Comix Experience Best Sellers 2014: Books
/I love the end of the year, always a good time to reflect back and see what worked, what didn't, what's selling, what's not. Well, I like that stuff; I'm weird! Below the cut, for weirdos like me: charts and figures and some analysis of why 2014 is the Best Year of Comics Ever.
So, stellar freakin' year for Comix Experience -- not only does Dec' 14 mark the end of the first full year of operating Outpost, but the main store shattered Personal Best record-after-record. Best single day, best year ever, bam, CE is up by 18% year-over-year which I never ever would have guessed to be possible for a 25 year old store.
Much of the credit for this I give to my staff, who are really exceptional.
Insofar as the big picture stats, the Mothership was 58% books, and 39% comics which looks to be a small climb. However, I think a lot of that climb (since it is based on dollars not pieces) comes from the SAGA HC and the BKV signing in November.
Publisher break-down-wise, the SAGA HC also lead the way for the giant upset of 2014: Image Comics is now our #1 publisher at the mothership, entirely trading places with DC who is now down at #3. Here is what our Top 20 publishers look like looks like:
| IMAGE COMICS | 20.70% |
| MARVEL COMICS | 20.00% |
| DC COMICS | 19.96% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 7.29% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 4.52% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.93% |
| FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS | 2.03% |
| AVATAR PRESS INC | 1.38% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 1.21% |
| HUMANOIDS INC | 1.16% |
| D. E. | 1.14% |
| :01 FIRST SECOND | 1.07% |
| DRAWN & QUARTERLY | 1.00% |
| REBELLION / 2000AD | 0.91% |
| VIZ MEDIA LLC | 0.86% |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 0.78% |
| KODANSHA COMICS | 0.64% |
| TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS | 0.56% |
| PANTHEON BOOKS | 0.52% |
| GRAPHIX | 0.42% |
I'm not sure if this is a fluke (the SAGA HCs are absolutely what put Image of the edge), or something that can now be duplicated, but it's a big big change for the store, and, in many ways, a long-overdue validation of how I've tried to run my store for the last three decades: focused more on creator than character or brand. That it happened in our biggest year ever is even more personally satisfying for what I think comics has the potential to be.
So, let's take a look at CE's best-selling books for 2014. The first few are not likely to be a surprise.
| 1 | SAGA TP VOL 01 |
| 2 | SAGA DLX ED HC VOL 01 |
| 3 | SAGA TP VOL 03 |
| 4 | SAGA TP VOL 02 |
| 5 | SEX CRIMINALS TP VOL 01 |
| 6 | EAST OF WEST TP VOL 01 THE PROMISE |
| 7 | NOWHERE MEN TP VOL 01 FATES WORSE THAN DEATH |
| 8 | BRYAN LEE O MALLEY SECONDS GN |
| 9 | SAGA TP VOL 04 |
| 10 | HAWKEYE TP VOL 01 MY LIFE AS A WEAPON |
| 11 | ZERO TP VOL 01 AN EMERGENCY |
| 12 | BATTLING BOY SC GN VOL 01 |
| EAST OF WEST TP VOL 02 WE ARE ALL ONE | |
| 14 | BLACK SCIENCE TP VOL 01 HOW TO FALL FOREVER |
| DEADLY CLASS TP VOL 01 REAGAN YOUTH | |
| 16 | MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 01 SCIENCE BAD |
| 17 | SANDMAN TP VOL 01 PRELUDES & NOCTURNES |
| 18 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 20 ALL OUT WAR PT 1 |
| 19 | PROPHET TP VOL 01 REMISSION |
| 20 | PROPHET TP VOL 03 EMPIRE |
| 21 | AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE TP VOL 01 ESCAPE FROM RIVERDALE |
| 22 | PRETTY DEADLY TP VOL 01 |
| 23 | BONE COLOR ED SC VOL 01 OUT FROM BONEVILLE |
| PROPHET TP VOL 02 BROTHERS | |
| 25 | HAWKEYE TP VOL 02 LITTLE HITS NOW |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE | |
| 27 | EAST OF WEST TP VOL 03 THERE IS NO US |
| THROUGH THE WOODS GN | |
| Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 01 UNMANNED | |
| 30 | NEMO ROSES OF BERLIN HC |
| V FOR VENDETTA NEW EDITION TP (MR) | |
| VELVET TP VOL 01 BEFORE THE LIVING END | |
| 33 | LOCKE & KEY TP VOL 01 WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT |
| RAT QUEENS TP VOL 01 SASS & SORCERY | |
| 35 | BATMAN TP VOL 01 THE COURT OF OWLS |
| LOCKE & KEY HC VOL 06 ALPHA & OMEGA | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 04 FOUR DISCIPLINES | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 21 ALL OUT WAR PT 2 | |
| 39 | FATALE TP VOL 01 DEATH CHASES ME |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 02 | |
