Green Lantern Sales Numbers

[TEN_RINGS Senior Corps Member Find all posts View Profile Close TEN_RINGS]

we hope VENDITTI the best in all future endeavours......

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Okay, February is finally up.
I think the best way for me to do this is to list the top 20 for reference and bold any titles with a GL in them. Then, I'll add every title that has a lantern and call out the 5 (4 this month) main ones with green.

February Comic Sales
[Note: no direct Lantern Title in the top 20]

1 Batman 28 $3.99 DC 114,089
2 Forever Evil 5 $3.99 DC 92,014
3 Wolverine 1 $3.99 Marvel 88,923
4 Superior Spider-Man 27.NOW $3.99 Marvel 86,405
5 Justice League 28 $3.99 DC 80,901
6 Superior Spider-Man 28 $3.99 Marvel 75,477
7 Fantastic Four 1 $3.99 Marvel 65,775
8 Walking Dead 121 $2.99 Image 65,244
9 Walking Dead 122 $2.99 Image 64,810
10 All New X-Men 23 $3.99 Marvel 64,625
11 Harley Quinn 3 $2.99 DC 63,967
12 Avengers 26 $3.99 Marvel 59,775
13 Batman Superman 8 $3.99 DC 58,138
14 Detective Comics 28 $3.99 DC 56,619
15 Justice League of America 12 $3.99 DC 56,259
16 Uncanny X-Men 17 $3.99 Marvel 56,163
17 Guardians of Galaxy 12 $3.99 Marvel 55,454
18 Punisher 1 $3.99 Marvel 54,558
19 Origin II 3 $3.99 Marvel 53,640
20 Uncanny Avengers 17 $3.99 Marvel 53,181
...
25 Green Lantern Red Lanterns 28 $2.99 DC 49,200
47 Earth 2 20 $2.99 DC 35,732
57 Justice League 3000 3 $2.99 DC 33,308
69 Green Lantern Corps 28 $2.99 DC 29,142
71 Green Lantern New Guardians 28 $2.99 DC 27,212
90 Supergirl 28 $2.99 DC 23,567
93 Injustice Year Two 2 $2.99 DC 22,703
110 DCU Vs Masters of the Universe 5 $2.99 DC 18,769
138 Larfleeze 8 $2.99 DC 13,338
219 Scribblenauts Unmasked 2 $2.99 DC 7,101
396 Earth 2 Annual 2 $4.99 DC 1,624



February Trade Sales

1 Locke & Key HC Vol. 6 Alpha & Omega $29.99 IDW 4,532
2 Fatale Vol. 4 Pray For Rain $14.99 Image 4,174
3 Adventure Time Vol. 4 $14.99 Boom 3,941
4 Invincible Vol. 19 The War At Home $16.99 Image 3,608
5 Saga Vol. 1 $9.99 Image 3,604
6 Star Lord Annihilation Conquest $7.99 Marvel 3,430
7 Infinity HC $75.00 Marvel 3,388
8 My Little Pony Tales Vol. 2 $17.99 IDW 2,874
9 Revival Vol. 3 A Faraway Place $14.99 Image 2,772
10 Flash Vol. 2 Rogues Revolution $16.99 DC 2,753
11 Saga Vol. 2 $14.99 Image 2,739
12 Constantine Vol. 1 Spark and The Flame $14.99 DC 2,675
13 FBP Federal Bureau of Physics Vol. 1 $9.99 DC 2,648
14 Avengers Vol. 1 Avengers World $19.99 Marvel 2,637
15 Green Lantern Wrath of the First Lantern HC $29.99 DC 2,478
16 Avatar Last Airbender Search Library Ed HC $39.99 Dark Horse 2,431
17 Thief of Thieves Vol. 3 $14.99 Image 2,355
18 March Book 1 $14.95 Top Shelf 2,355
19 Batman Lil Gotham Vol. 1 $12.99 DC 2,298
20 Prophet Vol. 3 Empire $14.99 Image 2,244
...
49 JLA Vol. 4 $24.99 DC 1,520
76 Justice League Vol. 1 Origin $16.99 DC 1,172
166 Kingdom Come $19.99 DC 694
237 Justice League Vol. 2 The Villains Journey $16.99 DC 546
242 Blackest Night $19.99 DC 535
253 Injustice Gods Among Us HC Vol. 1 $19.99 DC 507
284 Flashpoint $14.99 DC 464

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

I don't see DC taking a chance on another flip book like they did with GL/RL #28. Lot of lost revenue there.

