So, just how successful was the New 52 relaunch for DC? Marc-Oliver Frisch puts things in an interesting perspective over at The Beat:
The average DC Universe title now sells fewer copies again than it did two years ago (34,456 vs. 35,895), but then again, the company’s main imprint had 20 more titles on sale this time around: In February 2010, it was 47; in February 2012, it’s 67. On balance, consequently, DC is still selling a lot more superhero comics than it has in most months in the last 10 years.
So, that’s… good news, right? Except, of course, as Frisch explains, “The average ‘New 52′ title dropped by 7.6% in February, which is in line with January’s 7.4% drop and suggests that, while the bigger drops seem behind us, the numbers haven’t quite found their level yet, either.”
Over at Bleeding Cool, Rich Johnston is suggesting that DC is taking a very pro-active response to these numbers with Eddie Berganza’s new role at the publisher being one that involves “a heavy culling and reworking of the DC New 52.” We’ve already seen the publisher’s willingness to cull multiple titles due to sales, and more of the line is trending towards that low lever now… So just how big a cull should we be expecting sometime soon, I wonder…?
April 10th, 2012 at 9:45 am
So in other words, DC might be running its business the way TV networks do, with short leashes on low ratings/sales. I leave it to the experts to decide if this is a good or a bad thing.
April 10th, 2012 at 11:00 am
…and what was the average for Marvel?
April 10th, 2012 at 11:03 am
I wonder if Berganza’s new role will be akin to network executives who review pilots and oversee a channel’s schedule. Right or wrong, I like the idea that DC is not afraid of admitting a mistake and trying to course correct.
I have always felt that every title (especially the non-Batman/GL) should be backed by a strong marketing campaign. I felt that was a problem when the line was initially promoted. The various commercials/trailers only focused on the bigger characters.
April 10th, 2012 at 4:05 pm
and it is common knowledge that the writer of that column always tends to lowballs the Dc numbers and shines a negative view of them rather than ANYTHING postive…..
He has been doing this for year ANY DC suuccess is followed by comments from him highliting how in trouble they are.,…
and frankly 99 percent of his comment haven’t bounre fruit… he clearly has a bias against DC and has had it for year … GRAIN OF SALT…. Marc oliver is about as intelligent as Graeme cracker
May 4th, 2013 at 10:16 pm
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