Current Spider-Man Sales

[Mercwmouth12]

He probably is. But I can't imagine it feels particularly great to be on the receiving end of all the hate out there for this run.

That's the same with many creators
Why should he care?

[hobnob]

I don't think there's any deeper meaning beyond Wells advertising the sale of his work with a bit of humor thrown in. That said, I do think it's interesting that he's willing to allude to the run's unpopularity, given how Marvel and its employees have generally avoided talking about Spider-Man controversies and backlash.

I feel a bit bad for the guy. I've said before that I don't think he realised that MJ is the third rail of Spider-Man, and to snatch MJ-stans' defeat from the jaws of victory set him at odds with a huge and vocal part of the fanbase from Day One. I don't think he truly knew what he was unleashing on himself.

[hobnob]

Is this normal? Giving out discount code for a trade that hasn’t come out yet?

Attachment 134527

I collect the trades. This isn't normal. Usually Amazon have the best prices because of the volume savings they pass on on (and they rack up through their pre-order guarantee if you order in advance and let it marinate) but a 25% discount from a high street retailer on a trade for issues which haven't come out yet isn't normal.

This trade won't be out until May 21, 2024--8.5 months from now--and they're offering a steep discount. This isn't normal.

[Kevinroc]

That's the same with many creators
Why should he care?

I doubt he actually cares. They all went into this knowing they were going to upset people and they did it anyway.

[ZuLuLu]

I collect the trades. This isn't normal. Usually Amazon have the best prices because of the volume savings they pass on on (and they rack up through their pre-order guarantee if you order in advance and let it marinate) but a 25% discount from a high street retailer on a trade for issues which haven't come out yet isn't normal.

This trade won't be out until May 21, 2024--8.5 months from now--and they're offering a steep discount. This isn't normal.

This sale is not specifically Spider-Man related, if you go on their website it seem like they are having a premium membership drive they are giving 25% off on all pre order books that used that code.

[hobnob]

This sale is not specifically Spider-Man related, if you go on their website it seem like they are having a premium membership drive the are giving 25% off on all pre order books that used that code.

That makes a lot more sense but it's still not typical of TPBs.

[TinkerSpider]

That makes a lot more sense but it's still not typical of TPBs.

This is a Barnes & Noble promotion. They do it at least twice a year. It's good for any book that's available for pre-order.

Not sure why Wells is sending people to Barns and Noble, however. Maybe he knows the TPB are pretty much only good for using as mulch for farms...

[ZuLuLu]

ICv2 TOP 50 COMICS - AUGUST 2023
1. Amazing Spider-Man #31
4. Amazing Spider-Man #32 [Gods]
9. Death of the Venomverse #1
12. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (2023)
13. Death of the Venomverse #2
16. Spider-Man #11
19. Amazing Spider-Man #300 Facsimile Edition
25. Spider-Man Annual #1 [Chaos]
27. Miles Morales: Spider-Man #9
29. Venom #23
33. Amazing Spider-Man #30

[Alex_Of_X]

*48 Venom #24 [Gods]

-haha, take that, Brucie!
-Insane sales for the Annual lmao. The Erika Schultz-heads? Chasm-hive? you decide!
-REAL curious if Superior/Spider-Kid will sell as well as Adjectiveless
-That's a real expensive Facsimile Edition. 6.99$? Jeez
-Symbiotes are keeping the direct market pumping. DM, the space gunk-powered machine

[Lairston]

*48 Venom #24 [Gods]

-That's a real expensive Facsimile Edition. 6.99$? Jeez

Yeah I couldnt believe that price! You'd think with the art done, the script done, the editing done...

[Yvonmukluk]

So I saw this link showing how many variant covers ASM has. Did you know the current run has more variant covers than the Spencer run and is coming up on Slott's numbers for his 8-year run.

The question is what impact, if any, this is having on sales.

[hobnob]

So I saw this link showing how many variant covers ASM has. Did you know the current run has more variant covers than the Spencer run and is coming up on Slott's numbers for his 8-year run.

