January 2013 Sales Discussion

[BugsySig]

The initial publisher numbers have been released. VALIANT maintains the 8th position with 0.93% Unit Market Share. That is even with last month and bodes well for the individual books leveling off at or near their current level.

Here's the full list:

UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 40.23%
DC COMICS 35.41%
IMAGE COMICS 7.45%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.92%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.62%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.13%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.55%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT 0.93%
AVATAR PRESS 0.73%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.58%
OTHER NON-TOP 10

Top 300 book sales estimates should be out today or early next week.

[Dallow Spicer1]

Number 7 spot is taken by BOOM! Studios, what titles do they have which command them a bigger share? I'm not familiar with their line so I'm wondering if they have a greater volume of books out than Valiant or a couple of big sellers?

Will Valiants extra zero and Harbinger Wars titles likely be enough to take 7th place in the coming months?

[greg]

Number 7 spot is taken by BOOM! Studios, what titles do they have which command them a bigger share? I'm not familiar with their line so I'm wondering if they have a greater volume of books out than Valiant or a couple of big sellers?

Will Valiants extra zero and Harbinger Wars titles likely be enough to take 7th place in the coming months?

In December, BOOM! had 8 titles to Valiant's 5.
Primarily that's "Adventure Time" titles and December had "Deathmatch #1" which was $1.00 and sold 30,000 copies.

Zenescope and Avatar both had more titles than Valiant, but sold less total books.

[cavemold]

Number 7 spot is taken by BOOM! Studios, what titles do they have which command them a bigger share? I'm not familiar with their line so I'm wondering if they have a greater volume of books out than Valiant or a couple of big sellers?

Will Valiants extra zero and Harbinger Wars titles likely be enough to take 7th place in the coming months?

In December, BOOM! had 8 titles to Valiant's 5.
Primarily that's "Adventure Time" titles and December had "Deathmatch #1" which was $1.00 and sold 30,000 copies.

Zenescope and Avatar both had more titles than Valiant, but sold less total books.

Thats pretty good and bad for them

[hawkeyeps]

Diamond has a list of the top 50 comics and tpbs for January, Harbinger was #44 on the tpb list

[FormerReader]

Diamond has a list of the top 50 comics and tpbs for January, Harbinger was #44 on the tpb list

[BugsySig]

Diamond has a list of the top 50 comics and tpbs for January, Harbinger was #44 on the tpb list

XO was #27 last month...not sure the competition, though. Total sales will be more telling.

[BugsySig]

January estimates have been posted at Comichron.com:

119 X-O Manowar 9 $3.99 Valiant 16,599
145 Shadowman 3 $3.99 Valiant 13,327
151 Harbinger 8 $3.99 Valiant 12,824
155 Archer & Armstrong 6 $3.99 Valiant 12,642
161 Bloodshot 7 $3.99 Valiant 11,918

Total comic sales = 67,310 (Avg = 13,452)

44 Harbinger Vol. 1 Omega Rising $9.99 Valiant 1,656

My analysis:

XO may officially be a hit. This is the second time the sales have increased (up over 2k from #8) on the title since #1. It remains one of the top selling non-licensed Indy books, behind only the typical Image top sellers. Planet Death may launch it into the next level if the increase continues.

The other books are settling in a cluster around the 12-13k mark. This likely means many customers are purchasing multiple VALIANT books. Harby is basically the same as last month, while A&A is back near issue 4 numbers after a spike for Gilad's return in issue 5. Shadowman has settled with the pack after selling over 16k for issue 2, but only decreased by 3k after a 8.5k dip following the debut issue. I think we can be pretty confident in saying the books are leveling off and will remain at this point, with the occasional spike for events and major appearances/crossovers.

Bloodshot #7 is the first title to dip below 12k (granted not by much), but that would start to worry me a bit if the drop continues. Still surprising to me as BS was one of the most recognizable of VEI IPs heading into the launch. Hopefully Harbinger Wars will bring in some additional readers there, as well as to Harby, and maybe even the other books if people like what they read.

