%)
10/2009: Batman #692 --  70,322 (- 1.6%)
11/2009: Batman #693 --  68,983 (- 1.9%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: +58.9%
1 year  : + 8.1%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : +55.9%

Writer Grant Morrison returned to Batman for the oversized milestone issue, with stories drawn by high-ticket artists Andy Kubert, Frank Quitely and David Finch, as well as a tie-in with the popular “Return of Bruce Wayne” crossover and 1:25 and 1:75 variant-cover editions to provide an additional incentive for retailers to boost their orders. Still, all those extra incentives notwithstanding, a sales increase of 40,000 units is impressive.

—–

4 - BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE
05/2010: Batman: TRoBW #1 of 6 -- 108,534          [114,447]
05/2010: Batman: TRoBW #2 of 6 --  93,606 (-13.8%) [ 99,361]
06/2010: Batman: TRoBW #3 of 6 --  92,140 (- 1.6%)

The event miniseries by Grant Morrison is finding its level quickly. Also, the two May issues sold another 12,000 copies between them in June, so it appears retailers are very pleased with the reception.

There was a 1:25 variant edition, as usual.

—–

5 - GREEN LANTERN
06/2005: Green Lantern #2   -- 117,816 [120,636]
06/2006: --
06/2007: --
06/2008: Green Lantern #32  --  64,839
--------------------------------------
06/2009: Green Lantern #42  --  84,131 (+ 3.2%)
07/2009: Green Lantern #43  -- 109,426 (+30.1%) [117,314]
07/2009: Green Lantern #44  -- 105,063 (- 4.0%) [109,599]
08/2009: Green Lantern #45  -- 102,431 (- 2.5%)
09/2009: Green Lantern #46  -- 103,666 (+ 1.2%)
10/2009: Green Lantern #47  -- 101,349 (- 2.2%)
11/2009: Green Lantern #48  -- 100,371 (- 1.0%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.7%
1 year  : +  2.1%
2 years : + 32.5%
5 years : - 27.1%

Green Lantern sales remain at a much higher level than prior to the “Blackest Night” crossover issues.

Also, a correction: Contrary to what I said last month, there continue to be variant-cover editions for both this title and Green Lantern Corps – only the solicitation copy stopped mentioning them after the April issues, for some reason. My apologies for the confusion.

—–

6/7 - BRIGHTEST DAY
04/2010: Brightest Day #0  -- 129,446
05/2010: Brightest Day #1  -- 103,326 (-20.2%)
05/2010: Brightest Day #2  --  90,245 (-12.7%)
06/2010: Brightest Day #3  --  85,815 (- 4.9%)
06/2010: Brightest Day #4  --  81,384 (- 5.2%)

The twice-monthly event maxiseries hasn’t quite found its level, but keeps performing very well. There were 1:25 variants for both June issues, as usual.

Meanwhile “Brightest Day” is also getting a pretty good track record as an umbrella for assorted other DC books. Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Arrow, Justice League of America, Birds of Prey, The Flash and Titans were all promoted as tie-in books in June. A lot of those titles have other things going for them, but it’s still worth noting that all of them are doing well, for the time being.

—–

11 - THE FLASH
06/2005: Flash #223      --  48,013 [ 49,583]
06/2006: Flash: FMA #1   -- 120,404 [126,741]
06/2007: Flash: FMA #13  --  96,075 [101,982]
06/2008: Flash #241      --  30,810
-----------------------------------
06/2009: Rebirth #3 of 5 --  83,086 (-  3.6%)
07/2009: --
08/2009: Rebirth #4 of 5 --  78,107 (-  6.0%)
09/2009: --
10/2009: --
11/2009: Rebirth #5 of 6 --  73,875 (-  5.4%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  : - 17.2%
2 years : +123.3%
5 years : + 43.3%

Still finding its level, and still doing very well for a Flash series. There was a 1:10 variant, as usual.

—–

12 - SUPERMAN
06/2005: Superman #218 --  61,515
06/2006: Superman #653 --  69,079
06/2007: Superman #663 --  53,384
06/2008: Superman #677 --  54,634
---------------------------------
06/2009: Superman #689 --  40,366 (-  3.1%)
07/2009: Superman #690 --  39,472 (-  2.2%)
08/2009: Superman #691 --  39,106 (-  0.9%)
09/2009: Superman #692 --  37,695 (-  3.6%)
10/2009: Superman #693 --  35,395 (-  6.1%)
11/2009: Superman #694 --  34,430 (-  2.7%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: +108.0%
1 year  : + 67.4%
2 years : + 23.7%
5 years : +  9.9%

For a transitional issue with an epilogue to the James Robinson run, a prologue to the J. Michael Straczynski run and a filler piece, this is a lovely sales increase, certainly. The million-dollar question, though, is how much of it is purely due to the big, round number, and where issue #701, where Straczynski’s story begins in earnest, will pick up from that.

There were 1:25 and 1:75 variant editions.

—–

13 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
06/2006: Green Lantern Corps #1  -- 76,686
06/2007: Green Lantern Corps #13 -- 32,792
06/2008: Green Lantern Corps #25 -- 47,399
------------------------------------------
06/2009: Green Lantern Corps #37 -- 63,574 (+ 3.2%)
07/2009: Green Lantern Corps #38 -- 82,415 (+29.6%)
08/2009: Green Lantern Corps #39 -- 84,241 (+ 2.2%)
09/2009: Green Lantern Corps #40 -- 83,112 (- 1.3%)
10/2009: Green Lantern Corps #41 -- 81,377 (- 2.1%)
11/2009: Green Lantern Corps #42 -- 80,391 (- 1.2%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -14.3%
1 year  : + 4.8%
2 years : +40.6%

Sales keep dropping in the wake of “Blackest Night,” but remain at an astronomic level by the book’s usual standards. And again, contrary to what I said last month, there continue to be variant-cover editions for Green Lantern Corps; DC just stopped mentioning them in their solicitations after issue #47.

—–

15 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
06/2005: JLA #115           --  95,375
06/2007: Justice League #10 -- 129,265
06/2008: Justice League #22 --  85,013
--------------------------------------
06/2009: Justice League #34 --  61,115 (- 4.3%)
07/2009: Justice League #35 --  58,915 (- 3.6%)
08/2009: Justice League #36 --  57,549 (- 2.3%)
09/2009: Justice League #37 --  55,478 (- 3.6%)
10/2009: Justice League #38 --  61,012 (+10.0%)
11/2009: Justice League #39 --  89,376 (+46.5%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.6%
1 year  : + 2.7%
2 years : -26.2%
5 years : -34.2%

Sales are holding level for the third month in a row, thanks to the “Brightest Day” tie-in and the start of a Justice League/Justice Society crossover. Again, DC stopped mentioning the variant-cover editions in the solicitations after the April issue, but they exist for both #45 and #46.

—–

22 - GREEN ARROW
06/2005: Green Arrow #51  -- 31,346
06/2006: Green Arrow #63  -- 37,803
06/2007: Green Arrow #75  -- 35,022
06/2008: Arrow/Canary #9  -- 30,330
-----------------------------------
06/2009: Arrow/Canary #21 -- 20,807 (-  3.0%)
07/2009: Arrow&Canary #22 -- 20,571 (-  1.1%)
08/2009: Arrow&Canary #23 -- 19,452 (-  5.4%)
09/2009: Arrow&Canary #24 -- 18,780 (-  3.5%)
10/2009: Arrow&Canary #25 -- 18,013 (-  4.1%)
11/2009: Arrow&Canary #26 -- 17,384 (-  3.5%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: +221.8%
1 year  : +161.5%
2 years : + 79.4%
5 years : + 73.6%

The creative team remains the same, but the relaunch adds 25,000 units to the book’s sales. Say what you want about Cry for Justice and Rise of Arsenal, but they – along with “Brightest Day” – clearly succeeded in getting a lot of Green Arrow #1 out there. Compared with other recent relaunches of this type, these are great numbers.

There was a 1:25 variant.

—–

24 - WONDER WOMAN
06/2005: Wonder Woman #217 --  30,022 [ 31,687]
06/2006: Wonder Woman #1   -- 132,580 [139,562]
06/2007: Wonder Woman #10  --  54,472
06/2008: Wonder Woman #21  --  37,086
-------------------------------------
06/2009: Wonder Woman #33  --  32,755 (-  0.9%)
07/2009: Wonder Woman #34  --  30,131 (-  8.0%)
08/2009: Wonder Woman #35  --  29,657 (-  1.6%)
09/2009: Wonder Woman #36  --  28,806 (-  2.9%)
10/2009: Wonder Woman #37  --  26,972 (-  6.4%)
11/2009: Wonder Woman #38  --  26,265 (-  2.6%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: +104.7%
1 year  : + 63.4%
2 years : + 44.3%
5 years : + 78.3%

Another $ 4.99 “milestone” issue, similar to Superman #700. The stories in this one include the end of the Gail Simone run, the start of the J. Michael Straczynski run and a few filler pieces. And sales were helped by a 1:25 variant and a 1:75 variant.

Again, that’s a great increase, but we’ll have to wait for the July chart to gauge retailers’ faith in J. Michael Straczynski’s ability to sell a lot of Wonder Woman comics.

