People have been writing to me with some degree of alarm after the brand new Diamond “Actual Sales” chart was posted on Newsarama. Why? Because “Captain Marvel #6” was ranked as #259, which would indicate the most staggering sales plummet in comics history. As if retailers had suddenly decided to slash their orders to “Archie Comics” levels.
So I sent an alarmed e-mail to editor Andy Schmidt, who replied (his e-mail is printed here with permission):
“Okay, what that chart is is the “actual sales” chart for February. The
reason Marv is ranked so low is because 6 was late and didn’t come out until
March. It was ordered at 32,000 and will show up on next months “actual
sales” chart. So, it’s a meaningless number. How’s that?”
That’s fine by me. Hope that assuages concerns.
PAD
• 
Well it cetrainly had me a little confused. Actually all the marvel titles had me confused.
What is the deal with Marvel anyway? Is that anyway to run a business where almost every book is shipped late? I mean has anyone seen an issue of Ultimate Adventures lately? How about Kevin Smith comics… I wonder if he only does four comics in the entire contract if he can go to DC and do more work. At least at DC the books came out more regular.
I understand that things happen and some books are shipped late, but for pete’s sake… almost all Marvel titles are late.
Supergirl was #72 in February. Sigh.
No, no…you just don’t understand the New Marvel. The books aren’t late, they’re shipping as part of the new Staggered Shipping program. It really benefits the retailers, and 95% of retailers are greatly in favor of the situation.
You see, if books were published and shipped on time, then the comic retailer would be forced to sell the books at cover price and there would be no extra demand. By shipping books days, weeks or even months late, you create an interest in the collectors. Without regular releases of the titles, the collectors become more and more excited about the impending release. Then, when the book is finally released, there will be such a frenzy of pent up excitement that the retailer can mark prices up to ten times the cover price and still have sell through.
This is yet another plan that the New Marvel has created to foster interest in books and to create desire amongst the collectors. Do you see how much interest there is in the next issue of that Spiderman/Black Cat series? Remember that series?
No?
Well, now you’ve stumbled onto the new secret, phase 2 plan of the Staggered Release program: the Instant Nostalgia factor. Marvel’s research, which 95% of comic retailers support, suggest that nostalgia is a major selling point of units…I mean books. The problem is that nostalgia takes a good 10-20 years to set in. In Marvel’s new plan, Marvel can release the first couple issues of a series, then wait approximately one year until we produce the next. Then, when it comes out…BANG! Instant nostalgia! That alone would sell thousands of extra copies of books…well, it would have if Marvel liked to reprint to meet demand, but that ties back into secret plan #1 (no reprinting).
See! This is what’s best for the Commerical Unit Business…I mean Comics’ Business!
Makes as much sense as most of the other explanations to me…
Yeah, when the Pulse first broke the rankings, I, and another guy on the thread, had a devil of a time deciphering it, but ultimately we came to the conclusion that Andy confirms.
But just to show Captain Marvel isn’t alone… Spider-Man: Legend of the Spider-Clan was ranked 67 on the initial order list, and 281 on the “actual” list (what a misnomer!).
Hey, Peter, I am sure you have answered this a few thousand times, but I just wanna know that CM is going to continue for the foreseeable future? It is one of the last Marvel books I still pick up every month. (Though I just grabbed the last six months of Uncanny, and it was really good. Me, enjoying an X-Book, after I gave up on all of them in ’95? Scary…)
Hello there Peter. I know this if off topic but I would just like to say that Jemas is a KNOB. Have a nice day.
You write CM?!? I didn’t even know there *was* a new CM title out.
I’ve been out of sync with things for months…
i
I was shocked when I saw the list, Marville higher than Captain Marvel??!! It couldn’t be. Well, now I can breathe again. Good luck!
**You write CM?!? I didn’t even know there *was* a new CM title out.
I’ve been out of sync with things for months…
Posted by Ted @ 03/26/2003 05:43 PM ET**
Just in case you are REALLY out of sync, it’s the Marvel Comics Captain Marvel not the DC Comics character. And Peter has been writing it for 42 issues (3-1/2 years) now. (36 issues in the first run and 6 issues in the current.) So you’ve been out of sync for many, many months.
Fazhoul
So, then, I guess it’s good news that the numbers on the chart are meaningless…?
Oh, and more good news for PAD fans: MARVILLE HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
Isn’t there supposed to be some pie-throwing, dunk-tanking kinda thing going on?
Hooray! If Marville’s really indeed gotten the axe, I am so relieved. I just can’t believe how much money was wasted on such a dud like that.
But come on, you can’t tell me that DC has NOT approached you to continue doing Supergirl in some form. This smells of conspiracy or errant knavery!
Speak, please! Which is it!?!
(Loved Woad to Wuin, btw)
As seen @ Newsarama:
“Jemas confirmed that Marville #7 will be the final issue of the series …”
For the full story:
http://www.newsarama.com/000aaa1Epic.htm
Of course, that same Newsarama article also has some interesting details about the rebirth of the EPIC line.
PAD, any thoughts on these developments?
Hey, come to think of it, don’t “Archie” comics sell in staggeringly huge numbers by virtue of sitting on every grocery store checkout line in the country? They just don’t show up on the Diamond charts.
Paul
Christopher: Oh, and more good news for PAD fans: MARVILLE HAS BEEN CANCELLED!
Um. I think more like good news for all fans of the “no cruel and unusual punishment” clause of our rights.
I think I’d rather watch all seven episodes of Automan back to back than read that drek again.
Travis