IDW sales numbers thread

[i_amtrunks]

The argument from IDW I can see is that Maximum Dinobots is supposed to have its "dedicated" core audience It obviously doesn't.

That's not to say that there shouldn't be more press. IDW doesn't do enough of it across the board. If it weren't for the new Drift character, they'd hardly have had much press at all on the TF sites.

I think the fact that IDW are very good with their Trades hurts them as well. The dedicated readership knows they can save a fair bit of cash on buying the trade rather than each individual issue. At $8 a pop a 6 issue series sets you back $48. The Trade may only set you back $35. That is a fair saving for only getting to read the final issue 4-6 weeks later than it's original release.

To add more sweetness to the Trade deal is you get all 6 stories in one book, and a point made by many here (myself included) is that writers like Furman's stories are far easier to follow, and more enjoyable.

[Paulbot]

Not to mention that their recent trades, like Reign of Starscream, have attractive extras that make waiting for a AHM or MaxDinos trade seem like a better idea.

[griffin]

Trunks, you also have to remember all the varient covers and incentive covers in that 'total cost' you quoted. All of which is included inside that $35 single compilation.

For me, all the incentive covers and multiple cover varients, that were intended to *increase* sales, actually prompted me to stop buying the regular issues and get the compilations instead, to get all those different covers. I wanted all the different covers for the artwork, but have always hated having duplicate *whole* comics just for a new cover.
So the concept to increase sales, actually encourages people like me to not buy them in favour of the cheaper TPB option that includes all the 'expensive' extra cover versions in it for less.

[Pipesqueak]

Ssshhhh!!! Don't let IDW read these posts, they might stop the awesome trades!

[roller]

the trades are a stab in the back to me!

i buy all the single issues

and then a trade comes out and it has extra stuff like bonus sketches and in some cases a special mini comic

[STL]

Trunks, you also have to remember all the varient covers and incentive covers in that 'total cost' you quoted. All of which is included inside that $35 single compilation.

For me, all the incentive covers and multiple cover varients, that were intended to *increase* sales, actually prompted me to stop buying the regular issues and get the compilations instead, to get all those different covers. I wanted all the different covers for the artwork, but have always hated having duplicate *whole* comics just for a new cover.
So the concept to increase sales, actually encourages people like me to not buy them in favour of the cheaper TPB option that includes all the 'expensive' extra cover versions in it for less.

That's entirely not true. It's something they've started to do recently but before that they didn't. The other thing you still don't get is the incentive covers... which I guess is a good thing to make it an incentive.

File of Top 750 Bookscan Results

As you can see, the argument that IDW must do well in the other sales channel (Amazon, Walmart, Borders etc.) is completely incorrect. The top selling TF trades weren't any of the recent things but the ANIMATED cartoon screen grab digests.

It's strange to me and I don't like it but them the facts. The list above may have only 750 of the top selling trades but item 750 has sold only 4,293 units. Look at the item above it, an X-Men trade. That bodes not well for IDW's Transformers trades as well. So either way it doesn't look great.

[STL]

Sales Report for January 2009:
http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...9/2009-01.html

Items of Interest:

Rank: Item: Issue# Unit Price: Units Sold
147 Transformers Revenge Fallen Movie Pq Defiance #1 $3.99 10,466

150 Transformers Revenge Fallen Movie Pq Alliance #2 $3.99 10,270

211 Transformers Maximum Dinobots #2 $3.99 5,317

Before I begin, again I’d like to reiterate that these are the sales numbers to retailers. Not the actual retail sales. Obviously, it’s far harder to gauge retail sales given the fragmented nature of the retail market. These numbers are from Diamond Distributors and while not reflective of the actual retail sales for a month, they do reflect trends in customer demand as retailers adjust current orders based on their data from previous months.

In the comics industry, January is often considered one of the “dead” months of the year. This is the post Christmas season where sales are flat. The month was a flat one for comics but arguably much worse for our Robots in Disguise. There are two primary indicators we need to examine.

The first is the opening figure for Transformers: ROTF Defiance. It opened at 10, 466 units. With a movie in sight, one would expect the numbers to not be so flat. Perhaps we can attribute part of the reason to the fact that it is January. Retailers are reluctant to take a punt on a comic – even if it has a hype machine behind it. The impact on cash flow in a quiet month of slow moving stock is something that retailers don’t want. .Even more so given the state of the American economy.

That brings us to an interesting point. To what extent is spending in the comic industry responsive to changes in the broader economy. It’s an age old argument that comic sales are reasonably unresponsive to changes in the economy. The argument is that comic fans are obsessive. They persist with their comics as it one of their primary sources of entertainment. I’m inclined to agree with this view. But I place one qualification. It depends on the nature of the comic in question. If a comic is tailored to a strong fanbase, has a loyal following, expect this to be true. If this is more of a passing/special interest title then its sales success is far more likely to move with the fortunes of the economy.