—–

32 - DETECTIVE COMICS
06/2005: Detective Comics #807 --  38,497
06/2006: Detective Comics #820 --  65,988
06/2007: Detective Comics #833 --  54,104
06/2008: Detective Comics #845 --  48,920
-----------------------------------------
06/2009: Detective Comics #854 --  72,808 (-30.1%) [79,573]
07/2009: Detective Comics #855 --  61,205 (-15.9%)
08/2009: Detective Comics #856 --  58,859 (- 3.8%)
09/2009: Detective Comics #857 --  57,063 (- 3.1%)
10/2009: Detective Comics #858 --  58,599 (+ 2.7%)
11/2009: Detective Comics #859 --  54,392 (- 7.2%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.7%
1 year  : - 36.6%
2 years : -  5.6%
5 years : + 20.0%

There was a 1:75 variant-cover edition, hence the sales increase. The June issue was another fill-in one-shot. The preview copy, released back in March, still asked people to “come back next month for the return of The Question and Batwoman,” but shortly after it turned out that neither of the two Greg Rucka-written features would return.

—–

36 - BIRDS OF PREY
06/2005: Birds of Prey #83  -- 38,067
06/2006: Birds of Prey #95  -- 33,954
06/2007: Birds of Prey #107 -- 28,632
06/2008: Birds of Prey #119 -- 21,593
-------------------------------------
05/2010: Birds of Prey #1   -- 50,428 (+135.4%)
06/2010: Birds of Prey #2   -- 44,064 (- 12.6%)
----------------- 
2 years : +103.1%
5 years : + 15.8%

That’s a small second-issue drop for an ongoing series, especially considering that issue #1 was promoted with a variant-cover edition and #2 wasn’t. Great sales.

—–

37/39 - JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST
05/2010: Generation Lost #1  of 13 -- 50,784
05/2010: Generation Lost #2  of 13 -- 44,711 (-12.0%)
06/2010: Generation Lost #3  of 13 -- 43,278 (- 3.2%)
06/2010: Generation Lost #4  of 13 -- 41,702 (- 3.6%) 

This twice-monthly maxiseries also keeps doing well. Starting with issue #4, Generation Lost has been available as an official digital release on the same day the print versions come out. Given that retailers didn’t know that yet when they placed their initial orders for these and the next couple of issues, though, any potential effects on the sales of the direct-market edition are unlikely to appear on the chart for another few months.

As usual, both issues were promoted with 1:25 variants.

—–

43 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
06/2005: Legion of SH #7      -- 39,155
06/2006: Supergirl & LoSH #19 -- 43,918
06/2007: Supergirl & LoSH #31 -- 30,385
06/2008: --
---------------------------------------
05/2010: LoSH #1              -- 44,415 (+98.9%) [50,106]
06/2010: LoSH #2              -- 39,102 (-12.0%)
-----------------
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : -  0.1%

Mark down another new ongoing title with an encouragingly small second-issue drop. Also, issue #1 made the chart again in June with an estimated 5,691 additional units. Like the previous issue, Legion #2 was promoted with a 1:10 variant.

The numbers above suggest that retailers did not overestimate demand for the May debuts of Birds of Prey, Generation Lost and Legion of Super-Heroes. Which may also have contributed in the strong Green Arrow debut sales in June — and would be good news for the overall strength of the DC Universe brand.

—–

46/48 - JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
06/2005: JSA #74              -- 51,609
06/2006: JSA #86              -- 50,338
06/2007: --
06/2008: Justice Society #16 --  77,328
---------------------------------------
06/2009: Justice Society #28 --  52,673 (-  6.1%)
07/2009: Justice Society #29 --  51,375 (-  2.5%)
08/2009: Justice Society #30 --  49,416 (-  3.8%)
09/2009: Justice Society #31 --  47,436 (-  4.0%)
10/2009: Justice Society #32 --  44,885 (-  5.4%)
11/2009: Justice Society #33 --  43,218 (-  3.7%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -13.0%
1 year  : -31.1%
2 years : -53.0%
5 years : -29.6%

Sales are starting to bottom out after the long slide that started with the previous creative team’s departure.

But it’s a moot point, of course. As DC recently announced, issue #40 is writer Bill Willingham’s final issue. For the next couple of months, the book basically turns into a Justice League of America annex, until a new regular creative team takes over in October.

——

49 - RED ROBIN
06/2005: Robin #139    -- 29,645
06/2006: Robin #151    -- 38,921
06/2007: Robin #163    -- 26,284
06/2008: --
-------------------------------- 
06/2009: Red Robin #1  -- 64,261 (+102.8%) [71,925]
07/2009: Red Robin #2  -- 51,593 (- 19.7%) [54,544]
08/2009: Red Robin #3  -- 50,329 (-  2.5%)
09/2009: Red Robin #4  -- 47,945 (-  4.7%)
10/2009: Red Robin #5  -- 44,776 (-  6.6%)
11/2009: Red Robin #6  -- 42,409 (-  5.3%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: -  9.1%
1 year  : - 44.1%
2 years :   n.a.
5 years : + 21.2%

Fabian Nicieza takes over as the new writer, with no noticeable effect on sales. Given that the numbers were stabilizing during the last three issues of the Christopher Yost run, that’s probably a good sign.

—–

51 - BATMAN BEYOND
06/2010: Batman Beyond #1 of 6 -- 35,113

Another Batman spin-off, because lord knows DC doesn’t have enough of those yet. But the numbers are surprisingly good, actually.

There was a 1:25 variant.

—–

52 - ACTION COMICS
06/2005: Action Comics #828 -- 43,000
06/2006: Action Comics #840 -- 61,786 [63,676]
06/2007: --
06/2008: Action Comics #866 -- 50,158 [53,198]
-------------------------------------
06/2009: Action Comics #878 -- 40,011 (- 4.2%)
07/2009: Action Comics #879 -- 38,324 (- 4.2%)
08/2009: Action Comics #880 -- 37,588 (- 1.9%)
09/2009: Action Comics #881 -- 36,183 (- 3.7%)
10/2009: Action Comics #882 -- 34,754 (- 4.0%)
11/2009: Action Comics #883 -- 33,386 (- 3.9%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: + 9.0%
1 year  : -13.2% 
2 years : -30.7%
5 years : -19.2%

Paul Cornell and Pete Woods took over as the new creative team in June, starting another storyline that doesn’t have Superman in it. Thanks to DC’s frequently unreliable preview information, though, the numbers are unlikely to fully reflect retailers’ expectations from the material yet.

For one thing, there was another last-minute creator switch; when Action Comics #890 was solicited, Marc Guggenheim was supposed to be the new series writer. Also, the initial advertising copy once again neglected to mention that there was a variant-cover edition.

So it may take a couple of months for the numbers to catch up.

—–

55 - ADVENTURE COMICS
08/2009: Adventure Comics #1  -- 56,706 (+72.6%)
09/2009: Adventure Comics #2  -- 47,296 (-15.9%)
10/2009: Adventure Comics #3  -- 44,431 (- 6.1%)
11/2009: Adventure Comics #4  -- 85,145 (+91.6%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: - 42.1%

The new creative team of Paul Levitz and Kevin Sharpe manages to arrest the sales decline, at least. They had help from a 1:25 variant-cover edition, as opposed to the 1:10 one for issue #11.

—–

57 - RED HOOD: LOST DAYS
06/2010: Red Hood: Lost Days #1 of 6 -- 34,197

Another Batman spin-off, “exploring the lost days of this misunderstood character.” There was a 1:25 variant.

—–

59 - SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL
06/2010: Superman/Batman Annual #4 -- 33,240

This one-shot, another Paul Levitz-written story, ties in with Batman Beyond, with very similar sales. Notably, the book outsells Superman/Batman proper, which also happens to be written by Levitz currently. Maybe the Batman Beyond character makes the difference.

—–

60 - TITANS
06/2008: Titans #3      -- 54,512
---------------------------------
06/2009: Titans #14     -- 32,321 (- 5.9%)
07/2009: Titans #15     -- 46,189 (+42.9%)
08/2009: Titans #16     -- 31,408 (-32.0%)
09/2009: Titans #17     -- 30,154 (- 4.0%)
10/2009: Titans #18     -- 28,215 (- 6.4%)
11/2009: Titans #19     -- 27,099 (- 4.0%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: +27.8%
1 year  : + 2.4%
2 years : -39.3%

Surprisingly enough, the book actually outsells May’s Villains for Hire Special by the same creative team, despite the lack of a variant edition. Unless there’s some other retailer incentive involved that I’m missing, this looks like a sign of recovery for Titans, at long last.

—–

62 - SUPERMAN/BATMAN
06/2005: Superman/Batman #20 -- 114,099
06/2006: Superman/Batman #27 --  95,717
06/2007: Superman/Batman #36 --  65,866
06/2007: Superman/Batman #37 --  72,635
06/2008: Superman/Batman #49 --  52,579
---------------------------------------
06/2009: Superman/Batman #61 --  38,228 (- 3.3%)
07/2009: Superman/Batman #62 --  38,412 (+ 0.5%)
08/2009: Superman/Batman #63 --  37,467 (- 2.5%)
09/2009: Superman/Batman #64 --  36,332 (- 3.0%)
10/2009: Superman/Batman #65 --  34,585 (- 4.8%)
11/2009: Superman/Batman #66 --  52,143 (+50.8%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -36.7%
1 year  : -17.8%
2 years : -40.2%
5 years : -72.5%

The book seems to be settling into a slow decline.

—–

63 - JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE RISE OF ARSENAL
03/2010: JL: RoA #1 of 4 -- 36,020
04/2010: JL: RoA #2 of 4 -- 32,000 (-11.2%)
05/2010: JL: RoA #3 of 4 -- 31,246 (- 2.4%)
06/2010: JL: RoA #4 of 4 -- 30,753 (- 1.6%)

Perfectly solid sales for a Green Arrow spin-off.

