Greetings, sales charts
fans! It's time once again to look at DC's sales figures.
After last month's large
(with an asterisk) sales in the first month of Convergence, things calm down
somewhat in May. Nothing that wasn't expected as the second half of the weekly
and the second issues were bound to sell less than the first, and the drop-offs
were fully within expectations.
The biggest difference is
that in the DCU there were only the Convergence books in May, unlike in April
when there were Annuals and several regular titles that had slipped from April,
including their strongest sellers Batman, Justice League and Harley
Quinn. As a result DC shipped only 70 titles in May, compared to 87 in
April, and sold over a million fewer comics than the previous month: Roughly
2.2M vs. 3.3M in the market served by Diamond N.A. (Marvel may want to consider
sending DC a nice fruit basket to thank them for freeing up room on store
owners' shelves and balance sheets to order all of those first month Secret
Wars titles…)
Over at Vertigo the
appearance of the penultimate issue of Sandman Overture boosted their
per title average over 10K (from down hear 7K the previous months), but the per
title median fell to just 5.4K, the lowest it has been since I took over this
column in early 2014 (and thus likely the lowest ever.) While it's admirable
that Vertigo not immediately canceling low sellers like FBP, Hinterkind
and Coffin Hill and letting them play out to some semblance of closure,
the line's expected forthcoming reinvigoration is sorely needed.
On the good news front,
the second volume of the Batman Earth One OGN took first place on the
graphic novel chart with first month sales through Diamond N.A. of nearly 17K
(more than the #2 & #3 entries combined)--very healthy sales for a $25
hardcover.
Warning: The commentary
below may contain reasoned analysis, speculation (unfounded and otherwise),
opinion, and/or snark. Those looking for a more straightforward analysis are
directed to John Jackson Miller's excellent Comichron analysis, posted earlier
this month over at Comichron!
Please consider the fine
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.
(Note that the percentage
comparisons are now done with total orders including reorder activity, as
opposed to initial orders as was the practice of this column under the previous
administration.)
---
9, 10, 12, 11 - CONVERGENCE ($3.99/$4.99)
04/2015: Convergence #0 -- 157,358
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 146,022 (- 7.2%)
04/2015: Convergence #2 -- 122,936 (- 15.8%)
04/2015: Convergence #3 -- 120,327 (- 2.1%)
04/2015: Convergence #4 -- 116,744 (- 3.0%)
05/2015: Convergence #5 -- 113,541 (- 2.7%)
05/2015: Convergence #6 -- 111,525 (- 1.8%)
05/2015: Convergence #7 -- 109,417 (- 1.9%)
05/2015: Convergence #8 -- 109,508 (+ 0.1%)
All four issues were
listed as returnable on the Diamond chart, so their figures are adjusted up 10%
from the reported numbers (see the disclaimers at the end of this column for
why we make this adjustment).
There are anecdotal reports out there that some
retailers vastly over-ordered what they thought they could sell due to the
returnability, though as always one should take caution in generalizing a trend
from one data point.
But in looking at the numbers provided to us,
there's nothing on the surface odd or strange happening here; after a couple of
adjustments in the first couple of issues it falls into a steady standard
attrition and then pops up just slightly for the final issue.
We'll likely never know how many of these end
up in the hands of readers, but then that's pretty much the case for every book
on the chart, and in these days of variant covers and order incentives, that's
true of just about every comic reported as sold through Diamond by the Big Two.
---
24 - CONVERGENCE HARLEY QUINN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 69,838
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 61,308 (- 12.2%)
---
27 - CONVERGENCE JUSTICE LEAGUE ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 62,916
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 55,455 (- 11.9%)
Last month's top two
Convergence tie-ins are also this month's top two Convergence tie-ins. Twelve
percent is a perfectly reasonable drop from a #1 to a #2 issue.
---
29 - SANDMAN OVERTURE (Vertigo) ($3.99)
05/2014: --
06/2014: --
07/2014: Sandman Overture #3 -- 72,563 (- 21.0%)
08/2014: --
09/2014: --
10/2014: --
11/2014: --
12/2014: Sandman Overture #4 -- 64,508 (- 11.1%)
01/2015: --
02/2015: --
03/2015: --
04/2015: --
05/2015: Sandman Overture #5 -- 58,776 (-
8.9%)
-----------------
6 months:
n.a.
1 year
: n.a.
Returnable, so the numbers are adjusted up by
10% from the estimates. (For why this is done for returnable comics, please see
the fine print at the end of this column.)
The final issue has been scheduled for
September and the hardcover collection for November. No doubt the collection
will be a huge seller for the holiday shopping season, though if the book had
kept to its original bi-monthly schedule the collection could have been a huge
seller for last year's holiday shopping season.
