Lazarus Appreciation 2018

[cc008]

I'm just going to lie on the ground and whimper for a while after that one. Oh, my heart...

Finally got around to reading issue #26. Damn. That was... damn.

I can understand Lark needing a breather and I hope taking the mini series off gives him enough time to recharge the batteries.

I am looking forward to X+66 though.. even if it means waiting longer to get to issue #27 and find out what happens next. And I really dug the first Source Book.. so I'm happy to hear that we're not only getting a #2 next, but a #3 next year as well.

[millernumber1]

Anyone pick up the Hock sourcebook?

[cc008]

Anyone pick up the Hock sourcebook?

Haven't been to my LCS in a few weeks but I plan on getting it. Loved how packed out the first source book was.

[matt levin]

Have it. Haven't read it (need at least a full Saturday afternoon...); looks just as packed!

[Kirby101]

Anyone pick up the Hock sourcebook?

Got it as well. But need a chunk of time to read it.

What does everyone think of the upcoming minis that will come out before the main book picks up again?

http://www.cbr.com/new-lazarus-minis...-steve-lieber/

[millernumber1]

Got it as well. But need a chunk of time to read it.

What does everyone think of the upcoming minis that will come out before the main book picks up again?

http://www.cbr.com/new-lazarus-minis...-steve-lieber/

I'm excited, especially given the artistic talent involved.

[cc008]

Yeah I love it. Lark needed a break and this is a super clever way of giving him one. I'm looking forward to the mini and then getting back to the main series. Plus... it's better than getting only upwards of 4 issues of Lazarus a year again.

[millernumber1]

Yeah I love it. Lark needed a break and this is a super clever way of giving him one. I'm looking forward to the mini and then getting back to the main series. Plus... it's better than getting only upwards of 4 issues of Lazarus a year again.

What you said! I may have to make another spreadsheet to get a sense of how the story's been released.

[Shaggy]

So what the hell has happened to this comic? 2018 has come and (almost) gone and as of the November solicits we've had only 2 issues this year. And we only had 1 issue in 2017 and 4 in 2016. I have a feeling this is yet another Image title that will never be finished (especially as Rucka has like another 50-60 issues planned).

[OldManBrian]

Oh man, there was a time I pushed this book as the single best comic being published. Now I'm to the point of, I don't even care anymore, somebody tell me when it's completely finished and the final hardcover is out, then maybe, if I'm still alive, I'll buy them all and finish it. It greatly pains me to say, and it would fundamentally change the book, but he really needs to find a new artist(s) and start trying to finish this thing off. I'd think at this point single issue sales are down to next to nothing. Also worth mentioning, I put Southern Bastards in this same boat.

[cc008]

Yeah, I dropped it from my pull. No reason to get it in singles.

[millernumber1]

I think Rucka's really not functioning very well right now - he hasn't gotten anything out consistently since The Old Guard. Which sucks, since I really like Lazarus, and I love Nicola Scott's art, and she seems like she can't take any other projects right now because of Black Magick.

[Shaggy]

Oh man, there was a time I pushed this book as the single best comic being published. Now I'm to the point of, I don't even care anymore, somebody tell me when it's completely finished and the final hardcover is out, then maybe, if I'm still alive, I'll buy them all and finish it. It greatly pains me to say, and it would fundamentally change the book, but he really needs to find a new artist(s) and start trying to finish this thing off. I'd think at this point single issue sales are down to next to nothing. Also worth mentioning, I put Southern Bastards in this same boat.

I was curious about this myself so I went to Comichron to check.

Lazarus #1 48,030 (June 2013)
Lazarus #2 27,143 (July 2013)
Lazarus #3 24,961 (August 2013)
Lazarus #4 23,701 (October 2013)
Lazarus #5 22,695 (December 2013)

Lazarus #6 21,198 (February 2014)
Lazarus #7 20,150 (March 2014)
Lazarus #8 19,826 (April 2014)
Lazarus #9 19,066 (July 2014)
Lazarus #10 18,051 (August 2014)
Lazarus #11 16,531 (September 2014)
Lazarus #12 16,838 (October 2014)
Lazarus #13 16,094 (November 2014)

Lazarus #14 15,896 (January 2015)
Lazarus #15 15,237 (February 2015)
Lazarus #16 15,138 (April 2015)
Lazarus #17 14,980 (June 2015)
Lazarus #18 14,563 (July 2015)
Lazarus #19 14,506 (September 2015)
Lazarus #20 14,218 (November 2015)
Lazarus #21 13,390 (December 2015)

Lazarus #22 14,117 (June 2016)
Lazarus #23 12,300 (July 2016)
Lazarus #24 12,098 (August 2016)
Lazarus #25 11,922 (October 2016)

Lazarus #26 12,348 (March 2017)

Lazarus #27 9,523 (April 2018)
Lazarus #28 9,093 (May 2018)

The drop isn't as bad as I imagined actually but since the delays began around 2016 the book has lost around 5000 (one third) of its readers. And I remember how Rucka said years ago that the TPB sales are luckily good and helping them out even though the single issue sale numbers were down. Well, now there are no new TPBs and the singles have dropped even more. I wonder if the book makes sense financially at this point.

[millernumber1]

That's pretty horrifying. But understandable. I wonder if there's a way for Rucka to get at least six issues in the can, to try to get momentum back. But ugh. That's really, really bad.

[JackDaw]

That's pretty horrifying. But understandable. I wonder if there's a way for Rucka to get at least six issues in the can, to try to get momentum back. But ugh. That's really, really bad.

It is because it’s a wonderful comic.