August direct Market sales: Marvel has only one series in the top 10

[Marvel/DC Fan]

Good for DC, I've been enjoying Rebirth and dropped quite a few Marvel books to make room for them. I'm sure Marvel will get a slight bump with Marvel Now, but not from me. I doubt I will be dropping any DC stuff for US Avengers, the million Deadpool spinoffs, or Riri Williams. Monsters Unleashed is looking really cool though.

[jbmasta]

One of the reasons why Rebirth is doing well is actually not just the price but DC is actually trying to at least give focus for the writers in their story and in a number of ways try and let the writers enjoy themselves and not hold them back. There's also a clear plan at least building in the books in regard to where the stories want to go and explaining things that are happening. Marvel right now doesn't seem to be having that. Whatever happened to having fun at Marvel, like two years ago? Or even a year ago. Have they fallen into the Civil War needs to be edgy now category?

DC also aren't obsessed with inter-title events like Marvel are. Whenever there is an event it doesn't touch every single title like with Marvel. Night of the Monster Men involves only Batman, Detective Comics and Nightwing (two issues of each), while Justice League vs Suicide Squad will likely only affect those two titles. Not too much of an extra investment. With Civil War II most of the titles are dragged in no matter how little relevance they have to the event, hijacking ongoing storylines and character arcs to fit the tie-in in.

Marvel are behind on Civil War II, have X-Men vs Inhumans coming up soon and Monsters Unleashed start of next year. Marvel needs to stablise its titles enough for readers to be confident that something they might enjoy won't be drastically altered or affected by the next big event.

[whiterabbit]

DC books are cheaper and all relaunched with new writers under a rebooted continuity. Marvel's gimmick with "Marvel now 2.0" is kind of vague and terrible from a marketing standpoint. What does a consumer expect from 2.0? More diversity?? And Civil War 2 just sucks.

[Prof. Warren]

DC also aren't obsessed with inter-title events like Marvel are. Whenever there is an event it doesn't touch every single title like with Marvel. Night of the Monster Men involves only Batman, Detective Comics and Nightwing (two issues of each), while Justice League vs Suicide Squad will likely only affect those two titles. Not too much of an extra investment. With Civil War II most of the titles are dragged in no matter how little relevance they have to the event, hijacking ongoing storylines and character arcs to fit the tie-in in.

CWII doesn't touch "every single title". My Marvel pulls from the other week included such non-CWII connected titles as DEADPOOL & THE MERCS FOR MONEY, DAREDEVIL, MOON KNIGHT, UNCANNY X-MEN and DOCTOR STRANGE. Fans often like to claim that every Marvel event runs through every single title but it's never true.

As for Night of the Monster Men, the fact that the Bat-titles are already in a crossover in their second storyline after Rebirth is a turn off for me. I don't want to feel like I'm obliged to get every Bat-title already to follow one story.

[Prof. Warren]

One of the reasons why Rebirth is doing well is actually not just the price but DC is actually trying to at least give focus for the writers in their story and in a number of ways try and let the writers enjoy themselves and not hold them back. There's also a clear plan at least building in the books in regard to where the stories want to go and explaining things that are happening. Marvel right now doesn't seem to be having that. Whatever happened to having fun at Marvel, like two years ago? Or even a year ago. Have they fallen into the Civil War needs to be edgy now category?

When people make complaints like this I have to wonder if they even read the comics in the first place.

Trying to characterize Marvel's line as "edgy" is absolutely ridiculous when it encompasses a great number of light titles such as Squirrel Girl, Silver Surfer, Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur, Hellcat, New Avengers, and Power Man & Iron Fist. Outside of Daredevil, Nighthawk and Old Man Logan it'd be very hard to find many Marvel titles that actually can be described as edgy or gritty. Even when a Marvel book has heavier subject matter, there's usually a fair amount of levity.

If you read a book like The Mighty Thor or Sam Wilson: Captain America and you don't find it fun, you're doing something wrong.

[Prof. Warren]

How exactly can you have faith in something like Champions if you're already having to worry about them being shuffled around for the next new thing in 7 months?

