Renew Your Vows didn't make the Top 100 in May

[Fearless Heart]

I'm sorry that this might get cancelled for those that enjoy it.

I stopped buying the book because the story just didn't grab me. Gerry Conway is one of my favorite writers and Ryan Stegman's art is amazing, but I just didn't think it was worth the money. There was no narrative hook or compelling drama for me, and I really didn't like the superhero family set up. I really like Spider-Girl, but unfortunately not this. I love that set up! It had nothing to do with alternate story-line. Dark Knight Returns, Punisher max, and Fury max are some of my all time favorite comics. The only comic that I like that's coming out right now is Christopher Priest's Deathstroke, so I'm a picky son of a gun.

[UnknownEntity]

I'm sorry that this might get cancelled for those that enjoy it.

I stopped buying the book because the story just didn't grab me. Gerry Conway is one of my favorite writers and Ryan Stegman's art is amazing, but I just didn't think it was worth the money. There was no narrative hook or compelling drama for me, and I really didn't like the superhero family set up. I really like Spider-Girl, but unfortunately not this. I love that set up! It had nothing to do with alternate story-line. Dark Knight Returns, Punisher max, and Fury max are some of my all time favorite comics. The only comic that I like that's coming out right now is Christopher Priest's Deathstroke, so I'm a picky son of a gun.

So sorry you didn't like the book but you have a right to your own preferences. At least you didn't do like some other users and called the book shite. It just didn't meld with you and that's perfectly understandable. There is drama and stuff going on but if it wasn't to your liking than that's obviously okay.

[Miles To Go]

We're only NOW getting to the compelling drama I feel, but strangely, that alone seems to be a major turn-off for certain online critics who had been praising the book previously. You can't win either way it seems...show there's cracks in the marriage [even MINIMAL ones], people get pissed, don't show cracks in the marriage, people get bored.

[Kevinroc]

Isn't one of the main arguments for Slott "stepping down" from Amazing is that anyone could sale the book, because the name sales itself?

It's a definite naive viewpoint to think that. Given how all the other Spider-books have sunk (Venom's rise for the #150 special issue notwithstanding), I wouldn't be surprised if ASM sank down the ranks pretty rapidly if Slott were to go unless Marvel REALLY nailed the next creative team.

(Spectacular is going to be interesting to watch.)

[UnknownEntity]

It's a definite naive viewpoint to think that. Given how all the other Spider-books have sunk (Venom's rise for the #150 special issue notwithstanding), I wouldn't be surprised if ASM sank down the ranks pretty rapidly if Slott were to go unless Marvel REALLY nailed the next creative team.

(Spectacular is going to be interesting to watch.)

I don't know about that. ASM has been written by multiple writers and each transition from writer isn't followed by a drop in sales because of that. It all depends if the next writer is good and if theirs continued interest in the title.

[Mike_Murdock]

Given that the marriage lasted for over 20 years before Marvel retcon it suggest to me that the marriage is marketable.

The problem is that Renew Your Vows is an alternate universe, and no matter how well an AU is written it will never sell as well as the real thing.

I think the question is less "could the book sell well with the marriage" at this point and more "would the marriage actually be a selling point."

[UnknownEntity]

I think the question is less "could the book sell well with the marriage" at this point and more "would the marriage actually be a selling point."

It would certainly draw back the pro marriage crowd that left the book, either in OMD or afterwards so there is an almost guaranteed audience gain. The people who are most likely to pick up this book are those who've read comics than completely new readers and has been proven that newer readers are turned off because of the massive continuity of a storied character like Spider Man.

[Kevinroc]

I don't know about that. ASM has been written by multiple writers and each transition from writer isn't followed by a drop in sales because of that. It all depends if the next writer is good and if theirs continued interest in the title.

Marvel is having a few problems keeping books that should be higher on the charts in a position that they reasonably should be in. Sure, X-Men Gold and X-Men Blue are currently in pretty good spots for May and All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1 and #2 are also in good spots. But Avengers (and Avengers related books) ain't looking so hot. Avengers #7 is at 78, Invincible Iron Man is at 89, Black Panther (which had a very high movie trailer view count on youtube) is at 92, and Daredevil (of Netflix fame) is at 94. There is no guarantee that ASM will still sell at its current numbers or better should Slott depart.

(And I say this as someone who lost interest in Slott's ASM and stopped reading it years ago.)

[UnknownEntity]

Marvel is having a few problems keeping books that should be higher on the charts in a position that they reasonably should be in. Sure, X-Men Gold and X-Men Blue are currently in pretty good spots for May and All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1 and #2 are also in good spots. But Avengers (and Avengers related books) ain't looking so hot. Avengers #7 is at 78, Invincible Iron Man is at 89, Black Panther (which had a very high movie trailer view count on youtube) is at 92, and Daredevil (of Netflix fame) is at 94. There is no guarantee that ASM will still sell at its current numbers or better should Slott depart.

(And I say this as someone who lost interest in Slott's ASM and stopped reading it years ago.)

Yeah but in comparison to all those titles, ASM is reasonably higher than all of that. I suspect Guardians will spiral down saleswise. Its a damn pity about Daredevil because that book is excellent. Even if the general standard of sales has fallen, much to my chagrin, current ASM is at the top of this lowered standard. Whether ASM will continue to sell well with or without Slott is a 50/50 proposition. The next writer would need to make a strong impression with his first issues and maintain that.

(I say this as a pro marriage fan. Don't hate or dislike Slott, but his material doesn't interest me)

I find it ironic that Spider Man and X-Men, two franchises they don't have full control over at the movie department are on demand but all Avengers material is starting to stale. Comics wise.

