November 2007 Sales Charts & Market Share Report

[Upset Spideyfan]

I am going to have to call on all of my underworld connections.

 

[PhotoJones]

Whatever the struggle may be, it'll be worth it.

 

[Darthphere]

Seeing Thor high in the charts is great.

Order is still selling more than Ms Marvel,so this baby should be sticking around.

Is that like the new Marvel benchmark or something, Ms Marvel?

 

[Dread]

Thanks for posting the link. My usual comments/opinions/rants:

- Naturally, after DC claimed October, and BARELY, due to many late Marvel titles, November is a lock in Dollar/Market share for Marvel due to WWH/OMD and other titles coming out and filling gaps. If the best the "distinguished competiton" can do is prevail one month every year, then they're hardly competition at all, are they?

- THOR #4 selling at #4. Poetic, and also a good sign for his feature film (which, according to an interview reported by SHH, will begin production once the writer's strike is over) as well as general Marvel. Thor isn't part of any events or crossovers. His sales seem to be high based on the creative team and interest in the character after being off stage for 4 years. Not bad.

- Thor's fellow Avenger, CAPTAIN AMERICA, continues to enjoy success within the Top 20. As I said before, a rare example of a great book that sells like it deserves.

- No surprise that WWH #5 was the top book of the month. The story was flawed and simple, but at least the climax seemed more satisfying than CW #7 and HOM #8. Guess the third time is the charm. Now let's brace for Bendis to whiff it next year in SHAMELESS SKRULL RETCON ADVENTURE WHERE EVERY HERO COMES OFF LIKE AN INEPT *****E, also called SECRET INVASION.

- Slott's AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #7 remains in the Top 25 with #22, which means it's sales may be getting a chance to level without tie-in's. It is doing very well.

- The fact that ASTONISHING X-MEN #23 sold at #2 shows that despite all our whining, late books rarely seem to suffer sales consequences unless they are smaller books, who have uphill battles anyway. The same can be said for OMD #3 being within the Top 10 despite the embarrassment of Joe Q himself being unable to anticipate his own pace and schedule and solict accordingly.

- Why the **** is USM STILL selling within the Top 25!?

- FF, with McDuffie's cliffhanger that fooled a lot of fans, is selling within the Top 30, which is good for the Four, although likely lower than it sold during the height of CW & JMS.

- Considering House of M was 3 years ago, and the reality itself was wiped clean, the fact that HOM: AVENGERS #1 debuted within the Top 45 is interesting. I expect it to dive a bit after, but it is curious. One presumes it is due to the strength of the Avengers line now, and Marvel is milking it like it was the X-Men in the 90's.

- CAPTAIN MARVEL #1, a great launch to a ridiculous premise (showing that execution really IS everything), debuted at #49. This is a 5 issue mini, which will tie into the 2008 event eventually, so the rules for ongoing sales don't apply. Still, considering that Reed & Weeks are, well, known of but lack the best buzz of the industry, and the title character has been dead for over 20 years, and the CW one-shot was universally lambasted, this is probably a decent debut. Could anyone have imagined a Capt. Marvel #1 selling within the Top 50 as recently as 2 years ago? The second issue drop will be interesting.

- PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL looks like it dropped a little bit, but still is holding steady. It still seems to be Matt Fraction's best selling title.

- IMMORTAL IRON FIST is at #56, but sales ranks fluctuate depending on how many big titles are at the top; the book's sales have held steady at the 34-35k mark for the past 3 issues and I am sure this one held steady too. We have a modest but devoted audience here. And it's doing better than BKV's RUNAWAYS was.

- ANNIHILATION CONQUEST #1 debuts at #61; I am unsure if that is a dip from ANNIHILATION #1 last year, but it may be since the trend is this sequal is not selling as well as the original, despite the original having to compete with Civil War. Still, considering the characters involved, this is a modest debut. I just wonder how low the next issues will dip. STARLORD really should have done better, too. NOVA is still the strongest selling of the space books, which is good as it is to date the only ongoing among them (at #69).

- GHOST RIDER still is holding steady around the 70's of the Top 100. A drop from where it once was, but it may be holding on by a chain.

- The MOON KNIGHT ANNUAL does alright, but the ongoing was once in the Top 30-40 and now plods in the Top 70's. Interest may be waning.

- THE ORDER #4 sells at #78. Hmm. The 3rd issue sold at #66 in September, so it very likely saw another drop from issue to issue. Sliding by about 10 or more slots in the Top 100 every issue is not promising for an ongoing, especially one that stars bold new characters. After a promising launch, the sales are sliding with the fading of THE INITIATIVE's strength as a brand, and that is a shame because this is one of Marvel's best team books right now. Some would argue THE best. Don't trade wait if you are on the fence; try it NOW. I want to see this surpass issue #12, damn it! If the Diamond shipping lists are accurate, The Order may ship 2 issues in December (or at least within less than 5 weeks), so I wonder if that may help sales stablize. I mean, yes it does outsell other ongoings (MS. MARVEL, HEROES FOR HIRE, BLACK PANTHER, SHE-HULK), but this still is dangerous, especially since all those other titles have surpassed the one-year mark and some even beyond 3 (and HFH I think has been cancelled anyway).

- It is good seeing Dark Horse's UMBRELLA ACADEMY in the Top 80. It is a damn fun book. Now if only other smaller titles like INVINCIBLE, DYNAMO 5, WOLF-MAN and others could make the Top 100...

- Did anyone bother with ULTIMATE VISION? The sales seem to suggest someone did. ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR is still the lowest selling Ultimate ongoing, which is a shame as it is the only one I enjoy. Still, I actually wouldn't say it deserves to sell better, because I read many better books that don't.

 

[antonydelfini]

Haha I'm so happy for Cap, Hulk, and Iron Fist!

 

[Sebastos]

I agree, it's great to see Immortal Iron Fist selling well.

 

[antonydelfini]

I agree, it's great to see Immortal Iron Fist selling well.

Yeah we did really good. I remember the time we were afraid that Iron Fist would get cancelled. Now it's really doing well.