Why is DC being killed by Marvel on Comic book sales

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Bezza

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#1  Edited By Bezza

..is it just the Star Wars effect, boosting Marvel's sales?

I mean a lot of people are complaining about all the changes happening with Secret wars and DC launched some strong Issue 41s, but still trailed DC hugely on market share in June...

Batman sales were down in June, that didn't help, but what does DC need to do to bridge the gap?

.

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Folly

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Star Wars will always be a huge selling point and coupled with Secret Wars it's a driving force for the sales. DC launched strong books but most of them were stronger in the measurement of critical reviews than in sales not to forget that Marvel released second and first issues too. Some good selling books from DC also got a price increase and that might have forced some to buy fewer or stick with the thing they knew.

Batman's sales have gone down but I thought they balanced it well with JLA. If DC can hold JLA with 150k+ it would certainly not be bad for them and they would have a competition for Star Wars. They should focus on holding their best selling books up like Batman, JLA and JL and personally I think it would be an idea to make more advertisement for Suicide Squad the sales jumped nearly 10k from May to June and with the upcoming movie they could get a few units back like that. It could become their second strong team book after they failed to establish the Teen Titans Comic.

With the huge line up revealed at SDCC their sales might climb up strongly in October which could be their way to bridge the gap.

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Mark_Stephen

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Marvel is better at cynical marketing stunts.

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nateb1211

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Well they could always double ship their books like how Marvel does to pretty much all of theirs, but I would rather have consistent art than it changing every 4-5 issues.

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NYBreezy

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Because they killed off Batman! Sort of...

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deactivated-5edd330f57b65

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Marvel makes decisions designed solely to sell comics. They do controversial things, like killing off heroes, making males heroes into females, replacing heroes, rebranding every series as an All-New All-Different series so they can start over at #1, and doing huge events and crossovers. Plus they do have star wars, a major seller.

Meanwhile, DC has Gordon as Batman and a powerless Superman.

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Squalleon

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BullPR

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Star Wars

PR stunts

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gunswordfist_

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@jayc1324 said:

Meanwhile, DC has Gordon as Batman and a powerless Superman.

O.o

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Incursion

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The MCU, Star Wars, events, big changes, are probably a big part of the reason for their dominance of the market

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Spidey_Jackson

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Keel B4 Marvel.

Beata

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deactivated-5edd330f57b65

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kfabz-23

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Mark_Stephen

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The problem is not however just that marvel is good at cynical stunts, it is that they are the masters at recognizing what the market wants and how to respond to that. More people want to read about heroes as villains and universes dying than anything else and marvel feeds that desire. They've got a good pack of writers but they also have editors who have realized that more people will respond when rules are tossed out, characters mangled and concepts skewed toward dystopia. If they were adapting Animal Farm Tony Stark would be cast as Napolean and he'd win. Abandon principle, honor, friendship and common sense and you have most of the major marvel events and DC just can't do that. Yet.

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the_stegman

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#15  Edited By the_stegman  Moderator

A few reasons :

1. $3.99 price tag as opposed to DC's $2.99

2. PR stunts like diversity characters

3. Constantly renumbering titles. People buy first issues

4. Star Wars

5. Events

6. Movies and exposure

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deactivated-5d3f071d30d9f

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@the_stegman: Sure last wave was terrible with diversity of the characther but this new wave isn´t and tries to appeal to different background.

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ComicsrulebutDBZdoes2

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Simple DC sucks

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gunswordfist_

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@jayc1324: You did not understand. I'm saying that's ridiculous

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deactivated-5edd330f57b65

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Epyon007

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#20  Edited By Epyon007

People are mindless fools. Just do big events and a bunch of number 1 renumbered issues and you will sell comics regardless of how bad they are. Even with DC, they were much more competitive in sales when convergence was going on because it was a big event.

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manuelb132

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A few reasons :

1. $3.99 price tag as opposed to DC's $2.99

2. PR stunts like diversity characters

3. Constantly renumbering titles. People buy first issues

4. Star Wars

5. Events

6. Movies and exposure

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Killermovies

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I don't understand...what does star wars have to do with it? No hate plz

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manuelb132

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@killermovies: There is currently a huge interest in Star Wars right now and a bunch of numbers 1 just came out so people probably think there going to be worth thousands in a few year so they buy in bulk and of course being fans. That will not ever happen though, the thousands part.

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Killermovies

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RisingBean

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TimeLordScience

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#26  Edited By TimeLordScience

I think Marvel puts out quality comics tbh. The Star Wars comics have been good seemingly, not that I'm reading them.

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Mark_Stephen

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@epyon007 said:

People are mindless fools. Just do big events and a bunch of number 1 renumbered issues and you will sell comics regardless of how bad they are. Even with DC, they were much more competitive in sales when convergence was going on because it was a big event.

Aren't we all people? If so aren't we all fools then?

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Epyon007

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#28  Edited By Epyon007

@mark_stephen: congratulations, you answered your own question :-D

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Bezza

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@jayc1324 said:

Marvel makes decisions designed solely to sell comics. They do controversial things, like killing off heroes, making males heroes into females, replacing heroes, rebranding every series as an All-New All-Different series so they can start over at #1, and doing huge events and crossovers. Plus they do have star wars, a major seller.

