Spider-man sales

[richjb77]

All I hear are people saying they are done with Spider-man. Does anyone know how Brand New Day has sold so far? Is it a success or is Marvel going to get nervous? or is it too early to tell?

[Berkey]

I think the OMD and BND sold well because they were major arcs in the life of spiderman. I think sales might slip a little bit (from the reaction from the boards) but I think sales will always be one of the higher comics Marvel will have to offer personally.

[darksaint124]

All I hear are people saying they are done with Spider-man. Does anyone know how Brand New Day has sold so far? Is it a success or is Marvel going to get nervous? or is it too early to tell?

The first three issues will not give an accurate feedback, as retailers had already ordered them before OMD was even finished. Add that to it being the start of an event and the first month of BND will probably sell really well. There is already a thread about this. No one will know if it is a success or not for a few months when the numbers level off. Right now you have to remember the majority of sales are to retailers. Hypothetically, even if ASM saw a 50% drop in readers the actual numbers(early on) would not show a drop because the retailers would have them in stock. Once Marvel has parted ways with them they're as good as sold.

[Phil Hunn]

The first three issues will not give an accurate feedback, as retailers had already ordered them before OMD was even finished.

Exactly. Time will tell whether or not the books will suffer a massive sales crash... which I doubt.

[chrismileslord]

I don't know about everyone else. But my LCS had quite a few leftover that are still on the shelf.

[DeadXMan]

I don't know about everyone else. But my LCS had quite a few leftover that are still on the shelf.

The LCS argument is flawed cause there are too many x-factors

what sales out in one shop others might not have

[Phil Hunn]

The LCS argument is flawed cause there are too many x-factors

what sales out in one shop others might not have

Indeed - it's a case of swings and roundabouts. My local shop has piles of ASM sitting forlornly on the shelves, but, as you say, they might have sold out at the shop in the next town.

[darksaint124]

The LCS argument is flawed cause there are too many x-factors

what sales out in one shop others might not have

Once they are in the LCS(even if no one buys them) its a sale.

[drwho]

I do think its a little odd though the discrepancies on how the book is selling. I mean you would think Spider-Man would sell well everywhere, yet some stores say the book is selling while others say it isnt. I wonder what the reason is for that.

[richjb77]

my comic shop had a ton of leftover books. He orders a few months in advance and he is already cutting back on his next order.

[Mister Mets]

I do think its a little odd though the discrepancies on how the book is selling. I mean you would think Spider-Man would sell well everywhere, yet some stores say the book is selling while others say it isnt. I wonder what the reason is for that.Some retailers ordered more copies than others.

[cap5]

I have a feeling when the nummbers come in,the sales will drop a little but it will still sell well

[hayabusa]

It's been mentioned in another thread, but it should be worthy to note that the first few issues of Brand New Day will obviously experience an apparent spike in sales due to the simple fact that both Sensational and Friendly Neighborhood were consolidated into a single, nearly-weekly, title.

[GRANDPA]

at my store we sold out of every single copy and reordered more

[matthewaos]

Hi Grandpa! ;)

My LCS said that everyone is dropping it.

[GRANDPA]

Hi Grandpa! ;)

My LCS said that everyone is dropping it.
hi matt..enjoy your day:D

[Bulky Brent]

You have to put into account all the variant covers also if both covers don't sell well that a potential drop in sales also.

[rZi]

Are there any figures we can look at? I guess we wont truly know till we are on the 2nd maybe 3rd arc?

[Phil Hunn]

Are there any figures we can look at? I guess we wont truly know till we are on the 2nd maybe 3rd arc?

I don't think the figures are out yet at all, no.

[Nick MB]

We've only just had sales figures for December going around, so it'll be about this time next month when we get anything back on the first month of BND.

[darksaint124]

We've only just had sales figures for December going around, so it'll be about this time next month when we get anything back on the first month of BND.

The first arc is going to have high sales regardless. Retailers has the orders already sent out before OMD concluded. Plus, like someone said earlier in this thread, with Friendly and Sensational over more LCS and readers(that only bought Friendly or Sensational)would gravitate towards BND. Also, being part of a new event. You won't get accurate numbers until the books level out.

