This is the Top Ten Bleeding Cool Bestseller List, as compiled by a number of comic stores from their sales on Wednesday and Thursday. It measures what are known as the “Wednesday Warriors”, those who can’t wait to the weekend to get this week’s comics. We salute you, and the keenness you bring to your passion.
If it weren’t for the returning X-Men titles to prominence – IVX so far – this would be a clean sweep for DC Comics. It’s bad news for Marvel when you look at actual sales in-store right now, but ResurrXion may help turn thing around.
Justice League Suicide Squad #4 All Star Batman #6 Detective Comics #948 Flash #14 Justice League Power Rangers #1 Suicide Squad #9 IVX #2 Wonder Woman #14 Titans #7 Action Comics #971
Julian Gonzalez
Thanks to the following retailers,
Hourglass Comics, BC, Canada Jesse James Comics, Glendale, Arizona Rodman Comics of Ankeny, Iowa Fat Jack’s Comicrypt of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Yesteryear Comics of San Diego, California Dr. No’s Comics & Games Superstore of Marietta, Georgia Famous Faces & Funnies of West Melbourne, FL Ssalefish Comics of Winston-Salem, NC Graham Crackers Comics – 11 locations in the Mid-West
Who had this to say,
I’ve traditionally been a Marvel guy, but DC is holding solid in sales these days while Marvel continues to drop, and drop fast. Marvel’s overship hasn’t helped at all, because I order very well what my customers actually buy, so extra copies aren’t needed. I will probably give the extras away at the local library with coupons, so they won’t be totally wasted, I suppose.
I was surprised how well Justice League Suicide Squad has done, when you consider that many customers are tired of crossovers and prefer the $2.99 price point. A weekly book can also be a tough sell, but customers have been buying it. This week’s Detective has such a beautiful regular cover that pushed it to the top in my store. I think All Star Batman was held back by the alternate covers looking nearly the same as the regular.
God Country appears to have sparked the speculators, as I had many phone calls from people who aren’t my regular customers looking for that book. I’m pretty sure at this point that I sold #1 to many people who aren’t going to read it, which is a shame..
Blake Green
The loser-of-the-week award has to go to Rocket Raccoon #2, which dropped a shocking 90% from issue one! There are just too many Marvel books, they are too expensive, their printing quality is too cheap, and not enough of them star Marvel’s name characters. I applaud Marvel’s attempts to diversify the market, but it is possible to work to attract new customers without having to alienate the old ones. In fact, it’s really important that you do both, all the time. It’s just harder work.
It’s also something DC seems to be doing well. Rebirth sells just as well to the young/new/minority customer as it does to the classic crowd, while Marvel don’t seem to be selling (in big numbers) to anyone. Someone needs to right that ship soon.
All Star Batman #6 took the top spot this week along with a bunch of other DC titles.Star Wars:Poe Dameron and IVX did quite well and people are back tracking to get previous issues…good sign.
Hack/Slash, Locke and Key and really anything independent did well on the back issue front this week. I assume that it is people following up from Christmas gifts that they received.
DC takes control of our store’s Top Ten once again, sweeping all ten slots (one of them a book co-produced with Boom). The highest-placing Marvel was IVX #2 at 11th place. Marvel only managed to get two other books in our store’s top twenty, continuing the decline of the industry’s former leader.
Strong interest in pre-Rebirth Batman family titles, with a lot of attention towards Harley Quinn, Batgirl, and Batwoman appearances…
Cooper Gray
DC had another strong week here. It is interesting that the higher cover priced DC books are my top 2 books. Is cover price a real factor when just comparing $2.99 to $3.99? Thanks to staff suggestions, Moonshine cracked our top 10 and Southern Bastards is our most asked about non-Super Hero Comics. If the Jasons are reading this, that means PLEASE don’t make us wait so long between issues. Thanks to my six year old daughter’s demands, Frozen issue 4 also cracked our top ten.
DC claims 9 out of the ten top spots this week with Marvel sneaking in Captain America Steve Rogers 9. Justice League vs Suicide Squad keeps on being number one. While Justice League Power Rangers 1 did try to give it a run for it’s money. Flash keeps increasing in readership. All Star Batman 6 did have a noticeable drop from the previous issue. Hoping people just aren’t aware it is out again since the last issue was just two weeks ago. Suicide Squad 9 had a bit of help I am being told thanks to Diamond shorting another store of the title. Strong Wednesday sales followed by weak Thursday sales. Oh January how cold and cruel can you be?