—–

66 - ZATANNA
05/2010: Zatanna #1  -- 33,691
06/2010: Zatanna #2  -- 29,564 (-12.3%)

Once more, this is a surprisingly small second-issue drop for an ongoing title. Like for the debut issue, there was a 1:10 variant.

—–

68 - DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES
05/2010: DCU Legacies #1  of 10 -- 34,429
06/2010: DCU Legacies #2  of 10 -- 29,286 (-14.9%)

That’s a decent second-issue drop for a maxiseries. There was a 1:25 variant edition, same as for issue #1.

—–

69/80/90/91 - JOKER'S ASYLUM
07/2008: The Joker #1    -- 38,948
07/2008: The Penguin #1  -- 33,469
07/2008: Poison Ivy #1   -- 32,628
07/2008: Scarecrow #1    -- 31,406
07/2008: Two-Face #1     -- 30,335
----------------------------------
06/2010: Harley Quinn #1 -- 29,081
06/2010: The Riddler #1  -- 25,413
06/2010: Mad Hatter #1   -- 24,101
06/2010: Killer Croc #1  -- 22,919
06/2010: Clayface #1     -- 21,806

The second wave of Joker’s Asylum one-shots sells summarily below the first one. Given the number of Batman books already out there, this is hardly surprising.

—–

70 - BATGIRL
06/2005: Batgirl #65     -- 26,796
----------------------------------
08/2009: Batgirl #1      -- 51,724 (+149.3%)
09/2009: Batgirl #2      -- 40,626 (- 21.5%)
10/2009: Batgirl #3      -- 37,011 (-  8.9%)
11/2009: Batgirl #4      -- 34,697 (-  6.3%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -12.1%
5 years : + 6.6%

Batgirl seems to have found its level, for the time being.

—–

71 - SUPERGIRL
06/2006: --
06/2007: Supergirl #18 --  50,279
06/2008: Supergirl #30 --  29,553
---------------------------------
06/2009: Supergirl #42 --  32,705 (- 2.2%)
07/2009: Supergirl #43 --  32,849 (+ 0.4%)
08/2009: Supergirl #44 --  33,819 (+ 3.0%)
09/2009: Supergirl #45 --  32,240 (- 4.7%)
10/2009: Supergirl #46 --  30,377 (- 5.8%)
11/2009: Supergirl #47 --  29,159 (- 4.0%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: + 0.5%
1 year  : -13.4%
2 years : - 4.2%

Sales continue to drop back to pre-#50 levels.

—–

77 - 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%)

To date, American Vampire is performing very well. After issue #5, though, Stephen King will no longer write the backup feature.

—–

78 - GOTHAM CITY SIRENS
06/2009: GC Sirens #1  -- 52,439
07/2009: GC Sirens #2  -- 39,518 (-24.6%)
08/2009: GC Sirens #3  -- 36,772 (- 7.0%)
09/2009: GC Sirens #4  -- 34,405 (- 6.4%)
10/2009: GC Sirens #5  -- 33,015 (- 4.0%)
11/2009: GC Sirens #6  -- 30,990 (- 6.1%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.9%
1 year  : - 50.7%
82 - BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM
06/2009: Batman: SoG #1  -- 57,650
07/2009: Batman: SoG #2  -- 44,240 (-23.3%)
08/2009: Batman: SoG #3  -- 40,353 (- 8.8%)
09/2009: Batman: SoG #4  -- 37,888 (- 6.1%)
10/2009: Batman: SoG #5  -- 34,533 (- 8.9%)
11/2009: Batman: SoG #6  -- 32,303 (- 6.5%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -16.8%
1 year  : -56.3%

The two tertiary Batman books written by Paul Dini continue selling back to back. But contrary to what DC claims in its advertisements, Gotham City Sirens actually hasn’t been written by Dini since issue #11, of course. Instead, Tony Bedard, whose name first appeared in the solicitation copy for #16, is writing the book. So if the change has any effect on sales, it’s unlikely to be reflected yet.

Speaking of the solicitations, Gotham City Sirens is missing from the latest batch. The book hasn’t officially been canceled, as far as I’m aware, so it may just be on a skip month in October. On the other hand, the decline over the first 12 months has been rather stiff, so it wouldn’t be a total surprise to learn that it’s axed.

—–

84 - TEEN TITANS
06/2005: Teen Titans #25 -- 70,542 [72,721]
06/2006: --
06/2007: Teen Titans #48 -- 60,786
06/2008: Teen Titans #60 -- 45,036
----------------------------------
06/2009: Teen Titans #72 -- 32,512 (- 4.7%)
07/2009: Teen Titans #73 -- 30,990 (- 4.7%)
08/2009: Teen Titans #74 -- 30,380 (- 2.0%)
09/2009: Teen Titans #75 -- 32,808 (+ 8.0%)
10/2009: Teen Titans #76 -- 29,166 (-11.1%)
11/2009: Teen Titans #77 -- 46,239 (+58.5%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -43.3%
1 year  : -24.4%
2 years : -45.4%
5 years : -65.1%

At long last, Teen Titans has settled into a slow standard decline. It’s been quite a free-fall.

—–

85 - 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%)
----------------
6 months: -42.5%

The Justice Society spin-off is finding its level.

—–

94 - SECRET SIX
06/2006: --
-------------------------------------
06/2009: Secret Six #10     -- 24,272 (-10.5%)
07/2009: Secret Six #11     -- 24,357 (+ 0.4%)
08/2009: Secret Six #12     -- 24,161 (- 0.8%)
09/2009: Secret Six #13     -- 23,919 (- 1.0%)
10/2009: Secret Six #14     -- 23,345 (- 2.4%)
11/2009: Secret Six #15     -- 23,190 (- 0.7%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 3.1%
1 year  : - 9.6%

Standard attrition. These numbers haven’t been great, but they’re comparatively stable.

—–

99 - POWER GIRL
06/2009: Power Girl #2  -- 36,756 (-22.3%)
07/2009: Power Girl #3  -- 35,163 (- 4.3%)
08/2009: Power Girl #4  -- 32,140 (- 8.6%)
09/2009: Power Girl #5  -- 29,497 (- 8.2%)
10/2009: Power Girl #6  -- 27,060 (- 8.3%)
11/2009: --
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.7%
1 year  : -44.0%

Power Girl sales are holding level with the first issue by the new creative team. Good news, certainly.

—–

102 - BOOSTER GOLD
06/2008: Booster Gold #10 -- 34,435
-----------------------------------
06/2009: Booster Gold #21 -- 23,222 (+  3.0%)
07/2009: Booster Gold #22 -- 22,414 (-  3.5%)
08/2009: Booster Gold #23 -- 22,108 (-  1.4%)
09/2009: Booster Gold #24 -- 21,731 (-  1.7%)
10/2009: Booster Gold #25 -- 21,597 (-  0.6%)
11/2009: Booster Gold #26 -- 57,122 (+164.5%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -50.6%
1 year  : -14.3%
2 years : -42.2%

Sales are back in decline after last month’s upward twitch for the new creative team.

—–

104 - FABLES (Vertigo)
06/2005: Fables #38 -- 24,813
06/2006: Fables #50 -- 26,210
06/2007: Fables #62 -- 25,726
06/2008: --
-----------------------------
06/2009: Fables #85 -- 23,439 (-0.8%)
07/2009: Fables #86 -- 22,447 (-4.2%)
08/2009: Fables #87 -- 21,876 (-2.5%)
09/2009: Fables #88 -- 21,508 (-1.7%)
10/2009: Fables #89 -- 21,118 (-1.8%)
11/2009: Fables #90 -- 20,882 (-1.1%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 3.0%
1 year  : -15.4%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : -20.0%

Rock-solid numbers again over the last three months, after a relatively rough year.

—–

107 - I, ZOMBIE
05/2010: I, Zombie #1  -- 33,025
06/2010: I, Zombie #2  -- 18,620 (-43.6%)

The debut issue was promoted through a $ 1.00 cover price and a 1:10 variant, so the huge drop-off was to be expected. If it finds its level quickly, I, Zombie could still end up as one of Vertigo’s top-selling ongoing comic-book series.

—–

109 - THE OUTSIDERS
06/2005: Outsiders #25 -- 52,187 [55,884]
06/2006: Outsiders #37 -- 44,109
06/2007: Outsiders #48 -- 32,966
06/2008: Batsiders #8  -- 34,640
--------------------------------
06/2009: Outsiders #19 -- 27,485 (+  5.7%)
07/2009: Outsiders #20 -- 24,323 (- 11.5%)
08/2009: Outsiders #21 -- 23,856 (-  1.9%)
09/2009: Outsiders #22 -- 22,775 (-  4.5%)
10/2009: Outsiders #23 -- 21,413 (-  6.0%)
11/2009: Outsiders #24 -- 50,918 (+137.8%) [55,704]
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%)
----------------
6 months: -52.3%
1 year  : -34.4%
2 years : -47.9%
5 years : -65.4%

Once again, more than a thousand units have evaporated from one month to the next. The Outsiders is missing from the October solicitations, so maybe someone pulled the emergency brake.

