CBR: Sales Estimates for December, 2011 - Marvel Edges Into Top Spot

[CBR News]

Marvel took lead in number of comics sold and total dollar amount in December, edging out DC Comics for the final month of 2011, though DC maintained its hold on the top of the charts with eight of the top ten titles.


Full article here.

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

With almost twice as many comics for the month, much of which are 33% more expensive than the majority of DC's output, Marvel still only managed to slightly edge DC in dollar share and did just a tad better in total number of units sold.

A standard issue of Justice League (no events or tie-ins) outsold the prelude to Marvel's "next big thing" by 50,000 units, while a standard issue of Batman (again, no events) outsold it by 40,000 units. Even Detective Comics, which if you believe various internet forums, everyone stopped reading months ago because 'it sucked', only sold 4,000 units less than Marvel's top selling comic.

Maybe DC needs to follow Marvel's example if they want market/dollar dominance: raise every comic to $3.99 and double ship half of their line-up every month.

In all seriousness, given DC's dominance of the Top 10, they could probably make up dollar share alone by making Superman, Green Lantern and Flash 30 pagers. Add a Sinestro back-up to GL once Hal gets a ring again. Give a Tales of the Corp back-up to GL Corps like they used to do in the 80s. (Most of Alan Moore's GL work was in these strips. These were a fantastic way to see more of the Corps.) Add a Kid Flash or Wally West back-up to Flash. Maybe make Superman a single 30-pager every month. Jurgens is more than capable of whipping out a page a day. With the A-list talent they're bringing to these titles I'm really not sure it would hurt sales much. So far, people seem fairly excited about getting 10 more pages of Snyder's Batman for an extra $1 a month. (That preview art is gorgeous.) Why not the rest? 50% more comic for only 33% more money.

[BrotherUnitNo_4]

@MichaelPaytonMZ

Twice as many what now?

On to more important things, the problem for DC is that the majority of DC's books still haven't yet found their level except oddly enough Aquaman.

[Biolizard]

They might not have the official sales/dollar share title this month, but DC clearly have the most popular books thanks to The New 52 effort.

Maybe DC needs to follow Marvel's example if they want market/dollar dominance: raise every comic to $3.99 and double ship half of their line-up every month.

Not sure if sarcastic or serious? Double-shipping and $3.99 really put me off grabbing a book; that's an extra £5.80 a month I'd spend on a single ongoing, and I'd worry about the consistency of art if you've got alternating artists indefinitely (I accept that all books occasionally have a guest artist for a month); the story potentially too.

In all seriousness, given DC's dominance of the Top 10, they could probably make up dollar share alone by making Superman, Green Lantern and Flash 30 pagers. Add a Sinestro back-up to GL once Hal gets a ring again. Give a Tales of the Corp back-up to GL Corps like they used to do in the 80s. (Most of Alan Moore's GL work was in these strips. These were a fantastic way to see more of the Corps.) Add a Kid Flash or Wally West back-up to Flash. Maybe make Superman a single 30-pager every month. Jurgens is more than capable of whipping out a page a day. With the A-list talent they're bringing to these titles I'm really not sure it would hurt sales much. So far, people seem fairly excited about getting 10 more pages of Snyder's Batman for an extra $1 a month. (That preview art is gorgeous.) Why not the rest? 50% more comic for only 33% more money.

Would definitely like a Sinestro backup in GL. He's grown so much as a character under Johns's run that he deserves some panel-time of his own.

An ongoing Tales of the Corps backup in GLC would rock (or GLNG actually, to keep GLC more of a 'pure' book; some people are fed up of the Spectrum, and GLNG actually sells more atm) exploring what other Corps are up to (with the exception of the Red Lanterns for obvious reasons, and Indigo since they're a mystery for now at least).

Not so keen on a Kid Flash/Wally West backup though; keep this book a fast (like its titular character) read and cheaper at $2.99.

[Prodigy X]

With almost twice as many comics for the month, much of which are 33% more expensive than the majority of DC's output, Marvel still only managed to slightly edge DC in dollar share and did just a tad better in total number of units sold.

A standard issue of Justice League (no events or tie-ins) outsold the prelude to Marvel's "next big thing" by 50,000 units, while a standard issue of Batman (again, no events) outsold it by 40,000 units. Even Detective Comics, which if you believe various internet forums, everyone stopped reading months ago because 'it sucked', only sold 4,000 units less than Marvel's top selling comic.

Maybe DC needs to follow Marvel's example if they want market/dollar dominance: raise every comic to $3.99 and double ship half of their line-up every month.

