Vertigo and Image market share

[SwampyCA]

American Vampire and Astro City have monthly print sales in the low teens. South of 15K.

Wytches debuts at 67K and Tooth & Claw at 41K.

I’m genuinely baffled. Who can explain the difference here? What does Vertigo need to do to get this kind of unit sales?

[numberthirty]

Who can explain the difference here? What does Vertigo need to do to get this kind of unit sales?

.....

This could take a while.

[napolid]

.....

This could take a while.

Not really, series debut + hype = sales

[Conway]

Not really, series debut + hype = sales

=DC doesn't give Vertigo the marketing budget Image has

[Starchild]

I'm sorry this is kinda off-topic but should Vertigo do licensed titles as well? Warner Bros. has a lot of properties that could be made into comics: Dirty Harry, (Shaft has a book, why not?), Maybe they can expand on The Matrix universe or go backwards and do a year one title, Harry Potter? Person of Interest? It's just a thought. It seems to work well for Dark Horse & IDW.

[ed2962]

My understanding is that many Vertigo titles typically do poorly in single issues, but do very well in trades.

[Conway]

I'm sorry this is kinda off-topic but should Vertigo do licensed titles as well? Warner Bros. has a lot of properties that could be made into comics: Dirty Harry, (Shaft has a book, why not?), Maybe they can expand on The Matrix universe or go backwards and do a year one title, Harry Potter? Person of Interest? It's just a thought. It seems to work well for Dark Horse & IDW.

2010 Press release said that Vertigo will be creator owned concepts only. All licensed titles, like Masters of the Universe and Adventure Time, are run by DC.

[Jeff Brady]

2010 Press release said that Vertigo will be creator owned concepts only. All licensed titles, like Masters of the Universe and Adventure Time, are run by DC.

Adventure Time is at Boom.

[cranger]

I’m genuinely baffled. Who can explain the difference here? What does Vertigo need to do to get this kind of unit sales?

Wake debuted north of 40K. Sandman Overture was over 90K. One thing that helps some of these books is returnability. While the sales estimates reduce the number to account for it, the exact number of returned/unsold copies is never noted. Also, Image has the eye of speculators these days, or wannabes, hoping to find the next Walking Dead, Chew or Saga #1.

Also, while some Image comics make these grand debuts there are many that don't and even for the ones that do, how are they doing after a few issues?

[rpriske]

I have thought that Vertigo was a groundbreaker but over time Image has out-Vertigoed Vertigo.

Image used to be crappy versions of Marvel comics (Youngblood, Spawn etc.) but now they are THE place for great, unique ideas.

Having said THAT, Astro City is excellent and I really wish more people would buy it.

[Joe Kalicki]

2010 Press release said that Vertigo will be creator owned concepts only. All licensed titles, like Masters of the Universe and Adventure Time, are run by DC.

They did Django and Dragon Tattoo.

[numberthirty]

Not really, series debut + hype = sales

You should let all of the cancelled "New52" titles know about this. I don't think any of them got the memo.

[numberthirty]

I have thought that Vertigo was a groundbreaker but over time Image has out-Vertigoed Vertigo.

Image used to be crappy versions of Marvel comics (Youngblood, Spawn etc.) but now they are THE place for great, unique ideas.

Having said THAT, Astro City is excellent and I really wish more people would buy it.

For starters -

DC cancels the Vertigo title Hellblazer to launch the DC title Constantine. That will not secure the loyalty and dollars of Vertigo readers.

[Ascended]

I have thought that Vertigo was a groundbreaker but over time Image has out-Vertigoed Vertigo.

Image used to be crappy versions of Marvel comics (Youngblood, Spawn etc.) but now they are THE place for great, unique ideas.

Having said THAT, Astro City is excellent and I really wish more people would buy it.

That's exactly it. Image has become a major mover in the industry. I barely want to call it an "indie" company given the connotations the term implies. And yes, I know what it means and that Image does fit the definition, but "indie" summons up images of basement companies barely keeping afloat, run by college age kids with bad skin and t-shirts, not a large company that oversees several subsidiaries and controls some of the biggest names in its industry.

If DC and Marvel arent careful, we'll all have to change the term from The Big Two, to the Big Three. Hell, maybe we need to already and just havent realized it yet.

As for Vertigo, it does well in trades, but doesnt get the marketing push Image does. However, good luck finding a wealth of comics from other publishers that will rival Preacher, Sandman, Hellblazer, Invisibles, Animal Man, or Swamp Thing (Vertigo versions of course) in critical acclaim and overall sale figures.

[Joe Kalicki]

You should let all of the cancelled "New52" titles know about this. I don't think any of them got the memo.

Sales drop over time. Let's see where these recent big Image launches are in a dozen issues.

For starters -

DC cancels the Vertigo title Hellblazer to launch the DC title Constantine. That will not secure the loyalty and dollars of Vertigo readers.

It's secured them thousands of more sales a month than Hellblazer was getting.