IDW sales numbers thread

[STL]

I'm going to start updating numbers monthly on IDW's comics. Partially to help keep this in the mind of fans, even the casual ones who buy the trades. The reason being I hope that this will stimulate some interest in supporting comics. Many fans seem to take them as a given but like a lot of other things, they're not guaranteed so hopefully a few more comics will be bought as we need to support comics in order for them to keep being made. As those trades people like will start disappearing.

Maximum Dinobots
[Month/Year], [Place], [Comic], [Units Sold to Retailers]
DEC2008: 226 Transformers Maximum Dinobots#1 9,476


All Hail Megatron
DEC2008: 197 Transformers All Hail Megatron #6 11,840

ROTF: Alliance
DEC2008: 199 Transformers Revenge Fallen Movie Prequel Alliance #1 11,551

Commentary:
I monitor comic sales when they come out so I have somewhat a grasp of how comics are doing so. This month, the TF comics ranged lower than there usual spots which is at normally about #120-#130. This had a lot to do with all the event related comics from both Marvel and DC that tied into their massive crossovers. This meant that books normally in the #120 to #130 range were pushed back. Also December is a large month for specials and one offs from the majors publishers with things like Christmas oneshots, What Ifs and random character spotlights. So the low position of the rankings isn't that alarming. It's more the units sold.

IDW's attempt at relaunching the TFs with AHM seems not to have succeeded. Too little too late, I'm afraid. AHM is reaching the end of Devastation's figures but still better than Revelations.

Maximum Dinobots shows that Furman needs to take a new direction. That's a #1 issue for crying out loud. Reboot or whatnot but his series has absolutely no legs. It's a joke. He's a celebrated writer who has done much for TFs but it should be clear by now that other than rabid 90s fans, he has no respect in the comic reading community. I loved his War Within, I've liked some of his UK stuff as well as his Beast Wars stuff. But this is just not acceptable. Sure the world economy is in decline but u only need to look at the other items on the list to see that he has fallen from appeal.

ROTF: Alliance did well. I suspect it will do better closer to the movie as the publicity machinery gathers pace. So against the usual trend in comics, I expect it to actually see a steady strength in the series over the next few months.

All comics have a downward trend. This is a fact. Event related or ongoing or limited series. It doesn't matter. So to judge a decline in comics, u have to also look at the rate of decline. AHM is the only comic that has a previous issue and you can see that there was a 4.42% decline. How good is this number. Decent. On average most decline in the long run (after issues #1 and #2 and #3) by anywhere between 3% and 8%/. Strong books with faithful core audiences are very steady and range in 1 and 2% falls.

Viewed in this light, AHM is doing okay. But I expect that by the end of the series it will be below 10K. Not a successful venture either in the final analysis if that proves to be the case. IDW need more press. They really do.Whether it be for Maximum Dinobots or Alliance or AHM, they aren't doing great.

For the direction, of Maximum Dinobots there is only 1 way from here. Down. Few books experience gains. The last that did I recall were all Robert Kirkman books. Walking dead and Invincible. But even those after the gains experienced declines so given Furman's track record, Maximum Dinobots will be very painful.

I think perhaps what IDW needs to do is take Marvel's model. A writer/artist team is never on a book for longer than 12 months. After that, they throw a new creative team on. This means we give up those broad expansive stories though but that way, at the very least, IDW can maintain interest and keep it fresh. That's what Marvel's model really is these days. Everything is status quo/new direction with a new creative team. This builds momentum which helps push the book and the brand. I'm not necessarily in favour of giving up the complex stories but business wise, something does need to be done b/c this is pretty darn pathetic. Transformers is such a popular brand now yet it hardly registers a bleep on comic readers minds anymore whereas it once did.

Notes
December 2008: Source:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=19758

[i_amtrunks]

IDW need more press. They really do.Whether it be for Maximum Dinobots or Alliance or AHM, they aren't doing great.

I could not agree more. I don't know why but after the big push for AHM #1, IDW has been very quiet, actually except for AHM they have been very quiet, and AHM did not get any publicity at all when compared to any marvel/DC book launches.

Maximum Dinobots really got squat, perhaps since it is a direct follow on from the "-tion" books that it's numbers are a continual decline still from that series, certainly it got no media or push from IDW to promote it.

I know they are a small company, but it seems like they did not take advantage of the movie publicity much at all last year, if people didn't visit transformers boards, I doubt that they would even know about the comics, and IDW should have tried to use the movie to rope in new and casual fans.
An ad or two in the back of movie comics is just not enough.

