[Movie/TV/Comic] Marvel Cinematic Universe: A place to talk all things Marvel

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Comichron only shows what was shipped to stores, not what was sold.

you didn't read the actual link did you? this isn't tracking only comics shipped to stores.

A historic shift is playing out as the market grew, primarily in the book channel, in 2018,” Griepp said. “While comics stores are still the largest channel, they represented less than half the market for comics and graphic novels in 2018 for the first time in at least three decades.”

Sales in the book channel, which includes chain bookstores, mass merchants, major online retailers, and Scholastic Book Fairs, were up by double digits, with sales of kids graphic novels the biggest factor. Digital sales were also up for the first time in several years, with increased title counts across multiple platforms a factor. Sales in comic stores were down very slightly versus the previous year.

Sales of all three formats, comics, graphic novels, and digital, grew in 2018, with graphic novels leading the way, followed at some distance by digital and comics.

[cyberglum]

As far as Liefeld "creating" Deadpool...there's a funny anecdote that Fabian Nicieza (Deadpool's other creator) has where when Liefeld first submitted the character design for Deadpool...he looked at it and said "This is Deathstroke from Teen Titans". That's why Fabian named him "Wade Wilson"(Deathstroke's name is "Slade Wilson")

Can trace Deadpools "origins" all the way back to Marvels Taskmaster, who Perez helped create only a couple of months before he and Wolfman created Deathstroke for DC.

- - - Updated - - -

you didn't read the actual link did you? this isn't tracking only comics shipped to stores.

Doesn't negate the fact that half of the figures they're working off (the direct market sales at CBS) are only what shipped. The bookshop sales is mostly re-print material in the form of trades and graphic novels - hardly an indication that new, modern day comics from the Big Two are healthy.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Doesn't neagte the fact that half of the figures they're working off ( the direct market sales at CBS) are only what shipped.

If you have any other sort of better source for the gains of the industry id love to have it but as far as I know this is the best we have and it gathers info from multiple sources.

[Egomaniac]

Comichron only shows what was shipped to stores, not what was sold.

Yes, but comic stores tend to order only what they think they can sell. If their orders are staying steady or increasing...that means they feel confident in their ability to sell what they are ordering.

Also, they were tracking more than just store shipments. They were also tracking digital sales.

[cyberglum]

If you have any other sort of better source for the gains of the industry id love to have it but as far as I know this is the best we have and it gathers info from multiple sources.

It is the best source for the info, but that quote is rubbish. Bookshop sales are mostly re-print material. The scholastic sales are where they off-load all the trade reprints no one else wants to buy at deep discounts.
I appreciate there must be a large increase in digital sales, but the quote manages to bury the fact sales in LCBS are down and the sales of floppys are the lowest compared to the other media (GNs, trades and digital). This does not bode well.

[AlmightyGerkin]

Is this for real? I mean, is Marvel trying to loose even more readers?

It even gets far more cringier than this when you see what Marvel released today.

[cyberglum]

Yes, but comic stores tend to order only what they think they can sell. If their orders are staying steady or increasing...that means they feel confident in their ability to sell what they are ordering.

Also, they were tracking more than just store shipments. They were also tracking digital sales.

The Big Two (Marvel especially) do whats called "Over-Shipping" where they send a store upto 200% more of an issue than the store ordered, only asking the stores to pay shipping, essentially getting the comics for free. These are included in the Sales Figures we're discussing, falsely boosting them. It also leads to stores having a shed-ton of stock they'll never shift and as the industry has never had a returns policy they're stuck with them.
Its lead to many stores no longer having "Weekly Comics" which is where they get in the shipment of the latest published issues and put them out on the racks. Rather they only order what their customers order, which in the long run will decrease sales to the casual browser/purchaser.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

It is the best source for the info, but that quote is rubbish. Bookshop sales are mostly re-print material. The scholastic sales are where they off-load all the trade reprints no one else wants to buy at deep discounts.
I appreciate there must be a large increase in digital sales, but the quote manages to bury the fact sales in LCBS are down and the sales of floppys are the lowest compared to the other media (GNs, trades and digital). This does not bode well.

Do you have a source for bookshops selling mostly re-prints by any chance I could just be missing one in this report if its there? this info also eliminates discounts and markups which they say in the connected video.

[Egomaniac]

The Big Two (Marvel especially) do whats called "Over-Shipping" where they send a store upto 200% more of an issue than the store ordered, only asking the stores to pay shipping, essentially getting the comics for free. These are included in the Sales Figures we're discussing, falsely boosting them.

They only do that for comics they expect to have a larger than normal demand for.

[BloodyAngel12]

It gets worse........

[cyberglum]

They only do that for comics they expect to have a larger than normal demand for.

Well who decides that? Surely it should be the person selling the comics rather than the publisher.

- - - Updated - - -

Do you have a source for bookshops selling mostly re-prints by any chance I could just be missing one in this report if its there? this info also eliminates discounts and markups which they say in the connected video.

