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by Marc-Oliver Frisch

DC is in a weird place right now.

You can practically watch the publisher’s retail and talent relations take a nose-dive on the Internet. Just last week, retailers Brian Hibbs and Leo McGovern called DC out on its handling of a line-wide publishing stunt in August; a “head of DC Comics” was quoted as admitting that his target audience are “45-year-olds”; popular artist Kevin Maguire announced on Twitter that he’d been “just fired” from an upcoming DC title, asked for work — and was hired, lickety-split, by a gleeful Marvel editor in chief a few hours later; and the brave souls who read the actual comics that somehow still get made, published and sold in this environment conclude that everything kinda reads the same at DC.

And last week was not an anomaly in the almost two years since DC relaunched its line of superhero titles. If anything, things seem to be deteriorating. Comparisons with the state of Marvel 1998 are being made, not least because Bob Harras, who was Marvel’s editor in chief from 1995 through 2000, has held the same position at DC Comics since September 2010.

There are obvious similarities, after all. Much like at Marvel in the late 1990s, a standardized “house style” now takes precedence over the individual styles of most of the creators working for DC, as Tim O’Neil points out, which has caused a whole bunch of those creators to leave, often very publicly; and rather than to try and win over new readers with attractive content, the publisher is gaming the market with storylines, gimmicks and variant editions aimed at hardcore collectors.

But there is another factor that tends to be overlooked.

Harras’s Marvel produced some sales spikes in the late 1990s with publishing events like “Heroes Return” and “Revolution,” but did not stop the general downward trend the company’s numbers (as everybody else’s) was caught in since 1995 — and, more importantly, failed to capitalize on early movie successes like Blade (1998) or X-Men (2000).

Harras’s DC, on the other hand, has managed to hang on to much-improved sales figures in the wake of the September 2011 “New 52” relaunch. In the 22 months from September 2011 through June 2013, the average DC Universe comic book sold an estimated 39,500 units per month, and the monthly total number of DC Universe comic books sold was, on average, 2.54 million, for a monthly $8.38 million; in the 22 months before that, from November 2009 through August 2011, it was an estimated 31,700 units on average per month, and 1.78 million units total and $5.95 million per month on average.

In other words: Since the “New 52” relaunch, there have been increases of 25% in average DC Universe unit sales, 43% in total DC Universe unit sales and 41% in total DC Universe dollar sales per month versus the same pre-relaunch period. When Harras was brought on as editor in chief in September 2010, it was presumably to prepare and carry out the “New 52” relaunch. So it’s fair to say that this is his success.

Further, Harras has not repeated the mistake that allegedly cost him his job at Marvel back in 2000. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman continues to be the most consistently successful best-seller the direct market has seen in decades, and it has spawned several commercially successful crossovers. And in June 2013, the debut issues of the new Superman Unchained and Batman/Superman titles topped the direct-market charts, with estimated sales of 256,792 (including the “Combo Pack” variant edition) and 143,457 units, respectively.

Harras has clearly managed to create a synergy between Warner’s movie successes and DC’s comics successes. Ever since the “New 52” relaunch, DC has been producing best-selling Batman comics, and now, with Warner’s Man of Steel movie renewing interest in that franchise, there seems a good chance they might be able to pull off the same with Superman.

To date, Harras’s books are successful in the way that presumably counts for DC Entertainment and Warner at large: They sell. These sales may be in large part driven by hardcore fans, gimmicks, volume and no more than a handful of genuinely strong titles; and Harras’s directives may not be popular among retailers, creators, critics or fans on the Internet.

But, to quote one of the great old philosophers of our time: “Love Can’t Buy You Money.”

See below for the details and, as usual, 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.

—–

285 - SCOOBY DOO: WHERE ARE YOU? (Johnny DC)
06/2003: Scooby Doo #73  -- 5,925
06/2008: Scooby Doo #133 -- 4,501
06/2009: Scooby Doo #145 -- 4,093
06/2010: Scooby Doo #157 -- ?
06/2011: SD:WAY? #10     -- 4,774
---------------------------------
06/2012: SD:WAY? #22     -- 4,968 (- 5.7%)
07/2012: SD:WAY? #23     -- 4,934 (- 0.7%)
08/2012: SD:WAY? #24     -- ?
09/2012: SD:WAY? #25     -- 4,979
10/2012: SD:WAY? #26     -- ?
11/2012: SD:WAY? #27     -- 5,032
12/2012: SD:WAY? #28     -- 4,879 (- 3.0%)
01/2013: SD:WAY? #29     -- 4,729 (- 3.1%)
02/2013: SD:WAY? #30     -- 4,752 (+ 0.5%)
03/2013: SD:WAY? #31     -- 4,770 (+ 0.4%)
04/2013: SD:WAY? #32     -- 4,688 (- 1.7%)
05/2013: SD:WAY? #33     -- ?
06/2013: SD:WAY? #34     -- 4,881
----------------
6 months: + 0.0%
1 year  : - 1.8%
2 years : + 2.2%
5 years : + 8.4%
10 years: -17.6%

Rock-solid figures just below the 5K mark, as always.

—–

200 - ARROW (Digital-First)
11/2012: Arrow #1  -- 25,442
12/2012: Arrow #2  -- 15,780 (-38.0%)
01/2013: Arrow #3  -- 13,090 (-17.1%)
02/2013: Arrow #4  -- 11,581 (-11.5%)
03/2013: Arrow #5  -- 10,908 (- 5.8%)
04/2013: Arrow #6  -- 10,462 (- 4.1%)
05/2013: Arrow #7  -- 10,017 (- 4.3%)
06/2013: Arrow #8  --  9,671 (- 3.5%)
----------------
6 months: -38.7%

Cancelled with issue #12.

Arrow is DC’s lowest-selling digital-first title, so its cancellation is not not entirely surprising. What’s worth noting here is that the digital comic is cancelled, as well, and the print edition will just keep going until the existing material runs out.

Since no hard data on digital sales are available, it’s impossible to gauge what this means, beyond the obvious observation that digital sales and print sales were, in combination, not good enough to warrant a continued publication in either format.

Would Arrow have continued if either digital sales or print sales had been better? Were both too low? The answers to questions like these will probably become more and more important if you want to understand the comics market in the next few years.

—–

192 - THE UNWRITTEN (Vertigo)
06/2009: The Unwritten #2  -- 16,290
06/2010: The Unwritten #14 -- 13,396
06/2011: The Unwritten #26 -- 10,979
------------------------------------
06/2012: The Unwritten #38 --  9,494 (- 0.6%)
07/2012: The Unwritten #39 --  9,478 (- 0.2%)
08/2012: The Unwritten #40 --  9,127 (- 3.7%)
09/2012: The Unwritten #41 --  8,943 (- 2.0%)
10/2012: The Unwritten #42 --  8,881 (- 0.7%)
11/2012: The Unwritten #43 --  8,791 (- 1.0%)
12/2012: The Unwritten #44 --  8,532 (- 3.0%)
01/2013: The Unwritten #45 --  8,465 (- 0.8%)
02/2013: The Unwritten #46 --  8,352 (- 1.3%)
03/2013: The Unwritten #47 --  8,267 (- 1.0%)
04/2013: The Unwritten #48 --  8,226 (- 0.5%)
05/2013: The Unwritten #49 --  8,234 (+ 0.1%)
06/2013: The Unwritten #50 -- 10,124 (+23.0%)
----------------
6 months: +18.7%
1 year  : + 6.6%
2 years : - 7.8%

The first part proper of the “Unwritten Fables” story, plus an “anniversary” issue, plus a 1:25 variant-cover edition equals a modest increase. Given the motivations behind these types of crossovers and gimmicks, this is not terribly impressive.

—–

191 - THRESHOLD
01/2013: Threshold #1  -- 29,312
02/2013: Threshold #2  -- 18,389 (-37.3%)
03/2013: Threshold #3  -- 15,109 (-17.8%)
04/2013: Threshold #4  -- 12,811 (-15.2%)
05/2013: Threshold #5  -- 11,209 (-12.5%)
06/2013: Threshold #6  -- 10,184 (- 9.1%)

Cancelled with issue #8.

—–

183/170 - DJANGO UNCHAINED (Vertigo)
12/2012: Django Unchained #1 of 6 -- 11,795
01/2013: --
02/2013: Django Unchained #2 of 6 -- 13,554 (+14.9%)
03/2013: --
04/2013: Django Unchained #3 of 6 -- 12,561 (- 7.3%)
05/2013: --
06/2013: Django Unchained #4 of 6 -- 12,119 (- 3.5%)
06/2013: Django Unchained #5 of 6 -- 10,856 (-10.4%)
---------------
6 months: -2.6%

Solid figures for a Vertigo book, if not spectacular ones. A serialized movie adaptation was always going to be an odd fit for the imprint, so there’s no reason to complain here, I think.

Then again, who knows what kind of Vertigo will emerge from the current transitional phase. Maybe we’re entering a bold new Vertigo era of comics based on movie scripts here.

—–

176 - AME-COMI GIRLS (Digital-First)
10/2012: ACG #1: Wonder Woman      -- 24,966
11/2012: ACG #2: Batgirl           -- 16,083 (-35.6%)
12/2012: ACG #3: Duela Dent        -- 13,185 (-18.0%)
01/2013: ACG #4: Power Girl        -- 12,488 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: ACG #5 of 5: Supergirl    -- 12,343 (- 1.2%)
03/2013: Ame-Comi Girls #1         -- 16,558 (+34.2%)
04/2013: Ame-Comi Girls #2         -- 12,878 (-22.2%)
05/2013: Ame-Comi Girls #3         -- 12,007 (- 6.8%)
06/2013: Ame-Comi Girls #4         -- 11,229 (- 6.5%)
----------------
6 months: -14.8%

Cancelled with issue #8. Another low-selling digital-first book is getting the axe; see comments on Arrow.

—–

174 - DEMON KNIGHTS
06/2012: Demon Knights #10 -- 19,005 (- 5.9%)
07/2012: Demon Knights #11 -- 18,201 (- 4.2%)
08/2012: Demon Knights #12 -- 17,295 (- 5.0%)
09/2012: Demon Knights #0  -- 20,474 (+18.4%)
10/2012: Demon Knights #13 -- 16,805 (-17.9%)
11/2012: Demon Knights #14 -- 16,005 (- 4.8%)
12/2012: Demon Knights #15 -- 15,152 (- 5.3%)
01/2013: Demon Knights #16 -- 14,168 (- 6.5%)
02/2013: Demon Knights #17 -- 13,571 (- 4.2%)
03/2013: Demon Knights #18 -- 12,975 (- 4.4%)
04/2013: Demon Knights #19 -- 12,941 (- 0.3%)
05/2013: Demon Knights #20 -- 12,195 (- 5.8%)
06/2013: Demon Knights #21 -- 11,627 (- 4.7%)
----------------
6 months: -23.3%
1 year  : -38.8%

Cancelled with issue #23.

—–

173 - DIAL H
06/2003: H-E-R-O #5 -- 19,886
-----------------------------
06/2012: Dial H #2  -- 30,618 (-32.4%)
07/2012: Dial H #3  -- 26,109 (-14.7%)
08/2012: Dial H #4  -- 22,733 (-12.9%)
09/2012: Dial H #0  -- 24,070 (+ 5.9%)
10/2012: Dial H #5  -- 19,903 (-17.3%)
11/2012: Dial H #6  -- 17,832 (-10.4%)
12/2012: Dial H #7  -- 16,217 (- 9.1%)
01/2013: Dial H #8  -- 14,672 (- 9.5%)
02/2013: Dial H #9  -- 13,541 (- 7.7%)
03/2013: Dial H #10 -- 13,084 (- 3.4%)
04/2013: Dial H #11 -- 13,355 (+ 2.1%)
05/2013: Dial H #12 -- 12,381 (- 7.3%)
06/2013: Dial H #13 -- 11,905 (- 3.9%)
----------------
6 months: -26.6%
1 year  : -61.1%
10 years: -40.1%

Cancelled with issue #15.

—–

167 - STORMWATCH
06/2003: Stormwatch: TA #12   -- 13,507
---------------------------------------
06/2012: Stormwatch #10       -- 20,592 (- 8.3%)
07/2012: Stormwatch #11       -- 19,678 (- 4.4%)
08/2012: Stormwatch #12       -- 18,531 (- 5.8%)
09/2012: Stormwatch #0        -- 21,764 (+17.5%)
10/2012: Stormwatch #13       -- 17,621 (-19.0%)
11/2012: Stormwatch #14       -- 16,559 (- 6.0%)
12/2012: Stormwatch #15       -- 15,437 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Stormwatch #16       -- 14,411 (- 6.7%)
02/2013: Stormwatch #17       -- 13,657 (- 5.2%)
03/2013: Stormwatch #18       -- 13,255 (- 2.9%)
04/2013: Stormwatch #19       -- 13,626 (+ 2.8%)
05/2013: Stormwatch #20       -- 13,049 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Stormwatch #21       -- 12,277 (- 5.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 20.5%
1 year  : - 40.4%
5 years :   n.a.
10 years: -  9.1%

The lowest-selling “New 52” title that has not been cancelled yet as I’m typing this. As expected, though, the recent creative-team change hasn’t resulted in much of a reprieve from the decline.

