*15 seconds of alt-rock jingle*
Hi. Welcome to Twitter.Com, more specifically Big Bang Comics's feed, where tonight we will be talking about comic sales in the past two weeks and give you the best selling singles of June 2018 here in store.
Hi. Welcome to Twitter.Com, more specifically Big Bang Comics's feed, where tonight we will be talking about comic sales in the past two weeks and give you the best selling singles of June 2018 here in store.
We do this usually on Mondays, but due to life and logistics (and having to do a very successful Midnight Opening for BATMAN #50) we are exceptionally catching up on a Thursday night.
We will be touching on a few particular items from the last two weeks, talking about why they worked or didn't work for us, and then we'll finish it off with a slide show detailing the top selling single issues in our store for the last month.
My name is Bruno and I'll be your host for the evening.
You might know me from other posts like "do podcasts need intro jingles anyway" or "no, seriously, are Dynamite just not gonna mention JOHN WICK ever again and hope we forget that comic ever existed?"
You might know me from other posts like "do podcasts need intro jingles anyway" or "no, seriously, are Dynamite just not gonna mention JOHN WICK ever again and hope we forget that comic ever existed?"
Thanks for joining us tonight and we hope you'll enjoy the ride.
*10 seconds of smooth jazz outro*
*10 seconds of smooth jazz outro*
Right so, let's look at some highlights from the week of the 20th of June, shall we?
2000 AD SCI-FI SPECIAL 2018 did phenomenally well for us, as these specials tend to do. We sold nearly twice what we do of the regular mag, and people were REALLY happy to see female talent on those page for once.
There is always this notion that 2000 AD is a bit your dad's magazine, so getting fresh talent and voices in it REALLY helps to get the product to a different audience. More of this, please!
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #801 sold basically the same as #800. It's nice, but can't help to think that Slott's parting shots deserved a bigger audience.
Will be interesting to compare numbers with the relaunch next week.
Will be interesting to compare numbers with the relaunch next week.
AVENGERS #3, and this Fresh Start relaunch has been an hit. It still doesn't mean that we're selling AVENGERS like crazy but we're doing A LOT better than what we were months ago.
(at least now we're closer to traditional AVENGERS numbers, and that's all we can ask for)
(at least now we're closer to traditional AVENGERS numbers, and that's all we can ask for)
Yeah, it's easy to forget since there's been 2090 editions (more or less) of the 2000 AD Mag, and the sheer amount of talent unleashed on the world through it, but the Mag itself is barely older than a lot of people reading this right now!
By now we are at less than half of what we were doing of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN back at its top. Attrition is the bête noire of ongoing comics.
We always do well with BATMAN, but the Artgerm variant for #49 was a particular runaway hit, customers loved the heck out of it! 
DOCTOR STRANGE #2 sold the same as #1, which is good, no loss of customers there. And really good word of mouth on it has people coming in asking for #1 and #2, so this is going well.
Man, we really like FLAVOR #2, but our customers are not going for it. 20% first week.
INFINITY COUNTDOWN BLACK WIDOW #1 and INFINITY COUNTDOWN CHAMPIONS #1 are ex aequo for worst performers of these INFINITY prequel tie-ins. I might have to lower the orders for the main book even more since people aren't really going for this.
(seriously, Marvel need to show people SOMETHING if this is a big event comic, this has no buzz, no one is talking about it)
JUSTICE LEAGUE #2 doing quite well, nearly the same numbers as #1 AND people (specially kids) asking for #1 and jumping aboard this one. It's going places.
LOST CITY EXPLORERS #1, another book that our customers didn't go for. No sales at all on this one.
Aftershock's comics can be so hit and miss with our audience...
Aftershock's comics can be so hit and miss with our audience...
SHANGHAI RED #1 had a very strong debut, 80% first week on a big enough order.
(we raised the order a bit because we really like the letterer on it)
(we raised the order a bit because we really like the letterer on it)
JLD and JLO are always going to be trailing behind the big stars of JL. JLO is going to be REALLY affected by the 2 month (i think?) because by the time it comes out it will just be ANOTHER Justice League book as opposed to one of the core 3.
it's all about perception.
it's all about perception.
Honestly, the readership of ALL NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY transitioned to INFINITY COUNTDOWN, we picked up maybe 3 readers extra because it was an Infinity thing and... that's it.