Most of our back issues customers were looking for Carrie Fisher related comics. I had some mixed feelings about this but I am happy to please true fans.
Others sales included Rebirths issues 7 and above since the rapid selling DC Rebirth trade paperbacks cover the one-shots and the first 6 issues.
DC continues to sell circles around Marvel. The higher-ups at Marvel are going to have to address the attrition eventually, hopefully sooner than later, as customers are dropping their titles at a frighteningly progressive rate. Fans are responding very well to the generally high level of synergy in DC books as they slowly build towards their Watchmen-inflected event.
Logan Gray
Another week of zero Marvel titles in our top ten bestsellers, although they were close with Spider-Man/Deadpool at spot 11, which has been our bestselling Marvel ongoing for a while now, although it’s also on the downward slide. Then Uncanny X-Men, IVX, Spider-Man Renew , and Daredevil at spots 15 through 18. Only 5 Marvel books in our top twenty for the week and most would have been one lower if we weren’t shorted half our order on Action Comics by Diamond this week. Our FFF top ten was Justice League Power Rangers in a commanding lead, Justice League Suicide Squad, Detective, GOD COUNTRY at 4, All Star Batman, Suicide Squad, Flash, Wonder Woman, Titans and Hal Jordan at 10.
God Country 1 we ordered pretty aggressively on, but we could have sold more and we’re ordering a lot of the second print too. It was our book of the week, and we’re giving Curse Words 1 our big push for next week’s book of the week, so keep an eye out for that oneJanuary 18! God Country was a big hit and only gets better with the next few issues (and is hot as hell on eBay right now). We sold all our copies at cover price in store, but they’re selling for about $15 to $30 on eBay already. Image will have a lot more hits that might go under the radar because most retailers are ordering more conservatively right now. I appreciate Image letting retailers check out the first few issues in advance. Because of that, and because they were really well done, I bumped up my orders significantly.
Andrew Brown
Just outside of my top ten, at spots 13 and 14, I’m surprised that Superwoman and Scooby Apocalypse are still outselling almost all Marvel books in my store (except Spider-Man/Deadpool). I wish I was selling more Jessica Jones, GLA and we’re even seeing a slowdown on All New Wolverine, Ms Marvel, Daredevil, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, and Poe Dameron, which used to be some of our Marvel bestsellersa few months ago. But between the higher prices and too many Marvel books competing with each other, Marvel just isn’t selling at our shop. We appreciate the Marvel overships, but we haven’t sold any of our free copies yet, and will have an incredible bonus selection for this year’s Free Comic Book Day and FCBMAY, as we give out free comics every Saturday in May, which has made May our best month other than December the last few years. It’s helped bring back over 1000 customers every Saturday in May and about 2000 on FCBD.
As Marvel continues to cancel a few more ongoings at issue 5 or 6, over the next few months, hopefully they will reign in the excessive amount of books as our newest Marvel first issues aren’t coming close to selling, even at the start, and they’re falling fast from there. How soon until Marvel goes back to meat and potatoes to try to fix this?
I feel like a broken record, but as always, we’re still selling lots of Rebirth runs including Batman, Justice League, Superman, Detective, Wonder Woman, plus Walking Dead, Saga, 1990’s and early 2000’s Uncanny X-Men, early 1990’s Action and Adventures of Superman, and Wicked & The Divine, Monstress and more newer Image back issues.
Impulse back issues shocked me by being in demand. It was a fun title. Though a lot of the younger generation do not even know who he is now.
Jack Fisher
>Justice League Suicide Squad #4 >All Star Batman #6 >Detective Comics #948 >Flash #14 >Justice League Power Rangers #1 >Suicide Squad #9 >Wonder Woman #14 >Titans #7 >Action Comics #971 9 out of 10? Don't mind if I do.
Anthony Wilson
>Rebirth sells just as well to the young/new/minority customer as it does to the classic crowd >we’re still selling lots of Rebirth runs
Jaxson Martinez
>There are just too many Marvel books, they are too expensive, their printing quality is too cheap
Now I'm a Eurofag who either buys his books digitally or just pirates them, so can someone elaborate this for me? How does Marvel's printing quality differ to that of DC or other publishers?
