Is Marvel in danger of losing the #1 spot to DC?

[Marvel Forever]

There is a lot of talk lately about how DC is putting out a better product than Marvel. Could DC really pass up Marvel and become #1 again?

[John Ossie]

The pattern seems to be that DC will every now and then catch-up and even over-take Marvel but Marvel always seems to bounce back and over-take the top spot again for a while and then the cycle seems to repeat itself. So the long-winded answer to you question is yes but probably only temporarily so LOL.

[AcesX1X]

i think its better to ask this question around december. reason being is this: yes right now dc is number 1. yes this is a very embarrassing time for marvel in terms of chart placements, and has been for a few months. no, there is not enough to see how sustainable rebirth actually is.

and as other people have pointed out, marvel might not care about being #2 as long as they don't really lose money on books.

if you look back at what numbers we do have, new 52 lost steam completely by month 6. september 2011 gave them insanely strong numbers. but by april 2012, they had fallen those numbers by more than half.

http://www.comicsbeat.com/how-much-d...ld-the-answer/

will rebirth perform same as new 52? maybe but it's not looking likely at this point. rebirth has been holding strong since it kicked off and doesn't really show any signs of slowing down

[Xelossik]

AcesX1X :
DC remained the top-selling publisher in August, increasing its market share to 39.27% dollar share and 44.59% unit share.
DC Entertainment was September's top publisher with a 36.53% dollar share and a 43.45% unit share.

August was weaker than September for Marvel.
There is a possibility that Marvel will be first again in this year

[Trey Strain]

DC dropped its marginal titles and started publishing its most popular titles twice a month. That's what happened. Then Marvel responded badly to that, but simply launching new editions of its most popular titles.

Someone at DC was reading CBR last year:

http://community.comicbookresources....-twice-a-month

[Cowtools]

DC is selling big now, but that doesn't mean Marvel is selling worse. DC just got a Rebirth boost, and the shine will wear off soon.

I'm just going to quote MindofShadow from one of the many other threads a about how Marvel should do what DC is doing:

Same ****, different month.

People who read lists and rumor sights believe they know more about keeping Marvel comics afloat than people who, you know, see the actual numbers.

Does anyone really think Marvel expected Solo to sell 100K?


Can we just start from the beginning with the complaints so its a 10 page thread instead of 20.

1. Bring back the core Avengers
2. Rebirth is awesome because they listened to fans
3. Stop the legacy characters
4. Stop pandering to SJW
5. If you want diversity, create original characters (that we wont read!)
6. Stop Events!
7. Bring back F4!
8. Fire Breevort and Alonso!
9. Fire Bendis!
10. Make books 10 cents again


does that cover it?


Make Marvel Great Again!

[mace11]

DC is putting out a better product than Marvel.
There is a lot of talk lately about how DC is putting out a better product than Marvel. Could DC really pass up Marvel and become #1 again?

I disagree and marvel is putting out better and more interesting products then dc from my point of view.

[AcesX1X]

DC is selling big now, but that doesn't mean Marvel is selling worse. DC just got a Rebirth boost, and the shine will wear off soon.

well you need to look at the reasons dc got that rebirth boost. don't delude yourself into thinking this is new 52 all over again. the performance so far has been different, so far the titles are sustaining, and audiences are really into it. and dc's wave 2 sounds measured and thoughtful, rather than just throwing things against a wall

i would very much like to see marvel be strong again. i know that is possible. but we need to be careful about blind support out of some sort of brand loyalty. the writing is on the wall for marvel

[Sutekh]

There is a lot of talk lately about how DC is putting out a better product than Marvel. Could DC really pass up Marvel and become #1 again?

I may be completely wrong, not having any actual numbers to back up this assumption, but, as I understand it, Marvel could be number 5, after DC, Dark Horse, Image *and* Valiant, but as long as they are rolling in money from toys, T-shirts, and, especially, *movies,* it won't really affect their bottom line. Comic books seem to me to be, increasingly, little more than advertising for their more profitable uses of those IPs.