LOST CITY EXPLORERS really is a lot of fun! If you are looking for something cool next time you're in, be sure to have a look at it!
TONY STARK IRON MAN #1! Man, that had a lot of covers, didn't it?
Check them out if you forgot already!
Check them out if you forgot already!
So how did it go? Not many people cared for the armor variants, to be honest, sales on that were minimal.
Numbers wise, we are more or less back to the numbers we were at before they divided the book into Iron Doom and Ironheart, so... yay?
Numbers wise, we are more or less back to the numbers we were at before they divided the book into Iron Doom and Ironheart, so... yay?
And finally for that week, X-MEN GOLD #30. You remember that, yeah, the OTHER wedding issue?
That one got spoiled too, and we got a couple of phone calls, and we were like, ok, this might get busy tomorrow. let's limit it to one per customer to weed out the speculators, right?
And then the day came. And no one cared. Uptick on this was marginal compared to what we were already selling of GOLD anyway.
Sorta surprising but not really?
Sorta surprising but not really?
Ok, so Batman and Catwoman? There's a thing there, there's been movies about it, it has a much higher notoriety with customers and randomers.
Kitty and Colossus? No one cares except hardcore old-school X-Men fans. And even those were like "er, that's all shades of wrong, she's too good for him"
BUT WAIT, THERE WAS A SWERVE! They didn't get married! In reality, the happy couple was...Rogue and Gambit? Remember that? From the 90s?
And god I swear I'm not having a go at Kelly Thompson about Gambit again, but Marvel did this X-CLASSIFIED thing, wouldn't say what it was, two months of secret solicitations, for the result to be... Rogue And Gambit Part Deux?
The entire thing was just underwhelming.
The entire thing was just underwhelming.
And when customers learned the spoiler, they just didn't care about reading the actual comic.
UNLIKE OTHER FAMOUSLY SPOILED WEDDING ISSUE THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT WEEK!
UNLIKE OTHER FAMOUSLY SPOILED WEDDING ISSUE THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT WEEK!
Er, also, spoilers for X-MEN GOLD #30 if you haven't read that yet.
Nooow, let's look at the week of the 27th of June, shall we.
(as always, if you have any particular questions about a comic, shoot, we try to do our best to answer as much as we can)
(creators, any more hardcore questions, just slide into our DMs)
(as always, if you have any particular questions about a comic, shoot, we try to do our best to answer as much as we can)
(creators, any more hardcore questions, just slide into our DMs)
BATMAN PRELUDE TO THE WEDDING HARLEY VS JOKER #1 was out top selling issue of these Prelude To The Wedding things. People do love that Joker fella...
BLACK PANTHER #2 saw a 32% drop from #1. Bit harsh, And with #3 now delayed until late August at least, I wonder how this will affect the series.
Ya know, when people say "oh, no one cares that the comics were late originally as long as the book looks great by the end of it"... You know who cares?
RETAILERS! BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES THAT LEGIT LOSE MONEY ON THESE THINGS EVERY SINGLE TIME!
RETAILERS! BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES THAT LEGIT LOSE MONEY ON THESE THINGS EVERY SINGLE TIME!
So by the time BLACK PANTHER #3 comes out and is late a month, there's a handful of customers that won't come back because they moved on. And this goes for pretty much every late comic book.
And we retailers have already ordered and paid for the things, but who cares right...
And we retailers have already ordered and paid for the things, but who cares right...
😭
Anyway, CHARLIES ANGELS #1, 10% first week. Wow, that was low. But they didn't even have Lucy Liu on it, she was the coolest one!
FLASH #49 picked up even more sales on the way to the inevitable Wally West victory. And gotta say, those Francesco Mattina covers are really working for our customers!
KILL OR BE KILLED #20 was the series last issue, and let me just reiterate that Brubaker/Philips fans are so devoted, this series was always one of our top Image best sellers.
And their next book will do as well if not better!
And their next book will do as well if not better!
MODERN FANTASY #1, another book that we liked and tried to push but our customers didn't go for it. Again, next time you're in store have a look at it, you will be pleasantly surprised!
MULTIPLE MAN #1, really happy with this one. We ordered probably double of what we would have normally done just because it's Rosenberg. We love that guy and really hope to bring him to Dublin one of these days so you can meet him too.
First week sell-through of 80%!
First week sell-through of 80%!
Really well, and the media news brought more people in looking for back issues, it is definitely in a good place!