| OGLAF BOOK ONE | |
| SANDMAN TP VOL 02 THE DOLLS HOUSE NEW ED | |
| SISTERS GN | |
| VADERS LITTLE PRINCESS HC | |
| Y THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 01 | |
| 46 | ADVENTURE TIME TP VOL 01 |
| BLACK HOLE COLLECTED SC NEW PTG | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 03 | |
| MANIFEST DESTINY TP VOL 01 | |
| MS MARVEL TP VOL 01 NO NORMAL | |
| THIS ONE SUMMER GN | |
| TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 01 BACK ON THE STREET | |
| 53 | AMULET SC VOL 01 STONEKEEPER |
| BARTKIRA | |
| BATMAN DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP | |
| BATTLING BOY RISE OF AURORA WEST GN VOL 01 (OF 2) | |
| CHI SWEET HOME GN VOL 01 | |
| COMPLETE MULTIPLE WARHEADS TP | |
| HYPERBOLE AND A HALF SC | |
| 60 | FATALE TP VOL 04 PRAY FOR RAIN |
| HAWKEYE TP VOL 03 LA WOMAN | |
| MEANWHILE IN SAN FRANCISCO THE CITY IN ITS OWN WORDS | |
| SOUTHERN BASTARDS TP VOL 01 HERE WAS A MAN | |
| WATCHMEN TP NEW ED | |
| 65 | BATMAN TP VOL 02 THE CITY OF OWLS |
| DAYTRIPPER TP | |
| DEATH NOTE BLACK ED TP VOL 01 (OF 6) | |
| GOODNIGHT DARTH VADER HC | |
| GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP VOL 01 COSMIC AVENGERS | |
| OATMEAL HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CAT IS PLOTTING TO KILL YOU | |
| WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I WET THE BED GN | |
| 72 | FROM HELL TP |
| HABIBI GN | |
| NINJAGO GN VOL 09 | |
| PREACHER TP BOOK 01 | |
| VERY CASUAL | |
| WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01 | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 19 MARCH TO WAR | |
| WICKED & DIVINE TP VOL 01 THE FAUST ACT | |
| 80 | ATTACK ON TITAN GN VOL 01 |
| BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL ED HC | |
| BATMAN YEAR ONE DELUXE SC | |
| CAT PERSON | |
| FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE | |
| FABLES TP VOL 20 CAMELOT | |
| IN REAL LIFE GN | |
| PRIDE OF BAGHDAD SC | |
| Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 02 CYCLES | |
| 89 | ADVENTURE TIME ORIGINAL GN VOL 03 SEEING RED |
| AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 07 RIFT PART 1 | |
| CHEW TP VOL 08 FAMILY RECIPES | |
| EX MACHINA TP BOOK 01 | |
| FABLES TP VOL 19 SNOW WHITE | |
| JEFFREY BROWN KIDS ARE WEIRD OBSERVATIONS FROM PARENTHOOD HC | |
| MY FRIEND DAHMER SC | |
| NINJAGO GN VOL 01 CHALLENGE OF SAMUKAI | |
| SANDMAN TP VOL 04 SEASON OF MISTS | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 22 A NEW BEGINNING | |
| 99 | ALL STAR SUPERMAN TP |
| BATMAN TP VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY | |
| HELLBOY IN HELL TP VOL 01 DESCENT | |
| HELLBOY TP VOL 01 SEED OF DESTRUCTION | |
| INCAL HC NEW PTG | |
| LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN OMNIBUS TP | |
| NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS MMPB | |
| RUNAWAYS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01 | |
| STITCHES GN | |
| STRAY BULLETS UBER ALLES ED TP | |
| WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN TP | |
| Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 03 ONE SMALL STEP |
SAGA continues to sell a lot of copies. A LOT. This is not a fluke any longer, it's a machine, which is beautiful to behold. And, note, that while there are Marvel and DC superhero volumes on this list, they're almost all works that are STRONGLY associated with a specific creator and not "well, I like Spider-Man, so I'll buy any old Spider-Man comic", y'know?
Anyway, I continue to be in love with our diversity of sales.
On the other side of The City at Comix Experience Outpost, it is a very different kind of store -- much more comic book periodical oriented and it actually sells a pretty significant number of back issues for a San Francisco store -- Outpost breaks out as only 23% books and a whopping 61% comics (which doesn't count the 9% from "Back issues", so 70% if you consider it that way!)
A year ago as I convinced my family to lend me the money to buy Outpost, I wrote some number down on (pretty much) the back of an envelope with what costs were likely to be, and so where I needed sales to be in order to at least break even on this hasty purchase. Actual real sales ended up just a scootch up from that number, but then so did expenses, but at least we're breaking even, which is just where I wanted to be at the end of year one. Lots of potential.
