Sales Review: August 2015

A couple of weeks ago, the news was released that DC was cancelling five titles and changing the creative team of another. Included in that list was Justice League United, a book headlined by Jeff Parker and bringing a classic 'team-up' feel to a DC book. Also in that list were recent DCYou offerings Doomed and Omega Men. (I am pretty sure I called Doomed and Omega Men being short lived titles when I lamented the cancelleation of Supergirl.)

That news was followed up with the usual coverage of comic sales over on ICv2. Here is a link looking at the top 300 comics for August:http://ift.tt/1EYesR3

In what is becoming so common that it isn't news anymore, Marvel dominated the market. But looking at the numbers, it might explain, at least a little, some of DC's decisions. Still, I worry about the quick axe for some of these more experimental titles. There was little time for buzz to build. 

Looking at the Superman books, all seemed to get a modest bump in sales last month. I wonder how much of that might have been secondary to Bombshell variants. Those covers all sold out at my local store. Still, Superman #43 was the issue where we saw Lois' reveal Clark's identity. I wonder if that brought some new readers or some new orders from comic stores.

 Superman sold just under 50000 units, a number I don't think it has reached in a long time.

And Action Comics, my favorite of the bunch, sold just under 42000, a bump from the usual mid-30s I have seen the book languish in for a while. This is orders, not sales, so I have to think the Bombshell stuff has to factor in here.

I was a big fan of the Justice League United concept from the beginning. While I worried about idea that Supergirl was a 'bull-headed loner', Jeff Lemire won me over with the inclusion of Silver Age characters as well as bringing back a true Legion of Super-Heroes.

Lemire left and Jeff Parker took over and had the brilliant idea of combining a core team of heroes with rotating guests. I mean, this is probably the only place a new DC reader (do those exist) would meet Sgt. Rock, Enemy Ace, and the Doom Patrol.

A mere three issues into the new direction, DC pulled the plug. Surprisingly, the book was still selling over 24000. This reminds me of the cancellation of Supergirl. Here was a book that was selling solidly if not prolifically. And yet, the plug was pulled.

The only place we can get a Supergirl these days is in Justice League 3001.

And given the cancellations and murmurs of a rebranding close after the DCYou rebranding, I am worried.

JL3001 sold just under 19000.

That is a scary number.

Knowing DC, they'll blame Supergirl for the sales.

I am not a comic business person. I don't have inside knowledge of the economics. But I am confused by the apparent lack of direction of DC right now. It feels rudderless.

Posted in: Reviews