July 2011 Sales Estimates - ASM back on top o the world!

[runawayboulder]

I wasn't expecting this to say the least. ASM #666 devil: insert Mephisto joke here) took the top spot in July with an astounding 135,000 copies sold. Why did it sell above and beyond the rest? Most likely due to the cover promotion Marvel had for this issue as documented here:

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=360701

and here:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/07/25/another-amazing-spider-man-666-retailer-cover/

Shameless marketing ploy by Marvel? Perhaps....but it worked. At least they're trying other things than killing off a loved character or relaunching a long running title.

The rest of the list is here: http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2011/2011-07.html (Thanks Dread for showing me this website! It's got a ton of good historical info!)

Here's the top 10......

1. Amazing Spider-Man 666 $3.99 Marvel 135,568
2. Captain America 1 $3.99 Marvel 96,926
3. Fear Itself 4 $3.99 Marvel 93,435
4. Flashpoint 3 $3.99 DC 86,007
5. Green Lantern 67 $2.99 DC 74,521
6. Daredevil 1 $3.99 Marvel 64,866
7. Batman The Dark Knight 3 $2.99 DC 62,792
8. Avengers 15 $3.99 Marvel 62,580
9. War of The Green Lanterns Aftermath 1 $3.99 DC 61,166
10. Green Lantern Corps 61 $2.99 DC 60,836

 

[runawayboulder]

Kinda shocked and saddened that DD#1 didn't sell higher. Hopefully by now people realized what they missed and the drop off to #2 isn't steep as the norm.

 

[Dread]

So, ASM #666, the start of what Marvel calls a "mini event", SPIDER-ISLAND, ships 135,568 copies on an initial print; which is literally less than 200 copies shy of FEAR ITSELF #1. Add in the inevitable reprint, and it should actually surpass it. That's a great boon to Steve Wacker, Dan Slott, and the entire ASM creative team and promotional department. As a testament to their accomplishment, issue #665 from earlier in the month sold at over 56k, which has been ASM's typical range for several years now (between 52-59k an issue). It is embarrassing news for the annual Marvel "big" event, as SPIDER-ISLAND isn't getting as many promotions or tie-in's, yet it's fired just as big of an opening shot. I am curious if S-I will provide any sales boost for tie-in titles. FEAR ITSELF has provided some modest boosts for some tie-in comics, but has had virtually no effect on some others. It's spare mini's also sell at the bottom of the Top 100, at best. If any issue of SPIDER-ISLAND besides the first can sell above 97k, it will be a bit of a black eye for the Marvel annual event. Who knew that just promoting launches and stories could yield big returns?

It is also promising that the #1 issues for CAPTAIN AMERICA and DAREDEVIL saw such huge spikes; sales jumped over 40k for CA and DD's sales were about half of that 64k figure once SHADOWLAND wrapped. I expect the second issue drops to bring things down to earth for both, but at least it accomplished the goal of short term returns. If DD could remain at an even level of, say, about 45k or so, it may be a better run for Waid than it was for Diggle. Both CAPTAIN AMERICA and DAREDEVIL appearing in the Top 10 even for a month is promising. Let the record show DD #1 had a better debut than MK #1. Bendis may not have the golden touch on anything anymore.

FF is still sliding down the chart, which perhaps justifies why Marvel will likely relaunch it back to FANTASTIC FOUR in November. Still, it is above where Hickman was selling before Torch's death by about 20k.

Sales for ALPHA FLIGHT #2 seem down almost 50% from that first issue. OUCH. First a terrific drop for HERC #1, and now this - albeit it started from a stronger debut. Pak and Van Lente just can't get a break. Still, I cannot imagine anyone at Marvel could have predicted an ALPHA FLIGHT #1 would sell in the Top 20.

At over 25,300 copies, AVENGERS ACADEMY seems to be losing some of that 3k sales boost it got with it's first FI issue, but it is still ahead of it's usual range of 23k. Any spike is positive. THUNDERBOLTS is also still up about 1.5k from pre-FI levels.