—–

118 - JOE THE BARBARIAN (Vertigo)  
01/2010: Joe the Barbarian #1 of 8 -- 25,543          [29,712]
02/2010: Joe the Barbarian #2 of 8 -- 17,512 (-31.4%)
03/2010: Joe the Barbarian #3 of 8 -- 17,672 (+ 0.9%)
04/2010: Joe the Barbarian #4 of 8 -- 17,102 (- 3.2%)
05/2010: Joe the Barbarian #5 of 8 -- 16,725 (- 2.2%)
06/2010: Joe the Barbarian #6 of 8 -- 16,219 (- 3.0%)

Grant Morrison’s latest Vertigo effort continues to perform decently enough, if not spectacularly.

—–

119 - 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%)

That’s a steep third-issue drop. Doc Savage #3 was promoted with a 1:10 variant, like the two previous issues.

—–

128 - BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL
06/2007: Batman Confidential #6  -- 33,480
06/2008: Batman Confidential #18 -- 24,881
------------------------------------------
06/2009: Batman Confidential #30 -- 18,443 (- 2.3%)
07/2009: Batman Confidential #31 -- 19,225 (+ 4.2%)
08/2009: Batman Confidential #32 -- 18,545 (- 3.5%)
09/2009: Batman Confidential #33 -- 18,140 (- 2.2%)
10/2009: Batman Confidential #34 -- 17,097 (- 5.8%)
10/2009: Batman Confidential #35 -- 16,724 (- 2.2%)
11/2009: Batman Confidential #36 -- 16,664 (- 0.4%)
11/2009: Batman Confidential #37 -- 16,355 (- 1.9%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.9%
1 year  : -18.3%
2 years : -39.4%

Back in its usual decline.

—–

137 - JONAH HEX
06/2006: Jonah Hex #8  -- 21,006
06/2007: Jonah Hex #20 -- 16,150
06/2008: Jonah Hex #32 -- 12,969
--------------------------------
06/2009: Jonah Hex #44 -- 11,592 (- 0.1%)
07/2009: Jonah Hex #45 -- 12,588 (+ 8.6%)
08/2009: Jonah Hex #46 -- 12,466 (- 1.0%)
09/2009: Jonah Hex #47 -- 12,231 (- 1.9%)
10/2009: Jonah Hex #48 -- 11,281 (- 7.8%)
11/2009: Jonah Hex #49 -- 11,146 (- 1.2%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -11.2%
1 year  : +16.0%
2 years : + 3.6%

A variant-cover edition — once again not mentioned in the solicitation copy — probably explains the bulk of the sales increase in June. Since Jonah Hex numbers were already edging upwards over the last few months, though, some of it may be genuine.

—–

138 - THE UNWRITTEN (Vertigo)
06/2009: The Unwritten #2  -- 16,290 (-39.5%)
07/2009: The Unwritten #3  -- 17,028 (+ 4.5%)
08/2009: The Unwritten #4  -- 16,336 (- 4.1%)
09/2009: The Unwritten #5  -- 16,011 (- 2.0%)
10/2009: The Unwritten #6  -- 15,314 (- 4.4%)
11/2009: The Unwritten #7  -- 14,763 (- 3.6%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.0%
1 year  : -17.8%

Another Vertigo title with rock-solid numbers.

—–

141 - THE SPIRIT
06/2007: The Spirit #7  -- 22,621
06/2008: The Spirit #18 -- 13,257
---------------------------------
06/2009: The Spirit #29 --  8,273 (-  0.7%)
06/2009: The Spirit #30 --  8,103 (-  2.1%)
07/2009: The Spirit #31 --  7,882 (-  2.7%)
08/2009: The Spirit #32 --  7,670 (-  2.7%)
---------------------------------
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%)
-----------------
1 year  : + 58.2%
2 years : -  1.7%

So far, the relaunch of The Spirit looks as successful as DC could have realistically hoped for, under the circumstances.

——

153 - DOOM PATROL
06/2010: Doom Patrol #13 -- 15,290
----------------------------------
08/2009: Doom Patrol #1  -- 28,267
09/2009: Doom Patrol #2  -- 22,001 (- 22.2%)
10/2009: Doom Patrol #3  -- 20,036 (-  8.9%)
11/2009: Doom Patrol #4  -- 53,748 (+168.3%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -66.5%
5 years : -22.5%
160 - R.E.B.E.L.S.
06/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #5  -- 12,909 (-  4.2%)
07/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #6  -- 12,349 (-  4.3%)
08/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #7  -- 11,682 (-  5.4%)
09/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #8  -- 11,347 (-  2.9%)
10/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #9  -- 11,284 (-  0.6%)
11/2009: R.E.B.E.L.S. #10 -- 51,100 (+352.9%)
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%)
-----------------
6 months: - 64.9%
1 year  : - 14.4%

The Doom Patrol drops are getting smaller, finally, while R.E.B.E.L.S. numbers are stabilizing around 11K.

The October solicitations suggest that neither of the two books has been canceled yet, but given how erratic DC’s decisions have been over the last few years, that doesn’t have to mean anything — see the truncated Magog and The Great Ten, for instance.

—–

167 - TOM STRONG AND THE ROBOTS OF DOOM (WildStorm)
06/2005: Tom Strong #33 -- 11,956
---------------------------------
06/2010: RoD #1 of 6    -- 10,552
-----------------
5 years : - 11.7%

Tom Strong has seen better times, as the five-year comparison shows. Back then, the book was already well into its post-Alan Moore phase. Also, Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom #1 was promoted with a 1:10 variant edition, so its sales are quite unimpressive overall.

—–

172 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo)
06/2005: Hellblazer #209 -- 15,149
06/2006: Hellblazer #221 -- 13,973
06/2007: Hellblazer #233 -- 13,201
06/2008: Hellblazer #245 -- 11,897
----------------------------------
06/2009: Hellblazer #256 -- 10,898 (-0.4%)
07/2009: Hellblazer #257 -- 10,762 (-1.3%)
08/2009: Hellblazer #258 -- 10,665 (-0.9%)
09/2009: Hellblazer #259 -- 10,813 (+1.4%)
10/2009: Hellblazer #260 -- 10,767 (-0.4%)
11/2009: Hellblazer #261 -- 10,553 (-2.0%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 1.1%
1 year  : - 6.2%
2 years : -14.1%
5 years : -32.5%

Peter Milligan’s Hellblazer has been selling within 700 units for a year. The book is back to being one of DC’s most steady performers.

—–

180 - AZRAEL
10/2009: Azrael #1  -- 35,311 (- 1.7%)
11/2009: Azrael #2  -- 21,392 (-39.4%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -44.8%

Sales are finding their level, but that’s not much of a silver lining, at this stage. The October issue is set to conclude a four-part storyline; quite possibly, that could be it for Azrael.

—–

183 - SWEET TOOTH (Vertigo)
09/2009: Sweet Tooth #1  -- 18,657
10/2009: Sweet Tooth #2  -- 11,315 (-39.4%)
11/2009: Sweet Tooth #3  -- 10,363 (- 8.4%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 2.5%
184 - DAYTRIPPER (Vertigo)
12/2009: Daytripper #1  of 10 -- 12,010
01/2009: Daytripper #2  of 10 --  9,846 (-18.0%)
02/2009: Daytripper #3  of 10 --  9,577 (- 2.7%)
03/2009: Daytripper #4  of 10 --  9,872 (+ 3.1%)
04/2009: Daytripper #5  of 10 --  9,703 (- 1.7%)
05/2009: Daytripper #6  of 10 --  9,574 (- 1.3%)
06/2009: Daytripper #7  of 10 --  9,333 (- 2.5%)
----------------
6 months: -22.3%

Two solid mid-tier Vertigo books.

For Daytripper, the usual second-issue drop aside, sales have remained within 600 units; for Sweet Tooth, the numbers have been within 300 copies over the last half-year.

—–

193 - HOUSE OF MYSTERY (Vertigo)
06/2008: House of Mystery #2  -- 19,485
---------------------------------------
06/2009: House of Mystery #14 -- 12,039 (-16.2%)
07/2009: House of Mystery #15 -- 11,809 (- 1.9%)
08/2009: House of Mystery #16 -- 11,572 (- 2.0%)
09/2009: House of Mystery #17 -- 11,142 (- 3.7%)
10/2009: House of Mystery #18 -- 10,922 (- 2.0%)
11/2009: House of Mystery #19 -- 10,478 (- 4.1%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: -14.1%
1 year  : -27.4%
2 years : -55.1%

House of Mystery keeps slipping down the charts.

—–

199 - TINY TITANS (Johnny DC)
06/2008: Tiny Titans #5  -- 10,909
----------------------------------
06/2009: Tiny Titans #17 --  8,640 (- 2.3%)
07/2009: Tiny Titans #18 --  8,576 (- 0.7%)
08/2009: Tiny Titans #19 --  8,432 (- 1.7%)
09/2009: Tiny Titans #20 --  8,435 (+ 0.0%)
10/2009: Tiny Titans #21 --  8,259 (- 2.1%)
11/2009: Tiny Titans #22 --  8,100 (- 1.9%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: + 2.2%
1 year  : - 5.2%
2 years : -24.9%

A Johnny DC title.

—–

201 - FRINGE: TALES FROM THE FRINGE (WildStorm)
09/2008: Fringe #1 of 6 -- 15,929
01/2009: Fringe #2 of 6 --  8,239 (-48.3%)
03/2009: Fringe #3 of 6 --  7,426 (- 9.9%)
04/2009: Fringe #4 of 6 --  6,899 (- 7.1%)
05/2009: Fringe #5 of 6 --  6,744 (- 2.3%)
06/2009: Fringe #6 of 6 --  6,646 (- 1.5%)
---------------------------------
06/2010: Tales #1 of 6  --  8,099 (+21.9%)
----------------
1 year  : +21.9%

Another WildStorm miniseries based on the TV show. Reportedly, the Fringe comics are doing well in DC’s recently launched digital store, though nobody seems to have a solid idea what that means or how reliable the information is yet. It would certainly seem to make sense to the extent that you’d expect casual browsers of the digital library to select titles they’re familiar with from other media, but that’s neither here nor there.