—–

165 - BATWING
06/2012: Batwing #10 -- 20,724 (-42.0%)
07/2012: Batwing #11 -- 20,047 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: Batwing #12 -- 18,279 (- 8.8%)
09/2012: Batwing #0  -- 22,135 (+21.1%)
10/2012: Batwing #13 -- 17,166 (-22.5%)
11/2012: Batwing #14 -- 15,967 (- 7.0%)
12/2012: Batwing #15 -- 14,674 (- 8.1%)
01/2013: Batwing #16 -- 13,427 (- 8.5%)
02/2013: Batwing #17 -- 12,595 (- 6.2%)
03/2013: Batwing #18 -- 12,084 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Batwing #19 -- 13,570 (+12.3%)
05/2013: Batwing #20 -- 13,302 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Batwing #21 -- 12,437 (- 6.5%)
----------------
6 months: -15.3%
1 year  : -40.0%

—–

160 - KATANA
02/2013: Katana #1  -- 27,021
03/2013: Katana #2  -- 19,247 (-28.8%)
04/2013: Katana #3  -- 16,157 (-16.1%)
05/2013: Katana #4  -- 14,804 (- 8.4%)
06/2013: Katana #5  -- 12,998 (-12.2%)

—–

151 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA'S VIBE
02/2013: Vibe #1  -- 27,051
03/2013: Vibe #2  -- 19,092 (-29.4%)
04/2013: Vibe #3  -- 16,972 (-11.1%)
05/2013: Vibe #4  -- 14,970 (-11.8%)
06/2013: Vibe #5  -- 13,706 (- 8.4%)

Three more “New 52” titles that are still officially ongoing this minute. With their numbers crashing like that, though, they’re clearly on borrowed time.

—–

150 - BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED (Digital-First)
06/2012: Arkham Unhinged #3  -- 23,322 (- 7.5%)
07/2012: Arkham Unhinged #4  -- 21,809 (- 6.5%)
08/2012: Arkham Unhinged #5  -- 21,059 (- 3.4%)
09/2012: Arkham Unhinged #6  -- 20,259 (- 3.8%)
10/2012: Arkham Unhinged #7  -- 19,890 (- 1.8%)
11/2012: Arkham Unhinged #8  -- 18,393 (- 7.5%)
12/2012: Arkham Unhinged #9  -- 17,220 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Arkham Unhinged #10 -- 16,113 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Arkham Unhinged #11 -- 15,703 (- 2.6%)
03/2013: Arkham Unhinged #12 -- 15,067 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Arkham Unhinged #13 -- 14,702 (- 2.4%)
05/2013: Arkham Unhinged #14 -- 14,048 (- 4.5%)
06/2013: Arkham Unhinged #15 -- 13,729 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -20.3%
1 year  : -40.9%

Now the lowest-selling digital-first book that hasn’t been cancelled.

—–

148 - FAIREST (Vertigo)
06/2012: Fairest #4  -- 21,156 (- 5.3%)
07/2012: Fairest #5  -- 20,371 (- 3.7%)
08/2012: Fairest #6  -- 19,446 (- 4.5%)
09/2012: Fairest #7  -- 18,626 (- 4.2%)
10/2012: Fairest #8  -- 18,376 (- 1.3%)
11/2012: Fairest #9  -- 17,417 (- 5.2%)
12/2012: Fairest #10 -- 16,919 (- 2.9%)
01/2013: Fairest #11 -- 16,498 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: Fairest #12 -- 16,141 (- 2.2%)
03/2013: Fairest #13 -- 15,693 (- 2.8%)
04/2013: Fairest #14 -- 15,269 (- 2.7%)
05/2013: Fairest #15 -- 14,959 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Fairest #16 -- 14,289 (- 4.5%)
----------------
6 months: -15.6%
1 year  : -32.6%

Slipping down the charts.

—–

147 - GREEN TEAM
05/2013: Green Team #1  -- 27,775
06/2013: Green Team #2  -- 14,328 (-48.4%)

That’s a disastrous drop right into cancellation territory. The book was going to be a hard sell from the get-go, and as usual, DC didn’t think it was worth the effort to actually promote it, so that’s not surprising.

I’m not sure if this throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach is a particularly smart or effective way of spending money and creative energy, but it’s the way it’s always been done in the direct market, and it’s not about to change.

—–

144 - THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
06/2003: Legion #21           -- 22,749
06/2008: --
06/2010: LoSH #2              -- 39,102
06/2011: LoSH #14             -- 22,600
---------------------------------------
06/2012: LoSH #10             -- 19,963 (-  4.3%)
07/2012: LoSH #11             -- 19,421 (-  2.7%)
08/2012: LoSH #12             -- 18,907 (-  2.7%)
09/2012: LoSH #0              -- 21,561 (+ 14.0%)
10/2012: LoSH #13             -- 18,487 (- 14.3%)
11/2012: LoSH #14             -- 17,767 (-  3.9%)
12/2012: LoSH #15             -- 16,912 (-  4.8%)
01/2013: LoSH #16             -- 16,496 (-  2.5%)
02/2013: LoSH #17             -- 16,242 (-  1.5%)
03/2013: LoSH #18             -- 16,148 (-  0.6%)
04/2013: LoSH #19             -- 16,015 (-  0.9%)
05/2013: LoSH #20             -- 15,532 (-  3.0%)
06/2013: LoSH #21             -- 14,997 (-  3.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.3%
1 year  : - 24.9%
2 years : - 33.6%
5 years :   n.a.
10 years: - 34.1%

Cancelled with issue #23.

—–

142 - SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 (Digital-First)
06/2012: Smallville S11 #2  -- 22,468 (-16.8%)
07/2012: Smallville S11 #3  -- 20,864 (- 7.1%)
08/2012: Smallville S11 #4  -- 19,861 (- 4.8%)
09/2012: Smallville S11 #5  -- 19,499 (- 1.8%)
10/2012: Smallville S11 #6  -- 19,663 (+ 0.8%)
11/2012: Smallville S11 #7  -- 19,104 (- 2.8%)
12/2012: Smallville S11 #8  -- 18,633 (- 2.5%)
01/2013: Smallville S11 #9  -- 17,845 (- 4.2%)
02/2013: Smallville S11 #10 -- 17,024 (- 4.6%)
03/2013: Smallville S11 #11 -- 16,502 (- 3.1%)
04/2013: Smallville S11 #12 -- 15,930 (- 3.5%)
05/2013: Smallville S11 #13 -- 15,442 (- 3.1%)
06/2013: Smallville S11 #14 -- 15,097 (- 2.2%)
----------------
6 months: -19.0%
1 year  : -32.8%

Standard attrition.

—–

141 - FABLES (Vertigo)
06/2003: Fables #14  -- 25,229
06/2008: --
06/2009: Fables #85  -- 23,439
06/2010: Fables #96  -- 19,842
06/2011: Fables #106 -- 18,505
------------------------------
06/2012: Fables #118 -- 18,566 (+ 6.2%)
07/2012: Fables #119 -- 17,110 (- 7.8%)
08/2012: Fables #120 -- 16,704 (- 2.4%)
09/2012: Fables #121 -- 16,596 (- 0.7%)
10/2012: Fables #122 -- 16,513 (- 0.5%)
11/2012: Fables #123 -- 16,229 (- 1.7%)
12/2012: Fables #124 -- 16,018 (- 1.3%)
01/2013: Fables #125 -- 15,983 (- 0.2%)
02/2013: Fables #126 -- 15,480 (- 3.2%)
03/2013: Fables #127 -- 15,529 (+ 0.3%)
04/2013: Fables #128 -- 15,606 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Fables #129 -- 15,380 (- 1.5%)
06/2013: Fables #130 -- 15,129 (- 1.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.6%
1 year  : -18.5% 
2 years : -18.2%
5 years :  n.a.
10 years: -40.0%

Standard attrition.

—–

140 - BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED (Digital-First)
06/2012: Unlimited #5          -- 24,058 (- 1.2%)
07/2012: Unlimited #6          -- 22,555 (- 6.3%)
08/2012: Unlimited #7          -- 21,219 (- 5.9%)
09/2012: Unlimited #8          -- 20,897 (- 1.5%)
10/2012: Unlimited #9          -- 19,877 (- 4.9%)
11/2012: Unlimited #10         -- 19,004 (- 4.4%)
12/2012: Unlimited #11         -- 18,089 (- 4.8%)
01/2013: Unlimited #12         -- 17,446 (- 3.6%)
02/2013: Unlimited #13         -- 17,025 (- 2.4%)
03/2013: Unlimited #14         -- 16,456 (- 3.3%)
04/2013: Unlimited #15         -- 16,283 (- 1.1%)
05/2013: Unlimited #16         -- 15,822 (- 2.8%)
06/2013: Unlimited #17         -- 15,464 (- 2.3%)
----------------
6 months: -14.5%
1 year  : -35.7%

Standard attrition.

—–

138 - ALL STAR WESTERN
06/2008: Jonah Hex #32 -- 12,969
06/2009: Jonah Hex #44 -- 11,592
06/2010: Jonah Hex #56 -- 13,441
06/2011: Jonah Hex #68 -- 10,224
--------------------------------
06/2012: ASW #10       -- 25,334 (- 19.4%)
07/2012: ASW #11       -- 23,572 (-  7.0%)
08/2012: ASW #12       -- 22,767 (-  3.4%)
09/2012: ASW #0        -- 25,388 (+ 11.5%)
10/2012: ASW #13       -- 21,481 (- 15.4%)
11/2012: ASW #14       -- 20,186 (-  6.0%)
12/2012: ASW #15       -- 19,190 (-  4.9%)
01/2013: ASW #16       -- 18,254 (-  4.9%)
02/2013: ASW #17       -- 17,398 (-  4.7%)
03/2013: ASW #18       -- 16,897 (-  2.9%)
04/2013: ASW #19       -- 16,838 (-  0.4%)
05/2013: ASW #20       -- 16,184 (-  3.9%)
06/2013: ASW #21       -- 15,788 (-  2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 17.7%
1 year  : - 37.7%
2 years : + 54.4%
5 years : + 21.7%

Standard attrition.

—–

137 - AMERICAN VAMPIRE: THE LONG ROAD TO HELL (Vertigo)
06/2010: American Vampire #4  -- 25,977
06/2011: American Vampire #16 -- 15,705
---------------------------------------
06/2012: American Vampire #28 -- 15,573 (+ 8.0%)
07/2012: American Vampire #29 -- 15,324 (- 1.6%)
08/2012: American Vampire #30 -- 15,081 (- 1.6%)
09/2012: American Vampire #31 -- 14,796 (- 1.9%)
10/2012: American Vampire #32 -- 14,857 (+ 0.4%)
11/2012: American Vampire #33 -- 13,614 (- 8.4%)
12/2012: American Vampire #34 -- 13,416 (- 1.5%)
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Long Road to Hell #1 -- 16,042 (+19.6%)
----------------
6 months: +19.6%
1 year  : + 3.0%
2 years : + 2.2%

Will the American Vampire relaunch (“later this year”) profit from the momentum that made The Wake #1 the best-selling Vertigo debut since the year 2000? For a $7.99 Vertigo book, this is not a a bad number. But it doesn’t suggest a great sudden surge of interest in the title, either — at least not at this stage.

—–

130 - LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT (Digital-First)
10/2012: LotDK #1  -- 42,904
11/2012: LotDK #2  -- 30,085 (-29.9%)
12/2012: LotDK #3  -- 25,710 (-14.5%)
01/2013: LotDK #4  -- 22,671 (-11.8%)
02/2013: LotDK #5  -- 21,041 (- 7.2%)
03/2013: LotDK #6  -- 19,681 (- 6.5%)
04/2013: LotDK #7  -- 18,201 (- 7.5%)
05/2013: LotDK #8  -- 17,126 (- 5.9%)
06/2013: LotDK #9  -- 16,678 (- 2.6%)
----------------
6 months: -35.1%

Another digital-first title that’s cancelled in October. Unlike Arrow and Ame-Comi Girls, though, Legends of the Dark Knight will continue digitally — only the print format will shift from comic books to paperback collections.

Given the book’s print numbers, I think it’s safe to assume that this is another experiment. Will paperback sales be high enough to warrant skipping the comic-book format altogether? Will paperback sales profit from skipping the comic books?

And again, it would be lovely to know what — if any — role digital sales are playing in the decision. Either way, it’s good to see major publishers testing the waters on multiple digital and print formats, and combinations thereof.

—–

128 - MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: ORIGIN OF HORDAK
05/2013: Origin of Hordak #1 -- 17,113

Not a bad number for a New Gods tribute comic.