[NickThompson]

Are there any figures we can look at? I guess we wont truly know till we are on the 2nd maybe 3rd arc?
Even then you're looking at sales estimates.

Plus it is hard to measure sales, since success/failure could be due to the marriage or the different sales model.




IMO it will sell better than before, if only because FNSM and SSM were selling low on the estimates. It can sell lower than ASM has in five years, but the three issues of ASM can still outsell ASM/FNSM/SSM.

[DeadXMan]

that how many units they sold to the shops
if the book sell well the shops buy more
if not the shops buy less
that's how they figure out the numbers

[xarathos]

YOu won't really know until about four to six months down the road. To see how well it stands up.

[IRONY...]

c'mon nobody is dropping it

3 issues per month before 3 nowdays

there was a period when Pete had 4 titles per month

[Harlock]

I don't know about everyone else. But my LCS had quite a few leftover that are still on the shelf.

My LCS sold out and reordered more of the first and second book of BND. Marvel indicated they sold out of the first issue as well and that it was going to reprints. With all of the new characters they introduced, I am not surprised.

In addition there are the rotating creative teams right now. Some folks will buy just because Bachalo is penciling or Slott is writing. I imagine by the fourth month or fourth arc if you will, we'll have seen it stabilize. Unless, of course, we see some heavy tie-ins to Secret Invasion or the next great company-wide crossover. In which case, we'll all be guessing as to how many readers were gained, lost or whatever.

Heck, we may never really know. JMS leaving will certainly piss some fans off. So will the new status quo. McNiven drawing it certainly helped sell the new issues, as did Dan Slott's writing. New villains and supporting cast (which in Spidey could certainly mean other villains or heroes) help sales as some folks will buy on speculation. So, who knows? :confused:

[Billy Parker]

SALES are HUGE BABY!! HUGE!!!

[darksaint124]

SALES are HUGE BABY!! HUGE!!!

So, do you have any proof of that, or are you just saying it to be saying it???

[mikekerr3]

c'mon nobody is dropping it

3 issues per month before 3 nowdays

there was a period when Pete had 4 titles per month

My name must be nobody then. It ain't the cost that a problem it is the character.

[Billy Parker]

So, do you have any proof of that, or are you just saying it to be saying it???

The proof is in the pudding JJ!!

I'll say what I want, it's the internet!

Maybe I'll say I'll NEVER, NEVER buy ASM again!!! I draw the line!

[darksaint124]

The proof is in the pudding JJ!!

I'll say what I want, it's the internet!

Maybe I'll say I'll NEVER, NEVER buy ASM again!!! I draw the line!

Wow, there goes me ever taking anything you say seriously.

[dcarner]

My LCS has about 15 of each part of BND. A lot of people dropped it off their list according to the manager. There were also about 15 copies of swing shift left too. I don't live in a major city (pop 50,000), but I was a little surprised at how many were still at the shop

[Billy Parker]

Wow, there goes me ever taking anything you say seriously.

Like I ever took what you said seriously?

[Just a Shadow]

I almost dropped the Spidey titles when they unmasked him but decided to wait and see if they would rectify that decision. Then they did this... So I dropped it. When I dropped it, I was told that a ton of people had been doing the same. Then i went to another store today and asked them and they said the ASM comics were the top selling books last month.

I for one hope that sales drop drastically so that this horrible story can be retconned to oblivion.

[Maestro]

Amazing Spider-Man will sell no matter what. I bet it makes top ten for the first six months.

[xarathos]

I don't care what it sells. It look terrible.

[Mister Mets]

Amazing Spider-Man will sell no matter what. I bet it makes top ten for the first six months.That's overly optimistic as it essentially requires three Top ten books a month (unless only one issue makes the top ten.)

[Phil Hunn]

c'mon nobody is dropping it

Odysseus is dropping the book? I didn't know he was reading it in the first place.

I dropped the title months ago, too.

I don't care what it sells. It look terrible.

Agreed. Clumsy pseudo-reboot followed by simplistic storytelling = no sale.

