This month let's just try going through the Top 300 Comics chart and commenting on anything that seems interesting. Mostly in order, though I've grouped together some books with common themes.
#1.
ROCKET RACCOON #1 (MAR) - 293.9k copies
As has been mentioned elsewhere, this rather insane number is bolstered by a number of factors, chief among them a company called "Loot Crate" buying a custom branded cover edition for all their customers, numbering over 100k. There were also a few other custom branded variants and the usual array of Marvel first-issue sales inflating gimmicks. Obviously we'll see a massive drop with #2, probably to under 100k, which is still pretty good for a ROCKET RACCOON series. A year ago we'd probably have seen 30k for the first issue and cancellation numbers by #6.
I do find it curious that Marvel decided to funnel a 100k+ single issue single customer order through Diamond, rather than cutting out the middleman, but I don't know enough to guess whether that was to comply with their exclusive distribution contract with Diamond or a desire to have those numbers be a part of their marketshare in the direct market breakdown.
#2.
BATMAN #33 (DC) - 118k copies - down 9.3%
Most of the DC books that saw
big increases last month from the "bombshell" cover variants saw some decrease this month with the "Batman 75" variants, but still higher than their May sales. BATMAN is pretty typical, going from 107k to 130k to 118k.
#3.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #4 (MAR) - 117.9k copies - up 8.2%
Starting a run of issues crossing over with ORIGINAL SIN, then another crossover after that. It's been several years since an on-going Marvel book has sustained sales over 100k for more than one or two issues, so this has to be seen as a success.
#4.
ORIGINAL SIN #5 (MAR) - 91.4k copies - up 3.3%
#6.
ORIGINAL SIN #6 (MAR) - 89.3k copies - down 2.3%
Pretty steady, will probably see a small jump with the last issues.
#5.
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 (MAR) - 90.7k copies
Decent launch, higher than you'd expect (I'd have guessed 60-70k), and going to be involved in a Spider-Man crossover in a few issues which should keep the numbers steady.
#7.
JUSTICE LEAGUE #32 (DC) - 88.2k copies - up 16.3%
A late "bombshell" variant cover boost.
#8.
GRAYSON #1 (DC) - 81.4k copies
Better numbers than any issue of NIGHTWING managed, as far back as we have comparable numbers, over double what it was selling recently.
#9.
LEGENDARY STAR LORD #1 (MAR) - 78.5k copies
Over twice what you'd have expected if the character weren't appearing in a new movie. I imagine most of the curiosity will be sated by the first issue, but the big launch should give it enough momentum to last longer than the 6-8 issues you'd expect from a STAR LORD series.
#10.
HARLEY QUINN #8 (DC) - 76.8k copies - down 17.6%
#16.
HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC CON #1 (DC) - 65k copies
#80. SECRET ORIGINS #4 (DC) - 37.2k copies - up 31.1%
The new HARLEY QUINN book has been surprisingly successful, down this month only because the popular "bombshell" variant was last month. The COMIC CON special sold in the expected range for an Annual, and the presence of Quinn gave a big boost to SECRET ORIGINS which should be all gone next issue.
#13.
SANDMAN OVERTURE #3 (DC) - 72.6k copies - down 19.1%
Falling a bit fast, I don't think slipping from an already slow bi-monthly release schedule to once every four months helps it. At this rate the ending is still a year away, while originally it should be ending in a few weeks.
#14.
SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #7 (DC) - 69.5k copies - down 26.2%
A few issues left to stagger out, has to be seen as a disappointing showing for such a high profile creative team.
#15.
BATMAN SUPERMAN #12 (DC) - 68.3k copies - up 27.7%
Another late "bombshell" cover.
#17.
BATMAN ETERNAL #13 (DC) - 63.8k copies - up 7.4%
#18.
BATMAN ETERNAL #14 (DC) - 63.1k copies - down 1.1%
#22.
