Comic Book Resources

ronnieramone · 03-20-2008, 01:14 PM

Granted, I am probably the worst comic store owner in the world, but here's what I know:

Diamond is giving away free copies of ASM #546. I'm not sure why, but it looks like an even match: if you buy 8 copies of ASM anything, you get 8 more of ASM#546. I can think of a few reasons to do this: free comics boost sales. More copies of #546 floating out there increases possible chance of interest from "new readers" which ASM is now aimed at. Last reason: getting rid of a HUGE excess of inventory. Only Marvel & DIamond really know for sure.

Yes, you can adjust orders up to 3 weeks in advance, and you can see a reduction of over 10,000 units in sales from issue 549 to 550. That's just clearly comic stores going online and reducing their orders, but even that won't be entirely accurate. The sales figures to actual customers will be significantly lower, possibly up to 10,000 less than that, or around 80,000. The reason you're not seeing a sharper decline per issue is the thrice monthly schedule, not the story arc. If every store has two or three copies of an issue sitting on the shelves after one week, they still won't be able to reduce their orders for up to the next three issues, since ASM would be releasing that week, the next, and again two weeks after that, none of which would be able to be reduced. The drop of 10,000 was because, in January, comic stores saw a bunch of comics still sitting and reduced what they could, which was 550 (it was too late to reduce 549).

Also, ASM has ALWAYS been a steady backissue seller, so few stores really panic if they have an extra ASM or three lying around. It is the most likely title to sell to a random kid coming into a store with his parents for the first time. Stores are slower to reduce the number of copies of ASM (than for Iron Fist, for example), so when they do (and by so much), it's because there are a LOT of unsold issues.

I would say, looking at historical figures, that selling less than 90,000 copies of the Amazing Spider-man after a huge retcon event and massive media hype to boost the book would constitute a failure of colossal proportions. They threw every creative team they could rally at this thing, hyped it everywhere they could to anyone who would listen, and tripled output on the book. Well, sales are declining anyway, despite their best efforts, and Marvel has nothing to show for it but thousands of unwavering, pissed off fans.

ronnieramone · 03-21-2008, 05:15 PM

You guys all know, of course, that the sales figures for ASM #546 were artificially boosted, right?

Marvel is GIVING AWAY, even now, first printings of ASM #546. They went to a second printing prematurely, by saying they "sold out" when in reality they pre-sold the books for zero dollars.

I don't know how legal what they are doing is, since they make advertising dollars based on circulation, but why would they go to a second printing when first printings still exist in their warehouses?

Don't believe what the liars tell you. They manipulated sales figures in order to be able to claim this was a success, so that Quesada comes out a winner. There are so many unsold books out there it's ridiculous.

Endless Flight · 03-21-2008, 07:11 PM

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