[a-spidey]

well, i'm a big spider-man fan since the first time i read comics so i stick to it, no matter what. I've read the clone saga, sins past and the others. So this can't beat me :D

[Expendable]

Its Spiderman it will always sale. X amount of people may drop Spiderman but X amount of people will add it too their pull list too see what BND is all about.

Great writers and great artist equal great sells. Everyone can be mad all they want about OMD but the fact is it happened. I think someone said we won't know for sure till 6 months from now what the sells truly are and that is true. My theory on that is a lot of people who dropped Spidey after the whole OMD mess will start to pick it back up. We like too think as consumers of a comic book brand that we have some power over Marvel and what they do. If something happens and we as consumers don't like it we think we can drop the title and get on our computers and speak our minds. But the thing is we don't control what Marvel does. Sure you could make a big enough stink about something and drop the title and swear you will never buy it again. But Marvel knows that's not the case. Given time most of those people will be back add that too the new people buying the books already and you have a sells increase.

I could be totally wrong.

[Endless Flight]

People will disagree with the direction just need to get a spine and drop the book until the changes have been reversed, or corrected. If you are going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk. Marvel will feel the effects.

[darksaint124]

Its Spiderman it will always sale. X amount of people may drop Spiderman but X amount of people will add it too their pull list too see what BND is all about.

Great writers and great artist equal great sells. Everyone can be mad all they want about OMD but the fact is it happened. I think someone said we won't know for sure till 6 months from now what the sells truly are and that is true. My theory on that is a lot of people who dropped Spidey after the whole OMD mess will start to pick it back up. We like too think as consumers of a comic book brand that we have some power over Marvel and what they do. If something happens and we as consumers don't like it we think we can drop the title and get on our computers and speak our minds. But the thing is we don't control what Marvel does. Sure you could make a big enough stink about something and drop the title and swear you will never buy it again. But Marvel knows that's not the case. Given time most of those people will be back add that too the new people buying the books already and you have a sells increase.

I could be totally wrong.

You do know that this has happened before. It's not like this is the first retcon where books were dropped. Every time Marvel does this to Spider-Man it comes back to bite them in the ass. Why do people act like this never happened before:confused:

[Phil Hunn]

You do know that this has happened before. It's not like this is the first retcon where books were dropped. Every time Marvel does this to Spider-Man it comes back to bite them in the ass. Why do people act like this never happened before:confused:

Because this time it's different!!!!1!

[Phil Hunn]

My theory on that is a lot of people who dropped Spidey after the whole OMD mess will start to pick it back up.

Well, I certainly won't. Quesada can have his 70s-Spidey.

I don't want to have any part in it.

[Just a Shadow]

I have no doubt that Marvel will continue to make a profit with the book, and it'll probably even be a good profit since it'll always sell well. But if pisses enough people off, the profit level will drop and that should hopefully lead to the changes we want since they are out to maximize their profits.

[Matt Linton]

It's doubtful that things will just go back to the pre-OMD status quo if sales drop. More likely, they would just try something different.

Plus, sales would have to drop to below the levels of Amazing/FNSM/Sensational, meaning each issue of Amazing would have to sell less than 70,000 copies, which is pretty unlikely. Countdown was slammed for several months, and stars a bunch of C-listers without high profile creators, and it hasn't dropped that low. If there's a sales drop, it's far more likely that they'd shift back to two or three monthly books rather than reversing BND.

[Endless Flight]

Why piss off a big segment of your readers when you really don't have to? I certainly don't understand their rationale.

[Matt Linton]

Why piss off a big segment of your readers when you really don't have to? I certainly don't understand their rationale.

Based on internet reaction (which is really all we have to go on at the moment), every decision Marvel makes pisses off a big segment of their readers. And yet, sales go up. It's understandable why Marvel doesn't put a lot of stock in the reaction on the internet.

[Endless Flight]

Sales are going up? It seems like every comic book store that I'm around has closed up in the last couple years.

[darksaint124]

Sales are going up? It seems like every comic book store that I'm around has closed up in the last couple years.

And no one ever takes that into account.