BATMAN ETERNAL #15 (DC) - 62.1k copies - down 1.6%
#23.
BATMAN ETERNAL #16 (DC) - 61.1k copies - down 1.6%
#25.
BATMAN ETERNAL #17 (DC) - 60k copies - down 1.9%
No longer returnable with #13, so that accounts for the small jump there as Diamond no longer takes off a portion of sales. Very steady seller overall.
#19.
SUPERMAN #33 (DC) - 63k copies - down 34.4%
I'd have to think that they were hoping for a bit more with the new creative team that began with #32, but sales of the book were pretty anemic before.
#20.
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #17 (MAR) - 63k copies - up 14.9%
Small bump to have copies on hand for the film release, most should be gone by the next issue.
#27.
LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 (ARC) - 57.1k copies - up 2664.2%
#42.
LIFE WITH ARCHIE #37 (ARC) - 48.8k copies - down 14.4%
#297. LIFE WITH ARCHIE MAGAZINE #36 (ARC) - 6.7k copies
This is the "Death of Alternate Universe Archie" story. Technically I suppose the sales comparison with #35 should be with the magazine version of #36 (which has the story content of the the standard comic version of #36 and #37), since that matched the format. The book always had anemic direct market sales, in the 2-3k range, selling primarily in the mass market until this finale. Don't expect the interest in this to translate to any future interest in any standard Archie books.
#32.
OUTCAST #2 (IMA) - 55.1k copies - down 23.2%
Less of a drop than I expected, still returnable so probably shipped closer to 60k. I'll be most curious to see if the first collection can put up anywhere near WALKING DEAD numbers, and how the first issue after the collection does.
#35.
TEEN TITANS #1 (DC) - 52.4k copies
#41.
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD #1 (DC) - 49.3k copies
Both about twice the sales of the books they replace with similar/identical names. As a quick rule of thumb, an average relaunch will return to previous sales levels in six issues, so if #6 of either stays ahead of those levels I'd chalk it up as a success.
#44.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #3 (DC) - 47.9k copies - down 23.9%
A bit of a delayed second issue drop thanks to the variant on #2.
#46.
STORM #1 (MAR) - 47.6k copies
Seems to be about the expect range for recent solo X-Men books, with NIGHTCRAWLER at 49.4k and CYCLOPS at 47.4k. Given that trend, expect to see this in the 25k range within a few issues.
#59.
DOCTOR WHO 11TH #1 (TIT) - 41.1k copies
#67.
DOCTOR WHO 10TH #1 (TIT) - 39.7k copies
Interestingly, these sold over twice what any non-crossover DOCTOR WHO book from IDW did, and over four times what any previous Titan comic (in their current incarnation) has managed. Looks like a good marriage of publisher and licence for now, with DOCTOR WHO benefiting from being the biggest book at Titan rather than the fifth most important licensed title at IDW, and DOCTOR WHO being in the Titan listings maybe encouraging a few readers and retailers to pay more attention to those listings in the future. And Titan being a bigger deal outside the US direct market should mean a lot of sales in venues not included in this chart. It'll be interesting to see how the "12th Doctor" book does.
#78.
MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3 (MAR) - 37.2k copies - down 2.6%
Stabilized very quickly, not sure if the Ultimate line will continue with only one book, or if they'll permanently fold the character into the main Marvel Universe.
#86.
MS MARVEL #6 (MAR) - 36k copies - up 6.6%
The endless hype the book has been getting finally translates to a modest increase in sales in the direct market.
#101.
BLACK SCIENCE #7 (IMA) - 28.1k copies - up 13.1%
Decent uptick with the "first after collection" issue, and that collection has been selling very well.
#106.
STAR WARS #19 (DAR) - 27.2k copies - down 2.5%
One more issue to go, it'll be interesting to see how the Marvel relaunch does. I'm guessing the initial numbers will be high, maybe the 100k range, but down to this range within a few issues, at least until the hype machine for the next movie really starts to rev up.
