Is Storm the greatest female hero in Marvel history or just the most popular?

[RLAAMJR.]

Easily Jean, who was mostly in charge and rarely pushed to the side, as Storm had been for a while while Cyke and Wolvie measured genitalia. She killed herself in the moon, something iconic that few X-men have done that is so referenced. Emma Frost, for being Wallpaper, was also given many roles while being Cyke's woman, including her own team in Dark Reign to rule over, and considerations into the Avengers if HIckman had his way, being part of the P5, and being the teams telepath, something the comics treat as essential to combat. Storm is obviously not one to be in danger of getting shelved, but Jean is still the top X-woman, and I'm more than sure had Emma been let off Cyke, she'd have a greater role than Storm. Not more powerful than Storm, of course, but a seat in the Illuminati would have trumped Queen of Wakanda.

Before, I would say a tough decision between Jean and Storm but Storm has more appearances than Jean in comics. Also, Jean just became popular in video games when MVC3 came. But before it, she was not visible.

[just another user]

Disclaimer - I like Storm, especially Claremont Storm. However -

How can y'all claim with a straight face she's Marvel's most popular female hero when her long awaited and critically acclaimed solo series is doing so badly in the sales chart?

[Rosa Snarks]

Disclaimer - I like Storm, especially Claremont Storm. However -

How can y'all claim with a straight face she's Marvel's most popular female hero when her long awaited and critically acclaimed solo series is doing so badly in the sales chart?

One issue had bad sales...only one..

[Daithi]

Before, I would say a tough decision between Jean and Storm but Storm has more appearances than Jean in comics. Also, Jean just became popular in video games when MVC3 came. But before it, she was not visible.

Why are video games an important aspect here?

Jean's stories esp the Phoenix Saga have been included in multiple media. Storm has always been a supporting character esp in the movies.

[Starleafgirl]

Disclaimer - I like Storm, especially Claremont Storm. However -

How can y'all claim with a straight face she's Marvel's most popular female hero when her long awaited and critically acclaimed solo series is doing so badly in the sales chart?

Most of these posts were from before the sales numbers came in for Storm #2.

Now that we have those numbers, we can take a look at all female-led solo titles of 2014 and compare them to Storm's numbers.

JANUARY 2014

20 Black Widow 1 $3.99 Marvel 53,879
63 Black Widow 2 $3.99 Marvel 31,260

FEBRUARY 2014

24 Ms Marvel 1 $2.99 Marvel 50,286
36 She-Hulk 1 $2.99 Marvel 41,894
70 Black Widow 3 $3.99 Marvel 28,127

MARCH 2014

32 Captain Marvel 1 $3.99 Marvel 44,248
42 Ms Marvel 2 $2.99 Marvel 38,357
78 Black Widow 4 $3.99 Marvel 27,378
82 She-Hulk 2 $2.99 Marvel 26,675

APRIL 2014

32 Elektra 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,676
55 Ms Marvel 3 $2.99 Marvel 37,140
79 Captain Marvel 2 $3.99 Marvel 28,008
83 She-Hulk 3 $2.99 Marvel 27,398
84 Black Widow 5 $3.99 Marvel 27,055

MAY 2014

59 Ms Marvel 4 $2.99 Marvel 34,839
85 Elektra 2 $3.99 Marvel 26,612
88 Black Widow 6 $3.99 Marvel 26,136
89 Captain Marvel 3 $3.99 Marvel 26,057
93 She-Hulk 4 $2.99 Marvel 25,543

JUNE 2014

61 Ms Marvel 5 $2.99 Marvel 33,795
87 Black Widow 7 $3.99 Marvel 25,423
90 She-Hulk 5 $2.99 Marvel 24,736
95 Captain Marvel 4 $3.99 Marvel 24,062
103 Elektra 3 $3.99 Marvel 22,773

JULY 2014

46 Storm 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,566
86 Ms Marvel 6 $2.99 Marvel 36,041
121 Black Widow 8 $3.99 Marvel 24,555
126 Captain Marvel 5 $3.99 Marvel 23,666
127 She-Hulk 6 $2.99 Marvel 23,562
152 Elektra 4 $3.99 Marvel 19,125