—–

127 - TRINITY OF SIN: PHANTOM STRANGER
09/2012: Phantom Stranger #0  -- 40,103
10/2012: Phantom Stranger #1  -- 33,350 (-16.8%)
11/2012: Phantom Stranger #2  -- 24,979 (-25.1%)
12/2012: Phantom Stranger #3  -- 23,378 (- 6.4%)
01/2013: Phantom Stranger #4  -- 19,903 (-14.9%)
02/2013: Phantom Stranger #5  -- 18,032 (- 9.4%)
03/2013: Phantom Stranger #6  -- 17,375 (- 3.6%)
04/2013: Phantom Stranger #7  -- 17,326 (- 0.3%)
05/2013: Phantom Stranger #8  -- 16,269 (- 6.1%)
06/2013: ToS: PS #9           -- 17,241 (+ 6.0%)
----------------
6 months: -26.3%

The title change marking the book as a lead-in to the next big crossover brings a modest increase.

—–

124 - 100 BULLETS: BROTHER LONO (Vertigo)
06/2003: 100 Bullets #45      -- 17,207
06/2008: 100 Bullets #92      -- 10,797
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Brother Lono #1 of 8 -- 17,489
----------------
5 years : +62.0%
10 years: + 1.6%

Does this new 100 Bullets spin-off by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso suggest that the momentum of The Wake applies to other titles, as well?

Not really. Issues #90 through #99 of 100 Bullets sold between 10,856 and 10,411 units from April 2008 through January 2009. The final issue #100 sold 13,755 units in April 2009. And Azzarello and Risso’s Spaceman debuted with sales of 22,355 units in October 2011 — promoted with a $1 debut issue.

Brother Lono #1 comes with a 1:25 variant-cover promotion, and its numbers sit right about where you’d have expected them, all told. These aren’t terrible sales, and the miniseries will end up making another perennial seller once it’s collected, sure.

But there’s nothing here to suggest The Wake #1 was not a fluke.

—–

120 - THE MOVEMENT
05/2013: The Movement #1  -- 29,246
06/2013: The Movement #2  -- 18,001 (-38.5%)

Another gigantic second-issue drop.

The involvement of Gail Simone is probably what keeps The Movement ahead of its sister title Green Team. Still, these sales don’t look encouraging.

—–

118 - HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
07/2012: He-Man #1 of 6 -- 27,665
08/2012: --
09/2012: He-Man #2 of 6 -- 19,737 (-28.7%)
10/2012: He-Man #3 of 6 -- 18,269 (- 7.4%)
11/2012: He-Man #4 of 6 -- 17,499 (- 4.2%)
12/2012: He-Man #5 of 6 -- 16,858 (- 3.7%)
01/2013: He-Man #6 of 6 -- 16,441 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: --
03/2013: --
04/2013: He-Man #1      -- 25,254 (+53.6%)
05/2013: He-Man #2      -- 19,410 (-23.1%)
06/2013: He-Man #3      -- 18,277 (- 5.8%)
----------------
6 months: + 8.4%

The numbers appear to be levelling out in the same area as the preceding miniseries. Not the worst scenario, certainly.

—–

117 - BATMAN: LI'L GOTHAM (Digital-First)
04/2013: Li'l Gotham #1  -- 27,591
05/2013: Li'l Gotham #2  -- 18,573 (-32.7%)
06/2013: Li'l Gotham #3  -- 18,578 (+ 0.0%)

No third-issue drop. Good sign, obviously.

—–

109 - BIRDS OF PREY
06/2003: Birds of Prey #56  -- 26,802
06/2008: Birds of Prey #119 -- 21,593
06/2010: Birds of Prey #2   -- 44,064
06/2011: Birds of Prey #13  -- 28,992
-------------------------------------
06/2012: Birds of Prey #10  -- 28,457 (- 31.5%)
07/2012: Birds of Prey #11  -- 27,389 (-  3.8%)
08/2012: Birds of Prey #12  -- 26,587 (-  2.9%)
09/2012: Birds of Prey #0   -- 30,574 (+ 15.0%)
10/2012: Birds of Prey #13  -- 25,851 (- 15.5%)
11/2012: Birds of Prey #14  -- 24,904 (-  3.7%)
12/2012: Birds of Prey #15  -- 24,026 (-  3.5%)
01/2013: Birds of Prey #16  -- 23,182 (-  3.5%)
02/2013: Birds of Prey #17  -- 22,112 (-  4.6%)
03/2013: Birds of Prey #18  -- 21,957 (-  0.7%)
04/2013: Birds of Prey #19  -- 21,707 (-  1.1%)
05/2013: Birds of Prey #20  -- 21,126 (-  2.7%)
06/2013: Birds of Prey #21  -- 20,767 (-  1.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.6%
1 year  : - 27.0%
2 years : - 28.4%
5 years : -  3.8%
10 years: - 22.5%

Standard attrition.

—–

106 - SUPERBOY
06/2011: Superboy #8  --  23,037
--------------------------------
06/2012: Superboy #10 --  31,358 (- 10.0%)
07/2012: Superboy #11 --  29,677 (-  5.4%)
08/2012: Superboy #12 --  27,518 (-  7.3%)
09/2012: Superboy #0  --  31,840 (+ 15.7%)
10/2012: Superboy #13 --  25,726 (- 19.2%)
11/2012: Superboy #14 --  28,017 (+  8.9%)
12/2012: Superboy #15 --  27,619 (-  1.4%)
01/2013: Superboy #16 --  27,110 (-  1.8%)
02/2013: Superboy #17 --  26,762 (-  1.3%)
03/2013: Superboy #18 --  24,455 (-  8.6%)
04/2013: Superboy #19 --  24,211 (-  1.0%)
05/2013: Superboy #20 --  22,508 (-  7.0%)
06/2013: Superboy #21 --  20,952 (-  6.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.1%
1 year  : - 33.2%
2 years : -  9.1%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

102 - TALON
09/2012: Talon #0  -- 59,691
10/2012: Talon #1  -- 55,737 (- 6.6%)
11/2012: Talon #2  -- 41,250 (-26.0%)
12/2012: Talon #3  -- 35,034 (-15.1%)
01/2013: Talon #4  -- 30,909 (-11.8%)
02/2013: Talon #5  -- 28,003 (- 9.4%)
03/2013: Talon #6  -- 25,440 (- 9.2%)
04/2013: Talon #7  -- 24,045 (- 5.5%)
05/2013: Talon #8  -- 22,710 (- 5.6%)
06/2013: Talon #9  -- 21,755 (- 4.2%)
----------------
6 months: -37.9%

Another book that’s still slipping faster than it should, at this point.

—–

100 - ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Digital-First)
05/2013: Adventures of Superman #1  -- 30,992
06/2013: Adventures of Superman #2  -- 22,407 (-27.7%)

There was no 1:25 variant-cover edition in June, so the second-issue drop isn’t as harsh as it looks. Perfectly solid sales for a digital-first title.

—–

98 - SUICIDE SQUAD
06/2012: Suicide Squad #10      -- 31,576 (-  3.1%)
07/2012: Suicide Squad #11      -- 29,809 (-  5.6%)
08/2012: Suicide Squad #12      -- 28,302 (-  5.1%)
09/2012: Suicide Squad #0       -- 31,875 (+ 12.6%)
10/2012: Suicide Squad #13      -- 27,644 (- 13.3%)
11/2012: Suicide Squad #14      -- 63,691 (+130.4%) [69,185]
12/2012: Suicide Squad #15      -- 57,132 (- 10.3%)
01/2013: Suicide Squad #16      -- 27,061 (- 52.6%)
02/2013: Suicide Squad #17      -- 26,370 (-  2.6%)
03/2013: Suicide Squad #18      -- 25,232 (-  4.3%)
04/2013: Suicide Squad #19      -- 24,300 (-  3.7%)
05/2013: Suicide Squad #20      -- 23,537 (-  3.1%)
06/2013: Suicide Squad #21      -- 22,907 (-  2.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 59.9%
1 year  : - 27.5%

Very slowly levelling out.

It’s moot, though, since there’s another new creative team around the corner, which DC editorial apparently neglected to mention to the current creative team. Oops.

—–

96 - ANIMAL MAN
06/2012: Animal Man #10    -- 34,992 (- 2.0%)
07/2012: Animal Man #11    -- 33,909 (- 3.1%)
08/2012: Animal Man #12    -- 34,549 (+ 1.9%)
09/2012: Animal Man #0     -- 38,295 (+10.8%)
10/2012: Animal Man #13    -- 34,303 (-10.4%)
11/2012: Animal Man #14    -- 33,503 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Animal Man #15    -- 32,013 (- 4.5%)
01/2013: Animal Man #16    -- 30,322 (- 5.3%)
02/2013: Animal Man #17    -- 29,425 (- 3.0%)
03/2013: Animal Man #18    -- 28,711 (- 2.4%)
04/2013: Animal Man #19    -- 27,562 (- 4.0%)
05/2013: Animal Man #20    -- 25,807 (- 6.4%)
06/2013: Animal Man #21    -- 23,862 (- 7.5%)
----------------
6 months: -25.5%
1 year  : -31.8%

Something’s going horribly wrong here, and it’s not getting better.

—–

92 - JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
06/2012: Justice League Dark #10  -- 33,238 (- 4.1%)
07/2012: Justice League Dark #11  -- 31,792 (- 4.4%)
08/2012: Justice League Dark #12  -- 30,754 (- 3.3%)
09/2012: Justice League Dark #0   -- 34,287 (+11.5%)
10/2012: Justice League Dark #13  -- 30,008 (-12.5%)
11/2012: Justice League Dark #14  -- 28,966 (- 3.5%)
12/2012: Justice League Dark #15  -- 27,712 (- 4.3%)
01/2013: Justice League Dark #16  -- 26,902 (- 2.9%)
02/2013: Justice League Dark #17  -- 25,841 (- 3.9%)
03/2013: Justice League Dark #18  -- 25,664 (- 0.7%)
04/2013: Justice League Dark #19  -- 25,407 (- 1.0%)
05/2013: Justice League Dark #20  -- 24,693 (- 2.8%)
06/2013: Justice League Dark #21  -- 24,663 (- 0.1%)
----------------
6 months: -11.0%
1 year  : -25.8%

Levelling out, but Jeff Lemire is off the book after issue #23, so all bets are off again.

—–

91 - SWAMP THING
06/2012: Swamp Thing #10 -- 37,383 (- 5.1%)
07/2012: Swamp Thing #11 -- 36,257 (- 3.0%)
08/2012: Swamp Thing #12 -- 36,696 (+ 1.2%)
09/2012: Swamp Thing #0  -- 40,123 (+ 9.3%)
10/2012: Swamp Thing #13 -- 36,069 (-10.1%)
11/2012: Swamp Thing #14 -- 42,036 (+16.5%)
12/2012: Swamp Thing #15 -- 33,916 (-19.3%)
01/2013: Swamp Thing #16 -- 32,262 (- 4.9%)
02/2013: Swamp Thing #17 -- 31,497 (- 2.4%)
03/2013: Swamp Thing #18 -- 30,716 (- 2.5%)
04/2013: Swamp Thing #19 -- 29,254 (- 4.8%)
05/2013: Swamp Thing #20 -- 27,338 (- 6.6%)
06/2013: Swamp Thing #21 -- 25,186 (- 7.9%)
----------------
6 months: -25.7%
1 year  : -32.6%

Another title that used to be doing well and now is not. Scott Snyder’s departure after issue #18 clearly hasn’t helped.

—–

88 - CATWOMAN
06/2003: Catwoman #20 -- 23,231
06/2008: Catwoman #80 -- 17,797
-------------------------------
06/2012: Catwoman #10 -- 37,158 (-25.3%)
07/2012: Catwoman #11 -- 35,551 (- 4.3%)
08/2012: Catwoman #12 -- 34,117 (- 4.0%)
09/2012: Catwoman #0  -- 39,117 (+14.7%)
10/2012: Catwoman #13 -- 40,147 (+ 2.6%) [60,257]
11/2012: Catwoman #14 -- 63,653 (+58.6%)
12/2012: Catwoman #15 -- 35,020 (-45.0%)
01/2013: Catwoman #16 -- 33,915 (- 3.2%)
02/2013: Catwoman #17 -- 30,194 (-11.0%)
03/2013: Catwoman #18 -- 33,220 (+10.0%)
04/2013: Catwoman #19 -- 28,058 (-15.5%)
05/2013: Catwoman #20 -- 26,886 (- 4.2%)
06/2013: Catwoman #21 -- 25,611 (- 4.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 26.9%
1 year  : - 31.1%
5 years : + 43.9%
10 years: + 10.3%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

85 - WORLDS' FINEST
06/2012: Worlds' Finest #2  -- 51,510 (-25.9%)
07/2012: Worlds' Finest #3  -- 45,514 (-11.6%)
08/2012: Worlds' Finest #4  -- 39,629 (-12.9%)
09/2012: Worlds' Finest #0  -- 42,770 (+ 7.9%)
10/2012: Worlds' Finest #5  -- 35,951 (-15.9%)
11/2012: Worlds' Finest #6  -- 34,338 (- 4.5%)
12/2012: Worlds' Finest #7  -- 32,010 (- 6.8%)
01/2013: Worlds' Finest #8  -- 30,399 (- 5.0%)
02/2013: Worlds' Finest #9  -- 28,332 (- 6.8%)
03/2013: Worlds' Finest #10 -- 28,469 (+ 0.5%)
04/2013: Worlds' Finest #11 -- 27,453 (- 3.6%)
05/2013: Worlds' Finest #12 -- 27,073 (- 1.4%)
06/2013: Worlds' Finest #13 -- 25,815 (- 4.7%)
----------------
6 months: -19.4%
1 year  : -50.0%

Drifting downward.

