ICv2’s May sales estimates are up, including the final issue of Flash vol.3 and the first issue of Flashpoint. Flashpoint #1 sold an estimated 86,981 copies, ranked #2 for the month (right behind Marvel’s big event comic, Fear Itself #2), while The Flash #12 sold an estimated 54,914 copies to rank #15.
Sales have been steady the last three issues, and have held above the low point at issue #8, suggesting that the series found its level at around 54-55K…just in time to be canceled for DC’s September relaunch. (Or maybe it was just being propped up by people curious about Flashpoint?)
| 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%) |
| Flash v.3 #7 | 12 | December 2010 | 56,304 | (-2.4%) |
| Flash v.3 #8 | 18 | December 2010 | 53,975 | (-4.1%) |
| Flash v.3 #9 | 9 | February 2011 | 55,980 | (+3.7%) |
| Flash v.3 #10 | 18 | April 2011 | 54,953 | (-1.8%) |
| Flash v.3 #11 | 19 | April 2011 | 54,633 | (-0.6%) |
| Flash v.3 #12 | 15 | May 2011 | 54,914 | (+0.5%) |
| Flashpoint #1 | 2 | May 2011 | 86,981 |
It’s surprising that Flashpoint #1 sold fewer copies than Flash #1, though I suppose it shouldn’t be. Between event fatigue, a feeling that the Flash mythos hadn’t been built up sufficiently to support a major event, and a general sense that the event was simply an alternate universe story and not as “important” as, for instance, Blackest Night, I remember the buzz being relatively poor beforehand. Over the last month, lots of people have remarked that the book has been under-ordered. (Even the tie-ins have been. I got the last copy of Flashpoint: Grodd of War from my local shop yesterday, the day it was released.) Clearly readers are responding better to the actual comic book than retailers expected, based on the multiple sell-out issues.
It’ll be interesting to see the figures with re-orders and the second printing included…and it’ll be interesting to see the sales figures on the later issues of the miniseries.
With sales that low, I don’t see how the comics industry can survive–probably only as vehicles for licensed characters that are merchandised and turned into movies.
What’s scarier is that those are good numbers in today’s market!!! If a book levels out at 50K, the publisher is pretty stoked.
I actually think that market itself has deflated so badly since Flash #1 that it’s still a good trunout for Flashpoint. The numbers this year have been spectacularly bad, and they both ranked #2 in their respective months.