#111.
SUPREME BLUE ROSE #1 (IMA) - 26.1k copies
Significantly higher than any of the previous "Extreme Studios" revivals have done, we'll see if it can sustain decent numbers (or the interest of its creators) for more than a handful of issues.
#115.
AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #6 (ARC) - 25.7k copies - down 5.1%
So, turns out the secret to direct market success for Archie was death.
#134.
ALL NEW X-FACTOR #10 (MAR) - 22.6k copies - down 4.9%
#135.
ALL NEW X-FACTOR #11 (MAR) - 22.4k copies - down 0.6%
#136.
ALL NEW INVADERS #7 (MAR) - 22.3k copies - down 4.8%
#137.
ALL NEW GHOST RIDER #5 (MAR) - 21.8k copies - down 11.4%
#148.
ALL NEW INVADERS #8 (MAR) - 19.9k copies - down 11%
#161. ALL NEW ULTIMATES #5 (MAR) - 18.2k copies - down 11.5%
#209.
ALL NEW DOOP #4 (MAR) - 11k copies - down 12.9%
Maybe "All New" isn't as enticing a descriptor as Marvel thinks it is for anything but X-MEN...
#143.
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #33 (DC) - 20.7k copies - down 37.5%
#154.
CATWOMAN #33 (DC) - 18.9k copies - down 43.8%
What happens when you go from having a "bombshell" variant to no variant.
#159.
STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES GI ZOMBIE #1 (DC) - 18.8k copies
Taking the crown from INFINITY MAN AND THE FOREVER PEOPLE for lowest launching "New 52" book, by a wide margin. It'll be interesting to see if this gets even the usual 8-issue minimum that "New 52" books have gotten.
#163.
MIRACLEMAN #8 (MAR) - 17.7k copies - down 7.7%
Not having quite the sales impact that might have been expected.
#169.
NAILBITER #3 (IMA) - 16.6k copies - up 9.1%
A fairly rare jump for a third issue indicates some good word-of-mouth.
#172.
INFINITY MAN AND THE FOREVER PEOPLE #2 (DC) - 15.9k copies - down 36.2%
Can't be long for the world at this rate.
#173.
RAGNAROK #1 (IDW) - 15.6k copies
Decent launch for a creator-owned IDW book.
#184.
GROO VS CONAN #1 (DAR) - 13.9k copies
Pretty good sales for both GROO and CONAN in 2014.
#191.
DEVILERS #1 (DE) - 12.3k copies
First in a line of books which appear to be company owned but branded "Creators Unleashed". Still a leash on them if the company owns the property, I'd think. Not a bad launch for an original concept book from Dynamite.
#208.
ARMOR HUNTERS #2 (VAL) - 11.2k copies - down 31.9%
Top Valiant book for the month, most of the line is under 10k, and some are starting to fall off the Top 300.
#228.
LUMBERJANES #4 (BOO) - 10k copies - up 9.2%
Back to the sales level of #2.
#233.
NEW VAMPIRELLA #2 (DE) - 9.4k copies - down 58.7%
Steep drop, but still double what OLD VAMPIRELLA finished with.
#267.
UBER #15 (AVA) - 7.5k copies - down 0.5%
Coming soon, LYFT and HAXI.
#272.
DOCTOR SPEKTOR #2 (DE) - 7.3k copies - down 55.6%
Another massive second issue drop from the new Gold Key revival. Not sure how long that line can continue, although I think it's surpassed the Dark Horse version.
#290.
BLACK KISS XXXMAS IN JULY SPECIAL ONE SHOT (IMA) - 6.8k copies
Pretty much held the sales of the last issue of BLACK KISS II, which is pretty good for a book seven months late and double the price.
#299.
ANGRY BIRDS COMICS #2 (IDW) - 6.6k copies - down 44.5%
Can't see this having any legs in the direct market, but maybe will be a successful in other markets.
