Market Share: Marvel vs. DC

[mikekerrIII]

BUT if DC can't be Marvel with their new effort, (relaunch) then Marvel truly wins. This is about popularity, and market share. The one on top wins. And if DC can't take the lead now, they never will. Then it will be proof that Marvel is and continues to be the "BEST" company.

Bigger means better, Ford makes more money than Ferrari but I would not callthier product better

Whem Marvel average sale per book matches DCs I might concede that Marvel might be better but that is a long way from reality

[Chris Beveridge]

If we're using sales as the barometer, then why are we only looking the the Big Two's sales in the US Direct Market? They sell via a host of other channels as well; overseas sales, digital, subscriptions, newsagents, overseas reprints, and bookstores all spring to mind. Can we say with certainty that Marvel or DC are the better of the two when we don't know their combined sales?

Never mind the non-US comics publishers that apparently manage quite well...

If we look at overseas sales, we have to see that comics originating in other countries blow US comics out of the water in terms of sales globally.

[Wild Styles]

Who gives a crap? It just amazes me how some comic fans act when the comic book industry as a whole is in a decline. I swear both big companies have terrible fan boys on the internet. The DC super fans are just as bad.

It isn't a coincidence that Marvel have consistently outsold DC for, what, 30 years or so now? It's an indication that, in the long run, more people have generally preferred Marvel's output.

Now he does make a point. I'm sure somebody could make the argument that more people generally prefer Marvel as a whole going by sales but I'm not a big sales person so I won't.

I mean, I rarely look at sales but I was amazed at the fact that Fear Itself and the Avenger titles sold well. On here, I get the impression that Marvel's events, The Avengers, and New Avengers are terrible but people outside of the net continue to support them with money. It's just a real eye opener.

[XPac]

I think marvel taking the lead in market share long term is an indication that they are DOING better than DC.

But you can't exactly say they ARE better... that's a bit too subjective.

[superchick]

Yes but my argument here is that over time Marvel have been more successful at maintaining a larger number of core titles. As you mentioned, DC have limited virtually everything to the big 7. Marvel don't have a big 7 and have a larger stable of characters that matter (so to speak), that's why they put out more titles. If there was no demand for product, Marvel wouldn't push it. Honestly, it's the same reason why DC publish a number of Batman (which i am sure will still expand) and GL titles, people want them and they give it to them.

Using R.E.B.E.L.S as an example. DC never publicised why your average fan should read the title. As it was they knew they could rely on a subset of Legion fans because of the tangental connection, then they added a few no name Green Lanterns to the title hoping some of those fans would migrate over. The only good move they had was tying the title to Blackest Night to show people it wasn't on the fringe of the DCU but that didn't last.

DC's belief that the big 7 JLA should be the epicentre of everything is ignoring a giant fact. The 'new' concepts that have been most successful have come out of 'important' crossovers. 52 for example spawned a Booster Gold series that lasted longer than his original. Renee Montoya's Question became a big player. Brightest Day has given Hawk and Dove as well as Deadman a head start because they seem vital.

I think your average DC fan believes you could get away with keeping up with the DCU by sticking with Batman, Superman, The Flash and Green Lantern because as far as I remember there hasn't been a big crossover event they weren't important or central to in the last 10 years beyond the failed Amazon's attack. Maybe DC should use the big 7 in events as an entry point and showcase its other characters instead to bolster the entire line.

Compare that to Marvel who plasters almost its entire line with 'Fear Itself'. On the plus side it brings more readers in, on the downside it alienates readers like me who just don't care about the crap Odin is pulling this time.

[SpideyCzar]

I like Marvel's characters better always have so in my view they will always be my personal choice as best comic company. DC I only follow their characters depending on the creative team on the title.

[USERNAME TAKEN]

Using R.E.B.E.L.S as an example. DC never publicised why your average fan should read the title. As it was they knew they could rely on a subset of Legion fans because of the tangental connection, then they added a few no name Green Lanterns to the title hoping some of those fans would migrate over. The only good move they had was tying the title to Blackest Night to show people it wasn't on the fringe of the DCU but that didn't last.

DC's belief that the big 7 JLA should be the epicentre of everything is ignoring a giant fact. The 'new' concepts that have been most successful have come out of 'important' crossovers. 52 for example spawned a Booster Gold series that lasted longer than his original. Renee Montoya's Question became a big player. Brightest Day has given Hawk and Dove as well as Deadman a head start because they seem vital.

I think your average DC fan believes you could get away with keeping up with the DCU by sticking with Batman, Superman, The Flash and Green Lantern because as far as I remember there hasn't been a big crossover event they weren't important or central to in the last 10 years beyond the failed Amazon's attack. Maybe DC should use the big 7 in events as an entry point and showcase its other characters instead to bolster the entire line.

Compare that to Marvel who plasters almost its entire line with 'Fear Itself'. On the plus side it brings more readers in, on the downside it alienates readers like me who just don't care about the crap Odin is pulling this time.

Very,very true.

What DC did with Blackest Night and Green Lantern was nothing short of phenomenal. I also think DC need to tie their universe together more tightly. Perception goes a long way in sales and if the public perceives R.E.B.E.L.S as a title that doesn't matter, they won't buy it.