Some fans spend way too much time worrying about what might happen. I've been loving ANAD Avengers. Does the fact that the team is going to be split soon mean it wasn't worth my time to enjoy the book? No, of course not. My enjoyment isn't diminished because this incarnation of the team didn't run for fifty issues or more. However long Champions runs for, as long as I'm liking the book then it's worth my time and money.

I can actually enjoy my reading experience as each issue comes out without worrying whether the book will still be the same in two or three years.

[whiterabbit]

As opposed to the same boring new DC writing? I'm glad DC fans are enjoying Rebirth but it seems like just retreading the same old ground. There's nothing in it that appeals to me, personally. Wally's back but I doubt there's anything they're going to do with the character that I can't get from re-reading my old Waid or Johns issues. And Batman...still doing the same kind of Batman stuff that I have multiple long boxes of. In the latest issue of Detective yet another Robin dies (kind of) and I just feel like I've taken these rides before.

On the other hand, with Marvel they're telling stories that I haven't already read many times over. I don't know where Jane Foster's Thor story is going. I don't know where Sam Wilson as Cap will end up. For that matter, I don't know where Hydra Cap is going or how long Peter Parker will be a globally successful entrepreneur. I don't know where Miles is going in the MU or how the Champions will fare as a team or how Riri or Doom will make their respective marks as Ironheart and the Infamous Iron Man or where Tony will be in all this. It's not the same old, same old. It's treading new ground and that's the only reason for me to keep investing in an ongoing story.

I think a lot of DC fans want to exist in a bubble of nostalgia where nothing really changes and the primary function that comics perform for them is to provide a "safe place". To me, you can get that with back issues. If Marvel was all about keeping to the familiar status quos of their characters, I'd have stopped reading a long time ago.

Rebirth is just bringing back a lot of things the fans have missed and been asking for. The writers themselves probably missed them on some level, too. It is nostalgic to read a modern day Death of Superman by Dan Jurgens himself and see where that goes or a Titans regroup. These are just formulas that work and fans connect with, like original Dr. Pepper. They don't want cherry vanilla diet zero.

And Marvel's current changes aren't entirely brand new ideas or unheard of. Thor's hammer has been juggled by humans, Captain America has tangled with cosmic cubes before and the shield was given to another, Dr. Doom has shown he's actually alright when he's not full doom mode.

[Marvel/DC Fan]

Rebirth is just bringing back a lot of things the fans have missed and been asking for. The writers themselves probably missed them on some level, too. It is nostalgic to read a modern day Death of Superman by Dan Jurgens himself and see where that goes or a Titans regroup. These are just formulas that work and fans connect with, like original Dr. Pepper. They don't want cherry vanilla diet zero.

And Marvel's current changes aren't entirely brand new ideas or unheard of. Thor's hammer has been juggled by humans, Captain America has tangled with cosmic cubes before and the shield was given to another, Dr. Doom has shown he's actually alright when he's not full doom mode.

I agree with this. Anything Marvel is doing now isn't groundbreaking or revolutionary. I've gone through Beta Ray Bill, John Walker, Rhodey, Ben Reilly, and other replacement characters. Same thing with the Captain America, it's similar to Superior Iron Man and Superior Spider-Man. It still feels like a lot of ground being re-treaded. Although it isn't terrible by any means, I do like books like Steve Rogers, Mighty Thor, and Old Man Logan.

[Colossus1980]

When people make complaints like this I have to wonder if they even read the comics in the first place.

So is there any Marvel title you've tried and dislike? Or do you like everything Marvel puts out?

[Prof. Warren]

So is there any Marvel title you've tried and dislike? Or do you like everything Marvel puts out?

There's many comics they publish that either don't interest me in the first place or that I've tried and didn't care for but I would think anyone that reads current Marvel wouldn't blanket characterize the line as being "edgy." That's a complaint that just doesn't hold any water, given the variety of tones and styles of their books, which range all the way from the kid-friendly MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR to the hardcore violence of NIGHTHAWK.

Even reading a handful of Marvel titles would be enough to make it apparent that Marvel isn't striving for an edgy approach in their line. You can criticize Marvel for other things - or simply just not like books on a personal gut level - but it's wrong to suggest they're shoehorning their line to fit an edgy style.