[greg]

One more... the X-O Manowar TPB is on the list for January, 301 (additional) copies

[manga4life]

X-O Manowar is doing quite well, as is the rest of the bunch when comparing them to other indy publishers. Sure, Bloodshot dropped below 12k but not by much and I bet the Harbinger Wars will bring some more limelight onto the series with a hopeful orders increase. All in all I'm still very impressed at the top-off Valiant has maintained, the books are selling well enough to make a profit and the readers are there, I'm hoping that with the #0's and the Harbinger Wars that Valiant can swoop past BOOM Studios and challenge for the #6 spot eventually.

[FormerReader]

Very pleased to see the X-O numbers!

The rest of the books I'm happy about for now. I think as Valiant continues to do great things the word of mouth will spread. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I'm not surprised that Bloodshot is doing worse than the other books. On another note I am very excited for Harbinger wars as I think bloodshot will pcuk up soon after.

[GGSAE]

Those numbers are quite solid overall, and I'm very surprised to see X-O clearly the leader of the pack! Do you think that X-O being the only title with a pullbox variant that month had something to do with the increase (all the others had incentive-based variants).

[drmirage]

These #'s look so close to SJS4's estimates for January which was predicted last month. Thats pretty amazing!

The estimates had a total of 66,644 copies sold for January.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39084&p=833096&hili ... es#p833096" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyway, based on the updated sales levels for December, here is my estimate for January 2013:

X-O: 13,677
Harbinger: 12,726
Bloodshot: 11,742
A&A: 13,688
Shadowman: 14,811

On a side note, estimated copies earned of the limited variants are even more limited than ever with these sales #'s

X-O #8 1:20 - (under 829 copies earned)
Shadowman #3 1:25 (under 533 copies earned)
Bloodshot #7 Hairsine 1:20 (under 595 copies earned)
Harbinger #8 1:20 (under 641 copies earned)
Harbinger #8 1:125 Line Wide Lemire (under 538 copies earned)

Harbinger #7 Lupacchino Incentive ???
Archer & Armstrong #6 Zircher Incentive ???
X-O Manowar #9 Crain Incentive ???

Note: 1,000 minimum was instituted on books through the end of 2012.

Dinesh had mentioned that Harbinger #8 1;125 Lemire Variant is little under 1,000 copies.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=39143&p=833388#p833388" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[400yrs]

Those numbers are quite solid overall, and I'm very surprised to see X-O clearly the leader of the pack! Do you think that X-O being the only title with a pullbox variant that month had something to do with the increase (all the others had incentive-based variants).

Definitely. I'd think it would be above all the other titles regardless, but if it jumped by 2K month over month, it's the multiple variants (this issue had 3 covers) that artificially increased the sales on it by 2K, imo.

[kevinbastos]

X-O Manowar baseline could/should be the issue 7 numbers - no incentive at all. ONLY the regular cover.

That's the 'minimum' number that month.

[400yrs]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

[Phoenix8008]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

I have an Excel sheet at home I've been tracking them on, but for a fancy chart to show it all here on the boards, hopefully someone can make one up. (Paging Dr. Charty! )

[hawkeyeps]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

I have an Excel sheet at home I've been tracking them on, but for a fancy chart to show it all here on the boards, hopefully someone can make one up. (Paging Dr. Charty! )

[400yrs]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

I have an Excel sheet at home I've been tracking them on, but for a fancy chart to show it all here on the boards, hopefully someone can make one up. (Paging Dr. Charty! )

A sticky thread with all those numbers would be good.

Let's not do any graphs because apparently graphs = butthurt people around here.


Where are you at in FL USA?

[Phantom]

These are the comments I like to read, puts things into perspective.
Xo is gaining followers ~ that is fantastic news.

My analysis:

XO may officially be a hit. This is the second time the sales have increased (up over 2k from #8) on the title since #1. It remains one of the top selling non-licensed Indy books, behind only the typical Image top sellers. Planet Death may launch it into the next level if the increase continues.

Plus I wounld not have known unless for threads like this.
All the information in this thread is good news, even if numbers drop it looks like the following is strong.

(my daughter wants that smilie) . Time to down laptop, and read a second book ~ even though she should be in bed asleep.

