Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: brian vaughan, Comics, fiona staples, image, saga

Ordering More Saga #1 Than Justice League #1

Published Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:26 -0600

Last updated Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:41:34 -0600

Rick Shea of Famous Faces & Funnies in West Melbourne, Florida is interested in a new comic book. Saga, from Image Comics, written by one Brian K Vaughan and drawn by one Fiona Staples. But he has some concerns about other retailers. He writes for Bleeding Cool;

As we are getting our Previews numbers together, I've noticed a lot of talk about the FCBD books and the lack on info on some titles, but I'm shocked no one else has brought up SAGA # 1 from Image just yet. It's on the cover of the January Previews and it's certainly been the talk of our store the last few weeks. I have been waiting for Brian K. Vaughan (BKV) to return to monthly comics these last few years since he wrapped up Ex Machina, and SAGA is easily the biggest new book for us in a long time.

My order for SAGA # 1 will be HIGHER than my order for DC52 Justice League # 1 or Avengers Vs X-Men or Watchmen 2. You read that right. I've sold just shy of 1000 copies of Y: The Last Man Volume 1 and hundreds each of the other volumes. It's the only book that I've made more money off of than Walking Dead, and we usually use Y and Walking Dead as the first books we push on a new customer, giving out several of the $1 first issues that have turned into thousands of sales over the years.

The last time I did this much promoting and plugging of a book in advance was BKV's Pride of Baghdad HC and we sold over 100 of that hardcover in the first two weeks and hundreds in the last few years. At the time, it was my bestselling HC of all time, up to that point. It might still be with as many copies of that (and the SC) that we've sold over the years. I thought talking lions would be silly, but BKV made it work and my customers certainly enjoyed the book as much as I did.

Just to recap, here's the solicit info and then some more rambling from me that we put in our newsletter and have been putting on our Facebook page and pushing in-store. SAGA #1 is a 44 page first issue for $2.99, which should be easy to hook people with. This should be an easy sell to anyone who doesn't feel like they're getting their money's worth out of $3.99 comics with 20 pages of content.

Y: THE LAST MAN writer BRIAN K. VAUGHAN returns to comics with red-hot artist FIONA STAPLES for an all-new ONGOING SERIES! Star Wars-style action collides with Game of Thrones-esque drama in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers, as new parents Marko and Alana risk everything to raise their child amidst a never-ending galactic war. The adventure begins in a spectacular DOUBLE-SIZED FIRST ISSUE, with forty-four pages of story with no ads for the regular price of just $2.99!

Now here's my input:

Image has been kind enough to share the first issue with me early and I absolutely loved it. It's a 10 out of 10, and I am already incredibly invested in this new universe. I haven't been this excited about a new book in years! I won't bombard you with excessive hype for something that won't be out until Wednesday, March 14, but we've got some big plans for the book's launch and some awesome prizes that everyone who buys the book can enter to win.

SAGA # 1 has our Famous Faces HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION with our money back guarantee. If you want to get in on the next big thing at the ground floor, here is your chance. Saga is easily our most anticipated book of 2012 and will rival Walking Dead as my "Which do I read first?" pick of the week every time it ships.

BKV & artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40) have created a new universe that I can't wait to find out more about, and I know you'll have the same reaction once you dive into the first issue. With our money back guarantee (and we're not alone, see the first issue lettercolumn for a surprise), you literally have nothing to lose but about 30 minutes of your time. I can't recommend SAGA highly enough, so I hope you'll check it out.

End customer info, now onto you fellow retailers.

Between all the copies I've sold of Y, Ex Machina, Runaways, The Hood, Logan, Escapists and everything else from BKV, I know I can get people hooked on this from day one and keep them coming back each and every month. By issue 6 of Y, it had become my bestselling title and I got the book into the hands of several customers who had never read any Vertigo or anything outside of the DC or Marvel Universe at that point. Y was selling 4 to 5 times my Uncanny X-Men numbers and justifiably so, as it was an outstanding book and we're still getting people to start the series every month.

For all your customers that wished they jumped into Y, Walking Dead, Locke & Key, Invincible, Chew, Morning Glories or any other fan favorite book at the beginning, this is that book that they will really regret missing out on when the buzz goes wild as soon as it ships. That's why YOU should to order more copies. You can even return ANY unsold copies of Saga # 1 if you beat your Walking Dead #92 numbers by 50% (Ordered 50 WD92, order 75 SAGA and they will ALL be returnable).

I could have just kept quiet and made a lot of money selling my extra copies on eBay later for $10 or more, but I'd rather pass along my love for this book to help spread the word now, and not with the second or third printing. I know I'm giving it a giant push, but I feel like this is a book you can push to any adult who has enjoyed Y, Walking Dead, any BKV book, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, LOST, or anyone who enjoys a great comic book. From the first page, you'll see it's not for kids, but I have more faith in BKV than any other writer in the industry and his track record and fanbase both speak for themselves.

Sorry to take up so much of your time, but it's not often I get this psyched about a book, so I wanted to share my enthusiasm and make sure all of the wonderful retailers on here that have helped me so often don't miss out on this gem. If you underordered Fatale, Prophet, Luther Strode, Last of the Greats or any of the other recent Image hits, consider this your second chance to push a great book before the first printing is gone. Image has been on fire lately, and with SAGA subs on their way to beating out Justice League and Batman as my bestselling book, I don't want you to miss out. The book ships March 14, so you've got almost a month until the February 20 FOC to build up demand in your store, but definitely at least double check your orders on Previews for this awesome first issue.

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