Monthly Sales Figures

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here zub is addressing this exact issue!

http://comicsbeat.com/creator-says-creator-owned-comics-pay-as-little-as-31-25-a-page-if-youre-lucky/

although he isn't really clear about what HE is clearing...

Basically he says 11% goes to the publisher/creative team to cover advertising, paying the inker, etc. and there maybe be nothing left for the creative team...

Now we better understand the necessity of cranking out new titles all the time (as if it wasn't obvious anyway). At least with a a #1 from an established team they might be able to look forward to a 10K+ print-run and some variant sales. And I'd guess that between the various versions of #1, the largish print runs of 2-4, maybe 5, the reprints/tpb/treasury, etc. Zub did alright on skullkickers even if he has been making minimum wage on the issues since then. the artist can at least sell the OA and get paid a second time, although on some obscure title we might be looking at $15 a page for something that took 3 hours to complete.

On the other hand, why should it be surprising that a guy who is responsible for a few 2-5K monthly print-run comics is "only" making a middle class income while doing something he enjoys? jack kirby was a middle class guy in the 50s and early 60s.

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With the remaining 30 cents per issue, the following has to be paid:

• Advertising/promotion.

• Publisher operation/office expenses.

• Money left over for the creative team to actually get paid anything.

• Profit?

On a print run of 5000 comics (and many, many creator-owned titles sell less than that in the current market), it means $1500 remains for those 4 important categories. Guess how that breaks down?

If the advertising cost was ZERO and publisher expenses were ZERO, then the writer and artist of a 20 page comic would each get $37.50 PER PAGE. Oops, no money in there for the cover art, sorry. Add in more people (inker, colorist, letterer, etc) and the amount gets split even further, but this is a BOGUS number. The publisher has expenses/staff to pay for.

The reality is that once the publisher takes their share of what’s left (and they absolutely deserve it), there may be no money left for the creative team, let alone advertising.

Well, that is disappointing for the little guy, which happen to be the majority of guys I give a darn about in the first place. On the other hand, I didn't start off at the top and had to work my way up the ladder. It seems these guys who aren't yet established are experiencing the same type of obstacle in the beginning that the majority of us have faced or will. All we can do do is support the people who put out our favorites and hope for the best.

I think he is kind of established at this point though. He has like 3 or 4 titles going a month. Just that after the few issues none have a 10K print-run staying power, which seems to be where you need to be to actually be able to add some meat to your ramen noodles. It's hard to get up there in this market. Rat Queens is getting all sorts of buzz and it us barely at that level. I don't know what his other books are selling, he has a new title that just came out. Some of those numbers are surprisingly low...Elephantmen is right there on the list, has also gotten some acclaim, etc, and also has a circulation around 2500/mo.

He has Skullkickers, a new title "Wayward", Samurai Jack and is writing Figment for Marvel and has some other writing gigs. He scripted 1000 pages last year! (so that's like what, 8,000 words?)

Apparently, he is also a full-time teacher, so I guess he has his financial house in order. good for him!

Anyway, he has a really good blog. Really well done. Now I feel bad I stopped buying Skullkickers...although I buy it when I see it in the dollar box.

Standouts, to me. Surprised Sandman is getting that much love.

Also, in the top 100 books only 8 non-Big 2 books.

 

8 Grayson 1 $2.99 DC 81,433

12 Walking Dead 129 $2.99 Image 72,908

13 Sandman Overture 3 $3.99 DC 72,563

27 Life With Archie (comic format) 36 $4.99 Archie 57,054

30 Saga 21 $2.99 Image 55,893

32 Outcast By Kirkman & Azaceta 2* $2.99 Image 55,126

42 Life With Archie Comic 37 $4.99 Archie 48,842

54 Low 1* $3.99 Image 43,340

59 Doctor Who 11th 1 $3.99 Titan 41,068

67 Doctor Who 10th 1 $3.99 Titan 39,707

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

Why do you say that?

Standouts, to me. Surprised Sandman is getting that much love.

Also, in the top 100 books only 8 non-Big 2 books.