In all seriousness, given DC's dominance of the Top 10, they could probably make up dollar share alone by making Superman, Green Lantern and Flash 30 pagers. Add a Sinestro back-up to GL once Hal gets a ring again. Give a Tales of the Corp back-up to GL Corps like they used to do in the 80s. (Most of Alan Moore's GL work was in these strips. These were a fantastic way to see more of the Corps.) Add a Kid Flash or Wally West back-up to Flash. Maybe make Superman a single 30-pager every month. Jurgens is more than capable of whipping out a page a day. With the A-list talent they're bringing to these titles I'm really not sure it would hurt sales much. So far, people seem fairly excited about getting 10 more pages of Snyder's Batman for an extra $1 a month. (That preview art is gorgeous.) Why not the rest? 50% more comic for only 33% more money.

Total Items sold: DC 84/ Marvel 89

Where is this twice as many stuff coming from?

[ropeburn39]

So...Omac "done right" isn't doing so well? Did not see that coming.

[0bsessions]

They might not have the official sales/dollar share title this month, but DC clearly have the most popular books thanks to The New 52 effort.

Coming off of the biggest comic book marketing push in recent memory and a grand total of 52 number one issues to boost sales. Most New 52 titles are just finishing opening arcs (And some aren't even threw). Only four months in and Marvel has basically closed the gap (A misnomer even, DC has just short of leveled out). Less than a third of a year into New 52 and DC is less than a $1,000,000 ahead in total dollars than they were in the last month prior to the reboot or even a year ago.

Meanwhile, Marvel is well behind just pre-New 52 numbers, but barely off from 2010's December figures (Less than $100,000 down from last year and only 37,000 total units down from last December).

Basically, Marvel is holding steady on their usual performance and while DC is way up on previous numbers, the current trend points to DC being right back where they were by summer at the latest, which is what most rational people old enough to remember Heroes Reborn expected to happen.

Considering DC have nothing big on the immediate horizon and Marvel's got a massive crossover between their two biggest franchises in the offing, the odds of DC staying within spitting distance of Marvel sales wise are slim.

The only thing on the horizon that I can see potentially keeping DC close is Bendis leaving Avengers (Like him or not, Bendis sells).

[0bsessions]

Total Items sold: DC 84/ Marvel 89

Where is this twice as many stuff coming from?

Baseless rhetoric?

[sonicx1977]

Why did Rachel Rising lost 50% off its sales. Entry 268. I dont understand that...

Savage Dragon gained 370 readers due to the Osama issue. I thought it would be more...

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

Savage Dragon gained 370 readers due to the Osama issue. I thought it would be more...

I don't think O's quite as marketable these days.

[sonicx1977]

Nonethless, it was a fun issue.

But i wonder what happend to Rachel Rising? There wasnt a big let down in issue 3, so no reason to stop reading...

Sigh, the really good books are not appreciated

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

An ongoing Tales of the Corps backup in GLC would rock (or GLNG actually, to keep GLC more of a 'pure' book; some people are fed up of the Spectrum, and GLNG actually sells more atm) exploring what other Corps are up to (with the exception of the Red Lanterns for obvious reasons, and Indigo since they're a mystery for now at least)..

With 7200+ members of the Green Lantern Corps, there wouldn't be the slightest need to dive into the other Corps for any sort of "Tales of the Corps" story material. Maybe use GLNG for that sort of feature. I agree that would fit better. As much as the $3.99 price point turns so many people off, give them something they WANT to read (like Synder's extra Batman content) and I think people would be ok with it. It's when you get stuck with a 19-20 page comic for $3.99 and then ship them twice a month that people start having issues.

[Sabrewulf]

There has been a lot of discussion about who won what this month.

In my eyes when you have Animal Man, Supergirl, Red Hood, Catwoman, beating Thor who had a movie out last year, 4 months in there is only one company that is getting it right.

If DC increased its output by a 1/3rd and kept the lower selling titles around Marvel really wouldnt stand a chance.

[0bsessions]

There has been a lot of discussion about who won what this month.

In my eyes when you have Animal Man, Supergirl, Red Hood, Catwoman, beating Thor who had a movie out last year, 4 months in there is only one company that is getting it right.

If DC increased its output by a 1/3rd and kept the lower selling titles around Marvel really wouldnt stand a chance.

That MIGHT be a valid point if not for the fact the titular character who starred in said movie was killed off two issues ago, likely negating any significant movie boost.

Captain America, however, managed to outsell all of those titles. Both issues of it even.