[turok]

True quality can only be measured in sales. Since personal opinion and likeability is all subjective, the only way to get a true reading of quality is sales.

So I guess Britney Spears is one of the greatest musicians of all time.




Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[merrick97]

Marvel needs to give it a freakin rest with the damn crossovers.


I kind of wish Marvel would pull X-men out of the current Marvel universe and allow them to exist in their own universe in which they are the only heroes and villians.

I mean mutants are always persecuted, but Spiderman could be considered a mutant (eventhough he is not) but yet he is treated well.

[USArmyParatrooper]

Bigger means better, Ford makes more money than Ferrari but I would not callthier product better

Whem Marvel average sale per book matches DCs I might concede that Marvel might be better but that is a long way from reality

Please explain what you mean by "average sale per book."

[USArmyParatrooper]

I think marvel taking the lead in market share long term is an indication that they are DOING better than DC.

But you can't exactly say they ARE better... that's a bit too subjective.

/Thread.

Or at least it should, but won't. Numbers don't lie so it's just a matter of fact that Marvel has consistently beat DC in terms of sales and profitability.

I personally believe Marvel is "better" in terms of characters and stories that I like. But I also recognize that is my completely subjective opinion and personal taste. This is really a silly debate.

[new_onslaught]

True quality can only be measured in sales. Since personal opinion and likeability is all subjective, the only way to get a true reading of quality is sales. (Not talking personal tastes and opinions, just facts)

After all DC has done recently, to get back in the game, and barely taking the lead in sales for September in what seems like the first time ever, and if after all that work, they cannot keep the lead they've taken? Well then the facts will show that Marvel is a better company.

Better chatacters.

Better storylines.

Better Creators.

Better universe where stories are told.

The fact that Marvel outsells DC is the only valid proof in the great debate. (Based on fact, not opinion)

The fact that Marvel makes more comics and sells more actually points to Marvel being capable of creating more books their fans want and selling them. When a company is more popular, they can create more books. If they're popularity dies, they will create less books.

(So when fans claim that Marvel "only sells more books because they make more books," this truly points to the fact that Marvel is a more successful brand with fans and entertaining them)

These thoughts are in the back of every true Marvel fans minds. Always knowing that DC is inferior in general, but not sure how to express it.

They're popularity relies heavily on 1 character: Batman. By example, DC has grown his popularity into many successful books like: Batman, Detective Comics, Robin, Batgirl, Batwoman, Batman & Robin, Catwoman, Red Hood, Batwing, Nightwing, Birds of Prey, JLA, Batman: The Dark Knight, Penguin, & Batman: Earth One. All ONE characters spinoffs.

Marvel's success comes from multiple characters and their storylines, largely dependent on the likeability of: Avengers characters, X-Men characters, and Spider-Man characters. This well established universe of characters and stories provides a wealth of entertainment that month after month, more fans/readers show up for in mass. Marvel is a better company because more fans allow Marvel to be more successful than DC.

But if DC can't succeed after all this? Time to give props to the BEST comic book company in the biz. MARVEL, baby. Your Universe!

(This thread is for discussion on how the new DC sales initiative impacts the greatest comics debate, of which company truly is, the definitive BEST)

While a lot of what you write here isn't completely right, I will only comment on the bold part. Is Avatar (the highest-grossing film of all time) more qualitative than 2001: A Space Odyssey (I picked another sci-fi movie). Don't get me wrong, I liked Avatar, but there is a difference in enjoyment and quality.
The reason quality doesn't show in sales is that for some qualitative products (in every coltural aspect) you might need some backup education in order to get it. For example, the movie "The Tree of Life" was very qualitative, but was hard to follow for the average person, because it was full of metaphores.
I don't mean in any way that Marvel fans are less educated than DC fans. Only that Marvel stories and characters are easier to follow. I started with Marvel for this very reason, but gradually I found more depth in DC stories. So, no sales do not equal quality.

[RDMacQ]

So I guess Britney Spears is one of the greatest musicians of all time.




Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

And the Transformers films are the greatest thing since Citizen Kaine.

And Jersey Shore is one of the best television shows out there, given the ratings it pulls in.

[RDMacQ]

To get to the subject at hand, no, I don't think we can agree that Marvel is "better" than DC.

Both companies have their strengths and weaknesses, in terms of characters, history, marketing strategy, media presence, ect, ect. It's not a "Marvel=Good, DC=Bad" as I once believes when I was 11 or 12. It's a personal preference thing. I'll always consider myself a Marvel Zombie, but I find myself enjoying and following a lot more DC books these days. Which contrasts how I was when I was younger, when I loved the Batman films and cartoons, but only read Marvel comics.

In the end, it's not about which company is "better," but which company you "prefer." Which company or universe speaks to your personal likes and dislikes. I don't think there will ever be a final "ruling" that determines one universe better than the other. They both could stand some improvement, and there are things that both shouldn't change.

[new_onslaught]

Can't we just say that there's good and bad from BOTH Marvel and DC?
I mean, take the both from both worlds, not just isolate yourself!

Exactly. Each company has products for different tastes.