"Orphan Black" #1 Was the Best-Selling Title in February 2015

[PretenderNX01]

So, Star Wars #2 fell below Spider-Gwen #1, Darth Vader #1 and Orphan Black #1.

Doesn't surprise me. #1s always sell really well and have since the 90s that's why companies make them. And good for IDW although it's another media tie-in, not so indie.

[the4thpip]

So, Star Wars #2 fell below Spider-Gwen #1, Darth Vader #1 and Orphan Black #1.

Still sold over 160,000 copies.

[comicscollector]

Great to see so many Spidey related comics on the Top 10 (Amazing Spider-Man,Spider-Gwen and Silk!)

[the4thpip]

Great to see so many Spidey related comics on the Top 10 (Amazing Spider-Man,Spider-Gwen and Silk!)

I really need somebody to explain to me why a book called "Spider-Gwen" is one of the 10 or so best selling comics of the past few years.

[Michael P]

I really need somebody to explain to me why a book called "Spider-Gwen" is one of the 10 or so best selling comics of the past few years.

There's lots of Gwen Stacy fans. There's lots of people who want to see more female superheroes. There's lots of people who like superhero books with alt-sensibilities.

[cranger]

I really need somebody to explain to me why a book called "Spider-Gwen" is one of the 10 or so best selling comics of the past few years.

What Michael P said and also it has over twenty variants or something. It is definitely taking advantage of the wave of people looking for exciting Big 2 stuff that is different and also a speculator market that is apparently strong given barely any monthlies can last a couple years these days.

[PretenderNX01]

Still sold over 160,000 copies.

I didn't mean to indicate it did badly- it only got beat by other books that had #1 issues and multiple variants. I suspect those will fall when their other issues come out.

I really need somebody to explain to me why a book called "Spider-Gwen" is one of the 10 or so best selling comics of the past few years.

Female lead with a sensible costume that despite Erik Larsen's belief is actually something more than a minority of people want.
Even the name was a Twitter/Tumblr thing, so good for them for actually buying what they say they want more of.

[the4thpip]

But people always say they want more female leads, and then they usually don't buy the book anyway. Look at the sales of very good books like the recent Elektra, She-Hulk, Black Widow, Storm, Captain Marvel series.

So I am really not buying into "THIS time people bought it because they have been asking for more female leads."

And it's not like the recent Amazing Spider-Man movie with a prominent Gwen Stacy did all that well.

[Michael P]

I don't know what to tell you. The character struck an immediate chord with a lot of people when she debuted in Edge of Spider-Verse. According to Marvel themselves, so many people asked for her to get her own book that they greenlit it. And apparently, once they (Marvel) made it, they (readers) came.

[the4thpip]

All I know is I want a Mary Marve v Spider-Gwen mini series now.

[Cinnamon]

Number 1 of a book doesn't say anything about the demand.
Number 4 or 5 is when the retailer knows how many people bought issue 1, so he can accurately place an order for number 4.

Let's wait and see how big this "demand" is.

[comicscollector]

I really need somebody to explain to me why a book called "Spider-Gwen" is one of the 10 or so best selling comics of the past few years.

There have been already good reasons that answered your question.
I will just add that after reading Spider Verse 2 recently i have to say that this story is well structured.The writer and artist of that story have a synergie that created a very good original story,and that is something that was rewarded by fans that wanted to read more Spider Gwen.
A bit like a story in one of the last issues of What If years ago was so well done that it was enough that Spider Girl had a own ongoing comic book that lasted several years.
Even Spider Man,one of the most popular super heroes ever,had the original story published in a comic book that was about to be cancelled.Not even the editor or the writer of the first Spidey story guessed how popular this character would became.