November Sales?

[drmirage]

Not really sure what the numbers all mean.

[bygranddesign]

It means dooooooooooooom!

[rjrjr]

I suspect December will be a bottom for Valiant as far as unit sales (excluding the months they were first ramping up their titles) and they will start climbing in January with the Valiant Next stuff. It looks like November will have done pretty well for them on the back of one title, The Valiant. December's numbers won't be pretty, but January will start to look much better.

[BugsySig]

I suspect December will be a bottom for Valiant as far as unit sales (excluding the months they were first ramping up their titles) and they will start climbing in January with the Valiant Next stuff. It looks like November will have done pretty well for them on the back of one title, The Valiant. December's numbers won't be pretty, but January will start to look much better.

The Valiant came out in December.

[Thomas]

It means dooooooooooooom!

+1 for

[rjrjr]

I suspect December will be a bottom for Valiant as far as unit sales (excluding the months they were first ramping up their titles) and they will start climbing in January with the Valiant Next stuff. It looks like November will have done pretty well for them on the back of one title, The Valiant. December's numbers won't be pretty, but January will start to look much better.

The Valiant came out in December.

Good to know. That would make November the bottom. The Valiant climb begins in December, not January.

[rjrjr]

The numbers are in:

X-O Manowar 30 8,354
Bloodshot 25 6,955
Eternal Warrior Days of Steel 1 6,785
Archer & Armstrong One Percent 1 6,738
Unity 12 6,508
Punk Mambo 0 6,165
Q2 Return of Quantum and Woody 2 5,802
Delinquents 4 5,541

Not in the top 300 is Death-Defying Doctor Mirage 3.

Punk Mambo's number surprise didn't surprise me although it's ranking did; I was predicting it would be the worst selling Valiant title for the month. Not surprised by Delinquents, Quantum & Woody, or Eternal Warrior's sales. One shots and mini-series are a hard sell. I still don't understand why Unity isn't selling better, but Valiant could do worse than anchor the book with X-O Manowar as a team member. Bloodshot was also a surprise since this was a anniversary issue of sorts, but maybe the price kept that book from selling more. It makes no sense to me that Harbinger is not an ongoing title. This is not the strongest lineup of titles that Valiant could be producing and the numbers are showing it.

I definitely see this as the bottom for Valiant for the foreseeable future. With a slew of #1s coming up for the first half of 2015, we should see the line wide numbers increase.

[hawkeyeps]

I suspect December will be a bottom for Valiant as far as unit sales (excluding the months they were first ramping up their titles) and they will start climbing in January with the Valiant Next stuff. It looks like November will have done pretty well for them on the back of one title, The Valiant. December's numbers won't be pretty, but January will start to look much better.

The Valiant came out in December.

Good to know. That would make November the bottom. The Valiant climb begins in December, not January.

I think there will be a big boost with Rai 5 and The Valiant.

November was kind of a soft month, I think that's because Armor Hunters had just wrapped up and the Valiant and all the other books announced as Valiant Next were starting. Sort of a .5 month between Valiant First and Valiant Next.

[rjrjr]

As a comparison, here are the last issues from Dark Horse's aborted Gold Key line:

May 2011 Magnus Robot Fighter 4 7,795
September 2011 Doctor Solar Man of Atom 8 6,229
October 2011 Turok Son of Stone 4 6,257
October 2011 Might Samson 4 (less than 5,167 copies)

[drmirage]

Since The Valiant #1 Sold 22,000 Copies.

Maybe the formula for high monthly sales #'s is just to create all #1 issues per month.

10x books @ 22,000 copies = 220,000 Copies Sold Per Month!

What is the worst selling #1 issue VEI has put out?

Perhaps majority are buying DIGITAL copies now.

-----------------------------------
X-O Manowar 30 8,354
Bloodshot 25 6,955
Eternal Warrior Days of Steel 1 6,785
Archer & Armstrong One Percent 1 6,738
Unity 12 6,508
Punk Mambo 0 6,165
Q2 Return of Quantum and Woody 2 5,802
Delinquents 4 5,541

[Captain Craig]

The numbers are in:

X-O Manowar 30 8,354
Bloodshot 25 6,955
Eternal Warrior Days of Steel 1 6,785
Archer & Armstrong One Percent 1 6,738
Unity 12 6,508
Punk Mambo 0 6,165
Q2 Return of Quantum and Woody 2 5,802
Delinquents 4 5,541

Not in the top 300 is Death-Defying Doctor Mirage 3.

