The Big 3- the slide&comeback of comic books DC INFO Oct. 1

[comicsyte95]

I'mma have a beer and see if it goes somewhere.





-slym

Have fun and hope its a good one!

[slym2none]

Hey guys... it went somewhere!



I got a few more years' data in, and I am finding out TWD had an erratic schedule, and then possibly went bi-monthly on the off-months I am looking at. I am including data from the month before for TWD only, if possible.



-slym

[slym2none]

ONLY 6 YEARS' INFO LEFT, I WILL GET AT LEAST TWO MORE DOWN TONIGHT...



*edit* I got through two more years, so I only have 4 left and then I get to type it all out. MAYBE tomorrow it will be done!



-slym

[slym2none]

Holy carp... I got all the data collated. Now to type it out.

I added Fantastic Four to the Marvel end, as well as Savage Dragon to Image since it and Spawn are the only two original properties still printing on a (sort of) regular basis. SD was a *SQUEE* as he kept hopping around my 4-month skip, so if necessary, I'd go back a month or be forced to go forward a month, to try and get some consistent data.

Now... tonight, or tomorrow: when do I start typing?





-slym

[Brother J]

I'm curious as to what made you decide to attempt to track these numbers? It's interesting, but it seems like a lot of work and I'm wondering what you feel the "payoff" might be? Not trying to be a smart-*SQUEE*. I'm guessing the genesis for this thread was probably based on a discussion from another thread, but since I'm way out of the loop with things here, I am not aware of what may have precipitated this.

[Chiclo]

I'm Scots/Irish and I love garlic!!!





-slym

Ithim an ceapaire agus olaim bainne.

[slym2none]

I'm Scots/Irish and I love garlic!!!

Ithim an ceapaire agus olaim bainne.

You might want to see a doctor about that. Besides, it's too early for my lunch.

*whistles innocently*



-slym

[slym2none]

I'm curious as to what made you decide to attempt to track these numbers? It's interesting, but it seems like a lot of work and I'm wondering what you feel the "payoff" might be? Not trying to be a smart-*SQUEE*. I'm guessing the genesis for this thread was probably based on a discussion from another thread, but since I'm way out of the loop with things here, I am not aware of what may have precipitated this.

Really, I keep hearing about how the comics market "crashed in the late 90's." I see a bunch of companies disappear, but the numbers will show, at least for the titles I am charting, that it didn't happen in the late 90's. Hell, CrossGen came out in 1998 and it took them 6 years to crash (spectacularly!) I just figured following the (arguably) most popular consistent titles from each of the big three at the time would give a good picture on when the true downward slide, after all the "riff-raff" companies went under, actually looked like.

TBH, the X-titles didn't look their worst until the late '00s, and then Marvel got the sweet idea to copy DC and reboot everything with a new #1. I stopped tracking shortly after that, as I got tired of figuring out which Justice League or Avengers title I was supposed to follow, then Wolverine got screwy (which I fell for) but I noticed adjectiveless X-Men became "New" then back to plain X-Men, then onto X-Men Legacy; I didn't fall for that one and kept track of it well.

It is weird - there was a "bust" for comic companies in the late 90's, the slide started in the 2000's, and for some books, have just recently started to recover. Then we saw new companies form, grow, and then die during this time, and watched Image re-form itself. For the longest time, no matter what spot it held on the list, Spawn was the top-selling Image title - all that will be shown, if I ever get my *SQUEE* in gear.





-slym

[lorddunlow]

I'm curious as to what made you decide to attempt to track these numbers? It's interesting, but it seems like a lot of work and I'm wondering what you feel the "payoff" might be? Not trying to be a smart-*SQUEE*. I'm guessing the genesis for this thread was probably based on a discussion from another thread, but since I'm way out of the loop with things here, I am not aware of what may have precipitated this.

Really, I keep hearing about how the comics market "crashed in the late 90's." I see a bunch of companies disappear, but the numbers will show, at least for the titles I am charting, that it didn't happen in the late 90's. Hell, CrossGen came out in 1998 and it took them 6 years to crash (spectacularly!) I just figured following the (arguably) most popular consistent titles from each of the big three at the time would give a good picture on when the true downward slide, after all the "riff-raff" companies went under, actually looked like.