I'm not quite ready to begin clapping to save the little winged lady yet. I think she's actually doing okay.

[Trey Strain]

well you need to look at the reasons dc got that rebirth boost. don't delude yourself into thinking this is new 52 all over again. the performance so far has been different, so far the titles are sustaining, and audiences are really into it. and dc's wave 2 sounds measured and thoughtful, rather than just throwing things against a wall

It's that and publishing its top titles twice as often. The boost from Rebirth will largely fade, but the boost from the improved publishing schedule won't. That's here to stay.

[Cowtools]

well you need to look at the reasons dc got that rebirth boost. don't delude yourself into thinking this is new 52 all over again. the performance so far has been different, so far the titles are sustaining, and audiences are really into it. and dc's wave 2 sounds measured and thoughtful, rather than just throwing things against a wall

i would very much like to see marvel be strong again. i know that is possible. but we need to be careful about blind support out of some sort of brand loyalty. the writing is on the wall for marvel

I think DC has learnt from some of their mistakes with the New 52. Less books in general, and some better writing. But it's still the same writers and editors on most of the books. They're already getting into the inter-title crossovers like 'Night Of The Monster Men'.

[Cowtools]

I may be completely wrong, not having any actual numbers to back up this assumption, but, as I understand it, Marvel could be number 5, after DC, Dark Horse, Image *and* Valiant, but as long as they are rolling in money from toys, T-shirts, and, especially, *movies,* it won't really affect their bottom line. Comic books seem to me to be, increasingly, little more than advertising for their more profitable uses of those IPs.

I'm not quite ready to begin clapping to save the little winged lady yet. I think she's actually doing okay.

Don't forget that Marvel has the Star Wars comic and merchandise too.

[AcesX1X]

I think DC has learnt from some of their mistakes with the New 52. Less books in general, and some better writing. But it's still the same writers and editors on most of the books.

and even some of marvel's traditional talent to boot.

they are taking risks creatively, and trying new models. the wonder woman is the best imo. she gets two different stories a month by different artists.

it's hardly a 'more of the same' situation over there, which is why customer response has been so strong.

marvel is backed by disney now, so they are hardly hurting. but they'll need to look at what is working for dc if they want to come back in the top 1 spot again imo

[Prof. Warren]

There is a lot of talk lately about how DC is putting out a better product than Marvel. Could DC really pass up Marvel and become #1 again?

I can't believe anyone who's followed comics for any length of time would seriously ask "Gee, do you think Marvel will ever be #1 again?"

Honestly...what is wrong with people? DC was scrapping bottom in sales forever - like for years. Now they're doing good. The way they were after New52 hit. Marvel's been #2 for just a couple of months. And even then their actual sales haven't taken a hit - it's just that DC is selling more. Don't you think - logically speaking - that there's a high probability...pretty much an absolute fu*king certainty...that Marvel will lead the sales charts again at some point in the near future.

Ask yourself if anything other than a "yes" answer to that question makes ANY sense.

And please, can the NEXT person who thinks that starting a similar thread to join all the other similar threads ask that question quietly to themselves first? Thanks.

[Trey Strain]

I can't believe anyone who's followed comics for any length of time would seriously ask "Gee, do you think Marvel will ever be #1 again?"

Honestly...what is wrong with people? DC was scrapping bottom in sales forever - like for years. Now they're doing good. The way they were after New52 hit. Marvel's been #2 for just a couple of months. And even then their actual sales haven't taken a hit - it's just that DC is selling more. Don't you think - logically speaking - that there's a high probability...pretty much an absolute fu*king certainty...that Marvel will lead the sales charts again at some point in the near future.

Ask yourself if anything other than a "yes" answer to that question makes ANY sense.

And please, can the NEXT person who thinks that starting a similar thread to join all the other similar threads ask that question quietly to themselves first? Thanks.

They won't recover their market position until they swallow their corporate pride, admit that DC did it right and copy DC's publishing schedule.

That's not a temporary gimmick. It's a fundamental change in the way DC is doing business.