CBR: Marvel Takes December Sales while DC Dominates Top Ten

[CBR News]

Marvel tops the direct market's overall dollar and unit share numbers in December, while DC Comics' New 52 continue to dominate the top ten comics chart.


Full article here (http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36301).

[0bsessions]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

[Charles RB]

Three months of dominance against Marvel and a 2% drop in the fourth is a pretty good showing. (If they slip further next month, then shut my mouth)

[KRAKABOOM!]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

AND eight books out of the top ten.
AND books selling better than they were a year ago at this time.
what a disaster!

[abysslord]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

DC doesn't double ship though or have quite as many sister titles as Marvel has for the big names. I read X-Men and Spider-Man related comics and in March (I think) I'll be getting 12 or more comics from Marvel. That's a little ridiculous even though I enjoy reading them ... but that's one reason Marvel tops the charts. Plus the $3.99 comics on all major titles.

[blopblopblop]

imagine where they'd be if they had simply fixed the broken books without rebooting everything and alienating a huge chunk of their lf fans.

[Farson89]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

DC are putting out maybe 70 books a month right now, Marvel are putting out well over a hundred, at least a dozen per month of them double-ship. DC's books are still outselling the average Marvel book by a hell of a lot, Marvel hold onto a large market share by flooding the market.



imagine where they'd be if they had simply fixed the broken books without rebooting everything and alienating a huge chunk of their lf fans.

They'd have a much smaller market share and lower sales, thinking otherwise is wilful silliness.

[glantern35]

It seems that month after month Marvel gets a few #1 issues in the top 10, then starting with issue #2 they drop out of the top 10. This month DC had 8 #4 issues in the top 10, next month they'll have 8 #5 issues in the top 10. DC ships fewer titles than Marvel and they are less expensive than Marvel books. You're not even comparing Apples to Apples here. And yeah, maybe Marvel has beaten them in a couple of metrics, but again, based on the number of extra titles Marvel has to ship, I'd say DC probably made more profit than Marvel. I'm sure if you added the digital sales as well, Marvel would have been #2 again.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

I'm not a stockholder of WB or Disney, so while Marvel Zombies wank to sales charts, I'm looking to read me some good funnybooks. DC only has had around 10 full blown turds in their pool post-New 52. Actually, Mister Terrific sucks bad enough that it's okay to count it twice. It's also okay to root for it's swift cancellation and the banishment from all involved from ever working in comics again. I'd rather read Archie gay military wedding comics, with a 48-page XXX-rated graphic honeymoon special edition, guest-starring KISS (without make-up) than this crap. Seriously, DC, WTF? How is Hawk & Dove NOT your worst title? Who lost a bet and had to release an April Fool's Joke as a monthly comic?

Luckily, DC also has some of the best comics to hit the mainstream comics market in decades. Sure, more people might want to read Deadpool Team-up Corps or Wolverine: The Best There Is, Bub, just ask Jubilee when she turns 18, if you know what I mean, wink, wink over Animal Man or Swamp Thing, but more people would rather buy Lady Gaga over Sarah Brightman too. Taste is subjective, so any internal references to the citizens of Idiocracy will only for for my own personal musings.

Across town, Marvel has MAYBE 10 titles TOTAL that are actually worth reading. If you can afford that many Marvel comics. What are they $8.99, all published five times a month now? You gotta be in the top 1% to be a dedicated Marvel Zombie these days.

[Iangould]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

Assuming Marvel's market share doesn't decline next month.

[Iangould]

Other things to note:

1. Image did exceptionally with almost 7% dollar share one of the strongest dollar shares for a non-Big Two publisher in a long time.

2. December was a lousy month over all with sales down 16% in dollar terms from November (but wasn't November a 5-Wednesdays month?) and down 4% from last December dragging the entire year back into negative growth after it briefly turned positive in November.