AUGUST 2014

66 MS MARVEL #7 $2.99 MAR 32,866
88 STORM #2 $3.99 MAR 25,268
90 BLACK WIDOW #9 $3.99 MAR 24,885
102 SHE-HULK #7 $2.99 MAR 22,883
111 CAPTAIN MARVEL #6 $3.99 MAR 21,221
131 ELEKTRA #5 $3.99 MAR 17,209

======
BY TITLE:
======

BLACK WIDOW
20 Black Widow 1 $3.99 Marvel 53,879
63 Black Widow 2 $3.99 Marvel 31,260 (-42.0% <-- actually 41.98%)
70 Black Widow 3 $3.99 Marvel 28,127
78 Black Widow 4 $3.99 Marvel 27,378
84 Black Widow 5 $3.99 Marvel 27,055
88 Black Widow 6 $3.99 Marvel 26,136
87 Black Widow 7 $3.99 Marvel 25,423
121 Black Widow 8 $3.99 Marvel 24,555
90 Black Widow 9 $3.99 Marvel 24,885

MS. MARVEL
24 Ms Marvel 1 $2.99 Marvel 50,286
42 Ms Marvel 2 $2.99 Marvel 38,357 (-23.7%)
55 Ms Marvel 3 $2.99 Marvel 37,140
59 Ms Marvel 4 $2.99 Marvel 34,839
61 Ms Marvel 5 $2.99 Marvel 33,795
86 Ms Marvel 6 $2.99 Marvel 36,041
66 Ms Marvel 7 $2.99 Marvel 32,866

SHE-HULK
36 She-Hulk 1 $2.99 Marvel 41,894
82 She-Hulk 2 $2.99 Marvel 26,675 (-36.3%)
83 She-Hulk 3 $2.99 Marvel 27,398
93 She-Hulk 4 $2.99 Marvel 25,543
90 She-Hulk 5 $2.99 Marvel 24,736
127 She-Hulk 6 $2.99 Marvel 23,562
102 She-Hulk 7 $2.99 Marvel 22,883

CAPTAIN MARVEL
32 Captain Marvel 1 $3.99 Marvel 44,248
79 Captain Marvel 2 $3.99 Marvel 28,008 (-36.7%)
89 Captain Marvel 3 $3.99 Marvel 26,057
95 Captain Marvel 4 $3.99 Marvel 24,062
126 Captain Marvel 5 $3.99 Marvel 23,666
111 Captain Marvel 6 $3.99 Marvel 21,221

ELEKTRA
32 Elektra 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,676
85 Elektra 2 $3.99 Marvel 26,612 (-44.2%)
103 Elektra 3 $3.99 Marvel 22,773
152 Elektra 4 $3.99 Marvel 19,125
131 Elektra 5 $3.99 Marvel 17,209

STORM
46 Storm 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,566
88 Storm 2 $3.99 Marvel 25,268 (-46.9%)

So as you can see, Storm's second-issue drop off is the worst of the bunch. Worse yet than Elektra's and we can all see how her numbers are in the tank, dropping below the 20k mark with issue #4.

However, we don't know for sure if Storm's numbers will get as bad as Elektra's. They could always get better... Even if that's a historical improbability, and even if they did get better, it might only be a little better and only temporarily.

At the moment, however, Storm's doing about the same business as other superheroines (aside from Ms. Marvel), in the 20k-29k. It's really too early to say her series is doing badly (albeit that's just my opinion; you can interpret the current numbers any way you wish). I'd wait for the numbers for issue #3 first, at the very least.

Ms. Marvel's the only one who's still doing well.

[Rosa Snarks]

Most of these posts were from before the sales numbers came in for Storm #2.

Now that we have those numbers, we can take a look at all female-led solo titles of 2014 and compare them to Storm's numbers.

