Observations on May 2014 Comics Chart - Second Issue Drops

A large number of second issues on the Diamond Top 400 Comics chart in May, all of them falling from the first issues as you'd expect. The average drop was just over 30%, but if you do a weighted average, based on the actual sales, it's closer to 47%. The 400k+ drop in copies of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is responsible for that, not counting it and the weighted average is also about 30%.

Someone pointed out that counting re-orders of the first issue unfairly penalized books that were doing well, increasing the apparent 2nd issue drop, which might decrease as re-orders for #2 come in. Fair point, so the main number is based on first month orders only, with a note if there were re-orders for #1 on the charts as well.

Only a few comments so far, I'll update this if I come up with anything I want to say about the others.

Amazing Spider-Man (MAR)
down -76.7% - 532.6k to 123.9k
-77.3 with re-orders on #1 factored in
Well, everyone saw this coming. Not a record single issue drop, but close to it in recent times, especially if you factor out special cases where the first issues had excessive variant covers or bargain $1 prices. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN had it's own special circumstances, including some order incentives and apparently a very large order from the "mystery box" company Nerd Block (that'll be an even bigger factor in the upcoming ROCKET RACCOON #1 and the larger purchase of it by Loot Crate). Anyway, a normal third issue Marvel drop will put this book at about 100k, and it might settle at 80k-90k, which would still make it the best selling on-going Marvel book. They used to cancel books at that level...

Solar Man Of The Atom (DE)
down -61% - 22.8k to 8.9k
Pretty standard for Dynamite's relaunch of the old Gold Key line, all three non-#1 issues are lightly clustered in sales between 8k and 9k and falling. Hard to believe full colour work-for-hire comics can continue for long at the levels will settle at.

Real Heroes (IMA)
down -52% - 23.7k to 11.4k
-59 with re-orders on #1 factored in
Pretty big fall, already a lot lower than you'd expect a well-established creator from Marvel to be doing with a pretty straightforward super-hero book at Image, although the earlier AMERICA'S GOT POWERS didn't do much better.

Lola XOXO (ASP)
down -45% - 9.2k to 5.1k
Actually not doing that bad for a new series from Aspen, and better than the second issues of a lot of their $1 launch books last year.

Elektra (MAR)
down -44% - 47.7k to 26.6k
A little bit low for a Marvel book on-going book on its second issue, but enough that it might get a full year to see if it catches on.

Flash Gordon (DE)
down -43% - 14.4k to 8.3k

Translucid (BOO)
down -42% - 9.5k to 5.5k

Field (IMA)
down -41% - 11.2k to 6.6k

68 Rule Of War (IMA)
down -39% - 7.5k to 4.5k

Iron Fist Living Weapon (MAR)
down -37% - 53.6k to 33.6k
-40 with re-orders on #1 factored in

Original Sin (MAR)
down -37% - 147k to 92.6k
First issue was also in May, this is kind of a low level for a Marvel event book, it's about the level of FEAR ITSELF from 2011, which is perceived as one of the less successful ones.

Shutter (IMA)
down -35% - 19k to 12.3k
-43 with re-orders on #1 factored in

Star Mage (IDW)
down -35% - 2.8k to 1.8k

Black Dynamite (IDW)
down -34% - 11k to 7.2k

V-Wars (IDW)
down -34% - 10.5k to 6.9k

All New Doop (MAR)
down -34% - 22.6k to 15k

7th Sword (IDW)
down -33% - 5k to 3.4k

Southern Bastards (IMA)
down -32% - 38k to 25.8k
-37 with re-orders on #1 factored in

Dead Letters (BOO)
down -31% - 7.6k to 5.3k

Dexter's Laboratory (IDW)
down -29% - 7.4k to 5.2k

Nightcrawler (MAR)
down -28% - 49.4k to 35.4k

Caliban (AVA)
down -28% - 13.2k to 9.5k

Inhuman (MAR)
down -28% - 58.3k to 41.8k

Ultimate FF (MAR)
down -27% - 23.3k to 17.1k
Not a bad drop these days, but it was a pretty low launch, and no surprise the series is already announced as ending with #6.

24 (IDW)
down -26% - 8.5k to 6.3k

Lumberjanes (BOO)
down -25% - 13.1k to 9.9k
-37 with re-orders on #1 factored in

Sinestro (DC)
down -25% - 46.5k to 34.6k
On track to be a sold secondary Green Lantern family title, selling in the 25k range within a few issues. Which is at least better than LARFLEEZE did.

Danger Girl Mayday (IDW)
down -23% - 9.1k to 6.9k

Aquaman And The Others (DC)
down -23% - 34.1k to 26.2k
Probably down below 20k within a few issues, which is quickly into the cancellation zone for mainline DC books.

GFT Godstorm Hercules Payne (ZEN)
down -23% - 4.1k to 3.2k

GFT Helsing (ZEN)
down -21% - 5.6k to 4.4k

Sandman Overture Special Edition (DC)
down -21% - 14.5k to 11.5k

Angel And Faith Season 10 (DAR)
down -20% - 17.8k to 14.2k

All New Ultimates (MAR)
down -20% - 30.3k to 24.2k

Shadowman End Times (VAL)
down -20% - 7.8k to 6.2k

New 52 Futures End (DC)
down -19% - 70.8k to 57.1k
Weekly book, and being bolstered a bit by being returnable.

Star Wars Rebel Heist (DAR)
down -18% - 24.9k to 20.4k

Secret Origins (DC)
down -15% - 38.7k to 33k
Holds the first issue sales relatively well, smartly going from Superman on #1 to the more popular Batman on #2. Might see some interesting fluctuations on this, depending on the cover subject. Green Lantern on #3 might drop a lot, Harley Quinn on #4 might recover some of that.

Conan The Avenger (DAR)
down -14% - 11.6k to 9.9k
This is the on-going series (or as "on-going" as Conan series go) that held most of its first issue sales. Conan's a pretty known quantity at this point, and sales on it have fallen pretty far from their peak.

Marvel's Guardians Of Galaxy Prelude (MAR)
down -14% - 22.7k to 19.6k
Just a quick little 2-issue mini-series to flesh out a collection before the movie

Transformers Windblade (IDW)
down -9% - 9.9k to 9k
Pretty small drop

Smallville Season 11 Lantern (DC)
down -8% - 12.4k to 11.4k
Digital first series that's now being released as a series of mini-series and specials, so pretty much treated as an on-going for orders, with just a small bump for a #1 and small drop for a #2.