—–

203 - MADAME XANADU (Vertigo)
06/2008: Madame Xanadu #1  -- 22,073
------------------------------------
06/2009: Madame Xanadu #12 --  9,949 (- 2.3%)
07/2009: Madame Xanadu #13 -- 10,009 (+ 0.6%)
08/2009: Madame Xanadu #14 --  9,873 (- 1.4%)
09/2009: Madame Xanadu #15 --  9,733 (- 1.4%)
10/2009: Madame Xanadu #16 --  9,283 (- 4.6%)
11/2009: Madame Xanadu #17 --  8,856 (- 4.6%)
12/2009: Madame Xanadu #18 --  8,686 (- 1.9%)
01/2010: Madame Xanadu #19 --  8,439 (- 2.8%)
02/2010: Madame Xanadu #20 --  8,285 (- 1.8%)
03/2010: Madame Xanadu #21 --  8,191 (- 1.1%)
04/2010: Madame Xanadu #22 --  8,158 (- 0.4%)
05/2010: Madame Xanadu #23 --  8,028 (- 1.6%)
06/2010: Madame Xanadu #24 --  7,979 (- 0.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 8.1%
1 year  : -19.8%
2 years : -63.9%

Madame Xanadu has found its level around the 8,000-unit mark. If the rumors of its cancellation are true, it’s unlikely to be due to sales alone, judging from these numbers.

—–

209 - WARLORD
06/2006: Warlord #5 --  16,070
------------------------------
06/2009: Warlord #3  -- 12,283 (- 8.3%)
07/2009: Warlord #4  -- 11,445 (- 6.8%)
08/2009: Warlord #5  -- 10,790 (- 5.7%)
09/2009: Warlord #6  -- 10,331 (- 4.3%)
10/2009: Warlord #7  --  9,892 (- 4.3%)
11/2009: Warlord #8  --  9,547 (- 3.5%)
12/2009: Warlord #9  --  9,102 (- 4.7%)
01/2010: Warlord #10 --  8,807 (- 3.2%)
02/2010: Warlord #11 --  8,532 (- 3.1%)
03/2010: Warlord #12 --  8,430 (- 1.2%)
04/2010: Warlord #13 --  8,130 (- 3.6%)
05/2010: Warlord #14 --  7,915 (- 2.7%)
06/2010: Warlord #15 --  7,755 (- 2.0%)
----------------
6 months: -14.8%
1 year  : -36.9%

Canceled with issue #16.

—–

214 - NORTHLANDERS (Vertigo)
06/2008: --
-----------------------------------
06/2009: Northlanders #18 --  8,877 (- 3.9%)
07/2009: Northlanders #19 --  8,722 (- 1.8%)
08/2009: --
09/2009: Northlanders #20 --  8,786 (+ 0.7%)
10/2009: Northlanders #21 --  8,360 (- 4.9%)
11/2009: Northlanders #22 --  8,136 (- 2.7%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 7.1%
1 year  : -15.5%
2 years :  n.a.

Continuing a very slow decline.

—–

216 - THE AUTHORITY (WildStorm)
06/2005: Revolution #9  of 12 -- 19,329
06/2007: --
---------------------------------------
06/2009: The Authority v4 #11 --  9,204 (- 3.4%)
07/2009: The Authority v4 #12 --  8,918 (- 3.1%)
08/2009: The Authority v4 #13 --  8,648 (- 3.0%)
09/2009: The Authority v4 #14 --  8,394 (- 2.9%)
10/2009: The Authority v4 #15 --  8,174 (- 2.6%)
11/2009: The Authority v4 #16 --  8,066 (- 1.3%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 7.7%
1 year  : -21.5%
2 years :  n.a.
5 years : -62.6%

Business as usual. To be fair, sales of both The Authority and Wildcats have been perfectly steady for the last six months.

—–

225 - MAGOG
09/2009: Magog #1  -- 26,352
10/2009: Magog #2  -- 16,193 (-38.6%)
11/2009: Magog #3  -- 12,915 (-20.2%)
12/2009: Magog #4  -- 10,700 (-17.2%)
01/2010: Magog #5  --  9,215 (-13.9%)
02/2010: Magog #6  --  8,548 (- 7.2%)
03/2010: Magog #7  --  8,119 (- 5.0%)
04/2010: Magog #8  --  7,743 (- 4.6%)
05/2010: Magog #9  --  7,264 (- 6.2%)
06/2010: Magog #10 --  6,749 (- 7.1%)
----------------
6 months: -36.9%

Canceled with issue #12.

—–

227 - SUPERNATURAL: BEGINNING'S END (WildStorm)
05/2007: Origins #1         -- 21,128
06/2007: Origins #2         -- 15,955 (-24.5%)
07/2007: Origins #3         -- 14,812 (- 7.2%)
08/2007: Origins #4         -- 13,915 (- 6.1%)
09/2007: Origins #5         -- 13,034 (- 6.3%)
10/2007: Origins #6         -- 12,350 (- 5.5%)
-------------------------------------
04/2008: Rising Son #1 of 6 -- 16,013 (+29.7%)
05/2008: Rising Son #2 of 6 -- 11,846 (-26.0%)
06/2008: Rising Son #3 of 6 -- 11,276 (- 4.8%)
07/2008: Rising Son #4 of 6 -- 10,676 (- 5.3%)
08/2008: Rising Son #5 of 6 -- 10,110 (- 5.3%)
09/2008: Rising Son #6 of 6 --  9,590 (- 5.1%)
-------------------------------------
01/2010: End #1 of 6        --  9,251 (- 3.5%)
02/2010: End #2 of 6        --  6,922 (-25.2%)
03/2010: End #3 of 6        --  6,764 (- 2.3%)
04/2010: End #4 of 6        --  6,420 (- 5.1%)
05/2010: End #5 of 6        --  6,403 (- 0.3%)
06/2010: End #6 of 6        --  6,711 (+ 4.8%)
----------------
2 years : -40.5%

The conclusion of another TV adaptation.

—–

231 - DMZ (Vertigo)
06/2006: DMZ #8  -- 14,999
06/2007: DMZ #20 -- 12,704
06/2008: DMZ #32 --  9,760
--------------------------
06/2009: DMZ #42 --  7,927 (-1.7%)
07/2009: DMZ #43 --  7,806 (-1.5%)
08/2009: DMZ #44 --  7,654 (-2.0%)
09/2009: DMZ #45 --  7,589 (-0.9%)
10/2009: DMZ #46 --  7,399 (-2.5%)
11/2009: DMZ #47 --  7,187 (-2.9%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.5%
1 year  : -16.0%
2 years : -31.8%

DMZ keeps sticking to the 6-7K area. The book will reach its natural conclusion in the not-too-distant future.

—–

235 - THE AUTHORITY: THE LOST YEAR (WildStorm)
10/2006: The Authority v3 #1     -- 58,136
03/2007: The Authority v3 #2     -- 39,886
------------------------------------------
11/2009: The Lost Year #3  of 12 --  8,988 (-77.5%)
12/2009: The Lost Year #4  of 12 --  7,999 (-11.0%)
01/2010: The Lost Year #5  of 12 --  7,541 (- 5.7%)
02/2010: The Lost Year #6  of 12 --  7,184 (- 4.7%)
03/2010: The Lost Year #7  of 12 --  6,942 (- 3.4%)
04/2010: The Lost Year #8  of 12 --  6,712 (- 3.3%)
05/2010: --
06/2010: The Lost Year #9  of 12 --  6,558 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -18.0%

Bottoming out in time for the home stretch.

—–

238/256/268 - WHAT'S NEXT REPRINT SPECIALS
05/2010: Jonah Hex #1       -- 8,463
05/2010: Hellblazer #1      -- 7,089
05/2010: Scalped #1         -- 6,438
05/2010: Action Comics #858 -- 6,438
05/2010: The Authority #1   -- 5,792
06/2010: Flash: Rebirth #1  -- 6,400
06/2010: Detect Comics #854 -- 5,775
06/2010: Astro City #1      -- 5,304
06/2010: Fables #6          -- 5,264
06/2010: Jack of Fables #1  -- 4,629

Another bunch of $ 1.00 reprints. Judging from these numbers, the program has pretty much run its course. If a company like DC can’t sell 5,000 copies of a $ 1.00 reprint comic, it’s time to look for other avenues of promotion, at least for a while.

—–

241 - DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS (WildStorm)
04/2010: Gods and Monsters #1 of 8 -- 10,203
05/2010: Gods and Monsters #2 of 8 --  6,671 (-34.6%)
06/2010: Gods and Monsters #3 of 8 --  6,295 (- 5.6%)

This revamp of an old WildStorm Universe concept is finding its level quickly now.