TBH, the X-titles didn't look their worst until the late '00s, and then Marvel got the sweet idea to copy DC and reboot everything with a new #1. I stopped tracking shortly after that, as I got tired of figuring out which Justice League or Avengers title I was supposed to follow, then Wolverine got screwy (which I fell for) but I noticed adjectiveless X-Men became "New" then back to plain X-Men, then onto X-Men Legacy; I didn't fall for that one and kept track of it well.

It is weird - there was a "bust" for comic companies in the late 90's, the slide started in the 2000's, and for some books, have just recently started to recover. Then we saw new companies form, grow, and then die during this time, and watched Image re-form itself. For the longest time, no matter what spot it held on the list, Spawn was the top-selling Image title - all that will be shown, if I ever get my *SQUEE* in gear.





-slym

I'm going to have to for a week because of your slow hind end...

[slym2none]

Please wait...





-slym

[slym2none]

Holy crap! I had to edit a few things out of my post because of the 60K character limit. Looks like DC will have to be broken up into two parts!!! Maybe I will move the Top #s out here...?

Anyway, Marvel info is up! Took me forever to type out all that crap. I am not a slow typer really, but a lazy one? Yes... anyway, here is what I had to edit out, read it like it was posted first in the Marvel thread:

Here we go! Keep all comments to yer damn selves...



This data consists of the print runs & position on the sales chart for each of the following titles, ones I consider to be an arguably good spread of the comic kingdom: Uncanny X-Men; "adjectiveless" X-Men, of which I am ignoring both the "New" and later "Legacy" designations; Wolverine; Avengers; Amazing Spider-Man; and The Fantastic Four. I am also showing what Marvel title ranked highest, where it ranked, and its print-run, if it isn't already shown. Most of the early years, the X-Titles mopped up, but again, I will show what it is regardless.

All but my two X-Men never changed their names until it was a line-up-wide change there at the end of 2011, or beginning of 2012; sorry, frazzled brain. Most were easy to keep track of except The Avengers got all schizo a few years before the rest, as FF and ASM eventually went back to their old numbers. So did Wolverine, but WAY too late, IMHO. Anyway, the data. All text, so this is gonna suck for you, the reader. Don't worry, it sucked for me, the compiler.

*whew*



-slym

[slym2none]

Thank you for the large round of indifference.

I CAN HEAR YOU BREATHING, YOU KNOW...





-slym

[comicsyte95]

I am finding this interesting .Mentioned in a pm to Slym that I just assumed that speculation had caused the downfall of comics immediatetly through the data I see it was gradual not quick.

I was wrong in my way of thinking partly because my comic shop closed earlier on (like others were doing)and without that+no internet then I wasn't buying comics except at the flea markets for awhile.Ashamed to admit I was part of the downfall (in a small way)not because of speculation just nowhere to buy comics locally new(except of course select times I was near a comic shop).

[Cyberstrike]

The 90s crash is not one of those things that you can easily pinpoint to exact moment. The year that Marvel filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy is often cited as when the crash started but IMHO it had already started when Marvel filed for bankruptcy just showed the world that a crash was happening but I think reguardless it would have happened anyway.

[Chiclo]

Interesting data. I think most people don't realize the Marvel data is already posted on the previous page.

[slym2none]

Thanks to all who read & replied.

I really thought this info would be more discussion-worthy...





-slym (will get to DC, Image, & the Top #s tomorrow)

[Chiclo]

Thanks to all who read & replied.

I really thought this info would be more discussion-worthy...





-slym (will get to DC, Image, & the Top #s tomorrow)

It is interesting. I want to see more numbers before I talk about it.

[kjjohanson]

Thanks to all who read & replied.

I really thought this info would be more discussion-worthy...





-slym (will get to DC, Image, & the Top #s tomorrow)

Can't say nothin' without charts

[ShadowTuga]

Thanks to all who read & replied.

I really thought this info would be more discussion-worthy...






-slym (will get to DC, Image, & the Top #s tomorrow)

This is Good Stuff, mate.

[slym2none]

Image #s & "Top #s" are now up!

DC tomorrow... bleh...



-slym

[slym2none]

I finally got off my *SQUEE* and finished listing all this. All info is on the front page!

Thanks for any/all interest in my crap!



-slym

[slym2none]

-slym

[slym2none]

So, what does everyone think???





-slym (has his thoughts but wants people to share some first)

[comicsyte95]

Could a change in the market cause a slide in comics again?

[slym2none]

Could it? Sure - depends on what "change" you are talking about.

Will it?





-slym