I'm not going to spend the time looking for a direct source, you can if you wish, but its pretty much acknowledged floppy sales are minimal when it comes to sales of "comics" in bookstores.

As much as I hate too link bleedin cool:
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/10...-comic-stores/

This article pretty much says its childrens comics, GN's and Manga which leads the increase in book store sales.

I guess it comes down to what one means when you use the term "comics". Its certainly not the stuff being currently published.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

It gets worse........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLVebLhsG7w

wait whats wrong with these ones there just a new generation of Xmen, if any thing tis a step up.

[Egomaniac]

Well who decides that? Surely it should be the person selling the comics rather than the publisher.

Only if the publisher is forcing the retailers to buy the extra copies...which they are not..they are giving them away. If the store doesn't sell the extras...no loss. If they do...it's free money.

[minkage]

It gets worse........

marvel stop..... just stop

The hell are they thinking with this crap ?

[Lorgar Aurelian]

I'm not going to spend the time looking for a direct source, you can if you wish, but its pretty much acknowledged floppy sales are minimal when it comes to sales of "comics" in bookstores.

As much as I hate too link bleedin cool:
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/10...-comic-stores/

This artical pretty much says its childrens comics, GN's and Manga which leads the increase in book store sales.

I guess it comes down to what one means when you use the term "comics". Its certainly not the stuff being currently published.

ah I get it you mean trades, ya i could see them being the bulk of sales in book stores they are what i used to read when i was still reading physically. I wouldn't really say that trade's being the bulk is a negative when it comes to whats doing well unless something has changed the newer stuff used to get put out rather regulatory when i used to read them.

- - - Updated - - -

marvel stop..... just stop

The hell are they thinking with this crap ?

I'm really not seeing the problem with this one they make a new xmen generation with modern stuff like every 10 years.

[cyberglum]

Only if the publisher is forcing the retailers to buy the extra copies...which they are not..they are giving them away. If the store doesn't sell the extras...no loss. If they do...it's free money.

It's a loss because they have to pay for shipping and later storage for stock they didn't want which they know they'll never sell (unless its as an alternative to toliet paper...)

It's not hard mate...

[Jotaux]

They are trying to just get into new audiences, I don't think I'll read it but we'll see.

[cyberglum]

I'm really not seeing the problem with this one they make a new xmen generation with modern stuff like every 10 years.

They do, but this seems seems really ham-fisted. Their powersets are carbon copies of their originals, which is incredibily lazy. Sure its comparable to DC's own Young Justice (or whatever they're called now) but DC have a history with their legacy characters, an idea originally from decades ago when things were more naive.

I like in the video how the editor is impressed the writer ACTUALLY wrote some back story for the characters!! Amazing...

It's also going to be eyes-squeezed-shut-in-embarrassment-ly WOKE, which a lot of people will not enjoy.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

They do, but this seems seems really ham-fisted. Their powersets are carbon copies of their originals, which is incredibily lazy. Sure its comparable to DC's own Young Justice (or whatever they're called now) but DC have a history with their legacy characters, an idea originally from decades ago when things were more naive.

I like in the video how the editor is impressed the writer ACTUALLY wrote some back story for the characters!! Amazing...

It's also going to be eyes-squeezed-shut-in-embarrassment-ly WOKE, which a lot of people will not enjoy.

I could see the powers thing i guess but well its the xmen they have been reusing those powers none stop with the last "new" generation just being the core xmen from the past a alternate wolverine son and a vampire storm. mabye i'm just used to the xmen being lazy though.

as to them being "woke" that's kinda the whole point of the xmen and it looks like tis gonna be alot better then the new warriors.

[Egomaniac]

It's a loss because they have to pay for shipping and later storage for stock they didn't want which they know they'll never sell (unless its as an alternative to toliet paper...)

It's not hard mate...

Even if they were given stock they absolutely could not sell for any reason...they still do not have to store it. They could just give it away. Half the time that's the reason why they do overshipments anyway...free promotions.

And it's not even something they do all that often

Bleeding Cool first reported on Marvel doing this back in 2012 and it came and went sporadically since. When it happened, again and again, we ran articles about it. But it hasn't happened to any statistically significant degree for a couple of years now.

For a time some agenda-driven folk decided that Marvel's overshipping was being used just to get revamped versions of characters, especially if they now starring female, BAME or gay characters, into stores that couldn't sell them, and to make their sales figures look better than they were. Rather than the actual intent of encouraging sampling – and ignoring that the biggest recipents of Marvel's overshipping were the biggest selling titles.

Well, now it seems that overshipping is back.

Retailers who ordered Daredevil #3 will receive an additional 50% of their order, for free.

Retailers who ordered Invaders #3 will receive an additional 50% of their order, for free.

And retailers who ordered Marvel Comics Presents #3 will receive an additional 50% of their order, for free.

All will arrive in the 27th of March. What they'll do with their additional copies is up to them.

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/03...vel-overships/

The characters in those overshipped comics?

Daredevil, Captain America, Wolverine, and Spider-Man.

Not exactly the bottom of the barrel.