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 12/4/08. Pull lists are not included, as this is meant to capture what is being bought off the shelf.
Sorry, everyone for the late post this week. One day shorter in the week and business in the store created a very hectic week for me.
1. Batman #682
2. Batman #681
3. Secret Invasion #8
4. X-Men Noir #1
5. Haunted Tank #1
6. Sandman: The Dream Hunters #2
7. Amazing Spider-Man #579
8. X-Infernus #1
9. Justice Society #21
10. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #1
Commentary:
1&2: Media exposure baby. Seriously, I would love if Marvel and DC would start advertising on tv with a nice comic shop locator ride on!
3. It is important to note that last week's issue of Batman performed better than the end of Marvel's big event. Some will think this is attrition, but believe or not we don't see too much attrition in event books, even late ones like Final Crisis perform well and consistently. The big push here was the Batman story made it into the news.
4&8. Yup, people will buy the X-Men regardless of what it is.
5. Surprise of the week. Solid, fun, and funny book (although I am unsure as to whether or not it was supposed to be funny or if my twisted brain made it funny), it may have had something to do with me talking it up. ; )
10. Hellboy has been a big performer at this store. We are just now figuring out what numbers of it will sell here, it may become a repeat performer.
1 & 2. Ugh. I'd be afraid that those sales would mean we'd see more stories like BATMAN R.I.P., but most of my problems with the arc were very Grant-Morrison-specific, thus unlikely to be repeated any time soon.
4 & 8. I haven't seen a copy of these yet, but I'd like to hope there is some quality behind them in addition to having the X-MEN name slapped across them. Lee's comment doesn't leave me with much hope, though.
Posts
X-Infernus was a great read and X-Men: Noir was something different in a good kind of way.
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With regards to Secret Invasion would it be fair to assume that more people had that down on their pull lists hence it not topping the list. And also that it did not have the media buzz (the NY Times had a minor piece though I think). I'm sure people just flipped through it to see the end too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit of a pity that Criminal didn't make the list (though it was the final story part I guess). You should thrust Incognito upon your customers when that comes out Lee, it really deserves to do well.
Here, let me break down this way. I disagree on X-Infernus, in fact, I would say it was nigh unreadable. Noir was good but head scratchingly bizarre. I expect people to leave it alone after the first issue. But I did enjoy Noir.
ReplyDelete@ Paul... yeah SI would have lots of subs and it sold really well, but in the end the hype machine that is Batman right now won out.
ReplyDeleteI would love for all my customers to read Criminal it is a fantastic book, but it just doesn't sell well. I will indeed force feed Incognito to the customers and try to gain some readers for Criminal at the same time. That being said, the trades for Criminal are pulling Fell like sales these days and that is a good thing.
Batman is too awesome for you? lol.
ReplyDeleteXmen Noir was a very good read. Lee's comment was dismissive. What, nothing with X can be good every again? Nonsense
ReplyDeleteAnonymous--
ReplyDeleteBe definition, anything with an X on it is ever good, ;)
"Never"
ReplyDeleteDangit, how am I supposed to be a pest when I can't type properly? :(
"Dangit, how am I supposed to be a pest when I can't type properly? :("
ReplyDeleteI was originally gonna say "Story of my life" until I realized that the way AC's comment displays on my screen his sad face is messed up, too!
Uh, it's just ONE location. It means nothing.
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