[MarvelMaster616]

Don't think this really means much at the moment. Remember, DC dominated for months after the New 52 relaunch. There were times when Marvel got pretty much shut out of the top 10. Well, they're in the middle of an event now and they have yet another relaunch planned down the line. So judging the situation now, given the context for both companies, is simply inaccurate. The real test will come when we see the sales of Marvel's latest relaunch. If this relaunch still fails to match Rebirth's numbers, then we can say it. Marvel is in trouble, but I don't think that'll be the case.

[Prof. Warren]

Rebirth is just bringing back a lot of things the fans have missed and been asking for. The writers themselves probably missed them on some level, too. It is nostalgic to read a modern day Death of Superman by Dan Jurgens himself and see where that goes or a Titans regroup. These are just formulas that work and fans connect with, like original Dr. Pepper. They don't want cherry vanilla diet zero.

And Marvel's current changes aren't entirely brand new ideas or unheard of. Thor's hammer has been juggled by humans, Captain America has tangled with cosmic cubes before and the shield was given to another, Dr. Doom has shown he's actually alright when he's not full doom mode.

I'm sure this is true. Writers are often fans themselves.

Marvel's current changes aren't unprecedented (which, to me, just shows that they're rooted in tradition and not simply the careless gestures that some believe them to be) but they are playing out in ways that are not easily predictable. Just because I'm familiar with Eric Masterson doesn't mean I know how Jane Foster's tenure as Thor will end (if in fact it ever does). And just because Cap has tangled with the Cosmic Cube before doesn't mean I know how this round will play out and we've never seen Doom truly try to be a hero before and not just a "noble villain."

[macattack]

Don't think this really means much at the moment. Remember, DC dominated for months after the New 52 relaunch. There were times when Marvel got pretty much shut out of the top 10. Well, they're in the middle of an event now and they have yet another relaunch planned down the line. So judging the situation now, given the context for both companies, is simply inaccurate. The real test will come when we see the sales of Marvel's latest relaunch. If this relaunch still fails to match Rebirth's numbers, then we can say it. Marvel is in trouble, but I don't think that'll be the case.

Fan frustration in CBR's polls (before they killed or hid them) is a portent that Marvel's NOW 2016 relaunch may crater, but there is no way to tell until the actual launch itself. Monsters Unleashed and Renew Your Vows are also going to be big factors in determining Marvel's direction: the former is a crackerjack comic setup, and the other resurrects the Spider-marriage which fans have wanted for years. If both comics do better than the general NOW relaunch Marvel will likely adjust accordingly.

However, it is good that Rebirth is doing well for DC. The industry is better when DC and Marvel are both strong. Time will tell if Rebirth has truly resurrected DC's fortunes but from what I've read the books have been pretty solid while Marvel's comics have been more frustrating than anything else.

[ijacksparrow]

Don't think this really means much at the moment. Remember, DC dominated for months after the New 52 relaunch. There were times when Marvel got pretty much shut out of the top 10. Well, they're in the middle of an event now and they have yet another relaunch planned down the line. So judging the situation now, given the context for both companies, is simply inaccurate. The real test will come when we see the sales of Marvel's latest relaunch. If this relaunch still fails to match Rebirth's numbers, then we can say it. Marvel is in trouble, but I don't think that'll be the case.

People that think this are in for a rude awakening. Marvel Comics has become a running joke. Nothing will save Marvel Comics than actually a Kevin Feige figure stepping in. That person isn't Alonso, Brevoort and let alone Bendis, who I hold mostly responsible for the mess that Marvel Comics is right now. The best creators don't stay because they aren't paid fairly, with one rare exception that is Dan Slott. The fact that Spider-Man's Dan Slott comics are the outliers aren't just a testament to the character's popularity, but how much he gets and understands him. Other than that, everything went to hell. I wonder how bad can it gets before Kevin Feige and Disney higher ups call for an intervention, hopefully from Feige himself.

[MECHANO]

DC= We went back to the basics, feature our classic characters in our books

Marvel= We have killed off and/or turned all of our classic characters into minority versions of themselves

Was there any question which would sell?