Sales for the Batfamily in May 2019

[Swallowtail]

Appart from RHatO, Batgirl and Batman Beyond all of the other Rebirth books that are stlll going on were double shipped at some point. Therefore RHatO is something between 10 and 35 issues behind the other books.

Yeah, but by that argument Lobdell was on the book for nearly 30 issues before the Rebirth Launch, putting him ahead of everyone but King and Williamson. 15 months is quite a long time on a book whose sales are tapering off and whose writer you can't actively promote. They may get a "And the outlaws return" bump I guess.

[Fergus]

Appart from RHatO, Batgirl and Batman Beyond all of the other Rebirth books that are stlll going on were double shipped at some point. Therefore RHatO is something between 10 and 35 issues behind the other books.

I think if they should Lobdell stay on the book at least till issue #50, that should be enough time to wrap up all the plots and the year of the villain.

I assume we're only talking Batverse books such like TT or Deathstroke not included

[Fergus]

I'm surprised Young Justice #5 had 29K in May. I've always though, due to the return of YJ4 and Bendis, it would mantain above 30K for more time.

Now, Teen Titans #30 is 26K in May.

So, it's possible both comics about young heroes will sell pretty similar in June.

I'm surprised for a title with 4 very established well known characters penned by a Superstar writer.

[Aahz]

There will probaly also be a bumb due to the Year of the Villain.

Year of the Villain also a reason I think Lobdell will still stay a while, I don't think that they will change writers half way through a plot like this.

And it is my ijn general preferable to let writers wrap up their runs, without a proper ending the rereadabilty of a run really suffers. And that might effect later sales of trades and digital issues.

[Aahz]

I assume we're only talking Batverse books such like TT or Deathstroke not included

Deathstroke was double shipped in the beginning, that why it is allready close to issue #50 and TT didn't start with Rebith, it started 6 month later.

And Deathstroke has also still the same writter.

I might have forgotten Supergirl, but that book took iirc an hiatus for several month.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

I mean, even a very generous, all smoke, no fire take on Lobdell would say he presents a PR problem for DC. I once saw him give an interview about Red Hood where he somehow ended up talking about how he’s only into kinky sex. One does not put that guy on official DC panels or send him to get interviewed by Hollywood insider.

That was because he was asked about a possible relationship between Jason and Artemis, plus, you do know he actually has written a few movies, right?

[Swallowtail]

That was because he was asked about a possible relationship between Jason and Artemis, plus, you do know he actually has written a few movies, right?

I mean, plenty of other writers have answered the question, "can men and women just be friends?" without resorting to talking about their personal experiences with weird sex. This is doubly true if you have already been caught up in a scandal where you have had to publicly apologise for making sexually and racially inappropriate comments to a female creator, and if rumours have swirled for years that you and Eddie Berganza are cut from the same cloth.

I don't think this is exactly a blue sky statement and it's not a judgement on you for enjoying the comic. God knows, trying to navigate Batman comics without running into writers whose behaviour you find objectionable is a tricky business. DC have already had to cut one writer loose for alleged abusive behaviour this year, and Lobdell has enjoyed a lot more chances than other younger writers have enjoyed. So if I was DC PR I wouldn't exactly rushing to promote him given the times we're living in.

I'm not really sure what him writing movies has to do with anything.

[Sergard]

Not opposed to a new writer but I don't think there are a lot of potential writers who want and can write an anti-hero. DC mainly publishes "classic" superheroes and most new talents probably go to DC because they want to write characters like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, etc. And looking at the remaining writers who of them would really be passionate about Jason's character instead of using RHatO as stepping stone for bigger titles? And if such writers exist, how many of them would actually respect what fans love about Jason's character and dynamics with other characters/his team and supporting cast and use elements of the old run instead of just undoing everything, ignoring characters and push Jason into a story because the story idea is good and it doesn't matter if Jason fits the story or not?

[josai21]

I can’t stand Lobdell on anything else, but he’s done good for Jason.

[Swallowtail]

Does that even apply in this day and age?

The numbers we have access to are just what Diamond Distribution reports in terms of orders by direct sales comic book shops in primarily the U.S. (and some of Canada?). It does not include sales from outside of Diamond; it does not include any digital issue sales/other streaming service access of any type; it doesn't include any later collected edition purchases.

The "numbers" don't tell us anything about the number of individual human beings who may be reading and enjoying a story / a character in some form or another.

Maybe not representative, but certainly indicative. It definitely didn’t adequately reflect the popularity of say the digital sales of Injustice, but it remains the best model we have. Since Rebirth started, following the year grace period, ongoing series have seemed to follow an approximation of the ‘lowest on diamond falls first’ with the exception of Supersons which was by editorial fiat and Green Arrow which appears to be the same. Books like Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Blue Beetle were cancelled when they hit the mid-teens, so it’s an unprovable but relatively sensible assumption that the books in the red zone at the moment are Terrifics, Batman Beyond, Hawkman and Red Hood.

[Bruce Wayne]

I mean, even a very generous, all smoke, no fire take on Lobdell would say he presents a PR problem for DC. I once saw him give an interview about Red Hood where he somehow ended up talking about how he’s only into kinky sex. One does not put that guy on official DC panels or send him to get interviewed by Hollywood insider.

IIRC there have been rumors dogging him for years especially inappropriate actions at conventions with fans.

[Arsenal]

Maybe not representative, but certainly indicative. It definitely didn’t adequately reflect the popularity of say the digital sales of Injustice, but it remains the best model we have. Since Rebirth started, following the year grace period, ongoing series have seemed to follow an approximation of the ‘lowest on diamond falls first’ with the exception of Supersons which was by editorial fiat and Green Arrow which appears to be the same. Books like Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Blue Beetle were cancelled when they hit the mid-teens, so it’s an unprovable but relatively sensible assumption that the books in the red zone at the moment are Terrifics, Batman Beyond, Hawkman and Red Hood.

Is there a reason you aren’t including Supergirl on that list?

[Swallowtail]

Is there a reason you aren’t including Supergirl on that list?

Probably because the month I took the list from was March, an Artgem month. On an Artgem month she gets a bump an extra 10,000 or so. I’ve heard people argue that’s not a ‘real’ bump but while I would love to see a sequence of Artgem covers featuring a whimsical Hawkman giving doll-like sameface, I don’t think it would have quite the same effect as it has on Supergirl sales.

[Konja7]

Probably because the month I took the list from was March, an Artgem month. On an Artgem month she gets a bump an extra 10,000 or so. I’ve heard people argue that’s not a ‘real’ bump but while I would love to see a sequence of Artgem covers featuring a whimsical Hawkman giving doll-like sameface, I don’t think it would have quite the same effect as it has on Supergirl sales.

At least, it seems any female character receive a bump in Artgem month. I mean Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and Catwoman increase their sales in similar amount to Supergirl when they have an Artgem variant.

So, I would say isn't a real bump, since they can put Artgem on other book with a female character and they will obtain more sales.

[Swallowtail]

At least, it seems any female character receive a bump in Artgem month. I mean Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and Catwoman increase their sales in similar amount to Supergirl when they have an Artgem variant.

So, I would say isn't a real bump, since they can put Artgem on other book with a female character and they will obtain more sales.

Yeah, but they have to keep a certain number of female led titles in rotation to benefit from that bump. They only have five and between Joshua Middelton and Artem they cover three. It's a tactic, but no cheaper than the constant crossovers that kept Deathstroke afloat.