[Endless Flight]

It's really depressing. I had a nice store fifteen minutes away. Clean, well stocked, nice guys there who always said hi, and poof. Closed last year. They bent over backwards for people, so they probably didn't do anything wrong, besides not sell enough product. I won't drive an extra twenty minutes to get to the next store.

[Matt Linton]

I feel for you. My town had two comic shops ten years ago, now the nearest stores are an hour away.

But sales are up, yes. Not just at Marvel, but comic sales overall.

[Mister Mets]

Sales are going up? It seems like every comic book store that I'm around has closed up in the last couple years.
Meanwhile online stores and book stores are becoming bigger sources of comics.

[Endless Flight]

I like Barnes & Nobles and all, but their selection stinks. At least in my area. Manga gets like three cases, and I can't even find an Essential Spider-Man, for God's sake.

[Harlock]

I feel for you. My town had two comic shops ten years ago, now the nearest stores are an hour away.

But sales are up, yes. Not just at Marvel, but comic sales overall.


Meanwhile online stores and book stores are becoming bigger sources of comics.

This is true. I am one of the lucky ones in a way. After the bottom fell out of comic books we had no store here, in a town of nearly 100,000 people, for six or seven years. I used an online subscription service and tried to get things I forgot to add to my order two months previous from local bookstores.

Finally, last year, a new comic book store opened their doors. So far the owner is not only enjoying being his own boss and having turned his hobby into a source of income, but also doing pretty well financially. They moved and expanded already!

[Matt Linton]

I like Barnes & Nobles and all, but their selection stinks. At least in my area. Manga gets like three cases, and I can't even find an Essential Spider-Man, for God's sake.

The in-stock selection is often pretty small, but you should be able to order any trade that's still in print from Barnes and Noble.

[Xothermic]

I like Barnes & Nobles and all, but their selection stinks. At least in my area. Manga gets like three cases, and I can't even find an Essential Spider-Man, for God's sake.

What's up with that? My Barnes and Noble has literally three rows for Manga and about 5 shelves for TPBs. It really sucks.

[Endless Flight]

The in-stock selection is often pretty small, but you should be able to order any trade that's still in print from Barnes and Noble.

Order? Order?? Are you asking me to wait to get my grubby hands on the books?? :D

[darksaint124]

What's up with that? My Barnes and Noble has literally three rows for Manga and about 5 shelves for TPBs. It really sucks.

Your Barnes & Noble is probably in Manhattan. I'd say Upper East Side(They have like 3-4 within a half mile of each other)

[brett tolino]

Read John Mayo's article on Sales that appeared on this very website 2/8.

Dollar figures are up but sales on individual titles are on a consistent downward trend.

How is this possible?

Because comics cost more so even if they sell less copies, the dollar figure goes up:

Ex: XY Man was selling 100k 10 years ago at a price of $1.25. Today, XY Man sells 50k but at a price of 2.99 makes more money even selling @ a loss of 1/2the readership because of the difference in price.

Additionally, Marvel covered themselves VERY well with this reboot stunt and it's going to be highly unlikely they will show a loss on Spider Man even if tons of readers stop buying.

Why?

1) The book is shipping 3x a month now so when Marvel does Year to Year comparisons, even with the loss of tons of readers, it will still show a sales increase as such:

EX: Say Amazing Spidey sold 100k for XX month in 2007.

Even if they take a 25k copy loss, that would bring the total copies shippedn for the month to 75k.

Now, times that by the 3x its shipping in the month, that's 255k copies for XX month in 2008.

It shows an increase for the month even though technically, its a loss on individual issues.

Additionally, Marvel increased the price by a $1 so they covered their dollar revenue loss with a price increase so even if many people STOP buying, the people STILL buying are paying more (to cover all the people NOT buying) and bang... Marvel shows a profit even with a ton of readers not buying.

They have covered this by increasing the price and the frequency so no matter which way you spin it, Marvel can call this a success because it is shipping more comics a month at a higher price.

Still, make no mistakes, many people will and have stopped buying. Everytime the industry pulls silly stunts like this, they lose overall readers who get fed up with everything and stop buying completely. This contributes to the downward trend on individual issues that's been going on for a while.

