Why Comic Shops Are Booming Without Comics

New here? Start with the Start Here playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQEXyVpo2dRkDC Comics went from about 20% of comic-shop dollars to first place in two years. Absolute sold over 8.2 million copies. So did All In actually work for shops? Two years of shop data say yes — and here's who paid for that win (underprinting, speculation, and Marvel's lost share), plus what the Q2 2026 slip to 31.9% does and doesn't mean.Note: ComicHub/ICv2 market-share figures are point-of-sale estimates from a non-random sample of stores, not a full census. Absolute unit totals (8.2M+ / ~3M Absolute Batman) are publisher figures reported to The Hollywood Reporter. Absolute Batman #1's ~400K early-printing figure and #15's 300K+ are orders/estimates as reported — labeled on screen in the video.Chapters0:00 DC went from 20% to #1 — did All In work?0:49 The share chart: Marvel 39.9% to DC's crown2:19 Was it only Absolute Batman?2:29 Absolute's 8.2 million and a line that held4:54 Shop floor: Mission +69% DC, channel up ~30%6:39 Who paid for the win?6:53 Underprinting, speculators, Marvel's lost Wednesdays9:16 Q2 2026: 34.7% → 31.9% — hold test, not a rewrite10:41 Subscribe10:54 What readers and shops should watch11:45 Verdict: All In worked — with a receiptSources- Hollywood Reporter, Absolute 8.2M+ / Abs Bat ~3M / #15 orders 300K+ / Fraction Batman #1 500K+ (Dec 23, 2025): https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/batman-absolute-universe-comics-dc-super-year-1236458286/- Popverse, ComicsPRO 2026 / Nancy Spears 8M Absolute / underprint rib: https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-dc-absolute-8-million-comicspro-2026- ICv2 Q3 2024 shares (Marvel 39.9% / DC 20.1%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/57938/dc-reverses-decline-idw-reverts-norm-oni-back-chart- ICv2 Q4 2024 (Marvel 33.3% / DC 26.9%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/58581/marvel-slips-dc-gains-ground- ICv2 Q3 2025 (DC 29.5% / Marvel 36.6%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/60830/dc-gains-market-share-hot-summer- ICv2 Q4 2025 (DC #1 at 32.6%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/61398/dc-had-1-comic-store-market-share-q4-2025- ICv2 Q1 2026 (DC 34.7% / Marvel 29.4%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/62162/dc-expands-lead-over-marvel- ICv2 Q2 2026 (DC 31.9% / Marvel 28.3% / Image 15.3%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/62873/image-gains-dc-marvel-slip- ICv2 White Paper 2025 ($2.2B / shops ~+30% / Abs Bat top series): https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/61573/icv2-white-paper-comics-graphic-novel-sales-reached-new-high-2025- ICv2 Top 50 Comics Aug 2026 (Abs Bat #23 #1): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/63317/top-50-comics-august-2026- ICv2 Top 50 Comics Aug 2025 (Abs Bat #11 #1): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/60449/top-50-comics-august-2026- Comic Book Club, Abs Bat #1 ~400K / 2024 bestseller: https://comicbookclublive.com/2024/11/19/absolute-batman-bestselling-comic-2024/- Mission Comics 2025 Review (DC +69%): https://www.missioncomicsandart.com/blog/2025-review- Bleeding Cool, Abs Bat #1 initial orders "well over 200,000": https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-batman-1-gets-well-over-200000-orders/- Bleeding Cool, Abs Bat #14/~200K · #15/~300K orders: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-batman-14-had-orders-of-200000-15-has-orders-of-300000/- ICv2 Business of Fandom (Abs Bat #1 CGC speculation): https://icv2.com/print/article/63211Comic covers and logos © DC and Marvel, shown briefly for commentary and analysis.Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), all tracks instrumental."Clean Soul" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Unwritten Return" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Dark Fog" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Comfortable Mystery" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

New here? Start with the Start Here playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQEXyVpo2dRkIn June 2016, Batman's reboot sold 280,360 copies to comic shops, nearly triple what the book was doing before. By issue 11 it was selling below the run it replaced. So why did DC's biggest hit since then not reboot Batman at all? Using the same sales chart three times (Rebirth, One More Day and Absolute), here's what a reset actually buys readers and comic shops, and the one move that has beaten both.Note: Diamond/Comichron figures are estimated orders to shops, not sales to readers. The One More Day / Brand New Day numbers and Absolute Batman #1's ~400K are as reported/estimates and haven't been independently verified.Chapters0:00 Batman's reboot nearly tripled. Then what?0:45 The chart, pass 1: Rebirth's