March Sales Review

March 2020 comic sales will definitely be an interesting month to look at as we move forward. This month was just on the cusp of the COVID pandemic, the shuttering of comic stores, and the beginning of social distancing.

As always, ICv2 does a great job of looking at sales. Here is a link:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/45663/top-500-comics-march-2020

But this month was also fascinating for me because it again shows how dark Supergirl stories, stories where she is the villain in her own book, never sell and are never successful.

And we are at the bottom of the barrel.

Because March Supergirl #40 on the shelves.

You know, that story.

Kara is infected by the Batman Who Laughs, fights Wonder Woman, terrorizes Smallville.
At least she tries to burn this away ... but only after (once again) Krypto stops her from doing something heinous.

Also, to add one more layer to this rough story, the book was known to be cancelled.

So how do you think it sold?

Sales Review: February 2020

I walked out of my comic book store yesterday with my usual  amount of books. But the store was pretty barren, perhaps due to the current social distancing people are doing. The store owner said they would be taking it day by day but were planning to stay open.

I came home and checked ICv2 for their sales coverage knowing it was about the time they review things. The news was as dismal as the empty store. Here is a link to their coverage.
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/45423/top-500-comics-february-2020

Most of the comics I read are struggling, selling in the mid-30K. And, of course, by the time Supergirl #39 came out the news had broken that the series was cancelled.

You might remember Supergirl #39. In it, Supergirl fought Wonder Woman. She battled the US government. And in the end, she is twisted even more by the Batman Who Laughs virus, becomingless Eric Draven Crow and more of a grinning ghoul.

It's hardly a Supergirl comic.

So you can guess how it sold.

January Sales Review

Well, the news about the cancellation will make my covering Supergirl sales a bit of tradition rather than noting fluctations. I suppose it will be interesting to see how precipitously sales drop now that the stories 'won't matter' any more.

January sales have been reported. Here is the link to ICv2 coverage:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/45180/top-500-comics-january-2020


January's top selling comic was Wonder Woman #750. Glad to see Diana top the charts!

As for Supergirl?

She's battling Diana albeit as the infected lunatic.

I can't talk about this story any more.

October 2019 Sales Review

The October Sales figures have come out and ICv2 does their usual excellent job covering all the nooks and crannies. Here is a link to the story:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/44482/top-500-comics-october-2019


DC really doesn't show up high on the charts and even then it is Joker one-shots and the like. I am amazed Spawn somehow is near the top. Sherman, set the WABAC machine.

 So how did Supergirl fare?

Supergirl #35 was another good issue re-establishing Supergirl on Earth. It had a strong tie in to Event Leviathan. And it actually felt like Kara was returning to form.

While this issue had a variant, it did not have a card stock variant. So the number you see is the total sales.

So how did it do?

Sales Review: August 2019

The sales numbers for August have been posted and, as always, ICv2 has a nice breakdown. Here is a link:https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/44052/top-500-comics-august-2019

It is an interesting month to cover here because there isn't a Supergirl book to track! The issue with the Legion was pulled back given a need for an art change and so we went a while without a Supergirl book on the rack.

This also was true of Superman.

So instead, I'll pick a couple of ancillary books to look at and see how they are doing.

Event Leviathan #3 came out.

I have been all in on this book. I have loved the mystery. I have loved tracking the clues. I have loved Lois's part. And I have been going bananas trying to figure out just who Leviathan is.

I mean, I have a Leviathan Theory!

I have really hoped the book would sell well because I love mysteries like this.

So how did it do?

Sales Review: July 2019 - edited

I have been reviewing sales on this site for many years and usual I discuss some minor fluctuations all while wondering where all the fans are.

I think this month I have, for the first time, been stunned.

The sales for July 2019 came out recently and the best place to review them, as always, is over on ICv2. Here is a link:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/43808/top-500-comics-july-2019

July was a 5 Wednesday month which meant overall comic sales were up from the prior July. No surprises there.

But looking at the actual numbers has me gobsmacked.

Supergirl #32 came out last month.

In it Kara and Jon team up to have a final showdown with Gandelo. Rogol Zaar shows up to join the party. This is a big part of the Unity Saga currently rolling through the Superman book, reuniting the Super-family.

While Marc Andreyko's run hasn't been a favorite, at least this issue was a crossover of a sort with the Bendis books. So how did it sell?

Sales Review - June 2019

The sales numbers for June have come out and as usual, I find ICv2's coverage of the month to be the best coverage. Here is a link:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/43606/top-500-comics-june-2019

The super-titles are transitioning a bit in plot. The Leviathan plots are heating up. The House of El/Unity Saga is coming to a close. And finally, the super-family is together in story.

