Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: MVL

Numbercrunching Marvel May 2011 Solicitations

Published Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:58:06 -0600

Here's the numbercrunching headlines, based on Marvel Comics solicitation information for March, for their Marvel character comics, including Marvel Universe, Marvel Adventures and Ultimate lines. Licensed, creator owned and separate imprints are not counted.

Marvel is sticking at an average of 14.5 cents a page, this month better value than DC, just.

The slight reduction is titles this month is down to a reduction in the doubling up of books, even as Fear Itself, and all its spinoffs, begin.

There are a few strange stickouts… Paul Tobin had seen his back up strip for January's Spider-Girl, Avengers Academy and Young Allies Annuals canned as the latter book was cancelled. Then solicited as a three-issue miniseries for February and March as Arcade: Death Game at a $2.99 pricepoint, that also was cancelled, for unknown reasons. Well now it is solicited for May as Avengers Academy Giant Size, one big issue for $7.99, which is the cheapest price for it yet.

Mark Millar and Terry Dodson's Trouble finally gets a collection, after the original solicitation was cancelled years ago, as commissioning editor Bill Jemas was booted out by the machinations of Marvel West Coast. And a brand new non-photo cover…

We get new books in Andy Diggle and Adi Granov in Astonishing Captain America, Fred Van Lente, Luke Ross and Neil Edwards' prequel to the Marvel Studios Cap movie. Captain America First Vengeance, Marvel Zombies Christmas Carol written by Jim McCann without any assigned artist, yet, a massive first issue for Bendis and Maleev's Mooon Knight, and that X-Men Prelude to… whatever, we've been hearing about.

On with the numbercrunching! Old stats at the top, new stats at the bottom in bold.

December: 93 comics – 20 titles at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 55 $3.99 (22 pages of story), 16 titles at $3.99 (30 pages of story). 2 comics $4.99 (44 pages of story)

Complete cost: $353.07 for 2218 pages of story (15.9 cents a page)

January: 75 comics – 28 at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 38 at $3.99 (22 pages), 8 at $3.99 (30 pages) 1 at $4.99 (44 pages)

Complete cost: $273.25 for 1736 pages of story (15.7 cents a page)

February: 72 comics – 37 at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 26 at $3.99 (22 pages), 9 at $3.99 (30 pages) 1 at $4.99 (70 pages)

Complete cost: $255.27 for 1726 pages of story (14.8 cents a page)

March: 87 comics – 44 at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 28 at $3.99 (22 pages), 13 at $3.99 (30 pages) 1 at $3.99 (38 pages), 1 at $4.99 (90 pages)

Complete cost: $304.13 for 2101 pages of story ( 14.5 cents a page)

April: 71 comics – 34 at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 23 at $3.99 (22 pages of story) 8 at $3.99 (30 pages of story), 2 at $3.99 (38 pages of story), 1 at $3.99 (46 pages of story), 2 at $4.99 (38 pages of story) and 1 at $4.99 (46 pages of story).

Complete cost: $258.27 for 1782 pages of story (14.5 cents a page)

May: 69 comics – 37 at $2.99 (22 pages of story), 18 at $3.99 (22 pages of story) 9 at $3.99 (30 pages of story), 2 at $3.99 (38 pages of story), 1 at $4.99 (30 pages of story), 1 at $4.99 (38 pages of story) and 1 at $7.99 (66 pages of story).

Complete cost: $244.31 for 1690 pages of story (14.5 cents a page)