DC On March Sales; Tease FCBD Surprise, GREEN LANTERN EventMuch of the talk about March ended up focusing on what's coming up for DC's spring and summer, since both executives pointed out that most publishers hold their big guns until later in the year. But they said the first quarter, which is traditionally slow, had sales numbers that indicated readers are sticking around on the most successful DC titles.
Among their revelations about the numbers and what's coming up at DC:
- Executives hinted that the next big thing in the New 52 will begin on May 5th with the Free Comic Book Day issue, DC Comics: The New 52 Special Edition. The cover for the title features the "purple-hooded woman" named Pandora (who appeared in every New 52 #1), indicating that the hints readers got in Justice League #6 are related to DC's next major storyline.
- DC execs teased an upcoming Green Lantern storyline that the publisher expects will increase sales, with Cunningham comparing it to the sales the company is seeing from the "Night of the Owls" story in Batman titles. (Check back for Newsarama's interview with Geoff Johns about his plans for the title.)
- Executives implied they're pleased that there are other publishers in the Top 10 this month. In fact, they pointed out that DC's overall market share grew this month along with Marvel's, which indicates DC benefits from Marvel successes.
- The lowest-selling New 52 periodicals (which many fans have been worried about) will not necessarily be the next to be canceled. Besides the Diamond sales number, DC is also using re-order activity and sales of the collected editions to make their decisions about cancelation.
- Early order numbers for Batman: Earth One, the July graphic novel from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, indicate that title will see the same kind of bookstore success that Superman: Earth One experienced last year, supporting the decision to expand that line of graphic novels.
- Orders for the "Second Wave" titles in May show that Batman Inc., the Grant Morrison title, will add significant sales numbers to the already successful Batman line, comparable to how Batman and Detective are both selling.
- Collected editions of the New 52 titles are already selling better than any trade paperback offered by DC in the first quarter.
More plus an interview at the link.