The Roosevelts: Two exceptionally influential Presidents of the United States, 5th cousins from two different political parties, and key players in the United States’ involvement in both World Wars. Theodore Roosevelt negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War and won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. He also campaigned for America’s immersion in the First World War. Almost 25 years later, Franklin Delano Roosevelt came into office during the calamitous aftermath of the Great Depression, yet during his 12-year presidency he contributed to the drop in unemployment rates from 24% when he first took office, to a staggering mere 2% when he left office in 1945. Furthermore, the first lady Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged discussion and implementation of women’s rights, World War II refugees, and civil rights of Asian and African Americans even well-after her husband’s presidency and death. Witness the lives of these illustrious figures through this slideshow, and take a look at the first half of 20th century American history through the lives of the Roosevelts.

The post A visual history of the Roosevelts appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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American higher education is at a crossroads. The cost of a college education has made people question the benefits of receiving one. We asked Goldie Blumenstyk, author of American Higher Education in Crisis? What Everyone Needs to Know to help us separate fact from fiction.

True or False? It doesn’t pay to go to college.

False: Generally speaking, college is still worth the money in the long run. According to the latest figures from the College Board, the median earnings for a person with a bachelor’s degree was 65% greater than those for someone with just a high-school diploma over a 40-year working career. Those with associate degrees, typically earned in community or technical colleges, had earnings that were 27% higher. What’s more, the job market of the future will continue to offer more opportunities to those with post-secondary education. By 2020, experts predict two-thirds of jobs will require at least some education and training beyond the high school level. Forty years ago, only about 28% of jobs required that higher level of education.

It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to go to college.

False: While there are colleges that charge upwards of $50,000 a year for tuition, room, and board (at least 175 of them, counting the half-dozen or so public universities that charge their out-of-state students that much) most colleges cost a lot less. Last year half of all four-year public-college students attended an institution where the annual in-state tuition rate was below $9,011. Some 85 percent of them attended a college where tuition charges were below $15,000. Private colleges charge more but with student aid from the federal and state governments and the colleges themselves, the price students actually pay is often substantially lower than the “sticker price.” Last year the average “net price” at a four-year private college was $12,460. And the average tuition at community colleges, where about four out of ten undergraduates now attend college, was about $3,300 a year.

Student debt is unmanageable.

True (and False): About 40 million Americans now carry student-loan debt and for many of them, particularly recent graduates struggling to get established in a tough job market, student-debt burdens are a real challenge. That’s evidenced by the rising rate of defaults on student loans. But according to the latest data from Project on Student Debt, for students graduating from college with debt, those who attended four-year public colleges had an average debt burden of $25,500. For comparison sake, a new Ford Focus automobile costs anywhere from about $17,000 to $35,000, depending on the options. The average debt level for graduates from four-year private colleges was $32,300. About 40% of student debt is for balances smaller than $10,000, according to the College Board.

Of all the factors that have propelled college prices up faster than the costs of most other goods and services over the past for 40 years, the cost of all those tenured professors isn’t one of them.

True: Actually, while college costs have been rising, the proportion of faculty members who are tenured professors, or on track to be considered for tenure, has shrunk precipitously during the same period. In the mid-1970s according to the American Association of University Professors, about 45% of all faculty members were tenured or on the tenure track; today only about one-quarter of them are. Full-time professors are well paid, but colleges now increasingly rely on faculty members who they hire annually, adjunct professors who they pay only about $2,700 per course, on average, and graduate teaching assistants. Meanwhile, factors that do seem to more directly drive up costs and prices include: growing numbers of administrators, new facilities, major reductions in state support, and the costs for student aid.

Online education takes place primarily at for-profit colleges like the University of Phoenix and DeVry University.

False: For-profit colleges like those were among the first to use distance education-technologies to expand their enrollments, but online education is now increasingly commonplace in more traditional public and private colleges. According to the latest available data, more than five million students — about a quarter of the student population — took at least one course that was fully or partly online in fall 2012. About half of them took a class that was exclusively online. The medium, however, still seems more popular for certain fields of study. For both graduate and undergraduate education, the most common courses and degrees offered via distance education are in business, marketing, computer- and information-technologies, and health-related fields. In the future, students can expect to see more and more classes that use distance-education technology in a hybrid format, mixing face-to-face instruction with online components.

Headline image credit: Graduation By Tulane Public Relations, CC-BY-2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The post True or False: facts and myths on American higher education appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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From time to time, we try to give you a glimpse into work in our office around the globe, so we are excited to bring you an interview with Gemma Barratt, Marketing Manager for clinical medical journals. We spoke to Gemma about her life here at Oxford University Press.

When did you starting working at OUP?

I started working at OUP five years ago in the Online Products department as a Marketing Assistant. I worked on everything from Oxford Scholarship Online and the Oxford English Dictionary, to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and Oxford Reference. I moved to become a Marketing Manager in the Journals End User Marketing team about a year ago and I now work on some of our major Clinical Medicine society titles.

What was your background before you started working at OUP?

I did my undergraduate degree in English literature and then a master’s in gender and culture. I originally planned on becoming an early years teacher, but was encouraged to do the MA instead and never went back! After my masters I volunteered for a number of arts festivals including the Cheltenham Literature Festival and Larmer Tree Festival, and ended up doing a six month marketing internship with Salisbury International Arts Festival.

What drew you to work for OUP in the first place? What do you think about that now?

Following my internship I knew I wanted to work in marketing and I was attracted to OUP because of the size and reputation of the organization, and that’s still true. The work ethos of OUP is something that I really value and if you like working with passionate and driven people this is certainly a good company to be in.

What is your typical day like at OUP?

My typical day is busy and challenging. It can include anything from recruiting new members of staff to troubleshooting issues raised by societies, working on new bids to training — it’s very broad and varied.

What’s the most enjoyable part of your day?

I enjoy being busy and there is always plenty to do. I attend a lot of meetings and for the most part this is one of the things I most enjoy. They are opportunities to troubleshoot issues, share new ideas, and work collaboratively with colleagues.

What are the biggest challenges of working in the Journals End User Marketing team?

One of the biggest challenges is also one of the biggest draws to being part of this team — it’s incredibly busy and there are a lot of people to work with. The work is varied and challenging and you need to be on the ball all the time to make sure that deadlines are met and the societies we work with are happy.

What do you see as the key skills for a marketing team in journals publishing?

To be robust, creative, and not to be afraid to question the way things are done to find better ways of working. Also to be able to juggle and prioritize tasks. There are always new things coming in so it’s important to be flexible. I also think it’s very important to be personable and friendly, as managing relationships within the department, OUP more widely, and externally is a huge part of a marketing team’s role.

What is the most exciting project you have been part of while working for the team?

Probably working on new bids — we work collaboratively with the editorial team and it’s really a chance to showcase what we can do and demonstrate our creative ideas and results.

If you didn’t work in publishing, what would you be doing?

I would probably be doing a PhD — my MA focused on remembrance of World War I through contemporary fiction, so perhaps an extension of that?

How would you sum up your job in three words?

Challenging, rewarding, and creative.

The post Catching up with Gemma Barratt, Marketing Manager appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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It is a well known fact that the Christian church has, in the course of its 2,000-year long history, often been torn with controversy over how to understand those four simple words, ‘This is my body.’

The Orthodox have never been entirely comfortable with the label ‘transubstantiation,’ and at the outset of the Reformation, the Catholic understanding of the Mass was one of the prime issues that provoked Luther to decry the ‘Babylonian captivity’ of the church.

Luther, of course, went on to denounce Zwingli’s view of the Eucharist as vehemently has he had the Catholic one, and slightly later the Reformed followers of Calvin decided that they disagreed with both Luther and Zwingli. The intensity of these debates is understandable in light of the fact that all involved assumed that a correct understanding of the Eucharist had a direct bearing upon the manner in which Jesus was present to his followers.

Was Jesus still here, bringing salvation to his church, or had he departed and left them to get by as well as they could on their own? Defining the nature of this ritual was intrinsically tied to understanding the purpose of this community. Although this story is one often told, the parallels it presents to Christian views on the Bible have often gone overlooked. For the sources of Christian communal identity for the past two millennia include not only a ritual meal but also a written book.

At first this assertion strikes the reader as so obvious it hardly merits mentioning. However, recognizing the importance of this principle accounts for some of the disconnect modern readers of the Bible experience when they attempt to read accounts of scriptural interpretation from late antiquity.

As recounted in Michael Legaspi’s The Death of Scripture and the Rise of Biblical Studies, in the past five hundred years the Bible in the West has undergone a transformation as it was abstracted from its previous home in a unified Christian church and resituated in the context of modern academia.

Such a move would have appeared quite foreign to Christians of an earlier age who assumed that the Bible could not be understood properly apart from grasping its place in the divine plan of salvation centered upon the person of Jesus Christ.

For example, Cyril of Alexandria, the fifth-century bishop of the city that served as the intellectual capital of the Roman world, liked to use a metaphor to explain the Bible’s purpose to his Christian hearers.

In his sermons and writings, he explained the presence of the Bible in the church by stating that Jesus had given this book to his followers, like a shepherd providing his flock with green grass for their nourishment.