—–

242 - BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD (Johnny DC)
06/2005: Batman Strikes! #10   -- 10,048
06/2006: Batman Strikes! #22   --  8,104
06/2007: Batman Strikes! #34   --  7,115
06/2008: Batman Strikes! #46   --  7,118
----------------------------------------
06/2009: Brave & Bold #6       --  7,614 (-  4.8%)
07/2009: Brave & Bold #7       --  7,441 (-  2.3%)
08/2009: Brave & Bold #8       --  7,153 (-  3.9%)
09/2009: Brave & Bold #9       --  7,064 (-  1.2%)
10/2009: Brave & Bold #10      --  6,646 (-  5.9%)
11/2009: Brave & Bold #11      --  6,438 (-  3.1%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 1.1%
1 year  : -17.7%
2 years : -11.9%
5 years : -37.6%

Another Johnny DC book.

—–

244 - GEARS OF WAR (WildStorm)
06/2009: --
07/2009: GoW #8  --  9,368 (- 5.9%)
07/2009: GoW #9  --  9,009 (- 3.8%)
08/2009: --
09/2009: --
10/2009: --
11/2009: GoW #10 --  8,066 (-10.5%)
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%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.

A videogame adaptation from WildStorm. Sales are dreadful, obviously.

—–

246 - WILDCATS (WildStorm)
06/2007: --
----------------------------------
06/2009: World's End #12 --  7,863 (- 3.7%)
07/2009: World's End #13 --  7,609 (- 3.2%)
08/2009: World's End #14 --  7,417 (- 2.5%)
09/2009: World's End #15 --  7,178 (- 3.2%)
10/2009: World's End #16 --  6,883 (- 4.1%)
11/2009: World's End #17 --  6,691 (- 2.8%)
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%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.7%
1 year  : -23.1%
2 years :  n.a.

Another WildStorm Universe title that seems to be settling down around 6K.

—–

249 - THE GREAT TEN
11/2009: The Great Ten #1  of 10 -- 13,159
12/2009: The Great Ten #2  of 10 --  8,760 (-33.4%)
01/2010: The Great Ten #3  of 10 --  7,458 (-14.9%)
02/2010: The Great Ten #4  of 10 --  6,812 (- 8.7%)
03/2010: The Great Ten #5  of 10 --  6,555 (- 3.8%)
04/2010: The Great Ten #6  of 10 --  6,301 (- 3.9%)
05/2010: The Great Ten #7  of 10 --  6,112 (- 3.0%)
06/2010: The Great Ten #8  of 10 --  5,998 (- 1.9%)
----------------
6 months: -31.5%

Canceled with issue #9.

—–

250 - NEMESIS: THE IMPOSTORS
05/2009: FCA: Escape #1 of 6 -- 28,668
06/2009: FCA: Escape #2 of 6 -- 20,576 (-29.2%)
07/2009: FCA: Escape #3 of 6 -- 15,294 (-25.7%)
08/2009: FCA: Escape #4 of 6 -- 12,950 (-15.3%)
09/2009: FCA: Escape #5 of 6 -- 11,613 (-10.3%)
10/2009: FCA: Escape #6 of 6 -- 10,519 (- 9.4%)
--------------------------------------
03/2010: Impostors #1 of 4   --  9,005 (-14.4%)
04/2010: Impostors #2 of 4   --  7,291 (-19.0%)
05/2010: Impostors #3 of 4   --  6,252 (-14.3%)
06/2010: Impostors #4 of 4   --  5,919 (- 5.3%)
----------------
1 year  : -71.2%

A DC Universe miniseries that doesn’t “count,” doesn’t have any popular characters in its favor and wasn’t promoted, with predictable results.

—–

252 - GREEK STREET (Vertigo)
07/2009: Greek Street #1  -- 20,422
08/2009: Greek Street #2  -- 11,996 (-41.3%)
09/2009: Greek Street #3  -- 10,628 (-11.4%)
10/2009: Greek Street #4  --  9,246 (-13.0%)
11/2009: Greek Street #5  --  8,610 (- 6.9%)
12/2009: Greek Street #6  --  7,802 (- 9.4%)
01/2010: Greek Street #7  --  7,335 (- 6.0%)
02/2010: Greek Street #8  --  6,872 (- 6.3%)
03/2010: Greek Street #9  --  6,603 (- 3.9%)
04/2010: Greek Street #10 --  6,324 (- 4.2%)
05/2010: Greek Street #11 --  6,128 (- 3.1%)
06/2010: Greek Street #12 --  5,905 (- 3.6%)
----------------
6 months: -24.3%

Canceled with issue #16.

—–

254 - HUMAN TARGET
02/2010: Human Target #1 of 6 -- 13,690
03/2010: Human Target #2 of 6 --  8,403 (-38.6%)
04/2010: Human Target #3 of 6 --  6,857 (-18.4%)
05/2010: Human Target #4 of 6 --  6,222 (- 9.3%)
06/2010: Human Target #5 of 6 --  5,838 (- 6.2%)

A TV-show tie-in, tanking badly.

—–

262 - DEMO (Vertigo)
11/2003: Demo #1  of 12      -- 4,529
12/2003: Demo #2  of 12      -- 3,115 (-31.2%)
01/2004: Demo #3  of 12      -- 3,170 (+ 1.8%)
02/2004: Demo #4  of 12      -- 3,220 (+ 1.6%)
03/2004: Demo #5  of 12      -- 3,301 (+ 2.5%)
05/2004: Demo #6  of 12      -- 3,514 (+ 6.5%)
06/2004: Demo #7  of 12      -- 3,882 (+10.5%)
07/2004: Demo #8  of 12      -- 3,803 (- 2.0%)
08/2004: Demo #9  of 12      -- 3,976 (+ 4.6%)
10/2004: Demo #10 of 12      -- 4,260 (+ 7.1%)
10/2004: Demo #11 of 12      -- 4,344 (+ 2.0%)
12/2004: Demo #12 of 12      -- 4,628 (+ 6.5%)
-------------------------------------
02/2010: Demo Vol. 2 #1 of 6 -- 8,317
03/2010: Demo Vol. 2 #2 of 6 -- 6,573 (-21.0%)
04/2010: Demo Vol. 2 #3 of 6 -- 6,010 (- 8.6%)
05/2010: Demo Vol. 2 #4 of 6 -- 5,818 (- 3.2%)
06/2010: Demo Vol. 2 #5 of 6 -- 5,612 (- 3.5%)

The black-&-white miniseries looks like it’s going to finish ahead of the previous volume back from 2004. Given that Demo was published by AiT/Planet Lar back then, that’s hardly a ringing endorsement.

—–

266 - UNKNOWN SOLDIER (Vertigo)
06/2009: Unknown Soldier #9  --  7,586 (- 1.6%)
07/2009: Unknown Soldier #10 --  7,256 (- 4.4%)
08/2009: Unknown Soldier #11 --  7,070 (- 2.6%)
09/2009: Unknown Soldier #12 --  6,865 (- 2.9%)
10/2009: Unknown Soldier #13 --  6,636 (- 3.3%)
11/2009: Unknown Soldier #14 --  6,359 (- 4.2%)
12/2009: Unknown Soldier #15 --  6,134 (- 3.5%)
01/2010: Unknown Soldier #16 --  5,848 (- 4.7%)
02/2010: Unknown Soldier #17 --  5,701 (- 2.5%)
03/2010: Unknown Soldier #18 --  5,611 (- 1.6%)
04/2010: Unknown Soldier #19 --  5,542 (- 1.2%)
05/2010: Unknown Soldier #20 --  5,466 (- 1.4%)
06/2010: Unknown Soldier #21 --  5,371 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: -12.4%
1 year  : -29.2%

Canceled with issue #24.

—–

281 - GEN13 (WildStorm)
06/2007: Gen13 #9  -- 18,644
06/2008: --
----------------------------
06/2009: Gen13 #30 --  6,880 (- 5.9%)
07/2009: --
08/2009: Gen13 #31 --  6,544 (- 4.9%)
09/2009: --
10/2009: Gen13 #32 --  6,044 (- 7.6%)
11/2009: --
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%)
----------------
6 months: -10.4%
1 year  : -25.5%
2 years :  n.a.

Another long-running WildStorm Universe book, stumbling on well below the radar.

—–

283 - THE SHIELD
08/2009: RC: Shield #1  -- 19,088
09/2009: The Shield #1  -- 16,997 (-11.0%)
10/2009: The Shield #2  -- 10,401 (-38.8%)
11/2009: The Shield #3  --  8,546 (-17.8%)
12/2009: The Shield #4  --  7,316 (-14.4%)
01/2010: The Shield #5  --  6,444 (-11.9%)
02/2010: The Shield #6  --  6,010 (- 6.7%)
03/2010: The Shield #7  --  5,568 (- 7.4%)
04/2010: The Shield #8  --  5,288 (- 5.0%)
05/2010: The Shield #9  --  5,201 (- 1.7%)
06/2010: The Shield #10 --  5,082 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -30.5%

Canceled. The Web also ended with issue #10 in June, but didn’t make the Top 300 chart.

—–

287 - AIR (Vertigo)
06/2009: Air #10 --  6,954 (- 2.3%)
07/2009: Air #11 --  6,793 (- 2.3%)
08/2009: Air #12 --  6,589 (- 3.0%)
09/2009: Air #13 --  6,476 (- 1.7%)
10/2009: Air #14 --  6,156 (- 4.9%)
11/2009: Air #15 --  5,921 (- 3.8%)
12/2009: Air #16 --  5,733 (- 3.2%)
01/2010: Air #17 --  5,573 (- 2.8%)
02/2010: Air #18 --  5,352 (- 4.0%)
03/2010: Air #19 --  5,268 (- 1.6%)
04/2010: Air #20 --  5,184 (- 1.6%)
05/2010: Air #21 --  5,104 (- 1.5%)
06/2010: Air #22 --  4,973 (- 2.6%)
----------------
6 months: -13.3%
1 year  : -28.5%

Canceled with issue #24.