Supergirl #31 was an important part of the Unity Saga story with Supergirl joining Superman and Superboy in thwarting Rogol Zaar and General Zod's attacks on Jor-El. This also was an issue which showed scenes from Superman #12 from a different perspective. So seeing the action unfold from different character's viewpoints was a nice touch.

But the big thing was that this was a Superman Family story. The cousins are together. So how did it sell?

Sales Review: May 2019

Sales numbers for May have been released and as usual I'll send people to ICv2 for the best coverage. Here is a link to their article.
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/43383/top-500-comics-may-2019

It is an interesting month for me to look at as the summer events are starting to trickle out. Meanwhile in the super-books, Event Leviathan is about to take over meaning that the space race with Rogol Zaar needs to wrap up soon.

Supergirl #30 was a sort of closing chapter to her space quest as Kara faced off against Empress Gandelo and learned more about Rogol Zaar's part in Krypton's destruction.

It also had the major moment when Supergirl was just about to bury Zaar's axe into Gandelo's skull. Thankfully, Krypto used his good nature and his puppy dog eyes to not have Supergirl go the way of Rorshach.

So ... how did this rough, angry Supergirl issue sell?

It came in at slot 118, more than 20 slots lower than the last slot.

It also sold 18,443 units ordered. That is down from 19,550 from the month before.

We are getting pretty low in sales.

Will Event Leviathan lift this? Or will this darker turn for Supergirl once again lead to dwindling sales and the need for a reboot ... or cancellation.

I've spoken too much about this.

I worry that Andreyko will use Supergirl's book as a backdoor Manhunter book (based on the Leviathan Rising Special). I don't think is going to end well.

Last month also had Doomsday Clock #10, one of the best recent comics I have read.

It sold a very healthy 117,419 units ordered. Amazing.

What is more amazing is that DCeased, a zombie book, sold more than twice that!! I am not a zombie person so I am skipping this book (although I have heard great things).

Still, this erosion of Supergirl sales since Andreyko took over cannot be ignored. When will be see the Final Issue blurb  in the solicits?

April 2019 Sales

Looks like I missed the ICv2 article on April sales when it first came out and maybe that was a good thing. Here is the link: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/43193/top-500-comics-april-2019

I have been watching the sales on the main Supergirl title steadily erode for any issue not blessed with an Artgerm variant. The sales on Supergirl #29 with it's charming Amanda Conner variant continue the trend.

After a whole arc in space and an unappetizing opening chapter in the Superman Leviathan Rising special, I have to say that it might be time for DC to start thinking about who to let take over the book in Marc Andreyko's place. Or, more likely I fear, is waiting for the dreaded *Final Issue* label in some upcoming solicit post.

And that is because we once again find ourselves in the Dan Didio Supergirl Cycle of Death.

Step 1: Supergirl gets a creative team who wants to write her as angry and gritty.
Step 2: It doesn't sell.
Step 3: A new team comes on writing Supergirl as a young optimistic hero learning the ropes.
Step 4: Sales increase and stabilize in the middle of the pack.
Step 5: DC thinks it can do better.
Step 6: Cancel the book or go back to step 1

Proof is out there.
Step 1 folks: Loeb, Spencer, Green, Andreyko
Step 3 folks: Gates/Igle, Bedard, Johnson/Perkins, Orlando

Supergirl #29 came out in April.

In it an irate Supergirl seizes Rogol Zaar's axe and attacks.
Zaar's men call her The Queen, Lady of the Axe and swear allegiance.
The space-faring mystery behind Rogol Zaar is rushed to its ending in inane ways.

Not surprisingly, this dark Supergirl and stilted story didn't work for me.
But how did it sell?

Sales Review: March 2019

The comic sales figures for March 2019 came out recently and as always they are fascinating to look at. And, as always, I'd recommend heading to ICv2 for the breakdown here:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/43079/top-500-comics-march-2019

It was a very interesting month because it included Detective #1000 and several other major DC books which made it a great month for DC. And the Superman books continue to move along at similar numbers. It will be interesting to see if Event Leviathan ends up raising those numbers as that crossover seems to be born in the super-books.

Supergirl #28 came out last month. It was another chapter in this quest. We had her fighting evil clones and squeezing off hands.
So how did it sell?

Sales Review: February 2019

The sales numbers for February 2019 have come out and I am officially going to yellow alert. If you want to see the bad news laid out before you, I recommend heading over to ICv2 to see the list. Here is a link: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/42739/top-500-comics-february-2019

Since the inception of this new arc, I wondered if the Supergirl crowd was going to like the direction of Supergirl heading off into space and leaving Earth behind. I also wondered if somehow the Bendis takeover of the super-books would lead to more readers heading to Supergirl, especially since this space arc tied directly into Superman's stories.

I haven't been thrilled with this new arc. So how has it been doing.