3. Despite weak sales in December compare the Q4 2011 figure with Q4 2010, then tell me again how comics are doomed.

[Leocomix]

It is so utterly bizarre to see these DC books in the top ten when they're nothing special (only Batman and Action deserve to be there). Justice League has been pretty bad and it's 3.99. Yet it's #1.
I guess the jump on the new universe bandwagon crowd is much larger than I thought or it buys a lot of copies.

[Farson89]

It is so utterly bizarre to see these DC books in the top ten when they're nothing special (only Batman and Action deserve to be there). Justice League has been pretty bad and it's 3.99. Yet it's #1.
I guess the jump on the new universe bandwagon crowd is much larger than I thought or it buys a lot of copies.

You're right, it really is bizarre to see new comics staring popular and world famous characters selling well during a major marketing initiative. What a crazy world we live in.

[Captain Planet]

It is so utterly bizarre to see these DC books in the top ten when they're nothing special (only Batman and Action deserve to be there). Justice League has been pretty bad and it's 3.99. Yet it's #1.
I guess the jump on the new universe bandwagon crowd is much larger than I thought or it buys a lot of copies.

I'm interested to see what happens to some of these comics, like Justice League, when the first full story arc finishes. I don't buy monthlies but I'm buying JL and Action Comics for the first 7 issues or so just to see where it goes.

I do love the competition though. Hopefully it will keep everyone on their toes.

[Captain Planet]

You're right, it really is bizarre to see new comics staring popular and world famous characters selling well during a major marketing initiative. What a crazy world we live in.

I think that's his point. I'm not saying I agree with it but it very well could be that its more marketing rather then good storytelling pushing some of these top 10s.

[Genki Sudo]

I think that's his point. I'm not saying I agree with it but it very well could be that its more marketing rather then good storytelling pushing some of these top 10s.

This, I see ads and interviews for the top usual books as well as the surprise ones like Animal Man but other then that DC seems to not give two turds about anything outside of that including the vertigo books

[CagedLeo730]

Other things to note:

1. Image did exceptionally with almost 7% dollar share one of the strongest dollar shares for a non-Big Two publisher in a long time.

2. December was a lousy month over all with sales down 16% in dollar terms from November (but wasn't November a 5-Wednesdays month?) and down 4% from last December dragging the entire year back into negative growth after it briefly turned positive in November.

3. Despite weak sales in December compare the Q4 2011 figure with Q4 2010, then tell me again how comics are doomed.

December 2010 was a 5 week month as well.

[CagedLeo730]

I think that's his point. I'm not saying I agree with it but it very well could be that its more marketing rather then good storytelling pushing some of these top 10s.

It could also be that people like the story and keep picking it up. I don't care about Detective but there are people who seem to like it. Good storytelling is subjective just like in any other media.

[Captain Planet]

It could also be that people like the story and keep picking it up. I don't care about Detective but there are people who seem to like it. Good storytelling is subjective just like in any other media.

Definitely true, but as we all know the value of some things are more inter-subjectively agreed upon then others.

I don't think it would be easy to judge which of the 2 arguments are correct since there are strong cases for both. Marketing does often push through items that otherwise would be considered not valuable. On the other hand they could all be great books. But again, that is subjective so it can't be said definitively. Which is why these are our opinions.

[Jackraow21]

X-Sanction is the #1 Marvel book for December. Cable owns the charts once again! It's like 1992 all over again. Whoo.

[Frank]

It's quite a massacre from DC's part. Marvel keep it up by having more books and flooding the market but they are clearly behind.

[the4thpip]

It is so utterly bizarre to see these DC books in the top ten when they're nothing special (only Batman and Action deserve to be there). Justice League has been pretty bad and it's 3.99. Yet it's #1.
I guess the jump on the new universe bandwagon crowd is much larger than I thought or it buys a lot of copies.

I agree that many of those Top 10 books are average, but I'll turn into grumpy old man and point out that a lot of the current Marvel books are ridiculously lame.
"How can we milk our formerly successful concepts one more time?"

[momaw]

Is it flooding the market if those books are selling?

