Launch Print Runs

[1st Among Equals]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone had the number of copies that were printed of the new Magnus and Solar books.

Thanks.

[StarBrand]

My understanding is we're still several weeks away from getting that info.

[1st Among Equals]

Thanks.

[Daniel Jackson]

One million copies....

[superman-prime]

[Ryan]

One million copies....

[vikingspawn]

Here are the June numbers to get an idea on how the other indie books are doing:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/08/04/in ... june-2010/

[UnknownTales]

Solar will be atleast below 70,000 units.

Check out my preliminary Print Runology figures here:

http://redleafcomics.proboards.com/inde ... &thread=93

[Ryan]

Here are the June numbers to get an idea on how the other indie books are doing:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/08/04/in ... june-2010/

Thanks for the link.

Dang if Walking Dead only does 23-25k with all the hype it gets and Savage Dragon and Usagi Yojimbo only do around 5k wow.

I wonder what the break even point on this line is? 10k? I'm sure the #1 issues will do well but after that it will be interesting...

[greg]

Are the FCBD numbers available anywhere?

[UnknownTales]

That depends on how hard your stomach is.
Marvel cancels near the 15,000 level.
DC around 12,000.
Vertigo even lower.

Clearly Savage Dragon should be cancelled. Add up the production costs and it can't survive. He has other revenue sources including trades which keep the book floating.

Here are the June numbers to get an idea on how the other indie books are doing:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/08/04/in ... june-2010/

Thanks for the link.

Dang if Walking Dead only does 23-25k with all the hype it gets and Savage Dragon and Usagi Yojimbo only do around 5k wow.

I wonder what the break even point on this line is? 10k? I'm sure the #1 issues will do well but after that it will be interesting...

[UnknownTales]

No.
And you won't.
Take Chip out for drinks and he'll probably tell you the Boom numbers. FCBD falls under the marketing department of MOST companies for tax purposes and so the numbers do not have to be submitted.

Are the FCBD numbers available anywhere?

[UnknownTales]

10,000 is possible for break even:

"At 10,000 copies it is possible to gain a small profit."

Source:

http://forums.projectfanboy.com/archive ... -3501.html

Here are the June numbers to get an idea on how the other indie books are doing:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/08/04/in ... june-2010/

Thanks for the link.

Dang if Walking Dead only does 23-25k with all the hype it gets and Savage Dragon and Usagi Yojimbo only do around 5k wow.

I wonder what the break even point on this line is? 10k? I'm sure the #1 issues will do well but after that it will be interesting...

[Dr. Solar]

From what I understand, Walking Dead does much better in trades than the average book, as do many Vertigo series.

I know that I personally wait for the trade for Walking Dead, Chew, Irredeemable, and Fables, but I always buy the trade the month it is solicited.

This behavior keeps books like these around, despite lower issue sales.

Also, the sources that I follow for this kind of thing just posted and discussed the numbers from June, so it should be a little less than a month before we hear how Doctor Solar stacked up.

Interestingly, and if I remember correctly, above 50,000 copies puts a book in the top 20. Above 20,000 puts a book in the top 100 (approximately).

[UnknownTales]

Close. But no cigar.

50,000 units puts you exactly #28.

Here's the data from JUNE 2010:


06/10 U.C. Avengers 2 #3 of 6 - 50,797 ( -4.0%)
06/10 U.C. Avengers 2 #4 of 6 - 49,606 ( -2.3%)



Source:

http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/08/05/ma ... june-2010/

From what I understand, Walking Dead does much better in trades than the average book, as do many Vertigo series.

I know that I personally wait for the trade for Walking Dead, Chew, Irredeemable, and Fables, but I always buy the trade the month it is solicited.

This behavior keeps books like these around, despite lower issue sales.

Also, the sources that I follow for this kind of thing just posted and discussed the numbers from June, so it should be a little less than a month before we hear how Doctor Solar stacked up.

Interestingly, and if I remember correctly, above 50,000 copies puts a book in the top 20. Above 20,000 puts a book in the top 100 (approximately).

[400yrs]

10,000 is possible for break even:

"At 10,000 copies it is possible to gain a small profit."

Source:

http://forums.projectfanboy.com/archive ... -3501.html

Interesting read even though it hurt my eyes. I'd always wondered what colorists and letterers might get.

Also, I've always wondered what it might cost to print a comic. I've always guessed by starting with a total retail sales dollar amount and worked backwards pulling out what I estimate to be the costs. For the big companies' big books, I usually came back to around 40¢-60¢ per copy.






http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17860.html
Take a look at this list and search Dark Horse books by using a "ctrl f" for DAR. I'd agree that Dark Horse books probably need to be a bit over 10K copies to carry on. These numbers, of course, don't include every single sale and they are only Diamond US, but are a pretty good indicator. I'd think if the Dark Key books were selling around 15K on this list after several months (let's say issue 9 or so) that would probably be good for this DH book.