—–

289 - SUPER FRIENDS (Johnny DC)
06/2008: Super Friends #4  --  8,038
------------------------------------
06/2009: Super Friends #16 --  5,548 (+ 0.6%)
07/2009: Super Friends #17 --  5,368 (- 3.2%) 
08/2009: Super Friends #18 --  5,291 (- 1.4%)
09/2009: Super Friends #19 --  5,045 (- 4.7%)
10/2009: Super Friends #20 --  5,026 (- 0.4%)
11/2009: Super Friends #21 --  4,879 (- 2.9%)
12/2009: Super Friends #22 --  4,837 (- 0.9%)
01/2010: Super Friends #23 --  4,538 (- 6.2%)
02/2010: Super Friends #24 --  4,644 (+ 2.3%)
03/2010: Super Friends #25 --  4,678 (+ 0.7%)
04/2010: Super Friends #26 --  4,955 (+ 5.9%)
05/2010: Super Friends #27 --  4,688 (- 5.4%)
06/2010: Super Friends #28 --  4,885 (+ 4.2%)
----------------
6 months: + 1.0%
1 year  : -12.0%
2 years : -39.2%

Johnny DC.

—–

293 - CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2: GHOST (WildStorm)
11/2009: CoD:MW2: Ghost #1 of 6 -- 11,936
12/2009: CoD:MW2: Ghost #2 of 6 --  5,214 (-56.3%)
01/2010: --
02/2010: CoD:MW2: Ghost #3 of 6 --  4,938 (- 5.3%)
03/2010: CoD:MW2: Ghost #4 of 6 --  5,026 (+ 1.8%)
04/2010: --
05/2010: --
06/2010: CoD:MW2: Ghost #5 of 6 --  4,806 (- 4.4%)
----------------
6 months: - 7.8%
295 - RESIDENT EVIL (WildStorm)
06/2009: --
07/2009: --
08/2009: --
09/2009: --
10/2009: --
11/2009: Resident Evil #3 of 6 --  6,508 (-37.2%)
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%)
----------------
6 months:  n.a.
1 year  :  n.a.

Another couple of game adaptations from WildStorm.

In addition to the DC Universe title The Web, the WildStorm books Sparta, U.S.A. #4, Garrison #3 and Free Realms #10 also missed the chart in June. As always, I’m assuming they sold as many units as the No. 300 title on the chart for the purposes of the average periodical numbers below. The actual numbers are likely to be lower than that.

—–

REORDERS:
251: 5,913 -- Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1
257: 5,755 -- Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2
260: 5,691 -- Legion of Super-Heroes #1

—–

6-MONTH COMPARISONS
+221.8%: Green Arrow
+108.0%: Superman
+104.7%: Wonder Woman
+ 58.9%: Batman
+ 58.2%: Spirit
+ 27.8%: Titans
+  9.0%: Action Comics
+ 2.2%: Tiny Titans
+  1.0%: Super Friends
+  0.5%: Supergirl
-  1.1%: Batman: Brave & Bold
-  1.1%: Hellblazer
-  2.5%: Sweet Tooth
-  3.0%: Fables
-  3.1%: Secret Six
-  4.5%: DMZ
-  5.9%: Batman Confidential
-  6.0%: Unwritten
-  6.7%: Wildcats
-  7.1%: Northlanders
-  7.7%: Authority
-  7.8%: Modern Warfare 
-  8.1%: Madame Xanadu
-  8.6%: JLA
-  8.7%: Power Girl
-  9.1%: Red Robin
- 10.4%: Gen13
- 11.2%: Jonah Hex
- 11.7%: Detective Comics
- 11.7%: Green Lantern
- 12.1%: Batgirl
- 12.4%: Unknown Soldier
- 12.9%: GC Sirens
- 13.0%: JSA
- 13.3%: Air
- 14.1%: House of Mystery
- 14.3%: GL Corps
- 14.8%: Warlord
- 16.8%: Batman: SoG
- 18.0%: Authority: Lost Year
- 22.3%: Daytripper
- 24.3%: Greek Street
- 30.5%: Shield
- 31.5%: Great Ten
- 36.7%: Superman/Batman
- 36.9%: Magog
- 42.1%: Adventure Comics
- 42.5%: JSA All-Stars
- 43.3%: Teen Titans
- 44.8%: Azrael
- 50.6%: Booster Gold
- 52.3%: Outsiders
- 64.9%: REBELS
- 66.5%: Doom Patrol

—–

1-YEAR COMPARISONS
+161.5%: Green Arrow
+ 67.4%: Superman
+ 63.4%: Wonder Woman
+ 58.2%: Spirit
+ 21.9%: Fringe
+ 16.0%: Jonah Hex
+  8.1%: Batman
+  4.8%: GL Corps
+  2.7%: JLA
+  2.4%: Titans
+  2.1%: Green Lantern
-  5.2%: Tiny Titans
-  6.2%: Hellblazer
-  9.6%: Secret Six
- 12.0%: Super Friends
- 13.2%: Action Comics
- 13.4%: Supergirl
- 14.3%: Booster Gold
- 14.4%: REBELS
- 15.4%: Fables
- 15.5%: Northlanders
- 16.0%: DMZ
- 17.2%: Flash
- 17.7%: Batman: Brave & Bold
- 17.8%: Superman/Batman
- 17.8%: Unwritten
- 18.3%: Batman Confidential
- 19.8%: Madame Xanadu
- 21.5%: Authority
- 23.1%: Wildcats
- 24.4%: Teen Titans
- 25.5%: Gen13
- 27.4%: House of Mystery
- 28.5%: Air
- 29.2%: Unknown Soldier
- 31.1%: JSA
- 34.4%: Outsiders
- 36.6%: Detective Comics
- 36.9%: Warlord
- 44.0%: Power Girl
- 44.1%: Red Robin
- 50.7%: GC Sirens
- 56.3%: Batman: SoG
- 71.2%: Nemesis

—–

2-YEAR COMPARISONS
+123.3%: Flash
+103.1%: Birds of Prey
+ 79.4%: Green Arrow
+ 44.3%: Wonder Woman
+ 40.6%: GL Corps
+ 32.5%: Green Lantern
+ 23.7%: Superman
+  3.6%: Jonah Hex
-  1.7%: Spirit
-  4.2%: Supergirl
-  5.6%: Detective Comics
- 11.9%: Batman: Brave & Bold
- 14.1%: Hellblazer
- 24.9%: Tiny Titans
- 26.2%: JLA
- 30.7%: Action Comics
- 31.8%: DMZ
- 39.2%: Super Friends
- 39.3%: Titans
- 39.4%: Batman Confidential
- 40.2%: Superman/Batman
- 40.5%: Supernatural
- 42.2%: Booster Gold
- 45.4%: Teen Titans
- 47.9%: Outsiders
- 53.0%: JSA
- 55.1%: House of Mystery
- 63.9%: Madame Xanadu

—–

5-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 78.3%: Wonder Woman
+ 73.6%: Green Arrow
+ 55.9%: Batman
+ 43.3%: Flash
+ 21.2%: Red Robin
+ 20.0%: Detective Comics
+ 15.8%: Birds of Prey
+  9.9%: Superman
+  6.6%: Batgirl
-  0.1%: Legion
- 11.7%: Tom Strong
- 19.2%: Action Comics
- 20.0%: Fables
- 22.5%: Doom Patrol
- 27.1%: Green Lantern
- 29.6%: JSA
- 32.5%: Hellblazer
- 34.2%: JLA
- 37.6%: Batman: Brave & Bold
- 62.6%: Authority
- 65.1%: Teen Titans
- 65.4%: Outsiders
- 72.5%: Superman/Batman

—–

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

DC COMICS
06/2005: 32,001
06/2006: 42,339
06/2007: 34,017
06/2008: 27,367
---------------
06/2009: 25,880 (+ 6.1%)**
07/2009: 30,905 (+19.4%)**
08/2009: 29,977 (- 3.0%)
09/2009: 28,493 (- 5.0%)**
10/2009: 27,525 (- 4.4%)**
11/2009: 28,913 (+ 5.1%)**
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: 27,181 (+14.5%)**
06/2010: 25,313 (- 6.9%)**
----------------
6 months: - 2.3%
1 year  : - 2.2%
2 years : - 7.5%
5 years : -20.9%
DC UNIVERSE
06/2005: 39,888
06/2006: 53,274
06/2007: 47,986
06/2008: 35,800
---------------
06/2009: 36,329 (+ 9.6%)
07/2009: 41,218 (+13.9%)
08/2009: 37,300 (- 9.5%)
09/2009: 36,725 (- 1.5%)**
10/2009: 34,795 (- 5.3%)
11/2009: 38,488 (+10.6%)
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: 36,533 (+11.2%)
06/2010: 33,891 (- 7.2%)**
----------------
6 months: - 4.5%
1 year  : - 6.7%
2 years : - 5.3%
5 years : -15.0%
VERTIGO
06/2005: 14,165
06/2006: 14,965
06/2007: 12,732
06/2008: 10,491
---------------
06/2009: 11,166 (-13.6%)
07/2009: 11,055 (- 1.0%)**
08/2009: 11,369 (+ 2.8%)
09/2009: 11,345 (- 0.2%)
10/2009: 10,551 (- 7.0%)
11/2009: 11,036 (+ 4.6%)
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%
----------------
6 months: + 3.9%
1 year  : - 1.5%
2 years : + 4.8%
5 years : -22.4%
WILDSTORM
06/2005: 19,059
06/2006: 15,056
06/2007: 12,272
06/2008:  9,806
---------------
06/2009:  8,805 (+ 2.6%)**
07/2009:  8,519 (- 3.3%)**
08/2009:  7,977 (- 6.4%)
09/2009:  8,280 (+ 3.8%)**
10/2009:  9,769 (+18.0%)**
11/2009:  7,111 (-27.2%)**
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%)**
----------------
6 months: -15.4%
1 year  : -30.3%
2 years : -37.4%
5 years : -67.8%

—–
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. Just a quick question. If the variant covers aren’t mentioned in the solicitations, would they even affect orders?

