Peter David Reveals "All-New X-Factor" Canceled With Issue #20

[Cap10nate]

I always wondered why comic companies don't have a registry for people who trade wait that lets you get a small discount and be counted as part of the sales base before the release of the book. Because a lot of smaller-selling monthlies do very well as trades, which many really do just wait for (often from cynicism at the book's staying power). So really, the company is missing out on some revenue down the line because they're too focused on the monthly figure. It just seems short sighted.

I loved this book, it sucks that it's ending. Hopefully we get more PAD on something people are willing to buy.

I'm sure the companies have metrics that go into their reasoning that factor in trade sales. They have so many years of sales data to rely upon so they can know that on a given book, trades will sell at 5% of average monthly rate or whatever the number actually is. They will probably have it broken down by book and be able to compare it to similar books to work out a model of projected revenue and cost. Trust me as a CPA that has consulted with and audited large public companies and am now an internal auditor for a $3B organization that they are very aware of where their revenue is coming from and have spent significant time performing analysis on profit/loss of the book. There is also opportunity cost whenever they publish a book as there is only so many books that they can publish at one time. If they think that they can release a different book that would perform better than this one, it would benefit them to cancel this one for that.

[THANOSRULES]

Its a business.

Buying the book: success.

Not buying the book: deemed failure.

Its not as if a business is getting letters from readers saying "I promise to buy the trades".

Its a decision readers make. There isn't much wiggle room for complaint, if you're not paying for the product and said product is discontinued.

Yeah its a business but that doesn't mean its being well run.

Mega Billions from movies has changed the game. I've argued you should let lower selling books with cult followings go for awhile. We never know the actual dollar costs etc../ profit. My take is all Marvels books make money, its just a matter if they are making enough. Still it does bother me that with all that money marvel is making from films the cancellation range could not be viably pushed down to the much lower DC range..

With X force you also have no movie rights potential to mine creative rights for a film...that's huge. IMO books like Nova, MS. Marvel and Captain Marvel will get longer leashes..

Would PAD be mad if the book was viably losing money?

But at any rate its just another example of the diamond sales being about right for cancellation range...20k seller out of the top 100? Yep its at risk. Seems like there is truth to the "digital sales and UK sales" don't matter.

[Fokken]

Yeah its a business but that doesn't mean its being well run.

As is, however, my statement holds true.

Buying the book: success.

Not buying the book: deemed failure.

[Kuwagaton]

This isn't what I wanted. I really like Pietro, Remy, and Lorna, I thought the artists were all good, and it was fun seeing PAD start fresh and inject his humor into a new title. But... I wasn't strongly compelled every issue. Sometimes there was something better to read, and with Marvel alone pumping out so many new titles every month, something gets lost in the shuffle. I can't buy every good read out there.

David's hurt is very understandable, though.

[Sad Superman]

The disdain towards buying trades is interesting. Even insulting, if that's how you'd like to look at it.

[Emma's Midriff]

The disdain towards buying trades is.....interesting. Insulting, even.

Maybe, but what he said is true.

[Link]

It was brought up in a thread yesterday....Do digital sales count? Does Marvel take into consideration digital sales market or do they go by diamonds numbers?

[Sad Superman]

It was brought up in a thread yesterday....Do digital sales count? Does Marvel take into consideration digital sales market or do they go by diamonds numbers?

Brevoort says they matter.

[THANOSRULES]

As is, however, my statement holds true.

Buying the book: success.

Not buying the book: deemed failure.

Was this true for DnA's GOTG which was selling at about 23k (in a similar market) when it was axed?

I had this whole thing called the "catfish" principal....it stemmed from Texas Roadhouse dropping fried catfish off their menu in my northern location (Vermont)...so they dropped it and changed it to fish and chips on the menu...when I found this out I was at the restaurant and I called over the manager for an explanation. They don't eat Fish in Chips in Texas, they eat damn catfish. I said to him I came to this store just for the Catfish and I was disappointed they took it off the menu.. The manager explained to me that it was not selling high enough, so they dropped it from their menu in favor of a fish and chips. Well I can't get Catfish anywhere else around here.. I can get Fish and Chips , steaks and burgers anywhere else in this town.. at a number of different restaurants.. but I went to roadhouse just for that damn catfish, and I usually brought my whole family with them who bought other things and we all spent money and had a big check. (I have not gone back since BTW)

The point is, sometimes a business needs to sell some products at a loss just to get people through the door that would not normally come. Having unique products or in this case products with a cult appeal can do just that. Maybe the person brings friends with them or tells their friends about the book. Maybe these types of books end up being bridges for people to get into comics.

Another Analogy is the NFL...which acts as a total business, not each team fending for themselves..so they share revenue and each team makes differing amount of profits, sometimes operating in small non efficient markets (Like Buffalo and Jax) just out of tradition or an overall scheme to have diversity and quality in the overall product. And as a result, the NFL has blown away other markets.

When marvel cancelled GOTG and NOVA a few years ago I greatly reduced my pulls, even stopped buying books. Recently, due to the Richard Rider issue and the state of the current Nova and GOTG books...I made the call to drop all marvel pulls. (11 total)

I've been a huge PAD fan since Hulk and Captain Marvel (damn, I miss Genis-vell)..his X factor stuff was just the kind of unique stuff I speak of. It wont sell 50k and be in the top 10..but it has a cult appeal, is always stable lower sales, and has a unique charm that can bring others that normally may not show up to the table that is Marvel comics.

With this in mind, I personally think marvel is making a mistake. Especially when you consider the sales of former gamebreakers like Ultimates, Ultimate spidey and some tier 1 marvel heroes like Hulk and Cap.

[Link]

Brevoort says they matter.

Ah ok...I'm so bummed by this news lol...So many great series lost over the last few years. Seeing the day when a series hits issue #50 without renaming/renumbering are long gone, and thats a terrible thing. It's so difficult nowadays to follow a series after its renumered or retitled.

[Kapparition]

Maybe on lower selling titles, they should make the trade much higher than buying the individual issues? Justify the increased cost on lack of advertising and a nice hardback cover. That way more people are encouraged to read the individual issues.

[sifighter]

Ah ok...I'm so bummed by this news lol...So many great series lost over the last few years. Seeing the day when a series hits issue #50 without renaming/renumbering are long gone, and thats a terrible thing. It's so difficult nowadays to follow a series after its renumered or retitled.

Yeah that sucks now adays, but I will say this; lately I have had many series that I enjoy end quickly, usually around issue 6, so the fact that it was able to reach #20 is actually something I applaud it for.

[Raye]

AHEM.

Or Danger. Or Doug. Or Warlock. Or Lorna. Or Pietro.

Hmmf.

And OMG whataboot the KITTIES???

NAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Well, as he said there, Pietro is going back to the Avengers, (judging by Axis solicits, likely the Astonishing Avengers, with his father) so he will have a book.... but yeah, the others are in limbo, for now. Including the poor kitties.

Such a shame, I liked this book.

[Link]

Yeah that sucks now adays, but I will say this; lately I have had many series that I enjoy end quickly, usually around issue 6, so the fact that it was able to reach #20 is actually something I applaud it for.

I agree, however in my case the series usually ends with issue 12 or 14. Funny, back in 06 that would be considered a mini or maxi series, now they're considered full runs.

[Anotherdae]

I blame the cover smudges! (JK) this is really sad.