Monthly Archives: December 2009

Flash: Rebirth #5 Still Above 70K

A couple of weeks ago I posted that Flash: Rebirth #5 took the #9 spot in November’s sales rankings. Since then, ICv2 has posted full sales estimates for the month.

Issue Rank Units Sold Change
Flash: Rebirth #1 (of 6) 2 102,429 +286.6%
Flash: Rebirth #2 (of 6) 4 86,183 -15.9%
Flash: Rebirth #3 (of 6) 10 83,086 -3.6%
Flash: Rebirth #4 (of 6) 14 78,107 -6.0%
Flash: Rebirth #5 (of 6) 9 73,875 -5.4%

It looks like the drops may be leveling off. The drop from #3 (the last issue to ship on time) to #4 (the first issue to be several months late) was sharper than expected, but this drop was smaller — and in fact the sales ranking went up!

The book continues to outsell the 2007-2008 relaunch by a factor of two, and is holding above Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge, which sold in the 54-62K range. On the other hand, it seems to be dropping at a comparable rate to Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. Maybe it’s more typical (and less cause for concern) in a miniseries than in a regular series. Update: The Beat has more analysis of DC’s November sales.

Whatever the case, I’m really curious about the numbers for Blackest Night: The Flash.

Delayed! Flash: Rebirth #6 Now Due March 24

Flash: Rebirth #6 (thumb)Wow. Comic Bloc’s SNW1 has been checking more often than I have (or at least has better timing), because he spotted this: DC’s website now lists March 24, 2010 as the release date for Flash: Rebirth #6.

Think about that for a moment. Let that sink in. Assuming no further schedule changes (and so far, Blackest Night: Flash hasn’t changed), this means:

  • Blackest Night: The Flash will finish a month before Flash: Rebirth does.
  • Flash: Rebirth will have spanned just one week less than 52 did.
  • There’s a good chance that Flash Secret Files will also be out by the time Flash: Rebirth finishes. (Presumably we’ll find out on Monday when DC’s March solicitations go up.)
  • That April date for the Flash: Rebirth hardcover is looking mighty optimistic.
  • The book will be out one week before WonderCon, for which EVS is drawing the program cover/T-shirt (Edit: this was posted just two days ago).
  • On the plus side, those of us who were hoping The Flash might launch immediately after Rebirth’s conclusion might actually get our wish.

It’s worth noting that 4 people out of 106 did vote for March 2010 in the When Will Flash: Rebirth Finish? poll last month.

Update (Dec 20): The book may be coming out sooner than March after all.

Update 2: It’s been rescheduled to February 24, 2010.

EVS Draws WonderCon

Flash: Rebirth artist Ethan Van Sciver posted on Facebook today, saying:

Looks like I’m doing the art for the WONDERCON 2010 t-shirt and book!

The artist and Flash writer Geoff Johns have previously been confirmed as guests for the April 2-4 convention in San Francisco.

(On a side note, does anyone know how to link to a particular status on Facebook?) Update: This should work, though possibly only for people who are (a) logged in and (b) listed as friends: Facebook status link

This Week (Dec 16): Tiny Titans

You know it’s a slow week for the Flash when the only comic that (probably) has a DC speedster in it is Tiny Titans!

Tiny Titans #23

Tiny Titans #23Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar

Wayne Manor has been overrun! There are penguins in the tub and bunnies in the bedroom, penguins in the freezer and bunnies in the fridge, penguins and bunnies everywhere — they’ve even driven the bats out of the Batcave! Poor Robin is caught in the middle of the bunny-penguin turf war and has to figure out how everyone can live together peacefully! (PS. Did we mention the penguins and bunnies?)

On sale December 16 · 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

Comic-Con Int’l 1-Day Tickets On Sale Tomorrow

Quick note: One-day passes to Comic-Con International in July 2010 go on sale tomorrow at the convention’s website. That’s Tuesday, December 15. Four-day passes are already sold out, so chances are that one-day tickets will go quickly too.

If you plan to go, but haven’t bought your membership yet, you may want to take a few minutes out from holiday preparation to order your tickets.