Ray's 53rd DCU/GrayHaven Megathread - Beware the Court of OOMPHwls!!!

**Marc Lombardi** · 01-09-2012, 12:59 PM

What was the sales number for the #103 book a year ago?

**Slewo.O** · 01-09-2012, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Ray G.

The Ray being so low was really disappointing too.

I think Shade needed to be one of the new 52. They didn't need to announce it as a 12-issue maxiseries right off the bat, honestly. This is a great title that could have used the push.

Agreed. There might also be an illusion of it "not counting" hanging around it too. Hopefully editorial sees fit to let the Shade finish it's run, and let the Ray get some legs too.

**Slewo.O** · 01-09-2012, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Marc Lombardi

What was the sales number for the #103 book a year ago?

Not that high, IIRC.

**Drkemerld73** · 01-09-2012, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Cth

I hate to say it, but..

It was inevitable.

I'm curious how the creative team shakeups affect the titles (if any)

But yeah, overall sales for the industry continue to dip. Hopefully they can capitalize on all the films out this year to try and nab some people.

True. I think everyone was keeping a careful eye on when it would happen, and hopefully that when would be more in the future.

I think some would just close up shop and be revisted later on if things look better. In between they'll probably be trying out different properties to see what sticks and has longer legs rather than try different creative teams.

**Cth** · 01-09-2012, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ray G.

Essentially, DC still managed to reshape the playing field, in terms of dominance. There's a lot of books they have in the top tier right now that are beating Marvel books no one could have imagined a while back. I mean, Wonder Woman is outselling Avengers. But what they didn't do is reshape the actual market. Sales are still dropping, and there were always going to be some low performers.

It's just a shame that one of their most unique books is one of them. Simon Dark 2.0?

Yes and no.

Yes, some books are selling more than they used to, which is great, but who's to say how things look 3 months from now?

As a way to revitalize some of their properties, it was a huge success.. changing the industry, not so much.

What is interesting to note is that retailers seem pretty consistent in their orders.. when books drop, it seems they drop in 10k increments or thereabouts. For double shipped titles, most seem to be bleeding 1k an issue*

*Just a guess from some random sampling of books I've been keeping tabs on for years

As for I, Vampire, I didn't like it until the recent issue to be honest.

Either way, retailers can't do this long term I'm guessing.. forcing retailers to choose between carrying everything or choosing between double shipped books -- something has to give. Add in the movie ramp ups, and given our economy, a lot of retailers are going to be hurting this year.

**Ray G.** · 01-09-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Slewo.O

Not that high, IIRC.

18K. Top book was 89K.

**Drkemerld73** · 01-09-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Ray G.

The Ray being so low was really disappointing too.

I think Shade needed to be one of the new 52. They didn't need to announce it as a 12-issue maxiseries right off the bat, honestly. This is a great title that could have used the push.

Yeah. Sending The Shade out with a 12 issue Maxi was a bit risky considering how much people distrusted Robinson's writing as of late and so soon after the relaunch didn't seem to be the greatest move. It could have used a little bit more breathing room.

Originally Posted by Slewo.O

If Resurrection Man and the Shade get the ax I'll be very sad.

I won't be as sad as thankful that I'd have two spots on my pull list, but hell, I'm always sad when any title (even the ones I don't read) end up getting cancelled because they are always someone else's favorite.

**Marc Lombardi** · 01-09-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Slewo.O

Not that high, IIRC.

So then isn't around 19,000 a good number for a book that otherwise may have been a Vertigo comic? It's ahead of Angel & Faith and outsold Luthor Strode and The Cape COMBINED. It outsold Fables and Punishermax. If DC is going to axe a comic because all 52 of its new titles aren't in the top 100 or that they aren't maintaining 50,000 books sold then I'm going to start wondering why I'm reading so many new books from them.

I would say that the creative team changes DO have some effect on the returning readership. I hope DC is looking carefully at these numbers and seeing WHY the numbers are dropping, but not looking so closely at them that they do something callous to alienate new readers less than six months into this resurgence of theirs.

**Drkemerld73** · 01-09-2012, 01:11 PM

As an aside, I'm really shocked at how consistant Boom!'s Planet of the Apes ongoing has been with it's sales.

**Ray G.** · 01-09-2012, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Marc Lombardi

So then isn't around 19,000 a good number for a book that otherwise may have been a Vertigo comic? It's ahead of Angel & Faith and outsold Luthor Strode and The Cape COMBINED. It outsold Fables and Punishermax. If DC is going to axe a comic because all 52 of its new titles aren't in the top 100 or that they aren't maintaining 50,000 books sold then I'm going to start wondering why I'm reading so many new books from them.

I would say that the creative team changes DO have some effect on the returning readership. I hope DC is looking carefully at these numbers and seeing WHY the numbers are dropping, but not looking so closely at them that they do something callous to alienate new readers less than six months into this resurgence of theirs.

Depends. There's still 9 DC books below I Vampire, and it's the most critically acclaimed of the 10 (OMAC is probably the next-best in that category). So if anyone gets a reprieve, I Vampire is the most likely.