Legion World Forums LEGION CLUBHOUSE The Legion of Super-Heroes Legion of Super-Heroes Sales Figures

Nice to see a bump up for Phil's debut. Next month's figures will be interesting to see.

March numbers are out, and it looks like both books have stabilised. Legion only shed about 100 copies, which is far less than typical attrition for a book in today's market. Adventure lost most of the bump it got from Jimenez's debut, but still remains consistent with it's numbers from January. Add to that the overpriced LSV special hung in at 21K and it looks like this is the plateau we can expect for the Legion books for now.


LEGION:

05/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #1 -- 44,415, #39 out of 300 [50,106]
06/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #2 -- 39,102, #43 out of 300
07/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #3 -- 36,360, #45 out of 300
08/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #4 -- 34,239 #51 out of 300
09/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #5 -- 32,417 #55 out of 300
10/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #6 -- 30,246 #66 out of 300
11/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #7 -- 26,439 #65 out of 300
12/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #8 -- 25,063 #72 out of 300
01/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #9 -- 24,230 #60 out of 300
02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #10 -- 23,738 #75 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #11 -- 23,667 #85 out of 100


ADVENTURE:

03/2010: Adventure Comics #9 -- 37,515 #44 out of 300
04/2010: Adventure Comics #10 -- 37,573 #41 out of 300
05/2010: Adventure Comics #11 -- 34,794 #54 out of 300
06/2010: Adventure Comics #12 -- 34,663 #55 out of 300
07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 #63 out of 300
08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 #61 out of 300
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 #71 out of 300
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 #76 out of 300
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 #71 out of 300
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 #73 out of 300
01/2011: Adventure Comics #522 -- 22,821 #64 out of 300
02/2011: Adventure Comics #523 -- 23,127 #78 out of 300
03/2011: Adventure Comics #524 -- 22,836 #89 out of 300

SPECIALS/ANNUALS:

02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 -- 22,201 #82 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Villains #1 -- 21,097 #96 out of 300

April Numbers are out and it's steady as she goes. LSH drops about 250 copies and Adventure picks up 100. That's about as stable as you get in today's market, so that's a very good sign. Storm clouds on the horizon though, as it's hard to say what Phil's departure from Adventure and the upcoming flood of Flashpoint titles will do the numbers. Should be an interesting summer.


LEGION:

05/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #1 -- 44,415, #39 out of 300 [50,106]
06/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #2 -- 39,102, #43 out of 300
07/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #3 -- 36,360, #45 out of 300
08/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #4 -- 34,239 #51 out of 300
09/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #5 -- 32,417 #55 out of 300
10/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #6 -- 30,246 #66 out of 300
11/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #7 -- 26,439 #65 out of 300
12/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #8 -- 25,063 #72 out of 300
01/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #9 -- 24,230 #60 out of 300
02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #10 -- 23,738 #75 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #11 -- 23,667 #85 out of 100
04/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #12 -- 23,419 #75 out of 300

ADVENTURE:

04/2010: Adventure Comics #10 -- 37,573 #41 out of 300
05/2010: Adventure Comics #11 -- 34,794 #54 out of 300
06/2010: Adventure Comics #12 -- 34,663 #55 out of 300
07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 #63 out of 300
08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 #61 out of 300
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 #71 out of 300
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 #76 out of 300
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 #71 out of 300
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 #73 out of 300
01/2011: Adventure Comics #522 -- 22,821 #64 out of 300
02/2011: Adventure Comics #523 -- 23,127 #78 out of 300
03/2011: Adventure Comics #524 -- 22,836 #89 out of 300
04/2011: Adventure Comics #525 -- 22,946 #78 out of 300

SPECIALS/ANNUALS:

02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 -- 22,201 #82 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Villains #1 -- 21,097 #96 out of 300

Are the units available for the now recalled DC Comics Presents Legion of Super-Heroes 100-Page Spectacular?

