August 2019 Sales Report: Black Panther Falls Into Cancellation Zone

Coates Panther run fell under 20K sales for the first time in his publication history. There were no renumberings or gimmicks around to starve it off. 

18,419

Full publication history with the solos....

The T'challa led Avengers...

Feb 2019 Sales Update

Coates Panther is back down in the low 20's...

Full publication history with the solos....

With BPvsDP ending, here is a look at how the T'challa centric minis line up...

The T'challa led Avengers...

June 2018 Sales Report

Black Panther #2, featuring more great Acuna art and not much else...

34,891

This represents as 71% drop in sales. For comparison sake, BP vol 6 #1-2 drop was 69% drop while the legacy renumbering was a 57% drop. 

A significant drop was expected due to the renumbering + variants, a better idea where this book is sitting at sales wise will take another month or two. 

Rise of the Black Panther #6, featuring the real T'challa...

18,487

This book was remarkably consistent for an announced mini-series. Let's take a look at the last three Black Panther spin offs....

The big things to note here are 1) Rise was announced as a mini, the other two books were ongoings that got cancelled. 2) Rise sales were consistent. There was no pre-hype followed by a crash.

May 2018 Sales Update

Just a quick graph update this time. Got behind and the June numbers should be dropping any day now. 

March 2018 Sales Report

Black Panther #171 featuring the return of Shuri:

24,304

I imagine it will drift back down to the 21k range and then boost back up to something in the 50-80k range when it relaunches again. Timely relaunches and billion dollar movies have benefited this run big time. Instead of getting boosts from tying into events, it gets boosts from other sources.


Here is the updated look at T'challa completely publication history:

I'll be really curious to what the volume 7 opens at. It has an intriguing storyline and the "Fresh Start" tag.


Rise of the Black Panther #3, the best Black Panther book in years...

18,055

Only a mild decrease in sales, which shows it found an audience... which is the silver lining for overall shitty sales. Minis always struggle but I was really hoping for more with this book as it is legitimately good and hows T'challa at his best.

One interesting thing to look at is how it compares to the two other "Black Panther" spin offs since Coates took over the franchise.

One thing to note is that Rise was never going to be an ongoing... it was announced as a mini. WoW and The Crew were never announced as such and instead got straight up cancelled.

It is already selling better than The Crew and it seems to be leveling off faster than WoW. WoW had good initial sales and then nose dived the whole way because, well, it sucked. Rise "might" be able to level off and actually sell better by issue #4.

June 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #15

25,466

Black Panther used to be one of the highest selling solo titles at Marvel, only being bested consistently by Amazing Spider-Man and in contention with Deadpool and Old Man Logan.

Now? It isn't even close. He isn't even the highest selling colored hero. The following solo's beat him this month (not including rather new titles):

Old Man Logan, Amazing Spider-Man, Venom, Mighty Thor, Deadpool, All New Wolverine, Dr. Strange, Invincible Iron Man, Punisher, Daredevil, Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen, Infamous Iron Man, Thanos

Wowza. Good thing for Coates he started at such a high point sales wise.


Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

For funsies...

Priest #15: 30,053

Hudlin #15: 28,361

Coates #15: 25,466



Ultimates² #8

16,801

Bye-Bye Ultimates. You simply wasted too much time on stupid shit. So much potential too.



Black Panther and the Crew #3

14,634

Sales reflect quality in this case. Garbage. Don't even need a spreadsheet for this mess.

May 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #14, featuring the return of some old characters...

27,287

We still haven't found that stabilizing line yet. Which is weird. Another 3K drop is... ruh roh. Book still does well digitally as far as people like me can tell but there needs to be a steady line eventually.


Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

Ultimates² #7, featuring the plot getting interrupted for the 100th time and meandering...

18,490

Don't get excited Ultimates fans... this was just a Secret Empire tie in little boost.



Black Panther and the Crew #2, featuring the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

18,183

Oh lawd, no wonder they cancelled this after one issue. Holy moly.