—–

84 - SUPERGIRL
06/2008: Supergirl #30 --  29,553
06/2009: Supergirl #42 --  32,705
06/2010: Supergirl #53 --  28,317
06/2011: Supergirl #65 --  20,985
---------------------------------
06/2012: Supergirl #10 --  33,309 (-  5.2%)
07/2012: Supergirl #11 --  31,879 (-  4.3%)
08/2012: Supergirl #12 --  30,420 (-  4.6%)
09/2012: Supergirl #0  --  34,457 (+ 13.3%)
10/2012: Supergirl #13 --  29,450 (- 14.5%)
11/2012: Supergirl #14 --  31,270 (+  6.2%)
12/2012: Supergirl #15 --  30,814 (-  1.5%)
01/2013: Supergirl #16 --  30,350 (-  1.5%)
02/2013: Supergirl #17 --  30,146 (-  0.7%)
03/2013: Supergirl #18 --  28,051 (-  7.0%)
04/2013: Supergirl #19 --  29,558 (+  5.4%)
05/2013: Supergirl #20 --  27,509 (-  6.9%)
06/2013: Supergirl #21 --  25,856 (-  6.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 16.1%
1 year  : - 22.4%
2 years : + 23.2%
5 years : - 12.5%

Another title whose sales are dropping way too fast.

—–

82 - INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US (Digital-First)
01/2013: Injustice #1  -- 20,733          [35,438]
02/2013: Injustice #2  -- 17,068 (-17.7%) [29,096]
03/2013: Injustice #3  -- 18,608 (+ 9.0%) [24,469]
04/2013: Injustice #4  -- 21,669 (+16.5%) [26,739]
05/2013: Injustice #5  -- 25,215 (+16.4%)
06/2013: Injustice #6  -- 26,011 (+ 3.2%)

This digital-first video-game adaptation is something of a breakout hit, on the other hand. Nobody seems to like it, but sales certainly keep going up.

—–

81 - CONSTANTINE
06/2003: Hellblazer #185 -- 16,555
06/2008: Hellblazer #245 -- 11,897
06/2009: Hellblazer #256 -- 10,898
06/2010: Hellblazer #268 -- 10,221
06/2011: Hellblazer #280 --  9,329
----------------------------------
06/2012: Hellblazer #292 --  9,533 (+  1.1%)
07/2012: Hellblazer #293 --  9,247 (-  3.0%)
08/2012: Hellblazer #294 --  9,396 (+  1.6%)
09/2012: Hellblazer #295 --  9,143 (-  2.7%)
10/2012: Hellblazer #296 --  9,255 (+  1.2%)
11/2012: Hellblazer #297 --  9,146 (-  1.2%)
12/2012: Hellblazer #298 --  9,132 (-  0.2%)
01/2013: Hellblazer #299 --  9,329 (+  2.2%)
02/2013: Hellblazer #300 -- 12,522 (+ 34.2%)
03/2013: Constantine #1  -- 37,564 (+200.0%)
04/2013: Constantine #2  -- 30,789 (- 18.0%)
05/2013: Constantine #3  -- 29,106 (-  5.5%)
06/2013: Constantine #4  -- 26,417 (-  9.2%)
-----------------
6 months: +189.3%
1 year  : +177.1%
2 years : +183.2%
5 years : +122.1%
10 years: + 59.6%

Not quite levelling out, and issue #4 was the final one with Jeff Lemire’s name in the credits.

—–

79 - GREEN ARROW
06/2003: Green Arrow #27  -- 47,113
06/2008: Arrow/Canary #9  -- 30,330
06/2009: Arrow/Canary #21 -- 20,807
06/2010: Green Arrow #1   -- 54,400 [57,554]
06/2011: Green Arrow #13  -- 27,552
-----------------------------------
06/2012: Green Arrow #10  -- 25,769 (-  4.4%)
07/2012: Green Arrow #11  -- 24,646 (-  4.4%)
08/2012: Green Arrow #12  -- 23,126 (-  6.2%)
09/2012: Green Arrow #0   -- 28,408 (+ 22.8%)
10/2012: Green Arrow #13  -- 22,057 (- 22.4%)
11/2012: Green Arrow #14  -- 21,825 (-  1.1%)
12/2012: Green Arrow #15  -- 20,672 (-  5.3%)
01/2013: Green Arrow #16  -- 19,888 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Green Arrow #17  -- 36,043 (+ 81.2%)
03/2013: Green Arrow #18  -- 28,080 (- 22.1%)
04/2013: Green Arrow #19  -- 29,922 (+  6.6%)
05/2013: Green Arrow #20  -- 27,541 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Green Arrow #21  -- 26,924 (-  2.2%)
-----------------
6 months: + 30.2%
1 year  : +  4.5%
2 years : -  2.3%
5 years : - 11.2%
10 years: - 42.9%

This Jeff Lemire title appears to be levelling out, on the other hand. Sales are almost back where they were a year ago, so the boost isn’t that impressive; on the plus side, the numbers are still 7,000 units ahead of where they were in January.

—–

77 - ASTRO CITY (Vertigo)
06/2003: Local Heroes #3 of 5 -- 33,180
06/2008: Dark Age Bk3 #2 of 4 -- 16,405
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Astro City #1        -- 27,700
-----------------
5 years : + 68.9%
10 years: - 16.5%

This book is listed as “Astro City #1 Cover A” on the Diamond charts, which implies that “Cover A” and “Cover B” editions were listed separately. But “Cover B” is nowhere to be found, so either fewer than 4,277 people wanted “Cover B” in June or Diamond combined both editions and forgot to take out the qualifier. From the way these things have worked in the past, I’d say both scenarios are possible.

Kurt Busiek’s Astro City is turning in a strong debut, both by Vertigo standards and by Astro City standards. The last major Astro City title, The Dark Age Book 1, debuted with estimated sales of 32,690 in June 2005 and dropped to 27,367 units with its fourth and final issue. Dark Age Book 2 sold between 26,993 and 19,764 units in 2006 and 2007, Dark Age Book 3 between 18,281 and 14,684 units in 2009, and the final Dark Age miniseries, Book 4, between 13,664 and 12,630 units in 2009. The two-issue Astra Special and Silver Agent miniseries that came out in 2009 and 2010, respectively, sold between 14,627 and 12,486 copies, the latter for Silver Agent #2, the final Astro City issue released under the WildStorm imprint.

So the new title is the best-selling Astro City comic since October 2005, at least — if the “Cover B” orders are not included in the June Top 300, then sales could even be in the same area as those of Astro City: The Dark Age Book 1 #1.

As far as Vertigo’s re-orientation is concerned, this might be another sign that it’s working, or it might not. Given that Image has produced a number of breakout creator-owned titles recently with Fatale, Saga, Happy, Jupiter’s Legacy, East of West or Lazarus, it’s possible that readers are just starved for a type of creator-driven genre comic that Marvel and DC have neglected in the last few years, and similar titles like The Wake and Astro City are profiting from that.

—–

76 - BATWOMAN
06/2012: Batwoman #10 --  41,014 (- 6.7%)
07/2012: Batwoman #11 --  38,980 (- 5.0%)
08/2012: Batwoman #12 --  38,064 (- 2.4%)
09/2012: Batwoman #0  --  41,684 (+ 9.5%)
10/2012: Batwoman #13 --  37,315 (-10.5%)
11/2012: Batwoman #14 --  36,395 (- 2.5%)
12/2012: Batwoman #15 --  34,964 (- 3.9%)
01/2013: Batwoman #16 --  34,103 (- 2.5%)
02/2013: Batwoman #17 --  32,041 (- 6.1%)
03/2013: Batwoman #18 --  31,381 (- 2.1%)
04/2013: Batwoman #19 --  31,538 (+ 0.5%)
05/2013: Batwoman #20 --  29,698 (- 5.8%)
06/2013: Batwoman #21 --  28,173 (- 5.1%)
----------------
6 months: -19.4%
1 year  : -31.3%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

73 - THE WAKE (Vertigo)
05/2013: The Wake #1  of 10 -- 44,867
06/2013: The Wake #2  of 10 -- 32,562 (-27.4%)

According to Diamond, The Wake #2 “had [its] reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than [its] actual sales would reflect.”

This happens occasionally, and DC has said that the new Vertigo books will be promoted through retailer returnability. So I’ve applied my usual 90% figure to the reported sales of The Wake #2 and added the missing 10%, since that’s turned out to be correct in the past. If it’s not, we might find out, or we might not — either way, Diamond says their number isn’t correct, so I figure it’s worth a shot.

The resulting drop is certainly more in line with traditional second-issue drops than the number reported by Diamond would have been, particularly given the book’s warm reception. The Scott Snyder/Sean Murphy vehicle remains the highest-selling Vertigo title in years with its second issue.

—-

68 - RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS
06/2012: Red Hood #10 -- 37,044 (-31.7%)
07/2012: Red Hood #11 -- 35,820 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: Red Hood #12 -- 34,439 (- 3.9%)
09/2012: Red Hood #0  -- 39,511 (+14.7%)
10/2012: Red Hood #13 -- 35,420 (- 6.7%)
11/2012: Red Hood #14 -- 37,710 (+ 6.5%)
12/2012: Red Hood #15 -- 64,103 (+70.0%)
01/2013: Red Hood #16 -- 59,621 (- 7.0%)
02/2013: Red Hood #17 -- 53,076 (-11.0%)
03/2013: Red Hood #18 -- 37,731 (-28.9%) [42,901]
04/2013: Red Hood #19 -- 36,630 (- 2.9%)
05/2013: Red Hood #20 -- 35,542 (- 3.0%)
06/2013: Red Hood #21 -- 32,416 (- 8.8%)
----------------
6 months: -49.4%
1 year  : -12.5%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

64 - TEEN TITANS
06/2008: Teen Titans #60  -- 45,036
06/2009: Teen Titans #72  -- 32,512
06/2010: Teen Titans #84  -- 24,593
06/2011: Teen Titans #96  -- 23,849
-----------------------------------
06/2012: Teen Titans #10  -- 47,491 (-  5.5%)
07/2012: Teen Titans #11  -- 45,367 (-  4.5%)
08/2012: Teen Titans #12  -- 42,817 (-  5.6%)
09/2012: Teen Titans #0   -- 47,318 (+ 10.5%)
10/2012: Teen Titans #13  -- 41,059 (- 13.2%)
11/2012: Teen Titans #14  -- 39,745 (-  3.3%)
12/2012: Teen Titans #15  -- 68,707 (+ 72.9%)
01/2013: Teen Titans #16  -- 63,726 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: Teen Titans #17  -- 39,186 (- 38.5%)
03/2013: Teen Titans #18  -- 42,055 (+  7.3%)
04/2013: Teen Titans #19  -- 39,532 (-  6.0%)
05/2013: Teen Titans #20  -- 36,391 (-  8.0%)
06/2013: Teen Titans #21  -- 34,710 (-  4.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 49.5%
1 year  : - 26.9%
2 years : + 45.5%
5 years : - 22.9%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

62 - WONDER WOMAN
06/2003: Wonder Woman #193 --  25,598
06/2008: Wonder Woman #21  --  37,086
06/2009: Wonder Woman #33  --  32,755
06/2010: Wonder Woman #600 --  53,525 [63,700]
06/2011: Wonder Woman #611 --  30,874
06/2011: Wonder Woman #612 --  30,690
-------------------------------------
06/2012: Wonder Woman #10  --  47,229 (-  3.1%)
07/2012: Wonder Woman #11  --  45,669 (-  3.3%)
08/2012: Wonder Woman #12  --  44,584 (-  2.4%)
09/2012: Wonder Woman #0   --  49,778 (+ 11.7%)
10/2012: Wonder Woman #13  --  43,731 (- 12.2%)
11/2012: Wonder Woman #14  --  42,384 (-  3.1%)
12/2012: Wonder Woman #15  --  41,641 (-  1.8%)
01/2013: Wonder Woman #16  --  40,105 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Wonder Woman #17  --  39,110 (-  2.5%)
03/2013: Wonder Woman #18  --  38,406 (-  1.8%)
04/2013: Wonder Woman #19  --  46,492 (+ 21.1%)
05/2013: Wonder Woman #20  --  37,132 (- 20.1%)
06/2013: Wonder Woman #21  --  35,999 (-  3.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.6%
1 year  : - 23.8%
2 years : + 17.0%
5 years : -  2.9%
10 years: + 40.6%

Drifting downwards.