At the end of the day, the overall sales comparison based on raw numbers is pretty silly and meaningless due to the differences in volume and pricing. Now if they could produce a chart showing the return per book, it's pretty obvious DC would be well ahead (i.e. they have less books released but generate the same $$$'s according to these figures).

I don't care who's ahead just so long as "comics" are profitable and remain affordable. That way I can keep buying.

[the4thpip]

Is it flooding the market if those books are selling?

At the end of the day, the overall sales comparison based on raw numbers is pretty silly and meaningless due to the differences in volume and pricing. Now if they could produce a chart showing the return per book, it's pretty obvious DC would be well ahead (i.e. they have less books released but generate the same $$$'s according to these figures).

I don't care who's ahead just so long as "comics" are profitable and remain affordable. That way I can keep buying.
I think making your successful comics biweekly because you can't think of anything else does constitute "flooding the market" as it is the measure most likely to draw spending power away from newer books and lower selling titles.

There is also a risk of it affecting the quality long-term and damaging the brand. Remember how rushed Silvestri's art looked during the biweekly Uncanny X-Men summers in the 90s?

[Hromovlad]

Pretty much cements one point

Marvel's about quantity, DC about quality

[Hromovlad]

imagine where they'd be if they had simply fixed the broken books without rebooting everything and alienating a huge chunk of their lf fans.

They'd be where they were a year ago

[Devan]

I'm not a stockholder of WB or Disney, so while Marvel Zombies wank to sales charts, I'm looking to read me some good funnybooks. DC only has had around 10 full blown turds in their pool post-New 52. Actually, Mister Terrific sucks bad enough that it's okay to count it twice. It's also okay to root for it's swift cancellation and the banishment from all involved from ever working in comics again. I'd rather read Archie gay military wedding comics, with a 48-page XXX-rated graphic honeymoon special edition, guest-starring KISS (without make-up) than this crap. Seriously, DC, WTF? How is Hawk & Dove NOT your worst title? Who lost a bet and had to release an April Fool's Joke as a monthly comic?

Luckily, DC also has some of the best comics to hit the mainstream comics market in decades. Sure, more people might want to read Deadpool Team-up Corps or Wolverine: The Best There Is, Bub, just ask Jubilee when she turns 18, if you know what I mean, wink, wink over Animal Man or Swamp Thing, but more people would rather buy Lady Gaga over Sarah Brightman too. Taste is subjective, so any internal references to the citizens of Idiocracy will only for for my own personal musings.

Across town, Marvel has MAYBE 10 titles TOTAL that are actually worth reading. If you can afford that many Marvel comics. What are they $8.99, all published five times a month now? You gotta be in the top 1% to be a dedicated Marvel Zombie these days.

That isn't a fair statement. Marvel publishes a lot of great books. Too many to name, in fact. The Marvel architects (Remender, Hickman, Gillen etc.) and up-and-comers (Asmus, Williams) are writing the hell out of their respective titles.

It's a no-brainer that DC's pantheon (Superman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Justice League) will sell with the high-profile creative teams. It's more interesting to watch how their second-tier characters perform in the long run.

A few years ago, after the conclusion of Infinite Crisis and the launch of DC's One Year Later -initiative, it looked as though DC would wrestle the top-publisher position from Marvel as they had superstar creators on each and every one of their top characters (Morrison and Dini on Batman, Busiek and Johns on Superman et al.) Stangely enough, it didn't work out that way. DC's iconic characters, which generally are less constrained by continuity issues, will always outsell their Marvel counterparts, provided they're produced by big-name creators.

[Devan]

Pretty much cements one point

Marvel's about quantity, DC about quality

That, good sir, is a load of bullsh*t.