Nope. 2 possible explanations - 1) with the recall Diamond doesn't list it. or 2) It may not have placed in the top 300 (which is fairly typical for the "DC Comics Presents" stuff).

May Numbers are up and things appear to be drifting down again. Adventure has now lost all of the original bump from the Jimenez/Academy debut, shedding 700 copies. The main title continues with a slow drift, losing about 300 copies. It all seems a little academic with the relaunch, but the fact that DC isn't changing the main book up too much, while a boon to us regular readers, may not be such a great sales driver. Hopefully the new #1 gets people to give the team a new look.


LEGION:

06/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #2 -- 39,102, #43 out of 300
07/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #3 -- 36,360, #45 out of 300
08/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #4 -- 34,239 #51 out of 300
09/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #5 -- 32,417 #55 out of 300
10/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #6 -- 30,246 #66 out of 300
11/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #7 -- 26,439 #65 out of 300
12/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #8 -- 25,063 #72 out of 300
01/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #9 -- 24,230 #60 out of 300
02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #10 -- 23,738 #75 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #11 -- 23,667 #85 out of 100
04/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #12 -- 23,419 #75 out of 300
05/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #13 -- 23,105 #76 out of 300

ADVENTURE:

05/2010: Adventure Comics #11 -- 34,794 #54 out of 300
06/2010: Adventure Comics #12 -- 34,663 #55 out of 300
07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 #63 out of 300
08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 #61 out of 300
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 #71 out of 300
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 #76 out of 300
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 #71 out of 300
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 #73 out of 300
01/2011: Adventure Comics #522 -- 22,821 #64 out of 300
02/2011: Adventure Comics #523 -- 23,127 #78 out of 300
03/2011: Adventure Comics #524 -- 22,836 #89 out of 300
04/2011: Adventure Comics #525 -- 22,946 #78 out of 300
05/2011: Adventure Comics #526 -- 22,271 #78 out of 300

SPECIALS/ANNUALS:

02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 -- 22,201 #82 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Villains #1 -- 21,097 #96 out of 300

Also, The DC Comics Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (that reprints Legion of the Damned) came in at 3,597.

Respectable for the DCP Reprint line.

Diamond top 100 is out today and for the first time since the relaunch, Legion and Adventure missed the cut. This probably isn't due to a precipitous drop in sales, rather the fact that DC and Marvel flooded the market with Flashpoint and Fear tie-ins in June. ICV2 should have their numbers up soon and we'll see how the Legion books fared.

ICV2 was late with the June numbers (presumably due to Comic-con), then I was on vacation, so numbers are only coming out now despite the widespread demand for them (.... crickets chirping...). Anyway, Legion's downward drift accelerates a little (Flashpoint effect?), whereas Adventure stays rock solid (EDIT: actually it dropped more than 1,000, yikes!). Two more months of numbers before the relaunch.


LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES:

07/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #3 -- 36,360, #45 out of 300
08/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #4 -- 34,239 #51 out of 300
09/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #5 -- 32,417 #55 out of 300
10/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #6 -- 30,246 #66 out of 300
11/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #7 -- 26,439 #65 out of 300
12/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #8 -- 25,063 #72 out of 300
01/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #9 -- 24,230 #60 out of 300
02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #10 -- 23,738 #75 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #11 -- 23,667 #85 out of 100
04/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #12 -- 23,419 #75 out of 300
05/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #13 -- 23,105 #76 out of 300
06/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #14 -- 22,600 #106 out of 300

ADVENTURE:

06/2010: Adventure Comics #12 -- 34,663 #55 out of 300
07/2010: Adventure Comics #516 -- 30,897 #63 out of 300
08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 #61 out of 300
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 #71 out of 300
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 #76 out of 300
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 #71 out of 300
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 #73 out of 300
01/2011: Adventure Comics #522 -- 22,821 #64 out of 300
02/2011: Adventure Comics #523 -- 23,127 #78 out of 300
03/2011: Adventure Comics #524 -- 22,836 #89 out of 300
04/2011: Adventure Comics #525 -- 22,946 #78 out of 300
05/2011: Adventure Comics #526 -- 22,271 #78 out of 300
06/2011: Adventure Comics #527 -- 21,211 #144 out of 300