---
30 - CONVERGENCE BATMAN & ROBIN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 56,720
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 50,271 (- 11.4%)
32 - CONVERGENCE BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 58,693
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 48,204 (- 17.9%)
33 - CONVERGENCE DETECTIVE COMICS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 56,522
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 47,783 (- 15.5%)
34 - CONVERGENCE SUPERMAN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 51,823
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 46,900 (- 9.5%)
39 - CONVERGENCE NIGHTWING/ORACLE ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 50,621
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 44,883 (- 11.3%)
43 - CONVERGENCE BATGIRL ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 46,891
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 41,356 (- 11.8%)
45 - CONVERGENCE GREEN LANTERN/PARALLAX ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 46,539
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 40,347 (- 13.3%)
46 - CONVERGENCE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 46,111
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 39,818 (- 13.6%)
47 - CONVERGENCE FLASH ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 45,414
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 39,707 (- 12.6%)
48 - CONVERGENCE SPEED FORCE ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 42,977
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 39,612 (- 7.8%)
49 - CONVERGENCE WONDER WOMAN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 44,959
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 38,874 (- 13.5%)
51 - CONVERGENCE ACTION COMICS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 45,189
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 37,916 (- 16.1%)
52 - CONVERGENCE SUICIDE SQUAD ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 43,518
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 37,609 (- 13.6%)
53 - CONVERGENCE NEW TEEN TITANS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 43,547
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 37,513 (- 13.9%)
54 - CONVERGENCE BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 44,078
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 36,702 (- 16.7%)
55 - CONVERGENCE TITANS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 40,518
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 35,877 (- 11.5%)
59 - CONVERGENCE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 40,337
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 33,191 (- 17.7%)
60 - CONVERGENCE SHAZAM ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 39,587
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 32,984 (- 14.7%)
61 - CONVERGENCE JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 38,579
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 32,924 (- 14.7%)
63 - CONVERGENCE AQUAMAN
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 37,749
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 32,552 (- 13.8%)
65 - CONVERGENCE GREEN ARROW ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 37,303
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 32,156 (- 13.8%)
66 - CONVERGENCE CATWOMAN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 37,215
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 31,994 (- 14.0%)
67 - CONVERGENCE GREEN LANTERN CORPS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 37,437
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 31,979 (- 14.6%)
68 - CONVERGENCE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 38,911
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 31,619 (- 18.7%)
69 - CONVERGENCE SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL
($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 37,093
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 31,521 (- 15.0%)
72 - CONVERGENCE THE QUESTION ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 34,446
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 30,192 (- 12.3%)
73 - CONVERGENCE SUPERGIRL: MATRIX ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 34,634
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 30,124 (- 13.0%)
78 - CONVERGENCE SUPERBOY ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 33,739
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 29,195 (- 13.5%)
80 - CONVERGENCE SWAMP THING ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 33,424
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 28,923 (- 13.5%)
83 - CONVERGENCE BOOSTER GOLD ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 34,191
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 28,865 (- 15.6%)
85 - CONVERGENCE SUPERBOY & THE LEGION OF
SUPER-HEROES ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 33,605
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 28,327 (- 15.7%)
86 - CONVERGENCE THE ATOM ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 33,154
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 27,908 (- 15.8%)
88 - CONVERGENCE CRIME SYNDICATE ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 33,891
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 27,609 (- 18.5%)
89 - CONVERGENCE HAWKMAN ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 32,985
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 27,008 (- 18.1%)
90 - CONVERGENCE WORLD'S FINEST COMICS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 32,635
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 26,961 (- 17.4%)
94 - CONVERGENCE BLUE BEETLE ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 32,172
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 26,357 (- 18.1%)
98 - CONVERGENCE PLASTIC MAN AND THE FREEDOM
FIGHTERS ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 30,460
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 24,993 (- 17.9%)
And here are (almost all
of) the rest of the Convergence tie-ins. Most dropped in the 5K - 6K range for
their second issue. The percentage drops tend to increase as you go down the
chart, owing to the fact that 5K is a much larger chunk when you start from a
smaller baseline.
I'll note that there were
freely-orderable variant covers for all of the Convergence books this month,
though that's so much par for the course these days it hardly seems mentioning
anymore.
---
99 - WONDER WOMAN '77 SPECIAL
(Digital-First) ($7.99)
05/2015: WW 77 Special #1 -- 24,621
The top non-DCU,
non-Vertigo comic of the month. Pretty decent sales for an $8 comic.
---
Coming in at #100 on the chart are
another 24,562 copies of last month's Batman #40, the first time in a
while that a DC comic has made noise on the re-order side, and at quite an
impressive level. Presumably these are mostly for the second and third
printings.
