New Unstoppable Wasp Series.

[Tiamatty]

If you think Marvel is still interested in making money, I don’t know if you understand how the comic industry works.

Oh, right, they're just an IPO factory now, right? Disney doesn't need them making money, they just need them pumping out stories to adapt. Because that's 100% how a smart business operates. I mean, it's not like Marvel already has more characters and stories than could be adapted in the next hundred years, or that filmmakers are quite capable of coming up with their own stories to use those characters for. Nope, Marvel only exists to give Disney material for a movie about a different version of a character who already exists in the movies.

Forget how the comic industry works, you don't understand how the very concept of capitalism works.

Yes, Marvel is still very interested in making money. Because if they stop being profitable as a subsidiary, Disney's not going to bat an eye before letting them go out of business. They've got the IPs, they don't actually need the publishing division. But it still makes them some little bit of money, so there's no point in closing it. But Disney absolutely would not hesitate to shut the publishing division down if that changed. So, Marvel wants to keep making money. So they don't put out comics that don't make them any money.

No matter what the clueless ramblings of conspiracy theorists say.

[Skedatz]

DC doesn't release Batman sales figures because it's a failing title that's losing DC money hand over fist.


In fact, ALL imprints are losing money and have been for decades, explaining why numbers have ever been released. However, the companies largely haven't collapsed because the Illuminatti has been pumping money into them to push their agendas because comics are truly the nexus of social change over music, television, books, and films, and have never been a reflection of social norms.

[Michael Watkins]

there's no point arguing about it. Marvel has chosen to give Nadia a series. there's nothing KurtW95 can do about it. no harm in venting.

[KurtW95]

The only conspiracy theory here is that of that of the secret amazing sales.

[mreddie]

Geez, this fighting gets us nowhere. It's back, deal with it.

And to those saying WHITLEY AGAIN? THEY SHOULD CHANGE IT!

They changed plenty already and people still whined.

They whined about Moon Knight with Bemis.
They whined about Punisher in the armor.
They whined about Carol still being Captain Marvel.

Detractors will always whine about something.

[Anthony W]

there's no point arguing about it. Marvel has chosen to give Nadia a series. there's nothing KurtW95 can do about it. no harm in venting.

And now it's cancelled. Nah, just kidding. CLAP LOUDER!

[Materiel]

If they were selling great, they’d have nothing to hide. We know exactly how well they’re doing. Also, appreciate the poorly drawn picture of the ugly little boy.

Underrated.

[Drops Of Venus]

I think this relaunch is motivated by a little bit of everything: the wish for synergy, the need for more diverse/all-ages book and the fact that the book was apparently doing well outside of the direct market (which just goes to show how Marvel should stop kissing its ass so much). It was probably enough reason for them to bring it back, and I understand that. I still think it's extremely unfair that Janet has never gotten a solo while Nadia is getting her second, but at least they're including her in the story. And hey, I take Nadia having her own adventures over her being an official duo with Scott. Also, really glad Gurihiru is working on interior art for Marvel again!

Kind of surprised to see them relaunch the book given it wasn't given the benefit that other Scholastic, all ages, Marvel books were given

I actually don't think TUW had a scholastic deal. I've tried looking it up on the scholastic website and couldn't find anything about it, unlike the books of Moon Girl, Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel that show up in searches. Maybe it was one of the reasons why it got cancelled; it didn't have a ''safety net'' like those other books did. Maybe they'll be changing this this time around.

Except even if it did well in trade, Marvel can’t just keep throwing money out there on something that isn’t even selling 10,000 units pretty quickly into its lifespan. Marvel is still a business after all and the original volume had a massive drop off over time to the point that it was basically hemorrhaging money.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Like it was said here, Marvel has cancelled books that weren't being profitable before, and they will keep cancelling books that are not profitable now. They keep throwing money at Moon Girl, which has been selling below 10k in the direct market for more than A YEAR now. That book should've been long gone if it was playing by traditional rules.

