Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Sales Review: February 2011


I have been doing my best over the last year to quell my concerns of Supergirl cancellation. But the problem is that every month I get to review comic sales over at ICv2. And frankly, the sales numbers worry me about the business in general, let alone Kara's title. ICv2 is must reading for me, especially the sales posts.

As always, it is worth looking at the sales chart in total to look at the hard numbers. Here is the link:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/19570.html

It is interesting to look at other titles and try to gauge how they are doing. Superman #708, the best of 'Grounded', was the best-selling super-title breaking 40K. Action Comics, nearing the end of Lex's story, sold around 32K. And Superboy is dropping a bit selling 27K.



Supergirl #61 was the second issue with the new creative team and the first to be solely written by James Peaty. Would there be a big drop-off on the title without the buzz of Nick Spencer?

Well, Supergirl #61 sold 22,048, down nearly 3% from the prior issue. It is small drop-off to be sure but it is another month of dwindling returns. And so, 'cancellation concerns' continue.

As for Spencer's leaving the book, here is link from Bleeding Cool: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/03/08/whatever-happened-with-nick-spencer-and-supergirl/ . As always, definitely worth reading the whole post.

Spencer told people that the reason was that editorial just didn’t like what he was giving them, which is why he only wrote two thirds of the issue, having it finished by the now-ongoing writer James Peaty. However on release, he says the positive reviews saw them change their mind – but by then Nick had signed by Marvel. He told people “it was a hard a choice and for a while it could have gone either way, but in the end Marvel just love what I was doing far more.”

Figured I'd put this at the bottom of a post the same way DC announced his leaving the book. Spencer sounds quite sure of himself and certainly is riding a wave of popularity. He couldn't work with the editors more at DC? I suppose if they were opposing his vision, I respect his artistic integrity. But they are the editors.

Ugh ...

Makes me wonder if DC would leave Sterling Gates on the book if they could do it over again.

I think we are still in a dark time for the title, a period of uncertainty. Are Peaty/Chang inheriting the title long-term? Is a new creative team just around the corner? With 8 DC titles getting the axe in the next few months, is Supergirl nearing the chopping block?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I respect Spencer's decision to leave the book. I think editorial and how it allowed itself to be bullied by a small group of people is a big problem with this book.

It's no secret that Supergirl is a book creators want to stay away from. The behavior of a certain group of people during Loeb/Kelly Turner/Churchill was atrocious. Now, editors, I'm sure, hand over a thicker set of rules to Supergirl teams than with any other character.

I can count the number of issues of Supergirl I have enjoyed since issue 19 on one finger (Peaty's fill-in issue would be the one). I think editorial is the biggest problem with the character/book.

Dave Mullen said...

It's definitly sliding down that greasy pole but as I've said previously 'Supergirl' is technically an old book by todays standards, not many survive to a #60 like this, and nearly all the big titles are driven by sales gimmicks and pseudo events these days as the available readers are fast drying up for comics in general.

Look at Supergirl sales at 22'000 and look to the newer Power Girl at 16'000 and you can still see Supergirl is pretty healthy really, but compare that 22'000 to top books like Incredible Hulk at 30'000 and Action Comics at 32'000 and tell me why a difference of 10'000 sales should mean so much as it does here...?

It's not Supergirl or any such ranked book that's the problem, it's the poor decline of the comics industry.

Anonymous said...

Anj wrote:
"Makes me wonder if DC would leave Sterling Gates on the book if they could do it over again."

I couldn't agree more. Sterling had plenty of Supergirl stories yet to tell.

"With 8 DC titles getting the axe in the next few months, is Supergirl nearing the chopping block?"

At this point I doubt it, but I'm less optimistic that we will see a Supergirl #100 in our future. I will give DC credit for giving several titles a chance to grow before pulling the plug on them, unlike another publisher. *COUGH* She-Hulks *COUGH*

GENE

Anj said...

It's not Supergirl or any such ranked book that's the problem, it's the poor decline of the comics industry.

That I completely agree with.