HERC, on the other hand, saw little bounce from FI. Sales at 17k are embarrassing for an ongoing series. Marvel plans to continue running this volume through October, but that could change in a hurry if sales don't spike with the SPIDER-ISLAND tie in.

Let the record show that WOLVERINE is barely hanging on to the Top 35 position now, outsold by not only big event stuff or Avengers, but ASM, two Captain America books, FF, JLA, and Ultimate titles. It is clearly shifting into B-List status, but Marvel continue to promote Wolverine as an A-Lister. He literally sells better on teams than alone. That's a sign.

VENOM has fallen below 40k, but it is still performing better by this point than AVENGERS ACADEMY, and that book'll likely see a 24th issue. A successful launch of a faded property.

MOON KNIGHT is tumbling down the Top 50 at an alarming rate given the creative team, but it's still performing better by three issues in than VENGEANCE OF THE MOON KNIGHT did, for now. If that lasted 10 issues, Bendis and Maleev should have a year, easy.

With sales at 19k and dropping, it is easy to see why H4H is being relaunched.

IRON MAN 2.0 is fading fast as well. It may struggle to survive past a 12th issue, unless Fraction spin off's are given more rope.

Despite a film and an event with his daughter, a RED SKULL series doesn't see a strong debut. No love for Nazis?

 

[hippie_hunter]

So, ASM #666, the start of what Marvel calls a "mini event", SPIDER-ISLAND, ships 135,568 copies on an initial print; which is literally less than 200 copies shy of FEAR ITSELF #1. Add in the inevitable reprint, and it should actually surpass it. That's a great boon to Steve Wacker, Dan Slott, and the entire ASM creative team and promotional department. As a testament to their accomplishment, issue #665 from earlier in the month sold at over 56k, which has been ASM's typical range for several years now (between 52-59k an issue). It is embarrassing news for the annual Marvel "big" event, as SPIDER-ISLAND isn't getting as many promotions or tie-in's, yet it's fired just as big of an opening shot. I am curious if S-I will provide any sales boost for tie-in titles. FEAR ITSELF has provided some modest boosts for some tie-in comics, but has had virtually no effect on some others. It's spare mini's also sell at the bottom of the Top 100, at best. If any issue of SPIDER-ISLAND besides the first can sell above 97k, it will be a bit of a black eye for the Marvel annual event. Who knew that just promoting launches and stories could yield big returns?

Actually you can attribute the sales for Amazing Spider-Man #666 to the comic shop variants they offered. Retailers had to order an absurdly high number of copies of Amazing Spider-Man #666 in order to receive a cover of Amazing Spider-Man #666 with their comic book shop in the middle of a battle, or Spider-Man holding a Daily Bugle saying that he saved it. They're doing the same thing with issue #669, where if a retailer gets an absurd amount of copies, they get to put a customer's face on the cover.

While Amazing Spider-Man should get a spike from Spider-Island, I think it has more to do with the variant cover involved than the actual story itself. I think that most Spider-Island tie-ins are going to sell poorly like most Spider-Man side books do

It is also promising that the #1 issues for CAPTAIN AMERICA and DAREDEVIL saw such huge spikes; sales jumped over 40k for CA and DD's sales were about half of that 64k figure once SHADOWLAND wrapped. I expect the second issue drops to bring things down to earth for both, but at least it accomplished the goal of short term returns. If DD could remain at an even level of, say, about 45k or so, it may be a better run for Waid than it was for Diggle. Both CAPTAIN AMERICA and DAREDEVIL appearing in the Top 10 even for a month is promising. Let the record show DD #1 had a better debut than MK #1. Bendis may not have the golden touch on anything anymore.

Bendis didn't hit a home run with Spider-Woman either. And his Ultimate books aren't exactly big sellers either.

FF is still sliding down the chart, which perhaps justifies why Marvel will likely relaunch it back to FANTASTIC FOUR in November. Still, it is above where Hickman was selling before Torch's death by about 20k.

Bleeding Cool is reporting that FF will continue alongside Fantastic Four, both written by Hickman.