---
103 - CONVERGENCE INFINITY INC. ($3.99)
04/2015: Convergence #1 -- 30,114
05/2015: Convergence #2 -- 24,441 (- 18.8%)
And one final Convergence tie-in. At one point
back in the 80s Infinity Inc. was my favorite comic, which makes its last-place
level here a bit sad.
---
117 - BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT (Digital-First)
($3.99)
03/2015: Batman Arkham Knight #1 -- 73,266
04/2015: Batman Arkham Knight #2 -- 25,479 (- 65.2%)
04/2015: Batman Arkham Knight #3 -- 23,370 (-
8.3%)
05/2015: Batman Arkham Knight #4 -- 21,083 (-
9.8%)
Still looking for its level, which appears that
it it will be around 20K.
---
122 - BATMAN '66 (Digital-First) ($2.99)
05/2014: Batman '66 #11 -- 18,642 (+ 4.0%)
06/2014: Batman '66 #12 -- 17,286 (- 7.3%)
07/2014: Batman '66 #13 -- 17,264 (- 0.1%)
08/2014: Batman '66 #14 -- 21,456 (+ 24.3%)
09/2014: Batman '66 #15 -- 16,842 (- 21.5%)
10/2014: Batman '66 #16 -- 15,923 (- 5.5%)
11/2014: Batman '66 #17 -- 15,585 (- 2.1%)
12/2014: Batman '66 #18 -- 15,409 (- 1.1%)
01/2015: --
02/2015: Batman '66 #19 -- 14,770 (- 4.1%)
02/2015: Batman '66 #20 -- 14,525 (- 1.7%)
03/2015: Batman '66 #21 -- 14,238 (- 2.0%)
04/2015: Batman '66 #22 -- 14,135 (- 0.7%)
05/2015: Batman '66 #23 -- 20,045 (+ 41.8%)
-----------------
6 months: + 28.6%
1 year :
+ 7.5%
I've been wracking my brain to come up with a
good reason for the huge jump, but all I've got is that there was a Black
Sketch Variant and I can't see that have this large of an effect. But absent
any better explanation that's what we'll have to go with.
---
129, 138 - INJUSTICE: YEAR FOUR (Digital-First)
($2.99)
05/2013: Injustice #5 -- 25,215 (+16.4%)
-------------------------
05/2014: Injustice Y2 #5 -- 19,834 (-
2.3%)
06/2014: Injustice Y2 #6 -- 19,353 (-
2.4%)
07/2014: Injustice Y2 #7 -- 19,811 (+
2.4%)
07/2014: Injustice Y2 #8 -- 18,931 (-
4.4%)
08/2014: Injustice Y2 #9 -- 18,397 (-
2.8%)
08/2014: Injustice Y2 #10 -- 18,068 (- 1.8%)
09/2014: Injustice Y2 #11 -- 18,086 (+ 0.1%)
09/2014: Injustice Y2 #12 -- 17,829 (- 1.4%)
10/2014: Injustice Y3 #1 -- 19,307 (+
8.3%)
10/2014: Injustice Y3 #2 -- 17,884 (-
7.4%)
11/2014: Injustice Y3 #3 -- 17,243 (-
3.6%)
11/2014: Injustice Y3 #4 -- 16,741 (-
2.9%)
12/2014: Injustice Y3 #5 -- 16,611 (-
0.8%)
12/2014: Injustice Y3 #6 -- 16,141 (-
2.8%)
01/2015: Injustice Y3 #7 -- 15,796 (-
2.1%)
02/2015: Injustice Y3 #8 -- 15,816 (+
0.1%)
02/2015: Injustice Y3 #9 -- 15,345 (-
3.0%)
02/2015: Injustice Y3 #10 -- 15,417 (+ 0.5%)
03/2015: Injustice Y3 #11 -- 15,526 (+ 0.7%)
03/2015: Injustice Y3 #12 -- 15,322 (- 1.3%)
04/2015: --
05/2015: Injustice Y4 #1 -- 17,958 (+ 17.2%)
05/2015: Injustice Y4 #2 -- 15,653 (- 12.8%)
----------------
6 months: -
1.1%
1 year : -
15.3%
2 years : - 33.3%
Gets a bit of a boost as Year Four starts, but
by issue #2 we're right back to the level where Year Three had settled into.
---
143 - MORTAL KOMBAT X (Digital-First) ($3.99)
01/2015: Mortal Kombat X #1 -- 21,062
02/2015: Mortal Kombat X #2 -- 13,277 (- 37.0%)
02/2015: Mortal Kombat X #3 -- 12,581 (-
5.2%)
03/2015: Mortal Kombat X #4 -- 14,038 (+ 11.6%)
04/2015: Mortal Kombat X #5 -- 14,741 (+
5.0%)
05/2015: Mortal Kombat X #6 -- 14,603 (-
0.9%)
After a couple of months
of corrective rises MKX appear to have found its level.