[Predabot]

A few years ago, after the conclusion of Infinite Crisis and the launch of DC's One Year Later -initiative, it looked as though DC would wrestle the top-publisher position from Marvel as they had superstar creators on each and every one of their top characters (Morrison and Dini on Batman, Busiek and Johns on Superman et al.) Stangely enough, it didn't work out that way. DC's iconic characters, which generally are less constrained by continuity issues, will always outsell their Marvel counterparts, provided they're produced by big-name creators.
Aren't you trying to disprove yourself with this statement? At one part, you're using an example of when DC's iconic heroes, even though they had superstar creators on them, DIDN'T outsell Marvels characters with similar top-class creators, yet just below it you say that THEY ALWAYS DO?

How can you make a point when you're contradicting yourself??

[the4thpip]

That, good sir, is a load of bullsh*t.

But Chris Claremont hid that statement as an inside-joke in an Excalibur special decades ago.

[timeismoney]

Well when DC returnability end a few of those title will find it hard to get into the top 10 and people stop talking Marvel flooding the market hell they was doing that before DC new 52 at the end of the day DC want be able to hold Marvel off and this me talking as a DC fan as DC lower titles keep falling they will soon be behind Marvel completely and with the AVX coming DC better think of something fast.

[abysslord]

One thing I never see mentioned is these are just the sales numbers, correct? Those are completely meaningless unless we know how much Marvel/DC are paying to create these books. Profit is the most important thing when you're looking at stuff like this.

[Just Endless]

While I'd love to poke fun at DC for launching a brilliant marketing campaign without first making sure everything they are publishing is not garbage, the truth of it is, and no one else seems to notice this:

X-Sanction is #5.

That one little fact basically kills any intelligent market discussion that can be had. Seriously, this is the market you're all talking about, where absolute garbage does this well.

[Devan]

Aren't you trying to disprove yourself with this statement? At one part, you're using an example of when DC's iconic heroes, even though they had superstar creators on them, DIDN'T outsell Marvels characters with similar top-class creators, yet just below it you say that THEY ALWAYS DO?

How can you make a point when you're contradicting yourself??

I should have elaborated on this. It didn't work out because the artists failed to produce work on a montly basis. Rags Morales had been announced as penciller on one of the Batman titles, but basically no-showed. J.H. Williams III produced the art for 1(!) issue of Detective Comics before vanishing for a few months. Heinberg's and Dodson's Wonder Woman never shipped. I remember a lot of DC's titles not shipping regularly during that time (apart from 52).

I stand by my statement: the bulk of DC's icon titles will sell in large quantities provided they're produced by top talent and ship regularly.

[the goddamn batman]

Williams was only brought on to do one issue of Tec, I thought.
I don't believe it was ever stated he was the new regular artist.
Much as I would have loved that, it wasn't ever the plan.

That whole Dini run was rotating artists until they found don kramer.

And Williams has been solidly on point since signing with DC.




Also, Kudos to The Walking Dead for continually topping the GN charts!

[the4thpip]

Well when DC returnability end a few of those title will find it hard to get into the top 10 and people stop talking Marvel flooding the market hell they was doing that before DC new 52 at the end of the day DC want be able to hold Marvel off and this me talking as a DC fan as DC lower titles keep falling they will soon be behind Marvel completely and with the AVX coming DC better think of something fast.

I know time is money and all that, but punctuation does not take THAT long to add to a post.

[RolandJP]

Who is number one in the swimsuit and employees laid off category?

[Captain Planet]

Pretty much cements one point

Marvel's about quantity, DC about quality

Oh, so that's all a company needs to do to be successful. Just flood the market product. It doesn't even have to be good. How has every company that ever existed not clued into this yet? You should let Kodak, Borders, Sony and Blockbuster know about your refined business strategy.

[Charles RB]

DC are putting out maybe 70 books a month right now, Marvel are putting out well over a hundred, at least a dozen per month of them double-ship.

Good point. That makes it less special: all that extra product and Marvel can only get a 2% lead.



1. Image did exceptionally with almost 7% dollar share one of the strongest dollar shares for a non-Big Two publisher in a long time.


What's caused that? (Aside from Walking Dead's continued success)

[LightningBug]

Once evey six months or so I check out one of these diamond sales chart related forums and laugh my @$$ off because it's the exact same conversation every time:

DC Fan: DC Wins because it has less books but they are better!!!!