HERC, on the other hand, saw little bounce from FI. Sales at 17k are embarrassing for an ongoing series. Marvel plans to continue running this volume through October, but that could change in a hurry if sales don't spike with the SPIDER-ISLAND tie in.

With sales at 19k and dropping, it is easy to see why H4H is being relaunched.

IRON MAN 2.0 is fading fast as well. It may struggle to survive past a 12th issue, unless Fraction spin off's are given more rope.

I think that we're going to be seeing the end of Iron Man 2.0, Herc, Heroes/Villains for Hire, and Black Panther rather shortly.

 

[runawayboulder]

Nothing personal to Moon Knight fans but I'm rooting against the book. It was relaunched along side 2 other books. DD's relaunch skyrocketed and if Punisher does nearly the same, that will make Moon Knight the failure of the 3 and since Bendis wrote it, it proves Bendis is no longer the big seller Marvel thinks he is. Take an original Marvel franchise in the Avengers away from him and he's an average selling writer now. Perhaps other more talented folks will get a chance at being top dog.

 

[Dread]

Actually you can attribute the sales for Amazing Spider-Man #666 to the comic shop variants they offered. Retailers had to order an absurdly high number of copies of Amazing Spider-Man #666 in order to receive a cover of Amazing Spider-Man #666 with their comic book shop in the middle of a battle, or Spider-Man holding a Daily Bugle saying that he saved it. They're doing the same thing with issue #669, where if a retailer gets an absurd amount of copies, they get to put a customer's face on the cover.

That is very true, and I forgot about that - likely because I patronize a very small "hole in the wall" kind of shop that in no way could afford enough retailer copies of ASM #666 - I think it was something like 300-500 copies - to get a variant cover with a shop pic. That was a deal that only the very big chain style comic shops, such as Manhattan's Midtown Comics, could afford. Hell, Midtown Comics has enough green to literally buy about 10% of all the copies of the last DYNAMO 5 mini series that sold below the Top 300 half the time in 2010.

I still think it is a feat that ASM has sold very close to a level of FEAR ITSELF #1, but you have a point about a lot of that possibly being a gimmick to get big shops to invest. It will be curious how many of those extra copies actually got sold, and how many people liked what they saw. Sales for issues #667 and #668 in August should be interesting.

While Amazing Spider-Man should get a spike from Spider-Island, I think it has more to do with the variant cover involved than the actual story itself. I think that most Spider-Island tie-ins are going to sell poorly like most Spider-Man side books do

I agree about the variant cover gimmick, as seen above. I also agree that SPIDER-ISLAND may have as much trouble pushing mini's as FEAR ITSELF, if not more. Even with the success of VENOM, ASM is 1:3, at best, with launching spin off material that sells well or decently. I am curious about how many folks buy up the CLOAK & DAGGER series. They're a cult franchise that rarely do well, but Marvel/Disney want to get them a TV show on ABC, so it'd be nice if they could get a mini that actually sold in the Top 100 all the way through.

Bendis didn't hit a home run with Spider-Woman either. And his Ultimate books aren't exactly big sellers either.

True. The DEATH OF USM story has boosted sales on USM, though. But many of his recent side Ultimate mini's sold like bupkiss. I do wonder if his star is fading a bit. The importance of the Avengers books keep them at the top of the heap, but maybe all the years of crummy stories are taking a toll.

Bleeding Cool is reporting that FF will continue alongside Fantastic Four, both written by Hickman.

It has recently been admitted that FANTASTIC FOUR #600 is indeed coming. I'll believe that Bleeding Cool story.

I think that we're going to be seeing the end of Iron Man 2.0, Herc, Heroes/Villains for Hire, and Black Panther rather shortly.

Well, the relaunch of H4H into V4H will buy it another six months, not including the SPIDER-ISLAND mini. As for the others, it's probable. I imagine HERC may be relaunched again, or return as a mini. Unless this is the end of the line, like ATLAS was it for AGENTS OF ATLAS.

