When the Books No One Asked For Have Horrible Sales and You Start Panicking

[Captain M]

5 bucks say next solo will go to Rockslide or something

[Charlie_1981]

This make me wonder whatever happened with the Star-Brand and Nightmask book last year (maybe the worst Marvel book in term of sales before being cancelled)?

[Digifiend]

Captain M, split that tweets image up please. Some of it's too small to read because it got shrunk down when you uploaded it.

[Captain M]

Captain M, split that tweets image up please. Some of it's too small to read because it got shrunk down when you uploaded it.

Working on it, sorry.

[Crimz]

I've said this many times, and I'll say it again.

Marvel is doing a disservice to these solo books, there are simply too many books out at one time. Also there is a real lack in the marketing of these books, it's like Marvel expects them to fail. They can't expect fans to get invested if they are not showing a reason to be.

Trying new things is great, but they are going about it wrong.

[yet another]

I've said this many times, and I'll say it again.

Marvel is doing a disservice to these solo books, there are simply too many books out at one time.

Keep in mind that Marvel is also competing against many other publishers and not just internally among their own titles.

So they probably try to get as big a share of the market as possible, thinking if they don't, someone else will.

[Digifiend]

This make me wonder whatever happened with the Star-Brand and Nightmask book last year (maybe the worst Marvel book in term of sales before being cancelled)?

94 Starbrand and Nightmask 1 $3.99 Marvel 27,969
166 Starbrand and Nightmask 2 $3.99 Marvel 11,677
190 Starbrand and Nightmask 3 $3.99 Marvel 8,956
223 Starbrand and Nightmask 4 $3.99 Marvel 6,678
265 Starbrand and Nightmask 5 $3.99 Marvel 5,653
289 Starbrand and Nightmask 6 $3.99 Marvel 5,216

Wow, it really took a plummet on issue 2 and only got worse from there.

[Captain M]

94 Starbrand and Nightmask 1 $3.99 Marvel 27,969
166 Starbrand and Nightmask 2 $3.99 Marvel 11,677
190 Starbrand and Nightmask 3 $3.99 Marvel 8,956
223 Starbrand and Nightmask 4 $3.99 Marvel 6,678
265 Starbrand and Nightmask 5 $3.99 Marvel 5,653
289 Starbrand and Nightmask 6 $3.99 Marvel 5,216

Wow, it really took a plummet on issue 2 and only got worse from there.

Solo's second issue is also in that range (12ksomething), no wonder why 5th issue is the last.

How anyone thought these books were a good idea is beyond me.

[Digifiend]

Yeah.

105 Solo 1 $3.99 Marvel 30,589
173 Solo 2 $3.99 Marvel 12,723

Another massive drop. It's lost 60% of it's audience already.

[Crimz]

Keep in mind that Marvel is also competing against many other publishers and not just internally among their own titles.

So they probably try to get as big a share of the market as possible, thinking if they don't, someone else will.

Fair point. I just think that the amount they put out is producing more negative than positives, especially for their solo books.

[skyvolt2000]

Solo's second issue is also in that range (12ksomething), no wonder why 5th issue is the last.

How anyone thought these books were a good idea is beyond me.

It's not that they are not good ideas. It's the format that is the issue.

Does I really need a Solo ongoing? Or can I do what I did with Deadpool 13-a I guess 50-100 compete story in one volume for $10.

You do that and limit it to say 4 a month with different leads.

So you spend $10 vs $15 over 5 months.

If you still wanted ongoings-you can take Solo's and whoever's slot and put in past sellers like Darkhawk, Sleepwalker, FF, Thor and so on.

[jwatson]

What I don't get is pricing. if marvel or anyone could sell 40 comics at 3.99 but even 60 (i was going to double it and say 80 but decided to go smaller) at 2.99 because it's cheaper wouldn't they still make a profit. It's not that expensive to print a comic. I looked at several printing places and it's really not that much. Do they really pay their artist and writers that much? I could easily see certain books selling a third more and making more money if they were a dollar cheaper.

[skyvolt2000]

What I don't get is pricing. if marvel or anyone could sell 40 comics at 3.99 but even 60 (i was going to double it and say 80 but decided to go smaller) at 2.99 because it's cheaper wouldn't they still make a profit. It's not that expensive to print a comic. I looked at several printing places and it's really not that much. Do they really pay their artist and writers that much? I could easily see certain books selling a third more and making more money if they were a dollar cheaper.

You are still dealing with that artist and writer and whatever you agreed to pay them.

You are also in some cases dealing with royalties.

[ed2962]

Plus Marvel isn't beyond putting out books to literally take up shelf space. Even if it doesn't sell, if it keeps a competitor's title off the shelf, it's a win.

[Ianbarreilles]

I personally love unstoppable wasp but I fear it won't last 12 issues it's sad because I really loved the first issues but it's gotten really positive reviews and most of the readers seemingly like it at least the ones I saw talk about it.

The other series I fear will get axed after 12 issues is the new Jennifer Walters hulk series.

And silk despite sometimes struggling in monthly sales I'm optimistic will survive.

But who knows they might actually survive being cancelled a lot of people thought spider gwen and gwenpool would get cancelled really early on and they're still going strong.