Do reboots hurt sales?

[Trey Strain]

A conventional "wisdom" seems to have developed here, especially among some older readers, that reboots "hurt sales," and that the New 52 was "a failure."

As in, "You're ruining my childhood!"

I say that's a lot of hooey, at least where sales are concerned.

If you're one of the people who believes that, now is your chance to cite some figures that establish your claim once and for all. All the numbers you need are posted online.

Have a go at it!

[Carabas]

Looks at the only two times in their entire history DC rebooted...
Evidence suggests not in the slightest.

I do think Marvel's habit of cancelling and relaunching books at the drop of a hat does hurt sales.

[Trey Strain]

Looks at the only two times in their entire history DC rebooted...
Evidence suggests not in the slightest.

I do think Marvel's habit of cancelling and relaunching books at the drop of a hat does hurt sales.

I agree with you. It pays diminishing returns, for sure.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Marvel's sales took a shot as they constantly redone it. Now they are seemingly seeing that rebooting hasn't helped and going back to older numbers. Realizing that people will pay for good stories and creative teams if promoted right. Not new #1's every year.

[Trey Strain]

Marvel's sales took a shot as they constantly redone it. Now they are seemingly seeing that rebooting hasn't helped and going back to older numbers. Realizing that people will pay for good stories and creative teams if promoted right. Not new #1's every year.

There are two other factors that have hurt Marvel's sales: Over-aggression in replacing classic characters with minorities, and DC's going to bimonthly publishing of its most popular titles, which Marvel has responded poorly to. But they did take the relaunchings too far.

[Carabas]

Marvel's sales took a shot as they constantly redone it. Now they are seemingly seeing that rebooting hasn't helped and going back to older numbers. Realizing that people will pay for good stories and creative teams if promoted right. Not new #1's every year.

Marvel has never rebooted even once.
Putting a #1 on all your books is not a reboot. It just mimics one superficially while just going on as before.

[Trey Strain]

Marvel has never rebooted even once.
Putting a #1 on all your books is not a reboot. It just mimics one superficially while just going on as before.

I call those relaunches.

[MyriVerse]

It all depends on what comes after the reboot.