Supergirl #27 was one of the tougher issues to get behind as a Kara fan. She shoots people in the chest with a rifle, rips out a tongue, wields Zaar's axe with the initial intent to kill, and then admits that her story/quest isn't really moving forward.

Not exactly a book that screamed quintessential Supergirl. It also lacked the selling power of an Artgerm variant. So how did it sell?

Sales Review: January 2019

The comic book sales numbers for January 2019 were released last week and as always, ICv2 does a good job of breaking them down. Here is a link:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/42557/top-500-comics-january-2019

I was a bit interested in seeing these numbers in the context of recent news regarding DC's number of titles. There were rumors that DC was going to slash their number of titles to 22 but this proved unfounded. Ultimately, the news broke that DC was paring down by about 10-15% of titles but also adding new 100 page spectaculars, making those books available in places other than Walgreens, and probably breaking even in total books solicited.

So that was much ado about nothing in a way. But when I hear that ongoing titles are going to be pruned, I always have to wonder and worry about the Girl of Steel.

We are in the middle of a space arc, one with a vengeful and surprisingly violent Supergirl. And sales have been a bit all over the place. (And yes, I know by sales I actually mean orders through Diamond,)

Supergirl #26 was released in January. It sported an Artgerm variant of Supergirl in a classic costume holding Streaky.

The book also saw the return of Kevin Maguire on art.

How did it sell?

Sales Review: December 2018

December sales numbers for comics have been released and, as always, I turn to ICv2 for my information. Here is a link to their recent coverage of sales:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/42289/top-500-comics-december-2018

I have been watching sales closely since the beginning of the Marc Andreyko run on the Supergirl book. This was a 'bold new direction', glomming onto the Bendis Superman storylines and  removing Supergirl from the environment that was nurtured since Rebirth.

I have tried to remain optimistic but each issue has seemed to walk me closer towards disappointment.

Supergirl #25 continued the space adventure of Supergirl trying to track down information on Rogol Zaar. This was a super-sized 'Anniversary' issue. It had Emanuela Lupacchino art. It had a Dan Jurgens holiday story. It sported another nifty Kara/Krypto variant by Amanda Conner.

So how did it sell?

Sales Review: November 2018

Perhaps it is that everyone has less cash to spend because they are buying holiday presents.
Perhaps it is that everyone has less money to put to floppies because they subscribed to the DCU streaming service.

But comics sales went down pretty badly last month. And the super titles were not immune. As always, head to ICv2 for coverage here: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/42021/top-500-comics-november-2018


You might recall that sales on Supergirl #23 were ludicrously high, perhaps bolstered by a foil enhanced Artgerm cover.

I thought fan favorite Doc Shaner being on art for Supergirl #24 might keep the ball rolling.

Supergirl #24 not only sported that spiffy Shaner art but introduced a suave Coluan into the mix. It had some fun Kara/Krypto fighting sequences. And we even saw how quickly Supergirl can become non-super if she taxes her system and isn't bathing in yellow sun.

Overall, not a bad issue. And definitely easy on the eyes.

So how did it sell.

Happy Thanksgiving Again! Sales Review: October 2018

As Supergirl fans, I think we should probably give thanks to Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau, someone who seems to be able to wave a magic wand over Supergirl sales. Amazing! So raise a glass of mulled cider or have an extra slice of leftover pumpkin pie today in his honor.

And why am I saying all this today?

Well the comic sales for October 2018 were recently posted. As always head to ICv2 for great coverage: https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/41809/top-500-comics-october-2018

Now October had DC roll out special foil cover variants. So some of what I am about to discuss might be collector zeal for fancy, shiny covers.

Still the numbers are jaw-dropping!

Supergirl #23 was the third issue of the new direction by Marc Andreyko and Kevin Maguire.

Sales weren't exactly brisk with the bold, new direction. And one thing that had changed was that the Artgerm variant covers ended with Supergirl #20. Amanda Conner took over the variant job with the changeover. And hey ... Amanda Conner ain't a slouch. I love her work and her Supergirl work in particular.

Still, Artgerm gave us the above variant, the foil cover.

But Supergirl #22 had 22,115 units ordered through Diamond. This was a bit of an eye opener. We were two issues into a new run and sales had dropped 20% from Supergirl #21. I was waiting to see if the book was in free fall.

Sales Review: September 2018

Sales for last month's books have been posted and I am starting to get nervous. It is a classic Anj move to look at sales (really orders) and think the worst. But when sales of your favorite character's book starts to hover around 20K, when it loses a third of sales in a couple of months, maybe I have a good reason to get nervous.

As usual, I love the analysis on ICv2. Here is a link to their coverage:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/41597/top-500-comics-september-2018

Supergirl #22 came out in September, the second issue of the new direction of the book.

