Comic Book Data Shows Huge Red Flags for Major Franchises

A significant read of Comic Book Revolution (https://www.comicbookrevolution.com/march-2024-single-issue-comic-book-sales-rankings/) shows that James Gunn has his work cut out for him with DC Comics. It's time to rejuvenate a dying franchise. But his work is nothing compared to the grassroots collapse of Star Wars support.

And if you think that Marvel has an easy task ahead with Thunderbolts, think again. For both Star Wars and Thunderbolts, excitement is not happening at the ground level. That's a huge problem when the foundation of a franchise is empty. Here are some of the significant quotes and findings from the article:

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What is DC Comics even doing anymore? Image Comics doubling up DC Comics in the Top 25 shows how DC Comics has lost the plot. Readers simply are not interested in what DC Comics is delivering. The Hasbro franchise titles have attracted more readers as readers search for something targeting them rather than purposely trying to run them off. The fact that DC Comics has fewer comics in the Top 25 than two years ago when we all thought the publisher was near dead is alarming. Dawn of DC has failed and I am unsure exactly where DC Comics can go from here to revive their moribund line of comics.

The Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50. This was the same as in February 2024 when the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50.

Numbers were way down from two years ago as the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and five comics in the Top 50 in March 2022.

Thunderbolts #4 cratered as it fell from the number 104 spot to the number 182 spot. With this issue, this four-issue mini-series has concluded. Jackson Lanzing and Colin Kelly’s Thunderbolts was a huge sales failure.

Captain Marvel #6 dropped like a rock falling from the number 137 spot to the number 181 spot. This title has been an epic sales disaster. Everyone other than Marvel Comics’ editors knew Alyssa Wong on a Captain Marvel comic was doomed to failure. What a mess. At this point, Marvel Comics might as well cancel this title. Again. And then find a real mainstream superhero writer to handle a new Captain Marvel comic book.

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All of this is to say that when there's no interest at the evergreen publication level for your property, there's likely very little interest for other domains. Can this be extrapolated / correlated to waning merchandise interest? Almost certainly. And eventually, that all percolates up to the mainstream / normie market that makes blockbusters and streaming shows possible.

Star Wars is essentially a zombie franchise. Thunderbolts is a Marvel egg that just won't hatch. And that spells more trouble for two of Disney's biggest studios. They're only fortunate that James Gunn likewise has to clean out the cobwebs of a franchise damaged by the woke mind virus that has used pop culture for propaganda for years. As we've seen, that dog doesn't hunt... that bird don't sing.

Good luck to the creatives getting a tune in their beaks once more.

Your pal,
Pro