Sales For Spider-Man pre-OMD to current

[Phaedrus45]

A poster over at Marvel.com posted this and I found it interesting. As a 17 year Spider-Man fan who dropped the book after OMD, I find this wonderful.

Those are good sales, pre-BND...but, you have to put it in context. The beginning of those sales coincide with Civil War, which was a selling juggernaut for Marvel Comics. If you put "Civil War" on your book, you sold issues. (Remember how much in demand Heroes For Hire was...then, after Civil War ended, the sales slumped...and, then the title was cancelled.) After Civil War, you have the Spider-Man 3 movie release, and they used that by promoting Back In Black...which all lead to the big interest in OMD.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Those are good sales, pre-BND...but, you have to put it in context. The beginning of those sales coincide with Civil War, which was a selling juggernaut for Marvel Comics. If you put "Civil War" on your book, you sold issues. (Remember how much in demand Heroes For Hire was...then, after Civil War ended, the sales slumped...and, then the title was cancelled.) After Civil War, you have the Spider-Man 3 movie release, and they used that by promoting Back In Black...which all lead to the big interest in OMD.

Some of it was pre-Civil War but I know what you mean. I wouldn't have minded seeing maybe a year of sales before the list begins to get a better idea.

And for the record... Heroes For Hire was in demand?! My comic shop had them falling off the shelves they were selling so crappy. In fact, their the only tie-in that I didn't even bother to read. I did skim it, and I got REALLY excited to see a character named Bloodshed in a crowd of other villain nobodies (the villain from my first ever comic Web of Spider-Man 81, only had 2 appearances), but then he's beat down and as far as I know, never shows again... so I didn't bother with the rest of it.

 

[JewishHobbit]

And you're just a young guy with no tastes in comics...

t: t:

Pssh... I enjoyed the Draco. THE DRACO!!!!


no tastes in comics he says

 

[Phaedrus45]

Some of it was pre-Civil War but I know what you mean. I wouldn't have minded seeing maybe a year of sales before the list begins to get a better idea.

And for the record... Heroes For Hire was in demand?! My comic shop had them falling off the shelves they were selling so crappy. In fact, their the only tie-in that I didn't even bother to read. I did skim it, and I got REALLY excited to see a character named Bloodshed in a crowd of other villain nobodies (the villain from my first ever comic Web of Spider-Man 81, only had 2 appearances), but then he's beat down and as far as I know, never shows again... so I didn't bother with the rest of it.

Oh, yes...Heroes For Hire #1 was in BIG demand. My comic shop got screwed over, and didn't get a single copy in. They tried getting them when they realized the mistake, and the company they get them from said "sold out" after that first day. I had to go on ebay (couldn't even get it off Milehigh or Mycomicshop) and buy a first issue for 5 bucks...plus shipping. (Of course, once the tie-in was over, the demand was over just as fast.)

 

[JewishHobbit]

You want to know a buying infurating tale... (and this even gets it back on topic)

I hated OMD. I bought the first 3 issues at $4 a pop and couldn't bring myself to buy the final issue. I then sold the previous 3 on ebay. However, I bind stuff and plan on making a big New Avenger run and suddenly no one knew Peter was Spidey? Without OMD it didn't make sense so I knew I'd have to include OMD. So I got online and bought parts 1,2, and 4 off of milehighcomics. I then went to the store and buy part 3 and ended up buying part 2 on accident. I was mad. And then the comics came in and part 1 was in worse shape than expected. So I then got on ebay and bought part 1 and part 2. YES Part 2... AGAIN!!! I was getting furious but then found part 3 at another local shop and bought it.

So this story that I hate so very very much... I've bought 3 copies of part 1, 4 copies of part 2, 2 copies of part 3, and 1 copy of part 4. I swear, there could never be a more horrible thing to happen to me than this. I have nightmares less frightening than that!

 

[sdc10]

I do find it funny and odd that Marvel is using gimmicks to sell Spider-Man more now than it ever did before. It's almost as if they fell they NEED them to sell the comic.

New Ways to Die, Barack Obama issue, Character Assassination, American Son, Issue 600. They've finally gotten to the point where they've run out of gimmicks and they are using the return of Mary Jane as one.

I think things like this speak ALOT for the condition that Spider-Man is in right now as a character/comic book series.

I look at it as more like Marvel trying to get him back to what he used to be. Im glad hes back to the nerdy, single guy cause thats who Peter Parker is imo. Also, im glad they are bringing back his iconic villains (some of them in new forms). But I have an easier time accepting OMD. Myself being only 19 i did grow up with Spider-Man, however i dont have the "years" to really get upset over MJ and Peter separating. Also, mostly because Im not a fan of marriages in comics in general.