Also Holy shit, JL/PP is off to a flying start.
Jose Campbell
Perlmutter.
Camden Garcia
Is God Country that hypeworthy?
Oliver Taylor
This piece of shit is destroying the industry. Marvel hypocritically says that "fights for diversity" and then Perlmutter runs to lick Trump's boots. Marvel needs to burn.
Asher Harris
>How does Marvel's printing quality differ to that of DC or other publishers? thinner, cheaper stock
Cooper Gonzalez
and yet they charge more and even their TPB (which are equally shit paper quality wise) are significantly more expensive.
Brandon Moore
You'd think they'd invest into some quality paper, considering how much they pander to the mythical collector audience.
Carter Morales
>customers are dropping their titles at a frighteningly progressive rate
heh
Kevin Rodriguez
The retailers should try to stop Marvel's ridiculous overship tactics. Only this way the truth about Marvel's numbers will come out.
Juan Roberts
9 out of 10 My DC loving face when
Logan King
What was this pic originally from? That looks like Kate (hawkeye)
Cameron Gutierrez
Problem is they can't. Someone asked one of the retailers about if they couldn't just refuse to pay or accept the free orders and he said when they sign up to Diamond that they have to agree to stuff like that.
Mason Jones
Not 100% sure, but I think it's Shrinking Violet from the LoSH, and DC used these ads on their covers in the 80's.
Henry Lopez
>Superwoman and Scooby Apocalypse are still outselling almost all Marvel books in my store Really? Superwoman sucked hairy ass I guess Rebirth really is meme magic
Eli Rivera
obviously some kind of DC trick by WB to make it look like they're somehow being sort of successful
let's see them try this in April
Luis Sanchez
I wonder who's behind this post.
Samuel Peterson
Whats in april?
Austin Moore
prices go up to 3.99
Dylan Cox
>DC COMICS >WB Think about your life long and hard
Cameron Wilson
Yeah because Marvel isn't full of tricks? My dear drone your Marvel can overship as much as they want, and they can use the Diamond system to their favor, but the hard truth is that much less people care for their comics with the current garbage, that they are pubblishing.
Wyatt Cook
Got a source on that?
Isaiah Harris
Only for the monthlies. Of which there's only one on this list. Hell, JLvSS and ASB are both 4.99 yet they're top of the list.
Hunter Reed
JLVSS is $3.99
Jonathan Gomez
"Bu-Bu-Bu-But last week signaled the end of DC domination!"
Colton James
>Guardians of the Galaxy spin-off >No Galaxy >Replaced with cut-n-paste Crocodile Dundee setups >Huge drop off after first issue
GEE WHO COULD'VE SEEN THIS COMING
Samuel Morris
I don't think anyone can deny that Marvel's going to shit now. They just relaunched and they're titles are losing out to Rebirth books by the second issue. When DC relaunched we saw solid blocks of DC in the charts.
The sad thing is Marvel could very easily turn this around with their own rebirth if they just swallowed their pride a little
Jaxson Allen
And yet they're plowing ahead with Secret Empire, despite the huge outcry of complains over Civil War II and the lack of interest in IVX proving that the Heroes Vs. Heroes event well has dried up
Logan Campbell
Civil War II still sold really well though.
Ryder Carter
Yes, but every series that was a tie-in to the event suffered as a result.
Two even got cancelled at the end of their tie-in stint
Liam Ward
>Civil War #7 265,886 >Civil War II #7 116,447
It sold like shit
Jackson Torres
Is Titans consistent? I hope so
William Moore
Sales or quality?
Andrew Moore
Sales Would like to hear what you think of the quality though
Hunter Wilson
I'm really enjoying it. It's been Wally and Friends for the first arc but I'm OK with that. Sales wise it seems to be leveling off and it was at 48k as of last issue. Which isn't so bad since the rest of DC's monthly titles are getting buried under the Bi-Weeklies.
