If you've been paying attention to numbers lately, you'd have noticed that sales estimates indicate that neither Marvel nor DC Comics had an issue that broke 100k.
That's just a few months into the Dark Reign event and with Batman: Battle For The Cowl debuting in this month's estimates. It's hard to imagine anything in the near future (other than maybe Blackest Night) charting higher than the Big Two's current offerings. Sales are a bit down all over, so I'm not trying to point to these sales as any indicator of the job DC and Marvel are doing (feel free to argue that in the comments).
Enter BOOM! Studios.If you haven't noticed all the sellout notices from BOOM! Studios regarding their Muppet Show and Incredibles books, you might guffaw at this suggestion. OK, plenty of books sellout, so you might still have a chuckle. I'll give you two words that should quiet that laughter:
Newstand distribution.
BOOM!'s kids line will be getting broad distribution. It should already be available in Barnes & Noble, if not in other venues. These are properties with amazing mainstream recognition being put in places where mainstream eyes will see them.
Yes, I know that they aren't the only company with newstand distribution. But can you name a property that has a better chance of selling at the supermarket, bookstore or newstand than the Muppets or Incredibles?
I know it probably sounds like quite a leap from about eighth place to third place, but the Disney/Pixar/Muppets product has only just hit the shelves. While IDW has a potential cash cow this summer in their GI Joe product, they have a higher price point ($3.99 vs. $2.99) and are geared to a consumer that has many other options for entertainment when talking about the mainstream audience. While I'm sure BOOM! is selling more than a few copies to adults, they're putting out a product that parents can feel comfortable handing to their child that might just be learning to read.
This isn't to try to minimize the impact of the regular product that BOOM! is putting out. I'm sure the WARHAMMER product has been doing well for them in trades sold outside of the direct market. They're putting out stuff like UNTHINKABLE, UNKNOWN and IRREDEEMABLE. One can always hope for more HERO SQUARED, as well. Can't forget being impressed by COVER GIRL (which Kevin Church, of BeaucoupKevin.com, contributed to).
What I'm saying is: the moves that Waid, Richie, Mosher and company are making could reap great rewards for the company and a significant vault up the publisher rankings.
(originally composed via e-mail; apologies for misspelling Ross Richie's last name prior to touch up editing this evening)
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