 

[RAMORE]

All I know is that I won't buy any spidey book until they admit they screwed up and put it back

To the guy who mentioned the Mary Jane whisper we all noticed it that was marvel's built back way out that they will never use or touch again if they can pull this stunt off which I think ultimately they won't be able to.

Characters like spiderman (that's mob I type how i want) deserve to grow and move on and have a family and get old and eventually die damnit!

 

[SouLeSS]

Don't know if this has been said, so I'll just say it;

Pre-OMD was a once a month (well, there were 2 other titles, but still) book that sold anywhere from 80-150k, depending on what arc it was (Civil War stuff sold higher than Back in Black, stuff like that.).
Post-OMD it's 3 times a month at ~60k even as of late. That's still 180,000 a month, compared to the 150,000 from previous.

I don't really think comparing the sales of a Monthly to the sales of it when they start trying to put it out weekly (or 3 times a month) should be viable, because it's two different medians. I know a few people (myself included) that aren't picking it up because of the 3 times a month thing, amongst other things that is.

I think the biggest clue on how well the book is or isn't doing is the first 12 issues, so in 4 months the book went from almost 130,000 to just over 75,000. That's a hell of a lot of falloff.

But the Obama copy sold half a million. That's pretty awesome, even if it was nothing more than a gimmick to sell copies.

 

[random_havoc]

I do find it funny and odd that Marvel is using gimmicks to sell Spider-Man more now than it ever did before. It's almost as if they fell they NEED them to sell the comic.

New Ways to Die, Barack Obama issue, Character Assassination, American Son, Issue 600. They've finally gotten to the point where they've run out of gimmicks and they are using the return of Mary Jane as one.

I think things like this speak ALOT for the condition that Spider-Man is in right now as a character/comic book series.

Amen.
They know they have to throw every gimmick they can into it because if sales noise-dive (as they inevitably would without the non-stop gimmicks) then they'd have to admit that OMD was a terrible idea that was offensive to thousands of fans.

 

[SouLeSS]

I don't think New Ways to Die, Character Assassination, American Son or anything of that (exception to the Obama issue) as being a "gimmick".

Since when are character arcs or story arcs gimmicks? It was slightly gimmicky to use Anti-Venom, but even then it made sense with the story/current continuity.

That's like saying Back in Black was a gimmick, or saying Rage of the Red Lanterns was a gimmick (Cause it had the Final Crisis markings without having a thing to do with Final Crisis)

 

[moraldeficiency]

I don't think New Ways to Die, Character Assassination, American Son or anything of that (exception to the Obama issue) as being a "gimmick".

Since when are character arcs or story arcs gimmicks? It was slightly gimmicky to use Anti-Venom, but even then it made sense with the story/current continuity.

That's like saying Back in Black was a gimmick, or saying Rage of the Red Lanterns was a gimmick (Cause it had the Final Crisis markings without having a thing to do with Final Crisis)

BiB was a very clear gimmick, it was even extended for timely issues. It was I am the Spider take two. And the red lantern thing was a gimmick as well, good story that I enjoyed, but yeah that doesn't mean it doesn't fall into that category either.

NWTD had the creation of antivenom, other than that what changed for the story or characters that lead to development or was it just peter parker fights a bunch of people you want to see him fight? Don't get me wrong it was good (and universes better than that atrocity CA) but it was a gimmick to draw in the fans all the same.

 

[sdc10]

but it was a gimmick to draw in the fans all the same.

Isnt that kind of the objective of every comic? "Gimmicks", which i dont personally think they are, are pretty much what comics are now. Are you saying it wasnt a gimmick when Cap America was killed? Or when Batman or Superman was "killed"? Every single cross over event which occurs can be argued as a gimmick. So saying something is dumb for trying to "draw fans in" well thats the entire point.

 

[moraldeficiency]

Isnt that kind of the objective of every comic? "Gimmicks", which i dont personally think they are, are pretty much what comics are now. Are you saying it wasnt a gimmick when Cap America was killed? Or when Batman or Superman was "killed"? Every single cross over event which occurs can be argued as a gimmick. So saying something is dumb for trying to "draw fans in" well thats the entire point.

I would say it would depend on how it was billed. Cap's death was a clear progressive story and character change not brought on by the need for sales, just story driven. Superman and Batman were gimicks with quick comebacks for the original characters. Caps been gone over 2 years now with no definate signs of a return. So I'd say out of the four only cap's death wouldn't count as an outright gimmick.