Meanwhile, DC has Gordon as Batman and a powerless Superman.

All good points actually, particularly the Batman and Superman ones. Also, Marvel is definitely more extrovert a company than DC which remains very conservative IMO, relying as ever on Batman and Superman. Look at sales of the Thor comic before and after the lady Thor came along,...amazing! A bit of sensationalism does sell comics.... also, Secret Wars is pretty good...

but I am a bit baffled as personally I have ditched a lot of my Marvel comics until Secret wars is over as its all pretty confusing out there now and on the Marvel forums people are saying they have done the same.

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aster_KFLover

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Because new52 exists

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deactivated-5edd330f57b65

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@bezza: I have also ditched my marvel comics.

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MakkyD

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Marvel was outselling DC before the Star Wars comics, don't know why they should matter.

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Nite_Nite

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It's the movies. Lots of new people got into marvel through the movies. That phase 1 was the shit. Iron Man.

Then they went and got Star Wars via both being owned by Disney. Disney is a multi-billion industry and great at marketing.

Scott Lobdell doesn't mess they're Franchise up.

They've always marketed MORE characters than DC has backed. Of course the fan favorites get that extra push I.E. Spiderman. But they always used the vast character, let the readers choose their favorite- approach.

DC on the other hand goes and makes another justice league book, with the corny "America" title stitched to it. (Jla). I loved n52s Jla team, the one the AMERICAN govt put together to counter the league. Point being they could've made a doom patrol series. Batmans not going anywhere. Neither is Superman honestly. They give off the vibe WW is on their level of fan favor when she's not. Could easily push more woman out and then through story telling let it be shown why people can consider her top notch. Then you'd have more characters known with more sells.

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Mark_Stephen

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#34  Edited By Mark_Stephen

@epyon007 said:

@mark_stephen: congratulations, you answered your own question :-D

Well only a fool is never gullible.

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EarthsMightiest

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#35  Edited By EarthsMightiest

Because if it doesn't have Justice League or Batman or Harley in the title no one cares or is buying it.

1Secret Wars3$3.99Marvel218,136
2Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows1$3.99Marvel203,565
3Star Wars6$3.99Marvel152,652
4Justice League of America1$5.99DC150,845
5Batman41$3.99DC142,155
6Thors1$3.99Marvel114,854
7Darth Vader6$3.99Marvel107,739
8X-Men 921$4.99Marvel97,617
9Justice League41*$4.99DC88,713
10Groot1†$3.99Marvel83,506
11Princess Leia4$3.99Marvel80,170
12Age of Ultron Vs Marvel Zombies1$3.99Marvel78,646
13Old Man Logan2$3.99Marvel78,426
14Years of Future Past1$4.99Marvel71,450
15Deadpools Secret Secret Wars2$3.99Marvel70,256
16Armor Wars1$3.99Marvel69,808
17Harley Quinn17$3.99DC68,243
18Walking Dead142$2.99Image68,221
19Walking Dead143$2.99Image67,989
20Spider-Gwen5$3.99Marvel67,697
21Amazing Spider-Man18.1$3.99Marvel66,600
22Giant Size Little Marvel1$3.99Marvel66,401
23Harley Quinn & Power Girl1*$3.99DC64,911
24Robin Son of Batman1*$3.99DC64,095
25Future Imperfect1$3.99Marvel62,110
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Mark_Stephen

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#36  Edited By Mark_Stephen

Come to think of it this is probably a question DC is asking too.

I guess the thing that irritates me about marvel is the complete lack of loyalty they show to the classic characters and the older 'disgruntled (as I've been often called) fans of those characters. When you come to marvel any character can be thrown away, stomped on or turned evil and no one seems to mind. Even the guys on the podcast didn't mind Tony Stark's latest evil turn in Superior. No evil deed, no body count, no slimy turn is un-rewarded in marvel comics. Evil rules and no one seems to mind or notice and in fact they are rewarded for it. The worse their characters get, the more the sales rise. I'm not sure if that says more about the comic buyers than the comic makers.

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Outside_85

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Because Marvel have more of these than DC does :)

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Lone_Wolf_and_Cub

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More Marvel fans than DC fans. Better characters as a whole. When you get past Batman an Supes nobody really seems to care and neither does DC. Better artist, writers etc. Marvel didn't need Star Wars they were consistently beating DC without it.

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Cap10nate

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Star Wars has made a huge impact on Marvel's sales this year. However, even without the Star Wars books, Marvel is still on pace to outsell DC by about $40 Million which is where they were last year.

Here is a blog I did the other day breaking down the Star Wars sales.

Star Wars By the Numbers

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CrazyScarecrow

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Star Wars is a hot selling property and the fanbase is huge. Plus, Marvel is releasing new number one's with the Secret War crap going on right now. As long as Marvel keeps on cancelling a comic after the first or second story arc just to restart it again their sales will always be a bit higher than DC's.