---
162 - MAD MAX FURY ROAD (Vertigo) ($4.99)
05/2015: Nux & Immortan Joe #1 -- 11,569
One-shot tying in to the movie, and the top
non-Sandman Vertigo title for May.
---
164 - HE-MAN: ETERNITY WAR ($2.99)
05/2013: He-Man & MotU #2 -- 19,410 (- 23.1%)
-------------------------------------
05/2014: He-Man & MotU #13 -- 12,430 (-
2.3%)
06/2014: He-Man & MotU #14 -- 12,144 (-
2.3%)
07/2014: He-Man & MotU #15 -- 11,905 (-
2.0%)
08/2014: He-Man & MotU #16 -- 11,721 (-
1.5%)
09/2014: He-Man & MotU #17 -- 11,756 (+
0.3%)
10/2014: He-Man & MotU #18 -- 11,501 (-
2.2%)
11/2014: He-Man & MotU #19 -- 11,022 (-
4.2%)
12/2014: He-Man Eternity #1 -- 18,884 (+ 71.3%)
01/2015: He-Man Eternity #2 -- 12,104 (- 35.9%)
02/2015: He-Man Eternity #3 -- 11,700 (- 3.3%)
03/2015: He-Man Eternity #4 -- 11,746 (+ 0.4%)
04/2015: He-Man Eternity #5 -- 11,625 (- 1.0%)
05/2015: He-Man Eternity #6 -- 11,426 (- 1.7%)
----------------
6 months: +
3.7%
1 year :
- 8.1%
2 years : - 41.1%
Very steady, dropping just a couple hundred
copies.
---
166 - ASTRO CITY (Vertigo) ($3.99)
05/2005: --
05/2010: Dark Age 4 #4 -- 12,900
05/2011: --
05/2012: --
------------------------------------
05/2014: Astro City #12 -- 13,795 (- 0.8%)
06/2014: Astro City #13 -- 13,419 (- 2.7%)
07/2014: --
08/2014: Astro City #14 -- 13,069 (- 2.6%)
09/2014: Astro City #15 -- 12,660 (- 3.1%)
10/2014: Astro City #16 -- 12,480 (- 1.4%)
11/2014: Astro City #17 -- 12,055 (- 3.4%)
12/2014: Astro City #18 -- 11,985 (- 0.6%)
01/2015: Astro City #19 -- 11,734 (- 2.1%)
02/2015: Astro City #20 -- 11,603 (- 1.1%)
03/2015: Astro City #21 -- 11,492 (- 1.0%)
04/2015: Astro City #22 -- 11,359 (- 1.2%)
05/2015: Astro City #23 -- 11,215 (- 1.3%)
-----------------
6 months: -
7.0%
1 year : -
18.7%
5 years : - 13.1%
10 years:
n.a.
Also very steady.
---
168 - THE FLASH: SEASON ZERO (Digital-First)
($2.99)
10/2014: Flash Season 0 #1 -- 23,501
11/2014: Flash Season 0 #2 -- 14,287 (- 39.2%)
12/2014: Flash Season 0 #3 -- 12,247 (- 14.3%)
01/2015: Flash Season 0 #4 -- 10,806 (- 11.8%)
02/2015: Flash Season 0 #5 -- 10,450 (- 3.3%)
03/2015: Flash Season 0 #6 -- 10,188 (- 2.5%)
04/2015: Flash Season 0 #7 -- 10,152 (- 0.4%)
05/2015: Flash Season 0 #8 -- 11,037 (+ 8.7%)
----------------
6 months: - 22.7%
Rises nearly 1K copies, for no other reason I
can figure except for demand.
---
173 - SENSATION COMICS FEAT WONDER WOMAN
(Digital-First) ($3.99)
08/2014: Sensation Comics #1 -- 29,640
09/2014: Sensation Comics #2 -- 22,085 (- 25.5%)
10/2014: Sensation Comics #3 -- 17,996 (- 18.5%)
11/2014: Sensation Comics #4 -- 16,573 (-
7.9%)
12/2014: Sensation Comics #5 -- 14,323 (- 13.6%)
01/2015: Sensation Comics #6 -- 12,927 (-
9.7%)
02/2015: Sensation Comics #7 -- 12,115 (-
6.3%)
03/2015: Sensation Comics #8 -- 11,399 (-
5.9%)
04/2015: Sensation Comics #9 -- 11,007 (-
3.4%)
05/2015: Sensation Comics #10 -- 10,565 (- 4.0%)
----------------
6 months: - 36.3%
Still trending downward.