Marvel Fan: Marvel Wins because they had more unit share and market share!!!

DC Fan: No way jerk! Marvel floods the market. I'm right on account of science or something.

Marvel Fan: You're the jerk! DC is just jealous!



Don't you guys ever get tired of this conversation?

[Rasputin9977]

Well, that didn't take long.

So there you have it, a complete reboot and epic marketing campaign buys exactly three months worth of market share dominance.

The thing is, Marvel has the market share because they tend to flood the market, tend to price gouge and double ship. The fact that DC even beat Marvel on the market share for those months was damn good. DC still dominates the top ten though so clearly more fans enjoy DC over Marvel. If DC did the same gimicks as Marvel (price gouging, etc) then they would obviously get the market share.

[Rasputin9977]

I know time is money and all that, but punctuation does not take THAT long to add to a post.

No need to be so rude. Dude may be typing on a cell phone and it's easier to avoid punctuation on those things.

[Iangould]

What's caused that? (Aside from Walking Dead's continued success)

We don't have the Top 300 figures yet but looking at the GN chart I'd say it is mostly Walking Dead - volume 15 shipped in December.

[PsychoGoatee]

Either way, kudos to Image for rocking the 3rd space slot like usual.

Those top 300 sales charts are mostly interesting for me to see how my fav comics are selling, usually not in the top 100.

[Predabot]

I was a bit upset IDW didn't rock the third place anymore myself. =( I thought it was really cool when they actually beat Image for a month or two there! A big testament to Chris Ryall and crew, imho.

I think they're even down to 5th place again this time, ain't they..?

[Iangould]

I was a bit upset IDW didn't rock the third place anymore myself. =( I thought it was really cool when they actually beat Image for a month or two there! A big testament to Chris Ryall and crew, imho.

I think they're even down to 5th place again this time, ain't they..?

Image, Dark Horse and IDW swap the third place slot around pretty regularly.

As far as dollar share goes, IDW's sales are dominated by those big Artist Edition books which only come out a few tiems a year.

[okpanic]

Across town, Marvel has MAYBE 10 titles TOTAL that are actually worth reading. If you can afford that many Marvel comics. What are they $8.99, all published five times a month now? You gotta be in the top 1% to be a dedicated Marvel Zombie these days.

Rollin' my eyes out of my damn head.

[Carmaicol]

I'm here just to point out that Wolverine:The best there is was an awesome book and I really liked while it lasted.

All that market share talk doesn't bother me as long as Marvel keep publishing Thunderbolts and Avengers Academy.

[Hromovlad]

That, good sir, is a load of bullsh*t.

don't be in denial, bro

[Hromovlad]

Oh, so that's all a company needs to do to be successful. Just flood the market product. It doesn't even have to be good. How has every company that ever existed not clued into this yet? You should let Kodak, Borders, Sony and Blockbuster know about your refined business strategy.

I think they already do that

[Hromovlad]

DC Fan: DC Wins because it has less books but they are better!!!!

Marvel Fan: Marvel Wins because they had more unit share and market share!!!

DC Fan: No way jerk! Marvel floods the market. I'm right on account of science or something.

Marvel Fan: You're the jerk! DC is just jealous!





I have yet to see any DC employee acting jealous

[Hromovlad]

If DC did the same gimicks as Marvel (price gouging, etc) then they would obviously get the market share.

That, or people would simply get pissed-off and leave

[Hromovlad]

more detailed analysis of the sales (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36333)

[dupersuper]

Meh. As long as DC keeps putting out Superman books and PAD's on X-Factor they're both getting some $ from me.

[Steward Ace]

Image, Dark Horse and IDW swap the third place slot around pretty regularly.



I'd really like to know how Archie does on a monthly basis, but their books being sold primarily on the newstand market makes comparison difficult. I'd be very surprised if Archie doesn't sell enough books to keep them in contention as the third-place publisher, though.