Nothing personal to Moon Knight fans but I'm rooting against the book. It was relaunched along side 2 other books. DD's relaunch skyrocketed and if Punisher does nearly the same, that will make Moon Knight the failure of the 3 and since Bendis wrote it, it proves Bendis is no longer the big seller Marvel thinks he is. Take an original Marvel franchise in the Avengers away from him and he's an average selling writer now. Perhaps other more talented folks will get a chance at being top dog.

And here I was rooting against the book because I think the premise sucks, and Bendis' work has stunk even longer.

I don't think making Moon Knight MORE of a cartoon maniac is good for the character. To the point that if future writers aren't editorially mandated to protect Bendis' "innovations", it'll be the first to go with the next relaunch.

 

[Drz]

Nothing personal to Moon Knight fans but I'm rooting against the book. It was relaunched along side 2 other books. DD's relaunch skyrocketed and if Punisher does nearly the same, that will make Moon Knight the failure of the 3 and since Bendis wrote it, it proves Bendis is no longer the big seller Marvel thinks he is. Take an original Marvel franchise in the Avengers away from him and he's an average selling writer now. Perhaps other more talented folks will get a chance at being top dog.

Well that we won't know until we've seen the sales for the next 6 months or so for all these titles, then you gotta remember Marvel isn't putting MK on 2.99, so while DD/Punisher might be higher on issues sold, we should take more note on the dollar share.

True. The DEATH OF USM story has boosted sales on USM, though. But many of his recent side Ultimate mini's sold like bupkiss. I do wonder if his star is fading a bit. The importance of the Avengers books keep them at the top of the heap, but maybe all the years of crummy stories are taking a toll.

Sales numbers for July are in, and they look pretty good for Ultimate books.

#24 Fallout #1
#27 Fallout #2
#31 Fallout #3
#34 AvNU #6

So the numbers aren't outstanding, but four books in the top 40 isn't bad. Personally, I think that AT LEAST Fallout #1 should have been labeled USM #161 for more sales, because I don't think all of the new Ultimate readers necessarily realized the connection between USM #160 and the miniseries. The big sales bump will likely come from the new #1s instead.

For those of you interested what kind of books DIDN'T make the top 40, here's a select few:

#41 Action Comics #903
#43-44 Detective Comics #879-880
#45 Superman #713
#46 Astonishing X-Men #40
#50 Moon Knight #3 (BENDIS)
#56 Hulk #37
#59 Wonder Woman #613
#61 Hulk #36
#62 Incredible Hulks #632
#69 Deadpool #40
#70 Incredible Hulks #633
#73 Superman Batman #86
#83 Avengers Academy #16
#86 X-23 #12
#90 Daken Dark Wolverine #11
#95 Secret Warriors #28 (HICKMAN)

All four Ultimate titles outsold every one of those books, some of which are the flagship titles of some of comics oldest franchises. I think people are excited to check out the Ultimate Relaunch with Hickman and Spencer spinning new lives to Ultimates and X-Men.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

Good to know SPidey's on top!

 

[SpideyInATree]

Kinda shocked and saddened that DD#1 didn't sell higher. Hopefully by now people realized what they missed and the drop off to #2 isn't steep as the norm.

I'm hoping that more people pick up the new DD series too. Freakin' awesome stuff by Mark Waid and the Rivera artwork is fabulous. People...give it a try if you want to have fun with a comic again!

It's good to see ASM on top but thats definitely due to that whole variant cover thing. Marvel loves to push those variant covers. However, it is kind of a cool idea with the comic shop thing and then the customer picture on issue # 669. I just don't get the attraction of variant covers. Sometimes you get rare ones with a really talented artist but I just don't see the point in paying that extra money for a different cover with the same interior that I have in my regular cover issue.

 

[runawayboulder]

Sales numbers for July are in, and they look pretty good for Ultimate books.

#24 Fallout #1
#27 Fallout #2
#31 Fallout #3
#34 AvNU #6

So the numbers aren't outstanding, but four books in the top 40 isn't bad. Personally, I think that AT LEAST Fallout #1 should have been labeled USM #161 for more sales, because I don't think all of the new Ultimate readers necessarily realized the connection between USM #160 and the miniseries. The big sales bump will likely come from the new #1s instead.