[roller]

Minimum Deenobots is doomed from the start

we all know how its going to end

issue 1 didn't exactly hook me and make me get on my knees and beg for more

[kup]

Minimum Deenobots is doomed from the start

we all know how its going to end

issue 1 didn't exactly hook me and make me get on my knees and beg for more

I have to somewhat agree with that. Having AHM as part of the main continuity kind of hurts expectations on where Maximum Dinobots would lead particularly when the connection between the Furman side of IDW and AHM is so messy.

Even if Maximum Dinobots was the best thing ever, it is being set up as having a less than satisfying 'continuity damage control' ending. This is particularly bad for fans who are not into AHM.

I agree, at this point in time we need a reboot and I don't mean a half butt one like AHM where 'it is but it isn't' in continuity.

What's needed is something that is not extreme geewhun like AHM but not as Sci-Fi ish and 'out there' like Furman's IDW (which got way too convoluted).

We need something that starts off simple but with a strong story premise that is rooted on earth and begins to slowly introduce and discard characters as the plot progresses and eventually expands in a similar manner that the G1 Marvel comics did in order to reflect the then existing toy line (not random appearances and disappearances like the cartoon). Naturally there will likely be no toy directly associated with the comic but the paced method in which characters came and went also helped to keep things fresh without overwhelming the reader base with 'I don't know who anyone is'.

This way you give all the geewhunners (84-86, cartoon only fans) what they want at the same time that you give the more 'expanded' fans access to the 87-90-G2 characters they enjoy who are slowly introduced into the comic as either 'guest' appearances or replacements for fallen characters for more permanent roles. This way you don't overwhelm the Geewhunner with characters he does not know or care about but allows him to slowly begin to get to know them like it was done with Marvel G1 while they don't alienate the 'expanded' fan by still allowing strong possibilities to feature his/her favorite post cartoon G1 character in a more prominent role even if its for an issue or two to complement the present story.

When it comes to changing writing teams in an ongoing story, I think that is a horrible idea which for some reason the industry has adopted to their own loss. What is needed its not 5-6 issues stories or whatnot but ongoing series in which a core team of cooperative writers with a properly set up 'universe bible' begins to write 1-2 issue stories which are as a whole, part of an over arching story lines which comes together at the end of 6 months or so kind of like TV series (and comics in the past) have done. Most important, in order to maintain variety, having the 'Bible' will also allow them to contract in guest writers to write their own unique stories without the danger of it contradicting the present universe and situation like it happens too often in modern comics when they bring in a new writing team.

The problems with IDW are basically the same problems that ALL modern western comic book publishers have but its more pronounced here because the target audience is less mainstream than the rest. What is needed is to go back to the same storytelling model as the older more successful comics which aimed not at short term appeal but slowly building up a long term sustainable fan base.

[lcz128]

Does Marvel REALLY do that? :S
Just look at Avengers titles. (what I mainly read) that's had Bendis forever almost - which let him setup looooooooong spanning crazy things like Secret Invasion (which I loved) Also - I read Captain America - same deal - same writer - So yeah - I like havin the one writer on the book if they're doing a good job

And that said, I'm getting both AHM and Maximum monthly now

[Scattershot]

I just cancelled my comic orders from my local shop the other week cause I couldn't keep up with the cost. Every time I went in there I was forking over $50 - $100. I just couldn't keep up. I really enjoy reading them but at this point in time I have to give them a miss.

[STL]

And that said, I'm getting both AHM and Maximum monthly now

Awesome!

Does Marvel REALLY do that? :S
Just look at Avengers titles. (what I mainly read) that's had Bendis forever almost - which let him setup looooooooong spanning crazy things like Secret Invasion (which I loved) Also - I read Captain America - same deal - same writer - So yeah - I like havin the one writer on the book if they're doing a good job

The Avengers and Cap are the exception to the rule. This is b/c of the writers. Brubaker and Bendis are foremost among the writers in the industry. Plus, their titles have been boosted by massive events. THe Death of Captain America was huge. New Avengers/Miighty Avengers spun out of Civil War and now Secret Invasion and Dark Reign. Marvel is investing a lot. These titles did decline. Captain America fell to 40K prior to the Death of Cap in Civil War.New n Mighty Avengers closer to 70K. And Marvel constantly rotates the artists on the Avengers titles. look at the itinerary of talent that comes through that book.

If a quality book like Nova or Guardians of the Galaxy got those type of numbers, they'd be far more successful and get more interest and sell higher. Finch's Mook Knight is a perfect example of a book that had no legs after star talent left it. It's way down on the list now.