Being overwhelmingly comics-focused, their Top 20 Publishers looks pretty different:
| MARVEL COMICS | 41.41% |
| DC COMICS | 26.67% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 12.08% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.58% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 3.12% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.64% |
| D. E. | 1.18% |
| GRAPHITTI DESIGNS | 0.96% |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 0.58% |
| KODANSHA COMICS | 0.57% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 0.42% |
| AKA COMICS | 0.36% |
| VIZ MEDIA LLC | 0.32% |
| TITAN COMICS | 0.31% |
| AVATAR PRESS INC | 0.30% |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 0.29% |
| BONGO COMICS | 0.27% |
| :01 FIRST SECOND | 0.25% |
| GRAPHIX | 0.21% |
| BROADSWORD COMICS | 0.20% |
That's a lot more like you think a "traditional comics store" is going to look like, right?
But, the odd thing is, when you actually look at the books that are selling, the charts look kind of similar in many many ways. Here is Outpost's Top 100.
| 1 | SAGA TP VOL 01 |
| 2 | SAGA TP VOL 03 |
| 3 | SAGA TP VOL 02 |
| 4 | NOWHERE MEN TP VOL 01 FATES WORSE THAN DEATH |
| 5 | SEX CRIMINALS TP VOL 01 |
| 6 | BLACK SCIENCE TP VOL 01 HOW TO FALL FOREVER |
| 7 | BONE COLOR ED SC VOL 01 OUT FROM BONEVILLE |
| 8 | DEADLY CLASS TP VOL 01 REAGAN YOUTH |
| SAGA DLX ED HC VOL 01 | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 20 ALL OUT WAR PT 1 | |
| 12 | BRYAN LEE O MALLEY SECONDS GN |
| EAST OF WEST TP VOL 01 THE PROMISE | |
| 14 | ADVENTURE TIME TP VOL 01 |
| AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 07 RIFT PART 1 | |
| BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL ED HC | |
| BATMAN TP VOL 01 THE COURT OF OWLS | |
| DOCTOR WHO 11TH DOCTOR SONIC SCREWDRIVER BOOK KIT | |
| SANDMAN TP VOL 01 PRELUDES & NOCTURNES | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 19 MARCH TO WAR | |
| WICKED & DIVINE TP VOL 01 THE FAUST ACT | |
| AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE TP VOL 01 ESCAPE FROM RIVERDALE | |
| RAT QUEENS TP VOL 01 SASS & SORCERY | |
| 24 | SAGA TP VOL 04 |
| SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 01 MY OWN WORST ENEMY NOW | |
| 26 | CIVIL WAR TP |
| DARTH VADER AND SON HC | |
| SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 02 TROUBLED MIND NOW | |
| VADERS LITTLE PRINCESS HC | |
| 30 | AKIRA KODANSHA ED GN VOL 01 |
| BATMAN TP VOL 02 THE CITY OF OWLS | |
| INFINITY GAUNTLET TP | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 21 ALL OUT WAR PT 2 | |
| WATCHMEN TP | |
| 35 | GUARDIANS OF GALAXY TP VOL 01 COSMIC AVENGERS |
| MOON KNIGHT TP VOL 01 FROM DEAD | |
| MS MARVEL TP VOL 01 NO NORMAL | |
| PRETTY DEADLY TP VOL 01 | |
| 37 | AVENGERS VS X-MEN TP |
| BATMAN DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP | |
| CHEW TP VOL 01 | |
| DEADPOOL KILLS MARVEL UNIVERSE TP | |
| EAST OF WEST TP VOL 02 WE ARE ALL ONE | |
| HAWKEYE TP VOL 01 MY LIFE AS A WEAPON | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 02 | |
| SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 01 | |
| TANK GIRL REMASTERED ED TP VOL 01 | |
| X-MEN DARK PHOENIX SAGA TP | |
| X-MEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST TP | |
| X-MEN NO MORE HUMANS OGN HC | |
| 51 | ADVENTURE TIME TP VOL 04 |
| COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS TP | |
| DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID TP VOL 01 | |
| DEADPOOL BY DANIEL WAY COMPLETE COLL TP VOL 01 | |
| FATALE TP VOL 01 DEATH CHASES ME | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 01 SCIENCE BAD | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 03 | |
| SIEGE TP | |
| SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHTH GRADE TP | |
| SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 03 NO ESCAPE | |
| THOR GOD OF THUNDER TP VOL 01 GOD BUTCHER | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 18 WHAT COMES AFTER | |
| WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 01 BLOOD | |
| 64 | AGE OF ULTRON TP |
