...The other interesting thing is that it was sold out at the distributer level weeks before it hit the shelves.
The majority of ALL 'new' talent Image books will sell out at the distributor level before they hit the shelves. The print run is based on what the shops pre-order.
That's what Image tells them. Don't waste your money on printing extras in case it fails. Print what the shops order, they will sell out of it, and see it as a successful book.
When someone says about these books that they "sold out at the distributer level weeks before it hit the shelves", it doesn't mean a dang thing other than they printed what was ORDERED.