Comments on: April comics are the comeback kid! http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/ The News Blog of Comics Culture Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:02:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: MushroomJones http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3275114 Fri, 22 May 2009 13:55:37 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3275114 to Wraith - then that would be never. We are currently in a day and age where a majority of top tier books are always going to be involved in a company wide crossover (Final Crisis/Secret Invasion), character specific crossover (Battle for the Cowl/War of Kings), branding (Dark Reign) or have variant covers (Wolverine Appreciation Month). All in an attempt to boost sales. But now, due to the frequency, its' more so to keep sales. I lean more towards DC for characters and Marvel for writers so I'm happy to see Flash, GL, etc. selling better. History tells us these numbers will probably drop, I just hope they won't. to Wraith - then that would be never.

We are currently in a day and age where a majority of top tier books are always going to be involved in a company wide crossover (Final Crisis/Secret Invasion), character specific crossover (Battle for the Cowl/War of Kings), branding (Dark Reign) or have variant covers (Wolverine Appreciation Month). All in an attempt to boost sales. But now, due to the frequency, its’ more so to keep sales.

I lean more towards DC for characters and Marvel for writers so I’m happy to see Flash, GL, etc. selling better. History tells us these numbers will probably drop, I just hope they won’t.

]]> by: Wraith http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3274219 Fri, 22 May 2009 00:16:29 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3274219 I'll celebrate when this sales increase is due to an increase in actual readership and not due to gimmicks/stunts like variant covers and event crossovers, which is the MAIN reason why sales rose this month on many books in April. I’ll celebrate when this sales increase is due to an increase in actual readership and not due to gimmicks/stunts like variant covers and event crossovers, which is the MAIN reason why sales rose this month on many books in April.

]]> by: Ken Raining http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3274180 Thu, 21 May 2009 23:38:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3274180 The big loser, of course, is Marc-Oliver Frisch, who may not be able to be quite so snarky when he does the DC sales chart. I'm confident he'll find a way. The big loser, of course, is Marc-Oliver Frisch, who may not be able to be quite so snarky when he does the DC sales chart.

I’m confident he’ll find a way.

]]> by: Alan Coil http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272531 Thu, 21 May 2009 01:07:17 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272531 "Yes it’s good news but how much of that was due to there being a 5th week of sales and maybe some heavy ordering in preparation for Free Comic Book Day." FCBD--yes. 5 weeks--not so much. 4 or 5 times a year, there are 5 delivery weeks for the month. And perhaps some of the re-ordering was pent up demand caused by Diamond closing their warehouse for a month. “Yes it’s good news but how much of that was due to there being a 5th week of sales and maybe some heavy ordering in preparation for Free Comic Book Day.”

FCBD–yes. 5 weeks–not so much. 4 or 5 times a year, there are 5 delivery weeks for the month. And perhaps some of the re-ordering was pent up demand caused by Diamond closing their warehouse for a month.

]]> by: Stuart Moore http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272446 Wed, 20 May 2009 23:15:42 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272446 I really don't see a gangrenous wound in the comics market. I see a more volatile market than in earlier eras, but this seems like a much healthier field than most. Fingers crossed, of course. I really don’t see a gangrenous wound in the comics market. I see a more volatile market than in earlier eras, but this seems like a much healthier field than most. Fingers crossed, of course.

]]> by: Corey http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272359 Wed, 20 May 2009 20:24:16 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272359 Jim, presumably there will be other hot items being published to replace these ones in 6-9 months. But, yeah I don't know if we should be having a parade just yet. Yes it's good news but how much of that was due to there being a 5th week of sales and maybe some heavy ordering in preparation for Free Comic Book Day. Having said that, I think this might be one of the first times that comics went up while graphic novels/trades went down. At least, since these lists started paying attention to graphic novels. So that's something. Jim, presumably there will be other hot items being published to replace these ones in 6-9 months. But, yeah I don’t know if we should be having a parade just yet.

Yes it’s good news but how much of that was due to there being a 5th week of sales and maybe some heavy ordering in preparation for Free Comic Book Day.

Having said that, I think this might be one of the first times that comics went up while graphic novels/trades went down. At least, since these lists started paying attention to graphic novels. So that’s something.

]]> by: Nate Horn http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272351 Wed, 20 May 2009 20:13:34 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272351 Anyone ever heard of a dead cat bounce? Anyone ever heard of a dead cat bounce?

]]> by: JimShelley http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272334 Wed, 20 May 2009 19:41:00 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272334 Yeah, I don't know if this is really anything to get excited about yet. Still feels like a lot of easy triggers pulled. What happens in 6-9 months when these storylines have run their course? I'm just not convinced we're seeing anything but better bandaids on a gangreneous wound. Yeah, I don’t know if this is really anything to get excited about yet. Still feels like a lot of easy triggers pulled. What happens in 6-9 months when these storylines have run their course? I’m just not convinced we’re seeing anything but better bandaids on a gangreneous wound.

]]> by: Jonathan http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272297 Wed, 20 May 2009 19:08:08 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272297 Yeah, the entire Gaiman Batman story was a big disappointment. I say that despite--or because--I'm a big fan of both. Yeah, the entire Gaiman Batman story was a big disappointment. I say that despite–or because–I’m a big fan of both.

]]> by: Al http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272267 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:35:02 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272267 I purchased Detective 853, which is probably the sales surge we're seeing. Seriously though, I was very disappointed in the second part to that story. It will be a little while before I can be hyped into preordering another issue of Detective or Batman. I purchased Detective 853, which is probably the sales surge we’re seeing. Seriously though, I was very disappointed in the second part to that story. It will be a little while before I can be hyped into preordering another issue of Detective or Batman.

]]> by: Kelson http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272260 Wed, 20 May 2009 18:29:51 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272260 I still find it amazing that Flash outsold Wolverine. Seriously, when was the last time that happened? Actually, this is the <a href="http://speedforce.org/2009/05/rebirth-tops-sales/" rel="nofollow">highest-selling Flash comic since the 2006 relaunch</a> with Bart. The first issue of that series actually sold more copies (~120K before reorders) than Rebirth #1 did (~102K). I still find it amazing that Flash outsold Wolverine. Seriously, when was the last time that happened?

Actually, this is the highest-selling Flash comic since the 2006 relaunch with Bart. The first issue of that series actually sold more copies (~120K before reorders) than Rebirth #1 did (~102K).

]]> by: MushroomJones http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272159 Wed, 20 May 2009 17:18:27 +0000 http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/05/20/april-comics-are-the-comeback-kid/#comment-3272159 Hot pants! DC with FIVE books in the top five! C'mon boys, keep it going! And am I reading correct that THREE issues of SUPERMAN BATMAN shipped in April? That's crazy! Hot pants! DC with FIVE books in the top five! C’mon boys, keep it going! And am I reading correct that THREE issues of SUPERMAN BATMAN shipped in April? That’s crazy!

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