Comics XII: All New, All Twelve

[CyanidePie]

The only books I'm reading at Marvel are Daredevil, The Vision, and Weirdworld. I really try to choose titles that won't be shithoused by events. I never read the big team books or anything because I'm just not interested in that kind of stuff. I will be checking out Moon Knight, but as it stands I don't see much in the future that interests me from the Marvel side of the tracks, and I've never really been interested in anything other than Batman and the Bat Family when it comes to DC, although Superman American Alien has been pretty great.

[Little Valkyrie]

On 2/5/2016 at 5:14 AM, red snow said:

That's worrying if the renumbering is already resulting in diminishing returns. I guess the collector's have cottoned on to the notion that number 1 issues at Marvel are worthless (they'd have to have a new character or something to make it collectible). While it's not as bad as the 90s speculator boom/crash I do think a lot of people pick up issue 1s thinking they are going to be worth something which is why the drop off for issue 2 isn't necessarily because people don't like it but because they don't think issue 2 will be worth anything.

It makes me wonder if all new all different was a way to try and convince people the new issue 1s were collectible? I mean, you get the first female Thor, black captain America, etc,etc.

I'm sure a similar thing happens with Image but there's usually more chance of them being worth something (as they are new concepts books) and because you know those titles may last a while once they do start.

Oh, the #1s are still selling, but then it's something like...okay I'm just fudging the numbers here because I'm lazy, but say that Spider-Gwen #5, pre-Secret Wars, was selling 60k.  Then it gets mandatory relaunched, the #1 does huge numbers, but then #2 drops down to 50k.  That's a much deeper drop than Spider-Gwen #6 would have sold, and it seems to be hitting all the Marvel books that are continuations, which means that a lot of people who were into the book and would have kept buying it jumped off instead.

 

Vertigo books tend to have a much shallower drop from #1 to #2, because they're already niche, I think.

[red snow]

4 hours ago, Little Valkyrie said:

Oh, the #1s are still selling, but then it's something like...okay I'm just fudging the numbers here because I'm lazy, but say that Spider-Gwen #5, pre-Secret Wars, was selling 60k.  Then it gets mandatory relaunched, the #1 does huge numbers, but then #2 drops down to 50k.  That's a much deeper drop than Spider-Gwen #6 would have sold, and it seems to be hitting all the Marvel books that are continuations, which means that a lot of people who were into the book and would have kept buying it jumped off instead.

 

Vertigo books tend to have a much shallower drop from #1 to #2, because they're already niche, I think.

That makes more sense although flies in the perceived logic of renumbering if they wind up with even less readers 2 months later.

A vertigo/image book has to be pretty bad not to go beyond issue 1 - i think a lot of people will read a trade's worth as they know the stories are long form.

[Little Valkyrie]

22 hours ago, red snow said:

That makes more sense although flies in the perceived logic of renumbering if they wind up with even less readers 2 months later.

A vertigo/image book has to be pretty bad not to go beyond issue 1 - i think a lot of people will read a trade's worth as they know the stories are long form.

Here's some actual numbers from today (remember, these are Comichron/Diamond guesswork):

>09/14 Thor v5 #25 – 53,047 ( 38.4%)
>10/14 Thor v6 #1 – 150,862 ( 184.4%)
>11/14 Thor v6 #2 – 89,131 ( -40.9%)
>12/14 Thor v6 #3 – 72,563 ( -18.6%)
>01/15 Thor v6 #4 - 69,497 ( -4.2%)
>02/15 Thor v6 #5 - 69,513 ( +0.0%)
>03/15 Thor v6 #6 - 70,569 ( +1.5%)
>04/15 Thor v6 #7 - 71,372 ( +1.1%)
>05/15 Thor v6 #8 - 86,222 (+20.1%)

...

>11/15 Mighty Thor #1 - 112,053
>12/15 Mighty Thor #2 - 70,331
>1/8 Mighty Thor #3 - 60,345

 

This is all with Jason Aaron writing, and it's been one fairly consistent story, so in the old days it never would have been renumbered/renamed.

[red snow]

20 hours ago, Little Valkyrie said:

Here's some actual numbers from today (remember, these are Comichron/Diamond guesswork):

>09/14 Thor v5 #25 – 53,047 ( 38.4%)
>10/14 Thor v6 #1 – 150,862 ( 184.4%)
>11/14 Thor v6 #2 – 89,131 ( -40.9%)
>12/14 Thor v6 #3 – 72,563 ( -18.6%)
>01/15 Thor v6 #4 - 69,497 ( -4.2%)
>02/15 Thor v6 #5 - 69,513 ( +0.0%)
>03/15 Thor v6 #6 - 70,569 ( +1.5%)
>04/15 Thor v6 #7 - 71,372 ( +1.1%)
>05/15 Thor v6 #8 - 86,222 (+20.1%)

...

>11/15 Mighty Thor #1 - 112,053
>12/15 Mighty Thor #2 - 70,331
>1/8 Mighty Thor #3 - 60,345

 

This is all with Jason Aaron writing, and it's been one fairly consistent story, so in the old days it never would have been renumbered/renamed.

I guess they need to bring the real Thor back in time for the next Thor film? It does look as though the book was gaining numbers so a relaunch was probably a big mistake.

[GallowKnight]

The solution is clearly to re-launch all books every month.

