Tuesday, May 23, 2006


Sales Data for April Books and Shipping Changes

No drop for Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis from the first issue to the second issue. The book actually rose on the sales chart. Estimated sales data is from Newsarama and ICv2.

Aquaman #39 sold an estimated 18,300 copies and was ranked 112 on the charts.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #40 jumped to 58 on the charts, and sold an estimated 37,600 copies, more than double the previous issue.

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #41 sold an estimated 37,600 copies and ranked 54 on the charts. No change in sales and a jump in rank.

While all this data is nice, we won't really know how the new book is doing until after the first arc is completed. With the shipping delays in the book's schedule, the situation might change completely. We'll have to wait and see. In addition, DC has already announced a collection of the first storyarc, which may bring in new regular readers.

As for the shipping changes... When Kurt Busiek and Butch Guice took over the book last autumn, it had already been canceled. They asked for a couple of months and a relaunch to give them more time, but DC didn't want to restart the book. Kurt and Butch started the series at least two months behind, yet still managed to get the first two issues out on time. The third issue was done, but delayed by production issues at DC.

Now we have word that #43 and #44 will each be delayed a full month to allow Guice to catch up and not get burnt out on the book with the looming deadlines. While this is far from ideal, it's better than having a fill-in artist in the middle of a major storyarc OR having no book at all.

In the meantime, Kurt's ahead on the writing, and has reported that Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #46-47 are done and in the hands of guest artist Phil Winslade, who will be drawing the flashback tale. Those issues are now likely to ship in October and November.

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