Tim Drake: Robin #1 Preview

[ZuLuLu]

But like you said those are digital sales which aren't really too reflective of physical sales or sales in general as they comprise either 9-20%

It is not always reflective but books that tops the digital sales chart don't usually get cancelled quickly even when their physical sales are not that strong, the only time I've seen that happen recently is X-Factor at Marvel.

[NOCTPHOENIX]

It is not always reflective but books that tops the digital sales chart don't usually get cancelled quickly even when their physical sales are not that strong, the only time I've seen that happen recently is X-Factor at Marvel.

What is cancelled quickly? Like after 12 issues?

And this is only issue 1 so we need to wait for things in the long run.

[Rac7d*]

It is not always reflective but books that tops the digital sales chart don't usually get cancelled quickly even when their physical sales are not that strong, the only time I've seen that happen recently is X-Factor at Marvel.

The book isn’t gonna get cancelled right away. Look at how batgirls is doing. It’s gonna run at least through June and it’s worst case just be a 12 issue maxi. DC gives batbooks a pass typically

[Aahz]

I not defending Fitzmartin's writing and I not saying that DC: Young Justice did really well but it certainly didn't crash and burn on the charts on Amazon and generally for the entire run it was in the top 25 on Amazon. Either it was not as badly received as people think it was or people really just wanted to support Young Justice books.

The Amazon lists are iirc updated daily (or even faster), being there in the top 25 during the week of release is not the same as being in the monthly top 25 on comic chron or ICV2.

Simply because it goes for the most part only up against the comics that were released in the same week, meaning just about 20-25% of what was published in that month.

[Aahz]

The book isn’t gonna get cancelled right away. Look at how batgirls is doing. It’s gonna run at least through June and it’s worst case just be a 12 issue maxi. DC gives batbooks a pass typically

Unless the book is really drastically underperforming (meaning selling less than 10K per issue) I think that run is going to get at least 18-24 issues.

[ZuLuLu]

The Amazon lists are iirc updated daily (or even faster), being there in the top 25 during the week of release is not the same as being in the monthly top 25 on comic chron or ICV2.

Amazon is updated every hour but the algorithms take historical data into account to prevent wild movements on the charts and compare overall sales activity.

ICv2 end-of-month chart data does not take into account the same period of time for all books, the days the ranking system is based on varies depending on when the book is released so data for some books can be high as 32 days, and for others as low as two.

Comic chron looks at what the stores order.

None of these charts are really that good for analyzing data, but you can look at trends.

Simply because it goes for the most part only up against the comics that were released in the same week, meaning just about 20-25% of what was published in that month.

This is true that doesn't guarantee that a book will stay high on the charts the week of its release if the book is crashing it will show up in the rankings for example Duo #5 was released the same day as the last Young Justice book didn't even enter the top 100 as is currently ranked #1,178 in Superhero Graphic Novels while YJ ranks #39. A less extreme example is Titans United: Bloodpact 1 which generally got positive reviews on here and is currently ranked #62

The sales activity on the last issue YJ continues to be good enough to place it ranked above books like Fantastic Four, The Flash, New Mutants, and Avengers. Now all these books may be doing better on physical sales but 4 issues in fans certainly have not abandoned the book in mass.

What I will say is that YJ issue 1 did reach as high as #1 for a brief period on the charts but I don't think any of the following issues made it into the top 10.

[ZuLuLu]

Unless the book is really drastically underperforming (meaning selling less than 10K per issue) I think that run is going to get at least 18-24 issues.

Yep, just on name recognition alone enough units of issue 1 of TD: Robin will be ordered to guarantee the book a least 12 issues.

[Aahz]

I have to admitt that I don't really follow the Amazon ratings that much since they fluctuate a lot and the categories they sort the books into seem often pretty random.

[Rac7d*]

Unless the book is really drastically underperforming (meaning selling less than 10K per issue) I think that run is going to get at least 18-24 issues.

I’ve seen redhood and Catwoman books go lower then that.
Batbook privileges, plus a crossover even can help it out

[Aahz]

I’ve seen redhood and Catwoman books go lower then that.

Below 10K? If I'm pretty sure they got cancelled and relaunched at the next opportunity.

[Konja7]

Below 10K? If I'm pretty sure they got cancelled and relaunched at the next opportunity.

True. Red Hood and Catwoman never drop so low in their runs.

[Aahz]

True. Red Hood and Catwoman never drop so low in their runs.

I also don't think so, they might have dropped below 15K, but with those sales DC usually gives the writers still quite same time to wrap up their runs, below 10K seems to be where books get cancelled really fast.

[Felipe Silveira]

DC may have planned a short shot. Marvel does this a lot, that's how we manage to have Spider Woman, Black Bolt, Scarlet Witch, Invaders...etc. They project a result, if the comic is selling more than expected, they add, if it doesn't end as planned.
I think DC should do that more, preferably with good writers. It's kind of disconcerting to see that Black Canary isn't even worthy of a mini once in a while, Elektra has more comics than her.

[sifighter]

I agree that I don’t care for the art at all but looking past it the stories alright.

It continues the stories that we’ve seen in past Tim Drake stories this year, it establishes a new status quo for Tim including a new “house”, establishes a bit of a supporting cast including a returning We Are Robin/Future State character, sets up a mystery, and shows that Tim is cool via his detective skill and some fight skills. Honestly it’s mainly the art that kills this issue for me, it was fine on Harley Quinn because the style fit the characters but not this. I would have gotten whoever helped her on the Urban Legends issues.

[Digifiend]

That returning character didn't have a surname previously, so what did Meghan Fitzmartin call her? spoilers:

Darcy THOMAS. Duke's surname! Are they being retconned as relatives?

end of spoilers

The art for this comic is definitely a choice. I also don't understand what the target audience is for this. I'm not active on Twitter, Tumblr etc. these days, so tell me, do his fans really like what DC have been doing with him lately?
I still think it was a mistake to make him Robin again. They should have used this opportunity to find a new superhero identity for him instead.

Funny thing about that, a new hero called Sparrow was introduced in this issue. spoilers:

The aforementioned Darcy. Robin, a sidekick, now has a sidekick of his own!

end of spoilers