Also while DC is doing great with releasing new comics such as Harley Quinn, I think maybe their stupid changes to Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern might be offsetting. It was too early to do a change this drastic with their main characters. The new universe they are setting up is still young. It was too soon to throw away looks for big name characters that make them look so drastically different and, honestly, like a whole other character. Batman doesn't look like Batman. He looks like Chappie. Superman doesn't look like Superman. He looks like a some guy walking down the street who happens to like Superman and is wearing his fandom. Wonder Woman looks like she belongs in a Fourth of July parade. Green Lantern... With the hood up he does look cool though it isn't the character. It isn't what people will look at as Green Lantern. DC did this reboot to bring new blood to comics. This soon in the new universe isn't something they should. I encourage changes though changes that will make sense and not be horribly dated in years to come.

Look at Azrael. He is a relic of the 90's. Just like Superman's mullet and Wonder Woman's biker (?) costume.

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GustavoBurciaga1

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Marvel likes to tie all their titles into large events so they don't really do standalone stories. That and they keep renumbering, which is pretty annoying for people trying to keep up with one story. And DC has been messing up pretty hard lately. They made Wally West into a troubled teen, Donna Troy is now a crazed murderer, Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship is just wrong, they killed off Terry McGinnis!, they took Bruce Wayne out of the costume and replaced him with Jim Gordon (I don't mind this one but a lot of people are pissed off because of it), they tried to make Superman more "edgy" which is just strange, Dick is no longer Nightwing (gotta say this one is probably for the best), and they squander potential titles by either giving them a different author or artist during the second part of their arc.

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GustavoBurciaga1

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But if you take a look back at September 2011 and see how made the largest amounts of sells it was DC and they just about killed every other comic book company in sells because that was the start of their first "reboot".

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RDClip

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Hasn't Marvel been out selling DC consistantly for decades now?

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Bezza

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@earthsmightiest:

That's a good point actually, where is Superman in the comic book sales list? No-where! Green Lantern sales have bombed since Geoff Johns left the books.

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Mark_Stephen

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Marvel likes to tie all their titles into large events so they don't really do standalone stories. That and they keep renumbering, which is pretty annoying for people trying to keep up with one story. And DC has been messing up pretty hard lately. They made Wally West into a troubled teen, Donna Troy is now a crazed murderer, Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship is just wrong, they killed off Terry McGinnis!, they took Bruce Wayne out of the costume and replaced him with Jim Gordon (I don't mind this one but a lot of people are pissed off because of it), they tried to make Superman more "edgy" which is just strange, Dick is no longer Nightwing (gotta say this one is probably for the best), and they squander potential titles by either giving them a different author or artist during the second part of their arc.

Or mangling the character completely like Batwoman.

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GustavoBurciaga1

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@gustavoburciaga1 said:

Marvel likes to tie all their titles into large events so they don't really do standalone stories. That and they keep renumbering, which is pretty annoying for people trying to keep up with one story. And DC has been messing up pretty hard lately. They made Wally West into a troubled teen, Donna Troy is now a crazed murderer, Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship is just wrong, they killed off Terry McGinnis!, they took Bruce Wayne out of the costume and replaced him with Jim Gordon (I don't mind this one but a lot of people are pissed off because of it), they tried to make Superman more "edgy" which is just strange, Dick is no longer Nightwing (gotta say this one is probably for the best), and they squander potential titles by either giving them a different author or artist during the second part of their arc.

Or mangling the character completely like Batwoman.

Oh don't even bring up that disaster. Seriously, they should have let JH Williams III and W Haden Blackman do their thing because those two as the creative team were perfect for the book.

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Supermanwithatan01

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Because DC keeps betraying it's fans.

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kgb725

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@maccyd: Because SW made the gap that much larger.

Secret Wars is a great event that matters , Star Wars , good marketing strategy , new reader friendly , the movies ,etc.

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Mark_Stephen

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@kgb725 said:

@maccyd: Because SW made the gap that much larger.

Secret Wars is a great event that matters , Star Wars , good marketing strategy , new reader friendly , the movies ,etc.

When do they do anything but tie-ins and events?

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Mark_Stephen

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@mark_stephen said:
@gustavoburciaga1 said:

Marvel likes to tie all their titles into large events so they don't really do standalone stories. That and they keep renumbering, which is pretty annoying for people trying to keep up with one story. And DC has been messing up pretty hard lately. They made Wally West into a troubled teen, Donna Troy is now a crazed murderer, Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship is just wrong, they killed off Terry McGinnis!, they took Bruce Wayne out of the costume and replaced him with Jim Gordon (I don't mind this one but a lot of people are pissed off because of it), they tried to make Superman more "edgy" which is just strange, Dick is no longer Nightwing (gotta say this one is probably for the best), and they squander potential titles by either giving them a different author or artist during the second part of their arc.

Or mangling the character completely like Batwoman.

Oh don't even bring up that disaster. Seriously, they should have let JH Williams III and W Haden Blackman do their thing because those two as the creative team were perfect for the book.

It was at the start a really good series.