I keep wondering what the 'cancellation line' is for a comic these days. When the best selling title sold 71K, 22K must be 'healthy' ... right?

Anj said...

At this point I doubt it, but I'm less optimistic that we will see a Supergirl #100 in our future.

That's the dream.

I want a Supergirl #100 to happen.

Martin Gray said...

Anj, re: 'Spencer sounds quite sure of himself and certainly is riding a wave of popularity. He couldn't work with the editors more at DC?' ... I don't see anything in there that pins down who decided he'd leave the book. I assumed DC wanted him to go, you seem to be reading some arrogance into his comments that I can't see. We need tone of voice!

@Anon - what are you talking about? 'The behavior of a certain group of people during Loeb/Kelly Turner/Churchill was atrocious.' Do share. I thought it was the book that was atrocious ...

Anj said...

I don't see anything in there that pins down who decided he'd leave the book. I assumed DC wanted him to go, you seem to be reading some arrogance into his comments that I can't see. We need tone of voice!

You're right Mart. I am trying to insert tone into a quote, an error I have made with emails before.

In some ways I am just sore about the whole thing (no Gates, Spencer walking) and I am looking for a convenient target.

That said, Peaty and Chang are doing some good stuff on the title. I shouldn't lose sight of the important stuff.

RandomFX said...

Go digital or die...

I know - I don't love it either – and the comic shops will really hate it - but having comics on tablets, smart phones, downloadable and private is key to any hope of a future. They are already doing it – sort of - yes. My question is why not have more releases faster – and why not push it/advertise it more.

Piracy is already happening – I’m sure it’s a nightmare for the publishers. I even think sometimes Anj gives a bit too much away.

I for one have enjoyed the book lately – but going to the shop is a pain – feeling like I get looks for only buying one or two “mainstream” comics (even paying cash) is not fun.

Anj said...

Piracy is already happening – I’m sure it’s a nightmare for the publishers. I even think sometimes Anj gives a bit too much away.

Thanks for the post.

I have always wondered that myself. Am I part of the problem. Should I restrict my scans more? Only to key key panels, or those with interesting compositions?

I try to limit to 10 panels from a 22 page book currently out. Maybe it should be less?

I give myself a little more leeway with older books, like the recent Superman reviews.

Dave Mullen said...

I have always wondered that myself. Am I part of the problem. Should I restrict my scans more? Only to key key panels, or those with interesting compositions?

No, this is but one Blog on the net and probobly not even a drop in the ocean. Review sites are a fact of life and I visit three of them routinely to keep up with events in the books I don't read, the internet means instant communication and that isn't anybody's fault. It's just a fact of life now.
I just read a news report about the decline of the compact disc and the traditional Top 10 - everything now is judged by downloads not the number of discs sold over a counter... instant downloads are simply the way evolution has taken us and while bitterly regrettable to us oldtimers it is the way Comics must go too if they are to have a future.

Anonymous said...

Yeah tomorrow belongs to the media that can best exploit the Ipad/Iphone style gadgets. If comics can be shoehorned therein then so be it.
I am resigned to it, but lets figure out some way to make the technology work for our favorites.

John Feer

Benwahbob said...

"I respect Spencer's decision to leave the book. I think editorial and how it allowed itself to be bullied by a small group of people is a big problem with this book."
He didn't leave, he was fired.

"It's no secret that Supergirl is a book creators want to stay away from. The behavior of a certain group of people during Loeb/Kelly Turner/Churchill was atrocious. Now, editors, I'm sure, hand over a thicker set of rules to Supergirl teams than with any other character. "

This is also bullcrap.

"I can count the number of issues of Supergirl I have enjoyed since issue 19 on one finger (Peaty's fill-in issue would be the one). I think editorial is the biggest problem with the character/book."

Wasn't this the period that lost over 100,000 readers in three years?

Anonymous said...

Ever the spinster, Mr. Nick Spencer. Let's do a little math here...

"However on release (of Supergirl #60), he says the positive reviews saw them (the DC editors) change their mind – but by then Nick had signed by Marvel."

