Originally Posted by
MindofShadow
Black Panther has had 200 comics.
Vol 3 ran for 60+ issues. With no tie ins and being ignored by the entire comic universe much to Priest's chagrin.
Vol 4 and 5 ran over a combined 50+ issues
They stripped a character of everything, threw him into hells kitchen, and still did 15 ish issues.... which is longer than a lot of "popular" characters *coughcoughcoughcoughahem* longest runs.
One thing to note about T'challa's sales is that:
a) he is black. Which put him behind the 8 ball for decades. Just ask Don.
b) he has never had any support from Marvel before Hickman New Avengers run. He never got A list writers. He never got to play in the "big" events until Hudlin forced him in.... and even then, the main event titles ignored him. T'challa runs a super country with tech beyond everyone else and yet that never effects a single thing around the Marvel Universe? How? What ist he coolest thing T'challa has done in an Avengers book? Punch out Skulls Jaw and..... ???? There were no toys, no tshirts, no merch whatsoever.
c) Hickman is the first time a big writer made him "important" in a main book. Despite some of his unpopular decisions regarding the mythos, the panel time in that book and then SW was invaluable for the franchise. T'challa was important for 5 years and then that spring boarded into his solo (+ CW movie and the accompanying merch and publicity explosion) that has sold very well.
This "solo can't sustain" stuff is frankly crap right now and outdated as hell. Black Panther just had an ANNOUNCED MINI that stayed in the 18000+ range... which is above cancellation these days. The "anything below 25 or 20 is cancellation zone!" hasn't been true for a couple years now. under 18000 it gets a little shady but there have been many titles now that survive in the 16000-18000 range.
Marvel is using gimmicks to boost sales of Black Panther... just like every other franchise they care about! Black Pantheri s just finally getting to benefit from the same crap that Marvel has pulled with its other "big" titles for years now. Hell, even with these "gimmicks"... Panther hasn't been able to tie into events AT ALL. No CWII tie ins, no Pleasant Hill, no SE, no Infinity Stone thing. It has been self contained.
I would also like to point out, that BP 172, the end of the run and before the relaunch... Panther outsold Deadpool, Miles, All NEw Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Moon Knight, Punisher, and Incredible Hulk. Rise of the Black Panther, an ANNOUNCED MINI WHICH KILLS SALES, in the same month, outsold Cable, Spider-Gwen, Rogue/Gambit, Champions, and Ms Marvel.
I don't like Coates run content wise. I won't deny it hasn't been selling well and is 100% sustainable right now. The thing is, this isn't just due to Coates like some people like to hang on... it is because Marvel is finally treating the franchise like a property that can sell for once. I'd be really curious what BP could sell without such a controversial writer who can't get hardcores to buy in completely and due to his politcal leanings, pushes away the core comic base a bit just because of his name. I mean, ****, Rise, with a neophyte journalist as a writer, sold 18K plus despite being announced as a mini... all because he didn't write T'challa like a bitch. What could that same "style" accomplish with Marvel's full power behind it?