Cyril, of course, knew that the Bible was written by countless persons over a vast span of time, and he tried, using the best tools available to him, to attend to that sort of historical detail. But what was most important, in his view, was the fact that when the Bible was read, Jesus himself was present to save, in a manner akin to his presence in the Eucharist.

Whether it was the words of Moses or of the evangelist Mark, when Christians sitting in the basilica in late antique Alexandria heard the scriptures, what they experienced was Jesus himself speaking to them through that myriad of human voices.

And in making this assumption they were following a trajectory already begun in the New Testament itself. Had not the Apostle Paul declared that Christ was speaking in him (2 Cor. 13.3), and did not Jesus himself say that his words were ‘Spirit and life’ (John 6.63)?

For most twentieth-century historians, early Christian exegesis was regarded as unworthy of historical attention due to its failure to attain the standards of modern hermeneutical method.

Imagine the absurd parallel of modern scientists rejecting medieval views on the Eucharist on the basis that those benighted premoderns did not properly understand the chemical composition of bread and wine. Such a dismissal hardly grapples seriously with the way Christians tried to articulate the function of the ritual.

Late antique readers fair somewhat better when seen in their own context. If the Bible is viewed as the written and living voice of Jesus, then the task of interpretation comes to mirror this assumption.

Just as Jesus speaks through the human authors of the Bible, so interpretation must be a process of finding Jesus in those same words, so as to provide spiritual nourishment for Christians seeking to grow in virtue and understanding.

In this way, what Cyril and his contemporaries believed about the Bible determined the way in which they read the Bible as a community, and the consistency of their approach is laudable.

The Bible is open to a great many interpretive approaches, and the plausibility of those methods will always be a product of the community in which the reader is situated. Late antique Christians, who assumed that scripture functioned analogously to the Eucharist, at least managed to find an interpretive method that accorded with their communal experience of this book.

The post ‘This is my word’: Jesus, the Eucharist, and the Bible appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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       They've announced the shortlist for this year's Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books -- looks like interesting stuff (and I hope to get around to reviewing the Philip Ball).
       The winner will be announced 10 November.

       They've announced the longlists for the prix Médicis -- interesting because they also have a foreign-fiction category. Among the titles to make the best foreign book longlist were the ubiquitous Evie Wyld's, Vladimir Lorchenkov's The Good Life Elsewhere, and Mohsin Hamid's How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia.
       Among the authors placing books on the French longlist are Antoine Volodine and Christine Montalbetti.

       (I will also take this opportunity to note yet again how horrific the French-prize sites (or closest approximations thereto) are. For years one could at least rely on the invaluable Prix-littéraires.net for all necessary French literary prize information, so it didn't matter what the official and quasi-official sites looked like, but since that site is no longer being updated the situation has gotten near-hopeless. Get your acts together, folks !)

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Solomonica de Winter's Over the Rainbow.

       De Winter was born in 1997, which makes her the currently youngest author with a title under review at the complete review (and, I suspect, the youngest ever). But what's most noteworthy about this book is that, although written in English, it has not yet been published in English (and doesn't have a US/UK publisher yet, to the best of my knowledge); instead the review relies on the German translation, Die Geschichte von Blue. (A Dutch translation is also forthcoming, as Achter de regenboog.) This makes for a peculiar addition to the index of foreign-language books under review that are not yet available in English .....
       (This isn't entirely unheard of -- for various reason books sometimes aren't/can't (immediately) be published in the language they were written in -- including some written in English. So, for example, Gabriel Josipovici's Only Joking infamously found a German publisher in 2005, but only appeared in English in 2010; Moses Isegawa's first novels were published in Dutch before they came out in English (Snakepit, for example, appearing in Dutch in 1999 and then only in the English it was written in in 2004).)
       Die Geschichte von Blue was published by (Swiss) German publisher Diogenes -- who happen to be the publishers of Solomonica's dad, Leon's, books (11 titles) and Solomonica's mom, Jessica Durlacher's, books (5 titles) -- possibly making them more ... receptive to publishing Moonie's (as she's apparently nicknamed ...) debut.
       As longtime readers know, I have repeatedly expressed surprise that Leon de Winter never caught on in the US -- a couple of his titles have been translated into English (notably the very good Hoffman's Hunger), but, despite spending a great deal of time in the US (where his daughter also went to school -- hence, presumably, her choice of writing in English), he just never figured the place/market out (a stint as a fellow at the Hudson Institute probably didn't help in that regard, either). Jessica Durlacher also seems to have made no inroads whatsoever in the US/UK; it'll be interesting to see if the daughter can (eventually) break the family curse.
       Seven of Leon's books are under review at the complete review, the Leon-Solominca combo is hardly the first time I've read books both by parent and child -- though it may be the first where I've reviewed books by both. But now I'm really eager to read some of Durlacher's work: I don't think I've ever read books by three so closely related family members (siblings, yes, but not relatives of two different generations).

The Original Gone Girl:

longform:

On Daphne du Maurier and her novel, Rebecca.

Carrie Frye | Gawker | Sep 2014

September 19th marks the birthday of Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age. Please join us in wishing Hermione a very happy birthday and in hoping she gets many new books as gifts!

Everyone should  “Listen to JImmy” Palmiotti that is. The veteran writer, artist editor and publisher is one of the most knowledgeable comics people out there.  With his collaborators from Paperfilms, Justin Gray and Amanda Conner, he’s made a small publishing enterprise out of kickstarting a series of graphic novels based on the European album format. The seventh, Sex and Violence  Vol. II is ending in a few days and we advise you to get in on the Amanda Conner/Dave Johnson action as soon as possible — the books will not be sold in any other way. We talked to Palmiotti a few months ago when he was Kickstarting the SF tale Denver and got his overall thoughts on using Kickstarter as a platform. This time out we talk about the storytelling process,finding artists and also find out how Harley Quinn, which he co-writes with Amanda Conner, has become one of DC’s bestselling titles, with a huge female fan base. 

The Beat: Sex and Violence is billed as stories of “crime, lust, and redemption.” Are  these stories that you carried around for a while or did you sit down to think of  them just for this volume? 

Photo by Seth Kushner

Palmiotti: I can’t speak for Justin, but I have had the FILTER story idea for a while and was  at one point going to pitch it as a series, but never got around to it. I reworked  it so it can be enjoyed as a single story with a beginning and an end. The other  short story was something I came up with and thought it might fit perfectly into  the book. A lot of the time story ideas hit me and I keep files on them, waiting for  the right time or opportunity to place them. I have another story that I want to do  and hope we can get to a volume 3 of this series.

The Beat: I know Justin Gray wrote one of the stories, but can you tell us a little about  each of the three stories, and what interested you enough in your two to tell the  tale?

Palmiotti: Justin’s is called RED DOG ARMY and its based on actual history. Hitler  launched a full-scale invasion on Russia called Operation Barabossa, and Stalin,  reacting to this, authorized a special unit to train dogs as anti-tank weapons, sort  of a suicide dog squad. It’s a real interesting setting to tell a story and beautifully  illustrated by Rafa Garres whom we worked a number of time with on Jonah Hex.  The next story is called DADDY ISSUES and is about a mother and daughter  living in a trailer park dealing with the men in their lives. Its got a very tales from  the crypt feel but works perfectly here. Romina Moranelli illustrated it and it’s  just beautiful. The last story is called FILTER and it’s a look back on a killer’s life  and the things he has done to get to where he is today. It’s dark and cruel and  will stay with you for a while, I think. Vanesa R. Del Ray illustrates that story, an  art student I met a couple of years ago that is making a name for herself all over  now. All three stories work together pretty nicely.

The Beat: Your two stories sounds like they have fairly unsympathetic protagonists,  which I know can be a challenge. How do you make dark characters like this  compelling enough for the reader to want to follow along?

Palmiotti: Well, with Daddy Issues, you sort of understand what they are going through, but  in the end, these are killers and you should be scared to be around them. With  Filter, I set out to give the reader an understanding of how someone goes from  bad to worse. The interesting aspect of the story is there is a level or redemption  to the character that makes him a bit more sympathetic. I think the trick is to  humanize the situation into something we can relate to so we understand the  extreme reaction the character takes. Honestly, all of these characters are scary  on their own level.

The Beat: How do you find artists for these? You’ve said it’s like casting, and as a  sometimes editor, I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes you think of an  element of a comics story and an artist just pops into your head with just the  qualities that will make it work. Do you keep a physical or mental folder of artists  you want to work with?

Palmiotti: I actually meet most of them at conventions. They come by and show me  their work and I can feel the enthusiasm. I keep a file and also give them my  contact and hope they follow through and we chat again. The people that I end  up working with are the ones that stay after me and keep sending their latest  samples. I try to stay up as well on who is new and exciting in the field best I  can. I buy just about every new book that comes out, which my local retailer,  Emerald City loves. The casting thing is a perfect way of explaining what I do for  each story, It’s one of the most important parts of the job. I always say the Marvel  Knights gig was all about casting the right people with the right characters. The  magic happens after that.

The Beat: Do you ever write a story for a specific artist?