April 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #13, featuring the start of a new arc and a perfect jumping on point...

30,509

... errr I guess jumping off point.

If you throw out events and #1, Black Panther was beaten by the following: Venom, Spider-Man, X-Men Gold, X23, X-Men Blue, OML (x2), Weapon X, Spider-Man/DP, JaneThor, Hydra Cap (x2), DP/Punisher, Miles, Dr. Strange, RiRi, Avengers.

That is ROUGH. In recent history, we were competing with Deadpool and OML. I can forgive getting beat by the X-Men relaunch, but Miles? Riri? X23? Come on man! The only notable book beaten in my opinion was Daredevil... which is up to issue 19 at this point.

We are definitely headed under 30K next week, which is a disappointment. This isn't just natural decline in sales, as Dr. Strange #19 is still sitting at 33K and that book is very similar to Panthers (hated by hardcores, recent MCU appearance, first time having a solo in ages, both in Hickman's run). Strange founds its core fan base early and kept them, Coates lost a lot of people and continues to hemorrhage.


Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

Ultimates² #6, featuring lots of meandering...

17,350

Welp, we got one more trade of this. Ewing better start wrapping it up quick.


Black Panther: World of Wakanda #6, featuring the return of Kasper Cole

15,847

Well, story wise, it ended on a high note but...

Black Panther and the Crew #1, featuring no Black Panther, no Luke Cage, but plenty of Misty and Storm...

35,604

Yep, opened 20K less than WoW.

And that is what fucking happens when you think comic fans are stupid and hide a stealth Misty book by slapping on Black Panthers name. 

So let me get this straight... comic survive by pre-orders and having a massive number one issue, so you decide you will lead off showcasing an F list hero who cant hold a solo and team her up with the most overrated X-man of all time? 

Nice work Marvel. 

Enjoy 6 issues of the Crew everyone!

March 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #12, featuring the end of A Nation Under Our Feet...

37,612

High 30's seems to be the sweet spot now. Next issue will be interesting... is #13 the chance for a new, faster paced story... or a chance for readers to jump off?


Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

Ultimates² #5, featuring less talking heads but...

17,975

Oh no, what happened to the faithful cosmic readers? It has finally happened, the slow decline to cancellation. Seventeen issues in and really... what has happened in the grand scheme of the story? Galactus was changed and... heads. Floating heads everywhere. To what end? I don't know because it has been meandering for 17 issues. Oh well.


Black Panther: World of Wakanda #5, one of the worst arcs ever...

15,847

February 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #11, featuring the "meh" defense of the Golden City...

35,492

Thought there might be a slight bump up thanks to the strength of #10 and the fact this was the (anti) climatic battle that has been built up for a year. But... not quite.

For comparision sake, this issue was outsold by Amazing Spider-Man, JaneThor, Old Man Logan, Dr. Strange, one Deadpool, one Steve Rogers, Venom, RiRi Iron Man but it did outsell Miles, the other Deadpool, the other Steve Rogers, Thanos, and Daredevil.

Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

Ultimates² #4, just chugging right along...

21,235

It is going to be what it is going to be but damn, the book needs to do something to stem the slow decline or it is heading to the cancellation zone.


Black Panther: World of Wakanda #4, showing us that....

17,454

... well, it is showing us that there is a reason this book is ending at #6. This isn't going to be pretty at the end.

January 2017 Sales Report

Black Panther #10, featuring the best issue yet...

38,741

Welp, we found are sales area. 35-42 is likely our "sales niche" for the long foreseeable future.


Here is the complete publication history of T'challa's solos...

Ultimates² #3, doin' its thing...

24,362

Ultimates has its cosmic floating head audience who are in it for the long haul.


Black Panther: World of Wakanda #3, showing us that anyone can write comics, even if you suck...

24,248

This is much more accurate than last week, as it wasn't massively overshipped. Surprisingly solid numbers for a book that isn't any good.