David Young
jeez i remember when DC used to have terrible printing. the colors were never right and the dialog was hard to read (probably around the bronze age)
by the 80s/90s they were as good as marvel
now Marvel fell behind
Parker Garcia
Even with Guardians popularity at an all time high I can't believe they thought a solo Rocket book on Earth was a good idea
Zachary Nelson
You mean the month when Batman and Flash do their Watchmen issues? Pretty sure DC will be just fine.
Nathaniel Watson
>Suicide Squad 9 had a bit of help I am being told thanks to Diamond shorting another store of the title. >shorted half our order on Action Comics by Diamond this week Fucking Diamond. I swear I can't go a month without hearing about them shitting the bed on an order for my LCS.
Christian Hall
>Impulse back issues being in demand yes
YES
Luke Richardson
Marvel has never been more popular than it is right now and the comics can't capitalize on it. It's embarrassing
Christopher Hall
They had to make room in the shipments for all those free Marvel comics.
Dylan Jackson
i wonder if champions had anything to do with that
Eli Green
Now I want good books please
>inb4 marvelshill
Part of the reason Rebirth sells well is because Marvel sucks
Yup, Rosen is stuck with asshole blame murder quipping thanks to Bendis
Caleb Brown
>Rich the Leech fails to properly attribute the cherrypicked retailer comments and refuses to state the reason why every time
Dominic Cook
>Marvel doing bad? Lies! Conspiracy! Every time.
Noah Scott
>Part of the reason Rebirth sells well is because Marvel sucks I'd say they're selling despite Marvel sucking. Marvel's collapse is crunching the whole market, which is probably affecting DC negatively too.
Isaiah Kelly
>being this mad
Dominic Davis
>DC doing bad? Lies! Conspiracy! Every time.
Asher Campbell
>two hougs lateg And that's the only counter-argument you could come up with. Oh well.
Elijah Nguyen
Nice counter-argument on your part though.
Isaac White
Don't need any, user. OP's posts already provided all the facts. Marvel is fucked.
Anthony Murphy
>all the facts >all Nope
Also, keep attacking marvel all you want because I've always hated them, but when you refuse to acknowledge that DC is fucked to, that's when you're making me laugh.
Jeremiah Flores
>I've always hated them Nice backpedaling, bro.
Nathaniel Hernandez
I've heard of you before, you're disney boys pretending to be DCfags and acting retarded to make all DCfags look retarded. Sneaky, sneaky.
I don't like Ewing, I hate Ms. Meme, I hate their constant events, I hate their hero vs hero bullshit, I hated when they were doubleshipping and now I hate DC doubleshipping their A list titles and killing their small ones, I hate the fact that they made a Justice League vs Suicide Squad event(leave the vs shit to marvel).
Eat a bag of dicks, retard.
Blake Morgan
>I've heard of you before, you're Disney boys pretending to be DCfags
Logan Turner
>tfw a Power Rangers comic outsells the entire Marvel line
Joseph Russell
>dat dominion
Holy shit. Falsh #14 outselling all Marvel, what a time to be alive
Your tears make this even funnier
Julian Green
Legion of Super-Heroes #301. Of course, the logo was replaced by the current one thanks to some kind user.
Michael Lee
>ResurrXion may help turn thing around. Oh man, that was a hearty kek.
Xavier Jones
>>Justice League Suicide Squad #4 >All Star Batman #6 >Detective Comics #948 >Flash #14 >Justice League Power Rangers #1 >Suicide Squad #9 >IVX #2 >Wonder Woman #14 >Titans #7 >Action Comics #971
DOWN IN A HOLE FEELING SO SMALL
Gabriel Mitchell
Rich, come on, we all know you're struggling to pay the IRS what you owe them but seriously? Taking DC's money like this is sheer payola. You can get in a lot of trouble for that. Federal trouble. Do you know what they do to nice little English boys in federal prisons?
At least try and argue with your owners that you should be putting out a chart that tries to reflect the realities of sales nationwide, even if your copy is going to bash the mouse.
Nicholas Anderson
Nice facist behaviour Marvel intern. The masks are down.
Christian Phillips
That would explain why some DC digital reprints have weird coloring.
Justin Miller
Which is the second after A Force?
Adrian Sanders
I really want to see marvel's dumb faces, when not even resurrexion will help. they fucked the x-men so hard it's fubar. from selling 80k, they are barely selling 30k