Palmiotti: All of the time. All three of the stories in Sex and Violence are catered to the  artist. I may have an idea, but once I know who the artist is going to be, I change  it to fit their style. In the case of All Star Western and Jonah Hex, we always  wrote for the artist. I think that’s how we got their best work. Issue 34 of All Star  was made for Darwyn Cooke and once we knew G.I.Zombie was going to be  Scott Hampton, the book took a creepier, grounded tone. I didn’t want to fight  against his style. I also think the work is better for it.

The Beat: I talked with you a few months ago for your Denver Kickstarter and it  sounds like you really have crowdfunding down to a science.   Were there any tweaks to the model this time?

Palmiotti: Yes, I did a few after the Denver Campaign. The first thing I did is stop  offering the expensive packages overseas because we felt the price was  too high to ask for the shipping and to be honest, a lot of the packages got  lost or damaged pretty bad. The next thing was limit the prints because we  felt there wasn’t as big a need for them this time, and last, since this is a  follow up of a series of books, we went back to press and reprinted the first  book with two brand new covers by Amanda Conner and Dave Johnson,  knowing a lot of people did not get the first one that might be backing the  new one.

The Beat: Your Kickstarter books seem to have a very European feel to them and  not just because you often use foreign artists. Is that part of the inspiration  for these books?

Palmiotti: It’s based on my love of European comics and artists. I grew up on Heavy  Metal and with that steady diet; it was bound to have its influence. I also  like to make the books mature audience books, again, a very European  thing. I feel I do a ton of all ages work for the mainstream, so we get to  unleash ourselves here and do whatever works for the story.

The Beat: On another note, Harley Quinn has been a huge hit for DC and for the  Paperfilms crew. I saw you talking recently about the fact that it has a lot  of women readers. I know it’s all still anecdotal for DC but this audience  seems to be one that is really growing quickly. Can you talk about your  own experiences with that?

Palmiotti: Amanda and I have had a very busy year of conventions and signings and  the thing we noticed from working on the Harley book is that the majority  of the people coming up to us are females of all ages. We have only had  this happen once before and it was for the Painkiller Jane series. The cool  thing about this group is that we’ve had a large percentage telling us it’s  the first comic book they ever bought and thanking us for not weighing  down the title with continuity. They say they love that they can just pick up  an issue and enjoy it without going broke or feeling left out and confused  because they haven’t bought 15 other books. It’s something I am always  aware of on all my books because I’m one of those people that, if I feel  lost picking up a book, I never go back to it again.

What we are learning is that the traditional idea of done–in-one stories  not selling in comics just doesn’t apply to the new audience buying the  books, and believe me, most of that new audience are female. I think the problem right now is we have some people running the companies that just aren’t going out and trying new comics or interacting with the next wave of readers and keep pushing things the traditional way they did years ago. The retailers themselves are seeing this happening daily now and I feel it’s the reason Image comics will continue to grow and eventually outsell the big two, unless they start thinking outside the box and just make superheroes a PART of their publishing plan and not the entire thing and start looking at the different ways a superhero type of book can be done. Harley is one example , Hawkeye is another . The traditional graphics people associate comics with have been changing for years now and the market is embracing different looks and styles that are outside the house style and its pretty cool to see.

The thing that keeps me interested in comics is the prospect of new  ideas, new voices and especially new methods of applied technology and  connecting with the audience. It’s what keeps the Paperfilms crew and I  trying new things all the time. As an example, we had a soundtrack scored  on our last book DENVER and people loved it. That and the fact that  people can go to Paperfilms.com and get digital downloads of our books,  prints of Amanda’s work and copies directly from us is the next big for  creators these days. That thing is the connection between the creator and  the fan; something bigger companies have no real interest in promoting.  This is also happening in all media. Things are changing fast, and for me,  all for the better.

The Beat: You’ve made your Kickstarters a real cottage industry, What are your  plans going forward? How many a year do you foresee doing and how long  are you going to keep at it?

Palmiotti: I will keep making Kickstarters for as long as we have an audience for  them. The people that back our Kickstarters are a lot of repeat customers  and we are growing that fan base with every project. Our plans going  forward are to do more of them and take on less work that we just do to  pay the bills. Kickstarter has been a huge learning experience for us in so  many ways. Each project teaches us what the audience wants from us. We  look at the hard numbers, the comments and all the interaction and fine  tune each and every new project to be able to connect better with the fans.  We have only a few days left on SEX AND VIOLENCE VOL. 2 and after  this, we have another book ready to roll that is a western graphic novel,  something you would think we had enough of…but this one is different in a  number of ways and we are super excited to announce it in a few weeks.

Lisa Hix of Collectors Weekly sat down with Trina Robbins and runs through a few chapters of Robbins’ Pretty in Ink, her third history of women cartoonists. The result is an immense article that could function on a primer on the history of women cartoonists going back more than 100 years, starting with Rose O’Neil:

Soon after her strip appeared, O’Neill became the first female staff artist for the humor magazine “Puck,” where she created many single-panel cartoons. She also fell in love and married a gorgeous and lazy heir named Gray Latham. As a successful illustrator and cartoonist, O’Neill was doing quite well financially, when she could keep her spoiled husband away from her money—he would blow her paychecks on gambling and drinking. She divorced him in 1901, and a year later, married a “Puck” editor named Harry Leon Wilson. While they were both artistically productive during their marriage, Wilson’s moody temperament clashed with O’Neill’s bubbly personality, and he hated that she often talked to him in a baby voice.

And on it goes through Grace Drayton, Fiction House, Tarpé Mills, Hilda Terry, Dale Messick, the rise of the superhero, the undergrounds, and on to Ms Marvel. (That’s a page of Mills Miss Fury above and if you can show me a more effectively colored page of comics in any era I’ll eat the paper its printed on.) If you’ve been following Robbins’ comics history research—as I have—you’ll find it a fairly familiar history, but one that once again reminds us that women have always been making and reading comics—which makes the various periods when it was insisted they don’t—and the burial of any previous history of female participation—all the more troubling and exasperating.

While this piece serves as a nice summation of the best known female comics artists from about the 1890s to the 1970s, it isn’t the whole story. I’m still waiting for the important women behind the scenes to get written into the history books. Folks like Ruth Roche, who wrote comics for the Eisner-Iger studio, and then joined Iger as partner after Eisner left. While not negating the importance of Will Eisner to comics history, the studio was then known as the Roche-Iger Studio and that’s gotta count for something. Roche was such a seminal figure in comics that Trina Robbins and Catherine Yronwode dedicated their book, Women in the Comics, to Roche…in 1985!

I’ve mentioned romance writer and DC editor Dorothy Woolfolk a few times here; surely her story must be an interesting one. Or Helen Meyer, the most successful comics publisher of all times in the US. As editor of Dell Comics she was not only one of the most powerful women in comics, but in all of publishing. Meyer testified in front of the Kefauver Commission, and while Bill Gaines delivered a legendarily painful performance, hers was polished and professional, even if she was willing to throw horror (and freedom of expression) under the bus.

Anyway, these three women and more are beginning to get mainstreamed into the pages of orthodox comics history. But even in researching this brief blog post, I was struck by how Sisyphean the struggle of women is. In Roche’s bio she’s called a pioneer, even though O’Neill and Brinkley were making comics a mere 30 years prior. It’s amazing how just about every woman becomes a “pioneer,” no matter how many have done the same thing before. Perhaps in the modern era of massive achievement by female cartoonists we can admit that they aren’t the first, and they won’t be the last.

Hix’s article ends sweetly with Robbins signing at this years SDCC with Lily Renee, another one of the Fiction House lady squad…I can’t improve on it so I’ll swipe it, with a photo taken for The Beat by Bruce Lidl.

Attendees at the 2013 Lagos Comic Con

A panel at last years Lagos Comic Con

By Deji Bryce Olukotun

[Editor's note: At The Beat we're always trying to cover little known and emerging comics scenes, tus we're excited to present this look at the Nigerian comics scene and this weekend's Lagos Comic Con. For those who think Africa is all about ebola, think again.]  

Nigeria may be wracked by Boko Haram and the threat of the dreaded Ebola virus, but the entertainment industry is booming in the largest economy in Africa. The Nigerian film industry, popularly called Nollywood, sells an estimated $800 million in mostly straight-to-video movies every year. What the films lack in production quality, they make up for in verve and melodrama–it’s hard not to get sucked into watching one if you happen upon one on television. The country also boasts a thriving independent press, and internet penetration is rapidly rising as the government pushes out broadband. Books, too, remain popular, led by the public intellectual and Nobel Prize Winner Wole Soyinka and the emergence of the national $100,000 NLNG Nigeria Prize– although a recent decision by the Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to place a crippling tax on imported texts has limited their availability. Piracy is also a problem. On my recent trip to Nigeria, I purchased a few CDs at what appeared to be a fancy music store and they all turned out to be pirated, and even the distributors of Nollywood films pirate the films they are supposed to be selling.