But the industry is slick enough to cover their backs so they can make a loss 'appear' as a gain by shipping issues with variant covers and higher prices. They then ship more comics and with the higher prices, can always say, comics are selling better now than they ever were...

And they are... less people are reading them but those who do are also PAYING more than they ever did at a frequency (3x a month) that was unheard of before.

PS. Many readers today are comic junkies, they'll buy the book no matter what the content... They don't care if the 'crack' is good 'crack' or bad 'crack', just give them their fix and they're good until next Wed.

Quesada knows this, which is why he went ahead with this silly story. Hey, if the Spidey junkies will buy anything, they may as well buy it with a direction 'I' want as opposed to what 'THEY' want.

'Nuff said!

[DeadXMan]

The comic book shop is booming in omaha
we have 8 shops and three of them have opened up in the last two yrs.

[Endless Flight]

Still, make no mistakes, many people will and have stopped buying. Everytime the industry pulls silly stunts like this, they lose overall readers who get fed up with everything and stop buying completely. This contributes to the downward trend on individual issues that's been going on for a while.


Great point. They aren't getting enough new blood in to replace the old blood, and now they are pissing off a lot of the old blood. Are they trying to shoot themselves in the foot?

[Bulky Brent]

It's doubtful that things will just go back to the pre-OMD status quo if sales drop. More likely, they would just try something different.
I think This was Marvels way of trying something Different.

[mikekerr3]

I think This was Marvels way of trying something Different.

By replaying the 70s?

[darksaint124]

I think This was Marvels way of trying something Different.

Which part???(I'm sorry it was just too easy:D )

[Bulky Brent]

By replaying the 70s?
Which part???(I'm sorry it was just too easy )

In a way kind of By going back to square one sort of you don't sense a pattern here?

[dcarner]

Sales are also dropping because of TPB. Used to be (back in the late 80s, or early 90s) if you missed an issue, you would have to check every comic book store in a 60 mile radius to find the back issue. Today you just wait three months and buy the whole series in TPB. Great way to catch up, but the hope is that you will then start buying the monthly or tri-monthly(does that word exist?) comic. Many figure its cheaper, and easier just to buy the TPB

[Matt Linton]

I think This was Marvels way of trying something Different.

Which doesn't refute my point, which was that it's unlikely they'll just put everything back the way it was.

[Matt Linton]

Look at sales, not dollar figures, but issues moved, now compared to 5 years ago. Sales are up. Now, if you're comparing to the heyday of the speculator market of the 90s, or even sales prior to that, they're still selling far less single issues. But sales have been steadily increasing from their all-time low over the last 5-10 years.

[brett tolino]

Sorry Matt but with all due respect, you're dead wrong. Companies like Marvel and DC count on fans like yourself to promote the illusion that comics are selling better now than ever when in reality, sales on regular monthly issues are at an all time low and losing readers at an alarming rate.

'Sales' are UP because of two things:

1) the price is substantially higher than they ever were and...

2) companies are releasing more product output than they ever did... and at that higher price. So there are fewer individual readers but they're paying more for the other, different products they buy (with tons more choices of product than ever). You don't buy Power Man or Superman? Ok, they buy House of M, Civil War, Countdown and some or all the tie ins.

More of differening product at a higher price covers their loss.

This is EXACTLY what Quesada and Co. banked on with the latest Spider Man stunt. It's a can't lose strategy because they're using the business model the industry has developed to cover their loss in readers.

Compare Spider Man sales for the month of June in 2007 to the sales for Spider Man in June of 2008. Yes, sales didn't even hit for June but no matter what they are -- it's shipping 3x more product than they did last year during that month so even with a substantial loss, the increase in volume product will make it look like an increase... and the extra dollar they're paying for the issue will bring in lots more revenue... even with all those readers NOT buying.

More clearly: In June 2007: two differrent people bought one issue each of the Spider Man comic shipped during the month @ 2.99 per copy. That brings 6.00 in revenue for the month.