Also, GLC and GL:NG lost a few thousand more readers.

[Mister.Weirdo Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Mister.Weirdo]

I don't see DC taking a chance on another flip book like they did with GL/RL #28. Lot of lost revenue there.

Also, GLC and GL:NG lost a few thousand more readers.

DC is lucky they have Batman, that and Justice League are basically the only consistent sellers they have these days.

Superman doesn't sell shit unless they overhype the book (Superman Unchained).

Thanks a lot Warner Brothers.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Sales in general don't look very impressive compared to 5 years ago. Getting rid of the DCU was so worth it now, wasn't it DC?

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

I don't see DC taking a chance on another flip book like they did with GL/RL #28. Lot of lost revenue there.

That did seem like an odd move, from a financial standpoint. The only way that would have made MORE money, in the short term, than having the two separate issues was if it somehow persuaded a bunch of people that had been buying neither one to pick it up.

In the longer term it could recoup those losses if it convinces several people that had been only picking up one to pick up both (and I'm relatively certain that was the idea) but I'm having a hard time imagining that happening on a large enough scale to make a difference.

[Mister.Weirdo Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Mister.Weirdo]

Sales in general don't look very impressive compared to 5 years ago. Getting rid of the DCU was so worth it now, wasn't it DC?

Yup!

Comic books are comic books. Sooner or later sales will be nonexistent.

[Trey Strain Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Trey Strain]

I agree with you that names sell books, but Geoff's run was on fumes and dropping rapidly. I think the same thing would be happening with the continuation of the skittles corps and the roving star(Sinestro/Baz) crap He was doing.

Thank you. I wish more people realized that. Everyone says that it was ever onward and upward with Geoff, and that the sales abruptly crashed when he left. But Geoff moved on when he did for a reason. It's because both the quality and the popularity were headed down. Would the GL books be selling more if he were still around? Yes, but not that much more, and they wouldn't be any better, and he knew it.

I don't know of any writer in any medium who has written at his peak for more than 10 years, and he was no exception.

[Big Daddy Dave Skywalker Moisture Farmer Find all posts View Profile Close Big Daddy Dave Skywalker]

Yeah, he did seem to jump off at JUST the right time didn't he? Better to let some other scrub take the blame for dwindling sales, and preserve his own marquee value.

[Rotten2thecorps Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Rotten2thecorps]

Thank you. I wish more people realized that. Everyone says that it was ever onward and upward with Geoff, and that the sales abruptly crashed when he left. But Geoff moved on when he did for a reason. It's because both the quality and the popularity were headed down. Would the GL books be selling more if he were still around? Yes, but not that much more, and they wouldn't be any better, and he knew it.

I don't know of any writer in any medium who has written at his peak for more than 10 years, and he was no exception.

I don't think it was 100% Goeff's decision. The way I hear it they Asked/made him cut back on how many titles he was writting. That he was requested to move on to other titles that needed him more. Again It's just what I have herd from the Grape vine.

[Hypo Lil' Leaguer Find all posts View Profile Close Hypo]

Sales in general don't look very impressive compared to 5 years ago. Getting rid of the DCU was so worth it now, wasn't it DC?

Well let's look at the numbers shall we? All sales info below is taken from ICv2.

Feb 2009 (5 years ago)

2 Batman 688 111,353
10 Justice League of America 30 69,710
11 Green Lantern 38 68,908
13 Justice Society of America 24 65,207
15 Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds 3 61,358
25 Action Comics 874 48,360
28 Superman 685 48,027
33 Green Lantern Corps 44,607
35 Superman/Batman 55 43,962
36 Nightwing 153 37,651

DC Top 10 Total: 599,143

In Feb 2009 DC had 2 books in the top 10 and 5 books in the top 20 with it's #1 best selling book coming in with 111,353 units sold, it's #10 best selling book coming in at 37,651 units sold and a total 699,143 units sold for DC's 10 best selling books.

Feb 2011 (Last Feb before New 52)

1 Green Lantern 62 71,517
2 Brightest Day 19 71,063
3 Brightest Day 20 69,729
7 Batman and Robin 20 60,642
8 Batman 58,803
9 Flash 9 55,980
16 Green Lantern Corps 57 52,770
21 Justice League of America 54 46,269
23 Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors 7 44,828
32 Superman 708 40,639

DC Top 10 Total: 572,240

In Feb 2011 DC had 6 books in the top 10 and 7 in the top 20 with Green Lantern not only taking the top spot as DC's highest selling book but also the highest selling book across all companies at 71,517 units sold, Superman being the #10 best selling DC book with 40,639 units sold and a total of 572,240 units sold for DC's 10 best selling books.