The comics scene in Nigeria has been thriving since the 1980s, but has yet to burst into the mainstream. There are tastes of what may soon emerge as youth in Nigeria fully embrace the internet—check out this sci-fi short on YouTube here, which includes an animated spaceship—but comics are still an emerging industry. On Friday, the third annual Lagos Comic Con will launch in the commercial capital of 20 million people. I corresponded with comics creator and co-founder Ayodele Elegba about the event, where we wrote about attractions, popular comics, Ebola, and cosplay.

Q: How did the Lagos Comicon get started?

Elegba: The Lagos Comic Con began in 2012 when I realized that the comic medium was not appreciated by the Nigerian public like it used to be in the 80s while I was growing up. I had previously published a newsletter to raise awareness about the scene but the response was low and people kept asking me where they could get comic books and if there were comics created by Nigerians. I wanted to debunk the myth and show people that Nigerian Comics do exist and that we have comic artists and writers here in Nigeria. That was when I decided to start the Lagos Comicon, with no funds but a dream to make it an international festival.

Q: What will you have at the event?

Elegba: This year the event is much bigger because we have included other genres of entertainment such as movies, games, and animations, which are like an extension of comic books. We will have a Comic Zone, where you can buy Nigerian Comics and meet African creators. We also have Nollywood Village: this is where you can buy Nigerian-made movies with an action/comics bent and meet A-list Nigerian film stars and music celebrities. We have the Game Zone, where we’ll run a competition this year called “Battle of the Game Lords,” where gamers will compete for a prize of over US$2000. We have an Arts and Culture Zone where we showcase fine arts, sculptures, paintings, and the beautiful culture of the Nigeria. We have a workshop session with 12 speakers who will talk about various genres of entertainment. Finally, we have the Kids Zone, where kids can play and have fun while their parents shop. We also have other segments like karaoke, exhibitions, dance performances and music performances from pop stars.

Q: What are some of the most popular themes in Nigerian comics (e.g. scifi, history, romance, adventure)?

Elegba: The most popular themes right now in Nigerian comics are magical or cultural, though we have superhero comics and military comics too.

Q: Are there any topics that you won’t find in other countries? For example, there is a series on President Goodluck Jonathan.

Elegba: Well Nigeria is unique, and there is a particular comic called Central Attack which deals with the issue of Boko Haram, the terrorist group in Nigeria.

[Interviewer’s Note: Central Attack depicts an elite government strike team that protects the country against the militant Islamic sect Boko Haram. You can read more about it here.]

Q: Who are the most popular comic book authors and writers?

Elegba: The most popular comic book artists are Ibrahim Ganiyu, Jide Olusanya, Stanley Obende, Mohammed Agbadi and many more. Writers include myself Ayodele Elegba, Wisdom Omon, Niyi, and Niran Adeniji.

Q: Piracy is a problem in Nigeria for fiction authors and for films. Is this an issue for comics in Nigeria?

Elegba: Right now there is no piracy in comics. Piracy dwells on the financial success of a products. Comics don’t have that yet.

Q: Will scares about Ebola cause any issues for attendance?

Elegba: I don’t think so. The Ebola scare has been well curbed by the Nigerian government and so far all cases of Ebola infections have been effectively quarantined and taken care of. We have also put in place measures for hand washing and sanitization at the event. We will be checking everyone’s temperature as they go into the hall.

Q: How is the internet affecting the comics scene in Nigeria? Can you buy local comics online?

Elegba: The internet is a developing media in Nigeria, but so far Nigerian comics are doing well. We have about five indigenous online comic stores in Nigeria now.

Will there be any cosplay?

Elegba: Sure, what’s a comic con without cosplay? There will be cosplay and there will be prizes for the winners.

[Deji Bryce Olukotun (@dejiridoo) is the author of Nigerians in Space, a thriller out now from Unnamed Press. www.returnofthedeji.com]

by Jason Enright

This was a tough month for Marvel. Original Sin is ending and none of their other events have really started yet. They also don’t have any real high profile series launches. So there are no books that really pop. There is a lot of attrition this month. Of the 72 books that also had an issue last month, only 12 saw growth in their numbers. That leaves 60 books that dropped in sales. 39 books dropped more than 5% or what might be considered a standard attrition. Luckily there are several major events coming soon which will drive sales up and a lot of books will be relaunching after these events which always bumps up the numbers at least temporarily. It is worrying however, that there are several series that just relaunched a year or for some 6 months ago and are already in trouble again. Let’s look at a breakdown of what came out this month:

76 books in total

11 double shipped books
5 X-Men books (7 if you count X-Factor and X-Force)
7 Avengers books (8 if you count the Ultimates)
5 100th Anniversary specials
11 Original Sin and Original Sin Tie-In books

1 titles over 100,000 copies
2 titles between 75,000 and 100,000 copies
9 titles between 50,000 and 75,000 copies
35 titles between 25,000 and 50,000 copies
29 titles under 25,000
2 $5.99 books
4 $4.99 books
64 $3.99 books
6 $2.99 books

Now let’s dive into the deep end with these numbers.

Thanks as always to ICV2.com and Milton Griepp for their permission to use these figures.
—

2. Amazing SPIDER-MAN
08/04  Am Spi #511  –  88,120
08/09  Am Spi #603  -	70,976
08/11  Am Spi #668  -	57,533
08/12  Am Spi #692  -  91,071
---
08/13  Superior #15 -  78,636 (  -2.7%)
08/13  Superior #16 -  78,087 (  -0.7%)
09/13  Superior #17 -  89,118 ( +14.1%)
09/13  Superior #18 -  80,178 ( -10.0%)
10/13  Superior #19 -  83,671 (  +4.4%)
10/13  Superior #20 -  85,309 (  +2.0%)
11/13  Superior #21 -  74,940 ( -12.2%)
11/13  Superior #22 -  81,250 (  +8.4%)
12/13  Superior #23 -  77,105 (  -5.1%)
12/13  Superior #24 -  76,131 (  -1.3%)
01/14  Superior #25 -  77,311 (   1.5%)
01/14  Superior #26 -  72,591 (  -6.1%)
02/14  Supr #27.Now -  86,405 (  19.0%)
02/14  Superior #28 -  75,477 ( -12.6%)
03/14  Superior #29 -  76,568 (   1.4%)
03/14  Superior #30 -  75,431 (  -1.5%)
04/14  Superior #31 – 135,484 (  79.6%)[13,234]
04/14  Amazing v3 #1- 532,586 ( 293.1%)[23,871]
05/14  Amazing v3 #2- 123,945 ( -76.7%)
06/14  Amazing v3 #3- 109,029 ( -12.0%)
07/14  Amazing v3 #4- 117,917 (   8.2%)O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Amazing v3 #5- 101,655 ( -13.8%)O.S. Tie-In
---
6 mnth  (  17.6%)
1 year  (  30.2%)
2 year  (  12.0%)
3 year  (  76.7%)
5 year  (  43.2%)
10 year (  15.4%)

Spider-Man drops 16k despite being an original sin tie-in. However, the wall-crawler stayed above 100k which is still good. This is really good considering that Spider-Verse is coming soon, which will likely help keep this book’s numbers high for the next few months.

3. Original Sin #0
04/14  Original Sin #0 -  73,024 [6,166] 
05/14  Original Sin #1 - 147,045  (101.4%)
05/14  Original Sin #2 -  92,643  (-37.0%)
06/14  Original Sin #3 –  93,351  (  0.8%)
06/14  Original Sin #4 -  88,508  ( -5.2%)
07/14  Original Sin #5 -  91,420  (  3.3%)
07/14  Original Sin #6 -  89,324  ( -2.3%)
08/14  Original Sin #7 -  91,291  (  2.2%)

Original Sin 8 was also solicited for this month but got pushed into the first week of September. This event series has stayed very steady around 90k and bodes well for Marvel’s next event Axis, which is right around the corner.

5. SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN
---
08/13  Superior #15 -  78,636  (  -2.7%)
08/13  Superior #16 -  78,087  (  -0.7%)
09/13  Superior #17 -  89,118  ( +14.1%)
09/13  Superior #18 -  80,178  ( -10.0%)
10/13  Superior #19 -  83,671  (  +4.4%)
10/13  Superior #20 -  85,309  (  +2.0%)
11/13  Superior #21 -  74,940  ( -12.2%)
11/13  Superior #22 -  81,250  (  +8.4%)
12/13  Superior #23 -  77,105  (  -5.1%)
12/13  Superior #24 -  76,131  (  -1.3%)
01/14  Superior #25 -  77,311  (   1.5%)
01/14  Superior #26 -  72,591  (  -6.1%)
02/14  Supr #27.Now -  86,405  (  19.0%)
02/14  Superior #28 -  75,477  ( -12.6%)
03/14  Superior #29 -  76,568  (   1.4%)
03/14  Superior #30 -  75,431  (  -1.5%)
04/14  Superior #31 – 135,484  (  79.6%)[13,234]
08/14  Superior #32 -  87,604  ( -35.3%)
---
6 mnth  (   1.4%)
1 year  (  12.2%)

Continuing the numbering from the Doc-Ock-as-Spidey run that ended in in April, this series serves as the starting point for Spider-verse the upcoming event which will run across several Spider-man books. It pulls in good numbers compared to its second to last issue from March. This concept continues to sell very well for Marvel.

