Current Spider-Man Sales

[Mister Mets]

There have been a few threads about sales data in the past, although the discussion isn't as intense as during One More Day.

Part of it is that current info is promising. From another thread...

#27 topped the sales chart.

https://icv2.com/articles/markets/vi...mics-june-2023

Amazing Spider-Man #26 was in 12h place, but it was also in 4th place last month. So its total sales are better than either month's data indicates.

https://icv2.com/articles/markets/vi...omics-may-2023

#28 is in 18th place but that may just be because the data is based on point-of-sale, and it's only going to include a week of sales for that issue.

There are some differences in info.

In the past, the annual publication info could be used as a gauge for the relative accuracy of the estimates.

Previous data was based on pre-orders, while the current data is based on sales.

Current info is based on ComicsHub, a system used by 125 stores in the US (there are 3,000 in the country so this is a non-representative sample.)

I thought it'd be interesting to have a general discussion to figure out how reliable all this info is.

[Kevinroc]

As it is a non-representative sample, I don't think it's all that reliable.

[Rift]

Imagine how much better sales would be if Paper Doll was in the book. Want people to forget about the controversies and drama? Throw in Piper.

[CaptainUniverse]

Imagine how much better sales would be if Paper Doll was in the book. Want people to forget about the controversies and drama? Throw in Piper.

Or Captain Universe! That'll...oh wait, that would just be another Brand New Day retread. Damn it all to Hell!

[Matt14teg]

There have been a few threads about sales data in the past, although the discussion isn't as intense as during One More Day.

Part of it is that current info is promising. From another thread...



There are some differences in info.

In the past, the annual publication info could be used as a gauge for the relative accuracy of the estimates.

Previous data was based on pre-orders, while the current data is based on sales.

Current info is based on ComicsHub, a system used by 125 stores in the US (there are 3,000 in the country so this is a non-representative sample.)

I thought it'd be interesting to have a general discussion to figure out how reliable all this info is.

Post diamond obviously the sales are a harder way to say indicative I think it is worth noting that the industry in general has been rumored into a downside as of 2023. Dc reporting significant losses indie studios shuttering . Marvel seems to have weathered the worst of the storm, but it's noted they still reported slumps. Referring to orlando bloom creator of the new scarlet witch series had earlier been scared of his run being reduced to 10 even though it was a top seller.

[Dthirds3]

This is sales to store not sales to reader.
Second these are also inflated because of varient covers. This run as of issue 24 had more then double the the number of nick Spencer's 71 issue run.
Ex one 1 of 25 cover means the store has to order 25 copys to qualify for that one cover.

Going by the massive stack of old amazing Spiderman just sitting at my comic shop I'd say cut his sales numbers in half and that's still going to be more then what readers are accualy picking up

[ZuLuLu]

This is sales to store not sales to reader.
Second these are also inflated because of varient covers. This run as of issue 24 had more then double the the number of nick Spencer's 71 issue run.
Ex one 1 of 25 cover means the store has to order 25 copys to qualify for that one cover.

Going by the massive stack of old amazing Spiderman just sitting at my comic shop I'd say cut his sales numbers in half and that's still going to be more then what readers are accualy picking up

Nope. As ICv2 states every month; "These sales rankings represent sales to consumers by comic stores"

[Mister Mets]

As it is a non-representative sample, I don't think it's all that reliable.

The data is always incomplete.

Early data was about preorders, and did require calculations based on estimates. It also applied to direct market comics, so it didn't include subscriptions, TPBs, digital sales, etc.

We've got incomplete info, and we should be humble about what we know and what we don't.

It's possible that the info we have matches overall sales of the Spider-Man comics.
It's also possible that the info we have overestimates the sales of the Spider-Man comics.
And it's possible that the info we have underestimates the sales of the Spider-Man comics.

It does not appear that the information is intentionally skewed to exaggerate the success of the Spider-Man comics, although that could easily occur by accident (IE- if for whatever reason the stores that use the ComicsHub system would be significantly more likely to pick up Spider-Man comics than the typical retailer.)

[Garlador]

The data is unreliable, and sample sizes too small to properly extrapolate, so we're left doing a lot of heavy lifting in guesswork.

But based on my own experiences and history following sales, I think a lot of factors are at play.

I do think the book is selling... well. It may not be hitting the highwater marks that some are estimating, but I know a lot of people have been excited by and hyped from viewing Across the Spider-Verse and there is a vested interest in checking out what Spider-Man is up to these days. Myself included. I reached out to my shops to see what Spider-Man books are out there currently (my daughter really wanted something with Mayday), and speculators are having a field day with stuff like Spider-Boy being some potential next big thing one day like Spider-Man 2099 or Miles.

And, for better or worse, stuff like killing of Ms. Marvel got people talking about the book and wanting to check out what's going on, even if just to enjoy a trainwreck or to verify their concerns. I know some Ms. Marvel fans didn't even know she was in the book who checked it out just to confirm their worst suspicions. And the year-long mystery box and story arc concluded, so those invested in seeing it to its end, or skipped issues waiting for resolution, got it. I have little doubt that for all that controversy the book received a boost in sales from it.