When I see something like Bloodshot #25 within spitting distance of 7K and was the second best book that month it's just another reason I question the logic and answers on why a #1 HAS to happen. Clearly having had the summer off didn't damage retailers from ordering or it's audience from buying and that figure of 7K was your second best book that month. With the right promotion for the new arc, new creative team at a #26 you could still hit an increase in sales.
Yeah, bump in sales for perhaps the first arc of BS:Reborn for the title to only fall to about 7/8K by the end, maybe the start, of the second arc.

[ilzuccone]

i don't understand what's going on here.

a chart would help.

[BugsySig]

The numbers are in:

X-O Manowar 30 8,354
Bloodshot 25 6,955
Eternal Warrior Days of Steel 1 6,785
Archer & Armstrong One Percent 1 6,738
Unity 12 6,508
Punk Mambo 0 6,165
Q2 Return of Quantum and Woody 2 5,802
Delinquents 4 5,541

Not in the top 300 is Death-Defying Doctor Mirage 3.

Punk Mambo's number surprise didn't surprise me although it's ranking did; I was predicting it would be the worst selling Valiant title for the month. Not surprised by Delinquents, Quantum & Woody, or Eternal Warrior's sales. One shots and mini-series are a hard sell. I still don't understand why Unity isn't selling better, but Valiant could do worse than anchor the book with X-O Manowar as a team member. Bloodshot was also a surprise since this was a anniversary issue of sorts, but maybe the price kept that book from selling more. It makes no sense to me that Harbinger is not an ongoing title. This is not the strongest lineup of titles that Valiant could be producing and the numbers are showing it.

I definitely see this as the bottom for Valiant for the foreseeable future. With a slew of #1s coming up for the first half of 2015, we should see the line wide numbers increase.

I like the XO number. 8.5k isn't too bad, really. Too bad more people aren't reading Dr. Mirage...such a good book.

All in all I was not a fan of the random minis and one-shots over the past few months (including the semi-stand-alone anniversary issues). Not in terms of the quality, which was still typical VEI quality, but in the overall strategy.

I think they have a lot of buzz around the return of Rai, The Valiant and all the other VALIANT NEXT titles; at least from my tours of other sites, message boards and Twitter that is.

So, yes, I think November may be a low month for the foreseeable future...of course having fewer Wednesdays in the month is a factor in that.

[drmirage]

8.5k isn't too bad, but its not great numbers. It does not really matter a book is good. I think what's important to publishers (or investors) are sales # and making $.

If you look at some of the books at the top #100.. some aren't that great... but they are making $$$ because of high sales #s.

I like the XO number. 8.5k isn't too bad, really. Too bad more people aren't reading Dr. Mirage...such a good book.

[nycjadie]

As a comparison, here are the last issues from Dark Horse's aborted Gold Key line:

May 2011 Magnus Robot Fighter 4 7,795
September 2011 Doctor Solar Man of Atom 8 6,229
October 2011 Turok Son of Stone 4 6,257
October 2011 Might Samson 4 (less than 5,167 copies)

It makes these numbers look not too shabby. And Dynamite is cancelling, no?

[BugsySig]

As a comparison, here are the last issues from Dark Horse's aborted Gold Key line:

May 2011 Magnus Robot Fighter 4 7,795
September 2011 Doctor Solar Man of Atom 8 6,229
October 2011 Turok Son of Stone 4 6,257
October 2011 Might Samson 4 (less than 5,167 copies)

Difference is those books sucked.

[krylox]

we shouldn't focus on +-1,2,3k books. it's clear that vei is not making any money with their comics this year. if all goes well they will break even next year and then something will eventually happen with their movie plans. they have repeatedly stated that they have deep pockets. one semi-successfull film release of one of their properties, and they can let the i.p. division (=comic publishing arm of vei) run wild for another 5-10 years.
sure, the numbers can indicate which characters and ideas are working and which are not. but right now, you couldn't tell, vei books are all selling basically the same and it's obvious the line needs a rejuvenation, and badly so. luckily, some extremely exciting books are just about to happen, so i'll say it again: we don't have to worry about nothing.

