DC Sales & Estimates

[Paul Newell]

And so we reboot. For the record, here are the March numbers. The April numbers will follow in a few days.

March update:

DC Sales - Top 300 (Jan-Mar) 2014 - 5,545,857 estimated units.
DC Sales - Top 300 (Jan-Mar) 2013 - 6,742,624 estimated units.

And here are the figures for 1997-2012:
2013 - 28,184,085 estimated units
2012 - 29,602,125 estimated units
2011 - 26,522,201 estimated units
2010 - 23,528,000 estimated units
2009 - 24,126,336 estimated units
2008 - 25,760,378 estimated units
2007 - 29,597,217 estimated units
2006 - 30,243,575 estimated units
2005 - 26,995,698 estimated units
2004 - 23,895,322 estimated units
2003 - 22,344,120 estimated units
2002 - 20,687,488 estimated units - Dan Didio joins DC as VP of Editorial.
2001 - 21,220,332 estimated units
2000 - 23,243,656 estimated units
1999 - 25,141,760 estimated units
1998 - 22,869,060 estimated units
1997 - 26,323,968 estimated units


And, out of interest, here's the Marvel numbers:

Marvel Sales - Top 300 (Jan-Mar) 2014 - 6,986,726 estimated units.
Marvel Sales - Top 300 (Jan-Mar) 2013 - 8,551,668 estimated units.

And here are the figures for 1997-2012:
2013 - 31,243,347 estimated units
2012 - 30,278,745 estimated units.
2011 - 29,522,809 estimated units
2010 - 29,998,200 estimated units
2009 - 34,167,744 estimated units
2008 - 37,269,988 estimated units
2007 - 38,132,744 estimated units
2006 - 34,647,105 estimated units
2005 - 32,461,832 estimated units
2004 - 32,021,066 estimated units
2003 - 28,974,336 estimated units
2002 - 28,473,404 estimated units
2001 - 25,349,296 estimated units
2000 - 21,948,494 estimated units - Joe Quesada becomes EIC.
1999 - 24,111,104 estimated units
1998 - 27,015,555 estimated units
1997 - 32,664,192 estimated units

[Baron Samedi]

For some reason 2007 has been the best year for both companies.

[Paul Newell]

For some reason 2007 has been the best year for both companies.

2006/2007 was the time of Infinite Crisis/One Year Later/Civil War which accounts for the spike in sales.

[blaster86]

both company are down compare to last year but the year isnt over yet so well see

[GlennSimpson]

Yeah, the weeklies better kick in some sales or we may see some firings.

[Objectively Biased]

http://www.newsarama.com/21083-april...es-charts.html

The first four issues of Eternal are all in the Top 10. Even if it continues to dip here and there, it's going to be a huge win for DC.

Which begs the question: considering how well Justice League sells, why aren't we getting a JL-branded weekly? While I appreciate the fact that their using the other two weeklies to expand the universe and highlight other characters, a Justice League weekly would seem like a no-brainer.

One of the main complaints with the main JL book has been that there really hasn't been a whole of lot time spent with the team being an actual team. A weekly book spotlighting the various members (and introducing others) could allow for smaller stories that expand the team and the DCU, not unlike JLU or the current Avengers World series (which is an episodic take on the team book, bouncing across the world while building up a bigger narrative). This would work wonders as a weekly and seems like a slam dunk to me.

[blaster86]

http://www.newsarama.com/21083-april...es-charts.html

The first four issues of Eternal are all in the Top 10. Even if it continues to dip here and there, it's going to be a huge win for DC.

Which begs the question: considering how well Justice League sells, why aren't we getting a JL-branded weekly? While I appreciate the fact that their using the other two weeklies to expand the universe and highlight other characters, a Justice League weekly would seem like a no-brainer.

One of the main complaints with the main JL book has been that there really hasn't been a whole of lot time spent with the team being an actual team. A weekly book spotlighting the various members (and introducing others) could allow for smaller stories that expand the team and the DCU, not unlike JLU or the current Avengers World series (which is an episodic take on the team book, bouncing across the world while building up a bigger narrative). This would work wonders as a weekly and seems like a slam dunk to me.

a Justice league Unlimited weekly would be Sweet

[AlexanderLuthor]

The weeklies should put DC on top in May - if you back out the very special Amazing Spider-Man #1 and give it a more sustainable 100,000 it would have been about tied, and that's before Future's End starts and with FE being delayed. As a matter of fact, it wouldn't surprise me if DC "wins" every month from now through the big September event. It's been a slow start to the year for DC as a lot of books have been delayed (Forever Evil, Superman Unchained) or have been cancelled/gotten new creative teams

[AlexanderLuthor]

For some reason 2007 has been the best year for both companies.

That was right before the financial crisis...the economy is just now getting back to those levels again. Whereas recessions used to not really be that bad for comic books (as a cheap form of entertainment), they are no longer that cheap and the first thing people cut in tough economic times

[Rakzo]

Great and well deserved sales for Batman Eternal, I hope Futures End has the same luck.

