The sales numbers are out for April, and there was a lot of exciting tidings amidst them. Marvel continues to lead, as they led the market both in both share of dollars and units, led by a resurgent showing in the top ten. Marvel earned four of the top ten spots, including the top spot with “Avengers vs. X-Men” #2 being the only book to sell over 150,000 copies this month.
Overall though, from the look of things Marvel’s 39.07% share of units and 34.64% of dollars were heavily influenced by double shipping many books and tying many of them into the AvX event. Titles like “Uncanny X-Men,” “Wolverine and the X-Men” and “New Avengers” actually did both, shipping twice with at least the latter issue tying into this year’s major Marvel event (except that Avengers movie thing).
Perhaps the most exciting turn comes from Image Comics, whose year has been stupendous creatively and now takes a leap in sales too. In terms of total dollars, Image brought in 8.6% of the total share. Compared to 5.15% this time last year and 6.19% last month, it appears the preeminent creator-owned publisher is on the upswing.
Led by “The Walking Dead,” which dominated the trade paperback market with 15 of the top 20 spots coming from Kirkman, Moore and Adlard’s zombie epic as well as leading all Image titles on the single issue sales charts at #47 on the list. Even better? Its monthly sales are growing, as its year-to-year increase in issue form was nearly 16%.
Also excelling from Image was the second issue of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ “Saga,” coming in one spot behind TWD with 36,885 issues sold. That’s only a decrease by roughly 2% from that book, so it appears it great legs for a new release.
Some other notes about the month in sales:
– “Blackhawks,” the canceled lowest selling title from DC’s New 52 venture, closed its run by placing at #183 with 9,149 copies ordered. Compare that to issue #1, which came in at 36,013 sales, and you have a nearly 75% decrease in just eight months. Needless to say, that is CRAZY.
– The highest selling non-Big Two book didn’t come from Image, Dark Horse or even IDW. It came from Dynamic Forces, as “The Shadow” from Garth Ennis and Aaron Campbell debuted at #31 with 45,548 copies sold. Most of the time when a debut like this kicks off so high it is at a $1 price point. This one was at $3.99. Apparently I underrated the present day popularity of that older pulp hero.
– Back to “Saga” (because I love talking about it), the first issue managed to finish within the top 200 two months in a row, as reorders catapulted it up to #177 with 9,641 units sold. Apparently the mass sell-outs on the book were very real indeed.
– “Rachel Rising,” a superb Eisner-nominated title from luminary creator Terry Moore, barely outsold the highest selling Zenescope title. You people worry me.
– Six lowest selling non-canceled New 52 books: “Captain Atom,” “Voodoo,” “Blue Beetle,” “DC Universe Presents,” “Resurrection Man” and “Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man.” Dead books walking!
(All numbers from Comichron)