If you look at Black Panther where they haven't changed the creative team, its dead. After the peaks of JRJR, its snowballed into an ugly mess. Whereas books like Hulk, Wolverine, Uncanny X-Men, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, the Initiative etc etc. and so on, they're rotating through new arcs and creators regularly. Of course it doesn't apply to every marvel title but a lot of them do that.

The days of long runs are gone. The reader seems far too interested in event driven comics, sensationalistic comics and continuity unencumbered books.

What's needed is something that is not extreme geewhun like AHM but not as Sci-Fi ish and 'out there' like Furman's IDW (which got way too convoluted).

When it comes to changing writing teams in an ongoing story, I think that is a horrible idea which for some reason the industry has adopted to their own loss.

The problems with IDW are basically the same problems that ALL modern western comic book publishers have but its more pronounced here because the target audience is less mainstream than the rest.

That wouldn't work. Firstly, the target audience is pretty large. A lot of them wanted to give TFs a chance and given the success of the movie, more should have been done to capitalise on its success. Look at Infiltration's numbers/Dreamwave's actual numbers. These are real numbers you're looking at. Fact is, Infiltration was a joke of a series. I

Thge problem with ur suggestion of an ongoing with a "bible" is that ur essentially thinking that your the 80s model would still work. It doesn't. It's a dinosaur of the past. Comics don't work like that anymore. As much as you or I would like it to happen, it isn't going to happen anytime soon. I think to get people interested, it needs a new writer, a new publisher and a massive marketing campaign.

But even if that were to happen, in this economic climate its thrwart with danger as who can pick up a licence and run it successful in this time to garner attraction from already struggling comic retailers? If I were a retailer, the track record of IDW's run is that its under promoted and sold pathetically. I wouldn't be that confident of anything new.

Most comics are written in arcs these days. The new arc often just taking the book in a new direction. That's what keeps people interested in comics like New/Mighty/Dark Avengers. There's constantly change of the status quo. To me, that sucks b/c its not about the characters or the stories anymore, it's about events.

I just cancelled my comic orders from my local shop the other week cause I couldn't keep up with the cost. Every time I went in there I was forking over $50 - $100. I just couldn't keep up. I really enjoy reading them but at this point in time I have to give them a miss.

Yeah, I know. I'm seriously considering cutting back. I spend close to $500 a month on comics. The falling exchange rate and economy means I'm probaly going to convert to trade or online reading - if I can be bothered.

[kup]

Although I did read comics as a kid, I only seriously followed a series as an adult so from that perspective I will say that when I really get into a comic book series and it suddenly radically takes a different direction with no logical reason other than 'the new writer felt like it' its a real turn off for me and a kind of slap in the face to me as an ongoing reader.

I think that there is a better way of gaining a wider reader base than alienating your loyal readers in favor of new ones.

[FFN]

Furman's books lately have been doing badly partly due to almost ZERO press. Nada. AHM, by comparison, has had a comparatively major push from IDW. I mean, McCarthy was on bloody Today Tonight to flog the book (they must have run out of asians to pick on that week).

For Maximum Dinobots to do those numbers with very little promotion, the knowledge that the outcome will lead elsewhere beyond the author's control, lacking the Revenge of the Fallen branding, and according to you , a lack of respect for his readership *; suggests that it is doing at least as well as IDW's other Transformers books, or as well as can be expected under the circumstances. However, for AHM to only do a bit better despite more promotion and a more new-reader-friendly format suggests that it is not doing that well and the honeymoon period since issue 1 is over.

*Kinda over the top there, sport.

[STL]

Furman's books lately have been doing badly partly due to almost ZERO press. Nada. AHM, by comparison, has had a comparatively major push from IDW. I mean, McCarthy was on bloody Today Tonight to flog the book (they must have run out of asians to pick on that week).

For Maximum Dinobots to do those numbers with very little promotion, the knowledge that the outcome will lead elsewhere beyond the author's control, lacking the Revenge of the Fallen branding, and according to you , a lack of respect for his readership *; suggests that it is doing at least as well as IDW's other Transformers books, or as well as can be expected under the circumstances. However, for AHM to only do a bit better despite more promotion and a more new-reader-friendly format suggests that it is not doing that well and the honeymoon period since issue 1 is over.

*Kinda over the top there, sport.

Did we really expect an Australian television show (I wouldn't call it current affairs) would be interested in Transformers if it wasn't for an Australian writer? When was the last time they even gave press to any comics? I'd hardly attribute Channel 7's "current affairs" show of flogging comics on account of IDW.

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.