I will remind people that before the Bendis pause and the new direction, the creative team of Orlando, Houser, and Rocha seemed to be peaking. The book had Artgerm variants and sales were healthy.

A 'bold new direction' can be a jumping off point. The idea of Supergirl wielding an axe and leaving Earth is certainly bold and new but it will it be accepted? Seems like many like a Supergirl on Earth.

The book came in at #104 and only 22,115 issues were ordered. That is a relatively precipitous drop. It's not as if the book hasn't dipped this low during the Rebirth time period. But the concern is where will it bottom out.

Yes, I am concerned.

For reference, the monthly sales figures of the Rebirth era Supergirl.

Oh how I miss those 30K figures.

Meanwhile, Brian Michael Bendis seems to have found his footing on the main Superman titles. The Action Comics book has crackled for me. And the Superman book with it's gorgeous Ivan Reis art has been steadily improving.

Superman is selling close to 70K. Action is close to 60K.

While not mega-sellers, maybe what DC was hoping with all the 'Bendis is Coming' stuff, these are very solid numbers. Glad these books are finding a sizeable audience.

Sales Review: August 2018

Last month we got a new direction and a soft reboot of the Supergirl title. While the numbering remained the same, we waited three months for the Bendis-izing of the super-titles to gel. Now we are back, bold and new. And since the revamp, I have been waiting for the sales numbers for August to drop.

As someone who has been watching sales numbers of Supergirl books closely, I had been pretty impressed with what was happening in the latter stages of the Orlando/Houser/Rocha run book. Sales, most likely boosted by Artgerm variants, were up. Supergirl was nosing around the 31K mark. And the stories themselves were really starting to click. It was as if the creative team had found their groove, concentrating on some of the plots and letting others fade. Suffice it to say, I was very happy with the book's directions and sales were more than healthy.

So how did Supergirl #21 fare? Well, you can look at the top 500 books ordered for the month of August here on ICv2: https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/41375/top-500-comics-august-2018

So after a couple of years living as Kara Danvers, daughter of Eliza and Jeremiah, DEO agent, CatCo intern, and student at National Tech, Supergirl decided she needed to investigate Rogol Zaar's claim that he blew up Krypton.

Basically, the baby of the Orlando Rebirth book was thrown out with the bath water. Healthy sales or no, Kara was going in a new direction, one leading her away from Earth.

So did it bring in new readers?

Sales Review: July 2018

The sales numbers for July 2018 have been posted over on ICv2 and surprisingly comics were up this month as opposed to July of last year. Here is the link:
https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/41125/top-500-comics-july-2018

I have stopped trying to figure these things out. Is it that a lot of 'big' issues were coming out this month? Is it that it is the summer and maybe new readers are heading into comic shops to fill up their free time?

I know this isn't sales but orders. But I keep hoping there are new readers out there. On to the sales.

July had Man of Steel #6, the finale of the mini-series which spear-headed the new Brian Michael Bendis new direction of the super-books. The issue sends Rogol Zaar to the Phantom Zone. We see Lois and Jon leave with insane Jor-El.

It seemed to limp to an end rather than sprint through the tape. So how did it sell?

Sales Review: June 2018

The sales (orders) numbers for June have come out and, as always, ICv2 does a great job laying out the numbers and talking about the market as a whole. Here is a link to the month's numbers:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40801/top-500-comics-june-2018

 It seems like DC has been riding something of a creative crest lately. DC Metal was a huge hit. Scott Snyder/Jim Cheung/Jorge Jimenez are on one of many new Justice League books coming out in the aftermath of Justice League:No Justice. Brian Michael Bendis is on the DC side of the border and spearheading a Superman era. Tom King has been steadily bringing us excellent Batman stories. Joshua Williamson is redefining the Flash family. And other big projects like Heroes in Crisis, G. Willow Wilson on Wonder Woman, and Grant Morrison on Green Lantern are all in the wings.

It has the feel of a post-Legends DCU with so much unbridled creativity exploding onto the shelves but with the added feel that many of these things will stick.

So how did things sell?

Sales Review: May 2018

The sales numbers for May have been posted and I, for one, was pretty interested in seeing how this month all shook out. As usual, here is the link ti ICv2 and their coverage:
https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/40671/top-500-comics-may-2018

For me, this was interesting as it marked the handing of the Superman baton over to Brian Michael Bendis. There was no Supergirl on the shelves this month. There was no Action Comics. We had a couple of specials. And we had the first issue of the weekly The Man of Steel comic by Bendis and a cadre of ultra-talented artists.

This mini-series isn't a reboot but a reinvigoration. It is Marvel Icon Bendis' first major work at DC. It should sell like hotcakes.

So ....