—–

59 - LARFLEEZE
06/2013: Larfleeze #1  -- 36,638

A new Threshold spin-off by Keith Giffen and Scott Kolins, promoted with a 1:25 variant edition.

The numbers are a step above those of other recent “New 52” launches like Vibe, Katana, Green Team, The Movement or, well, Threshold, so things don’t look as dire as they might have. If Larfleeze stays above 20K with the next two issues, it might be around for a while.

—–

57 - RED LANTERNS
06/2012: Red Lanterns #10 -- 38,005 (- 3.1%)
07/2012: Red Lanterns #11 -- 36,462 (- 4.1%)
08/2012: Red Lanterns #12 -- 35,070 (- 3.8%)
09/2012: Red Lanterns #0  -- 38,928 (+11.0%)
10/2012: Red Lanterns #13 -- 42,804 (+10.0%)
11/2012: Red Lanterns #14 -- 40,779 (- 4.7%)
12/2012: Red Lanterns #15 -- 39,071 (- 4.2%)
01/2013: Red Lanterns #16 -- 38,223 (- 2.2%)
02/2013: Red Lanterns #17 -- 35,839 (- 6.2%)
03/2013: Red Lanterns #18 -- 35,203 (- 1.8%)
04/2013: Red Lanterns #19 -- 34,673 (- 1.5%)
05/2013: Red Lanterns #20 -- 33,923 (- 2.2%)
06/2013: Red Lanterns #21 -- 37,312 (+10.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 4.5%
1 year  : - 1.8%

The new creative team brings a boost, surprisingly, despite the royal mess DC editorial made of the transition.

—–

55 - FLASH
06/2003: Flash #199      --  32,458 [35,493]
06/2008: Flash #241      --  30,810
06/2009: Rebirth #3 of 5 --  83,086
06/2010: Flash #3        --  68,804
-----------------------------------
06/2012: Flash #10       --  55,681 (- 11.4%)
07/2012: Flash #11       --  53,674 (-  3.6%)
08/2012: Flash #12       --  51,779 (-  3.5%)
09/2012: Flash #0        --  56,890 (+  9.9%)
10/2012: Flash #13       --  49,936 (- 12.2%)
11/2012: Flash #14       --  48,012 (-  3.9%)
12/2012: Flash #15       --  45,925 (-  4.4%)
01/2013: Flash #16       --  44,093 (-  4.0%)
02/2013: Flash #17       --  42,936 (-  2.6%)
03/2013: Flash #18       --  41,659 (-  3.0%)
04/2013: Flash #19       --  42,079 (+  1.0%)
05/2013: Flash #20       --  39,667 (-  5.7%)
06/2013: Flash #21       --  38,848 (-  2.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 15.4%
1 year  : - 30.2%
2 years : - 43.5%
5 years : + 26.1%
10 years: + 19.7%

Slowly drifting down.

—–

52 - BATGIRL
06/2003: Batgirl #41     -- 29,694
06/2010: Batgirl #11     -- 28,563
06/2011: Batgirl #22     -- 23,323
----------------------------------
06/2012: Batgirl #10     -- 47,050 (- 19.9%)
07/2012: Batgirl #11     -- 45,004 (-  4.4%)
08/2012: Batgirl #12     -- 43,804 (-  2.7%)
09/2012: Batgirl #0      -- 50,441 (+ 15.2%)
10/2012: Batgirl #13     -- 50,074 (-  0.7%) [71,109]
11/2012: Batgirl #14     -- 77,468 (+ 54.7%)
12/2012: Batgirl #15     -- 75,341 (-  2.8%)
01/2013: Batgirl #16     -- 72,470 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Batgirl #17     -- 65,751 (-  9.6%)
03/2013: Batgirl #18     -- 51,677 (- 21.4%)
04/2013: Batgirl #19     -- 45,939 (- 11.1%)
05/2013: Batgirl #20     -- 42,600 (-  7.3%)
06/2013: Batgirl #21     -- 40,252 (-  5.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 46.6%
1 year  : - 14.5%
2 years : + 72.6%
10 years: + 35.6%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

48 - GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS
06/2011: Emerald Warriors #11 -- 53,927
---------------------------------------
06/2012: New Guardians #10    -- 44,404 (- 4.0%)
07/2012: New Guardians #11    -- 42,929 (- 3.3%)
08/2012: New Guardians #12    -- 41,479 (- 3.4%)
09/2012: New Guardians #0     -- 46,718 (+12.6%)
10/2012: New Guardians #13    -- 48,500 (+ 3.8%)
11/2012: New Guardians #14    -- 47,062 (- 3.0%)
12/2012: New Guardians #15    -- 45,136 (- 4.1%)
01/2013: New Guardians #16    -- 43,770 (- 3.0%)
02/2013: New Guardians #17    -- 42,285 (- 3.4%)
03/2013: New Guardians #18    -- 42,028 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: New Guardians #19    -- 41,481 (- 1.3%)
05/2013: New Guardians #20    -- 40,569 (- 2.2%)
06/2013: New Guardians #21    -- 42,290 (+ 4.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 6.3%
1 year  : - 4.8%
2 years : -21.6%

Another small boost thanks to a new creative team — and, in this case, even the one that was advertised.

—–

44 - EARTH 2
06/2012: Earth 2 #2  -- 75,936 (-20.7%) [ 84,740] 
07/2012: Earth 2 #3  -- 74,892 (- 1.4%)
08/2012: Earth 2 #4  -- 67,393 (-10.0%)
09/2012: Earth 2 #0  -- 69,111 (+ 2.6%)
10/2012: Earth 2 #5  -- 61,529 (-11.0%)
11/2012: Earth 2 #6  -- 58,271 (- 4.8%)
12/2012: Earth 2 #7  -- 54,409 (- 6.6%)
01/2013: Earth 2 #8  -- 50,860 (- 6.5%)
02/2013: Earth 2 #9  -- 48,208 (- 5.2%)
03/2013: Earth 2 #10 -- 46,213 (- 4.1%)
04/2013: Earth 2 #11 -- 45,468 (- 1.6%)
05/2013: Earth 2 #12 -- 43,983 (- 3.3%)
06/2013: Earth 2 #13 -- 42,916 (- 2.4%)
----------------
6 months: -21.1%
1 year  : -43.5%

Slowly drifting down.

—–

43 - NIGHTWING
06/2003: Nightwing #82  -- 29,552
06/2008: Nightwing #145 -- 29,435
---------------------------------
06/2012: Nightwing #10  -- 50,585 (-17.6%)
07/2012: Nightwing #11  -- 49,124 (- 2.9%)
08/2012: Nightwing #12  -- 47,484 (- 3.3%)
09/2012: Nightwing #0   -- 53,109 (+11.9%)
10/2012: Nightwing #13  -- 47,171 (-11.2%)
11/2012: Nightwing #14  -- 50,720 (+ 7.5%)
12/2012: Nightwing #15  -- 74,407 (+46.7%)
01/2013: Nightwing #16  -- 69,643 (- 6.4%)
02/2013: Nightwing #17  -- 62,107 (-10.8%)
03/2013: Nightwing #18  -- 48,223 (-22.4%) [53,978]
04/2013: Nightwing #19  -- 46,978 (- 2.6%)
05/2013: Nightwing #20  -- 45,038 (- 4.1%)
06/2013: Nightwing #21  -- 43,353 (- 3.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 41.7%
1 year  : - 14.3%
5 years : + 47.3%
10 years: + 46.7%

Drifting down.

—–

40 - SUPERMAN
06/2003: Superman #194 --  33,563
06/2008: Superman #677 --  54,634
06/2009: Superman #689 --  40,366
06/2010: Superman #700 --  67,571
06/2011: Superman #712 --  37,362
---------------------------------
06/2012: Superman #10  --  59,081 (-  5.1%)
07/2012: Superman #11  --  56,066 (-  5.1%)
08/2012: Superman #12  --  53,326 (-  4.9%)
09/2012: Superman #0   --  60,493 (+ 13.4%)
10/2012: Superman #13  --  52,155 (- 13.8%)
11/2012: Superman #14  --  52,572 (+  0.8%)
12/2012: Superman #15  --  51,225 (-  2.6%)
01/2013: Superman #16  --  50,621 (-  1.2%)
02/2013: --
03/2013: Superman #17  --  49,666 (-  1.9%)
03/2013: Superman #18  --  48,236 (-  2.9%)
04/2013: Superman #19  --  48,598 (+  0.8%)
05/2013: Superman #20  --  45,458 (-  6.5%)
06/2013: Superman #21  --  44,285 (-  2.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 13.6%
1 year  : - 25.0%
2 years : + 18.5%
5 years : - 18.9%
10 years: + 32.0%

Drifting down.

—–

38 - GREEN LANTERN CORPS
06/2008: Green Lantern Corps #25 -- 47,399
06/2009: Green Lantern Corps #37 -- 63,574
06/2010: Green Lantern Corps #49 -- 66,652
06/2011: --
------------------------------------------
06/2012: Green Lantern Corps #10 -- 44,615 (- 3.7%)
07/2012: Green Lantern Corps #11 -- 42,996 (- 3.6%)
08/2012: Green Lantern Corps #12 -- 41,778 (- 2.8%)
09/2012: Green Lantern Corps #0  -- 47,309 (+13.2%)
10/2012: Green Lantern Corps #13 -- 50,773 (+ 7.3%)
11/2012: Green Lantern Corps #14 -- 49,594 (- 2.3%)
12/2012: Green Lantern Corps #15 -- 47,841 (- 3.5%)
01/2013: Green Lantern Corps #16 -- 45,387 (- 5.1%)
02/2013: Green Lantern Corps #17 -- 44,497 (- 2.0%)
03/2013: Green Lantern Corps #18 -- 44,215 (- 0.6%)
04/2013: Green Lantern Corps #19 -- 43,903 (- 0.8%)
05/2013: Green Lantern Corps #20 -- 43,026 (- 2.0%)
06/2013: Green Lantern Corps #21 -- 45,423 (+ 5.6%)
----------------
6 months: - 5.1%
1 year  : + 1.8%
2 years :   n.a.
5 years : - 4.2%

The new creative team yields a slight boost. (No, Joshua Hale Fialkov isn’t writing this one, either.)

—–

37 - ACTION COMICS
06/2003: Action Comics #804 --  31,494
06/2008: Action Comics #866 --  50,158 [53,198]
06/2009: Action Comics #878 --  40,011
06/2010: Action Comics #890 --  34,744 [40,039]
06/2011: Action Comics #902 --  41,960
--------------------------------------
06/2012: Action Comics #10  --  80,751 (-  9.1%)
07/2012: Action Comics #11  --  76,232 (-  5.6%)
08/2012: Action Comics #12  --  71,203 (-  6.6%)
09/2012: Action Comics #0   --  78,626 (+ 10.4%)
10/2012: Action Comics #13  --  67,241 (- 14.5%)
11/2012: Action Comics #14  --  64,341 (-  4.3%)
12/2012: Action Comics #15  --  61,298 (-  4.7%)
01/2013: Action Comics #16  --  58,645 (-  4.3%)
02/2013: Action Comics #17  --  57,189 (-  2.5%)
03/2013: Action Comics #18  --  61,879 (+  8.2%)
04/2013: Action Comics #19  --  52,007 (- 16.0%)
05/2013: Action Comics #20  --  48,324 (-  7.1%)
06/2013: Action Comics #21  --  46,475 (-  3.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.2%
1 year  : - 42.5%
2 years : + 10.8%
5 years : -  7.3%
10 years: + 47.6%

Drifting down. Another title DC editorial made a bunch of messes of, and the new regular creative team won’t arrive until issue #25.

—–

35 - AQUAMAN
06/2003: Aquaman #7  -- 30,615
------------------------------
06/2012: Aquaman #10 -- 59,288 (- 2.1%)
07/2012: Aquaman #11 -- 57,675 (- 2.7%)
08/2012: Aquaman #12 -- 61,210 (+ 6.1%)
09/2012: Aquaman #0  -- 61,227 (+ 0.0%)
10/2012: Aquaman #13 -- 54,648 (-10.8%)
11/2012: Aquaman #14 -- 53,664 (- 1.8%)
12/2012: Aquaman #15 -- 75,947 (+41.5%)
01/2013: Aquaman #16 -- 62,153 (-18.2%)
02/2013: Aquaman #17 -- 58,578 (- 5.8%)
03/2013: Aquaman #18 -- 53,337 (- 9.0%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: Aquaman #19 -- 53,415 (+ 0.2%)
05/2013: Aquaman #20 -- 49,697 (- 7.0%)
06/2013: Aquaman #21 -- 46,832 (- 5.8%)
----------------
6 months: -38.3%
1 year  : -21.0%
10 years: +53.0%

Sliding down the charts.