[red snow]

4 hours ago, The_Gallows_Knight said:

The solution is clearly to re-launch all books every month.

They are getting there with Silk and Spider-gwen.

I'm surprised no-one fully embraced the volume per year model. I think folk could handle comic runs in "seasons" but the only ones I can think of were TV adaptations like Buffy. Doing a defined run would probably help keep writers on point in terms of plot. I think Hawkeye and Daredevil sort of had that going (although the Hawkeye delays made it less obvious) and I suppose DC's weekly books did as well. Marvel seems to be doing so in terms of re-launch schedule but it doesn't feel like the writers are being told to wrap up stories in a set amount of time.

[Teng Ai Hui]

Recently, I read Black Magick issues #1-4 and Outcast issues #1-3. Personally, I found the witches and the "witch noir" to be infinitely more interesting than the demons and the exorcists.

[red snow]

11 hours ago, Teng Ai Hui said:

Recently, I read Black Magick issues #1-4 and Outcast issues #1-3. Personally, I found the witches and the "witch noir" to be infinitely more interesting than the demons and the exorcists.

Outcast seemed too slow to me and by issue 6 I decided to just watch the show when it comes out (and desperately hope it doesn't have the pacing issue that Walking dead has.

Black Magick was an odd one. It wasn't bad at all but it wasn't good enough to stick with it. I might try the trades but in a monthly they really have to sell the concept with issue 1 for me. I also know that Rucka can do this as evidenced in Lazarus.

Is anyone else reading the goddamned? I'm starting to wonder if i missed issue 3?

[red snow]

Black Science was fine - Remender's definitely taking inspiration from "Sliders". Weirdly the most enjoyable part of the issue was the bonus section on how the letterer approaches Remender's Image books. A surprising amount of thought goes into it and I hadn't really noticed the subtle differences.

[Jon AS]

Got the third The Wicked + The Divine trade. Really an excellent series, I'm considering switching over to getting the single issues as they're coming out so I won't have to wait 6 months for the next collection.

[red snow]

4 hours ago, Jon AS said:

Got the third The Wicked + The Divine trade. Really an excellent series, I'm considering switching over to getting the single issues as they're coming out so I won't have to wait 6 months for the next collection.

It's not often something is so good it can work as a monthly too. I've had the first trade sitting around for months. Need to give it a go

[Jon AS]

15 minutes ago, red snow said:

It's not often something is so good it can work as a monthly too. I've had the first trade sitting around for months. Need to give it a go

Probably true, particularly since this is structured in very clear arcs. Reading individual issues is not going to do much for my desire to read the whole story, anyway, I guees.

[Teng Ai Hui]

I just finished issues #1-30 of Saga. It was very good. One slight nitpick though. In the first issue, Marko, Alana, and Hazel were standing in the middle of a crossfire. How did they survive that? Maybe I missed the explanation somehow.

[CyanidePie]

Welp, along with announcing their new Rebirth lineup, DC also announced today that they have signed Tom King to an exclusive deal, which almost assuredly means that he will be Scott Snyder's successor to write the Batman title. 

He did go to Twitter to announce that much like Omega Men, he will remain on The Vision through issue 12, which is what he had pitched to Marvel to begin with.

[CyanidePie]

Here's the Rebirth announcement

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/dc-announces-full-rebirth-line-twice-monthly-books-lowered-price-point

ALL titles will be $2.99

Detective and Action comics returning to their original numbering. 

Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Green LanternS shipping twice monthly.

Constantine title re-named The Hellblazer

Grayson returning to Nightwing

Batgirl & The Birds of Prey title announced

Trinity title announced featuring Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman

Just a few of the highlights. 

 

 

[red snow]

Probably a good thing they are dropping their price with all those biweekly titles coming out. Seems like they are doubling down on their regular hits which makes sense if you're wanting to make a profit and show the line as whole is working.

I get the impression that DC are hoping people stick with Batman after Snyder leaves and maintain those sales (while getting the detective boost too). At least they aren't taking the piss and have put arguably the most promising writer on the title. Hopefully they give him enough slack on the leash to put his stamp on the title.

A shame the midnighter title is ending. Even though I haven't read it, I liked they had a gay batman analogue with his own comic.

[The King in Black]

Let's hope atleast this initiative pays off for DC. I mean for god's sake if this doesn't work they might pull off a Marvel and bring out....

Harry Potter spin-off comics *shudders*.

 

And nothing against Tynion, but Tom King deserves Batman.

[red snow]

44 minutes ago, The King In Black said:

Let's hope atleast this initiative pays off for DC. I mean for god's sake if this doesn't work they might pull off a Marvel and bring out....

Harry Potter spin-off comics *shudders*.

 

And nothing against Tynion, but Tom King deserves Batman.

I'm surprised they haven't tried that. I'm guessing Rowling has pretty tight control over her work and that would only happen with her say so. There must be other franchises they could mine though. Although sadly for WB/DC it seems their biggest franchises are Batman.

 

[The King in Black]

13 minutes ago, red snow said:

I'm surprised they haven't tried that. I'm guessing Rowling has pretty tight control over her work and that would only happen with her say so. There must be other franchises they could mine though. Although sadly for WB/DC it seems their biggest franchises are Batman.

 

Let's face it : JK Rowling will have absolutely no problem with that. Heck, she'll be more than happy to script half of these. The real problem seems to be Harry Potter readership might not really react well to 'comicbooks' .