In that year, one reader dropped Spider Man due to OMD, the other continues reading. The one who continues reading now buys 3 copies of Spiderman shipping during the month @ 3.99 per copy. Marvel lost one reader but the other one makes up the difference.

Total revenue even with the loss: 12.00 in revenue for the month with one person buying. That spells SUCCESS even with the LOSS of said reader.

So the people STILL buying Spider Man will be paying an extra dollar per issue x 3 to compensate for the loss of those who aren't.

Why else do you think Marvel raised the price of Spider Man to 3.99 per issue? Is Spider Man that much better than all the other comics still retailing for 2.99?

Not one bit. That's just how Marvel is going to reward all the people who are going to continue buying Spidey. It masks the loss of those who are dropping it with a can't lose increase by frequency and price.

Like I said before, many (not all) comic readers are junkies. But those who are still buying Spider Man will buy whatever drivel is printed on the page, no matter how bad the material is or what the price is.

And Marvel has banked heavily on all you Spidey junkies who will still buy when many others stopped... and to prove their point, they're charging an extra dollar and you're all STILL buying it -- and bragging about it too.

Whatta deal! Even when Marvel loses, they win! Thanks Spidey Junkies!

[Matt Linton]

Comparing Dec 2001 and Dec 2007:

This is just a snapshot, but in December of 2001, the top twenty books sold a total of 1,557,938 copies. In December of 2007, the top twenty books sold a total of 1,812,042 copies. That's an increase of 255,104 books.

Now let's drop down to #100-120 on the sales chart. In December of 2001, you have a total of 342,434 copies sold. In December of 2007 you have 445,536. That's an increase of 103,102. And that's pretty much the bottom of the sales charts. After that you get into reorders.

Sales are up on monthly issues. Not dollars sold, but actual comics sold. That's a provable fact. There are any number of reasons why stores close, but it's not because sales are down, because they aren't.

And for the record, Amazing Spider-Man is the same price it was prior to One More Day. It was only a dollar extra for the first issue of Brand New Day, which had three back-up stories and a two page pin-up by JRjr.

December 2001 sales
http://www.icv2.com/articles/indepth/912.html

December 2007 sales
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/11939.html

[Matt Linton]

Also, they aren't shipping 3X as much Spider-Man. The second and third weeks of Amazing each month REPLACE Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Sensational Spider-Man. At the same price.

[brett tolino]

Boy Matt, I can see reading the numbers, Marvel and DC have really done a number on you, sad to say. Again, more product in 2007 than in 2001.

And why, whenever people bring up sales figures, do they ALWAYS compare figures to 2001?

2001 was one of the lowest sales points in comics history. The height of the speculation boom was in 1993-1994. From there, they went down, down and more down until they reached an all time low crash in 2001. So comparing anything to 2001 is going to look good. It's like comparing sales of anything 5 years after the depression to the year of the stock market crash of 1929. Of course everything looks great when comparing sales to its lowest point.

In 2001, you didn't have Countdown, 52, House of M (+ related tie ins) and Civil War (+ related tie ins).

Countdown is a weekly comic that even with a not so impressive figure of 70k readers, still increases volume output. The price for this weekly shipping comic is bringing in more revenue for the month even with less readers buying... because its shipping 70k more issues @ 2.99 per copy for each week during the month -- that did not exist in 2001.

So with even with tons of people who stopped buying comics between 2001 and 2007, the ones left buying in 2007 are making up for the loss by shelling out $16.00 a month more on weekly product in 2007 that didn't exist in 2001.

And lets not forget all the tie ins that exist now in 2007-08, that didn't exist in 2001.

Also , comic prices are higher in 2007 than in 2001.

You may want to check John Mayo's article posted on the site on 2/8.

Like the Spidey Stunt: Less people buying from one year to the next. Increase in product shows increase with loss. Last year, 2 people bought one spidey each during month. One person drops, Marvel increases frequency and the reader left buys 3 copies during month bringing in 1 more copy from one year to the next even with one less person buying.

Nuff said.

[Matt Linton]

Boy Matt, I can see reading the numbers, Marvel and DC have really done a number on you, sad to say.

