Marvel Comics Underperforming As DC Takes Off, Comic Shop Owner Says

Marvel Comics just went through a major leadership shakeup, but whether it fixes anything remains to be seen. Now, a comic shop owner is offering a blunt ground-level view of how Marvel’s current comic line is performing with actual readers.

Aaron Trites, owner of San Diego’s Now or Never Comics, appeared on SKTCHD’s Off Panel podcast and was asked what isn’t working right now at his shop.

His answer: Marvel.

“Marvel stuff is definitely underperforming. And not just relative to DC or Image stuff,” Trites said, which fits with Dan Slott having to beg fans to buy Spider-Man.

The comments come after Marvel promoted Brad Winderbaum to oversee comics, television, animation, and franchise, while longtime Marvel executives Dan Buckley and David Gabriel, along with three editors, are either leaving or have already left the company. Marvel editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski now reports to Winderbaum.

Marvel Comics Is Not Getting Fans Excited

Trites said some Marvel books at his shop are barely moving with subscribers.

“There’s so many Marvel books that we have where we’re looking at single-digit subscribers,” he said.

He also said, “I think we have two subscribers for Avengers right now,” before the conversation notes there may not be a current Avengers book in the way being discussed.

The larger point still stands. According to Trites, Marvel does not have the same energy behind it that DC currently has.

“There’s nothing that is getting people excited for Marvel properties in a way that we have for even minimal DC titles,” he said.

He pointed to DC’s Firestorm as an example. Trites said Firestorm is “selling out beyond all of our expectations,” while DC’s $25 bundles are something his shop is jumping on as much as possible.

Marvel, meanwhile, is a different story.

“We’re not seeing anything that we’re able to put that kind of enthusiasm or investment into,” he said.

Retailer Says Marvel Is Not Rising To The Occasion

Trites didn’t frame the issue as one bad book or one creative team. He said the problem feels bigger than that.

“I don’t feel like Marvel in general is rising to the occasion,” he said.

He said the problem also extends beyond single issues. Trade paperbacks are part of the issue, too.

Trites brought up Infamous Iron Man, which became relevant again after Robert Downey Jr. was announced as Doctor Doom. According to Trites, people have been asking for it, but his shop couldn’t order it.

“We’ve not been able to order that for almost the last year,” he said.

He added that customers ask about it every week.

“So whether it’s trade availability or excitement for new books, it’s been really disappointing across the board,” he said.

That’s a pretty bad place for Marvel to be in. The company has characters tied to some of the biggest movies and Disney+ shows on the planet, but a retailer says Marvel doesn’t have the content available for fans to purchase.

Too Many X-Men Books, Not Enough Focus

Trites also called out Marvel’s fragmented publishing strategy.

He said X-Men fans do not want to chase a pile of miniseries and side books just to follow characters they like.

“We’re seeing a lot of malaise,” he said. “X-fans don’t want to buy 28 different miniseries or ongoing books. They just want to read one exciting X-book.”

That has been one of Marvel’s biggest problems for years. Instead of one strong line with clear entry points, Marvel often floods the shelf with relaunches, spin-offs, tie-ins, variants, and short runs.

For longtime fans, it can feel like homework. For new readers, it can feel impossible to know where to start.

Trites said it is getting “harder and harder” for people to focus on Marvel books.

Marvel Feels Safe And Vanilla

One of Trites’ biggest criticisms is that Marvel’s current line doesn’t feel bold enough.

He compared Marvel to DC’s upcoming Deadman series, which is getting attention at his shop because it has an interesting creative team and feels like a real swing.

Then he contrasted that with Marvel.

“Marvel stuff feels so safe and so vanilla,” he said.

Trites said vanilla sells, but it isn’t getting people excited. He said customers are showing interest in other publishers because those books look and feel different.

“We’re getting people who are excited about BOOM! comics,” he said. “It’s just because it’s something that looks and feels different.”

He added that much of Marvel’s output feels the same.

“So much of the Marvel stuff feels almost indistinguishable from all of the other Marvel stuff,” he said.

That’s a big problem for a publisher that used to define the market. Marvel used to be where the big swings happened. Now a retailer is saying DC, Image, Boom, and other publishers – including independents – are doing a better job giving customers something that feels fresh.

Aliens And Predator Are Getting More Heat Than Core Marvel

Trites said the Marvel books getting the most excitement at his shop are not even core Marvel Universe titles.

“The stuff that we are seeing the most excitement for Marvel is IP-driven stuff,” he said. “It’s Aliens, it’s Predator, it’s stuff that is not core Marvel universe.”

Marvel has Spider-Man, the X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Daredevil, Wolverine, Deadpool, and the rest of the Marvel Universe. Yet a retailer says the books creating the most excitement are licensed properties Marvel acquired through Disney’s purchase of Fox years ago.

That says a lot about where the line is right now.

DC Has The Momentum

The contrast with DC is hard to ignore.

Trites said DC is leading the way at his shop, with the Absolute line driving major excitement. He said Absolute Batman has more subscribers than anything his shop has ever carried, and instead of dropping after issue #1, orders are growing.

He also said DC’s momentum is helping other books, including Image titles, because new readers are coming into the shop and asking what else they should read.

That is what Marvel used to do.

Marvel used to bring people into comic shops. Marvel used to set the tone. Marvel used to make fans feel like they had to follow what came next.

Now, at least according to one retailer, DC is doing that job better.