spike and fade2:55 Did Rebirth actually work?3:07 When a reset "works," check what else changed4:36 The chart, pass 2: Spider-Man after One More Day5:55 So does anything work?6:09 The chart, pass 3: Absolute, a new front door8:18 The best case against me9:18 What to watch (readers and retailers)10:09 The verdictSources- Comichron, June 2016: https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2016/2016-06.html- Comics Beat, Sep 2016: https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-comics-month-to-month-sales-september-2016-young-chemical-romance/- ICv2, Rebirth vs. New 52: https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/36391/comparing-dcs-rebirth-new-52- One More Day / Brand New Day (as reported): https://comicbookinvest.com/2017/03/14/a-look-at-amazing-and-superior-spider-mans-numbers/ | https://icv2.com/print/article/12098 | http://sequentiallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2008/08/brand-new-day-day-after.html- Absolute: https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-absolute-batman-1-dc-best-selling-comic-2024 | https://icv2.com/print/article/58667 | https://www.dc.com/blog/2024/11/18/absolute-batman-1-is-2024-s-bestselling-comic-book | https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/61464/full-year-2025-circana-bookscan-top-20-author-superhero-graphic-novelsMusic: "Clean Soul" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Tags: comic book sales, comic book market, Batman Rebirth, Absolute Batman, One More Day, Brand New Day, Spider-Man, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, comic reboots, comic relaunches, retcons, comic shops, pull list, direct market, BookScan, comic industry analysis, Comical Opinions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

10 of the 20 best-selling manga in America last year were Volume 1s. Manga grew 11% while graphic novels overall grew 5%. And when Marvel and DC do build a front door, like Absolute Batman, DC Compact, and Ultimate Spider-Man, it works. So why do they still treat it as the exception? Here's what US publishers refuse to learn from manga, and what it costs comic shops.Sources: Circana BookScan 2025 (via ICv2), Comichron.Chapters0:00 Half of manga's Top 20 are Volume 1s0:50 The manga wall vs. the Big Two shelf2:06 The problem, in numbers3:19 Point 1: The front door is the product4:54 Point 2: Bookstores reward it6:20 Point 3: When the Big Two build a front door, it works7:51 The counterargument: where do you start with Batman?9:18 What to watch for10:15 Bottom line + 3 questions for you12:02 OutroMusic: "Wallpaper" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Chainkata #1 was announced with 116 retailer-exclusive covers. Meanwhile, Absolute Batman #25 reportedly exceeded 775,000 retailer preorders. Those numbers have reignited a familiar debate about comic book sales, collectible editions, and the health of the direct market.But do these examples actually prove that a new speculation bubble is forming?In this Comical Opinions industry deep dive, we examine the difference between retailer orders, customer demand, collectible premiums, and lasting readership. We look at what the 1990s can teach us, why enormous order numbers are not automatically evidence of speculation, and what publishers and comic shops should watch next.**In this video:**- Why 116 retailer-exclusive covers do not automatically prove a speculative bubble- What Absolute Batman #25's reported preorder milestone actually tells us- The difference between retailer orders and customer sell-through- What the 1990s comic-book speculation boom can teach today's market- Why collectible resale prices are not proof of guaranteed future value- What publishers, retailers, and readers should measure after launchThe verdict: collectible excitement can help sell a comic, but sustainable readership requires customers to keep coming back.What do you think matters more for the long-term health of comics: record-breaking launches or repeat readership? Share your reasoning in the comments.For questions and examples from your own shop or collecting experience, email: [email protected] to Comical Opinions for evidence-led analysis of comic book sales, publishing decisions, and the patterns shaping the industry's future.