Again Matt, more product in 2007 than in 2001.

In 2001, you didn't have Countdown, 52, House of M (related tie ins) and Civil War (related tie ins).

Countdown is a weekly which even with a not so impressive figure of 70k readers, still increases volume output. The price for this weekly shipping comic is bringing in more revenue for the month even with less readers buying... because its shipping 70k @ 2.99 per copy for each week during the month -- that did not exist in 2001. So with even with tons of people who stopped buying comics between 2001 and 2007, the ones left buying in 2007 are making up for the loss by shelling out $16.00 a month more in 2007 than in 2001.

And lets not forget all the tie ins that exist now in 2007-08, that didn't exist in 2001.

Also , comic prices are higher price in 2007 than in 2001.

You may want to check John Mayo's article posted on the site on 2/8.

If sales are so much better now than ever before, why are there less stores in existence now than in 2001? Are people just too foolish to open a store to do business in an industry that's selling better now than ever?

No, because the smart businessman understands and sees through the illusion. They understand more than the figures you quote which are easily manipulated by the industry by covering the loss of readers with more product at greater frequencies and higher prices for the readers who remain. Sales may be up but readership is down and on a downhill trend.

Like the Spidey Stunt: Less people buying from one year to the next. Increase in product and price shows increase with loss. Last year, 2 people bought one spidey each during month. One person drops, Marvel increases price and frequency and the reader left buys 3 copies during month at higher price.

Nuff said.

Wow. You're really not understanding a word I'm posting, are you? The numbers I listed are ACTUAL COMIC BOOKS SOLD. It has nothing at all to do with the number of titles, the price of the books, or the frequency with which they come out. They are ACTUAL COMIC BOOKS SOLD. Therefore, the number of comic books that are SOLD is higher now than it was 5 years ago. Therefore, SALES ARE HIGHER. Those aren't numbers from Marvel or DC, they're from Diamond.

And, AGAIN, THE PRICE OF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT WAS. It was higher for One More Day and THE FIRST ISSUE of Brand New Day. EVERY OTHER ISSUE OF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS THE SAME PRICE THAT IT WAS LAST YEAR.

The caps aren't me "yelling", for the record, they're to emphasize what I've now said three times and you keep misunderstanding or ignoring.

Why are there less comic stores now than in 2001?

-More outlets for people to get their comics (online stores, trade sales, etc).
-Poor management on the part of SOME retailers.
-Lower sales in SOME locations.

[brett tolino]

Also, they aren't shipping 3X as much Spider-Man. The second and third weeks of Amazing each month REPLACE Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Sensational Spider-Man. At the same price.

And the reason for that move was because Friendly Neighborhood and Spectacular weren't so spectactular in sales. Amazing sells more so cancel the other two, increase the one people ARE buying and the remaining readers are now buying 2 more copies per month (who weren't buying Friendly and Spectacular before).

[Matt Linton]

And the reason for that move was because Friendly Neighborhood and Spectacular weren't so spectactular in sales. Amazing sells more so cancel the other two, increase the one people ARE buying and the remaining readers are now buying 2 more copies per month (who weren't buying Friendly and Spectacular before).

Yes, I get that. But they aren't forcing anyone to buy all three issues a month. Comic companies are in the business to make money. It's their job to try and increase sales, and if more people wind up buying Amazing three times a month than bought Amazing/FNSM/Sensational, then that's a win for the company and for comic shops.

[brett tolino]

Wow. You're really not understanding a word I'm posting, are you? THE PRICE OF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT WAS. It was higher for One More Day and THE FIRST ISSUE of Brand New Day. EVERY OTHER ISSUE OF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IS THE SAME PRICE THAT IT WAS LAST YEAR.

.

Even at the same price, they can still say they're selling more and better than ever before... even with the loss of readers.

Here is the illusion: Watch and learn:

In June 2007 - two people buy a copy each of Amazing Spider Man @ 2.99 for the month. Total revenue: $6.00, Total copies sold: 2

In June 2008 - One person drops Spidey (OMD) and One keeps buying. Amazing is now 3x a month.