---
189 - SUICIDERS (Vertigo) ($3.99)
02/2015: Suiciders #1 -- 18,275
03/2015: Suiciders #2 -- 10,585 (- 42.1%)
04/2015: Suiciders #3 --
9,891 (- 6.6%)
05/2015: Suiciders #4 --
9,316 (- 5.8%)
The first issue that was not returnable, and lo
and behold the trend holds without the adjustment.
---
197 - ARROW: SEASON 2.5 (Digital-First) ($2.99)
05/2013: Arrow #7 -- 10,017
--------------------------------------
10/2014: Arrow Season 2.5 #1 -- 17,364 (+113.1%)
11/2014: Arrow Season 2.5 #2 -- 11,121 (- 36.0%)
12/2014: Arrow Season 2.5 #3 -- 9,862 (- 11.3%)
01/2015: Arrow Season 2.5 #4 -- 9,302 (-
5.7%)
02/2015: Arrow Season 2.5 #5 -- 9,060 (-
2.6%)
03/2015: Arrow Season 2.5 #6 -- 9,055 (-
0.1%)
04/2015: Arrow Season 2.5 #7 -- 8,671 (-
4.2%)
05/2015: Arrow Season 2.5 #8 -- 8,644 (-
0.3%)
----------------
6 months: - 22.3%
2 years : - 13.7%
Drops just a handful of copies.
---
205 - FABLES: THE WOLF AMONG US (Vertigo)
(Digital-First) ($3.99)
01/2015: Fables: TWAU #1 -- 13,620
02/2015: Fables: TWAU #2 -- 10,224 (- 24.9%)
03/2015: Fables: TWAU #3 --
9,352 (- 8.5%)
04/2015: Fables: TWAU #4 --
8,793 (- 6.0%)
05/2015: Fables: TWAU #5 --
8,378 (- 4.7%)
Settling in around 8K.
---
237 - SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP (All-Ages) ($2.99)
05/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #4 --
8,159 (- 3.5%)
06/2014: --
07/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #5 --
9,042 (+10.8%)
08/2014: --
09/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #6 --
8,333 (- 7.8%)
10/2014: --
11/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #7 --
7,530 (- 9.6%)
12/2014: --
01/2015: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #8 --
6,678 (-11.3%)
02/2015: --
03/2015: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #9 --
6,780 (+ 1.5%)
04/2015: --
05/2015: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #10 -- 6,566 (- 3.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.8%
1 Year : -
19.5%
Also holding fairly steady.
---
239 - WOLF MOON (Vertigo) ($2.99)
12/2014: Wolf Moon #1 of 6 -- 15,865
01/2015: Wolf Moon #2 of 6 -- 8,747 (- 44.9%)
02/2015: Wolf Moon #3 of 6 -- 7,789 (- 11.0%)
03/2015: Wolf Moon #4 of 6 -- 7,124 (-
8.5%)
04/2015: Wolf Moon #5 of 6 -- 6,722 (-
5.6%)
05/2015: Wolf Moon #6 of 6 -- 6,496 (-
3.4%)
Final issue, finishing its run with every issue
charting, which these days is something of a win for a Vertigo title.
---
Charting at #252 are 6,112 copies of The
Multiversity Pax Americana Director's Cut, a $9.99 comic.
---
257 - INFINITE CRISIS: FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE
(Digital-First) ($3.99)
07/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #1 -- 26,096
08/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #2 -- 15,340 (- 41.2%)
09/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #3 -- 13,884 (-
9.5%)
10/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #4 -- 11,348 (- 18.3%)
11/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #5 --
8,920 (- 21.4%)
12/2014: Infinite Crisis FftM #6 --
7,809 (- 12.5%)
01/2015: Infinite Crisis FftM #7 --
7,231 (- 7.4%)
02/2015: Infinite Crisis FftM #8 --
6,498 (- 10.1%)
03/2015: Infinite Crisis FftM #9 --
6,236 (- 4.0%)
04/2015: Infinite Crisis FftM #10 -- ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Infinite Crisis FftM #11 -- 5,959
----------------
6 months: - 33.2%
The floor for the Top 300 this month is nearly
2K lower than in April, so this is the first of several DC titles that didn't
chart last month that show up this month.
---
267 - COFFIN HILL (Vertigo) ($2.99)
05/2014: --
06/2014: Coffin Hill #8 -- 8,764 (- 8.2%)
07/2014: Coffin Hill #9 -- 8,396 (- 4.2%)
08/2014: Coffin Hill #10 -- 7,710 (- 8.1%)
09/2014: Coffin Hill #11 -- 7,422 (- 3.7%)
10/2014: Coffin Hill #12 -- 7,136 (- 3.9%)
11/2014: Coffin Hill #13 -- 6,752 (- 5.4%)
12/2014: Coffin Hill #14 -- 6,410 (- 5.1%)
01/2015: --
02/2015: Coffin Hill #15 -- 5,933 (- 7.4%)
03/2015: Coffin Hill #16 -- 5,785 (- 2.5%)
04/2015: Coffin Hill #17 -- ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Coffin Hill #18 -- 5,423
-----------------
6 months:
n.a.