#ComicBooks #VariantCovers #ComicBookMarket #chainkata #danielwarrenjohnson #absolutebatmanTimestamps:00:00 - Is the Variant Comics Boom Back?00:48 - What Comic Book Orders Actually Measure01:57 - 116 Covers: The Chainkata Case03:32 - Absolute Batman: 775,000+ Reported Preorders06:05 - The 1990s Speculator Boom08:46 - The Case for Variant Covers10:18 - What Publishers and Retailers Should Watch13:00 - Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Marvel's $4.99 price floor could hurt comic book sales. Not because every reader will quit, but because trying unfamiliar comics is getting more expensive.Marvel's last $3.99 holdout, Generation X-23, is scheduled to end in November 2026. The change raises a bigger business question: can publishers collect more per issue without making readers more selective about which books they try?In this Comical Opinions video, we examine the move from $3.99 to $4.99, calculate what it means for a monthly pull list, and separate a credible risk to reader sampling from a sales decline that has not yet been demonstrated.Have you changed what you buy at $4.99? If you're a retailer, are customers becoming more selective about trying new titles?Send questions and story suggestions to [email protected]:00:00 - Why $4.99 Could Hurt Comic Book Sales00:53 - Marvel's New Price Floor03:22 - Marvel's $3.99-to-$4.99 Shift04:49 - The Same Four Comics Cost $4 More06:52 - The Real Risk Is Fewer New Readers08:48 - What the Evidence Doesn't Prove10:07 - Marvel Must Prove Readers Will Stay12:06 - What Readers and Retailers Should Watch13:39 - The Test for a Sustainable Price Increase15:17 - Final Thoughts#comics #comicbooks #Marvel #comicalopinions #comicbooksales This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Marvel's next publishing cycle may depend less on keeping every comic alive and more on repeatedly launching books that can earn readers' attention. I put the odds at 70% that Marvel will continue rotating through ongoing series, finite runs, and relaunches into 2027, but the evidence has to distinguish planned endings from a genuine shift toward shorter-lived comics.This video examines Marvel's recent Avengers transition, third-party sales-chart classifications, and the difference between launch attention and repeat readership. The goal is to determine whether Marvel's publishing model is becoming more dependent on new #1 issues, what evidence could disprove that prediction, and how readers and retailers should make buying and ordering decisions.Core argument: A final issue does not prove failure, but a sustained pattern of short-lived launches could reveal a publishing strategy that prioritizes fresh sales opportunities over durable readership.Have a comic-industry question you want the Internet Judge to investigate? Send it to [email protected].## Chapter timestamps00:00 - Why Marvel's cancellations may signal a bigger shift01:13 - A final issue isn't the same as a failed book02:17 - Why Marvel will keep rotating through launches07:46 - The strongest argument against the prediction09:47 - What Marvel has to prove11:04 - How readers and retailers should respond12:39 - The number that will settle the argument#comics #comicbooks #marvel #marvelcomics #comicalopinions #comicbookmarket This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Marvel may finally have a reason to revisit One More Day, but the evidence does not yet prove Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane is coming back.Nearly 19 years after Mephisto's bargain erased their marriage from Spider-Man continuity, two developments have renewed speculation: the memory-theft storyline in Amazing Spider-Man #1000 and #1001, and Marvel's mysterious “1 Day” tease for June 2027.But are these clues connected, or are fans reading more into them than the evidence supports?In this video, we examine what Ravage's powers actually establish, what Marvel has (and has not) revealed about “1 Day,” and what a genuine reversal would mean for Spider-Man's future. We also examine the business implications: whether a major continuity change could restore reader confidence, attract lapsed readers, and sustain sales beyond an initial announcement.**The verdict:** The theory is worth investigating, but a reversal remains unconfirmed. Marvel must deliver a real story change before readers or retailers should treat it as a certainty.**What do you think?** Should Marvel restore Peter Parker and Mary Jane's marriage, or leave One More Day alone? Retailers, would a confirmed reversal change your orders, or would you wait for evidence of sustained demand?Send your comic-industry questions to [email protected]#SpiderMan #MarvelComics #OneMoreDayTimestamps:00:00 - Why Marvel Might Revisit One More Day00:48 - The Decision That Still Divides Spider-Man Readers02:14 - Ravage's Powers Don't Prove a Reversal03:34 - What Marvel's “1 Day” Teaser Actually Tells Us05:06 - What Marvel Must Prove06:35 - The Limits of the Evidence07:56 - What Marvel Has to Deliver09:41 - Should Readers and Retailers Buy Into the Theory?11:38 - What to Watch Before June 202713:48 - Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Aquaman proved a character can be a billion-dollar movie star and still not be a monthly comics seller. The first film made $1.152 billion worldwide. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom made about $440 million. Neither number tells you anything about whether readers bought thecomic. That's the gap almost every analysis of this character walks straight past.In this video: why retailer orders measure optimism rather than readership, what the sequel's box-office drop does and doesn't prove, why DC's 2025 Aquaman series is the first honest test in this whole story, and what DC, readers, and retailers should each be doing about it.The core argument is simple. A movie is a complete experience you finish in a few hours. A monthly comic asks you to come back, pay again, and follow a story across months. Those are different products with different asks — and "I liked the movie" has never been the same sentence as "I'll be back in thirty days."Have a question about the business side of comics? Send it to [email protected]:00 Intro0:33 The Assumption Nobody Checks1:35 Attention Is Not Demand3:10 What the sequel actually told us4:00 DC's current Aquaman series is the real test5:40 What this evidence can't prove 6:21 What DC has to prove next 7:24 What readers and retailers should watch 8:22 The forward judgment 9:19 Final Thoughts#comics #DCComics #Aquaman #JasonMamoa #comicbooks #comicalopinions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Comic shops just posted their strongest quarter in years — and monthly comics were only 13% of it. Prana Direct Market Solutions presented Q3 2026 point-of-sale data from 82 tracked comic shops at NYCC Retailer Day on October 7, and the numbers tell two different stories depending on where you look.Revenue rose 25.9% year over year to $17.8 million in register sales.Trading cards and collectible card games drove 36% of that increase.Books and graphic novels drove 22%.Periodical comics drove 13% — and while periodicals still grew 9–11% each quarter of 2026, their share of shop revenue fell from 30.3% to 26.7%.In this video: Why a category can grow in dollars while shrinking in importance.Why Wednesday is no longer the only day that matters to a comic shop.Why a successful launch says nothing about whether a series survives issue seven.What retailers, publishers, and readers should each be doing about it.Chapters:0:00 Intro0:41 One number, two stories1:39 The money has already left monthly comics3:28 Your Wednesday is no longer your business4:43 A launch is not a series6:02 What this report can't tell us6:48 What retailers, publishers, and readers should do8:56 Final Thoughts#comics #Marvel #DCComics #ComicalOpinions #comicshop #comicbooks #comicsales This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com

Marvel just launched the Midnight Universe with Midnight Spider-Man #1, Midnight Fantastic Four #1, and Midnight X-Men #1, and Marvel says the three books generated more than 1 million combined retailer orders.But 1 million orders isn't 1 million readers.In this video, I assess all three Midnight #1s and put Marvel's new horror universe through three tests:• The Universe Test — Do these three books actually feel like one shared universe?• The Horror Engine Test — Does each book establish a horror premise capable of sustaining an ongoing series?• The Commitment Test — Did these #1s give readers a reason to spend another $4.99 on issue #2?The launch strategy is aggressive. Marvel cleared its regular new-comic schedule for October 7 to put the Midnight books in the spotlight, creating an obvious comparison with DC's Absolute Universe strategy. But launch orders measure retailer expectations, not actual readership, sell-through, or long-term retention.So did Marvel build a real horror universe, or did it just build a really big launch?If you're following Marvel comics, Marvel Midnight, Marvel horror comics, the current comic book market, or the competition between Marvel and DC, this is the question that matters: can Marvel turn launch hype into readers who keep coming back?Read our reviews of each title:Midnight Spider-Man #1: https://comicalopinions.com/midnight-fantastic-four-1-review/Midnight X-Men #1: https://comicalopinions.com/midnight-x-men-1-review/Midnight Fantastic Four #1: https://comicalopinions.com/midnight-fantastic-four-1-review/TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Is Marvel's Midnight Universe Actually Building Readers?00:38 — The 1 Million Order Launch02:05 — The Universe Test03:30 — The Horror Engine Test05:22 — The Commitment Test07:50 — The Million-Copy Problem09:14 — The Fair Counterpoint11:48 — What Midnight #2 Has to Prove14:23 — Final Thoughts & Questions for YouWhat do you think?Do the three Midnight books actually feel like one shared horror universe?Which Midnight #1 gave you the strongest reason to come back for #2?Are you putting Midnight on your pull list, or waiting for Marvel to prove this universe has legs?#Marvel #MarvelComics #MidnightUniverse #ComicBooks #ComicBookNews #MarvelHorror #SpiderMan #XMen #FantasticFour #ComicalOpinions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com