I've always been a fan of top ______ lists and such; Let's keep an eye on where these books rank every month!
A little back research reveals these stats for the dot-REBELS sales:
(listed by: Issue number, rank in top 300, sales)
# 1 / 75 / 23,739
# 2 / 112 / 16,122
# 3 / 149 / 14,442
# 4 / 136 / 13,468
# 5 / 152 / 12,909
# 6 / 162 / 12,349
Two words come to mind: Uh Oh.
I remember being disappointed by the poor debut at # 75 but didn't keep up with subsequent sales. The book is in rapid free-fell.
Something else else needs to happen FAST to change these figures or DC might not even publish 12 issues.
I personally would have liked more of the original cast in the first couple of issues.
Will post ADVENTURE 1/504 stats when they become available. I have a feeling we will be seeing higher numbers for that book.
It's solicited thru #10 and an Annual, but those numbers are wretched.
I really like the book on its own merits, and not as a Legion "replacement" title...
Hopefully retailers will use the "Buy 25, get 50" incentive they're doing, for books needing help like this, with various Lantern Corps rings. I think the one they're using to promote R.E.B.E.L.S.#10 (?) is the Indigo Tribe ring... I loves me some Purple!
REBELS is one of my favorite titles going today. I think the art and writing have been superb!
Of course, everything I like, except my wife, seems to get cancelled. You can all blame me if something happens.
Sorry to go all 'Cancel Man' on us, but I'm afraid it's just a matter of time... and just when I was getting into it...
REBELS # 7 164 of top 300/est sales 11,682
Better news for the ADVENTURE launch!
ADVENTURE # 1 30 of top 300/est sales 56,706
REBELS will have a push on Blackest Night, will probably include a 2nd feature and will also become LEGION in 2010, if the latest indications are to be believed. I think there is enough commitment from DC to keep at least one "space" title afloat for a while.
A push would be good since, as far as I'm concerned, the book gets better with each issue.
Originally posted by Ricardo:
I think there is enough commitment from DC to keep at least one "space" title afloat for a while.
I'd rather this was a Legion title (Adventure or whatever) than dot REBELS. If that means REBELS has to be sacrificed then so be it.
Originally posted by Silver Age Lad:
Originally posted by Ricardo:
[b]I think there is enough commitment from DC to keep at least one "space" title afloat for a while.
I'd rather this was a Legion title (Adventure or whatever) than dot REBELS. If that means REBELS has to be sacrificed then so be it. [/b]I don't think DC thinks of Legion as a sci-fi/space title, so I think it's fair ground to say one has nothing to do with the other. Actually, LSH is considered now to be part of Superman franchise and I don't see it changing with Levitz.
Sept stats are in...
ADVENTURE # 2 loses ground (not uncommon for # 2s).... it comes in at # 44 with 47,296 copies. Still a top 50 book and I think it will stay there through Johns' runanyway.
REBELS loses only 300 copies sold but it can't afford to. It comes in at # 186 with 11,347 copies.
Issue 12 of dotREBELS has just been solicited. With blackest night/JLA tie ins plus Captain Comet/Adam Strange joining in, DC are really trying with this book. I doubt it fits into the Jonah Hex sales-aren't-everything category though.
When you compare dotREBELS sales with those of Shooter's Legion run the omens aren't good.
OCTOBER stats are in:
REBELS # 9 rises in rank, coming in at # 157, but it actually loses sales (though less than 100 copies lost this time): 11,284.
ADVENTURE also rises up in chart rank while losing sales: It comes in at # 40 with sales of 44,431.
The sales for REBELS are attrocious. Normally, I'd say it wouldn't make it into a second year but Didio keeps saying it will later be essential to whats next for the DCU.
REBELS made two big mistakes IMO: (1) new look for Starro which almost everyone I've seen thinks is even cornier than before and (2) killed Stealth off off-panel, or at least led people to think that. Both things turned off readers who were picking up the book on a whim, rather than get them to stick around.
I hope Adventure continues to do well.
But really, comics sales these last few months just look dreadful.
Thanks for explaining the thing about Stealth. I thought I had missed an issue!
It will be interesting to contrast dotREBELS with whatever happens with the Legion. To me, dotREBELS is basically a continuation of Legion styles and tropes from the 5-year gap on--no real costumes, team hates each other, Brainiac is an arrogant manipulative jerk, big universe-theatening plot that goes on forever, etc. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the book, even though I HATE Darth Starro the Barbarian. But it will be interesting to see if this style of Legion can survive, and if an alternative style (the Johns/Robinson/Levitz retroboot) can do any better.
