November sales charts show The Flash #6 ranked #15 for the month, with an estimated 57,673 units sold.
The numbers are a lot like the numbers for Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. But overall comics sales are down compared to 2006, and the rankings for The Flash are solid, still holding between #10 and #15.
| Issue | Rank | Month | Units Sold | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash v.3 #1 | 2 | April 2010 | 100,903 | |
| Flash v.3 #2 | 12 | May 2010 | 76,560 | (-24.1%) |
| Flash v.3 #3 | 11 | June 2010 | 68,799 | (-10.1%) |
| Flash v.3 #4 | 15 | July 2010 | 64,832 | (-5.8%) |
| Flash v.3 #5 | 14 | September 2010 | 62,063 | (-4.3%) |
| Flash v.3 #6 | 15 | November 2010 | 57,673 | (-7.1%) |
The percentage drop is kind of disturbing, though there’s been some discussion as to a possible error in this month’s estimates. Between this and discussions of the overall comics market, I’m beginning to wonder if, by the time DC is ready to launch the long-promised second Flash title, sales will be too low to justify it.
Here’s hoping Flashpoint can do for The Flash what Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night did for Green Lantern.
Maybe DC will realize that Wally carries a title better, especially with today’s readers.
Actually, I’d say Geoff Johns carries a title better than either Wally or Barry. Under Johns, Wally’s book was climbing up to the point that Barry’s book seems to be falling to.
Flash sales 1996-2002
Flash sales 2001-2008
Interesting that there was more of a drop between issues 5 & 6 than issues 4 & 5.
More people unimpressed with the relaunch maybe??
That’s a nearly 50% drop in sales over the course of 6 months.
It’s more that people are tired of delays which have stopped the momentum of the book almost dead. Mostly everywhere I go the reviews for the actual issues of The Flash are very positive from critics and fans alike. But the constant delays which started with Rebirth have taken alot of the enjoyment and buzz away from the book. I’m as big a Barry Allen fan as there is and even i’m losing patience and excitement because neither EVS nor Manapul seems to be able to do a monthly book. That’s why i’ve been screaming to have Kollings or someone else get on the book, Flash is too important to be delayed like it has the book is suffering because of it as I think the sales show.
I think it is the delays as well. I am as big a Flash fan as there is and I’m pretty unmotivated. Get this book on a monthly schedule or be prepared to see it be cancelled.
Umm…most relaunch titles lose a significant portion of their sales within a year. Retailer and reader interest is always at its highest in the initial launch. For example, 5 years ago Green Lantern relaunched at 180,000 copies sold for issue # 1. But 5 years later, it sells about 1/2 of that, but is STILL DC’s top-selling ongoing – doing better than Batman, than Superman, than JLA.
What this means for Flash: The book will probably settle somewhere around 50K per month, until Flashpoint hits and retailer orders spike upward. 50K would be the highest threshhold for a Flash series since the mid-90s – when the market was a LOT bigger.
So the tale so far is pretty good news for DC. But the fact Flash did not replicate the overwhelming success of Johns’ GL relaunch likely explains why they are being a bit more cautious about expanding Flash beyond one book.