Something in the Joe Quesada presentation from Disney’s D23 this weekend has stuck in my brain… Namely, his announcement that Marvel was the #1 Digital Publisher. It’s not that I think he’s wrong, more that… Well, how would he know?
After all, it’s not like digital sales are made public anywhere, like the Diamond Direct Market figures, so surely Quesada is only privy to the Marvel sales figures, right? But perhaps he’s not talking about sell-through, only the amount of individual issues available – although, in that case, DC will take over that crown soon enough, with the 52-issues day-and-date every month status quo established next month. Or was this just an empty boast, made to an audience that wouldn’t know any better and be ready to hear this kind of thing?
I genuinely don’t know, and I’m curious as to what’s actually behind the claim. Is Marvel really the #1 Digital Publisher? And if so, how does it know?
August 23rd, 2011 at 9:29 am
As long as Marvel digital comics remain exclusive to iPhone and iPad owners, they have no right to call themselves the #1 Digital Publisher. I can buy DC comics on my Android from the same app that publishes Marvel on other platforms. So it’s obviously not a technical issue preventing them from making their comics available to me. It’s some stupid exclusive contract they have with Apple, who are of course in bed with Disney, who owns Marvel.
It seems to me that the #1 Digital Publisher should offer its comics to the widest possible potential audience. How can the decision to make their comics unavailable to a huge portion of the demographic that wants to buy them make them #1?
August 23rd, 2011 at 10:25 am
its possible the two big players are privy to way more of each other’s sales info that they just keep to themselves. in other industries competitors will share proprietary information but still keep it out of the public for mutually beneficial reasons. or quesada is just assuming and talking about of his ass. i have no clue. either one seems just as plausible to me.
August 23rd, 2011 at 10:45 am
@Basque, apparently graphicly has the exclusive rights to Marvel on the Android platform.
As for Quesada’s claim, maybe it’s partly due to the rankings on the iOS app store? Marvel’s currently ranked at #12 among the Top Free apps in the Books category (and is also #1 on the Top Grossing), the Comixology app at #13 (#3), and DC’s is at #41 (#6).
August 23rd, 2011 at 10:55 am
Could also be based on the number of available books. Didn’t Marvel just dump everything they have online in their DCU platform into their comixology app?
August 23rd, 2011 at 10:59 pm
No, their online subscription says it has 8000. There are only 3-4000 at comixology store.