Will DC start publishing more like Marvel in 2013 to regain market dominance?

[glennsim]

Prices tend to go down in the secundary market later, usually...

In the long run, sure, but if issues #32 and 33 come out this month, and you just buy #32 this month, it's possible #33 may have gone up in price (temporarily) next month. There's also availability to consider.

Of course, I'm also probably considering the fact that I get them at a discount by buying through a vendor like Discount Comic Book Service, but I have to order both issues for a given month at the same time. So I would be paying full price if I waited a month which would be an increase (relatively speaking).

All of which is me trying to rationalize why people who don't like double-shipping don't just buy one issue of the series each month, in order, over time. "Keeping up" doesn't seem like a good enough reason if there are budget considerations.

[Bruce Kent]

One thing to consider against double-shipping: in Europe, comics are mostly sold in hardcovers telling a full story. The latest harcover is not necessarily the one selling more when considering only recent sales. That's because the old hardcovers are side-by-side with the recent ones in the shelfs and people buy the follow-up to the last one they read, be it something published 20 years ago or last year. That's why something like Tintin still sells really, really well.
What I'm trying to say is that not forcing people to buy issue X when they don't want to do so helps sales a lot. While we are discussing monthly comics (meaning they will have to be published once a month at least) we obviously are saying that they will allways have a date when they have to buy them before they are taken out. But the less you force then, the better the sales will be.

This may be confuse, please say if so.

[glennsim]

One thing to consider against double-shipping: in Europe, comics are mostly sold in hardcovers telling a full story. The latest harcover is not necessarily the one selling more when considering only recent sales. That's because the old hardcovers are side-by-side with the recent ones in the shelfs and people buy the follow-up to the last one they read, be it something published 20 years ago or last year. That's why something like Tintin still sells really, really well.
What I'm trying to say is that not forcing people to buy issue X when they don't want to do so helps sales a lot. While we are discussing monthly comics (meaning they will have to be published once a month at least) we obviously are saying that they will allways have a date when they have to buy them before they are taken out. But the less you force then, the better the sales will be.

This may be confuse, please say if so.

No, that makes sense, and that's why I think digital has the advantage - the back issues are generally going to be there.

[ascended]

Double shipping, for me, isnt really an issue. The only title I read right now that double ships is All New X-Men. And given my record with Bendis, I will only be reading that for the first two arcs at most before I get bored and leave. So for me, its actually nice to have a title ship more often. But again, this is the only book I read that double ships.

The problem with it is that it isnt going to help bring new readers in. And that is what the industry really needs. Us old bastard fans can all burn in hell, honestly, because we're not keeping the medium alive, we're just slowing down its death. Comics are already way over priced, and double shipping only compounds that problem. When a kid can buy three or four apps for the same price as one comic, and Angry Birds remains fun long after the comic is collecting dust in a box.....thats a problem. So why make it worse by shipping the same thing twice a month?

If comics only cost a buck, that would be different. If comics were designed to come out weekly, like the digital titles are now, that would be one thing. But Marvel's habit of double shipping a 4 dollar book just isnt helping the market, especially long term.

[golgi]

With the Before Watchmen titles ending, I don't see DC overtaking Marvel in sales anytime soon. Marvel NOW may lose its momentum, but Before Watchmen comprises a significant part of DC's dollar share. Unless Trinity War launches a bunch of minis or new on goings, those Before Watchmen titles will leave a huge hole sales wise when they end.

I'D imagine that Trinity War tie ins would be perfect to plug the hole. DC probably is thinking about what to do.

[Mr. Holmes]

DC's goals aren't about market share so much as sustainability of what they do put out.

[Bruce Kent]

DC's goals aren't about market share so much as sustainability of what they do put out.

That has changed a little with DC Entertainment, but your right, it's still not their main goal.

[suss2it]

Yes. Approximately, ten. For more info, compare their $2.99 titles sales (those double-ship less, I believe) sales to their $3.99 ones.

OK. In Novemeber the $3 priced Daredevil and Hawkeye books outsold Wolverine, Secret Avengers, (adjectiveless) X-Men, Avenging Spider-Man, Ultimates, Ultimate Comics X-Men, Wolverine MAX and a couple other $4 dollar books.

[The Frozen Reptile]

I think DC has been doing it right so far. They have managed to keep a fair percentage of sales on their top 20 books; Supergirl is still selling around 30 000 and her title was number 21 last month (for DC books...); my memory may be faulty it was a week ago I looked at the figures.

[Fate's Faith]

If DC starts to act like Marvel then I'll treat them the exact same way I do Marvel. I want DC to keep their prices down, have diversity in their titles not frequency in their best sellers, and frankly hold the number 2 spot if it means attempting to expand the market instead of milk the market. Eventually the milk is going to be too high a price to pay that people will just stop eating cereal... or whatever. Gimmicks are fine but not when that's all you offer.

[FIFTY-TWO (52)]

I'D imagine that Trinity War tie ins would be perfect to plug the hole. DC probably is thinking about what to do.

Yeah, it's called Neil Gaiman and the Sandman.

[FIFTY-TWO (52)]

OK. In Novemeber the $3 priced Daredevil and Hawkeye books outsold Wolverine, Secret Avengers, (adjectiveless) X-Men, Avenging Spider-Man, Ultimates, Ultimate Comics X-Men, Wolverine MAX and a couple other $4 dollar books.

And Daredevil and Hawkeye aren't even in the Top 50. When you start to double ship your highest selling books, low level guys like Daredevil and Hawkeye suffer. Don't forget Marvel's got the Ultron event coming up.