From Lee Newman of Ultimate Comics, the list of top-selling books at one of their locations in North Carolina for what was released on 10/29/08. Pull lists are not included, as this is meant to capture what is being bought off the shelf.
9. Hmmm. Amazing Spider-Man has dropped another slot in the top ten. I'd be curious to know if it is because more of the walk-up purchasers have added it to their pull (thus not counted here) or sales are returning to normal after the New Ways To Die arc.1. Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns
2. Presidential Material: Barack Obama
3. Avengers: The Intitiative #18
4. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1
5. Ultimate Captain America Annual #1
6. Spike: After the Fall #4
7. Hellboy: In the Chapel of Moloch
8. Spawn #185
9. Amazing Spider-Man #575
10. Thor #11
Commentary:
Despite online grumblings about Astonishing X-Men Ghost Boxes and its price, the fact that we were short shipped had more to do with this book not being on the list then the price point. The few folks who did get ahold of it seemed to have good things to say about it, in store. Online is another matter altogether.
1. Johns is the MAN!!!! We knew this would sell well and despite it being short shipped it still brought people in the door. That is a book with huge potential. Why it doesn't translate into sales I haven't figured out, but with the hardcover of Secret Origins hitting the shelves early next month, maybe the book will get the boost the fans and almost certainly DC wants.
2. We weakened and did one last reorder. I, also, pulled them off the shelves from two of my other stores. (Wednesday saw a run on the Ross Obama Tee)
3. Skrull Kill Crew seemas to be full of win this time around.
4. People really liked
OneBrand More Day... it probably helped that this story pretty much came out of the Secret Invasion tie in series.5. Kevin may be right, people may want to see this universe end, we'll know for sure next week.
6. This book like Amory Wars and Umbrella Academy seemed to pick up the further it got along until at the end you had people coming in to buy the whole thing in one fatal swoop. I don't know if there is a disconnect with reaching the fans in a timely matter like the Who Wants to Be a Superhero book a couple years ago or if they just don't like the monthly thing (which I don't see reflected in Buffy or Angel).
7 & 8. Put the original creators on their books and people will check them out. The key now is to retain that interest.
5. I'll be just as shocked as anyone if I wind up being right about something. ;)
2. Barack Obama: helping the economy before even in office. I wore my Ross OBAMA shirt to the polls...before being reminded I couldn't wear a shirt seen as campaigning into the polling place. Had to turn it inside out before going in the building.
1. FINAL CRISIS on the cover and being a key part of the set-up to BLACKEST NIGHT? Yeah...that's a recipe for success cooked up by Geoff.
Note to Retailers: If anyone out there would like to provide similar information regarding sales at their store, I'd love to have it (with or without commentary). A link to your store's online presence will be included in any installment that uses your data. More data = more gooder.
Posts
Ehh.. typo, should be BRAND new day not ONE more day.... KEvin can you fix that for me?
ReplyDeleteKevin... strict pollers huh?? My brother wore the Ross Sucking THe Life out of Liberty Shirt. It kept the McCain people from talking to him as he approached the building! :)
ReplyDeleteHeh, the Astonishing X-Men orders must have got rightly botched as the UK didn't get them until this week. I had a flip through it at the shop then laughed when I got to the 'extras' before setting it back. Marvel cost me too much this week already without me picking up a half-a-book.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if that Amazing Annual will actually harm things because the general opinion was that Marvel screwed over the readers with a reveal that made absolutely no sense.
A question here Lee Newman (you can no comment if you wish): Are you guys starting to feel the effects of the current economic climate? Are people starting to drop things/pick up less or has it been steady enough?
@all... hotlist is up at www.ultimatecomicsonline.com
ReplyDelete@Paul C... that's an interesting question. Some subscribers have scaled back a bit, but the stores are all holding steady or increasing in sales. The store (Ninth St) that this list is compiled from, is brand new and is actually seeing steady growth each week. It is slow growth, but that is the kind that is sustainable. For us, we have been fairly recession proof thus far.
That being said. We have just come off the summer season when sales are up (except when DC decides to not do an event and Marvel does somethin bone headed like WWH) over the rest of the year and usually the previous year. But sales continue to be up or on par with the previous year at all four locations. Will that hold through the fall, who knows? But things are good overall.
And by the way, I'm Lee. FYI.