It was announced that he was leaving Supergirl December 16th, and #60 came out a month later (1/19/11), but by then Spencer "HAD" already signed his exclusive with Marvel. So I'm left to assume that Spencer, who claims he didn't need the Marvel deal financially because his Image books were selling so well (10k and declining each issue, btw) had a month to negotiate and sign an exclusive contract -- which would probably require the services of a lawyer for negotiations, coupled with the fact that this is happening around the holidays and new years (which most places shut down for the holidays), leaving him about two weeks to receive the offer, counter negotiate, and sign... This all sounds a little too convenient.

In my estimate, Spencer had been talking to Marvel since the as early as October, when he first announced he was writing Supergirl and IronMan2.0, and used Supergirl as leverage for a better deal with Marvel. Even had he stayed on to write the complete single issue #60, how many more issues would he have been on after that?

below are excerpts from Spencer's twitter posts:

"Okay all, breaking some bad news today-- I won't be doing SUPERGIRL after all." 12/16/10

"Good times checking out the new Marvel digs today!" 12/17/10

"Very excited about what 2011 has in store. So many things you guys don't know about yet :)" 12/31/10

"Just handed in a script for something you don't know about, for one of my favorite artists in the world. #longoverdue" 1/7/11

Well, the cat's out of the bag now, "... you don't know about yet..." is most likely, "I can't announce it yet because it would make me look like a snake."

Martin Gray said...

Goodness, you've compiled quite the dossier, Anon. How about we let it lie and concentrate on the future?

Anonymous said...

Well I put the general downward trend in comic sales down to a few things.

Firstly: crossovers, "events" and generally long ongoing storylines. I for one HATE them. HATE HATE HATE them!! As a kid I used to like dipping in and out of titles and stories were nearly always self-contained. Sometimes there'd be an ongoing story arc but you could generally pick it up without too much hassle if necessary (and there'd be plenty of "LAST ISSUE" pointers on the page if you didn't know something that was mentioned).

Nowadays I would class myself as a very casual comics reader (so casual that I'm not even sure that crossovers is the correct term but hopefully you get what I mean) and the companies who think they're going to generate more sales by forcing people loyal to a particular title to go and buy another and then another just so a storyline makes sense are totally and utterly wrong. This is what puts me off bothering to buy a comic regularly and I think it puts many potential new readers off too. I don't mind references to a general event that's going on (if necessary!) but to literally have a cliff hanger at the end of an issue which is then not resolved in the next issue because you've got to buy another title for the final chapter instead is just dumb. DUMB I tell you!!

Could you imagine the same thing with a book? You get to chapter 15 and then you're told that you've got to go and buy another book to read chapter 16 and then come back to chapter 17 in the book that you were already reading as otherwise you won't know who the guy that was killed really was and the rest of the book will just be confusing and pointless. Or a TV show: you set your digital recorder of choice to record a series you like every week. You're a couple of weeks behind and sit down to watch a few episodes. Then you realise that you should have recorded another totally unrelated show two weeks ago as now you now have no idea why there's a large monkey in the storyline and why the good looking woman left etc. etc...

The best title of recent years has been Power Girl because it's been self-contained, had some good storylines, some great artwork and hasn't required you to know much else other than what's going on in that comic. I can't tell you how pleased I was when I read the latest issue and found out I've now got to buy another title just so find out what happens next. ARGHHHH!!!!!

Secondly: downloads. They're here to stay and the big companies have so far been soooo slow to respond to demand that they must have lost MILLIONS in revenue to pirate copies on the net. And of course there's the whole crossover thing I mentioned above again. Why buy an issue you're being forced to read when you can pick it up for free?

Anyway, these are obviously my opinions but since I'm the sort of person they should be trying to keep then I think they're failing miserably at the moment.

Anonymous said...

Whatever you do Anj, please do not reduce the amount of scans you use in your reviews. :0)

Since monthly comics are not selling as high as they used to, publishers might just resort to the original graphic novel format (Superman: Earth One) to tell a story instead of breaking it down in a monthly mini or ongoing series.