[Mister Mets]

Marvel is having a few problems keeping books that should be higher on the charts in a position that they reasonably should be in. Sure, X-Men Gold and X-Men Blue are currently in pretty good spots for May and All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1 and #2 are also in good spots. But Avengers (and Avengers related books) ain't looking so hot. Avengers #7 is at 78, Invincible Iron Man is at 89, Black Panther (which had a very high movie trailer view count on youtube) is at 92, and Daredevil (of Netflix fame) is at 94. There is no guarantee that ASM will still sell at its current numbers or better should Slott depart.

(And I say this as someone who lost interest in Slott's ASM and stopped reading it years ago.)

I will note that not all of the books are equal.

So those are bad numbers for Avengers by a major writer and a string of significant artists, or Iron Man by Marvel's top writer.

It's not that terrible for Black Panther by a comics newcomer, or Daredevil by Soule and Garney.

[DCordo74]

Marvel is having a few problems keeping books that should be higher on the charts in a position that they reasonably should be in. Sure, X-Men Gold and X-Men Blue are currently in pretty good spots for May and All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #1 and #2 are also in good spots. But Avengers (and Avengers related books) ain't looking so hot. Avengers #7 is at 78, Invincible Iron Man is at 89, Black Panther (which had a very high movie trailer view count on youtube) is at 92, and Daredevil (of Netflix fame) is at 94. There is no guarantee that ASM will still sell at its current numbers or better should Slott depart.

(And I say this as someone who lost interest in Slott's ASM and stopped reading it years ago.)

Marvel has problems because of...diversity. Remember?

I gotta disagree about Dan Slott. But honestly how are we supposed to really know since he's hogged the main book for soooooo long now.

[Kevinroc]

Yeah but in comparison to all those titles, ASM is reasonably higher than all of that. I suspect Guardians will spiral down saleswise. Its a damn pity about Daredevil because that book is excellent. Even if the general standard of sales has fallen, much to my chagrin, current ASM is at the top of this lowered standard. Whether ASM will continue to sell well with or without Slott is a 50/50 proposition. The next writer would need to make a strong impression with his first issues and maintain that.

(I say this as a pro marriage fan. Don't hate or dislike Slott, but his material doesn't interest me)

I find it ironic that Spider Man and X-Men, two franchises they don't have full control over at the movie department are on demand but all Avengers material is starting to stale. Comics wise.

I wouldn't say the Spider-franchise as a whole is in good shape. The next book after ASM is Spider-Man/Deadpool at 63. Miles Morales' book at 77. Ben Reilly's second issue at 82. And Spider-Gwen at 86.

A big problem Marvel has is it has trained its audience only to care about the new #1 and the issues after drop like a stone. We see that with the Ben Reilly series. We see that with the Jean Grey series.

It makes me curious to see if this also happens with Spectacular.

Another issue with the charts is DC is double shipping a lot of their books. (Batman #22 and Flash #22 even rank twice on the chart. One spot for the "lenticular edition" and one spot for their "standard edition." Not that Marvel has much room to speak with three issues of their Secret Empire event charting in the top 10.)

Marvel has problems because of...diversity. Remember?

I gotta disagree about Dan Slott. But honestly how are we supposed to really know since he's hogged the main book for soooooo long now.

How could I forget?

(Definitely would agree that I think Slott's stayed on way too long. But as I said I stopped reading his run years ago.)

I will note that not all of the books are equal.

So those are bad numbers for Avengers by a major writer and a string of significant artists, or Iron Man by Marvel's top writer.

It's not that terrible for Black Panther by a comics newcomer, or Daredevil by Soule and Garney.

Sure, I wouldn't argue against that assessment. But my point is that some of these characters are breaking through and making waves outside of comics. You might think these waves might reflect better on the sales of their comics, but as we see time and again, they don't.

[UnknownEntity]

I wouldn't say the Spider-franchise as a whole is in good shape. The next book after ASM is Spider-Man/Deadpool at 63. Miles Morales' book at 77. Ben Reilly's second issue at 82. And Spider-Gwen at 86.

A big problem Marvel has is it has trained its audience only to care about the new #1 and the issues after drop like a stone. We see that with the Ben Reilly series. We see that with the Jean Grey series.

It makes me curious to see if this also happens with Spectacular.

Another issue with the charts is DC is double shipping a lot of their books. (Batman #22 and Flash #22 even rank twice on the chart. One spot for the "lenticular edition" and one spot for their "standard edition." Not that Marvel has much room to speak with three issues of their Secret Empire event charting in the top 10.)

You're right of course. They're even worse this month than when they were on February but the general appeal of these books is still better than Avengers.

And again, another right, Marvel has become addicted to short term profit. They've conditioned the readers to care not only about number 1's but about main comics as well rendering out of main canon stories even if they're good on a disadvantage. They also have a dilution problem for publishing too many comics.

Spectacular will drop significantly after the first issue. ASM, Spider Gwen, Miles Morales, RYV and all Marvel and Spider books in general drop significantly after the first issue. Most of the dough from Spectacular will come from its massive repertoire of variant covers numbering more than a dozen. That's also a tactic Marvel is overusing nowadays. They call variants the collector pieces of the modern age.

[WebLurker]

As I recall, May's issue was the second half of the X-Men crossover, which was arguably an all-time low for the series to date. Maybe that had something to do with it?

RYV always did have the cards against it; it's not one of Marvel's darlings, there was quite a gap between the original mini and the announcement of the ongoing (not exactly striking when the fire was hot) and, on top of that, RYV is a B-title and an AU, all things which don't encourage sales. It may have always been on borrowed time.

I suppose we have to see if the trend continues before know for sure how much gas is left in the tank.

[Ursalink]

I don't the comic is over for a bad month. I highly doubt the ranking will be so bad with the new arc of VenoMJ.