11 O'Clock Comics Episode 29

[clever_username]

Still in the middle of the price discussion. But I wanted to make one point. According to his research, John Mayo says that while you will see a decrease in sales with a price hike, you don't get the opposite effect. A price drop does not equal an increase in sales.

[David]

A price drop does not equal an increase in sales.

I am not surprised at this.

[zack kruse]

Hoo-Daddy. Downloading now!

[VinceB]

A price drop does not equal an increase in sales.

How many price drops have we seen over the years? Can anyone name any? 

[tomkaters]

I was going to pick up the X-Men/Spider-Man book but I saw the 3.99 price tag and 

[Matt Kramer]

How many price drops have we seen over the years? Can anyone name any? 

DC dropped the price on the New Gods series back in 98 or so just before Byrne and Simonson came on board and the book still got cancelled.  I think the most referenced cheaper book is Spider-man: Chapter One.

[Scott C.]

With the talk of a Batman anthology, what's the last anthology series that really sold well?  It sounds like a nice idea but even with Adam Hughes drawing it, do you really think it's going to sell?  I don't think the characters are strong enough to support a book like that.  If All Star Superman by Grant Morrison couldn't top the charts, is an anthology really going to last that long, no matter who the talent is?

[David]

If All Star Superman by Grant Morrison couldn't top the charts, is an anthology really going to last that long, no matter who the talent is?

I think there might have been a few problems with All-Star Superman not topping the charts.  One of them was a consistent schedule.

[Wood]

Which is pretty much why I brought up Bullock.  And then I was met with crickets and I think a stifled chuckle from Vince.

Nice...so you guys were mocking me silently instead of clearing up the mistake. 

[Scott C.]

I think there might have been a few problems with All-Star Superman not topping the charts.  One of them was a consistent schedule.

All Star Batman is usually still up there with an even more erratic schedule.

[Matt H.O.W.L.]

The price isn't why I'm waiting for a Spider-Man/X-Men trade; it's because any time I can avoid having another goddamn issue to file away in a goddamn longbox, I'll jump at the chance. The video preview at Marvel looks beautiful, though.

[David]

Nice...so you guys were mocking me silently instead of clearing up the mistake. 

What 'you guys'?  No one was working with me and I was trying to throw a bone out there....

[Wood]

What 'you guys'?  No one was working with me and I was trying to throw a bone out there....

BLASPHEMER!



This week's episode is proof positive that DC needs to put out an updated Who's Who. 

[David]

All Star Batman is usually still up there with an even more erratic schedule.

All-Star Batman is a different animal to me because it's written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee and Scott Williams and features Batman.

Frank Quitely can be polarizing, as our boy Wood seems to be the odd man out - when it comes to his art - of the four of us on the show.  So even if you like Grant Morrison's writing (and this is Grant at his peak) and Superman the character, the art might not move the reader enough to pick it up when it is actually available.

[El Dave]

All-Star Batman is a different animal to me because it's written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee and Scott Williams and features Batman.

Not to mention everyone loves a trainwreck.

[David]

Not to mention everyone loves a trainwreck.

I knew I was leaving something out....

[Scott C.]

All-Star Batman is a different animal to me because it's written by Frank Miller and drawn by Jim Lee and Scott Williams and features Batman.

All I'm saying is that right now, I don't know if erratic shipping can be used as a reason for lower sales.  Civil War still sold in the single issues.  Same with All Star Batman and I don't see anyone really dropping Final Crisis due to the shipping.

And I agree about All Star Batman.  Miller and Lee together practically guarantees sales on Batman, similar to how Millar & Hitch did on Ultimates.  But why can't Millar & Hitch produce the same number on Fantastic Four is star-power is really a broad selling point?

I really doubt that Adam Hughes would draw that much sales right now.  He'd guarantee some sales but not enough to carry a book. 

[Wood]

All I'm saying is that right now, I don't know if erratic shipping can be used as a reason for lower sales.  Civil War still sold in the single issues.  Same with All Star Batman and I don't see anyone really dropping Final Crisis due to the shipping.

And I agree about All Star Batman.  Miller and Lee together practically guarantees sales on Batman, similar to how Millar & Hitch did on Ultimates.  But why can't Millar & Hitch produce the same number on Fantastic Four is star-power is really a broad selling point?

I really doubt that Adam Hughes would draw that much sales right now.  He'd guarantee some sales but not enough to carry a book. 

I agree with this. I don't know what evidence there is that any artist, save for maybe Alex Ross, materially alters the sales of a book. The FF example is a great one. Millar - in his usual self confident manner [hey, he's a fellow Scotsman so I can't front] - said he was going onto FF to restore it to top 10 book status. Now, to be fair, i don't know the last time FF was a top 10 book, it's been ages. Either way, despite his overtures, and a clear cut cache among comics readers, the book isn't spiking in sales.

[David]

All I'm saying is that right now, I don't know if erratic shipping can be used as a reason for lower sales.  Civil War still sold in the single issues.  Same with All Star Batman and I don't see anyone really dropping Final Crisis due to the shipping.

Fair enough.  I don't think it's a primary factor, but I don't see how it can help.

The other place I'd quibble is that you're comparing company event books (Civil War and Final Crisis) to titles that are self-contained and 'finish when they finish'.

[Ryan 'gobo' C.]

Can someone PM me here or DM me on twitter explaining who the "big return" was in the Guardian special?  I'm assuming it's the person Guardian saw in the tank but as a relative DC n00b, and never reading the group of books that guy is likely from I'd definitely like to know the significance