Why are the marvel books failing? Plus: Diversity problems in marvel books?!!!!!

[TerminalSanity]

why is that even suppose to be important ?

Because Marvel failing to really regain the market lead in the middle of a relaunch points to the degree of which their current direction is failing to satisfy readers old and new alike which directly speaks to why this thread is even a thing. Trying to pretend that Marvel's still doing well because they gamed their market number overshipping does nothing.

[rui no onna]

Sadly that goes for the entire thread including the OP. We can squint and see approximately 40% of the market by 2016 estimates. And that doesn't include Marvel Unlimited. So to say a book is not selling is total guess work. Some people are insisting the demographics are the same across all media. That seems unlikely in the extreme. And how do we know what age group is reading? The person that buys the book is not necessarily the person that reads it and not necessarily the only person to do so.

The people that have a far better idea of which books are selling are making decisions that don't match the Diamond sales. That gives us one huge clue! Diamond sales clearly don't represent readership, and don't represent the whole picture or profit. We are seeing a market slowly move in different directions - floppy - digital floppy - trade in stores - trade in bookshops - digital trade - digital subscription, each of these will attract subtly different consumers with different habits. We may at some point see a break from all books being printed as floppies in favour of the other sectors.

This is what I thought at first, too, but Marvel's market dominance would be much more believable if they weren't giving away comics for free. Aside from the 50% free overship on select issues in December, Marvel is doing linewide 10% free overship this January.

Marvel Unlimited subscription numbers is pretty much a closely guarded secret and that's more equivalent to back issues and trades. Digital sales are kinda secret, too, but we do have some data available (~10-15% of print, with some exceptions). Right now, it seems like single issue floppies still represent majority of DC/Marvel's market. DC/Marvel doesn't really get any revenue from secondary/used market sales so that's unlikely to factor in on which titles are continued or not. I think for right now, Diamond represents majority of the market for DC/Marvel.

I expect that to change eventually, the biggest market-changer being affordable subcription services such as Marvel Unlimited.

[ian0delond]

Because Marvel failing to really regain the market lead in the middle of a relaunch points to the degree of which their current direction is failing to satisfy readers old and new alike which directly speaks to why this thread is even a thing. Trying to pretend that Marvel's still doing well because they gamed their market number overshipping does nothing.

so what ?
we are going to read DC or image if we don't like Marvel then Marvel is jut going to adapt its editorial once it reaches the same point DC did one year ago.

If is Marvel failling is basically a good thing in the case you are not happy because it means it has to rethink the books.

[Username taken]

so what ?
we are going to read DC or image if we don't like Marvel then Marvel is jut going to adapt its editorial once it reaches the same point DC did one year ago.

If is Marvel failling is basically a good thing in the case you are not happy because it means it has to rethink the books.

Exactly.

I still don't know why it's so important Marvel be the market leader.

If you don't like what Marvel is doing, this is a fantastic opportunity to try new things.

I strongly recommend Japanese Manga. One Piece and Tokyo Ghoul are amazing.

[penthotal]

Because Marvel failing to really regain the market lead in the middle of a relaunch points to the degree of which their current direction is failing to satisfy readers old and new alike which directly speaks to why this thread is even a thing. Trying to pretend that Marvel's still doing well because they gamed their market number overshipping does nothing.

DC it's not in as good a position as many people here seems to think. After the first few months of Rebirth they are already slipping down, and, even if they are making money, at $2.99 they are probably making not enough of a profit (otherwise they would not have to raise the price back to $3.99 in April for their monthlies.) As it happened with New 52 once those book will cost more they will lose further sales and dollars. Their double shipping books are also showing the same weakness that affected their weeklies, with twice the standard attrition rate of a monthly. Compare their New 52 books and Rebirth books and you will see how the Rebirth ones have lower sales for the same month. New 52 Batman and Justice League in their 6th month were respectively a 150k and a 120k book, the Rebirth ones are 108 and 71k. Their others books are performing similarly (Detective Comics, Superman and so on). Harley Quinn it's gone from being a 70k in its previous incarnation book to being un under 50k book in its Rebirth incarnation after just 5 months. And so on.

[penthotal]

I think for right now, Diamond represents majority of the market for DC/Marvel.

We know the bookstore channel accounts for 40% of the total dollars of the market, and the digital channel for 10-15%. So Diamond surely doesn't represent the majority of the market. Bookstores don't sell floppies, so their 40% of the sales are not from floppies, and 1/3rd of the dollars made by comic shops are from collections. Floppies nowadays probably amount to 25-30% of the market.

[skyvolt2000]

Yeah, "reasons" ?; when the FF were cancelled, their sales were still higher than what the Inhumans have these days.

And about Mosaic, he is part of the Inhumans, i.e. a bunch of genocidals and Ms Marvel.

When Mosaic was announced-at least ONE store owner said he would not sell it-because he was an Inhuman. He does not sell Inhuman books.
So anyone who shops at his store does not get to choose if they want to buy an Inhuman book-that choice has already been made for them. Thus that owner has choose to forfeit profit.

We have had threads created calling for boycotts of books-Batman with Duke Thomas was number one. Followed by Inhumans and every minority lead book at Marvel.

We have had threads calling for the firing of Tom King, Hope Larson, Bendis and others because their books have POC in the cast. As well as store owners calling for the firing of Tom & John Q. Yet that never happened to the guys in charge of DC (at least not from a store owner view).

We have had calls to NOT buy certain books because SOMEONE took it upon themselves to say this or that book will not sell. With no data to back them up.
Diamond does not tell the whole story. Like I said there are too many ways to get these books aside from a comic book store.

We have had threads attack the use of POC being used in books. No one is being allowed to include a POC without calls of them being FORCED to do it or pandering to Tumblr.

We have seen DISRESPECT to Hickman and others who have left Marvel with comments that they left because they didn’t want to be forced to write about POC. Never mind all those guys are doing books at IMAGE with POC.

We have yet to see a complaint thread talk about the CONTENT of a minority lead book that makes them think it is bad. It’s all about WHO is on the cover.

If you want to make your point to Marvel about your displeasure in the books with CIVIL and THOUGHT out comments about the books you take issue with.

Marvel might get the hint with more comments about the content of the book versus what we are getting.

I would understand if folks said "I am not interested in Riri Williams based on HOW she took over for Tony. Especially when you had James Rhodes's niece available."

Instead of "I can't stand that (insert offensive slur) or she only in that book because she's black and you hate Tony Stark."

Do we need a thread of folks explaining why they are not interested without the insults? You never know what you don't like about something might be something someone else who is reading it agrees with.

I rather have that-because sooner or later Marvel will reply and I bet a lot of folks won't like it. If I was Marvel-I would have already removed every book out of comic book stores. Make them graphic novels or order straight from Marvel.

Lets see how many store owners gripe if there are NO MARVEL books to sell.