Feb 2014

1 Batman 28 114,089
2 Forever Evil 5 92,014
5 Justice League 28 80,901
11 Harley Quinn 63,967
13 Batman/Superman 8 58,138
14 Detective Comics 28 56,619
15 Justice League of America 12 56,259
22 Batman: Joker's Daughter 51,066
25 Green Lantern/Red Lanterns 28 49,200
31 Superman/Wonder Woman 5 44,847

Total: 667,100

In Feb 2014 DC had 3 books in the top 10 and 7 in the top 20 with Batman earning the top spot across the industry at 114,089 units sold and Superman/Wonder Woman coming in with 44,847 units sold to be the 10th best DC Book. Total: 667,100.

Sorry Dave but it looks like the numbers back up DC.

And before someone complains that these results might be biased because I'm only looking at the top 10 books, you're right, it could be biased but I'm far too lazy to sit here and add everything up. I also have no idea how to account for biases like the overall shrinking market, the fact that Marvel was double/triple shipping the majority of their catalog back in the day or the fact that DC is I believe publishing less books now than in the past because honestly when it comes to statistics:

Yup!

Comic books are comic books. Sooner or later sales will be nonexistent.

Doesn't mean they shouldn't try.

Thank you. I wish more people realized that. Everyone says that it was ever onward and upward with Geoff, and that the sales abruptly crashed when he left. But Geoff moved on when he did for a reason. It's because both the quality and the popularity were headed down. Would the GL books be selling more if he were still around? Yes, but not that much more, and they wouldn't be any better, and he knew it.

I don't know of any writer in any medium who has written at his peak for more than 10 years, and he was no exception.

I don't think anyone will tell you that sales were rising when Johns was towards the end of his run, anyone with a modicum of sense knows that isn't true.

That being said I have 0.0% doubt that him leaving was a big factor in the large sales drop we've seen so far and that sales would be higher if he were still around.

[Rotten2thecorps Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Rotten2thecorps]

I can't speak for anyone else but Goeff is not the reason I will be leaving. The Direction of th book is just so awful right now. Goeff is the first person to take the franchiseseriously.and made it bigger then it has ever been. I can't thank him enough for moving GL foward. However what comes up has to come back down,that's gravity and it is a law bitch! Goeff's last year or so was less than great. I think him leaving the book was kinda a good idea.

I wish I could say GL was just in a slump but it is in a nose dive. And while I hope that DC can find some one with some good ideas and move GL forward. Every time I read a Venditti story I can't help but notice His best is light years behind Goeff's worst. I am not saying Goeff should come back,I am just saying that GL needs some solid stand alones to get it back on track.


But this is moderen comics,they will probably do some flash in the pan gimmick to give it a shot in the arm,and let the regien of terror continue.

[Evergreen City Corps Den Mother Find all posts View Profile Close Evergreen City]

Lying with statistics is a fine art. Batman sells because, well, Batman sells. The character doesn't get messed with. At least not as much. GL's popularity has fallen off why? Because the character(s) got messed with. Continuity, my friends. Continuity. Superman is always the Man of Steel. Where has Hal Jordan been? Dead again, and portrayed like a weakling. Comics readers are fickle. Sad to say, many of them want soft porn, head bashing, and escapist entertainment. GL does not provide that.

[weareborg Guy's Drinking Buddy Find all posts View Profile Close weareborg]

Lying with statistics is a fine art. Batman sells because, well, Batman sells. The character doesn't get messed with. At least not as much. GL's popularity has fallen off why? Because the character(s) got messed with. Continuity, my friends. Continuity. Superman is always the Man of Steel. Where has Hal Jordan been? Dead again, and portrayed like a weakling. Comics readers are fickle. Sad to say, many of them want soft porn, head bashing, and escapist entertainment. GL does not provide that.

Completely agree. Sales will continue to plummet on this whole line until the main title is interesting again. Venditti will NEVER deliver.

[Rotten2thecorps Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Rotten2thecorps]

Batman is popular because he is never removed from the public eye for to long. Even if he fails on a Batman and Robin movie the Scale. they are ready to reboot and remarket within the next few years.

It takes time and resolve to develope a character into the general publics mind. DC has no desire to invest the time and money to develope something when they can just play the Batman card over and over and over.