Sales Review: January 2010

While comics sales as a whole creeped up a bit in January 2010, it looks as though some monthly titles seems to be slipping in sales with dollars aimed more towards crossover event issues. As usual, ICv2 does a great job of breaking down the sales. Here is the link:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/16810.html

But it is intriguing to look over the sales ranks. I find it amazing that Blackest Night Wonder Woman sold three times what Wonder Woman did. I was as amazed that Blackest Night Superman outsold the Superman titles as it did. So is there interest for the characters?

There is that subset of fans, of which I include myself, that complains of 'event fatigue'. And yet the books sell like hotcakes. How can the companies turn away?

So how did sales go last month?


Supergirl seems to be treading water on sales.

Despite the eye-catching cover, despite the advertised death of Lana Lang, despite good reviews across the internet, sales slipped a tiny bit to 27,728 units sold, down about 2% from Supergirl #48. In fact, sales for Supergirl #49 are, in essence, equal to the sales of Supergirl #33, the last Kelley Puckett issue.

But the title itself remains stable in terms of sales ranking. In fact, this issue was higher that last issue which ranked #78. I think I have to be happy with stability here.

It just seems consumer dollars are being shunted elsewhere.



In fact, it is interesting to look at Superman sales as a whole. The best selling Superman title last month was Secret Origin, which sold 43K. The other titles are languishing in the low 30K as New Krypton sputters to the finish line.

Will Last Stand of New Krypton and War of the Supermen bring a new sales interest in the title? Will Supergirl #50 with all the extras thrown in bring a bump in sales? I can only hope so.

Again, I always feel that I need to say that I have enjoyed Action Comics and World of New Krypton. The stories have been great. But I look forward to seeing Superman in the red and blue in his title.

The crossover sales are dramatically evident when we look at R.E.B.E.L.S. sales. The ring-issue sold 60K. The following issue, still with the Blackest Night trade dress, still sold 31K.



Issue #12, continuing the same story from those two prior issues, was back down to R.E.B.E.L.S. typical sales, selling 12,428. I hope DC continues to support R.E.B.E.L.S., putting it in the Jonah Hex category of continued publication regardless of sales.

Looking forward seeing what happens with Supergirl #50.