SPECIALS/ANNUALS:

02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 -- 22,201 #82 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Villains #1 -- 21,097 #96 out of 300

Hot on the heels of the late June numbers, come early July numbers! Both LSH and Adventure drop a good chunk of orders (800 for Legion, 1K for Adventure). One month of numbers left before the relaunch. Will Adventure close out above the 20K number? Stay tuned...


LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES:

08/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #4 -- 34,239 #51 out of 300
09/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #5 -- 32,417 #55 out of 300
10/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #6 -- 30,246 #66 out of 300
11/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #7 -- 26,439 #65 out of 300
12/2010: Legion of Super-Heroes #8 -- 25,063 #72 out of 300
01/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #9 -- 24,230 #60 out of 300
02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #10 -- 23,738 #75 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #11 -- 23,667 #85 out of 100
04/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #12 -- 23,419 #75 out of 300
05/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #13 -- 23,105 #76 out of 300
06/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #14 -- 22,600 #106 out of 300
07/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes #15 -- 21,788 #100 out of 300

ADVENTURE:

08/2010: Adventure Comics #517 -- 28,966 #61 out of 300
09/2010: Adventure Comics #518 -- 27,028 #71 out of 300
10/2010: Adventure Comics #519 -- 25,346 #76 out of 300
11/2010: Adventure Comics #520 -- 24,540 #71 out of 300
12/2010: Adventure Comics #521 -- 23,787 #73 out of 300
01/2011: Adventure Comics #522 -- 22,821 #64 out of 300
02/2011: Adventure Comics #523 -- 23,127 #78 out of 300
03/2011: Adventure Comics #524 -- 22,836 #89 out of 300
04/2011: Adventure Comics #525 -- 22,946 #78 out of 300
05/2011: Adventure Comics #526 -- 22,271 #78 out of 300
06/2011: Adventure Comics #527 -- 21,211 #144 out of 300
07/2011: Adventure Comics #528 -- 20,111 #106 out of 300


SPECIALS/ANNUALS:

02/2011: Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #1 -- 22,201 #82 out of 300
03/2011: Legion of Super-Villains #1 -- 21,097 #96 out of 300 [/QB][/QUOTE]

Yeesh. Sales are tanking. Pitiful.

This makes total sense. Barring any change in quality, I would guess that the people who care about continuity don't see much point in buying stories that won't be in continuity next month.

I would think that if people who watch soap operas were told the stories would be recast and start over in two weeks they may not be quite so diligent at catching the next few episodes either.

Even given that the relaunch supposedly messes with Legion less than other titles, I bet Legion's getting swept up in the downward momentum.

My CBS owner told me lots of customers simply aren't buying many DC comics in July and August because they're waiting for what's coming in September.

I read an article online yesterday-- I am pretty sure at CBR-- that said there was virtually no change in DC sales though... they were watching for a massive drop-off for July that apparently did not happen.

People just seem to be exiting the LSH books. I hope the NottaBoot sees some creative fire that will be reflected by the sales...

One thing is sadly clear: the $2.99 price tag that DC has held the line on has had absolutely zero effect on sales. That goes for all of their titles, not just Legion.

Which should come as no surprise, as the same thing has been tried by both DC and Marvel over the years (starting with the change from ten to twelve cents in the early 60s) and it has never had any significant effect on readers' buying habits.

We buy comics for our favorite characters.
We buy comics for our favorite artists.
We buy comics for our favorite writers.

We don't let the cover price determine what those favorites are.

It comes as a surprise to me. People have quit smoking over the rising price, when nothing else persuaded them to even try.

It's not clear how much MORE circulation they would have lost had they not held the line @ 2.99. What this says to me is only that there are more factors than just price for people dropping comics, not that price doesn't count at all.