For those of you interested what kind of books DIDN'T make the top 40, here's a select few:

#41 Action Comics #903
#43-44 Detective Comics #879-880
#45 Superman #713
#46 Astonishing X-Men #40
#50 Moon Knight #3 (BENDIS)
#56 Hulk #37
#59 Wonder Woman #613
#61 Hulk #36
#62 Incredible Hulks #632
#69 Deadpool #40
#70 Incredible Hulks #633
#73 Superman Batman #86
#83 Avengers Academy #16
#86 X-23 #12
#90 Daken Dark Wolverine #11
#95 Secret Warriors #28 (HICKMAN)

All four Ultimate titles outsold every one of those books, some of which are the flagship titles of some of comics oldest franchises. I think people are excited to check out the Ultimate Relaunch with Hickman and Spencer spinning new lives to Ultimates and X-Men.

Out of that list you gave, I'll give you 4 books that are easily better than any Ultimate book and should easily be in the top 40.

1. Avengers Academy - should be a top 20 book if you ask me.

2. Daken: Dark Wolverine - that's right.....I mean the ongoing with Wolverine's long lost son. Rob Williams of Ghost Rider and Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force is putting together a solid debut arc. Everybody is writing this title off because they detest the very concept of Daken. Williams makes Daken likeable, believe that. Hell, before Williams, Way and Lui did some great interaction with Daken and the FF.

3. Thunderbolts - It's cooled a bit during the Fear tie in issues because the event disrupted the team's roster and the great chemistry they had going. After Fear wraps up, I'd be shocked if it didn't go back to some form of normalcy.

4. Hulk - Another Parker book. I haven't read it but people on this board say the same thing. Parker makes Rulk tolerable. If it works for Rulk, why not Daken too?

I'm hoping that more people pick up the new DD series too. Freakin' awesome stuff by Mark Waid and the Rivera artwork is fabulous. People...give it a try if you want to have fun with a comic again!

YES! I second this!

It's good to see ASM on top but thats definitely due to that whole variant cover thing. Marvel loves to push those variant covers. However, it is kind of a cool idea with the comic shop thing and then the customer picture on issue # 669. I just don't get the attraction of variant covers. Sometimes you get rare ones with a really talented artist but I just don't see the point in paying that extra money for a different cover with the same interior that I have in my regular cover issue.

ASM has no where to go but up. I don't expect it to stay on top month in month out but it shouldn't drop out of the top 20 for a loooong time. I just hope Marvel doesn't flood the market with this promotion. If they want to do it for a book like the upcoming FF#600 that's one thing....but don't do it for a random issue of Black Panther: The Man Without Fear.

 

[Drz]

Out of that list you gave, I'll give you 4 books that are easily better than any Ultimate book and should easily be in the top 40.

But do you read any of the titles?

O
2. Daken: Dark Wolverine - that's right.....I mean the ongoing with Wolverine's long lost son. Rob Williams of Ghost Rider and Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Force is putting together a solid debut arc. Everybody is writing this title off because they detest the very concept of Daken. Williams makes Daken likeable, believe that. Hell, before Williams, Way and Lui did some great interaction with Daken and the FF.

I dropped Daken, but apparently Williams run is getting a good word of mouth, guess i'll check it again.

3. Thunderbolts - It's cooled a bit during the Fear tie in issues because the event disrupted the team's roster and the great chemistry they had going. After Fear wraps up, I'd be shocked if it didn't go back to some form of normalcy.

Thunderbolts as Dread has said suffers it doesn't have a bigger picture, it's just random adventuring, but! It seems Baron Zemo could be the big scheme villain for a long-term villain. Yes please!

4. Hulk - Another Parker book. I haven't read it but people on this board say the same thing. Parker makes Rulk tolerable. If it works for Rulk, why not Daken too?

Red Hulk is definatly awesome, i love it!

 

[hippie_hunter]

Sales numbers for July are in, and they look pretty good for Ultimate books.