8. Amazing Spider-Man #1.X
05/14  Amazing Spi #1.1  - 116,555 
06/14  Amazing Spi #1.2  -  86,315  (-25.9%)
07/14  Amazing Spi #1.3  -  74,285  (-13.9%)
08/14  Amazing Spi #1.4  -  66,431  (-10.6%)

This Spider-Man year one type story sees another 10% drop. One issue to go and it will probably sell around 55k.

9. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
08/09  Guardians v2 #17 -  27,864
---
08/13  ---
09/13  Guardians v3 #6  -  69,030  ( -37.5%)
10/13  Guardians v3 #7  -  68,647  (  -0.6%)
10/13  Guardians v3 #8  -  63,494  (  -7.5%)
11/13  ---
12/13  Guardians v3 #9  -  57,665  (  -9.2%)
12/13  Guardians v3 #10 -  53,527  (  -7.2%)
01/14  Guardian #11.NOW -  61,111  (  14.7%)
02/14  Guardians v3 #12 -  55,454  (  -9.3%)
03/14  Guardians v3 #13 -  56,764  (   2.4%)
04/14  Guardians v3 #14 -  53,976  (  -4.9%)
05/14  Guardians v3 #15 -  54,332  (   0.7%)
06/14  Guardians v3 #16 -  54,827  (   0.9%)
07/14  Guardians v3 #17 -  62,986  (  14.9%)
08/14  Guardians v3 #18 -  60,657  (  -3.7%) O.S. Tie-In
---
6 mnth  (    9.4%)
5 year  (  117.7%)

Guardians stays above 60k for a second month thanks to help from a cool Alex Ross variant and its tie-in to Original Sin. Plus there’s a little Guardians movie that may be driving increased interest.

12, 22. ALL-NEW X-MEN
---
08/13  All-New X-Men #15 -  73,035  ( -2.4%)
09/13  All-New X-Men #16 -  84,218  (+15.3%)
10/13  All-New X-Men #17 -  82,843  ( -1.6%)
11/13  All-New X-Men #18 -  82,365  ( -0.6%)
11/13  All-New X-Men #19 -  71,044  (-13.7%)
12/13  All-New X-Men #20 -  68,189  ( -4.0%)
01/14  All-New X-Men #21 -  62,876  ( -7.8%)
01/14  All-New #22.NOW   -  76,565  (+21.8%)
02/14  All-New X-Men #23 -  64,625  (-15.6%)
03/14  All-New X-Men #24 -  63,739  ( -1.4%)
04/14  All-New X-Men #25 -  63,827  (  0.1%)
04/14  All-New X-Men #26 -  58,918  ( -7.7%)
05/14  All-New X-Men #27 -  62,269  (  5.7%)
06/14  All-New X-Men #28 -  57,135  ( -8.2%)
07/14  All-New X-Men #29 -  58,817  (  2.9%)
08/14  All-New X-Men #30 -  54,882  ( -6.7%)
08/14  All-New X-Men #31 -  58,535  (  6.7%)
---
6 mnth  (  -9.4%)
1 year  ( -19.9%)

This issue had an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. variant cover that maybe boosted sales a bit, but it also just seems to be pretty steady around 57k. There’s also an upcoming foray into the Ultimate Universe to meet Miles Morales. We’ll see if that helps boost sales.

17. ROCKET RACCOON
07/14  Rocket Raccoon #1 - 293,913  ( --- )[7,738]
08/14  Rocket Raccoon #2 -  56,597  (-80.7%)

So this reads like a huge drop, but it was also because the #1 issue did so well. Remember as well that 100k issues of #1 were ordered by LootCrate as a one-time offer. So really this should read as a 70% drop instead of 80%. There were re-orders on issue 1, so some stores sold out as well. It will be interesting to watch this series over the next few months, will it drop quickly, or will it steady out around 40-50k?

23. AVENGERS
08/11  Avengers v4 #16 –  60,295
08/12  Avengers v4 #29 -  61,653
---
08/13  Avengers v5 #17 -  68,962  (  -5.3%)
08/13  Avengers v5 #18 -  74,697  (  +8.3%)
09/13  Avengers v5 #19 -  92,489  ( +23.8%)
09/13  Avengers v5 #20 -  74,388  ( -19.6%)
10/13  Avengers v5 #21 -  71,751  (  -3.5%)
10/13  Avengers v5 #22 -  70,735  (  -1.4%)
11/13  Avengers v5 #23 -  66,501  (  -6.0%)
12/13  Avengers#24.NOW - 127,466  ( +91.7%)
01/14  Avengers v5 #25 -  65,591  ( -48.5%)
02/14  Avengers v5 #26 –  59,775  (  -8.9%)
03/14  Avengers v5 #27 -  53,966  (  -9.7%)
04/14  Avengers v5 #28 -  52,808  (  -2.1%)
05/14  Avengers v5 #29 -  58,661  (  11.1%)
05/14  Avengers v5 #30 -  57,099  (  -2.7%)
06/14  Avengers v5 #31 -  53,933  (  -5.5%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Avengers v5 #32 -  56,595  (   4.9%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Avengers v5 #33 -  51,874  (  -8.3%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Avengers v5 #34 -  54,413  (   4.9%) O.S. Tie-In
---
6 mnth  (  -9.0%)
1 year  ( -27.2%)
2 year  ( -12.0%)
3 year  (  -9.8%)

So this is the last issue before the Avengers jump forward 8 months into the future and not only wraps up many current storylines but tees up Axis and the 8-month time jump. Also this issue was an Original Sin Tie-in. Also this help boost the book’s sales up and position it nicely for the next arc to do well.

***This is normally where Uncanny X-men would rank, but this month’s issue got pushed back to the first week of September so there are no numbers this month. However, issue 23 did get 5,627 re-orders this month.

25. UNCANNY AVENGERS
---
08/13  Uncanny Avengers #11 - 65,447  ( -4.8%)
09/13  Uncanny Avengers #12 - 73,357  (+12.1%)
10/13  Uncanny Avengers #13 - 60,597  (-17.4%)
11/13  Uncanny Avengers #14 - 60,750  ( +0.3%)
12/13  Uncanny Avengers #15 - 57,035  ( -6.1%)
01/14  Uncanny Avengers #16 - 54,670  ( -4.1%)
02/14  Uncanny Avengers #17 – 53,181  ( -2.7%)
03/14  U Avengers #18.NOW   - 63,516  ( 19.4%)
04/14  Uncanny Avengers #19 – 52,381  (-17.5%)
05/14  Uncanny Avengers #20 – 51,886  ( -0.9%)
06/14  Uncanny Avengers #21 – 49,762  ( -4.1%)
07/14  Uncanny Avengers #22 – 50,253  (  1.0%)
08/14  Uncanny Avengers #23 – 50,974  (  1.4%)
---
6 mnth  (  -4.1%)
1 year  ( -22.1%)

This issue had an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. variant cover and tees up AXIS, which leads to a bit of a sales bump. Interestingly, the next two months will be Axis set-up stories, and then this book goes on hiatus and is essentially replaced by Axis in October.

26, 29. WOLVERINE
08/04  Wolverine v3 #18 –  65,306
08/09  Wolverine v3 #77 -  68,521
08/11  Wolverine v4 #14 -  38,869	 
08/12	 Wolverine #312	 -  41,030	 
---	
08/13  Wolverine v5 #8  -  39,830  (  -3.2%)
09/13  Wolverine v5 #9  -  35,920  (  -9.8%)
10/13  Wolverine v5 #10 -  34,651  (  -3.5%)
11/13  Wolverine v5 #11 -  35,394  (  +2.1%)
12/13  Wolverine v5 #12 -  32,274  (  -8.8%)
01/14  Wolverine v5 #13 -  31,164  (  -3.4%)
02/14  Wolverine v6 #1  -  88,923  ( 185.3%)
02/14  Wolverine v6 #2  -  47,339  ( -46.8%)
03/14  Wolverine v6 #3  -  40,735  ( -14.0%)
04/14  Wolverine v6 #4  -  37,732  (  -7.4%)
04/14  Wolverine v6 #5  -  37,563  (  -0.4%)
05/14  Wolverine v6 #6  -  35,571  (  -5.3%)
05/14  Wolverine v6 #7  -  35,039  (  -1.5%)
06/14  Wolverine v6 #8  -  40,491  (  15.6%)
06/14  Wolverine v6 #9  -  32,333  (   4.5%)
07/14  Wolverine v6 #10 -  47,813  (  12.9%)
08/14  Wolverine v6 #11 -  49,181  (   2.9%)
08/14  Wolverine v6 #12 -  50,570  (   2.8%)
---
6 mnth  ( -43.1%)
1 year  (  27.0%)
2 year  (  23.0%)
3 year  (  30.1%)
5 year  ( -26.2%)
10 year ( -22.6%)

These were the last two issues before September’s Death of Wolverine and the increase in sales and interest has pushed this title back above 50K.