I don't am that opposed to the new Starro persona, but I have to confess that though I like the new run, every month, when I get my bunch of comics, REBELS slips farther back in my "order of reading"... I just can't get up the motivation to read it. Once I am starting, I like it...
Adventure Comics is still pretty high in my hierarchy. But I'm going to skip the issues without the Legion backup in it.
Originally posted by Chemical King:
I don't am that opposed to the new Starro persona, but I have to confess that though I like the new run, every month, when I get my bunch of comics, REBELS slips farther back in my "order of reading"... I just can't get up the motivation to read it. Once I am starting, I like it...
You know, I'm the same exact way. That can't be a good sign.
REBELS #10 was my last issue of it. I still like it okay, but I have to cut back on my comics for economic reasons, and it drew the short straw. I'm probably going to let Adventure lapse until Levitz takes over, too, or at least decide whether to get it on an issue-by-issue basis.
I want to know when we'll get more answers as to the situation behind Vril making the deal with Neron, and Captain Comet taking over L.E.G.I.O.N. at the end of the original REBELS series.
Originally posted by Chemical King:
I don't am that opposed to the new Starro persona, but I have to confess that though I like the new run, every month, when I get my bunch of comics, REBELS slips farther back in my "order of reading"... I just can't get up the motivation to read it. Once I am starting, I like it...
Adventure Comics is still pretty high in my hierarchy. But I'm going to skip the issues without the Legion backup in it.
There's where I've been for the first 9 issues. The recent one being the first of a two parter has really turned the book around for me.
ADVENTURE # 4 # 6 of top 300. 85,125 preorders
REBELS # 10 # 30 of 300. 51,100 preorders
Well, I don't think there's any way anyone can call the BLACKEST NIGHT ring promotion anything but a resounding success looking at these figures.
Utterly astounding. There may be some books saved from cancellation by this.
My only quibble-- is REBELS now $3.99 every month??? *NOT* liking that little development.
I started a thread about the ring promotion in the Gym'll's section. Both comic book stores I go to actually sold out of REBELS--they were completley surprised and delighted.
REBELS sold something like 3-5 times more copies than usual. I think you're right, the promotion may have really saved some of these titles. (Being the wordy guy I am, the thread is more detailed).
Rogue is taking care of ADVENTURE sales numbers over on the other board, so I'll just be reporting REBELS sales figures from now on.
And this month the report remains good....
REBELS places at # 66 on the top 300 with estimated sales of 31,489. Wow.
I mean, if next issue loses HALF of this number, it will still be in better shape than it was before BLACKEST NIGHT.
A good thing for this book.
Well, there's good news and bad news about REBELS # 12 sales figures.
The GOOD news is, # 12 comes in with higher sales figures than before the Blackest Night issues.
The BAD news is, it's down to # 141 of the top 300. Sales estimate at 12,428.
Tony mentioned on his Facebook page there's been no discussion of cancellation. He said he just turned in an outline for another year's worth of stories.
DC should do a Flash ring in April and a Legion ring in September to keep this title running. Then a whole freaking utlilty belt at #25.
Originally posted by MLLASH:
Well, there's good news and bad news about REBELS # 12 sales figures.
The GOOD news is, # 12 comes in with higher sales figures than before the Blackest Night issues.
The BAD news is, it's down to # 141 of the top 300. Sales estimate at 12,428.
One thing mentioned earlier about these figures is that it's still too early to tell if REBELS recieved a sales bump from Blackest Night or not as these numbers would have been placed before retailers could see how well issues 10 & 11 sold.
Next month will be the definite benchmark as Blackest Night sales should affect the orders and back orders of REBELS 12.
Originally posted by Cobalt Kid:
DC should do a Flash ring in April and a Legion ring in September to keep this title running. Then a whole freaking utlilty belt at #25. I would buy three variant covers for the whole freaking utility belt.
Originally posted by Matthew E:
REBELS #10 was my last issue of it. I still like it okay, but I have to cut back on my comics for economic reasons, and it drew the short straw.
I just had to do the same thing. Loss of job means losing some titles that weren't quite doing it for me. I really wish Stealth had become part of the new team -- she made a great foil for Vril.
I really wish Stealth had become part of the new team -- she made a great foil for Vril
who's to say she's not...and oh did anyone really think about Lyrissa not being a black lantern...i mean come on now...she should have been there!!!
Wow! I'm surprised promotions actually make that much impact!
But it's a short term thing isn't it?
I want to like REBELS but I'm not enjoying it. Having such a tediously long story as it's first arc has really put me off.
I'm shocked it was only selling around 11,000 though.