[Archies League]

DC's share and money has been decreasing every month since last November or so. There's nothing here to show that anything but Batman is going to help and there aren't any new Batman titles for them to rely on. The scattershot method of publishing their biggest sellers is proving to not be the brightest move on their part. I will be completely surprised they keep the weekly schedule seeing how the monthly one was so problematic. Not to mention how they're pushing jumps in time while apparently just ignoring the rest of their line. A few of those titles might benefit from some spotlight once in a bit. My personal opinion is that weekly isn't what is needed. Especially so specific. Batman running a single story for a year might be working but I highly doubt a year longer or more 'event' is going to rebuild momentum.

[golgi]

With Futures End, Batman Eternal, and now Worlds End, DC will increase. Every weekly thus far has been on schedule and I don't see this being any different.

[RobinFan4880]

http://www.newsarama.com/21083-april...es-charts.html

The first four issues of Eternal are all in the Top 10. Even if it continues to dip here and there, it's going to be a huge win for DC.

Which begs the question: considering how well Justice League sells, why aren't we getting a JL-branded weekly? While I appreciate the fact that their using the other two weeklies to expand the universe and highlight other characters, a Justice League weekly would seem like a no-brainer.

One of the main complaints with the main JL book has been that there really hasn't been a whole of lot time spent with the team being an actual team. A weekly book spotlighting the various members (and introducing others) could allow for smaller stories that expand the team and the DCU, not unlike JLU or the current Avengers World series (which is an episodic take on the team book, bouncing across the world while building up a bigger narrative). This would work wonders as a weekly and seems like a slam dunk to me.

My guess would be that Johns has big things planned that do not intermingle with the idea of JL weekly. Additionally, Future's End and World's End both seem to be building to an event next year, while at the same time Eternal is setting up Snyder's big plans for 2015 in the Batverse. A JL weekly does not seem to fit in there. Beyond that, my gut tells me DC is worried about how many weeklies they are pumping out and want to see if the concept catches on and, more importantly, how best to structure the weekly titles so they stay coherent, relevant and interesting (i.e. each team addresses the job of making the title differently and we see which method yields the best results (obviously adjusting for the fact that Eternal will be the most popular and World's End the least popular based purely on concept)).

Having said that, I think DC could have sustained a fourth weekly, especially if it were a JL weekly. Take a few A-listers and a few under-used B-listers and make a cool team and have them do their stuff in some corner of the world that won't affect anyone else's story (like setting the story in Japan, Southern Europe, Australia, South America, etc.).

The weeklies should put DC on top in May - if you back out the very special Amazing Spider-Man #1 and give it a more sustainable 100,000 it would have been about tied, and that's before Future's End starts and with FE being delayed. As a matter of fact, it wouldn't surprise me if DC "wins" every month from now through the big September event. It's been a slow start to the year for DC as a lot of books have been delayed (Forever Evil, Superman Unchained) or have been cancelled/gotten new creative teams

I kind of wonder if DC didn't just shove all the Forever Evil stuff into May specifically to avoid looking bad in direct comparison to Amazing Spider-Man #1.

With Futures End, Batman Eternal, and now Worlds End, DC will increase. Every weekly thus far has been on schedule and I don't see this being any different.

They will be copying Marvel with the cast of rotating artists, so yes, there should never be a late weekly comic. Which is most excellent!

[AlexanderLuthor]

DC's share and money has been decreasing every month since last November or so. There's nothing here to show that anything but Batman is going to help and there aren't any new Batman titles for them to rely on. The scattershot method of publishing their biggest sellers is proving to not be the brightest move on their part. I will be completely surprised they keep the weekly schedule seeing how the monthly one was so problematic. Not to mention how they're pushing jumps in time while apparently just ignoring the rest of their line. A few of those titles might benefit from some spotlight once in a bit. My personal opinion is that weekly isn't what is needed. Especially so specific. Batman running a single story for a year might be working but I highly doubt a year longer or more 'event' is going to rebuild momentum.

Forever Evil #7, Future's End, World's End, Superman #32, Justice League #32, Grayson #1, Teen Titans #1, and the Future's End tie-in issues in September will make your post look silly. DC should come roaring back the rest of the year. Looking at upcoming solicits/plans from DC and Marvel, DC might have 8 or 9 of the Top 10 books in each of July, August and September

[RobinFan4880]

Forever Evil #7, Future's End, World's End, Superman #32, Justice League #32, Grayson #1, Teen Titans #1, and the Future's End tie-in issues in September will make your post look silly. DC should come roaring back the rest of the year. If Marvel doesn't get something big planned soon, DC might have 8 or 9 of the Top 10 books in July, August and September

Completely true. Marvel pretty much has Original Sin, a handful of new #1's and Spider-Man to hold off the oncoming tsunami of DC awesome-ness.

Don't forget about the last two issues of Superman Unchained as it always sells well.