  2. “The million-dollar question, though, is how much of it is purely due to the big, round number, and where issue #701, where Straczynski’s story begins in earnest, will pick up from that.”

    I think the “big, round number” is the main reason for the boost. Comic fans are suckers for anniversary issues, especially for iconic A-listers (and a superhero “Founding Father”) like Superman.

    Considering the tsunami of bad reviews coming in for the JMS run so far (approaching the bile levels of Rise of Arsenal territory), I actually don’t expect the number to “pick up” from 67,561…but, instead, tumble to…oh…the mid-50’s or so. Yeah…it’s that bad. Bad to the point where it may even drive away a good percentage of the “bedrock fans” (the 30,000 or so buyers who always seem to be there for the character)…unless DC hits the panic button and pulls the plug on the Superman Walk-A-Thon.

  3. @RJT – some incentives are listed on the Previews order form, but not in the catalog itself. It follows the idea that Previews is a “retailer catalog”, even though consumers see it. So, Some items end up as line items on the order form, as they aren’t considered to be a factor in influencing the consumer.

    Also, a lot of variants are decided after the fact, so they may not be mentioned in Previews, but they are listed in Previews Plus – a weekly retailer-only newsletter. These listings are posted before the order increase cut-off, so they could affect numbers, as there’s no reorder fee in that window.

  4. Nearly all of the bat-books are on hiatus in October (apart from Detective Comics and Azrael, which are racing to complete their storylines), and that includes very tangentially related series like Birds of Prey, so I wouldn’t read too much into the Outsiders and Gotham City Sirens’ absence.

  5. “Nearly all of the bat-books are on hiatus in October (apart from Detective Comics and Azrael, which are racing to complete their storylines), and that includes very tangentially related series like Birds of Prey, so I wouldn’t read too much into the Outsiders and Gotham City Sirens’ absence.”

    Especially since there’s an Outsiders and a Catwoman one-shot included in the lot.

  6. Since you mentioned Titans was part of the Brightest Day umbrella, isn’t the increase likely due to that than any particular retailer incentive?

  7. Do you think did some of the publicity for the Jonah Hex movie helped sales? After all, there no such thing as bad publicity.

  8. Given the number of new titles which had small second issue drop-offs (certainly smaller than we usually see), do you think that means retailers are getting smarter about ordering new titles — or is it just that they are more cautious at the moment and more prone to under ordering due to the current economy. Or is it perhaps that they know there isn’t a significant drawback to under ordering DC books because the publisher will go back to press with something if it was under ordered and the demand is there.

  9. I’m glad the Jonah Hex title is doing well…bodes well for non-superhero genres…I plan to show my support for it via the trade collections sice I hardly buy floppies these days.

  10. “The October solicitations suggest that neither of the two books has been canceled yet, but given how erratic DC’s decisions have been over the last few years, that doesn’t have to mean anything — see the truncated Magog and The Great Ten, for instance.”

    The weird cancellation of Great Ten remains an unique occurence. Tempting as it may be to lump Magog in with it, the Magog situation is actually the exact opposite: Editorial had so much faith in the material that they thought it was wasted on such a low-selling title and decided to turn it into a JSA special (solicited last month) that will surely sell much better. So it’s really not fair to accuse DC of erratic cancellation decisions. If anything, they keep low-selling books alive much longer than expected (see the Red Circle line), especially compared to their competition, who have repeatedly cancelled supposedly ongoing books after only five issues.

    “Madame Xanadu has found its level around the 8,000-unit mark. If the rumors of its cancellation are true, it’s unlikely to be due to sales alone, judging from these numbers.”

    The Madame Xanadu cancellation has nothing to do with sales. It’s cancelled because DCU editorial wants its characters back from Vertigo. I don’t think this is rumor, as I remember that the report included a Karen Berger quote along the lines of “We don’t really mind, we prefer original concepts anyway.”. And she’s certainly got a point, as besides Madame Xanadu the only other Vertigo book left with roots in the DCU is Hellblazer, and that was mentioned as being exempt from this new rule. Oh wait, what about House of Mystery? Hmmmm…

  11. 1) Johnny DC is being transferred to Wildstorm. DC’s website pages for each issue showed “final issue” for many of the non-cartoon series. Now, it looks like they’ve all been transferred to Wildstorm (except for Superfriends, which has no issues past July).

    2) I,Zombie
    Projected gross (pun unintentional):
    #1 $33,025.00
    #2 $55,673.80
    68.5% increase? That’s good, right?

    Which is why cover prices and estimated grosses should be shown?

    Also, the October cover features a chimpanzee, so sales should increase. (The Monkey/Motorcycle/Fire Cover paradigm)

    3) Why print the “What’s Next” issues? Well, if it’s anything like the #1/$1 issues, DC overprints copies and then hands them out as freebies at conventions. “The first one is always free.”

  12. I think the $1 reprints are just put out there kinda oddly. The issues that are reprinted aren’t new enough for one to easily jump into the ongoing, if the series is even still ongoing. And if they’re out there to encourage TPB sales I don’t know if a $1 comic is the best way to encourage a $10 TPB purchase.

    I think this could be supplemented or even replaced with the increased digital push from Marvel and DC. For instance instead of releasing a $1 issue when a new movie comes out, they could just as easily put a 15 second commercial telling moviegoers to check out the first issue of the comic on their phone or computers. I think that would generate far more attention and potential sales.

  13. I absolutely LOVE Doom Patrol…sometimes not alot of it makes sense to me but still I can’t put it down. I just read an interview over at Newsarama (before the site gave me ANOTHER virus) that indicated DC was keeping it around for about another year…yeah, I was shocked as well!

    Biff

  14. This is another vote for including estimated grosses. There’s a reason Diamond has a unit sales chart and a dollar sales chart.

  15. I know you don’t regularly do analysis on the kids line, but Tiny Titans really is a little sucess story in how rock solid it is (and how it outperforms most other kids titles not to mention a lot of the other stuff as well).

  16. Daniel:

    “This is another vote for including estimated grosses. There’s a reason Diamond has a unit sales chart and a dollar sales chart.”

    Nobody claims the column says anything meaningful about grosses; it’s about unit sales, not dollar sales.

    From time to time, I’ll bring up the dollar sales in the intro text, to put DC’s overall comic-book performance in perspective, as I did this month. That’s as far as I’m taking it, though.

  17. Digit:

    “Since you mentioned Titans was part of the Brightest Day umbrella, isn’t the increase likely due to that than any particular retailer incentive?”

    That’s unlikely to have caused another boost, since the VILLAINS FOR HIRE one-shot was part of “Brightest Day” already.

  18. RJT:

    “Just a quick question. If the variant covers aren’t mentioned in the solicitations, would they even affect orders?”

    Good question. Depends on when retailers get the information, I would imagine.

    Generally, if something’s not in the regular solicitation text, I suppose there’s bound to be a percentage of people who miss the information, resulting in a certain amount of “lost” orders.

  19. Frank:

    “Would be curious to see cover prices listed along with these statistics.”

    Click the links to ICv2.com’s charts. They have them. As a general rule of thumb, I’ll mention cover prices when they seem relevant to the month-to-month sales.

  20. Cookylamoo:

    “Do you think did some of the publicity for the Jonah Hex movie helped sales? After all, there no such thing as bad publicity.”

    Possible that this is a factor in the recent stability of JONAH HEX sales.

    Traditionally, though, movies rarely affect comic-book (meaning: pamphlet) sales.

  21. Hutch:

    “Given the number of new titles which had small second issue drop-offs (certainly smaller than we usually see), do you think that means retailers are getting smarter about ordering new titles — or is it just that they are more cautious at the moment and more prone to under ordering due to the current economy.”

    I don’t think it means retailers are more cautious, since the first issues of those series already did pretty well.

    I think the small second-issue drops either mean that (a) the overall market is getting better, or (b) DC is starting to do better than they have in recent years with their fans, or (c) retailers were overly optimistic when they ordered those comics.

    We’ll find out which one it is a few months down the road.

  22. This is gonna sound weird, but I just dropped Batman:Streets of Gotham because the Manhunter second feature was discontinued. The reasons we drop a title sometimes……

  23. I thought Unknown Soldier was going to be cancelled with #25, not that it makes much difference. Great series tho’, makes me sad it see it go.

  24. I think the lack of several Bat-related books in October has to do with the Return of Bruce Wayne one-shots.

    And sure enough, 2 of these issues are OUTSIDERS and CATWOMAN, so I reckon the OUTSIDERS title and GOTHAM CITY SIRENS are getting the month off due to over-exposure….

    Also, Didio’s mentioned (on his Facebook I think) that he’s working on OUTSIDERS plots into next year. So that one’s safe for a while.