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

[UnknownTales]

The lowest book for Dark Horse JUNE 2010 (non Usagi Yojimbo):

SOLOMON KANE DEATHS BLACK RIDERS #4 $3.50 DAR

6,663 units

10,000 is possible for break even:

"At 10,000 copies it is possible to gain a small profit."

Source:

http://forums.projectfanboy.com/archive ... -3501.html

Interesting read even though it hurt my eyes. I'd always wondered what colorists and letterers might get.

Also, I've always wondered what it might cost to print a comic. I've always guessed by starting with a total retail sales dollar amount and worked backwards pulling out what I estimate to be the costs. For the big companies' big books, I usually came back to around 40¢-60¢ per copy.






http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/17860.html
Take a look at this list and search Dark Horse books by using a "ctrl f" for DAR. I'd agree that Dark Horse books probably need to be a bit over 10K copies to carry on. These numbers, of course, don't include every single sale and they are only Diamond US, but are a pretty good indicator. I'd think if the Dark Key books were selling around 15K on this list after several months (let's say issue 9 or so) that would probably be good for this DH book.

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

[Ryan]

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

Yeah I'm betting the trades keep it afloat. I'm surprised though, he always does such a good job doing self-contained stories. I guess anthropomorphic is a tough sell these days...

[400yrs]

The lowest book for Dark Horse JUNE 2010 (non Usagi Yojimbo):

SOLOMON KANE DEATHS BLACK RIDERS #4 $3.50 DAR

6,663 units

Yeah, I don't even know what that is, but if it's not a mini, it's probably not continuing much longer. The next book up is over 10K.

[400yrs]

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

Yeah I'm betting the trades keep it afloat. I'm surprised though, he always does such a good job doing self-contained stories. I guess anthropomorphic is a tough sell these days...

Yes, I'd guess so. I bought the book for several years, but I had to trim somewhere and it went. I always enjoyed the stories, but if you read one, you've kind of read them all...... not really, but kind of..... if you know what I mean. I do plan to pick up ones that I've missed from cheap bins. I almost feel bad doing that for this title, but I've got to save cash somehow.

[Ryan]

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

Yeah I'm betting the trades keep it afloat. I'm surprised though, he always does such a good job doing self-contained stories. I guess anthropomorphic is a tough sell these days...

Yes, I'd guess so. I bought the book for several years, but I had to trim somewhere and it went. I always enjoyed the stories, but if you read one, you've kind of read them all...... not really, but kind of..... if you know what I mean. I do plan to pick up ones that I've missed from cheap bins. I almost feel bad doing that for this title, but I've got to save cash somehow.

I'm the same way actually. I used to pick it up whenever I had the chance, but I haven't now for years and haven't really missed it. I'm glad he's still doing it though.

[Draco]

The big outlier on the list is Usagi Yojimbo, but it's mainly just Stan on the book and he makes money on trades, commissions, sketches, etc and the book probably does well internationally, I'd guess.

Yeah I'm betting the trades keep it afloat. I'm surprised though, he always does such a good job doing self-contained stories. I guess anthropomorphic is a tough sell these days...

Yes, I'd guess so. I bought the book for several years, but I had to trim somewhere and it went. I always enjoyed the stories, but if you read one, you've kind of read them all...... not really, but kind of..... if you know what I mean. I do plan to pick up ones that I've missed from cheap bins. I almost feel bad doing that for this title, but I've got to save cash somehow.

I'm the same way actually. I used to pick it up whenever I had the chance, but I haven't now for years and haven't really missed it. I'm glad he's still doing it though.

Thats how i shop guys.
I buy mass multiples of unsold imports from other dealers and take what i want for pennies and sell the rest on at great prices.
Otherwise my DU boxes and small indy publishers boxes would be empty.

I dont feel bad though as someone paid Diamond full price and the Publisher got paid too, so all is cool.

[Dr. Solar]

Close. But no cigar.

50,000 units puts you exactly #28.

Here's the data from JUNE 2010:


06/10 U.C. Avengers 2 #3 of 6 - 50,797 ( -4.0%)
06/10 U.C. Avengers 2 #4 of 6 - 49,606 ( -2.3%)

*I make no guarantee of the accuracy of my statements.

[Crow331]

Well it sounds like the money being made is not in the actual print runs, but in the tpb. Seems like more and more people are waiting for the tpb rather than buying the monthlies at $4 a pop!

[Knightt]

How much does companies paying for advertising in comics play into this ?

Advertising has got to be expensive and at the rate of adverts per book it is disgusting.