IDW TMNT Sales Charts

[TurtleWA]

January 2018

Batman/TMNT #3
35,028

TMNT #78
11,930

TMNTU #18
7,773


http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...8/2018-01.html

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by TurtleWA

January 2018

Batman/TMNT #3
35,028

TMNT #78
11,930

TMNTU #18
7,773


http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...8/2018-01.html

And yet the Star Wars books barely sell better...

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by neatoman

And yet the Star Wars books barely sell better...

You mean IDW's Star Wars releases?

Becuase the main Star Wars comics by Marvel sold this:

Star Wars #41 56,545
Star Wars #42 53,710

The Star Wars comics sell over 50,000 copies most issues, nearly 5 times the amount as an IDW TMNT book.

[AquaParade]

I wonder what they could do to get sales up.

Obviously the first things that come to mind are "Big 2" tactics like relaunch with a #1 or start hyping up a line-wide event focused on TMNT, with heavy marketing.

Not saying it's the way to go, just speculating.

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

You mean IDW's Star Wars releases?

Becuase the main Star Wars comics by Marvel sold this:

Star Wars #41 56,545
Star Wars #42 53,710

The Star Wars comics sell over 50,000 copies most issues, nearly 5 times the amount as an IDW TMNT book.

"Yes, of course I'm comparing the Star Wars titles published by one of the big two to one published by a smaller publisher".

No, of course not. It's the kiddy stuff by IDW, I compared those to TMNT as they have the same publisher.

[TurtleWA]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

The Star Wars comics sell over 50,000 copies most issues, nearly 5 times the amount as an IDW TMNT book.

It would be interesting to know how much money was spent on marketing costs and creative costs and whatever else. Does 5X more sales translate to 5X the profit?

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by TurtleWA

It would be interesting to know how much money was spent on marketing costs and creative costs and whatever else. Does 5X more sales translate to 5X the profit?

I think a lack of marketing is a big problem for this book's sales

[myconius]

Originally Posted by Sabacooza

That's what happens I guess when the TMNT become background characters in their own comic.

this is exactly how i feel too!

when i buy a comic with 'Ninja Turtles' in the title, i expect to read a story about the Turtles.
not just have them show up for maybe 3 or 4 pages as a bunch of ineffectual bystanders.

[CyberCubed]

It's only been like that in the few recent Triceraton issues, but I suspect they'll have a bigger role in parts 4 and 5.

[myconius]

i feel like it's been a slow progression of the Turtles becoming more and more of just bystanders in their own series.
#67-70 they were pretty much ineffectual though the entire arc, with the exception of #70.
#71 they sit out the entire issue, save the very last page.
#72 the turtles are pretty much just running away and/or getting slapped around.
#73-74 are extremely exposition heavy build-up issues. the turtles spend most of those issues either talking, or listening to other characters talk.

issue #75 was very disjointed and very jarring.

i did NOT like the opening art. it lacked the visual story-telling it needed to convey the grand scale of battle, both the space scene and even more-so in the ground assault. it just looked very stagnant and unexciting.
Mateus Santolouco's pages were dynamic and exciting to look at.
but then it goes back and forth between dynamic art, then cartoony art.

90% of the second half of issue is all deliberation and courtroom dialog.
it's very painful trying to re-read issue #75.

and now #76, 77 & 78 the turtles are barely even in the comic.
when they do show up they really don't so much for the plot.

Tmnt: Universe is just a whole other can of worms.

there was a time when i could strongly recommend this series to anyone.
over the last year or so not so much.

it's really sad because i used to really look forward to picking up the new Tmnt issue each month. as time goes on i get less and less excited.

[spookycookies]

I just got word today from my LCS that they won't be getting a 1:10 for Universe until further notice because it just hasn't been selling at my store. It's a shame because now I'm going to have to ship in a copy from Midtown each month, and I'm still buying 2 copies of each issue of universe.

I think if this book wants to do better it HAS to drop the $5 pricing, I'm sure that is turning a lot of people away. One thing I think they are doing better is making sure at least one of the turtles is in each story, at least that's what it is looking like this year.

We really need a sister book to the main series and if universe does end up being cancelled I hope something takes it's place that takes the best of this book but does better.

[myconius]

yes! the $5 price tag, and the fact that the title reads "Tmnt" yet there rarely are any turtles in the comic most of the time.

i'll be honest. the art of the main stories for issues 16, 17 & 18 weren't doing this series any favors either.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by myconius

i feel like it's been a slow progression of the Turtles becoming more and more of just bystanders in their own series.
#67-70 they were pretty much ineffectual though the entire arc, with the exception of #70.
#71 they sit out the entire issue, save the very last page.
#72 the turtles are pretty much just running away and/or getting slapped around.
#73-74 are extremely exposition heavy build-up issues. the turtles spend most of those issues either talking, or listening to other characters talk.

issue #75 was very disjointed and very jarring.

i did NOT like the opening art. it lacked the visual story-telling it needed to convey the grand scale of battle, both the space scene and even more-so in the ground assault. it just looked very stagnant and unexciting.
Mateus Santolouco's pages were dynamic and exciting to look at.
but then it goes back and forth between dynamic art, then cartoony art.

