DC Comics announced today that ‘Justice League’ #1, which sold out its 200,000 initial print run within hours of going on sale, is officially the best selling single comic issue of 2011 so far, according to Diamond Distributors, the world’s largest comic book distributor.
The landmark issue was the first issue of DC Comics’ much publicized “New 52” relaunch in which DC essentially restarted its entire line of comic books in an attempt to bring in new readers while clearing up some of the errors built up over the seventy or so years of its characters’ history.
A second issue of the relaunch, ‘Action Comics’ #1, has also sold out with over 200,000 issues of its #1 issue now in print.
Those two key issues selling out would be news enough… but EVERY SINGLE #1 ISSUE from DC’s second and third weeks of the relaunch have already sold out from the distributor before their release dates.
Action Comics #1
In addition to all the sell out issues, DC says that ten of their #1 issues have surpassed the 100,000 in-print mark. This is a feat not seen since May 2007 when Marvel Comics had eleven titles at over 100,000 in print. It’s made even better for DC since the last time it had a single issue reach the 100K mark was in 2010 when ‘Batman’ #700 sold 104,755 issues. To have ten issues (so far) breaking that mark in a single month is enormous! To put that in perspective, most of the popular comics currently sell around 70,000-75,000 in a single month.
‘Justice League’ #1 is currently going into its third print run while ‘Action Comics’ #1 and all 26 of the week 2 and 3 first issues have all been ordered a second print. DC still has two more weeks of the relaunch left to announce so I would expect to hear of many more sold out issues and enormous numbers before this thing is said and done.
Be sure to check out our recap of all of the DC Comics New 52 issues thus far, plus an exclusive look at next week’s ‘Legion Lost’ #1.
Below is the official announcment from DC Comics:
“Earlier today, Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise, officially announced that JUSTICE LEAGUE issue 1, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jim Lee and Scott Williams, is the bestselling comic book for the month of August—and to date, all of 2011.
That’s the headline—and it’s a good one—but, for those interested, here’s a further look inside the numbers for DC COMICS-THE NEW 52:
· With a first printing exceeding 200,000 copies, JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 was the highest first printing of any DC Comics’ title since 2006′s JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA # 1 by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling writer Brad Meltzer, Ed Benes and Sandra Hope.
· The 200,000 first printing figure includes the digital combo pack and all variant editions, but not digital sales. The first printing was sold out at Diamond within hours of going on sale. The second printing of JUSTICE LEAGUE also sold out in less than 24 hours and the issue is now in its third printing.
· The DC Comics App peaked at # 4 on iTunes for Top Grossing I-Pad Apps. during the first week of The New 52.
Swamp Thing #1
· JUSTICE LEAGUE is one of ten titles so far from DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 with print runs of more than 100,000 (ACTION COMICS, BATGIRL, BATMAN, BATMAN AND ROBIN, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT, DETECTIVE COMICS, FLASH, GREEN LANTERN, SUPERMAN).
· All 13 of the Week 2 titles from DC Comics: The New 52 have sold out from Diamond and are going back to press—ACTION COMICS, ANIMAL MAN, BATGIRL, BATWING, DETECTIVE COMICS, GREEN ARROW, HAWK & DOVE, JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, MEN OF WAR, OMAC, STATIC SHOCK, STORMWATCH and SWAMP THING.
· With its second printing, ACTION COMICS, joins JUSTICE LEAGUE as the second title to date from DC Comics-The New 52 with more than 200,000 copies in print.
· All 13 of the Week 3 titles from DC Comics: The New 52 have sold out from Diamond in advance of publication and are going back to press, including BATMAN AND ROBIN, BATWOMAN, DEATHSTROKE, DEMON KNIGHTS, FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E., GREEN LANTERN, GRIFTER, LEGION LOST, MISTER TERRIFIC, RED LANTERNS, RESURRECTION MAN, SUICIDE SQUAD and SUPERBOY.”