Now, moving onto the second of the indicators aforementioned. Maximum Dinobots #2 closed at less than 5,371 units. Is there anyone, absolutely anyone, who can still defend this book? Where is the so-called loyal fan-base of Simon Furman? It’s been long argued that Mr. Furman is a venerated veteran. I think what these numbers show us that his time has past. These numbers are appalling. They’re pathetic. He was the driving force behind IDW’s version of Transformers and all he’s done is run it into a hole it won’t dig itself out of. Fact is, sentimentality isn’t enough. We need cold hard numbers and the only thing Maximum Dinobot’s cold hard number are telling us is that Furman’s titles are beyond hope. At the rate this title is going, it might not even be in the Top 300 Comics at this rate and that is deeply concerning for a franchise that used to be much stronger.

A notable absence is All Hail Megatron which failed to register an issue this month. This will of course hurt its sales too as the later a comic is released than its solicitation date, the more interest that is lost. Part of its momentum disappears. Given that IDW managed to find an artist by the name of Don Figueroa, no small name at all, for ROTF Defiance #3, it’s rather mind-boggling that they couldn’t fill in the gap for January. Sure, ROTF is movie related and TPB is due to coincide with the movie but there are plenty of artists in IDW’s stable who don’t seem too busy at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see how the next issue of AHM tracks.

The TF last item was ROTF: Alliance #2. Less than 500 units separated it from ROTF: Destiny. This seems to suggest that retailers are treating them as complementary to one another. It doesn’t bode well for either ROTF series then as given that ROTF Alliance #1 came in at 11,551, it would appear that we can only expect a further decline to below 10,000 units for the prequels. This is surprisiig especially when you recall that the first Transformers Movie Prequel actually sold out at Diamond and went back for a 2nd printing.

Trade Paperback Collections

Rank Title: Month Released: Unit Price Publisher Units Sold
117 Transformers Movie Prequel Saga of the All NEW $17.99 IDW 1,169

171 Transformers Armada Vol. 2 NEW $19.99 IDW 809

There were two trades in January 2009. The first were repaints from the exclusive UK magazine. It sold 1,169 units. Not the most inspiring of openings but its hard to gauge how it would have been received. The 2007 Movie has long gone and the momentum behind it is no longer there. Other than to the faithful, its appeal isn’t as broad.

The other item, Armada vol.2 performed poorly at only 809 units. It is a reprint of a series that is now long forgotten. Its only saving grace was that it was written by Simon Furman. But given his name doesn’t move as many units anymore, its unlikely that would have helped it.

[i_amtrunks]

Going on what I've seen on shelves, the shipping numbers are very misleading. The Alliance and Defiance comics are clogging the shelves at Kings Alongside the Allspark comics).

I think that Max Dino's has suffered thanks in part to the nature of Furman's story which while fantastic, was not an easy series for new readers to get into. The treatment of Revelations may not have helped, and there is plenty of negativity over AHM which may have also had something to do with it.

I have said it before, and I'll keep on saying it because it's true, IDW do not market their Transformers comics enough.
Sure there is a dedicated following from fans, but they are very obviously not bringing in new readers, and they wasted the interest in Transformers that the first movie generated by having such terrible movie based comics, and having very few other titles on the shelves around the movie's release.

[Lord_Zed]

Now, moving onto the second of the indicators aforementioned. Maximum Dinobots #2 closed at less than 5,371 units. Is there anyone, absolutely anyone, who can still defend this book? Where is the so-called loyal fan-base of Simon Furman? It’s been long argued that Mr. Furman is a venerated veteran. I think what these numbers show us that his time has past. These numbers are appalling. They’re pathetic. He was the driving force behind IDW’s version of Transformers and all he’s done is run it into a hole it won’t dig itself out of. Fact is, sentimentality isn’t enough. We need cold hard numbers and the only thing Maximum Dinobot’s cold hard number are telling us is that Furman’s titles are beyond hope. At the rate this title is going, it might not even be in the Top 300 Comics at this rate and that is deeply concerning for a franchise that used to be much stronger.

Your statment about Maximum Dinbots is confusing and frankly feels rather provocative, so alas I have to bite. Are we defending Maximum Dinobots against its poor sales numbers or against Simon Furmans writing in general? I certainly wont defend the book against the former, but against the later is a different story. Surely I don't have to like something just because it's a great succsess, If that were the case I'd have to like Titanic.

I think its a decent enough story, fast moving and exciting (Maximum Dinobots that is, not Titanic). Offcourse without having read the rest of the IDW series it's pretty hard to follow (the original TF movie flopped for the same reasons after all), and so I can definitely see how it might not go down so well with the casual readers.

You are probably right and Transformers comics did need a reboot like AHM to stay competitive and make it easier for the casual fan to follow, but I for one will miss the complexity and the interwoven nature of the books.

I wonder to though wether the 80's rehash that happened back at the end of the last century in comics is running its course, maybe we've come to the end I mean other than GI Joe it seems all the other 80's rehash's have dried up and gone now. It could just be a personal thing and I know the cost of comics these days is a factor (damn economic crisis) but I find my interest in Transformer comics wanning wether there written by Furman,Mcarthy or whoever.

[GoktimusPrime]

So AHM's a reboot now? Primus damn that series confuses me something chronic!