JANUARY 2014

20 Black Widow 1 $3.99 Marvel 53,879
63 Black Widow 2 $3.99 Marvel 31,260

FEBRUARY 2014

24 Ms Marvel 1 $2.99 Marvel 50,286
36 She-Hulk 1 $2.99 Marvel 41,894
70 Black Widow 3 $3.99 Marvel 28,127

MARCH 2014

32 Captain Marvel 1 $3.99 Marvel 44,248
42 Ms Marvel 2 $2.99 Marvel 38,357
78 Black Widow 4 $3.99 Marvel 27,378
82 She-Hulk 2 $2.99 Marvel 26,675

APRIL 2014

32 Elektra 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,676
55 Ms Marvel 3 $2.99 Marvel 37,140
79 Captain Marvel 2 $3.99 Marvel 28,008
83 She-Hulk 3 $2.99 Marvel 27,398
84 Black Widow 5 $3.99 Marvel 27,055

MAY 2014

59 Ms Marvel 4 $2.99 Marvel 34,839
85 Elektra 2 $3.99 Marvel 26,612
88 Black Widow 6 $3.99 Marvel 26,136
89 Captain Marvel 3 $3.99 Marvel 26,057
93 She-Hulk 4 $2.99 Marvel 25,543

JUNE 2014

61 Ms Marvel 5 $2.99 Marvel 33,795
87 Black Widow 7 $3.99 Marvel 25,423
90 She-Hulk 5 $2.99 Marvel 24,736
95 Captain Marvel 4 $3.99 Marvel 24,062
103 Elektra 3 $3.99 Marvel 22,773

JULY 2014

46 Storm 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,566
86 Ms Marvel 6 $2.99 Marvel 36,041
121 Black Widow 8 $3.99 Marvel 24,555
126 Captain Marvel 5 $3.99 Marvel 23,666
127 She-Hulk 6 $2.99 Marvel 23,562
152 Elektra 4 $3.99 Marvel 19,125

AUGUST 2014

66 MS MARVEL #7 $2.99 MAR 32,866
88 STORM #2 $3.99 MAR 25,268
90 BLACK WIDOW #9 $3.99 MAR 24,885
102 SHE-HULK #7 $2.99 MAR 22,883
111 CAPTAIN MARVEL #6 $3.99 MAR 21,221
131 ELEKTRA #5 $3.99 MAR 17,209

======
BY TITLE:
======

BLACK WIDOW
20 Black Widow 1 $3.99 Marvel 53,879
63 Black Widow 2 $3.99 Marvel 31,260 (-42.0% <-- actually 41.98%)
70 Black Widow 3 $3.99 Marvel 28,127
78 Black Widow 4 $3.99 Marvel 27,378
84 Black Widow 5 $3.99 Marvel 27,055
88 Black Widow 6 $3.99 Marvel 26,136
87 Black Widow 7 $3.99 Marvel 25,423
121 Black Widow 8 $3.99 Marvel 24,555
90 Black Widow 9 $3.99 Marvel 24,885

MS. MARVEL
24 Ms Marvel 1 $2.99 Marvel 50,286
42 Ms Marvel 2 $2.99 Marvel 38,357 (-23.7%)
55 Ms Marvel 3 $2.99 Marvel 37,140
59 Ms Marvel 4 $2.99 Marvel 34,839
61 Ms Marvel 5 $2.99 Marvel 33,795
86 Ms Marvel 6 $2.99 Marvel 36,041
66 Ms Marvel 7 $2.99 Marvel 32,866

SHE-HULK
36 She-Hulk 1 $2.99 Marvel 41,894
82 She-Hulk 2 $2.99 Marvel 26,675 (-36.3%)
83 She-Hulk 3 $2.99 Marvel 27,398
93 She-Hulk 4 $2.99 Marvel 25,543
90 She-Hulk 5 $2.99 Marvel 24,736
127 She-Hulk 6 $2.99 Marvel 23,562
102 She-Hulk 7 $2.99 Marvel 22,883

CAPTAIN MARVEL
32 Captain Marvel 1 $3.99 Marvel 44,248
79 Captain Marvel 2 $3.99 Marvel 28,008 (-36.7%)
89 Captain Marvel 3 $3.99 Marvel 26,057
95 Captain Marvel 4 $3.99 Marvel 24,062
126 Captain Marvel 5 $3.99 Marvel 23,666
111 Captain Marvel 6 $3.99 Marvel 21,221