[Phoenix8008]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

I have an Excel sheet at home I've been tracking them on, but for a fancy chart to show it all here on the boards, hopefully someone can make one up. (Paging Dr. Charty! )

A sticky thread with all those numbers would be good.

Let's not do any graphs because apparently graphs = butthurt people around here.


Where are you at in FL USA?

Little nowhere place called Frostproof.

[GGSAE]

These #'s look so close to SJS4's estimates for January which was predicted last month. Thats pretty amazing!

The estimates had a total of 66,644 copies sold for January.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=39084&p=833096&hili ... es#p833096" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyway, based on the updated sales levels for December, here is my estimate for January 2013:

X-O: 13,677
Harbinger: 12,726
Bloodshot: 11,742
A&A: 13,688
Shadowman: 14,811

On a side note, estimated copies earned of the limited variants are even more limited than ever with these sales #'s

X-O #8 1:20 - (under 829 copies earned)
Shadowman #3 1:25 (under 533 copies earned)
Bloodshot #7 Hairsine 1:20 (under 595 copies earned)
Harbinger #8 1:20 (under 641 copies earned)
Harbinger #8 1:125 Line Wide Lemire (under 538 copies earned)

Harbinger #7 Lupacchino Incentive ???
Archer & Armstrong #6 Zircher Incentive ???
X-O Manowar #9 Crain Incentive ???

Note: 1,000 minimum was instituted on books through the end of 2012.

Dinesh had mentioned that Harbinger #8 1;125 Lemire Variant is little under 1,000 copies.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=39143&p=833388#p833388" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think we should start a thread analyzing how many retailer-incentives are actually distributed to the marketplace. Case in point, my LCS owner (assuming he wasn't BSing me), told me his store ranks in the top 10% of diamond distribution. His sister store of the same name, combined, puts their sales in the top 5% (which is how I've been able to get some of the retailer-variants). Each store is around 6-10 issues/title in any given month. Greg's a stats guy, I'm sure he could get some sort of probability-distribution of the titles in the top stores. If Dino said there's less than 1k copies printed in 2013, they must have realized how few of the books were actually needed.

[Phantom]

If it was me at valiant (if it was legal) I would sell variants direct.
If they are all printed at about 1000, three/ four months after release denote a price as suggested by ebay sales and put some up for sale
As long as you do not flood the market.
Dribs and drabs through a 3rd party.
After sale of the comic at comic shop level, distribution ~ valiant makes what $1.25 each issue ? ~ not deducting costs.
Sell a harbinger 8 sketch variant $100 via 3rd party. Now to company $100 is not much but its all profit, do it 100 times with different variants ~ pays for another issue to be printed?
Like everyone, finding the time to do this stuff is the problem. Plus if its legal to do.
Plus rather with small returns I think valiants focus with there time is advertising / attending comic cons / movie deals / toys and clothing

Or valiant store, with variants for sale direct at set prices.





THought harbinger would be selling higher. Really enjoying it, as in much more than I imagined.
Thanks for the sale figures

[GGSAE]

If it was me at valiant (if it was legal) I would sell variants direct.
If they are all printed at about 1000, three/ four months after release denote a price as suggested by ebay sales and put some up for sale
As long as you do not flood the market.
Dribs and drabs through a 3rd party.
After sale of the comic at comic shop level, distribution ~ valiant makes what $1.25 each issue ? ~ not deducting costs.
Sell a harbinger 8 sketch variant $100 via 3rd party. Now to company $100 is not much but its all profit, do it 100 times with different variants ~ pays for another issue to be printed?
Like everyone, finding the time to do this stuff is the problem. Plus if its legal to do.
Plus rather with small returns I think valiants focus with there time is advertising / attending comic cons / movie deals / toys and clothing

Or valiant store, with variants for sale direct at set prices.





THought harbinger would be selling higher. Really enjoying it, as in much more than I imagined.
Thanks for the sale figures

There's no way the company would do that, it would contradict their entire business model.

[greg]

Is there a thread where the monthly sales are tracked all together? I hate looking through the forum to try to find prior month sales numbers.

I'm sure a thread can be created that will keep up with the monthly sales.

In the mean time, Here's a screenshot of an Excel table: