Tuesday, September 2, 2008

July Sales - Supergirl #31


July sales are reviewed over on ICv2 website.

Here is the link: http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13107.html

Secret Invasion #4 topped sales followed by Uncanny Xmen #500, Astonishing Xmen #25, and New Avengers #43. I am reading but not necessarily enjoying Secret Invasion which frankly has not been everything it was cracked up to be.

Anyways, here are the Supergirl specific numbers.


Supergirl #31 came in at #91, selling nearly the same number as #30, but still with some readers jumping ship. It is interesting that what I think is a niche title like Reign in Hell sold more. Even more disheartening are some of the titles doubling Supergirl's sales. Do titles like Skaar:Son of Hulk and Secret Invasion:Front Line really outsell Supergirl 2 to 1? Something is very wrong here. Here is the rundown of the last 4 months.

04/2008: Supergirl #28 — 31,379 issues (- 3.7%)
05/2008: Supergirl #29 — 30,192 issues (- 3.8%)
06/2008: Supergirl #30 — 29,553 issues (- 2.1%)
07/2008: Supergirl #31 -- 28,813 issues (- 2.5%)

Again, it seems as though the title has found it's level of around 27-30,000 in sales. With the current rate of attrition we can expect the title to bottom out at 26-27,000 with issue #33, the last of the 'Saving Thomas' storyline and the symbolic ending of Kelly Puckett's run (issue 33 while ending Puckett's story is written by James Peaty).

Now in 4 short weeks the highly anticipated Gates/Igle run begins. The Supergirl character is riding a wave of publicity being prominently featured on the cover of Final Crisis, a cover which generated a lot of buzz (both good and bad unfortunately) on the blogosphere. Supergirl is being talked about extensively in interviews by Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns. She has been favorably featured in both Action Comics and Superman with further involvement in the 'New Krypton' event happening. Issues #34 and #35 both have variant covers solicited by rising star Fernando Pasarin and cover artist extraordinaire Stephane Roux respectively.

I can only hope that all this leads to a boost in sales so I don't feel like the title is on a respirator.

Initially I had hoped that sales for #34 would hit 38,000. That now seems a bit ambitious. This issue may be lost amongst the mega-events happening. I haven't seen any ads in other comics promoting the new direction. I haven't seen any store posters promoting the title. Still, I hope we will see a modest jump .... any jump! My new hope is sales of greater than 30,000, an increase of around 10%. Talk about lowering expectations! To be honest I would be thrilled with any increase in sales! It has become that bad.

Maybe we will hit the 38,000 mark with #35 which is the first 'New Krypton' cross-over issue. We can only hope!

14 comments:

Nikki said...

supergirl is still outselling blue beetle by a couple of thousand. The sales will jump in october and for New Krypton. It seems a lot of people don't see the point of buying when it seems like a fresh start is just around the corner that these issues have no bearing on. My advice is to relax. Supergirl has a plan with Geoff Johns at the head (even if he isn't writing personally).

Heath Edwards said...

its a pity supergirl's gone down again, but i think minis (frontline, reign in hell) will do better than on-goings when it comes to sales, as people are more willing to give a bit up for what could be a fun short story, than hop on an ongoing title that people are a bit whingy about...

Anj said...

The sales will jump in october and for New Krypton. It seems a lot of people don't see the point of buying when it seems like a fresh start is just around the corner that these issues have no bearing on. My advice is to relax. Supergirl has a plan with Geoff Johns at the head (even if he isn't writing personally).

Thanks for talking me off the ledge! LOL

I am sure things will get better. And I agree that Johns/Gates have a plan. We should finally get some stability on the title.

Anj said...

but i think minis (frontline, reign in hell) will do better than on-goings when it comes to sales, as people are more willing to give a bit up for what could be a fun short story, than hop on an ongoing title that people are a bit whingy about...

This is true. I would say about 33% of titles I get are probably minis.

I am soooo looking forward to #34.

Anonymous said...

As am I man! ;)

anj wrote: Maybe we will hit the 38,000 mark with #35 which is the first 'New Krypton' cross-over issue. We can only hope!

Agreed 100% with. :)

Anonymous said...

By the by, isn't the actual next issue of Supergirl actually meant to be due out THIS week? :/ I'm pretty sure that's what Diamond's official site's own "New Releases" wing had said upon last week's updates for this week itself there myself, Hmmmm, but for some reason though Diamond has as of yet to even update their site's "New Releases" wing detailing what's even meant to be coming out as of this current week comic wise all together now, ah.

Does any one else happen to find this just a tad bit weird? :/

Anj said...

By the by, isn't the actual next issue of Supergirl actually meant to be due out THIS week? :/

Issue #33 will be out this week, wrapping up the Thomas storyline and guest starring the Empress.

Review later this week.

Anonymous said...

anj wrote: Issue #33 will be out this week, wrapping up the Thomas storyline

Come again? Wrapping up the Thomas story line? I thought that's what #32 was intended to have done instead? :/

and guest starring the Empress. see, now that is what I had thought #23 was meant to be focusing on specifically this time around more then anything.

Anonymous said...

Review later this week.

Sweet! Looking forward to it! :D (Should this fan not be able to get his copy till that of either Fri or sometime late Sat arvo even over here in my neck of Australia and would regardless like to know what happened in this said issue)

Anonymous said...

I've said it before, one thing in our favor is that DC clearly wants to push the character into the mainstream of DCU continuity. Whether or not that emcompasses a solo book over the long term is another question.
I think most of the changes envisioned for the solo book seem geared towards improving sales and giving the character better plot options.

John Feer

Anj said...

I've said it before, one thing in our favor is that DC clearly wants to push the character into the mainstream of DCU continuity. Whether or not that emcompasses a solo book over the long term is another question.

DC has been giving her some press recently which can only be a good thing.

As has been noted in other sales posts, this comic broke 100K when it first came out. There is an audience for a well-written Supergirl comic. Let's hope the new team is up to the challenge.

Anonymous said...

To think her run in Adventure Comics sold about 400,000 books a month and that was considered mediocre sales for a "Super" character.

Times have changed....

John Feer

Anj said...

Come again? Wrapping up the Thomas story line? I thought that's what #32 was intended to have done instead? :/

Well last issue we saw a future version of Kara learn she can't save everyone.

Now we need the current time Kara to learn the same lesson and wind up this story.

I am intrigued to see how it wraps up.

Anj said...

To think her run in Adventure Comics sold about 400,000 books a month and that was considered mediocre sales for a "Super" character.

Well, that was a whole different age.

Still it pains me that the best Superman title sells only around 50K and this title is struggling to stay afloat.

Hopefully word of mouth about the good things happening in all 3 'super' titles will lead to better sales.