ELEKTRA
32 Elektra 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,676
85 Elektra 2 $3.99 Marvel 26,612 (-44.2%)
103 Elektra 3 $3.99 Marvel 22,773
152 Elektra 4 $3.99 Marvel 19,125
131 Elektra 5 $3.99 Marvel 17,209

STORM
46 Storm 1 $3.99 Marvel 47,566
88 Storm 2 $3.99 Marvel 25,268 (-46.9%)

So as you can see, Storm's second-issue drop off is the worst of the bunch. Worse yet than Elektra's and we can all see how her numbers are in the tank, dropping below the 20k mark with issue #4.

However, we don't know for sure if Storm's numbers will get as bad as Elektra's. They could always get better... Even if that's a historical improbability, and even if they did get better, it might only be a little better and only temporarily.

At the moment, however, Storm's doing about the same business as other superheroines (aside from Ms. Marvel), in the 20k-29k. It's really too early to say her series is doing badly (albeit that's just my opinion; you can interpret the current numbers any way you wish). I'd wait for the numbers for issue #3 first, at the very least.

Ms. Marvel's the only one who's still doing well.

so..storm outsold all the other women in July? O_O

[just another user]

so..storm outsold all the other women in July? O_O

Yes, going by diamond sales, Storm was the most popular Marvel female hero for the month of July 2014.

She didn't do anything close to Harley Quinn numbers though.

[Daithi]

so..storm outsold all the other women in July? O_O

Then joined the rest of the women in mediocrity. So Storm is doing atm just as good/bad as the rest of the women so I don't see any evidence that Storm is the most popular woman?

[ExcelsiorPrime]

Yes, going by diamond sales, Storm was the most popular Marvel female hero for the month of July 2014.

She didn't do anything close to Harley Quinn numbers though.

but Harley is working on her 3rd volume ongoing.

[Billy Batson]

but Harley is working on her 3rd volume ongoing.

No, it's her second ongoing.

[just another user]

but Harley is working on her 3rd volume ongoing.

Ok. So Storms #1 with multiple variants still couldn't do the numbers Harley manages month in month out. That's speaks more to the fact Storm isn't as popular as we thought.

(Again, I like Storm. I don't mind if she's not massively populist though. Good things generally appeal to a discerning audience rather than the masses. I'm pretty sure Harley Quinn is nonsense)

[RLAAMJR.]

Why are video games an important aspect here?

Jean's stories esp the Phoenix Saga have been included in multiple media. Storm has always been a supporting character esp in the movies.

video games is a larger form of media than comics.

[Imraith Nimphais]

As a huge, long-time fan of the character...At this point (after the past decade or so of exotic wall-paperism) I would have to say No. And, no.

She is certainly not the greatest female hero in Marvel History...despite appearances in games, movies, comics and wot-have-you's...that simply means she is the most prolific. I don't think Marvel has a "Greatest Female Hero" certainly not one in the league of DC's Wonder Woman.

As for Most Popular...in the 90's, yes, definitely...now? Not at all. Again, prolific appearances in multi-media does not equate "Popularity". However, if her solo book (the sales of the other books in which she appears significantly are some-wot mediocre) starts selling in the top ten (Like Harley's) then we might have an argument for "most popular". Even with her second issue out-selling all other Marvel Female Heroes...with the exception of Ms. Marvel...it is just too early to guage her popularity.

[just another user]

video games is a larger form of media than comics.

But these are comic book characters. I feel that somebody who likes Storm because of the nuanced characterisation Claremont gave her is a more authentic fan than somebody that played her in a video game and liked her power signature.

[Wind Rider]

but Harley is working on her 3rd volume ongoing.

Good point. The solo book is not the definitive factor as far as popularity is concerned, especially when you are comparing an established solo character with multiple solo runs to a character having her first solo. I would expect characters who have been established as a solo character via previous runs, especially if the runs were well received, to fare better. A better comparison is the Cyclops and Nightcrawler solo books since they are all in the same boat as Storm's. And technically there are characters with multiple solo runs that are still not as popular as Storm is. Storm is a household name who has been in just about everything that's X-Men related.