DC Comics 2023 News/General Discussion

[MajorHoy]

Not DC, but I found this comment by Orlando fascinating

Seems comics sales aren’t doing well at the moment. The real brow raiser is that Scarlet Witch apparently isn’t even selling well enough to guarantee 15 issues. From the icv2 charts I thought that was one of the best selling books, but either the data they have isn’t accurate to the overall picture, or sales are really bad across the board and SW is one of the top sellers…. But even the top sellers aren’t doing that great. Guess this is why DC is only greenlighting minis for the most part.

How are the icv2 charts put together these days?
Can't just use Diamond's numbers anymore since they don't handle books for DC and a few other publishers.

[Felipe Silveira]

How are the icv2 charts put together these days?
Can't just use Diamond's numbers anymore since they don't handle books for DC and a few other publishers.

Consumer sales from the first day of the month to the last. Of course, from the stores that use the system.

[ayanestar]

Not sure I really buy it. According to ICV2 it was the 8th best-selling comic last month, outselling all of DC's output except Zdarsky's Batman. It also ranked very high in previous months.

It's true Marvel has generally higher sales expectations than DC, but it's not like Scarlet Witch will ever sell much better than this. Either ICV2 is heavily overestimating this book or Orlando is bullshitting.

Why would he lie if the book was doing well? I think it's rather possible ICV2 is not as reliable as people think. He also said neither TPBs nor digital sales factor in, and that the metric keeping a book alive is monthly individual issue sales. I think that's a rather old-fashioned way to do business, but I guess it was to be expected.

[HsssH]

Not sure I really buy it. According to ICV2 it was the 8th best-selling comic last month, outselling all of DC's output except Zdarsky's Batman. It also ranked very high in previous months.

It's true Marvel has generally higher sales expectations than DC, but it's not like Scarlet Witch will ever sell much better than this. Either ICV2 is heavily overestimating this book or Orlando is bullshitting.

Looks like it is usually coming out the first week of the month and has more time to sell. "Real" ranking is likely outside top 30.

[Frontier]

Not DC, but I found this comment by Orlando fascinating

Seems comics sales aren’t doing well at the moment. The real brow raiser is that Scarlet Witch apparently isn’t even selling well enough to guarantee 15 issues. From the icv2 charts I thought that was one of the best selling books, but either the data they have isn’t accurate to the overall picture, or sales are really bad across the board and SW is one of the top sellers…. But even the top sellers aren’t doing that great. Guess this is why DC is only greenlighting minis for the most part.

And I guess digital sales don't matter.

[skyvolt2000]

Not DC, but I found this comment by Orlando fascinating

Seems comics sales aren’t doing well at the moment. The real brow raiser is that Scarlet Witch apparently isn’t even selling well enough to guarantee 15 issues. From the icv2 charts I thought that was one of the best selling books, but either the data they have isn’t accurate to the overall picture, or sales are really bad across the board and SW is one of the top sellers…. But even the top sellers aren’t doing that great. Guess this is why DC is only greenlighting minis for the most part.

For the 125 comic book stores they talk to it is one of the best selling books. However that might not be true for the other 2000+ comic book stores.

And was he talking about Super Hero comics or in general because that makes a difference.

Most of your indy books have a beginning, middle and a set ending. An indy book sniffing 50 issues isn't going to happen at most companies. At best you get 18 or 12.

Minis ensure you get a complete story.

[OBrianTallent]

It really shouldn't be a surprise that comics are taking a beating in today's climate. Cost of living has rocketed to astronomical levels, housing prices, utility expenses and food costs have jumped to areas where people are having to really consider where they spend their money and that's before they even factor in gas prices. Comic books are a luxury that people just dont have the income to support like they used to even 5 years ago. Just in the last few months I have cut my purchasing down to about half of what I have been spending.
Then when you look at comic prices the average comic is 3.99 US with 4.99 quickly beating down the door...specials are six to ten dollars and publishers are flooding the market with events and crossovers (looking at you DC and X office.) Just to be honest, I would like to read more of the Knight Terrors minis that are coming out of that event, but the best I will do is hope to pick them up in a local used books store's back issue bins for a couple of dollars. Scarlet Witch has been a very good read and a fun book, but there's no way it can survive in a market where it's own publisher pits it against 15-20 X books a month (I honestly have no idea how many there are...but there are a lot.)
Same is to be said for DC...how long before we reach another implosion? Batman the Brave and the Bold is $7.99 a month. The Knight Terrors mini series are 3.99 to 4.99...what's the difference between the issues to cost a dollar more? I will at least thank DC for not pitting their entire line against these series. I think we are lucky that DC is at least trying new runs out with mini series at least. (Very happy but surprised Power Girl got green lighted for a full on series rather than a mini.)

[Vordan]

Not sure I really buy it. According to ICV2 it was the 8th best-selling comic last month, outselling all of DC's output except Zdarsky's Batman. It also ranked very high in previous months.

It's true Marvel has generally higher sales expectations than DC, but it's not like Scarlet Witch will ever sell much better than this. Either ICV2 is heavily overestimating this book or Orlando is bullshitting.

Why would he act like his book isn’t doing well if in fact it is lol? That’s my point, icv2 charts can’t be very accurate then, or sales are so bad across the board that even a top seller like SW is at risk of getting cancelled.

But this does put into perspective why DC is leaning so hard on events. They must be trying to boost their sales with Knight Terrors and what not.

[Frontier]

Why would he act like his book isn’t doing well if in fact it is lol? That’s my point, icv2 charts can’t be very accurate then, or sales are so bad across the board that even a top seller like SW is at risk of getting cancelled.

But this does put into perspective why DC is leaning so hard on events. They must be trying to boost their sales with Knight Terrors and what not.

That's always why the Big Two leans so hard into events.

[Vordan]

That's always why the Big Two leans so hard into events.

DC used to be pretty good about events, at least compared to Marvel. During the New 52 the only line wide events were Trinity War/Forever Evil and Darkseid War. During Rebirth it was just Metal and Death Metal. Now it’s Dark Crisis, Lazarus Planet, Knight Terrors, and whatever is coming with Waller/Brainiac up next. So many events back to back does seem like a sign that the industry isn’t doing well.

[Mantis-Ray]

This uh makes me worried for Scarlet Witch now

Hopefully it goes on a while

[Bruce Wayne]

Not DC, but I found this comment by Orlando fascinating

Seems comics sales aren’t doing well at the moment.

Several retailers that hang around the Marvel forums months back have said this that sales since post-pandemic are below expectations. Though to be fair Wanda was never a sales draw with the comic reading audience.

[Leancarp900]

Why would he act like his book isn’t doing well if in fact it is lol? That’s my point, icv2 charts can’t be very accurate then, or sales are so bad across the board that even a top seller like SW is at risk of getting cancelled.

But this does put into perspective why DC is leaning so hard on events. They must be trying to boost their sales with Knight Terrors and what not.

He could be exaggerating to boost pre-orders. Just like DC announces many of their books as minis when they know they will get extended.

[HsssH]

He could be exaggerating to boost pre-orders. Just like DC announces many of their books as minis when they know they will get extended.

How do we know that they were planning to extend Swamp Thing, Poison Ivy and Green Arrow either way?

[Badou]

There are other factors that go into sales that don't really show up on the initial number we see. Like how many issues are deemed returnable? If a large amount are then stores might be more willing to order a bunch, which would inflate the numbers, if on the back end they know they can return them if they don't sell. Seeing Scarlet Witch sell that high beyond a #1 issue does raise some eyebrows given the history of sales for the character. She hasn't really been one to move a lot of books in the past.