1 year : -
19.7%
Returns from its mystery month right about
exactly where you'd expect it to be. Ending with issue #21.
---
287 - SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (All-Ages)
($2.99)
05/2005: Scooby-Doo #96 -- 4,718
05/2010: Scooby-Doo #156 -- 3,857
05/2011: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #9 -- 4,838
05/2012: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #21 -- 5,269
05/2013: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #33 -- ?????
-----------------------------------------------
05/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #45 -- 4,840
(+4.1%)
06/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #46 -- ?????
(< 4,560)
07/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #47 -- ?????
(< 6,594)
08/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #48 -- ?????
(< 5,357)
09/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #49 -- ?????
(< 6,262)
10/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #50 -- ?????
(< 6,298)
11/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #51 -- ?????
(< 5,214)
12/2014: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #52 -- ?????
(< 5,053)
01/2015: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #53 -- 4,703
02/2015: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #54 -- ?????
(< 4,804)
03/2015: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #55 -- ?????
(< 4,917)
04/2015: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #56 -- ?????
(< 6,352)
05/2015: Scooby-Doo Where Are You? #57 --
4,794
-----------------
6 months:
???%
1 year :
- 1.0%
2 years :
???%
5 years : + 24.3%
10 years: +
1.6%
Appears to be one of DC's most steady selling
titles, even though many months it falls below the Top 300 cutoff.
---
297 - THE NAMES (Vertigo) ($2.99)
09/2014: The Names #1 of 8 -- 17,266
10/2014: The Names #2 of 9 -- 9,056 (- 47.6%)
11/2014: The Names #3 of 9 -- 6,926 (- 23.5%)
12/2014: The Names #4 of 9 -- 5,918 (- 14.6%)
01/2015: The Names #5 of 9 -- 5,312 (- 10.2%)
02/2015: The Names #6 of 9 -- 4,965 (-
6.5%)
03/2015: The Names #7 of 9 -- ????? (< 4,917)
04/2015: The Names #8 of 9 -- ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: The Names #9 of 9 -- 4,516
-----------------
6 months: - 34.8%
299 - THE KITCHEN (Vertigo) ($2.99)
11/2014: The Kitchen #1 of 8 -- 14,066
12/2014: The Kitchen #2 of 8 -- 7,403 (- 47.4%)
01/2015: The Kitchen #3 of 8 -- 6,328 (- 14.5%)
02/2015: The Kitchen #4 of 8 -- 5,153 (- 18.6%)
03/2015: The Kitchen #5 of 8 -- ????? (< 4,917)
04/2015: The Kitchen #6 of 8 -- ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: The Kitchen #7 of 8 -- 4,473
-----------------
6 months: - 68.2%
Two more Vertigo limited series show up this
month due to the lower floor.
---
+300 - STRANGE SPORTS STORIES (Vertigo) ($4.99)
03/2015: Strange Sports #1 of 4 -- 9,003
04/2015: Strange Sports #2 of 4 -- ????? (<
6,352)
05/2015: Strange Sports #3 of 4 -- ????? (<
4,462)
+300 - EFFIGY (Vertigo) ($2.99)
01/2015: Effigy #1 -- 11,656
02/2015: Effigy #2 --
6,408 (- 45.0%)
03/2015: Effigy #3 --
????? (< 4,917)
04/2015: Effigy #4 --
????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Effigy #5 --
????? (< 4,462)
+300 - HINTERKIND (Vertigo) ($2.99)
05/2014: Hinterkind #7 --
7,487 (- 9.9%)
06/2014: Hinterkind #8 --
7,212 (- 3.7%)
07/2014: Hinterkind #9 --
6,686 (- 7.3%)
08/2014: Hinterkind #10 -- 6,283 (- 6.0%)
09/2014: Hinterkind #11 -- ????? (< 6,262)
10/2014: Hinterkind #12 -- ????? (< 6,298)
11/2014: --
12/2014: Hinterkind #13 -- 5,080
01/2015: Hinterkind #14 -- 4,810 (- 5.3%)
02/2015: Hinterkind #15 -- ????? (< 4,804)
03/2015: Hinterkind #16 -- ????? (< 4,917)
04/2015: Hinterkind #17 -- ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Hinterkind #18 -- ????? (< 4,462)
-----------------
6 months:
n.a.