[ilzuccone]

we shouldn't focus on +-1,2,3k books. it's clear that vei is not making any money with their comics this year. if all goes well they will break even next year and then something will eventually happen with their movie plans. they have repeatedly stated that they have deep pockets. one semi-successfull film release of one of their properties, and they can let the i.p. division (=comic publishing arm of vei) run wild for another 5-10 years.
sure, the numbers can indicate which characters and ideas are working and which are not. but right now, you couldn't tell, vei books are all selling basically the same and it's obvious the line needs a rejuvenation, and badly so. luckily, some extremely exciting books are just about to happen, so i'll say it again: we don't have to worry about nothing.

yeah i can't help but think all the minis and one shots are part of a plan to get more IP into the market rather than bolster sales. their long game is movies right?

[lorddunlow]

it's clear that vei is not making any money with their comics this year.

How is that "clear"? I'm sure they wouldn't be able to bring on the bigger talent they have if they weren't making any money. I doubt Dino and crew are out buying yachts and private islands quite yet, but I'd say they are pretty healthy. Dino and Fred have both mentioned several times they are outperforming their expectations.

Also, despite deep pockets or whatever, the investors wouldn't allow them to lose money year after year - that's just bad business.

[mateo107]

What is the worst selling #1 issue VEI has put out?

Eternal Warrior Days of Steel 1 6,785

[bygranddesign]

it's clear that vei is not making any money with their comics this year.

How is that "clear"? I'm sure they wouldn't be able to bring on the bigger talent they have if they weren't making any money. I doubt Dino and crew are out buying yachts and private islands quite yet, but I'd say they are pretty healthy. Dino and Fred have both mentioned several times they are outperforming their expectations.

Also, despite deep pockets or whatever, the investors wouldn't allow them to lose money year after year - that's just bad business.

+1

If Valiant started missing deadline ... and losing talent instead of adding talent ... then I would get worried.

The stories are getting better, the talent is getting better - the art and writing is consistently good throughout the whole line - Not worried at all. This is a great time to be a valiant fan.

[bygranddesign]

yeah i can't help but think all the minis and one shots are part of a plan to get more IP into the market rather than bolster sales. their long game is movies right?

I agree that movies are the ultimate long game.

Superhero movies are a multi-billion dollar money maker for studios - You would think that there is a studio that has missed out on Marvel and DC that would take a big chance on Valiant at some point. I think they have been selling the rights to the characters to different studios - IMO, it might be better to bundle everything with one studio so you keep the quaility hopefully consistent and build up strong continuity.

[krylox]

why argue for profitability on the publishing part of valiant ENTERTAINMENT (and not valiant comics, just saying), i don't get it. really, even if they're loosing money on the comics - and anyone with basic gasp of knowledge about publishing can add up what the costs are and can see what sales/revenues are coming in - those losses are negligible in the big picture.
if you really think investors are only investing in already profitable businesses, if you should probably check the notion of a "start up". intellectual properties, especially science fiction/fantasy/superhero stuff, are one of the most sought about products right now in a content and entertainment driven economy.

we should only care about getting good comics, and i'm sure we'll get them in 2015.

[leonmallett]

Have we had the requisite mention of doom yet? I only count a few?

[leonmallett]

it's clear that vei is not making any money with their comics this year.

How is that "clear"? I'm sure they wouldn't be able to bring on the bigger talent they have if they weren't making any money. I doubt Dino and crew are out buying yachts and private islands quite yet, but I'd say they are pretty healthy. Dino and Fred have both mentioned several times they are outperforming their expectations.

Also, despite deep pockets or whatever, the investors wouldn't allow them to lose money year after year - that's just bad business.

I am with lorddunlow is questioning the assertion about not making any money. Regardless of who is backing the company, and the fact that I think the intent has been for other media exploitation, business is business. Just because DC and Marvel have higher cancellation thresholds does not mean that indies are not able to make some money with lower volume of sales.