SENTRY #1 was disappointing as we expected better sales even if based on the creators alone.
40% first week and it's selling half of what Lemire's Black Hammer books are doing at the moment, it's mad!
40% first week and it's selling half of what Lemire's Black Hammer books are doing at the moment, it's mad!
SHADOW ROADS #1 was another disappointment, 10% first week only. We had LOADS of people asking about this straight after Free Comic Book Day, but don't know where they all went when the thing actually came out...
Lil' detour to mention that we sold more than half of our order of THANOS WINS BY DONNY CATES TP in the first week. Yowzas! Collected editions are ordered to last weeks or a month, so to sell half of them in one week it's pretty good!
THOR #2 is strong, doing around a third more than the previous MIGHTY THOR series, very decent numbers.
And finally for the week, VENOM #3. It sold out. We raised the orders and the damn thing sold out in the first couple of days again. A Venom book. Selling out. In 2018. Is there ANYTHING Cates/Stegman can't do?!
(Categman? Stegates?)
(Categman? Stegates?)
Now give me a minute or two to set stuff up and we'll be looking at the top 10s for June 2018!
*5 minute prog rock jingle intermission*
It certainly reflects the hype WE built on the book, we kept hand selling it as it is dope AF!
(dope as feck, not dope action figure in case you are wondering, fellow retailers)
Yeah, some people did ask about what happened there alright.
The answer is easy, Kitty's heart wasn't on it.
She's saving herself for Rachel/Ilyana and we all know it.
The answer is easy, Kitty's heart wasn't on it.
She's saving herself for Rachel/Ilyana and we all know it.
Now, without further ado
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
10-AVENGERS #3
10-AVENGERS #3
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
9-FLASH #48
9-FLASH #48
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
8-FLASH #49
8-FLASH #49
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
7-MAN OF STEEL #2/3/4/5 (AVERAGE OF WEEKLY SALES)
7-MAN OF STEEL #2/3/4/5 (AVERAGE OF WEEKLY SALES)
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
6-JUSTICE LEAGUE #2
6-JUSTICE LEAGUE #2
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
5-AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #801
5-AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #801
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
4-MISTER MIRACLE #9
4-MISTER MIRACLE #9
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
3-JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
3-JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
2-BATMAN #49
2-BATMAN #49
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (DC/MARVEL) FOR JUNE 2018
1-BATMAN #48
1-BATMAN #48
As always, Batman reigns supreme. Can't even imagine what other book (except DOOMSDAY CLOCK) can take King and co's BATMAN out of #1 slot!
And as always, here is the non DC/Marvel top of single issues!
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
10-DESCENDER #31
10-DESCENDER #31
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
9-GIDEON FALLS #4
9-GIDEON FALLS #4
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
8-2000 AD SCI-FI SPECIAL 2018
8-2000 AD SCI-FI SPECIAL 2018
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
7-OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI #4
7-OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI #4
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
6-WALKING DEAD #180
6-WALKING DEAD #180
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
5-ISOLA #3
5-ISOLA #3
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
4-KILL OR BE KILLED #20
4-KILL OR BE KILLED #20
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
3-PAPER GIRLS #21
3-PAPER GIRLS #21
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
2-WICKED & DIVINE #37
2-WICKED & DIVINE #37
TOP 10 BEST SELLING SINGLE ISSUE COMICS (OTHER PUBLISHERS) FOR JUNE 2018
1-SAGA #53
1-SAGA #53
And that's it! Now that the outlier of Roche's WRECKERS oen-shot from last month is gone, it's back to being All Image All The Time, baybay!
Thanks for joining us tonight for this recap! I'm outta here now as I'm back in work tomorrow morning to put our very informative weekly email together for you AND tweet you some of next week's releases highlights!
My name is Bruno, and it was a pleasure talking to you tonight. Drive safe, you all.
*melodic metal 12 second outro, fade to black*
*melodic metal 12 second outro, fade to black*
*record scratch*
BUT SERIOUSLY, DOES ANYONE EVEN REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A JOHN WICK COMIC THAT WAS MOOOOONTHS LATE AND THEN DISAPPEARED AFTER #2?!
BUT SERIOUSLY, DOES ANYONE EVEN REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A JOHN WICK COMIC THAT WAS MOOOOONTHS LATE AND THEN DISAPPEARED AFTER #2?!