1 year
: ????%
+300 - FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS (Vertigo)
($2.99)
05/2014: FBP #10 --
7,242 (- 4.9%)
06/2014: FBP #11 --
6,958 (- 3.9%)
07/2014: FBP #12 --
????? (< 6,594)
08/2014: FBP #13 --
6,189
09/2014: --
10/2014: FBP #14 --
????? (< 6,298)
11/2014: FBP #15 --
5,288
12/2014: FBP #16 --
????? (< 5,053)
01/2015: FBP #17
-- 4,707
02/2015: FBP #18 --
????? (< 4,804)
03/2015: FBP #19 --
????? (< 4,917)
04/2015: --
05/2015: FBP #20 --
????? (< 4,462)
-----------------
6 months:
????%
1 year
: ????%
Four Vertigo titles that don't make the Top 300
cut, including the final issue of Hinterkind.
---
Average Periodical Sales
(not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release,
and magazines)
DC COMICS
05/2005: 34,801
05/2010: 27,785
05/2011: 24,561
05/2012: 38,708
05/2013: 31,412
---------------
05/2014: 31,764 (+ 8.8%)
06/2014: 32,834 (+ 3.4%)**
07/2014: 32,760 (+ 0.2%)**
08/2014: 28,951 (- 11.6%)**
09/2014: 46,869 (+ 61.9%)**
10/2014: 31,598 (- 32.6%)**
11/2014: 28,654 (- 9.3%)**
12/2014: 29,047 (+ 1.4%)**
01/2015: 24,289 (- 16.4%)
02/2015: 24,537 (+ 1.0%)**
03/2015: 23,466 (- 4.4%)**
04/2015: 38,318 (+ 63.3%)**
05/2015: 31,237 (- 18.5%)**
-----------------
6 months: +
9.0%
1 year :
- 1.7%
2 years : -
0.6%
5 years : + 12.4%
10 years: - 10.2%
DC UNIVERSE
05/2005: 43,505
05/2010: 37,463
05/2011: 27,745
05/2012: 35,264
05/2013: 32,015 (+ 1.9%)
---------------
05/2014: 39,555 (+ 8.5%)
06/2014: 42,733 (+ 8.0%)
07/2014: 40,945 (- 4.2%)
08/2014: 36,645 (- 10.5%)
09/2014: 63,401 (+ 73.0%)**
10/2014: 39,978 (- 36.9%)
11/2014: 36,710 (- 8.2%)
12/2014: 34,882 (- 5.0%)
01/2015: 30,680 (- 12.0%)
02/2015: 32,403 (+ 5.6%)
03/2015: 28,559 (- 11.9%)
04/2015: 49,845 (+ 74.5%)
05/2015: 42,635 (- 14.5%)
-----------------
6 months: + 16.1%
1 year :
+ 7.8%
2 years : + 33.2%
5 years : + 13.8%
10 years: -
2.0%
VERTIGO
05/2005: 14,520
05/2010: 11,756
05/2011: 10,668
05/2012: 11,102
05/2013: 20,860
---------------
05/2014: 11,778 (+ 5.0%)
06/2014: 11,372 (- 3.4%)
07/2014: 15,803 (+ 39.0%)**
08/2014:
9,082 (- 42.5%)
09/2014: 10,022 (+ 10.4%)**
10/2014:
9,066 (- 9.5%)**
11/2014:
8,511 (- 6.1%)**
12/2014: 13,195 (+ 55.0%)**
01/2015:
8,361 (- 36.6%)
02/2015:
8,612 (+ 3.0%)**
03/2015:
7,055 (- 15.6%)**
04/2015:
7,257 (+ 2.9%)**
05/2015: 10,616 (+ 46.3%)**
-----------------
6 months: + 24.7%
1 year :
- 9.9%
2 years : - 49.1%
5 years : -
9.7%
10 years: - 26.9%
---
6 month comparisons
===================
+ 28.6% - Batman '66
+ 3.7% -
He-Man Eternity War (He-Man and the MotU)
- 1.1% -
Injustice
- 7.0% -
Astro City
- 12.8% - Scooby-Doo Team-Up
- 22.3% - Arrow Season 2.5
- 22.7% - Flash Season Zero
- 33.2% - Infinite Crisis: Fight for the
Multiverse
- 34.8% - The Names
- 36.3% - Sensation Comics feat. Wonder Woman
- 68.2% - The Kitchen
1 year comparisons
===================
+ 7.5% -
Batman '66
- 1.0% -
Scooby-Doo Where Are You?