GENE

valerie21601 said...

I feel so outdated. I still love getting my comic books in the paper magazine form. I have bad luck with small electronic equipment in my own past. Of investing money into them and then a things happen and I have a piece of expensive broken equipment.

I will miss the feel and the smell that comes with every new comic book when the day comes DC and other comic book companies stop printing and delivering the glossy paper magazines to comic book shops forever.

Martin Gray said...

You and me both, Valerie, I hate reading comics on screen (that's why I travelled here to the past in the first place ...).

Gear said...

Wow... just got home from work and we're already up to 18 comments! Talk about late to the party. Darn time zones!

There's been a lot of interesting discussion in this thread, so I'll let a most of it stand on its own. I've gone on at length in the past about DC's clueless marketing, inability to leverage their products, and lack of understanding about how to take advantage of their natural position in on-line presence and product awareness. So the continuing drop in sales doesn't surprise me much, and it's in line with the entire field. I hope they can pull it out.

I'll only step onto the Speeding Spencer Speculation train for a moment. I still cut him some slack, but DC has shown a remarkable amount of patience with "star" contributors (look at how long JMS was allowed to do his thing). DC has never shown the ability to move quickly on anything, and yet he was gone before he had finished a single issue. So either he was doing something so unacceptable that DC decided to part ways, he didn't want to be edited, or he decided to go with a better deal. Any of these makes him look a little bit like a prima donna. And I'm sorry to say that, because I like his work.

Makes me wonder if DC would leave Sterling Gates on the book if they could do it over again.

I wonder if DC is ready to abandon the "star" writer idea. Gates was an unknown, and did a fantastic job. JMS and Spencer were stars, and we got two separate flameouts. I'm with you, I'd love to see Gates again. And James Peatty has done a bang-up job so far so he's got my support too.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the anonymous commenter who hates crossovers. One of the reasons why "Action Comics" has been so frustrating for me is that I have not read "Blackest Night," nor do I have any interest in reading it. The whole Lex story is an epilogue to something I don't care about. Along with the dismal Grounded storyline in "Superman," my interest in the Super-titles is at an all-time low. Not even the "Rise of Doomsday" story is enough to perk my interest. I've commented on this many times, but it needs to be said again: Superman must return to his own titles and become an A-list hero again in the DCU. The general sense of dread and uncertainty ANJ expresses about "Supergirl" would perhaps be eased if Superman and his Family were actually a respected commodity in the DCU. As of today, the Superman books are in shambles, after years of crossovers, stalled plots, and lackluster storylines. I am desperately hoping for a return to greatness for both Superman and Supergirl.

Aaron

Anonymous said...

To clarify, above: When I said the Superman books are in shambles, I certainly did not mean the Gates/Igle "Supergirl" run, which was awesome.

Aaron

Anj said...

Wow ... thanks to everyone for the comments!

I think I am always going to want the paper product in my hands. There isn't the same feeling when looking at things on line.

I agree that I have to put the Spencer thing behind me. And we all should rally around the book and the current creative team.

And I have always said DC needs to make Superman prominent in the DCU again. So I agree with that point too.

Anonymous said...

Anj:"..Peaty/Chang inheriting the title long-term?"

I hope we get a confermation or something about this part soon.

"...Is a new creative team just around the corner?"

Hey, maybe once Peter David's off Spiderman maybe he can breathe new life into this character again.

"..With 8 DC titles getting the axe in the next few months, is Supergirl nearing the chopping block?"

I hope not. It would be a pitty to see such an iconic (solo character in the most recent years. [Yeah 60's through 80's count here, I guess.]) go on the backburner.
-ealperin

Kandou Erik said...

Wait - the entire book has been canceled? Ughhh.... That is depressing news. But it's not unexpected, given how poorly managed the series became after Gates left.

Anj said...

Wait - the entire book has been canceled? Ughhh.... That is depressing news. But it's not unexpected, given how poorly managed the series became after Gates left.

No ... it hasn't been canceled. I'm just worried it will be.