#24 Fallout #1
#27 Fallout #2
#31 Fallout #3
#34 AvNU #6

So the numbers aren't outstanding, but four books in the top 40 isn't bad. Personally, I think that AT LEAST Fallout #1 should have been labeled USM #161 for more sales, because I don't think all of the new Ultimate readers necessarily realized the connection between USM #160 and the miniseries. The big sales bump will likely come from the new #1s instead.

June and July were good months for the Ultimate books. But before hand, they weren't doing so well and one would easily be reminded how the Ultimate books used to dominate the sales charts. There was no denying that the Ultimate books were far past their prime.

At first I thought that the new Ultimate relaunch would end up as poorly as the previous one did, but after how well Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man ended in terms of sales, I think that it'll have a much better start. It does seem like Marvel is effectively removing the taint that was Loeb's take on the imprint. And I think with the talent involved along with the introduction of Miles Morales, I think that readers are going to be interested initially.

 

[Drz]

All comics 10 years ago aren't selling what they we're back then, and yeah you gotta rememebr nomore Jeph Loeb taint that should persuade even the biggest disappointed fans.

 

[hippie_hunter]

That is very true, and I forgot about that - likely because I patronize a very small "hole in the wall" kind of shop that in no way could afford enough retailer copies of ASM #666 - I think it was something like 300-500 copies - to get a variant cover with a shop pic. That was a deal that only the very big chain style comic shops, such as Manhattan's Midtown Comics, could afford. Hell, Midtown Comics has enough green to literally buy about 10% of all the copies of the last DYNAMO 5 mini series that sold below the Top 300 half the time in 2010.

I still think it is a feat that ASM has sold very close to a level of FEAR ITSELF #1, but you have a point about a lot of that possibly being a gimmick to get big shops to invest. It will be curious how many of those extra copies actually got sold, and how many people liked what they saw. Sales for issues #667 and #668 in August should be interesting.

I agree about the variant cover gimmick, as seen above. I also agree that SPIDER-ISLAND may have as much trouble pushing mini's as FEAR ITSELF, if not more. Even with the success of VENOM, ASM is 1:3, at best, with launching spin off material that sells well or decently. I am curious about how many folks buy up the CLOAK & DAGGER series. They're a cult franchise that rarely do well, but Marvel/Disney want to get them a TV show on ABC, so it'd be nice if they could get a mini that actually sold in the Top 100 all the way through.

Variant covers can inflate the sales numbers to absurd degrees. I wouldn't put much stock into it at all unless the numbers hold up.

It has recently been admitted that FANTASTIC FOUR #600 is indeed coming. I'll believe that Bleeding Cool story.

It's confirmed, FF will continue alongside Fantastic Four with Hickman writing both. My comic collection is going to look like a mess with all the numbering shenanigans Marvel pulls off.

Well, the relaunch of H4H into V4H will buy it another six months, not including the SPIDER-ISLAND mini. As for the others, it's probable. I imagine HERC may be relaunched again, or return as a mini. Unless this is the end of the line, like ATLAS was it for AGENTS OF ATLAS.

I don't see Marvel relaunching Herc. Hercules was never that big of a seller to begin with, but the critical praise was probably what allowed Marvel to push on with it once the Hulk readers came to terms that the Hulk was not coming back.

Herc on the other hand is not as loved as the Incredible Hercules and is selling just as bad as the Prince of Power mini. And it's not like Pak and Van Lente are going to be hurt by a cancellation considering that their initial Hercules story is done.

 

[hippie_hunter]

All comics 10 years ago aren't selling what they we're back then,

But some have taken it worse than others. The Ultimate imprint is one of them due to falling interest, Marvel focusing on the 616 universe, and crappy writers.

and yeah you gotta rememebr nomore Jeph Loeb taint that should persuade even the biggest disappointed fans.

Like I said, Marvel is doing a pretty damn good job in removing that taint. But they're doing more than that. They're shoring up talent that readers can get excited for. They're trying to make it feel fresh once more which was what the Ultimate imprint was originally meant to do. And most of all, they are actually putting some effort into the imprint after years of neglect.