- 8.1% -
He-Man Eternity War (He-Man and the MotU)
- 15.3% - Injustice
- 18.7% - Astro City
- 19.5% - Scooby-Doo Team-Up
- 19.7% - Coffin Hill
2 year comparisons
===================
- 13.7% - Arrow
- 33.3% - Injustice
- 41.1% - He-Man Eternity War (He-Man and the
MotU)
5 year comparisons
===================
+ 24.3% - Scooby-Doo
- 13.1% - Astro City
10 year comparisons
===================
+ 1.6% -
Scooby-Doo
Sales Indices
=============
DCU:
Average: 42,635. Median: 34,534.
2.7 - Convergence 5
2.6 - Convergence 6
2.6 - Convergence 8
2.6 - Convergence 7
1.4 - Convergence Harley
Quinn
1.3 - Convergence Justice
League
1.2 - Convergence Batman and
Robin
1.1 - Convergence Batman
Shadow of the Bat
1.1 - Convergence Detective
Comics
1.1 - Convergence Superman
1.1 - Convergence
Nightwing/Oracle
1.0 - Convergence Batgirl
0.9 - Convergence Green
Lantern/Parallax
0.9 - Convergence Justice
League of America
0.9 - Convergence Flash
0.9 - Convergence Speed Force
0.9 - Convergence Wonder
Woman
0.9 - Convergence Action
Comics
0.9 - Convergence Suicide
Squad
0.9 - Convergence New Teen
Titans
0.9 - Convergence Batman and
the Outsiders
0.8 - Convergence Titans
0.8 - Convergence Adventures
of Superman
0.8 - Convergence Shazam
0.8 - Convergence Justice
League International
0.8 - Convergence Aquaman
0.8 - Convergence Green Arrow
0.8 - Convergence Catwoman
0.8 - Convergence Green
Lantern Corps
0.7 - Convergence Justice
Society of America
0.7 - Convergence Superman:
The Man of Steel
0.7 - Convergence The
Question
0.7 - Convergence Supergirl:
Matrix
0.7 - Convergence Superboy
0.7 - Convergence Swamp Thing
0.7 - Convergence Booster
Gold
0.7 - Convergence Superboy
and The Legion of Super-Heroes
0.7 - Convergence The Atom
0.6 - Convergence Crime
Syndicate
0.6 - Convergence Hawkman
0.6 - Convergence World's
Finest Comics
0.6 - Convergence Blue Beetle
0.6 - Convergence Plastic Man
and The Freedom Fighters
0.6 - Convergence Infinity
Inc.
Vertigo:
Average: 10,616*. Median: 5,423*
5.5 - Sandman Overture
1.1 - Mad Max Fury Road
1.1 - Astro City
0.9 - Suiciders
0.8 - Fables: The Wolf Among
Us
0.6 - Wolf Moon
0.5 - Coffin Hill
0.4 - The Names
0.4 - The Kitchen
0.4 - Strange Sports Stories
*
0.4 - Effigy *
0.4 - Hinterkind *
0.4 - FBP *
Digital First & Other:
Average: 13,281. Median: 11,426
1.9 - Wonder Woman '77
1.6 - Batman: Arkham Knight
1.5 - Batman '66
1.3 - Injustice Year Four 1
1.2 - Injustice Year Four 2
1.1 - Mortal Kombat X
0.9 - He-Man Eternity War
0.8 - Flash Season Zero
0.8 - Sensation Comics feat. Wonder Woman
0.7 - Arrow Season 2.5
0.5 - Scooby-Doo Team-Up
0.4 - Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse
0.4 - Scooby-Doo Where Are You?
---
The Fine Print (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 of
physical comics 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. Keep in mind that sales for some titles may
include incentives to acquire variants and not every unit sold is necessarily
even intended to be sold to a customer.
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 brackets 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 which are returnable have their numbers
artificially adjusted down by Diamond. To make up for that this column
increases the reported numbers for those titles by 10%. Which is likely also
wrong, but it's a different and likely less wrong kind of wrong, and experience
has shown that this leads to sales figures which are more consistent.
Titles released under the All-Ages line 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.
Please keep in mind that raw sales numbers do
not tell us about how profitable a book is for a publisher or for the creators.
Above all, do not allow sales numbers to
dictate your purchasing and enjoyment of a particular comic. If you enjoy
reading a comic series then go right on buying and reading that comic, no
matter what the sales figures say.
** Two asterisks after a given month in the
average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top
300/400 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases
sold as many units as the No. 300/400 comic on the chart for that month for the
purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than
that.
Opinions expressed in this column are mine
alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer, Heidi MacDonald or
anyone at The Comics Beat, the Shark Research Inssitute, or my former
neighbor's dog Miles.
The author of this column does weekly snapshots
of Amazon comic sales charts at http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/ and
tweets about comics and related subjects on Twitter at @davereadscomics (PM me
there is you need to contact me).
As always, we welcome your comments and
corrections below. Please try to keep things civilized.
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