DC March 2021 Sales

[BatmanJones]

Is it that people like Tynion's Batman run or that people love the character Batman and are willing to tolerate Tynion's writing for now?

I would imagine there are readers from both sides currently buying the book at present.

I think Jorge Jimenez is the most exciting artist working regularly at DC today, so I fall into a third category. I love Batman, I love Jimenez, and I tolerate Tynion. For now.

But I'm pretty sure I know what he's doing in creating this glut of new characters, or at least I think I have a pretty good guess. I think he's trying to wind up with his own Court of Owls or, better, Harley Quinn. He's trying to create anything/anyone, again and again, that will stick well enough to appear in other media, in search of a lucrative legacy like Johns has. In the meantime, nothing much happens apart from those new character introductions.

And those 13 new characters in 21 issues I mentioned wasn't even an accurate count because I left off The Designer, so there's 14. In other words, he averages one new character in 2/3 of his Batman issues to date. That is insane and, to my mind, cynical.

[Restingvoice]

It's Batman first for the hardcore buyer because there are those who buy Batman no matter who's the writer or artist even if they don't like the story.

I don't know about everyone else.

[cranger]

I regret being part of turning this into a Tynion-Batman topic, or another 'when I was young', but I do remember the days when new characters were popping up every issue or so all over the place, I also recall people complaining about creators not actual creating much of anything and saving it all for their indie stuff not that long ago.

[skyvolt2000]

It's Batman first for the hardcore buyer because there are those who buy Batman no matter who's the writer or artist even if they don't like the story.

I don't know about everyone else.

If it's not Hal Jordan in the main book it's not getting support as some stores have claimed the new book disrespects Hal.

Batman will have numbers no matter what. Even if it means a store orders 70 copies and sell 55 of them. They will NOT complain about those unsold 15 copies yet will raise HECK if Ms Marvel leaves 3. That is why you see so many Btaman books in bins and Midtown sales.

I regret being part of turning this into a Tynion-Batman topic, or another 'when I was young', but I do remember the days when new characters were popping up every issue or so all over the place, I also recall people complaining about creators not actual creating much of anything and saving it all for their indie stuff not that long ago.

As for Tynion toss out all these new folks (while guys like Duke get screwed over to limbo) is he has nothing to lose. He already got folks interested in his indy stuff and at least one sniffed a SYFI pilot and one is still out in book form.

Yes new folks did pop up in Batman back in the say-HOWEVER many of them had a mini or ongoing or something else planned by that introduction.

If you are making a rival for Ivy-a black female one at that? OH she is going to get used as a rival for her in other projects. If she pops up in DC Super Hero Girls to rival Ivy-he got what he wanted.


Yes folks complained about writers saving new stuff for indys-where they have more control. Which is a smart thing to do-if you remember the messes Frank Miller, Milestone, Red Circle & Isabella have had over characters and rights.

I rather dig through DC's graveyard and rebuild a villain or hero.

[Badou]

Lmao I’m guessing you two aren’t fans of Tynion. Look Joker wasn’t in the March issues of Batman, and we went two months without a Tynion Batman book because of FS but it doesn’t seem to have hurt Tynion’s sales any. People seem to like what he’s doing for now, so you better buckle up for three years of Tynion on the main Batman book since that’s how long he plans to stay.

I don't have to buckle up for anything as I'm not buying his books. It is just going to suck for me when stories I am reading like Nighting get dragged into his stuff. Still, Batman is usually always a top seller, and 106 was the first issue for Batman in the new Infinite Frontier campaign DC is launching. Not a surprise it would sell well, especially with Jimenez on art. It even had that special variant cover with all the Batman family on it to help push the new campaign.

[Zorkel567]

Is it that people like Tynion's Batman run or that people love the character Batman and are willing to tolerate Tynion's writing for now?

I would imagine there are readers from both sides currently buying the book at present.

I'm someone reading Tynion's Batman and Joker books, and what he's doing drew me into the comics. I've always liked superheroes, but have usually stuck with TV and movies, though I would say I have a working knowledge of the comics-verse. Outside of Johns' Green Lantern, which I was briefly reading issue-to-issue towards the end of the run, I've never really gotten regularly into non-Star Wars comics.

But after seeing images of Punchline and Clownhunter, and reading up on them, I got more interested in reading comics. I like the idea of being able to get in on the "ground floor" per se, with these new characters. It helps to me to better create the illusion of change in comics, which has always been a sticking point for me. I like to feel like the world and the characters are changing and growing, at least somewhat.

