Titans Sales Watch: July
DeTroyes has posted another excellent sales watch analysis:
Actually, I just looked at ICv2's main page, and they do have the July estimates after all. They just didn't post it to the index page yet. So, here we go with the monthly sales analysis.
As always, all figures are courtesy of ICv2:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/15633.html
FORMAT:
TITLE
Issue # / Release Month / Year / # Units Sold / +/- Previous Month
TITANS
#15 July 2009 46,189 +13,868
TEEN TITANS
#73 July 2009 30,990 -1,522
TINY TITANS
#18 July 2009 8,576 -64
BOOSTER GOLD
#22 July 2009 22,414 N/A (NTT Crossover)
VIGILANTE
#8 July 2009 9,942 -1,541
Analysis:
Titans: Wow, is that a shot in the arm. Too bad it probably won't last. Titans #15 was, of course, the Blackest Night crossover, which certainly accounts for most of the big spike. It also had the first appearance in ages of a beloved older Titan, which probably contributed to the bump. But since the next several issues are all more of the "Day in the Life" filler issues, and since by all accounts the current team's days on the title are numbered, I really doubt that the sales level will hold. Maybe the next couple of issues will see numbers a little higher than Titans #14 saw, but probably not much higher. But still, its nice to see the spike, even if its only temporary.
Teen Titans: Continues its downward trend. After briefly outselling Titans in June, it couldn't compete with the Blackest Night craze and recorded a number not much above the 30k mark. Part of it is probably due to the fact that the current arc is being done by a fill-in writer, but I think most of the drop-off is simply due to death fatigue. Titans fans are sick and tired of stories where a Titan gets killed and simply have no desire to read another one, no matter how well it is written. Next month's figures will probably take the title to below 30k. The future of the title? Anyone's guess. The debut of new writer Felicia Henderson might give it a boost; the addition of Titans Beast Boy and Raven might also help; but in the end, this title needs to find a voice. And with the new writer being such a newcomer, there is no way to tell with any certainty what the next "exciting new direction" will bring.
Tiny Titans: Same old, same old. Lost a small amount of readers in July, but nothing to worry about.
Booster Gold: Included for the New Teen Titans crossover. Just for comparison purposes, that figure is about 800 units less than the previous month.
Vigilante: Included because, well, its Marv Wolfman and some Titans fans wanted to know. Sales figures were as dreadful as feared. The Death-Knell was sounded with November solicits; the title is canceled at issue #12.
******
Overall, its nice to see the spike on Titans, but mega-event crossovers can't make up for the fact that both Titans titles are facing some very real problems in the near future, with both titles being taken over by untried and untested writers and in general with huge question marks about their long-term viability. The only bright light on the horizon is that the advance buzz on Blackest Night: Titans appears to be quite favorable. But beyond that... ?
Actually, I just looked at ICv2's main page, and they do have the July estimates after all. They just didn't post it to the index page yet. So, here we go with the monthly sales analysis.
As always, all figures are courtesy of ICv2:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/15633.html
FORMAT:
TITLE
Issue # / Release Month / Year / # Units Sold / +/- Previous Month
TITANS
#15 July 2009 46,189 +13,868
TEEN TITANS
#73 July 2009 30,990 -1,522
TINY TITANS
#18 July 2009 8,576 -64
BOOSTER GOLD
#22 July 2009 22,414 N/A (NTT Crossover)
VIGILANTE
#8 July 2009 9,942 -1,541
Analysis:
Titans: Wow, is that a shot in the arm. Too bad it probably won't last. Titans #15 was, of course, the Blackest Night crossover, which certainly accounts for most of the big spike. It also had the first appearance in ages of a beloved older Titan, which probably contributed to the bump. But since the next several issues are all more of the "Day in the Life" filler issues, and since by all accounts the current team's days on the title are numbered, I really doubt that the sales level will hold. Maybe the next couple of issues will see numbers a little higher than Titans #14 saw, but probably not much higher. But still, its nice to see the spike, even if its only temporary.
Teen Titans: Continues its downward trend. After briefly outselling Titans in June, it couldn't compete with the Blackest Night craze and recorded a number not much above the 30k mark. Part of it is probably due to the fact that the current arc is being done by a fill-in writer, but I think most of the drop-off is simply due to death fatigue. Titans fans are sick and tired of stories where a Titan gets killed and simply have no desire to read another one, no matter how well it is written. Next month's figures will probably take the title to below 30k. The future of the title? Anyone's guess. The debut of new writer Felicia Henderson might give it a boost; the addition of Titans Beast Boy and Raven might also help; but in the end, this title needs to find a voice. And with the new writer being such a newcomer, there is no way to tell with any certainty what the next "exciting new direction" will bring.
Tiny Titans: Same old, same old. Lost a small amount of readers in July, but nothing to worry about.
Booster Gold: Included for the New Teen Titans crossover. Just for comparison purposes, that figure is about 800 units less than the previous month.
Vigilante: Included because, well, its Marv Wolfman and some Titans fans wanted to know. Sales figures were as dreadful as feared. The Death-Knell was sounded with November solicits; the title is canceled at issue #12.
******
Overall, its nice to see the spike on Titans, but mega-event crossovers can't make up for the fact that both Titans titles are facing some very real problems in the near future, with both titles being taken over by untried and untested writers and in general with huge question marks about their long-term viability. The only bright light on the horizon is that the advance buzz on Blackest Night: Titans appears to be quite favorable. But beyond that... ?
Labels: sales watch
posted by Mr Saturday Morning @ 11:00 PM
3 Comments:
At 11:21 AM,
Avi Green said…
I won't be surprised if Teen Titans is bound to drop below the 30,000 mark soon. But they pretty much brought it upon themselves with all the mediocre ideas, forced storylines, gratuitous deaths and violence, that this series has been mired in ever since Geoff Johns took up the writing, and even after he left. It's sad, but this is what DiDio and company's misuse has led to.
At 12:56 PM,
Madame Rogue said…
I think Geoff Johns departure from Teen Titans is what has killed it. If he hadn't left and devoted as much time to it as he's done to JSA or Green Lantern, I think we'd be in a much different situation right now.
At 12:59 AM,
Red Robin said…
Just let it die. I hate to say it, but let both series die and in a few years start again.
Its been clear for years that the writers and editors don't know where to take either series and maybe its just time to admit defeat.
The original premise the new Titans Series was for the adult Titans to train the new generation. That idea ended with the Infinite Crisis. Now they keep trying to figure out a way to keep these kids together, but honestly it doesn't feel like anyone wants to be a Titan anymore. It seems more like a chore for people like Wonder Girl and Robin.
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