90% of the second half of issue is all deliberation and courtroom dialog.
it's very painful trying to re-read issue #75.

and now #76, 77 & 78 the turtles are barely even in the comic.
when they do show up they really don't so much for the plot.

Tmnt: Universe is just a whole other can of worms.

there was a time when i could strongly recommend this series to anyone.
over the last year or so not so much.

it's really sad because i used to really look forward to picking up the new Tmnt issue each month. as time goes on i get less and less excited.

Originally Posted by myconius

yes! the $5 price tag, and the fact that the title reads "Tmnt" yet there rarely are any turtles in the comic most of the time.

i'll be honest. the art of the main stories for issues 16, 17 & 18 weren't doing this series any favors either.

You have a lot of good points and I completely agree that I feel the turtles have become bystanders far too often in recent issues. I understand that at times it is necessary for other characters besides the turtles to get time in order to build up stories and even an entire universe, but I feel like it is being done far too often.

[CyberCubed]

If you guys have read the most recent issue #79 the Turtles had a pretty big role in it, and they'll obviously have a big role in #80 too given how it ended. I think the difference is the Krang trial and Triceraton invasion had a huge cast and they had to focus on everyone and all the supporting characters, that's why the Turtles themselves didn't get much focus. But they did get a lot of focus in the Dimension X 5-parter which came out the same time.

As for Universe, even if it does end sometime in the future I'm sure they'll replace it with a bunch of mini's and specials so it won't make too much a difference. We'll most likely always have more than one IDW TMNT comic coming.

[Utrommaniac]

I feel like the purpose of "Universe" is, for the most part, to put the spotlight on other characters so it's not taken away from the turtles in the main line. The second purpose is to introduce characters and storylines where it wouldn't necessarily fit into the main line as much.

These last several issues have had huge casts as pointed out before, so of course the turtles are going to get a little sidelined. But once the Triceratons leave and they just have the Rat King to deal with, I think things will even out a little bit - plus some Casey and Jennika.

[Shark_Blade]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

I think a lack of marketing is a big problem for this book's sales

I believe this to be the case. Archie Comics have a Twitter account promoting its books for example. So when new books/series debut, people are informed.

[myconius]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

If you guys have read the most recent issue #79 the Turtles had a pretty big role in it, and they'll obviously have a big role in #80 too given how it ended. I think the difference is the Krang trial and Triceraton invasion had a huge cast and they had to focus on everyone and all the supporting characters, that's why the Turtles themselves didn't get much focus. But they did get a lot of focus in the Dimension X 5-parter which came out the same time.

As for Universe, even if it does end sometime in the future I'm sure they'll replace it with a bunch of mini's and specials so it won't make too much a difference. We'll most likely always have more than one IDW TMNT comic coming.

the problem with this logic is that many people only buy the ongoing and not the supplemental titles.
what good is seeing the turtles in plenty of action during a mini-series only to return to the main title and barely be in it.
so we have 3 issues of bystander title characters only for them to begin to be more active at the tail-end of the 4th issue of a 5 issue arc. i'm not liking this formula. i find it very unsatisfying.

Originally Posted by Utrommaniac

I feel like the purpose of "Universe" is, for the most part, to put the spotlight on other characters so it's not taken away from the turtles in the main line. The second purpose is to introduce characters and storylines where it wouldn't necessarily fit into the main line as much.

These last several issues have had huge casts as pointed out before, so of course the turtles are going to get a little sidelined. But once the Triceratons leave and they just have the Rat King to deal with, I think things will even out a little bit - plus some Casey and Jennika.

if Universe is a book focused on introducing more characters, then it's only convoluting an already overcrowded story with more loose plot-threads that it knows how to deal with.

where's the focus? it's like hodgepodge storytelling.

less is more. Mirage had the right idea by limiting the amount of mutants, and keeping the sole focus on the Turtles.

if i as a new paying customer tried buying a Spider-Man comic and it was all about Aunt May i'd be pretty disappointed.

Originally Posted by Redeemer

You have a lot of good points and I completely agree that I feel the turtles have become bystanders far too often in recent issues. I understand that at times it is necessary for other characters besides the turtles to get time in order to build up stories and even an entire universe, but I feel like it is being done far too often.

thank you. it really does pain me to admit all these things.
but i've been feeling so disappointed by this series (which i've loved) for a long while now. and it feels like it's not improving any time soon.
the only reason i open my mouth is because the thought of dropping the title keeps coming to mind.
i don't because i'm hoping to feel that spark of excitement from this series again. but the way things have been going i can't say i'm liking it.

[Rooish]

I'm sure it will bring it back to the Turtles for the final stretch (which I assume is to get up to issue 100?)

Is there any risk of it getting cancelled from these kind of sales? I would hate to see that with all the loose plot threads.

[CyberCubed]

No. Not anytime soon.

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, TMNT is still IDW's top seller even if the sales don't look awesome.