[The Negative Zone]

Unless we operate under the assumption Marvel doesn't operate as an business (which is insane and bias assumption), there's clearly more keeping a book alive than what we see on the charts. I wish people would stop pretending that they know everything about how Marvel operates.

[Prof. Warren]

If you think Marvel is still interested in making money, I don’t know if you understand how the comic industry works.

It's a tough contest but that really might be the single most asinine statement ever made on these boards.

Yes, Marvel is still interested in making money. They have to be self-sufficient as a publishing entity and make a profit, just like any business.

Do we know all the details of every revenue stream from which Marvel (or any other publisher) makes their money? No. Why would we? Please, go into any business you frequent and demand to look at their books. And if they decline, just declare that because you're a customer, you have a right to the full details on all their finances. See how well that goes.

As for the return of the Unstoppable Wasp, it's great. Not a book that's aimed at me but I'm happy for its fans and I think it's a book that should be out there.

[Kintor]

Unless we operate under the assumption Marvel doesn't operate as an business (which is insane and bias assumption), there's clearly more keeping a book alive than what we see on the charts. I wish people would stop pretending that they know everything about how Marvel operates.

It's not unheard of for a business to sell unprofitable products if they still brand value in the exercise. Like when corporations donate to charities and or conservationists, they don't care about the local community but its great PR all the same. So basically books like the Unsellable Wasp are real charity cases, good PR for Marvel but won't make any money back by itself.

[KurtW95]

Unsellable Wasp

[Tiamatty]

It's not unheard of for a business to sell unprofitable products if they still brand value in the exercise. Like when corporations donate to charities and or conservationists, they don't care about the local community but its great PR all the same. So basically books like the Unsellable Wasp are real charity cases, good PR for Marvel but won't make any money back by itself.

Except Unstoppable Wasp isn't "great PR." Businesses will absolutely take a short-term loss on something in the expectation of a return of investment down the line. That doesn't apply here. Publishing Unstoppable Wasp at a loss isn't going to get people picking up Spider-Man, or whatever it is you think the end goal is. There's no return on investment publishing Wasp at a loss. Like, what do you think Marvel would actually be expecting to happen? The great buzz from reviving Unstoppable Wasp leads to a bump in Avengers' sales? Is that what you honestly think Marvel is banking on? Because, spoiler alert, they're not. I'm sure they're well aware that putting out Unstoppable Wasp will not improve Avengers' numbers.

So what is the end goal?
1. Put out Unstoppable Wasp to get good PR.
2. ???
3. Profit!
What's step 2 here? What is the actual, tangible benefit of putting out a comic that loses money? Can any of you conspiracy theorists actually answer that? Do you have an answer for how they'll get their return on investment? It's not like Marvel can't put out other books that jackasses decry as "SJW agenda" and ****, and they already do have several of those books as it is. So why Unstoppable Wasp? What do you think is the actual, long-term goal of putting out this book?

Meanwhile, the simple explanation - it sold well enough in trades to be worth giving another shot - is apparently just too wild and unbelievable a reason for a comic with a female protagonist and a diverse cast to be published. Guaran-damn-tee none of you would be bitching so much if they gave Black Knight another chance. The people questioning Unstoppable Wasp coming back would be all over another Black Knight solo, no questions asked.

[Materiel]

I don't really care about Nadia, but I'd love another Black Knight.

spoilers:

I'm just here for the shenanigans.

end of spoilers

[Dermie]

I was not a regular reader of the first volume, but I am excited for this. I thought Whitley did a good job with the issues that I did read, and I am excited for more of Jan and Mockingbird in volume 2!

This is also not the first time that TPB sales have helped to sustain a lower selling series or bring back a series, so I'm not sure why people seem so surprised or skeptical about it now. One example is Dan Slott's SHE-HULK run. The first run only ran for 12 issues, but it was relaunched several months later for a more successful, longer-lasting run, and one of the factors cited was the TPB sales.