—–

31 - BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT
06/2011: --
-----------------------------------
06/2012: Dark Knight #10 --  71,671 (- 12.8%)
07/2012: Dark Knight #11 --  68,632 (-  4.2%)
08/2012: Dark Knight #12 --  67,084 (-  2.3%)
09/2012: Dark Knight #0  --  72,919 (+  8.7%)
10/2012: Dark Knight #13 --  65,271 (- 10.5%)
11/2012: Dark Knight #14 --  62,792 (-  3.8%)
12/2012: Dark Knight #15 --  60,569 (-  3.6%)
01/2013: Dark Knight #16 --  58,258 (-  3.8%)
02/2013: Dark Knight #17 --  55,990 (-  3.9%)
03/2013: Dark Knight #18 --  54,269 (-  3.1%)
04/2013: Dark Knight #19 --  52,644 (-  3.0%)
05/2013: Dark Knight #20 --  50,423 (-  4.2%)
06/2013: Dark Knight #21 --  48,612 (-  3.6%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.7%
1 year  : - 32.2%
2 years :    n.a.

Drifting down.

—–

24 - BATMAN AND BATGIRL
06/2009: Batman and Robin #1  -- 168,604 [184,826]
06/2010: --
06/2011: Batman and Robin #24 --  54,984
----------------------------------------
06/2012: Batman and Robin #10 --  66,894 (-11.9%)
07/2012: Batman and Robin #11 --  65,043 (- 2.8%)
08/2012: Batman and Robin #12 --  63,993 (- 1.6%)
09/2012: Batman and Robin #0  --  69,146 (+ 8.1%)
10/2012: Batman and Robin #13 --  63,097 (- 8.8%)
11/2012: Batman and Robin #14 --  75,543 (+19.7%)
12/2012: Batman and Robin #15 --  89,878 (+19.0%)
01/2013: Batman and Robin #16 --  81,494 (- 9.3%)
02/2013: Batman and Robin #17 --  60,988 (-25.2%)
03/2013: Batman and Robin #18 --  69,614 (+14.1%) [76,575]
04/2013: and Red Robin #19    --  89,182 (+28.1%)
05/2013: and Red Hood #20     --  65,222 (-26.9%)
06/2013: and Batgirl #21      --  60,601 (- 7.1%)
----------------
6 months: -32.6%
1 year  : - 9.4%
2 years : +10.2%

Sales are now back where they were before the “Requiem” crossover and subsequent title change.

—–

23 - DETECTIVE COMICS
06/2003: Detective Comics #783 --  37,603
06/2008: Detective Comics #845 --  48,920
06/2009: Detective Comics #854 --  72,808 [79,573]
06/2010: Detective Comics #866 --  46,178
06/2011: Detective Comics #878 --  39,152
-----------------------------------------
06/2012: Detective Comics #10  --  83,317 (- 13.2%)
07/2012: Detective Comics #11  --  79,835 (-  4.2%)
08/2012: Detective Comics #12  --  75,998 (-  4.8%)
09/2012: Detective Comics #0   --  84,063 (+ 10.6%)
10/2012: Detective Comics #13  --  76,392 (-  9.1%)
11/2012: Detective Comics #14  --  74,560 (-  2.4%)
12/2012: Detective Comics #15  -- 106,395 (+ 42.7%)
01/2013: Detective Comics #16  --  92,300 (- 13.3%)
02/2013: Detective Comics #17  --  85,824 (-  7.0%)
03/2013: Detective Comics #18  --  76,237 (- 11.2%)
04/2013: Detective Comics #19  --  77,922 (+  2.2%)
05/2013: Detective Comics #20  --  78,252 (+  0.4%)
06/2013: Detective Comics #21  --  65,200 (- 16.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 38.7%
1 year  : - 21.8%
2 years : + 66.5%
5 years : + 33.3%
10 years: + 73.4%

That’s a harsh drop, but the previous issue was promoted with an extra charity variant edition on top of the two regular editions, so it’s not entirely as steep as it looks.

—–

20 - JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
06/2003: JLA #82             --  58,480
06/2008: JL of America #22   --  85,013
06/2009: JL of America #34   --  61,115
06/2010: JL of America #46   --  62,754
06/2011: JL of America #58   --  45,442
---------------------------------------
02/2013: JL of America #1    -- 307,734          [326,959]
03/2013: JL of America #2    --  91,734 (-70.2%)
04/2013: --
05/2013: JL of America #3    --  83,283 (- 9.2%)
05/2013: JL of America #4    --  77,856 (- 6.5%)
06/2013: JL of America #5    --  71,793 (- 7.8%)
-----------------
2 years : + 58.0%
5 years : - 15.6%
10 years: + 22.8%

Not levelling out. David Finch, who was solicited as the penciler through issue #5, only ended up drawing issues #1 through #3.

—–

18 - GREEN LANTERN
06/2003: Green Lantern #166 --  35,973
06/2008: Green Lantern #32  --  64,839
06/2009: Green Lantern #42  --  84,131
06/2010: Green Lantern #55  --  85,930
06/2011: --
--------------------------------------
06/2012: Green Lantern #10  --  80,615 (- 8.0%)
07/2012: Green Lantern #11  --  78,708 (- 2.4%)
08/2012: Green Lantern #12  --  77,187 (- 1.9%)
09/2012: Green Lantern #0   --  89,909 (+16.5%)
10/2012: Green Lantern #13  --  91,814 (+ 2.1%)
11/2012: Green Lantern #14  --  78,499 (-14.5%)
12/2012: Green Lantern #15  --  74,363 (- 5.3%)
01/2013: Green Lantern #16  --  72,884 (- 2.0%)
02/2013: Green Lantern #17  --  71,060 (- 2.5%)
03/2013: Green Lantern #18  --  69,801 (- 1.8%)
04/2013: Green Lantern #19  --  71,018 (+ 1.7%)
05/2013: Green Lantern #20  --  67,414 (- 5.1%)
06/2013: Green Lantern #21  --  71,870 (+ 6.6%)
-----------------
6 months: -  3.4%
1 year  : - 10.9%
2 years :   n.a.
5 years : + 10.8%
10 years: + 99.8%

A small boost thanks to the new creative team.

—–

6 - JUSTICE LEAGUE
06/2003: JLA #82             --  58,480
06/2008: JL of America #22   --  85,013
06/2009: JL of America #34   --  61,115
06/2010: JL of America #46   --  62,754
06/2011: JL of America #58   --  45,442
---------------------------------------
06/2012: Justice League #10  -- 130,502 (-  0.6%)
07/2012: Justice League #11  -- 123,971 (-  5.0%)
08/2012: Justice League #12  -- 120,796 (-  2.6%) [161,235]
09/2012: Justice League #0   -- 125,868 (+  4.2%)
10/2012: Justice League #13  -- 117,752 (-  6.5%)
11/2012: Justice League #14  -- 113,094 (-  4.0%)
12/2012: Justice League #15  -- 115,074 (+  1.8%)
01/2013: Justice League #16  -- 117,719 (+  2.3%)
02/2013: Justice League #17  -- 105,304 (- 10.6%)
03/2013: Justice League #18  -- 102,494 (-  2.7%)
04/2013: Justice League #19  -- 100,943 (-  1.5%)
05/2013: Justice League #20  --  97,676 (-  3.2%)
06/2013: Justice League #21  --  94,054 (-  3.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 18.3%
1 year  : - 27.9%
2 years : +107.0%
5 years : + 10.6%
10 years: + 60.8%

Slowly drifting down.

—–

3 - BATMAN
06/2003: Batman #616 -- 141,736
06/2008: --
06/2009: Batman #687 --  96,913
06/2010: Batman #700 -- 104,755
06/2011: Batman #711 --  53,113
-------------------------------
06/2012: Batman #10  -- 130,265 (-  3.2%)
07/2012: Batman #11  -- 127,210 (-  2.4%)
08/2012: Batman #12  -- 125,249 (-  1.5%)
09/2012: Batman #0   -- 156,561 (+ 25.0%)
10/2012: Batman #13  -- 148,305 (-  5.3%) [174,642]
11/2012: Batman #14  -- 159,729 (+  7.7%)
12/2012: Batman #15  -- 151,568 (-  5.1%)
01/2013: Batman #16  -- 145,923 (-  3.7%)
02/2013: Batman #17  -- 150,684 (+  3.3%)
03/2013: Batman #18  -- 137,893 (-  8.5%)
04/2013: Batman #19  -- 132,147 (-  4.2%)
05/2013: Batman #20  -- 129,039 (-  2.4%)
06/2013: Batman #21  -- 142,088 (+ 10.1%)
-----------------
6 months: -  6.3%
1 year  : +  9.1%
2 years : +167.5%
5 years :   n.a.
10 years: +  0.3%

The new “Zero Year” arc kicks sales into overdrive again. Again, Batman is an absolute anomaly in the recent history of the direct market.

—–

2 - BATMAN/SUPERMAN
06/2008: Superman/Batman #49 --  52,579
06/2009: Superman/Batman #61 --  38,228
06/2010: Superman/Batman #73 --  31,425
06/2011: Superman/Batman #85 --  27,581
---------------------------------------
06/2013: Batman/Superman #1  -- 143,457
-----------------
2 years : +420.1%
5 years : +172.8%

Not counting the “Combo Pack” variant that Diamond lists separately and that didn’t make the Top 300 chart, there were five different cover editions of this new Greg Pak/Jae Lee title, so take the book’s sales with a grain of salt.

That said, this is still a very good number, obviously. The publisher’s two flagship franchises are working right now in a way they haven’t in years.

—–

1 - SUPERMAN UNCHAINED
06/2013: Superman Unchained #1  -- 256,792

The world’s most popular dyslexic superhero (the S stands for hope) rakes in the cash for DC Comics. The 5,336 units sold of the “Combo Pack Edition” that charted separately at No. 266 are included in the above number, as are “multiple” other variant editions. I counted 10 more, but those include some convention specials that may not be included here.

Be that as it may, Scott Snyder and Jim Lee are selling a whole load of comics here, with the help of a whole load of gimmick covers. Score another one for Bob Harras.

—–

6-MONTH COMPARISONS
+189.3%: Constantine
+ 30.2%: Green Arrow
+ 19.6%: American Vampire
+ 18.7%: Unwritten
+  8.4%: He-Man
+  0.0%: Scooby-Doo
-  2.6%: Django Unchained
-  3.4%: Green Lantern
-  4.5%: Red Lanterns
-  5.1%: GL Corps
-  5.6%: Fables
-  6.3%: Batman
-  6.3%: New Guardians
- 11.0%: JLD
- 11.3%: LoSH
- 13.6%: Superman
- 13.6%: Wonder Woman
- 14.5%: BB Unlimited
- 14.8%: Ame-Comi Girls
- 15.3%: Batwing
- 15.4%: Flash
- 15.6%: Fairest
- 16.1%: Supergirl
- 17.7%: ASW
- 18.3%: JL
- 19.0%: Smallville
- 19.4%: Batwoman
- 19.4%: Worlds' Finest
- 19.7%: Dark Knight
- 20.3%: Arkham Unhinged
- 20.5%: Stormwatch
- 21.1%: Earth 2
- 23.3%: Demon Knights
- 23.6%: Birds of Prey
- 24.1%: Superboy
- 24.2%: Action Comics
- 25.5%: Animal Man
- 25.7%: Swamp Thing
- 26.3%: Phantom Stranger
- 26.6%: Dial H
- 26.9%: Catwoman
- 32.6%: Batman and Batgirl
- 35.1%: LotDK
- 37.9%: Talon
- 38.3%: Aquaman
- 38.7%: Arrow
- 38.7%: Detective Comics
- 41.7%: Nightwing
- 46.6%: Batgirl
- 49.4%: Red Hood
- 49.5%: Teen Titans
- 59.9%: Suicide Squad

—–

1-YEAR COMPARISONS
+177.1%: Constantine
+  9.1%: Batman
+  6.6%: Unwritten
+  4.5%: Green Arrow
+  3.0%: American Vampire
+  1.8%: GL Corps
-  1.8%: Red Lanterns
-  1.8%: Scooby-Doo
-  4.8%: New Guardians
-  9.4%: Batman and Batgirl
- 10.9%: Green Lantern
- 12.5%: Red Hood
- 14.3%: Nightwing
- 14.5%: Batgirl
- 18.5%: Fables
- 21.0%: Aquaman
- 21.8%: Detective Comics
- 22.4%: Supergirl
- 23.8%: Wonder Woman
- 24.9%: LoSH
- 25.0%: Superman
- 25.8%: JLD
- 26.9%: Teen Titans
- 27.0%: Birds of Prey
- 27.5%: Suicide Squad
- 27.9%: JL
- 30.2%: Flash
- 31.1%: Batwoman
- 31.1%: Catwoman
- 31.8%: Animal Man
- 32.2%: Dark Knight
- 32.6%: Fairest
- 32.6%: Swamp Thing
- 32.8%: Smallville
- 33.2%: Superboy
- 35.7%: BB Unlimited
- 37.7%: ASW
- 38.8%: Demon Knights
- 40.0%: Batwing
- 40.1%: Stormwatch
- 40.9%: Arkham Unhinged
- 42.5%: Action Comics
- 43.5%: Earth 2
- 50.0%: Worlds' Finest
- 61.1%: Dial H