28. DEADPOOL
08/09  Deadpool v3 #14  - 50,210  
08/11  Deadpool v3 #42 -  26,794 
08/12  Deadpool v3 #59 -  28,507 
---
08/13  Deadpool v4 #14 -  45,870  (  -2.4%)
08/13  Deadpool v4 #15 -  46,169  (  +0.7%)
09/13  Deadpool v4 #16 -  45,675  (  -1.1%)
09/13  Deadpool v4 #17 -  45,348  (  -0.7%)
10/13  Deadpool v4 #18 -  47,096  (  +3.9%)
11/13  Deadpool v4 #19 -  44,184  (  -6.2%)
12/13  Deadpool v4 #20 -  43,653  (  -1.2%)
12/13  Deadpool v4 #21 -  43,066  (  -1.3%)
01/14  Deadpool v4 #22 -  41,765  (  -3.0%)
02/14  Deadpool v4 #23 -  41,204  (  -1.3%)
02/14  Deadpool v4 #24 -  41,130  (  -0.2%)
03/14  D'pool #25.NOW  -  48,775  (  18.6%)
03/14  Deadpool v4 #26 -  44,141  (  -9.5%)
04/14  Deadpool v4 #27 -  62,037  (  40.5%)[1,992]
05/14  Deadpool v4 #28 -  45,858  (  26.1%)
05/14  Deadpool v4 #29 -  52,403  (  14.3%) O.S. Tie-In
06/14  Deadpool v4 #30 -  54,072  (  14.3%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Deadpool v4 #31 -  49,930  (  -7.7%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Deadpool v4 #32 -  46,829  (  -6.2%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Deadpool v4 #33 -  50,023  (   6.8%) O.S. Tie-In
---
6 mnth  (  21.6%)
1 year  (   8.3%)
2 year  (  75.0%)
3 year  (  86.7%)
5 year  (  -0.4%)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. variant cover and Original Sin Tie-in equate to a nice bump in sales for this already very popular title.

30. SPIDER-MAN 2099
07/14  Spider-Man 2099 #1 - 90,690  ( --- )[6,461]
08/14  Spider-Man 2099 #2 - 47,512  (-47.6%)

So normally, a title is expected to drop 40% from issue #1 to #2, so this is a bit bigger drop, but there was decent re-order activity on #1 this month, so basically the jury is still out on this book. Plus in a few months it will tie-in with Spider-verse which should boost its sales anyway.

33. ORIGINAL SIN #5.X
---
07/14  Original Sin #5.1 – 48,596
07/14  Original Sin #5.2 – 46,110 (  -5.1%)
08/14  Original Sin #5.3 – 44,139 (  -4.3%)
08/14  Original Sin #5.4 – 42,665 (  -3.3%)

This Original Sin tie-in followed Thor, Loki, and Angela. It ended up selling better than the Thor or Loki books normally do and will hopefully serve as a good lead-in to the new Angela series starting in a few months.

35, 43. NEW AVENGERS
08/09  New Avengers v1 #56 -  89,901  
08/11  New Avengers v2 #14 -  56,035  
08/12  New Avengers v2 #24 -  59,441  
---
08/13  New Avengers v3 #9  -  60,534  (  4.3%)
09/13  New Avengers v3 #10 -  60,682  (  0.2%)
10/13  New Avengers v3 #11 -  63,231  (  4.2%)
11/13  New Avengers v3 #12 -  58,807  ( -7.0%)
12/13  N Avengers #13.INH  -  56,624  ( -3.7%)
01/14  ---
02/14  New Avengers v3 #14 -  50,668  (-10.5%)
03/14  New Avengers v3 #15 -  47,178  ( -6.9%)
03/14  N Avengers #16.NOW  -  48,731  (  0.0%)
04/14  New Avengers v3 #17 -  45,885  ( -5.8%)
05/14  New Avengers v3 #18 -  43,668  ( -4.8%)
06/14  New Avengers v3 #19 -  41,989  ( -3.8%)
06/14  New Avengers v3 #20 -  43,962  ( -0.1%)
07/14  New Avengers v3 #21 -  42,699  (  1.8%)
08/14  New Avengers v3 #22 -  42,797  (  0.2%)
08/14  New Avengers v3 #23 -  40,018  ( -6.3%)
---
6 mnth  ( -21.0%)
1 year  ( -33.9%)
2 year  ( -33.0%)
3 year  ( -28.6%)
5 year  ( -55.5%)

Final 2 issues before this book jumps 8 months into the future, which will hopefully give a nice boost to this book’s sales figures.

45. ORIGINAL SIN #3.X
---
06/14  Original Sin #3.1 – 45,338
07/14  Original Sin #3.2 – 41,756 ( -7.9%)
07/14  Original Sin #3.3 – 40,402 ( -3.2%)
08/14  Original Sin #3.4 – 38,899 ( -3.7%)

This O.S. tie-in was a crossover between Hulk and Iron and sold slightly better than either of them would have on its own.

48. DEADPOOL vs.
04/14  Dpool vs. Carnage #1 – 57,275 [4,497]
04/14  Dpool vs. Carnage #2 – 49,374  (-13.8%)[2,757]
05/14  Dpool vs. Carnage #3 – 46,688  ( -5.4%)
06/14  Dpool vs. Carnage #4 – 47,228  (  1.2%)
07/14  Dpool vs. X-Force #1 -  54,762 ( --- )
07/14  Dpool vs. X-Force #2 -  45,047 (-17.7%)
08/14  Dpool vs. X-Force #3 -  38,471 (-14.6%)

This book is not doing as well as the Carnage series that preceded it. Next month this book wraps up and the Deadpool versus Hawkeye series starts. It will be interesting to see if the downward trend continues.

49. MOON KNIGHT
08/11  Moon Knight v4 #4  -  30,237  
---
03/14  Moon Knight v5 #1  -  58,022 (  --- ) [7,266]
04/14  Moon Knight v5 #2  -  40,885 (-29.5%) [3,621]
05/14  Moon Knight v5 #3  -  42,607 (  4.2%)
06/14  Moon Knight v5 #4  -  40,348 ( -5.3%)
07/14  Moon Knight v5 #5  -  38,630 ( -4.3%)
08/14  Moon Knight v5 #6  -  37,646 ( -2.5%)
---
3 year  ( 24.5%)

Last issue of the critically acclaimed Ellis/Shalvey/Bellaire run on Moon Knight and the sales are still remarkably high. As Ellis and Shalvey move on to their new Image book, this series will be taken over by Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood. Next month should be interesting, will the numbers drop with the new team?

51, 63. INHUMAN 
04/14  Inhuman #1 - 58,309  
05/14  Inhuman #2 - 41,810 ( -28.3%) 
08/14  Inhuman #3 - 37,159 ( -11.1%) 
08/14  Inhuman #4 - 34,215 (  -7.9%)

After a 3 month delay Inhuman returns and honestly the drops aren’t that bad. Still, if Marvel has plans to make the Inhumans as popular as the Guardians of the Galaxy, a book plagued by creative changes and art delays was probably not the way to do it.

53. LEGENDARY STAR LORD
07/14  Leg. Star Lord #1 - 78,501 (---)[6,054]
08/14  Leg. Star Lord #2 - 37,109 (-52.7%)

Pretty big drop for Star Lord issue 2, but there were re-orders on issue 1, so retailers may be making adjustments to their orders still as this books finds its level.

54. DAREDEVIL
08/04  Daredevil v2 #63  – 52,091
08/09  Daredevil    #500 – 73,409
08/11  Daredevil v3 #2   – 40,990
08/12  Daredevil v3 #17  - 38,149 
---
08/13  Daredevil v3 #30 - 35,240  ( +0.9%)
09/13  Daredevil v3 #31 - 36,666  ( +4.0%)
10/13  Daredevil v3 #32 - 34,957  ( -4.7%)
11/13  Daredevil v3 #33 - 32,966  ( -5.7%)
12/13  Daredevil v3 #34 - 32,331  ( -1.9%)
01/14  Daredevil v3 #35 - 32,067  ( -0.8%)
02/14  Daredevil v3 #36 – 31,494  ( -1.8%)
03/14  Daredevil v4 #1  - 76,006  (141.3%)[1,948]
04/14  Daredevil #1.50  - 48,462  (-36.2%)
04/14  Daredevil v4 #2  - 42,811  (-11.7%)
05/14  Daredevil v4 #3  - 39,316  (-8.2%)
06/14  Daredevil v4 #4  - 37,902  (-3.6%)
07/14  Daredevil v4 #5  - 36,825  (-2.8%)
07/14  Daredevil v4 #6  - 37,959  ( 3.1%)
07/14  Daredevil  #0.1  - 33,437
08/14  Daredevil v4 #7  - 36,785  (-3.1%)
---
6 Mnth  (  16.8%)
1 Year  (   4.4%)
2 Year  (  -4.0%)
3 Year  ( -10.3%)
5 Year  ( -49.9%)
10 Year ( -29.4%)

Daredevil has a small drop from last month. This book has stayed right around his 36k level for a long time now.

