Thread Drift: The Fan Response to Spider-Verse

[Kevinroc]

Total sales are less than they were in the 60s, unless I've read all the data I've seen wrong. (I can't imagine any single comic was selling 9 million copies per month.)

My point was that not everything can be promoted equally. It's unfortunate, but it's a thing.

(We were literally talking about how some titles don't sell as well as their readers would like earlier today in this thread.)

Let's look at Secret Wars as an example since so much of what Marvel publishes will tie into it. The Spider-Man Renew Your Vows project (the one that Axel Alonso said was "your Spider-Man," THE Spider-Man book of Secret Wars) will be promoted more than the Runaways project that Marvel announced today.

[Tuck]

My point was that not everything can be promoted equally. It's unfortunate, but it's a thing.

(We were literally talking about how some titles don't sell as well as their readers would like earlier today in this thread.)

Let's look at Secret Wars as an example since so much of what Marvel publishes will tie into it. The Spider-Man Renew Your Vows project (the one that Axel Alonso said was "your Spider-Man," THE Spider-Man book of Secret Wars) will be promoted more than the Runaways project that Marvel announced today.

Ok, I see.

But there's really no reason that Marvel shouldn't be hyping their flagship title all the time. (I guess they're pushing spiders in general right now, but just from solicits, Spider-Verse was plastered all over the place and in my face, and Spiral looks like, "hey, we got this little story going on over here if you maybe want to read it."

[cyberhubbs]

To be fair, Spiral isn't Spider-Verse. A regular issue of Spider-Man isn't Spider-Verse. 'Verse has a greater potential to sell and sell big. Spiral isn't gonna hit 100k no matter how much it gets promoted, sadly. Conway and a new artist can only be hyped so much.

[boots]

marketing = $. there's only so much $ in the budget per annum devoted to it. use wisely.

[Tuck]

Marvel's Previews isn't given away for free.

[cyberhubbs]

That too.

I've seen articles for Spiral, so it is being promoted. Just don't think we're gonna see one of those border advertisements you see here on CBR.

[boots]

Marvel's Previews isn't given away for free.

one element in an overall expenditure. or are you suggesting that completely skews the balance in marvel's favour?

[Tuck]

one element in an overall expenditure. or are you suggesting that completely skews the balance in marvel's favour?

My point is that even inside of the solicitation in Marvel Previews, Spiral is just another listing, while Spider-Verse was plastered with metaphorical exclamation points. I know it was a multi-title thing, but even so, a story that is a side thing to the regular ASM issues absolutely seems like something that should be given an extra push.

And I also wonder if they just made as much noise about a more common Spider-Man arc, wouldn't they have seen a similar sales spike in ASM? Spider-Verse may have been the reason for the hype, but it was the hype that spiked sales.

[boots]

My point is that even inside of the solicitation in Marvel Previews, Spiral is just another listing, while Spider-Verse was plastered with metaphorical exclamation points. I know it was a multi-title thing, but even so, a story that is a side thing to the regular ASM issues absolutely seems like something that should be given an extra push.

And I also wonder if they just made as much noise about a more common Spider-Man arc, wouldn't they have seen a similar sales spike in ASM? Spider-Verse may have been the reason for the hype, but it was the hype that spiked sales.

i don't think it works like that. it might seem like a no-brainer to us lay-men, but we (as far as i know) don't have marketing degrees, though i work heavily with my own marketing/sales team as well as clients' marketing (even coca cola and loreal can't hype every product equally and i don't think they would if they could anyhow).
"just hype everything" kinda comes across to me as along the lines of "just print more money" to save the economy solutions.

[Tuck]

Marketing experts aren't marketing experts. They still cling to "sex sells" regardless of how many times the data fails to back up the presumption.

And we're back to my original point, that they did hype everything back in the 60s.

And even if they can't go overboard with the advertising all the time, they don't have to set up events. People don't come in for the events. They come in because they're told there's a special reason to come in. You convince people to buy and read a strong story, they'll stick around for the story, event or no.

And the more events they do, the more long-term customers they risk. Maybe you can't take a disgruntled fan at face value, but being sick of events is a pretty common reason people give up reading month-too-month. (Although cost is probably the biggest these days.)

[Mister Mets]

i don't think it works like that. it might seem like a no-brainer to us lay-men, but we (as far as i know) don't have marketing degrees, though i work heavily with my own marketing/sales team as well as clients' marketing (even coca cola and loreal can't hype every product equally and i don't think they would if they could anyhow).
"just hype everything" kinda comes across to me as along the lines of "just print more money" to save the economy solutions.

The big stories also get coverage in outside media. Marvel's not going to be able to make that happen with every storyline in a top title.

With the stories that take off, there's also generally a clear concept that can appeal to readers who aren't currently following the title (What happens to Peter Parker when everyone in New York has spider powers? A dying Doctor Octopus swaps bodies with PEter Parker! Spider-Men from different universes unite!)

[Tuck]

The big stories also get coverage in outside media. Marvel's not going to be able to make that happen with every storyline in a top title.

Fair point. But how many people walk into a specialty shop for the first time because they saw something on the local news affiliate? I can see it making a lapsed reader walk in, but someone who's never been in one, I don't know.

[cyberhubbs]

I'm curious: How exactly were they advertising books in the 60s? Are we just talking in-house advertisement?

[Tuck]

I think you're limiting "hype" to advertisement.

Stan Lee was a carnival barker. They guy is probably the greatest asset the company ever had, even taking out his creations and stories he wrote.

Even in the body of a solicitation for Spiral, it would have been advertised something like, "The man who killed Gwen Stacy brings you the most exciting gangster story since The Departed!"

You know, except with better copy than that.

[cyberhubbs]

I think you're limiting "hype" to advertisement.

Stan Lee was a carnival barker. They guy is probably the greatest asset the company ever had, even taking out his creations and stories he wrote.

Even in the body of a solicitation for Spiral, it would have been advertised something like, "The man who killed Gwen Stacy brings you the most exciting gangster story since The Departed!"

You know, except with better copy than that.

Soooo...in-house advertisement.