| AMULET SC VOL 01 STONEKEEPER | |
| AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 06 SEARCH PART 3 | |
| AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 08 RIFT PART 2 | |
| BATMAN & ROBIN TP VOL 02 PEARL | |
| BATMAN HUSH COMPLETE TP | |
| BATMAN THE LONG HALLOWEEN TP | |
| BATMAN TP VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY | |
| BATTLING BOY SC GN VOL 01 | |
| DEADPOOL TP VOL 01 DEAD PRESIDENTS NOW | |
| DOCTOR WHO K-9 LIGHT & SOUND FIGURINE & BOOK KIT | |
| FATALE TP VOL 02 DEVILS BUSINESS | |
| GOTG BY ABNETT AND LANNING COMPLETE COLL TP VOL 01 | |
| HELLBLAZER TP VOL 01 ORIGINAL SINS | |
| HOBBIT TP | |
| HULK WWH TP | |
| JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 02 THE VILLAINS JOURNEY | |
| MMW X-MEN TP VOL 01 | |
| NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS MMPB | |
| NEIL GAIMANS GOOD OMENS ($7.99 VERSION) | |
| ODYSSEY GN CANDLEWICK ED | |
| PROPHET TP VOL 01 REMISSION | |
| R CRUMBS HEROES OF BLUES JAZZ & COUNTRY WITH CD HC | |
| SAILOR MOON TP KODANSHA ED VOL 02 | |
| SIMPSONS FUTURAMA CROSSOVER CRISIS SLIPCASE HC | |
| THANOS INFINITY REVELATION OGN HC | |
| TINY TITANS TP VOL 02 ADVENTURES IN AWESOMENESS | |
| V FOR VENDETTA BOOK AND MASK SET | |
| V FOR VENDETTA NEW EDITION TP | |
| WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM TP VOL 01 | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 06 SORROWFUL LIFE | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 17 SOMETHING TO FEAR | |
| WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN TP | |
| YOUNG AVENGERS TP VOL 01 STYLE SUBSTANCE NOW | |
| 99 | AKIRA KODANSHA ED GN VOL 02 |
| BATMAN THE BLACK MIRROR TP | |
| BATMAN YEAR ONE DELUXE SC | |
| CENTURY WEST OGN | |
| DEADPOOL VS CARNAGE TP | |
| DIARY OF A WIMPY KID HC VOL 08 HARD LUCK | |
| DRAGON BALL FULL COLOR TP VOL 01 SAIYAN ARC | |
| ECONOMIX HOW & WHY OUR ECONOMY WORKS & DOESNT WORK GN | |
| FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE | |
| FATALE TP VOL 03 WEST OF HELL | |
| FILTH TP | |
| JOKER A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC | |
| JOKER DEATH OF THE FAMILY HC | |
| JOKER DEATH OF THE FAMILY TP | |
| JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 03 THRONE OF ATLANTIS | |
| MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 04 FOUR DISCIPLINES | |
| MAUS SURVIVORS TALE COMPLETE HC | |
| METAL GEAR SOLID OMNIBUS TP | |
| MY FRIEND DAHMER SC | |
| NEIL GAIMANS NEVERWHERE TP | |
| NEW X-MEN BY MORRISON ULTIMATE COLL TP BOOK 01 | |
| POLARITY TP VOL 01 | |
| PRINCELESS TP VOL 01 NEW PTG | |
| RUNAWAYS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01 | |
| SANDMAN TP VOL 04 SEASON OF MISTS NEW ED | |
| SISTERS GN | |
| SMILE SC NEW PTG | |
| SOUTHERN BASTARDS TP VOL 01 HERE WAS A MAN | |
| SUICIDE SQUAD TP VOL 01 KICKED IN THE TEETH | |
| SUPER FRIENDS HEAD OF THE CLASS TP | |
| SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 04 NECESSARY EVIL | |
| SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 06 GOBLIN NATION | |
| THE ARRIVAL GN | |
| TINY TITANS TP VOL 01 WELCOME TO THE TREEHOUSE | |
| TINY TITANS TP VOL 08 AW YEAH TITANS | |
| TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 01 BACK ON THE STREET | |
| TRANSMETROPOLITAN TP VOL 02 | |
| VELVET TP VOL 01 BEFORE THE LIVING END | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE | |
| WALKING DEAD TP VOL 05 BEST DEFENSE | |
| X-FORCE BY KYLE AND YOST COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01 |
It is different, but it does have a ton of commonalities -- especially where it counts at the top. SAGA v1 sold twice as many copies as book #5, even if it was only 1/5 of the number of copies the Mothership sold. There's a real lot of Superhero comics that make it on to this list, but only the top thirteen best-sellers at Outpost would even make it on to the Top 100 at Experience.
If anything, this most closely looks like a CE list from, say, 4 to 5 years ago.
Check the next post for the real crazy differences between stores.
Obviously, I'm always curious to hear your musings on these lists
-B