You can also draw fans in with something that actually effects the characters and changes the status quo. For Superman/Batman's death, the red lantern stuff, NWTD are any of the characters different now? Have they progressed and changed in some way? Nope, so I guess you could argue everything's a gimmick in a way, but some things are just blatant "I need you to buy me cause I wants the money and you're a sucker" and some are actual good stories that make you want to buy them for what's in the book. That's the difference in my mind.

 

[farmernudie]

Well...the whole Unmasking thing was a gimmick...i mean, it was an event...and the spider-man unmasking part of it was to benefit the EVENT and not the series per say, since it was so out of character for Pete really. Frankly...most "Event" stuff sadly benefits the event and not the actual character or title. Civil War needed a BIG TIME CHARACTER TO UNMASK...and Joe admitly knew he was hitting a reboot button down the road so they sent the spidey lamb to the slaughter.

Obama...obviously a big gimmick. Oy.

Well....my wife and i are gonna start watching Season One of Stargate (dvds) tonite....hope it's good (heard it is)...too many repeats now on tv...and all....

 

[SouLeSS]

I would say it would depend on how it was billed. Cap's death was a clear progressive story and character change not brought on by the need for sales, just story driven. Superman and Batman were gimicks with quick comebacks for the original characters. Caps been gone over 2 years now with no definate signs of a return. So I'd say out of the four only cap's death wouldn't count as an outright gimmick.

You can also draw fans in with something that actually effects the characters and changes the status quo. For Superman/Batman's death, the red lantern stuff, NWTD are any of the characters different now? Have they progressed and changed in some way? Nope, so I guess you could argue everything's a gimmick in a way, but some things are just blatant "I need you to buy me cause I wants the money and you're a sucker" and some are actual good stories that make you want to buy them for what's in the book. That's the difference in my mind.

So basically theres only maybe an issues worth of panels that aren't considered a Gimmick to you per book you read per year? Oi. I feel bad if thats how you read comics.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

I do find it funny and odd that Marvel is using gimmicks to sell Spider-Man more now than it ever did before. It's almost as if they fell they NEED them to sell the comic.

New Ways to Die, Barack Obama issue, Character Assassination, American Son, Issue 600. They've finally gotten to the point where they've run out of gimmicks and they are using the return of Mary Jane as one.

I think things like this speak ALOT for the condition that Spider-Man is in right now as a character/comic book series.

agrees with this... but then again.. they've been pulling gimmicks with majority of there comics lately.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

The reason New Ways to Die, Character Assassination, and American Son, and Issue 600 all count as gimmicks is because they either brought back after a long while away characters that fans love or saw big ''OMG REVEALS!" like Menace's identity or the reveal from today. (which wasn't really all that OMG anyways, either of them.)

It's like they can't tell a story without some kind of ''shocking" big event being involved.

 

[CantThinkOfAName]

I do find it funny and odd that Marvel is using gimmicks to sell Spider-Man more now than it ever did before. It's almost as if they fell they NEED them to sell the comic.

New Ways to Die, Barack Obama issue, Character Assassination, American Son, Issue 600. They've finally gotten to the point where they've run out of gimmicks and they are using the return of Mary Jane as one.

I think things like this speak ALOT for the condition that Spider-Man is in right now as a character/comic book series.

Really? Pre-OMD, Amazing Spider-Man had a tagline underneath its title since the Other storyline (The Other, Civil War, Back in Black, OMD all right after another). That, along with Sins Past, renumbering at #500, all the Spider-Man 2 and 3 tie-ins, making Spidey have organic webs, etc. makes for a pretty gimmicky past 8 years for Spidey.

And Character Assassination was barely gimmicky. Cuz it revealed who Menace was? Something they set up since the beginning of the story? Pffft.

Character Assassination was probably my favorite since BND is all

 

[Dan_Slott]

The reason New Ways to Die, Character Assassination, and American Son, and Issue 600 all count as gimmicks is because they either brought back after a long while away characters that fans love or saw big ''OMG REVEALS!" like Menace's identity or the reveal from today. (which wasn't really all that OMG anyways, either of them.)

It's like they can't tell a story without some kind of ''shocking" big event being involved.

No offense, but that's the loopiest thing I've read in a lonnnnnng time. So if a Spider-Man character shows up in a Spider-Man book OR a Spider-Man character makes a major story reveal in a Spider-Man book, it's a gimmick?

Um... So you're saying that Spider-Man stories SHOULDN'T feature the return of Spider-Man characters or big story reveals? Whuhutnow?