One person dropped = $0.00 revenue
The other person reading = 2.99 x 3.
Total Revenue: $9.00, Total copies sold = 3

Total loss of readers from 2007 to 2008 = 1
Total copies sold during the month = 3
Increase in copies sold during the month = 1
Increase in revenue from 2007 to 2008 = 3.00 more per month (with the loss of said reader).

Now Marvel can claim Spidey is a success. They're selling more copies and making more money. They still incuured a loss -- they lost a reader, they just increased the product output on the remaining reader to yield more copies sold during the month and higher revenue from the one person.

[Matt Linton]

There are a ton of factors you're not taking into account there. One, that model is only applicable to Amazing Spider-Man. Two, readers who weren't buying Amazing, but were buying FNSM or Sensational, or both, but who are now buying Amazing. Three, new readers who weren't buying any of the three titles, but jump on with Brand New Day. Either of those is just as likely as the scenario you put forth.

You're acting like this is some nefarious smoke-and-mirrors shell game that Marvel is trying to pull, but it's just them trying something different to increase sales. It might work and it might not, but I don't see where there's any sinister intent.

And as far as Marvel is concerned, if more issues are being sold each month, regardless of who is buying them, that's a success. No claiming necessary on their part.

[DeadXMan]

Even at the same price, they can still say they're selling more and better than ever before... even with the loss of readers.

Here is the illusion: Watch and learn:

In June 2007 - two people buy a copy each of Amazing Spider Man @ 2.99 for the month. Total revenue: $6.00, Total copies sold: 2

In June 2008 - One person drops Spidey (OMD) and One keeps buying. Amazing is now 3x a month.

One person dropped = $0.00 revenue
The other person reading = 2.99 x 3.
Total Revenue: $9.00, Total copies sold = 3

Total loss of readers from 2007 to 2008 = 1
Total copies sold during the month = 3
Increase in copies sold during the month = 1
Increase in revenue from 2007 to 2008 = 3.00 more per month (with the loss of said reader).

Now Marvel can claim Spidey is a success. They're selling more copies and making more money. They still incuured a loss -- they lost a reader, they just increased the product output on the remaining reader to yield more copies sold during the month and higher revenue from the one person.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r314/raggtyman/it%20tools/Makesmoresence.jpg

[ANewHope]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r314/raggtyman/it%20tools/Makesmoresence.jpg

This coming from the guy that always argues trivial positions.

Like, taking the pointless position that in World War Hulk, that "thumbs down"
from the Hulk didn't actually intend for Mr. Fantastic to finish killing Tony Stark.

And this is only one of the many examples that I remember , just about every post I've read of yours is absolute nonsense.

[DeadXMan]

that's because you fail to see the method in my madness. and when my dark plans for this and the next world have come to fruition. you will be a footnote in the pages of history.:evilsmile

[ANewHope]

that's because you fail to see the method in my madness. and when my dark plans for this and the next world have come to fruition. you will be a footnote in the pages of history.:evilsmile

Maybe I just had a bad day,

but this was actually the first comment of yours that I laughed at,

Perhaps you're growing on me, I hope not...

And apparently, we're both Spidey fans, I guess we just see things differently.. all you need to do is compare our avatars ^_^

[DaeJi]

Oh, sells will just repeat the same patten they always do when Marvel tries stunts like this (OMD isn't the first of it's kind, and it's not wholly unique). Sells will start up great, go to good, sell well, and then nose dive. And then we'll probably go back to the status quo of the marriage. And then something like this will happen again ten years down the line, but it will be "different" so it will work. And thus the cycle is renewed.

[Endless Flight]

You're acting like this is some nefarious smoke-and-mirrors shell game that Marvel is trying to pull

Sounds like what I'm thinking.

[Taniwha]

Amazing Spider-Man will sell no matter what. I bet it makes top ten for the first six months.

Specify terms. Top Ten of what? Marvel? or all comics weekly? Monthly?

What will you wager?

[darksaint124]

Specify terms. Top Ten of what? Marvel? or all comics weekly? Monthly?

What will you wager?

Finally,can you whip out the logic and revenue stick and start beating people with it.