 

8 Grayson 1 $2.99 DC 81,433

12 Walking Dead 129 $2.99 Image 72,908

13 Sandman Overture 3 $3.99 DC 72,563

27 Life With Archie (comic format) 36 $4.99 Archie 57,054

30 Saga 21 $2.99 Image 55,893

32 Outcast By Kirkman & Azaceta 2* $2.99 Image 55,126

42 Life With Archie Comic 37 $4.99 Archie 48,842

54 Low 1* $3.99 Image 43,340

59 Doctor Who 11th 1 $3.99 Titan 41,068

67 Doctor Who 10th 1 $3.99 Titan 39,707

 

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

 

Why do you say that?

I think he is kind of established at this point though. He has like 3 or 4 titles going a month. Just that after the few issues none have a 10K print-run staying power, which seems to be where you need to be to actually be able to add some meat to your ramen noodles. It's hard to get up there in this market. Rat Queens is getting all sorts of buzz and it us barely at that level. I don't know what his other books are selling, he has a new title that just came out. Some of those numbers are surprisingly low...Elephantmen is right there on the list, has also gotten some acclaim, etc, and also has a circulation around 2500/mo.

 

He has Skullkickers, a new title "Wayward", Samurai Jack and is writing Figment for Marvel and has some other writing gigs. He scripted 1000 pages last year! (so that's like what, 8,000 words?)

 

Apparently, he is also a full-time teacher, so I guess he has his financial house in order. good for him!

 

Anyway, he has a really good blog. Really well done. Now I feel bad I stopped buying Skullkickers...although I buy it when I see it in the dollar box.

 

I'm trying out Wayward. It looks great so

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

 

Why do you say that?

Its a title that most said would fail, but out sells anything, including WD and outcast, that Image puts out. Rivals Amazing Spiderman in sales too. It will only get better, my guess.

But why would the price go up is what I'm getting at. There are plenty of popular books with good stories that never go above cover.

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

 

Why do you say that?

Its a title that most said would fail, but out sells anything, including WD and outcast, that Image puts out. Rivals Amazing Spiderman in sales too. It will only get better, my guess.

Is it a fair assesment to compare a DC title to an Image book? Even if it is walking dead?

August #s

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2014/2014-08.html

Its a title that most said would fail, but out sells anything, including WD and outcast, that Image puts out. Rivals Amazing Spiderman in sales too. It will only get better, my guess.

Is it a fair assesment to compare a DC title to an Image book? Even if it is walking dead?

Funny what a month can do.

Really surprised how little the new Strain did.

6 Walking Dead 130 $2.99 Image 71,885

7 Harley Quinn 9 $2.99 DC 71,522

167 Little Nemo Return To Slumberland 1* $3.99 IDW 11,883

196 Strain Night Eternal 1* $3.99 Dark Horse 9,394

211 Fade Out (Movie Magazine Variant) 1 $5.99 Image 8,278

Rocket Raccoon outselling Superman

17 Rocket Raccoon 2 $3.99 Marvel 56,597

18 Superman 34 $3.99 DC 56,568

Enormous #2 = 2244

Enormous #3 = 1847

Southern Dog #1 = 1439 (Mehdi cover on half)

The book that impresses me the most month in and out is:

 

10 Harley Quinn 8 $2.99 DC 76,827

 

Even better, next spring this will be a $6 - $10 book at the local shows.

 

Why do you say that?

Its a title that most said would fail, but out sells anything, including WD and outcast, that Image puts out. Rivals Amazing Spiderman in sales too. It will only get better, my guess.

 

But why would the price go up is what I'm getting at. There are plenty of popular books with good stories that never go above cover.

It is Harley. Deadpool is the same way. I am going to be pricing my new 52 Harley #1 1sts at $15 - $20 this weekend (same with #1 2nd print - it is a better cover), #2s at $10-$12, and subsequent issues at $6 - $10. They will sell.

Don't estimate the power of the Dark Side......err, Harley.

The funniest thing to watch at a show is a young woman/girl walk up to the table, grab a stack of Harleys, and have her boyfriend pay for them.

August #s

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2014/2014-08.html

Hard to believe that big two can dominate the charts with 94 out of the top 100.

I only have two of the 94 on my pull list. Maybe I am missing something eh?

August #s

http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2014/2014-08.html

 

Hard to believe that big two can dominate the charts with 94 out of the top 100.

 

I only have two of the 94 on my pull list. Maybe I am missing something eh?

We are in the same boat.

Sex Criminals has increased from issue #2 to issue #7 by around 10%.

Manifest Destiny also increased from #2 to #9 by over 10%.

Manifest Destiny also increased from #2 to #9 by over 10%.

easily my favorite title right now.