As I previously reported on, the numbers for Marvel Comics’ Champions #1 do not reflect true comic book stores sales as the number is artificially inflated due to sales at schools through Scholastic Book Clubs. Marvel Comics has a pattern of including various #1 issues in geek boxes as well, which artificially inflate the numbers as they aren’t representative of comic book readers as evident by sales on subsequent issues which are substantially lower. You’ll hear Marvel say in the press how great sales are for a certain #1 issue, but nothing after — because in reality it’s all a gimmick.
In the case of Marvel’s Champions, you can expect a huge drop in sales for issue #2. Bleeding Cool also reports retailers are stating there is “NO interest” in the new Iron Man replacement, a teenage African-America girl.
I can practically guarantee, similar to the new Nova, that Champions (filled with replacement characters) and the new Iron Man will fail as well, and I’ll be surprised (barring geek box subsriptions or any other cheesy promotion), that both issues will be cancelled by #12.
The fact is, comic book readers are finally realizing (something Marvel COSMIC fans did with the cancellation of DnA’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova), that the people that run Marvel Comics don’t care about their readers or the fans. Marvel Comics is pushing a certain agenda, led by Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter, Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Axel Alonso, Tom Brevoort, Brian Bendis and Jeph Loeb, which sees classic Marvel characters replaced or all-together forgotten. Sales for Marvel Comics are dwindling, and none of their series (save maybe Spider-Man), can last longer than a dozen or so issues (sometimes a lot less). Is there any wonder why Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige booted Marvel Comics from being involved with the movies? Everything they touch turns to garbage.
The reason DC Comics’ Rebirth event is such a hit, is because it has the fans in mind. DC Comics lowered prices, did away with their replacement New 52 universe and did away with being directly influenced by their movie and TV brands. It’s a no-brainer.
“Marvel can’t get out of a death spiral, apparently: even their two big launches of the week (Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows and invincible Iron Man) failed to crack our store’s top 10,” another retailer offered to BC about Marvel Comics sales.