[snip]

Really? What is comics' circulation now, as compared to thirty years ago? Or fifty? My understanding is that comics are much more a "specialty" form of entertainment now than they were back then. Or do you mean that overall readership is smaller, but spends more on its habit than readers did in "the old days"??

I'm confused.

Quote

We buy comics for our favorite characters.
We buy comics for our favorite artists.
We buy comics for our favorite writers.

We don't let the cover price determine what those favorites are.

You might want to watch that "we." Especially in the current economy.

The sad thing is that the comics industry, for various reasons, may be down to mostly selling to the hardcore "addicts" for whom rises in price don't really factor into their buying decisions. If there were such a thing as "casual fans" or "new readers", the price might actually make a difference.

Well, I think it probably has made a difference to me, as a returning fan who had pretty much skipped out for twenty years.

I can't even afford my usual two books this month. I'd be very leery of taking on anything new, no matter how terrific it sounded.

Ironically, small press indy books look considerably more expensive on the face of it than anything by the Big Two-- until you factor in page count and the fact that small press books rarely have ads. The out-of-pocket expense may be higher, but then I think about the overall content and... value-wise the difference is negligible, so long as a reader likes the content they've picked up.

I guess I was a bit vague in my wording. My comment about the effect on buying habits was meant to imply that the various trends that have happened over the years would have happened regardless of which company "held the line" for an extra month or two. For the most part, such efforts have been more about making the competition look like jerks for raising their prices first than to truly "hold the line".

Maybe you're right about the current prices curtailing some readers' purchases in the current economic environment, but I think the high prices are more of a detriment to potential new readers than they are to veteran fans. I would (and did) pay $3.99 for the first few issues of the latest Legion series based on my years of following the Legion through its various incarnations, particularly Paul Levitz's run in the 80s. What's to motivate someone who has never heard of either Paul Levitz or the Legion to shell out $3.99 that could be spent renting four movies from the local Red Box instead?

If you meant that while the price influences whether one buys comics at all, but if one does, it doesn't really affect which titles ones buys, then I understand.

I find it hard to believe the numbers aren't showing the price having an at least a tiny influence line-wide. But then it's very hard to compare what's happening to what would happen, you can only compare with certainty two things that did happen.

(Please stop me before I italicize again!)

I know when it looked like all comics were about to hit $4, I dropped a BUNCH of them.

That said, I have stated elsewhere here that there are books of SUCH high-quality (read: YOUNG AVENGERS) that I will gladly pay $4 for.

Would I gladly pay $4 for the LSH as it is currently? No. I *might* pay it and be bitter about it but that is a different a topic for a Comics Psychiatry forum probably.

Anyway, I think I may have been trying to say that price and quality WILL be a factor to some (like me, who has been in danger of growing jaded with comics in the recent past) but not all.

I think what DC and Marvel NEED to do is concentrate on putting out books like The Walking Dead and Young Avengers that are so good and addictive, readers won't mind the pricetag.

Who wants a beer? (still pretty affordable at present)

Well I suppose the basis for the comparison is the fact that DC "held the line" while Marvel didn't. If the price was making a significant difference in people's buying habit, then presumably DC would gain market share against Marvel by keeping lower prices, which, I take it (not having actually looked at the numbers myself), they haven't.

For individual readers it may have made a difference; as an overall trend for the direct market it was a failure. Marvel kept it's marketshare and continues to dominate DC. $2.99 didn't mean squat.

The detail to look at though is these are #'s for the direct market. "New" readers might be more likely to buy comics through another distribution source if one existed (like the newsstand). Ipso facto, "new" readers buying habits *may* be easier to discern if we had data for other distribution, or more accurately if other avenues of distribution existed and actually were significant.

If price is going to matter, the issue to address by these companies is how to find an alternate source of distribution to comic book stores that replicates the newstand. Some think it will be digital--I do not.