55. AMAZING X-MEN
08/04  Astonishing X-Men #3  - 145,546  
08/11  Astonishing X-Men #41 -  33,470  
08/12  Astonishing X-Men #53 -  32,268  
---
08/13  Astonishing X-Men #65 -  22,010  (  -2.8%)
08/13  Astonishing X-Men #66 -  21,757  (  -1.1%)
09/13  Astonishing X-Men #67 -  21,044  (  -3.3%)
10/13  Astonishing X-Men #68 -  21,023  (  -0.0%)
11/13  Amazing X-Men v2 #1   - 112,337  (+434.4%)
12/13  Amazing X-Men v2 #2   -  60,870  ( -45.8%)
01/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #3   -  51,431  ( -15.5%)
02/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #4   -  48,161  (  -6.4%)
03/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #5   -  46,242  (  -4.0%)
04/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #6   -  45,095  (  -2.5%)
05/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #7   -  42,512  (  -5.7%)
06/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #8   -  41,613  (  -2.1%)
07/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #9   -  40,562  (  -2.5%)
08/14  Amazing X-Men v2 #10  -  36,405  ( -10.2%)
---
6  mnth  ( -43.7%)
1  year  (  67.3%)
2  year  (  13.0%)
3  year  (   8.8%)
10 year  ( -75.0%)

This is a pretty big drop for the Amazing X-men as they hit the mid-way point of their second arc. This is when a book should be stabilizing, which makes me wonder if stores saw a lot of people dropping the series after the initial arc ended.

56. WOLVERINE ANNUAL
---
08/14  Wolverine Annual #1 – 36,210

This annual sells about as many copies as Wolverine was selling before the countdown to his death started.

57. X-MEN
08/04  X-Men v2 #160 -  91,792  
08/11  X-Men v3 #16  -  43,161  
08/12  X-Men v3 #34  -  33,354  
---
08/13  X-Men v4 #4  -  64,010  (  -1.9%)
09/13  X-Men v4 #5  -  73,357  ( +14.6%)
10/13  X-Men v4 #6  -  71,990  (  -1.9%)
11/13  X-Men v4 #7  -  56,968  ( -20.9%)
12/13  X-Men v4 #8  -  53,201  (  -6.6%)
01/14  X-Men v4 #9  -  49,412  (  -7.1%)
02/14  X-M  #10.Now -  52,486  (   6.2%)
02/14  X-Men v4 #11 -  47,498  (  -9.5%)
03/14  X-Men v4 #12 -  44,135  (  -7.1%)
04/14  X-Men v4 #13 -  42,065  (  -4.7%)
05/14  X-Men v4 #14 -  39,499  (  -6.1%)
06/14  X-Men v4 #15 -  38,271  (  -3.1%)
07/14  X-Men v4 #16 -  38,937  (   1.7%)
07/14  X-Men v4 #17 -  36,255  (  -6.9%)
08/14  X-Men v4 #18 -  35,543  (  -2.0%)
---
6  mnth  ( -28.1%)
1  year  ( -44.5%)
2  year  (   7.0%)
3  year  ( -17.7%)
10 year  ( -61.3%)

This issue was the first from a new creative team that didn’t really get much press at all, so it doesn’t really see any kind of sales boost.

58. HULK
08/04  Incred Hulk v3 #76  - 42,499
08/09  Incred Hulk    #601 - 64,053
08/11  Incred Hulks   #635 – 38,223
08/12  Incred Hulk v4 #12  - 36,860
---
08/13  Indestructible #12  - 43,673  (  -3.5%)
09/13  Indestructible #13  - 41,805  (  -4.3%)
10/13  Indestructible #14  - 40,963  (  -2.0%)
11/13  Indestructible #15  - 37,025  (  -9.6%)
11/13  Indestructible #16  - 35,871  (  -3.1%)
12/13  Hulk #17.INH        - 35,679  (  -0.5%)
01/14  Hulk #18.INH        - 33,056  (  -7.4%)
02/14  Indestructible #19  - 31,192  (  -5.6%)
03/14  Indestructible #20  - 30,042  (  -3.7%)
04/14  Hulk v3 #1          - 73,551  ( 144.8%)
04/14  Hulk v3 #2          - 40,590  ( -44.8%)
05/14  Hulk v3 #3          - 37,639  (  -7.3%)
06/14  Hulk v3 #4          - 35,377  (  -6.0%)
08/14  Hulk v3 #5          - 34,903  (  -1.3%)
---
6 Mnth  (  11.9%)
1 Year  ( -20.1%)
2 Year  (  -5.0%)
3 Year  (  -8.7%)
5 Year  ( -45.5%)
10 Year ( -17.9%)

Gerry Duggan takes over for Mark Wait this issue and sales stayed relatively stable. Over the next few months it will be interesting to see how this affects sales for better or worse.

59. MILES MORALES ULT SPIDER-MAN
08/04  Ult. Spider-Man v1 #64 –  94,684
08/09  Ult. Spider-Man v2 #1  –  85,917
08/12  Ult. Spider-Man v3 #12 -  42,642
---
08/13  Ult. Spider-Man v3 #26 - 32,932  ( -1.0%)
09/13  Ult. Spider-Man v3 #27 - 32,200  ( -2.2%)
10/13  Ult. Spider-Man v3 #28 - 31,462  ( -2.3%)
11/13  Cataclysm USM #1 of 3  - 36,541  (+16.1%)
12/13  Cataclysm USM #2 of 3  - 30,293  (-17.1%)
01/14  Cataclysm USM #3 of 3  - 27,650  ( -8.7%)
02/14  ---
03/14  ---
04/14  Ult. Spider-Man #200   - 41,608  ( 50.5%)
05/14  M.M. Ult Spider-Man #1 - 45,864  ( 10.2%)
06/14  M.M. Ult Spider-Man #2 - 38,231  (-16.6%)
07/14  M.M. Ult Spider-Man #3 - 37,240  ( -2.6%)
08/14  M.M. Ult Spider-Man #4 - 34,836  ( -6.5%)
---
1 year  (   5.8%)
2 year  ( -18.0%)
5 year  ( -59.5%)
10 year ( -63.2%)

The flagship book of the Ultimate line drops a big but is still pretty health compared to its fellow Ultimate books.

62. KICK-ASS 3  [Icon]
08/11  Kick-Ass 2 #3 of 8 - 54,270
---
06/13  Kick-Ass 3 #1 of 8 - 78,035
07/13  ---
08/13  Kick-Ass 3 #2 of 8 - 50,102  (-35.8%)
09/13  Kick-Ass 3 #3 of 8 - 44,540  (-11.1%)
10/13  Kick-Ass 3 #4 of 8 - 40,412  ( -9.3%)
11/13  Kick-Ass 3 #5 of 8 - 38,639  ( -4.4%)
02/14  Kick-Ass 3 #6 of 8 – 39,534  (  2.3%)
03/14  ---
04/14  Kick-Ass 3 #7 of 8 – 38,818  ( -6.9%)
08/14  Kick-Ass 3 #8 of 8 – 34,322  (-11.6%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -13.2%)
1 Year  ( -31.5%)
3 Year  ( -36.8%)

Kick-Ass 3 ends with sales at about half of where it debuted.

64, 67, 68. DEADPOOL DRACULA’S GAUNTLET #1
---
07/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #1 – 40,790
07/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #2 – 38,683 ( -5.2%)
07/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #3 – 37,449 ( -3.2%)
07/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #4 – 36,581 ( -2.3%)
08/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #5 – 33,774 ( -7.7%)
08/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #6 – 32,117 ( -4.9%)
08/14  Deadpool Dracula’s Gauntlet #7 – 31,568 ( -1.7%)

Not bad sales for a reprint of a digital first comic. Plus they are going to be selling the 280-page hardcover for $35. Deadpool is just printing money for Marvel these days.

66. MS. MARVEL
02/14  Ms. Marvel #1 -  50,286  (  --- ) [15,155]
03/14  Ms. Marvel #2 -  38,357  (-23.7%) [3,440]
04/14  Ms. Marvel #3 -  37,140  ( -3.2%)
05/14  Ms. Marvel #4 -  34,839  ( -6.2%)
06/14  Ms. Marvel #5 -  33,795  ( -3.0%)
07/14  Ms. Marvel #6 -  36,041  (  6.6%)
08/14  Ms. Marvel #7 -  32,866  ( -8.8%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -34.6%)

8% drop for this issue but since it had growth last month that means it is very stable. Plus look at this 6-month drop percentage. That is less than most books drop on their second issue. This is one of the most successful new series launches I’ve seen from Marvel. This brand new character sells in the same range as books like Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, and Thor and those books have a huge history with the company and several movies backing them up.

69. SILVER SURFER
08/04  Silver Surfer v5 #12-  20,776  
---
03/14  Silver Surfer v7 #1 -  64,919  (  --- )[2,757]
04/14  Silver Surfer v7 #2 -  39,132  (-39.7%)
06/14  Silver Surfer v7 #3 -  36,075  ( -7.8%)
07/14  Silver Surfer v7 #4 -  32,747  ( -9.2%)
08/14  Silver Surfer v7 #5 -  31,125  ( -5.0%)
---
10 year ( 49.8%)

The drops on Silver Surfer are shrinking. Hopefully it will level out soon.