I have my doubts this will be a healthy streak long-term, which is why I already see more gimmicks and variants on the horizon catering to previously well-liked stories and events. We'll see.

[Kevinroc]

The data is always incomplete.

Early data was about preorders, and did require calculations based on estimates. It also applied to direct market comics, so it didn't include subscriptions, TPBs, digital sales, etc.

We've got incomplete info, and we should be humble about what we know and what we don't.

It's possible that the info we have matches overall sales of the Spider-Man comics.
It's also possible that the info we have overestimates the sales of the Spider-Man comics.
And it's possible that the info we have underestimates the sales of the Spider-Man comics.

It does not appear that the information is intentionally skewed to exaggerate the success of the Spider-Man comics, although that could easily occur by accident (IE- if for whatever reason the stores that use the ComicsHub system would be significantly more likely to pick up Spider-Man comics than the typical retailer.)

I think using non-representative sales data doesn't work. You could argue any of those possibilities and nobody could say whether it's true or not.

[ZuLuLu]

There have been a few threads about sales data in the past, although the discussion isn't as intense as during One More Day.

Part of it is that current info is promising. From another thread...



There are some differences in info.

In the past, the annual publication info could be used as a gauge for the relative accuracy of the estimates.

Previous data was based on pre-orders, while the current data is based on sales.

Current info is based on ComicsHub, a system used by 125 stores in the US (there are 3,000 in the country so this is a non-representative sample.)

I thought it'd be interesting to have a general discussion to figure out how reliable all this info is.

The factor that affects the ranking chart the most is the comic's release date. This data was collected based on a four-week month, from June 4 to July 1, 2023. . Therefore there is more data collected for comics released early in the month than those released later in the month.

For example, books released June 7th would have 25 days of sales data whereas books released June 28th would have 3 days of sales data (this does not account for days stores would be closed)

List of Spider-Man and related books in the top 50 with their released date.

1 Amazing Spider-Man #27 - (14-June)
7 Edge of Spider-Verse #3 - (21-June)
12 Amazing Spider-Man #26 - (31-May )
16 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7- (21-June)
18 Amazing Spider-Man #28 - (28-June)
22 Spider-Man #9 - (7-June)
29 Extreme Venomverse #3 - (14-June)
31 Venom #20 - (7-June)
35 Spider-Man: India #1 - (14-June)
43 Carnage #14 - (14-June)

So using this information to look at sales;

Batman #136 was released on 6 Jun 2023 (approx.26 days sales data), so even with at least a week more sales data Amazing Spider-Man #27 ( approx.18 days sales data) in this sample ASM was able to outrank Batman.

Amazing Spider-Man #28, released on 28-June (approx.3 days sales data) was able to outrank a book that is being well received by fans Superman #5, released 20 Jun 2023 (approx.12 days of sales data)

[Mister Mets]

The factor that affects the ranking chart the most is the comic's release date. This data was collected based on a four-week month, from June 4 to July 1, 2023. . Therefore there is more data collected for comics released early in the month than those released later in the month.

For example, books released June 7th would have 25 days of sales data whereas books released June 28th would have 3 days of sales data (this does not account for days stores would be closed)

List of Spider-Man and related books in the top 50 with their released date.

1 Amazing Spider-Man #27 - (14-June)
7 Edge of Spider-Verse #3 - (21-June)
12 Amazing Spider-Man #26 - (31-May )
16 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7- (21-June)
18 Amazing Spider-Man #28 - (28-June)
22 Spider-Man #9 - (7-June)
29 Extreme Venomverse #3 - (14-June)
31 Venom #20 - (7-June)
35 Spider-Man: India #1 - (14-June)
43 Carnage #14 - (14-June)

So using this information to look at sales;

Batman #136 was released on 6 Jun 2023 (approx.26 days sales data), so even with at least a week more sales data Amazing Spider-Man #27 ( approx.18 days sales data) in this sample ASM was able to outrank Batman.

Amazing Spider-Man #28, released on 28-June (approx.3 days sales data) was able to outrank a book that is being well received by fans Superman #5, released 20 Jun 2023 (approx.12 days of sales data)

Yeah, thais had implications for sales of Amazing Spider-Man #26.

Amazing Spider-Man #26 was in 12h place in June, but it was also in 4th place in May when it shipped later in the month (I'm sure part of that was second printings, but not all of it.) So someone looking at one month may get the wrong impression.

[Alex_Of_X]

Book sure is selling

someone with a lot of leisure hours could graph where Batman is on the charts vs where ASM is across the last ~3 years of publication. I'd love to see it!

[LordMikel]

I think using non-representative sales data doesn't work. You could argue any of those possibilities and nobody could say whether it's true or not.

You've said this twice now, but what do you mean?

[blank]

You've said this twice now, but what do you mean?

MisterMets answered your question in his initial post here:

Current info is based on ComicsHub, a system used by 125 stores in the US (there are 3,000 in the country so this is a non-representative sample.)

It just means that does not be fully exhibit of all the data in the 3000 stores across the United States, it merely is a small idea of what they could be.