Top-selling comics of May 2012:

AVENGERS VS. X-MEN
BATMAN
JUSTICE LEAGUE
DETECTIVE COMICS
ACTION COMICS
GREEN LANTERN
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT
BATMAN AND ROBIN
UNCANNY X-MEN
AVENGERS
WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN
NEW AVENGERS
FLASH
SUPERMAN
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
ASTONISHING X-MEN

*Sigh.*

Batman, Wolverine, Batman, Wolverine, X-Men, Avengers, Superman, Spider-Man, Green Lantern.

This is what they had on the shelves when I was a young man in college -- and when I was a kid -- and for the most part, before I was even born.

On the bright side, THE WALKING DEAD -- an original and creator-owned comic -- pushed into the Top 30, just ahead of UNCANNY X-FORCE, yet another frickin' X-Men comic, and SECRET AVENGERS, yet another frickin' Avengers comic.

For what it's worth, those are only the Diamond sales. A look at non-Diamond sales would probably be very different. A lot more manga, probably.

And a look at sales and downloads (both paid and not) would be even more different.

The future of comics holds a lot more than what Diamond sells.

Not to mention the numbers of people reading free webcomics.

OK.

Get me readership numbers for free Web comics, paid and unpaid digital downloads of print comics and non-Diamond sales of print comics.

Granted, you can't get those numbers. Or the numbers of people illegally downloading comics. BUT, my point in mentioning the webcomics isn't to say that The Avengers or Superman aren't the most popular comics around -it's that you shouldn't lose heart. Yeah, a lot of people are reading the rehashed stories about hundred year old characters but it's not like *everyone* is reading them.

There are plenty of people reading all sorts of other stuff, we just don't have the numbers for it. I'd bet it's pretty high. Maybe they're not reading the same things, but they are reading different stuff. If 30,000 people are buying JLA, there's probably ten times that many people not reading it who are still reading comics of all shapes and sizes.

EDIT

It's just a matter of time before the powers that be (the actual powers, not the fanboys down at the Marvel and DC publishing levels) recognize that they can just collect old material and not even put out any new material.

To be honest, I'm surprised they're still doing as much new material as they are.

Yeah, I agree with Ted and Allen.

I assume regularly published reprints would keep the copyrights intact. The real value of DC and Marvel to their parent companies is their libraries of 50-year-old characters. Neither of them seems inclined to invent anything new, so why bother paying writers and artists to shit out Batman vs. Joker no. 3,644?

I get the impression that it is more the upper level corporate influence driving the strategy to just stamp as many products with the existing brands.. Batman movies, Batman video games, Batman Lego, Watchmen prequels and toasters.. Just look at the new logo. Didn't Marvel try to resurrect a creator-owned Epic line years ago only to have it squashed by the higher ups? And DC had a whole bunch of different imprints like Zuda, Minx, and CMX until recently. I read something recently about DC allegedly putting more restrictions on their Vertigo books and reacting to the recent wave of creators jumping ship to Image by tightening exclusivity requirements. I do think that eventually they are going to reach the bottom of that ditch they are digging and be in a position where they need to change the strategy if they want to climb out.. Or maybe just down size their comic line, who knows. They seem to be doing OK with this sort of thing outside of comics.

In light of the recent creators rights issues being aired I won't buy any of their super hero books but there's actually some new stuff from both Marvel and Vertigo like Casanova, Prince of Cats, and Punk Rock Jesus that I'm curious about and debating buying.


Although admittedly, PRJ sounds like a cringe-worthy title and the draw is mostly the art for me.

And outside of DC and Marvel.. I had to take a break from buying new comics but I'm eager to look into several of the new Image titles like Mudman, Saga, and Prophet. I've enjoyed Orc Stain and am enthusiastically awaiting the relaunch of Brandon Graham's Multiple Warheads in October. Then there's BPRD, the new Dark Horse presents, Corbin's Ragemoor and Koyama Press and Nobrow both look interesting. And manga.. lots of manga.

There is probably a figure that DC needs to reach that allows it to justify it's existence as a publisher of new print material, and it's probably more than just covering it's own costs. They may be reaching that point, otherwise why the desperate attempts to make big splashes, like New 52 and Before Watchmen?

Marvel may be the current king of superhero movies, but DC does make more and better animated shows and DVD's. Plus, there are a lot of movies made from DC's non-DCU graphic novels. They may be able to justify dropping the DCU print line and focus on just DCU reprints, New expanded Vertigo print publishing and a All-ages print line supporting their animated shows. Plus all the toys and t-shirts and other licensing.

The stable of characters wouldn't be any different than the Warner Brothers Looney Toons, and survive with just the animated and live-action shows and the occasional movie as the only new material.`

Maybe it's just easier to maintain the status quo, I mean, they are a small subsidiary, that makes them a ton of money in licensing. As long as they don't cost the parent company anything, they might be free to be left alone. How much of the licensing, stuff like the toys, statues, key chains, beach towels, underwear, floor mats, etc, how much of that is tied into the current comics?