So I got Their Dark Designs, Joker War Saga, and read the Punchline special, which I adored. And starting with Infinite Frontier, I've jumped into reading a handful of comics monthly. Batman, The Joker, The Next atman: Second Son weekly, and I grabbed Nightwing and Batman: Urban Legends. I am considering Robin as well.

I can say that the new characters drew me into the comics, Punchline and Clownhunter especially, while Ghostmaker is growing on me, especially with the start of his back-ups.

[Celgress]

Is it that people like Tynion's Batman run or that people love the character Batman and are willing to tolerate Tynion's writing for now?

I would imagine there are readers from both sides currently buying the book at present.

I for one am loving Tynion's take on the Dark Knight. It is refreshing to see Bruce being Bruce again.

As an aside, I've completely dropped all Superman-related titles to protests that Bendis' changes won't be reversed. Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Hulk, and X-Men are getting most of my dollars now and I couldn't be happier. Bendis hangover free is how I need to be.

[kf26]

If it's not Hal Jordan in the main book it's not getting support as some stores have claimed the new book disrespects Hal.

I'm actually surprised by Thorne's professionalism on how he handled Hal in the first issue given his opinion of the character.

[kf26]

As an aside, I've completely dropped all Superman-related titles to protests that Bendis' changes won't be reversed.

Those changes will stick unless a Johns or Snyder level writer takes on writing duty and retcons those changes.

[Celgress]

I'm actually surprised by Thorne's professionalism on how he handled Hal in the first issue given his opinion of the character.

Indeed, great job by Thorne thus far. I expected the worst for Hal when he was announced.

[Celgress]

Those changes will stick unless a Johns or Snyder level writer takes on writing duty and retcons those changes.

Yeah, I know.

[BatmanJones]

I'm actually surprised by Thorne's professionalism on how he handled Hal in the first issue given his opinion of the character.

The backlash to him saying he doesn't like Hal, posted as a fan, is ridiculous. The GLC is huge and there have been books centered on basically all of the Earth GL's. Obviously anyone would have a preference for some and not others. And again, because it can't be overstated, that was a post from the perspective of a fan and now everyone's got their pitchforks out over it.

Comic fans can be ridiculous and, to use an overused word lately, toxic as hell.

I didn't like GL: Future State at all. It bored me to tears. But I thought Thorne's first issue of GL was much better and now he has my interest, which has not been the case with a lot of prior GL writers to the degree that I haven't read GL in years even though I'm a big fan of every Earth GL except for Kyle. I guess that now that I've said that, if I were to write GL, the fans would have it out for me too.

But it turns out that Thorne has a great grasp of each of the characters he's writing including Hal and he turns out to be good writer to boot. I think a lot of these HEAT style posters would prefer a bad writer on GL than a writer that expressed his opinion on one character in his capacity as a fan.

I keep reading how awful Thorne is and how he shouldn't be allowed to write GL and I keep looking for reasons why and every single time it's that one opinion and nothing else. I'm sorry but that's absurd.

[DragonPiece]

wanted to update the thread since there is a more accurate chart out now! https://www.comichron.com/monthlycom...1/2021-03.html


Still not completely accurate though: ""Lunar did not report anything about its sales. Given the lack of official information, Comichron has drawn upon a subset of known retail orders both to determine approximate rankings. The subset represents a sizable number of copies; only initial orders for periodicals were examined. No statistical adjustments have been made for returnability and no later returns have been subtracted out."

[cranger]

wanted to update the thread since there is a more accurate chart out now! https://www.comichron.com/monthlycom...1/2021-03.html


Still not completely accurate though: ""Lunar did not report anything about its sales. Given the lack of official information, Comichron has drawn upon a subset of known retail orders both to determine approximate rankings. The subset represents a sizable number of copies; only initial orders for periodicals were examined. No statistical adjustments have been made for returnability and no later returns have been subtracted out."

I wouldn't bother with those numbers. That site should either pack it in, or be up front that they are just making things up at this point. It was useful and should not muddy it's data like this.

[LAWtoyoto 432]

Yep, the problem is customers can’t go back and unbuy something after it’s disappointed them, so instead they simply punish the next product that comes along by staying away. Once the next issue of Infinite Frontier come out, hopefully people will get interested in seeing what Williamson is doing.

That explains why "Power of X/House of X" limited series works so well and sell like hotcakes?