—–

2-YEAR COMPARISONS
+420.1%: Batman/Superman
+183.2%: Constantine
+167.5%: Batman
+107.0%: JL
+ 72.6%: Batgirl
+ 66.5%: Detective Comics
+ 58.0%: JLA
+ 54.4%: ASW
+ 45.2%: Teen Titans
+ 23.2%: Supergirl
+ 18.5%: Superman
+ 17.0%: Wonder Woman
+ 10.8%: Action Comics
+ 10.2%: Batman and Batgirl
+  2.2%: American Vampire
+  2.2%: Scooby-Doo
-  2.3%: Green Arrow
-  7.8%: Unwritten
-  9.1%: Superboy
- 18.2%: Fables
- 21.6%: New Guardians
- 28.4%: Birds of Prey
- 33.6%: LoSH
- 43.5%: Flash

—–

5-YEAR COMPARISONS
+172.8%: Batman/Superman
+122.1%: Constantine
+ 68.9%: Astro City
+ 62.0%: 100 Bullets
+ 47.3%: Nightwing
+ 43.9%: Catwoman
+ 33.3%: Detective Comics
+ 26.1%: Flash
+ 21.7%: ASW
+ 10.8%: Green Lantern
+ 10.6%: JL
+  8.4%: Scooby-Doo
-  2.9%: Wonder Woman
-  3.8%: Birds of Prey
-  4.2%: GL Corps
-  7.3%: Action Comics
- 11.2%: Green Arrow
- 12.5%: Supergirl
- 15.6%: JLA
- 18.9%: Superman
- 22.9%: Teen Titans

—–

10-YEAR COMPARISONS
+ 99.8%: Green Lantern
+ 73.4%: Detective Comics
+ 60.8%: JL
+ 59.6%: Constantine
+ 53.0%: Aquaman
+ 47.6%: Action Comics
+ 46.7%: Nightwing
+ 40.6%: Wonder Woman
+ 35.6%: Batgirl
+ 32.0%: Superman
+ 22.8%: JLA
+ 19.7%: Flash
+ 10.3%: Catwoman
+  1.6%: 100 Bullets
+  0.3%: Batman
-  9.1%: Stormwatch
- 16.5%: Astro City
- 17.6%: Scooby-Doo
- 22.5%: Birds of Prey
- 34.1%: LoSH
- 40.0%: Fables
- 40.1%: Dial H
- 42.9%: Green Arrow

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

DC COMICS
06/2003: 25,817
06/2008: 27,367
06/2009: 25,880
06/2010: 25,788**
06/2011: 25,814**
---------------
06/2012: 37,599 (-  2.9%)
07/2012: 33,837 (- 10.0%)
08/2012: 33,500 (-  1.0%)**
09/2012: 35,811 (+  6.9%)
10/2012: 32,901 (-  8.1%)**
11/2012: 33,872 (+  3.0%)
12/2012: 34,272 (+  1.2%)
01/2013: 31,759 (-  7.3%)
02/2013: 34,711 (+  9.1%)
03/2013: 30,819 (- 11.2%)**
04/2013: 29,914 (-  2.9%)
05/2013: 31,412 (+  5.0%)
06/2013: 34,517 (+  9.9%)
-----------------
6 months: +  0.7%
1 year  : -  8.2%
2 years : + 33.7%
5 years : + 26.1%
10 years: + 33.7%
DC UNIVERSE
06/2003: 29,489
06/2008: 35,800
06/2009: 36,329
06/2010: 34,612**
06/2011: 28,673**
---------------
06/2012: 43,082 (-  2.4%)
07/2012: 38,502 (- 10.6%)
08/2012: 38,047 (-  1.2%)**
09/2012: 39,408 (+  3.6%)
10/2012: 36,571 (-  7.2%)
11/2012: 36,585 (+  0.0%)
12/2012: 36,880 (+  0.8%)
01/2013: 33,485 (-  9.2%)
02/2013: 36,838 (+ 10.0%)
03/2013: 32,294 (- 12.3%)**
04/2013: 31,426 (-  2.7%)
05/2013: 32,015 (+  1.9%)
06/2013: 37,133 (+ 16.0%)
-----------------
6 months: +  6.9%
1 year  : - 13.8%
2 years : + 29.5%
5 years : +  3.7%
10 years: + 25.9%
VERTIGO
06/2003: 16,414
06/2008: 10,491
06/2009: 11,166
06/2010: 10,995
06/2011: 10,415
---------------
06/2012: 11,448 (+ 3.1%)
07/2012: 11,589 (+ 1.2%)
08/2012: 10,764 (- 7.1%)**
09/2012: 11,710 (+ 8.8%)
10/2012: 11,496 (- 1.8%)**
11/2012: 11,487 (- 0.1%)
12/2012: 11,771 (+ 2.5%)
01/2013: 10,764 (- 8.6%)
02/2013: 12,019 (+11.7%)
03/2013: 11,055 (- 8.0%)
04/2013: 11,467 (+ 3.7%)
05/2013: 20,860 (+81.9%)
06/2013: 17,368 (-16.7%)
-----------------
6 months: + 47.6%
1 year  : + 51.7%
2 years : + 66.8%
5 years : + 65.6%
10 years: +  5.8%

—–
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 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.

45 COMMENTS

  1. Any theories on why Snyder/Capullo Batman is doing so well? I was reading the book until Zero Year started, and while it was pretty good (and consistently so), it wasn’t amazing by any stretch. I think Snyder’s a really talented guy, but this isn’t his best book, and Capullo’s art is just okay. What do you think is keeping this book in the stratosphere?

  2. It’s the world’s most popular super-hero in the main series people associate him with. I hear of people who only buy Marvel otherwise but they like (and presumably some of the do buy) Batman.

  3. It’s doing well, but “the most consistently successful series the direct market has seen in decades” might be laying it on a little thick.

  4. 147 – GREEN TEAM
    05/2013: Green Team #1 — 27,775
    06/2013: Green Team #2 — 14,328 (-48.4%)
    That’s a disastrous drop right into cancellation territory. The book was going to be a hard sell from the get-go, and as usual, DC didn’t think it was worth the effort to actually promote it, so that’s not surprising.
    I’m not sure if this throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks approach is a particularly smart or effective way of spending money and creative energy, but it’s the way it’s always been done in the direct market, and it’s not about to change.

    This is pretty much why I’m not buying any new series DC launches (Suoerman Unchained excepted — since that will sell on the merits of Snyder and Lee). There is no point in trusting DC on new titles launches at this point because just about everything *new* they’ve put out in “wave three” and beyond is destined for cancellation within a year. DC is pulling the plug early on these books and it is likely because they don’t have much belief in their viability from the start. It really does seem like the mentality at this points to sling stuff against the wall to see what sticks. Meanwhile, the consumer is getting stuck paying good money for a product that will be discontinued sooner rather than later. At this point it is becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy of failure. DC gives readers no reason to believe in the longevity of these new titles, so they are being largely ignored and DC is quick to cancel them.
    My own faith in the current regime at DC is very much wavering. I like some of what they did with the New 52, but I see a lot of missed opportunities and now it is pretty much back to business as usual.

  5. “The book was going to be a hard sell from the get-go, and as usual, DC didn’t think it was worth the effort to actually promote it, so that’s not surprising.”

    I still remain confused about what DC does and does not do to promote titles. I realize I don’t go to the LCS, I get all of my info from the Web, but I never feel like I haven’t been given full information on everything DC publishes to convince me to buy it or not. Not sure what DC is doing for one book that it isn’t for another. Is it house ads?

  6. @zombieunderground – they haven’t cancelled the book. Do you really think the reason people didn’t start reading the book is because they thought it would get cancelled so they didn’t bother? If so, yes, it is a self-fulfilling prophesy but it’s the fault of the readers, not DC.

  7. I think Snyders Batman is popular ( or one reason) is because he has been able to give his Batman an interesting and compelling voice. The stories are entertaining with lots of twists and his Batman isn’t a flat character. Plus, he’s adding texture to the Batman mythology and not just repeating the same stories.

  8. Snyder’s Batman also has the benefit of a consistent, quality artist (not the singular) in addition to a regular writer. On a really basic level this means that readers get a consistent product (if they liked the previous issues they’ll like the next few).

  9. “128 – MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: ORIGIN OF HORDAK
    05/2013: Origin of Hordak #1 — 17,113

    Not a bad number for a New Gods tribute comic.”

    What now? New Gods?

  10. Thank you Glen! For calling out what zombie wrote before I could!

    ” There is no point in trusting DC on new titles launches at this point because just about everything *new* they’ve put out in “wave three” and beyond is destined for cancellation within a year. DC is pulling the plug early on these books and it is likely because they don’t have much belief in their viability from the start.”

    So you don’t buy the new title, because you don’t trust DC to keep it around? How many others are thinking that way and effectively causing the cancelation! This is the Superman Family Adventures cancellation all over again: when it’s canceled, suddenly everyone is up in arms and demanding DC’s head. But did they buy the book? More importantly, did they PRE-ORDER the book? To show DC there was a readership? No. Easier to condemn DC after than actually put your money where your mouth is. Sheesh.

  11. People should assume everything is an 8-issue mini-series that might get extended if sales are high enough.

  12. It’s what I’ve been pointing out for years now–DC (and to a lesser extent, Marvel) only promotes books featuring their A-list characters. Everything else is thrown out there to sink or swim on their own, which begs the question—why publish those books anyway? Mind you, I’m one that enjoys the second and third tier books more than the main ones, but come on, DC, howsabout putting that promotional machine of yours behind something—ANYTHING—that doesn’t involve a big red “S”, a bat, or a JLA connection. You might be surprised at the result.

  13. @Rob e – what does DC do for the Superman and Batman titles that they don’t do for the smaller titles?

  14. I had to comment, despite not reading much of Marc’s article, because he’s usually negative about DC.

    Everyone bitches on about DC doing only Batman and Superman, forgetting that Marvel right now has only X-Men (9 books), Spider-Man (3 books) and Avengers (8, excl. Thor etc) titles, and all their little diverse titles are being cancelled (Morbius, X-Factor, Gambit, Journey into Mystery). But oh yeah, Marvel can do no wrong.

    But the Bob Harras “we sell to 45-year-olds” is SO true. I’m glad someone said it. The direct market, the whole stuckness of the publishing model DC *and* Marvel rely on, the pricing, the whole white hero majority thing – it’s all for Mr 45. Mr 45 shouldn’t be complaining about DC or Marvel or variants, double shipping, crossover events. It’s all for them.

  15. Glenn Simpson – they haven’t cancelled the book
    I know it hasn’t been cancelled. Yet. But it will be.

    Mikael -Thank you Glen! For calling out what zombie wrote before I could! … But did they buy the book? More importantly, did they PRE-ORDER the book? To show DC there was a readership? No. Easier to condemn DC after than actually put your money where your mouth is.
    I have bought plenty of the DC titles. I started with somewhere around 33 of the new 52, whittled that into the 20s, added a couple of second/third wave titles as I dropped others, and now am down to 9 (plus the new Superman Unchained and I also get Batman Beyond Unlimited which isn’t really part of the new 52).
    I bought Voodoo and watched as DC realized they didn’t know what the hell they were doing and brought in a new writer after the 5th issue. Who the hell does that on a newly launched title? I bought Sword of Sorcery and watched it get cancelled after 8 issues (and you realize when they are canceling a title on the 8th issue, that means they made the decision after issue 4 or 5 — so they didn’t even give it a full story arc before deciding to pull the plug). I bought The Movement because I typically enjoy Gail Simone’s work (and I knew going in it was very likely not going to be around for long — but I wanted to support her work anyway).
    And look at their track record with the second and third wave. G.I. Combat cancelled (not even sure that got 8 issues). Ravagers cancelled. Dial H cancelled. That is half of the second wave. Sword of Sorcery was cancelled after 8 issues (as previously mentioned). Team 7 was cancelled (I think that also went 8 issues). That is half of the third wave.
    How about the fourth wave. Threshold was cancelled with issue 8. Katana and Justice League of America’s Vibe are both not long for this world. They haven’t been cancelled but they most certainly will be. That is 60% of the forth wave. Then you add in the next set of titles they launched (The Green Team and The Movement), and it appears both of those will be crashing and burning as well.
    Add to all that the issues they are having on some if their so-called successful titles with new appointed writers leaving after 1 issue or before they’ve even written anything because DC editorial can’t figure out what the hell they are doing from one moment to the next. They keep pulling the rug from under the talent and constantly making story changes that require extensive re-writes and new art.
    Face it, just about everything DC has done in regards to new titles from the start of the second wave has been a disaster and things are getting worse instead of better (hence the failure rate of those new titles increasing). DC is a big train wreck at the moment and I don’t trust them to make things better since they don’t seem to want to acknowledge there is a problem.
    Until there is a regime change, I’ll be staying away from new titles because I’d rather not throw my money away on books that DC is essentially launching on life support.