The question is what impact, if any, this is having on sales.

We don't know much about Marvel/DC sales figures. Companies can take a variety of approaches. I think Nintendo reports on consoles shipped to retailers and Sony reports on consoles sold at the register (or it may be the other way around).

If the figures are based on the amount of issues being shipped to stores then they're basically fraudulent. Even if it's based on the sales at the register we can all see the shelves full of unsold books, probably because the stores are incentivised into buying as many stores as possible ('buy this volume, and we'll throw in x number of variants that you can grade and sell for higher to break even on the initial volume').

People have been cranking the air raid siren on variant stuffing for a while. But that stat is utterly insane.

[Dan Slott]

So I saw this link showing how many variant covers ASM has.

That link is to JackElving's interpretation and gathering of "facts", and he has a habit (IMO) of distorting things to fit his personal tastes/narratives.

Just a cursory glance at that list and I can tell you that he's throwing a lot of 2nd, 3rd, and other multiple printings into his "variant" count. There are variants that are released on the same sell date. And then there are issues that have sold out on the retailer level and have gone back to print. I think it's fair to say that issues that have sold out and been reprinted speak more towards demand than they do for incentivizing. Those are sales that have been earned by the creative team by creating issues where reader demand creates a need for the retailer to order more. Over a third of the Spidey titles I worked on pulled that off. That's a ludicrous stat. And that is not reflected in those charts. Don't believe it? Go over to comics.org and check out how many 2nd, 3rd, and multiple printings there were.

There's also no clear separation of mainstream variants and retailer variants. And that's a very important distinction. The mainstream variants are the ones that Marvel releases everywhere. The retailer variants are ones that a retailer specially orders from Marvel to be sold in their stores and/or at their events. That's a retailer hedging a bet that a comic is going to be important and they want in on it. That's a retailer showing confidence in a title. And that speaks to the job that editorial and the creative team are doing. No one's forcing a retailer to do this. They have faith in that book-- and in that specific issue. Creating that level of interest shouldn't be seen as a negative. It's editorial and the creative team putting out comics that deserve the heat they're getting.

[Dan Slott]

(double post).

[Matt14teg]

That link is to JackElving's interpretation and gathering of "facts", and he has a habit (IMO) of distorting things to fit his personal tastes/narratives.

Just a cursory glance at that list and I can tell you that he's throwing a lot of 2nd, 3rd, and other multiple printings into his "variant" count. There are variants that are released on the same sell date. And then there are issues that have sold out on the retailer level and have gone back to print. I think it's fair to say that issues that have sold out and been reprinted speak more towards demand than they do for incentivizing. Those are sales that have been earned by the creative team by creating issues where reader demand creates a need for the retailer to order more. Over a third of the Spidey titles I worked on pulled that off. That's a ludicrous stat. And that is not reflected in those charts. Don't believe it? Go over to comics.org and check out how many 2nd, 3rd, and multiple printings there were.

There's also no clear separation of mainstream variants and retailer variants. And that's a very important distinction. The mainstream variants are the ones that Marvel releases everywhere. The retailer variants are ones that a retailer specially orders from Marvel to be sold in their stores and/or at their events. That's a retailer hedging a bet that a comic is going to be important and they want in on it. That's a retailer showing confidence in a title. And that speaks to the job that editorial and the creative team are doing. No one's forcing a retailer to do this. They have faith in that book-- and in that specific issue. Creating that level of interest shouldn't be seen as a negative. It's editorial and the creative team putting out comics that deserve the heat they're getting.

So why are retailers complaining there are too many variants? Correct me if I'm wrong there's a chart showing the boom line wide across the industry amongst variants across the direct market almost doubled on less issued products. Anyhow its just seems to me significant sales to the retailers came from exclusives and variants, this is what the company wants so they push it. Long term is it healthy ehh debatable, but yeah direct market debate bs.
Tldr: a lot of the industry feels like it's pushing on variant covers as margin and there's credible legs on this debate.