Dude.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

No offense, but that's the loopiest thing I've read in a lonnnnnng time. So if a Spider-Man character shows up in a Spider-Man book OR a Spider-Man character makes a major story reveal in a Spider-Man book, it's a gimmick?

Um... So you're saying that Spider-Man stories SHOULDN'T feature the return of Spider-Man characters or big story reveals? Whuhutnow?

Dude.

Not for what seems like almost once a month... there's been a quite alot amount of "status-quo" changes, and "big" reveals in spidey more then possibly any other marvel comic, within a year. There pretty much back to back

 

[Jennifer Walters]

No offense, but that's the loopiest thing I've read in a lonnnnnng time. So if a Spider-Man character shows up in a Spider-Man book OR a Spider-Man character makes a major story reveal in a Spider-Man book, it's a gimmick?

Um... So you're saying that Spider-Man stories SHOULDN'T feature the return of Spider-Man characters or big story reveals? Whuhutnow?

Dude.

No offense to you Slott, because honestly your the best of the Spidey team and Marvel in general, but you guys could at least tell a story where something shocking doesn't have to happen every story arc.

''OH LOOKY LILY IS MENANCE"

''BROCK'S BACK! HE'S ANTI-VENOM!"

''AUNT MAY'S GETTING MARRIED! TO JAMESON'S FATHER!"

''FLASH HAS NO LEGS!"

''MARY JANE'S BACK!"

What happened to just having Spidey fight a villain and then going home to his normal life? It's like you guys feel you need the big reveals in every story arc you do and that's just not so.

EDIT: Not to mention that they all very much were solicited in a ''LOOK WE ARE DOING THIS TO MAKE YOU BUY THIS BOOK" sorta way. Which is the point of any solicit yes, but the Spidey ones just smack you over the head with it.

 

[farmernudie]

If anything, they are going all out to (over) hype spidey books to keep the reboot from dropping any lower than it already has.

And while the gimmicked issues (Obama) help boost up sales numbers....they show no real staying power overall of fans wanting to READ the book...as numbers continue to slowly but steadily decline.

The economy is bad, yes, so let's go with a proven spidey universe & not this experimental devil created one that has alternate histories, an entire planet whose minds are swiss cheesed, with not a single person looking into their memory wipes in a logical way.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

If anything, they are going all out to (over) hype spidey books to keep the reboot from dropping any lower than it already has.

And while the gimmicked issues (Obama) help boost up sales numbers....they show no real staying power overall of fans wanting to READ the book...as numbers continue to slowly but steadily decline.

The economy is bad, yes, so let's go with a proven spidey universe & not this experimental devil created one that has alternate histories, an entire planet whose minds are swiss cheesed, with not a single person looking into their memory wipes in a logical way.

I still don't understand why people like Reed Richards, Charles Xavier, and Norman Osborn aren't going out of their ****ing mind trying to figure out the hell happened with Spidey's situation.

I mean we've seen some Reed commentary about in Slott's Fantastic Four issues, but still.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

I still don't understand why people like Reed Richards, Charles Xavier, and Norman Osborn aren't going out of their ****ing mind trying to figure out the hell happened with Spidey's situation.

I mean we've seen some Reed commentary about in Slott's Fantastic Four issues, but still.

yea, I agree... this whole ordeal has been a huge mistake imo. It was completely unnecessary, and was spear headed by a pathetic shmuch who was disillusioned as to what kinda guy peter parker really is and pretty much turned the book into something for himself. I can't stand who peter parker is anymore. He's pathetic, and a life raper.

which sucks to me completely, because i personally loved the respect he was beginning to get in the superhero community, loved how MJ became friends with Sue Storm, enjoyed peter growing up, and becoming a teacher at the school he went to. It was called progress.. and Joey Q blew that all up.

 

[SouLeSS]

No offense, but that's the loopiest thing I've read in a lonnnnnng time. So if a Spider-Man character shows up in a Spider-Man book OR a Spider-Man character makes a major story reveal in a Spider-Man book, it's a gimmick?

Um... So you're saying that Spider-Man stories SHOULDN'T feature the return of Spider-Man characters or big story reveals? Whuhutnow?

Dude.

I'm with Slott. And not because he's Dan Slott, but because he's right. You're basically saying that whenever someone comes back or something is revealed you claim it as a Gimmick, when just about every month every issue of every comic has some kind of reveal or something "gimmicky" to keep people reading. Pretty soon you're going to say leaving a book on a cliffhanger is going to be a "gimmick", right?