  16. The problem with preordering books from DC is that you don’t know if the book you’ve ordered is the one that is going to be delivered. I was going to jump on Green Lantern Corps for Joshua Hale Fialkov, and Action Comics for Andy Diggle, but decided to wait. Good thing I did. What about Justice League 3000, which is being completely retooled after only one issue is solicited? DC does not give readers reason to trust that the books are going to be what they say they are. I’m still annoyed that I started buying Suicide Squad for Ales Kot, only to see him yanked off after a few issues.

    I guess most people who buy DCs books are buying them for the characters, not the creators.

  17. Why is the Flashpoint GN out of print after they’ve released the movie of it? At least twice a day there are customers asking for it.

  18. So, DC is aiming their product at Mr 45. That certainly explains why as Mr 52 (no pun intended) I find almost no DC book to be worth buying.

  19. There’s just something about chickens coming home to roost about Bob Harras’ DC that I can’t shake.

    In lieu of anything interesting to read from DC, the warped calculation that what they are doing is in any way sustainable or healthy has been entertaining to watch.

  20. “There are obvious similarities, after all. Much like at Marvel in the late 1990s, a standardized “house style” now takes precedence over the individual styles of most of the creators working for DC,”

    House style = so that means Jim Lee? Unless it means something else…

  21. I’m not 100% on this, but I’m pretty sure that Arrow digital comic is coming back when Season 2 of the show launches.

    Also: I’m not all the way with you on the idea that DC publishing is capitalizing on Warners movie plans for the characters. Sure, they’re launching new titles or new initiatives to capitalize on the PR waves the movies create, but Unchained reads like an almost completely different Superman from Man of Steel, just as Snyder/Capullo read very different from the Nolan films. I don’t think they’re at all interested in creative synergy with the film division – just having a product with a similar enough logo on it.

  22. @zombieunderground – so you don’t think four-five issues is long enough to determine if people are going to purchase the book? How long should they have a book out that isn’t generating sales when they could replace it with something the might?
    And again, DC isn’t making people not buy the books, they are doing that themselves. By not buying the books.
    And DC is making weird creative changes on books all up and down the system, not just the risky ones. The GL titles had some controversy in that area recently, as did Action Comics.
    Instead of complaining that DC isn’t giving these risky books a chance, you should be praising DC for publishing them at all, and buying them and talking them up with other people online to try to keep them around, something that is entirely up to the readers. Your only complaint should be that more comic book readers don’t share your particular tastes.

  23. @James Fulton – yes, I pretty much don’t care who the writer and artist is, I buy books for the characters. Some creators I might like a little more or a little less, but it doesn’t make a big difference.

  24. I haven’t been reading MOF’s stuff for a while. When did he get a snarkectomy? It’s hard to believe the guy who has spent years chortling over bad DC sales figures could write an analysis this fair and on point.

    Mike

  25. How are the sales of The Wake in comparison to Punk Rock Jesus?

    Mark, I know you’re busy, but any chance of doing a two-year anniversary column, where you analyze everything published in the New 52 era?

    I like the Green Team and The Movement. They are not your everyday DCU titles, which might be why the sales are not so hot… there is no crossover with any other titles or major characters.

    Otherwise, nothing in the New 52 is catching my interest. Trinity War is meh, most of the Batman stuff isn’t amazing (and that includes Morrison, which I’ve been reading since Bats was sucked backwards in time), Superman isn’t doing much…

    Supergirl is promising. I’ll wait and see.

    As for Hordak, that was pure Kirby pastiche. Lots of Sturmunddrang, yet not much happening. I do like the Masters of the Universe comics so far… but I’m not a big fan of the characters.

    Vertigo and Digital First are worth the time spent.
    Overall, nothing to rave about.

  26. I love when people blame the readers for the company’s ineptitude. DC cancelling books too soon? Why didn’t you deliver them a huge pre-built audience?

    I’m glad to see Mike Bunge’s name pop up again. I don’t agree with his opinions, but the man has a love for the medium!

  27. Constantine, Phantom Stranger and Pandora are going to benefit from Trinity War tie-ins soon. It will be interesting if Villains Month interrupts any momentum (or is the nail in the coffin) for some titles not appearing or having a logical extension story-wise come September, especially if buyers’ budgets are going to balloon at all due to the 3-D covers.

  28. Hordak as a Kirby rip-off — I think that’s a big reach.

    Reminds me of how people say that Star Wars ripped off the New Gods because “It deals with themes of good and evil! And Orion is secretly Darkseid’s son!”. Like that had never been done before? Like Orion and Luke Skywalker are at all similar? Because they hardly are at all. Darkseid and Darth Vader are similar in that they are bad guys. That’s it. They behave the same way 85% of all bad guys behave.

    I’m really surprised that people haven’t said that the creators of the ENIAC and other giant computers from 50 years ago didn’t “rip off Jack Kirby” too. Since everyone knows that anyone who makes a big machine ever was really just ripping off Jack Kirby. The makers of the space shuttle were really just ripping off Jack Kirby.

    God/nature/the universe probably ripped off Jack Kirby too. I mean the whole idea of creating things goes back to Jack Kirby. And “THE UNIVERSE”? “SPACE”? That’s a Kirby idea. No one had thought of that before him. There was so science, no fiction, and certainly no science-fiction before Jack Kirby.

    …It’d all be funnier if people didn’t actually believe things close to this. He was one of the three or so greatest comics creators ever. Yes. Absolutely. But to look at something random like Hordak and say “I know that they got that from Kirby, of course” is kind of ridiculous.

  29. @Tim – what am I wading into? I disagree with the notion that DC is cancelling books too soon or that their failure to take off to begin with is DC’s fault. And I personally shared that the artist changes don’t really affect me, just to make sure people remember that there are people like me out there before they blame the artist changes for everything. Just voicing my opinion.

  30. @ Dan Ahn – No, really, Giffen did the Hordak comic exactly in the style and tone as Kirby’s New Gods. If you read it, it’s instantly recognizable.

  31. @Kiel: “I don’t think they’re at all interested in creative synergy with the film division – just having a product with a similar enough logo on it.”

    Sure, but they’re also interested in selling that product. The creative synergy is debatable, certainly, but the commercial synergy is what matters.

    Given Harras’s history at Marvel (particularly the end of it), having a bunch of best-selling Batman and Superman projects while Warner is building a movie universe around Batman and Superman makes all the difference.

    (As far as ARROW is concerned, I haven’t seen an announcement on the book’s return, and given the sales figures, I’m not going to believe it until I see it.)

  32. Glenn Simpson – so you don’t think four-five issues is long enough to determine if people are going to purchase the book? How long should they have a book out that isn’t generating sales when they could replace it with something the might?
    A publisher with the backing of Warner Brothers (or Disney for that matter) should be able to put enough market research and promotion behind a product to have a pretty decent idea that it will be relatively successful for at least 12 months. Otherwise, what is the point of producing it? If you can’t get two trades out of it, then you’ve wasted editorial time (and money) on something that was nothing more than a throw away.
    If they don’t have enough faith and certainty behind something to commit to it for a 12 month run, then either don’t publish it at all, or put it out as an announced finite project (e.g. a mini-series). At least then as a reader I know specifically how much story I’m going to get and I can make a much better informed decision in regards to whether I want to purchase it or not.
    And if they want to get better traction out of those mini-series (in order to figure out whether a particular character is strong enough to carry a title), they might consider putting some top tier talent on it just to get more eyes on the character and give the book a chance to grow on people. Take Katana — to me that is a character they haven’t invested enough in to ever know if she could actually carry a book long term. But what if they got [insert popular writer] to do a 6 issue mini-series. And then maybe after a 4 month hiatus they do another one with the same writer. And then after a 4 month haitus they do a third one but this time substitute a different writer — perhaps someone who is really interested in the character and who would be willing to stick with the title if it was later launched as a monthly. And then see how the numbers fall out. See if that popular writer maybe got enough people interested in the character that they are willing to come back for a third series by someone completely different. Try to actually build your audience before you throw it out there as an on-going monthly title.
    But just tossing out a book like Vibe or Katana as an on-going the way they did (without developing that audience) is dooming them to failure.

  33. – SUPERMAN UNCHAINED’s “gimmick covers” aren’t that bad, really. It’s his 75th anniversary, so a decent amount of variants is to be expected (although I’m reading now #3 has just as many as #1 did……it’s a fun gimmick, imho, but I AM seeing your point…)
    – ARKHAM UNHINGED actually has been cancelled. November’s issue (#19) is its last.
    – Wow, sucks to see those GREEN TEAM numbers. It’s a fun little book, but probably won’t be around much longer now……..I’ll stick with it.
    – Let’s get ready to see JL DARK do a big leap shortly. Also, JM DeMatteis is taking over with #25.
    – I like INJUSTICE.

  34. @Rob e – what does DC do for the Superman and Batman titles that they don’t do for the smaller titles?
    ————————————————————————————-

    Promotion, pure and simple. DC throws it’s massive publicity machine behind anything involving Batman, Superman, and anything JLA-connected. Even in house ads in their own titles they do this. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that they do publish other titles such as Green Team and The Movement—it’s more than I can say for Marvel these days. I just wish that DC would promote those books more, as opposed to releasing them to little or (mainly) no fanfare.

  35. Some on here have said that DC cancels books too soon. I disagree—I think they give some books more time than they should. Look at Stormwatch and Batwing for instance. Their sales have been in cancellation territory for a while now, but DC shows no signs of giving up on them—yet. Demon Knights was given 24 issues (counting the #0 issue). No “New 52” book has been given less than eight issues—–look at all the books Marvel has cancelled after 4-6 issues.

    Not a DC homer here—I read a variety of titles from several publishers—just giving my opinion based on my observations.

  36. I appreciate that they do publish other titles such as Green Team and The Movement—it’s more than I can say for Marvel these days. I just wish that DC would promote those books more, as opposed to releasing them to little or (mainly) no fanfare.

    What types of promotion can they do, really, that will lead to otherwise uninterested people buying them? That’s the basic problem Marvel and DC have. Promotion directed at people in the base is like promos directed at people buying candy bars in a store. Perhaps they can be persuaded to buy one brand of candy bar instead of another, or to buy two bags of M&M’s instead of one, but they’re not going to buy yogurt or almonds.

    Practically all of the marketing problems Marvel and DC have, including standard attrition, and people preferring characters to creators, can be traced back to the companies’ dependence on serialization. The serialization eliminates the possibility of sensations becoming nationwide hits, because consumers don’t want tiny, expensive chunks doled out once or twice a month. They can watch TV instead.

    SRS

  37. The most logical way to promote those books is to launch them out of very popular books/storylines. For instance, had The Scott Snyder written a Batman issue spotlighting The Movement with a Stephanie Brown (organic!) as a member and then DC launched The Movement as an adjunct Bat-title in some way (even tangentially) would this have given it more exposure?

    Also, retailers are the publishers’ customers. Layer on incentive variants, event tie-ins, discounts and all of the other elements in the kitbag the publishers use to manipulate the market.

    This is how they’re keeping so many of their books afloat. Green Team and The Movement got nothing like that.

  38. “So you don’t buy the new title, because you don’t trust DC to keep it around? How many others are thinking that way and effectively causing the cancelation!”

    It’s not the audience’s responsibility to support blindly, no matter what the entertainers do. If you read for long-form stories, and you start one series, BAM IT’S CANCELLED, then you start a second series, BAM IT’S CANCELLED, then a third series, BAM IT’S CANCELLED, we’re heading into the territory of “fool me four times, I’ve probably had a lobotomy”. If the entertainers keep hitting you in the face every time you put your trust in them, it is NOT YOUR JOB to keep letting them punch you in the face.

  39. ive collected comics since my grandfather used to let me grab a handful at his liquor store in little antioch,california..this was in 1972!!! i fell in love with comics then, and thought i always would love them, but the relaunch just pushed me away and on may 29th, i stopped buying new comics for the first time in 41 years!!! havent been back since. today i turned 46, so i guess d.c. isnt writing for me!!thanks for four decades of fantastic fun, but its not the same anymore. fuck the relaunch, i mean that sincerely, guess ill hunt the silver and bronze age books i need…dont know what i mean to say with all this, just that its sad i guess, i liked things the way they were.

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