70. CAPTAIN AMERICA
08/04  Captain America v4 #30  - 38,465  
08/09  Cap America Reborn #2   –125,234  
08/11  Captain America    #2   - 54,384 
08/12  Captain America v6 #16  - 35,155  
---
08/13  Captain America v7 #10 - 39,356  (  -3.5%)
09/13  Captain America v7 #11 - 38,521  (  -2.1%)
10/13  Captain America v7 #12 - 38,684  (  +0.4%)
11/13  Captain America v7 #13 - 36,147  (  -6.6%)
12/13  Captain America v7 #14 - 34,532  (  -4.5%)
01/14  Captain America v7 #15 - 33,433  (  -3.2%)
02/14  Capt AmericaV7 #16.Now – 36,534  (   9.3%)
02/14  Captain America v7 #17 – 33,312  (  -8.8%)
03/14  Captain America v7 #18 – 33,642  (   1.0%)
04/14  Captain America v7 #19 – 34,420  (   2.3%)
05/14  Captain America v7 #20 – 30,341  (  -9.3%)
06/14  Captain America v7 #21 – 30,427  (   0.3%)
07/14  Captain America v7 #22 – 34,563  (  13.6%)
08/14  Captain America v7 #23 – 30,927  ( -10.5%)
---
6 Mnth  (  -7.2%)
1 Year  ( -21.4%)
2 Year  ( -12.0%)
3 Year  ( -43.1%)
5 Year  ( -75.3%)
10 Year ( -19.6%)

Last month’s boost was due to a few variants, so this series is back to where it has stayed the last few months. Cap relaunches in November with a new #1 and a different hero wielding the shield and should see a nice boost to sales.

71. FANTASTIC FOUR
08/04  Fantastic Four #517   – 50,248
08/09  Fantastic Four #570   – 62,335
08/12  Fantastic Four #609   - 36,496
---
08/13  Fantastic Four v5 #11 - 32,665  (  -4.0%)
09/13  Fantastic Four v5 #12 - 31,426  (  -3.8%)
10/13  Fantastic Four v5 #13 - 31,561  (  +0.4%)
11/13  Fantastic Four v5 #14 - 28,679  (  -9.1%)
12/13  Fantastic Four v5 #15 - 27,610  (  -3.7%)
01/14  Fantastic Four v5 #16 - 28,045  (   1.6%)
02/14  Fantastic Four v6 #1  - 65,775  ( 134.5%)
03/14  Fantastic Four v6 #2  - 37,569  ( -42.9%)
04/14  Fantastic Four v6 #3  - 34,930  (  -7.0%)
05/14  Fantastic Four v6 #4  - 33,263  (  -4.8%)
05/14  Fantastic Four v6 #5  - 33,336  (   0.2%)
06/14  Fantastic Four v6 #6  - 33,177  (  -0.5%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Fantastic Four v6 #7  - 33,687  (   1.5%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Fantastic Four v6 #8  - 30,674  (  -8.9%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Fantastic Four v6 #9  - 28,827  (  -6.0%)
---
6 mnth  ( -56.2%)
1 year  ( -11.7%)
2 year  ( -21.0%)
5 year  ( -53.8%)
10 year ( -42.6%)

This series continues to drop and now 6 months after its relaunch is right back at nearly the same number it was at before. It is still solicited for an issue 13 in November with the return of the old costumes. Maybe that will help the sales?

72, 73. WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN
08/12  Wolverine/X-Men #12  - 58,441  
---
08/13  Wolverine/X-Men #34 - 38,473  ( -9.0%)
08/13  Wolverine/X-Men #35 - 38,046  ( -1.1%)
09/13  Wolverine/X-Men #36 - 59,684  (+56.9%)
10/13  Wolverine/X-Men #37 - 57,434  ( -3.8%)
11/13  Wolverine/X-Men #38 - 39,098  (-31.9%)
12/13  Wolverine/X-Men #39 - 39,063  ( -0.1%)
01/14  Wolverine/X-Men #40 - 36,855  ( -5.7%)
02/14  Wolverine/X-Men #41 – 35,800  ( -2.9%)
02/14  Wolverine/X-Men #42 – 35,392  ( -1.1%)
03/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #1  - 54,675  ( 54.5%)
03/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #2  - 40,386  (-26.1%)
04/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #3  - 36,407  ( -9.9%)
05/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #4  - 33,521  ( -7.9%)
06/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #5  - 32,511  ( -3.0%)
07/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #6  - 32,995  (  1.5%)
08/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #7  - 30,409  ( -7.8%)
08/14  Wolver/X-Men v2 #8  - 29,795  ( -2.0%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -16.8%)
1 Year  ( -22.6%)
2 Year  ( -49.0%)

This book drops a little but for the most part is relatively stable. It was recently announced that after Death of Wolverine, this series will be replaced by a new book called Spider-Man and the X-men where the wall crawler takes on a guidance counselor role at the Jean Grey School. Wolverine and the X-Men wraps up in November with issue 12.

74. Magneto
---
03/14  Magneto #1 – 55,337
04/14  Magneto #2 – 35,772  (-35.4%)[2,297]
05/14  Magneto #3 – 35,504  ( -0.7%)
05/14  Magneto #4 – 33,070  ( -6.9%)
06/14  Magneto #5 – 32,837  ( -0.7%)
07/14  Magneto #6 – 32,675  ( -0.5%)
07/14  Magneto #7 – 31,001  ( -5.1%)
08/14  Magneto #8 – 29,727  ( -4.1%)

This series should hopefully get a boost with some Axis tie-in issues coming up soon. It is not in trouble but could use help leveling out before it gets too low.

77. ORIGINAL SINS
---
06/14  Original Sins #1 – 39,660
06/14  Original Sins #2 – 36,099 ( -9.0%)
07/14  Original Sins #3 – 34,686 ( -3.9%)
07/14  Original Sins #4 – 32,076 ( -7.5%)
08/14  Original Sins #5 – 29,250 ( -8.8%)

This book was a Young Avengers tie-in to Original Sin, but wasn’t solicited as one until issue 3 to preserve its secrets. I for one would have bought it if I knew it was Young Avengers. Still it sold pretty decently.

83. NOVA SPECIAL
---
08/14  Nova Special #1 – 26,743

This special is a crossover with Uncanny X-men and Iron Man and it sells a bit better than the main Nova book.

86. PUNISHER
08/04  Punisher v7 #10 – 45,397
08/09  Punisher v8 #8  – 33,022
08/11  Punisher v9 #2  - 42,459
08/12  Punisher v9 #14 - 22,046
---
09/13  Trial #1 of 2   - 22,626
10/13  Trial #2 of 2   - 20,143  (-11.0%)
11/13  ---
12/13  ---
01/14  ---
02/14  Punisher v10 #1 – 54,558  (   --- )
02/14  Punisher v10 #2 – 31,709  ( -41.9%)
03/14  Punisher v10 #3 – 29,636  (  -5.6%)
04/14  Punisher v10 #4 – 28,435  (  -5.0%)
05/14  Punisher v10 #5 – 27,471  (  -3.4%)
06/14  Punisher v10 #6 – 26,606  (  -3.1%)
06/14  Punisher v10 #7 – 26,192  (  -1.6%)
07/14  Punisher v10 #8 – 25,957  (  -0.9%)
08/14  Punisher v10 #9 – 25,876  (  -0.3%)
---
6 mnth  ( -52.6%)
2 year  (  17.0%)
3 year  ( -39.1%)
5 year  ( -21.6%)
10 year ( -43.0%)

Punisher has been pretty stable since June, which is great.

87. Nightcrawler
04/14  Nightcrawler #1 – 49,426
05/14  Nightcrawler #2 – 35,356 (-28.5%)
06/14  Nightcrawler #3 – 31,743 (-10.2%)
07/14  Nightcrawler #4 – 27,990 (-11.8%)
08/14  Nightcrawler #5 – 25,627 ( -8.4%)

Continued drops like this are not good for Nightcrawler.

88. STORM
---
07/14  Storm #1 – 47,566
08/14  Storm #2 – 25,268 ( -46.9%)

That is a big drop for Storm, which is pretty troubling.

90. BLACK WIDOW
01/14  Black Widow #1 - 53,879
01/14  Black Widow #2 - 31,260  ( -42.0%)
02/14  Black Widow #3 – 28,127  ( -10.0%)
03/14  Black Widow #4 – 27,378  (  -2.7%)
04/14  Black Widow #5 – 27,055  (  -1.2%)
05/14  Black Widow #6 – 26,136  (  -3.4%)
06/14  Black Widow #7 – 25,423  (  -2.7%)
07/14  Black Widow #8 – 24,555  (  -3.4%)
08/14  Black Widow #9 – 24,885  (   1.3%)
---
6 Mnth  (  -11.5%)

Black Widow has actually very stable around 24-25k since June, which is pretty good.

91. SAVAGE HULK
---
06/14  Savage Hulk #1 – 44,177
07/14  Savage Hulk #2 – 31,194 ( -29.4%)
08/14  Savage Hulk #3 – 24,774 ( -20.6%)

There just doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in these anthology books from Marvel.

94. NOVA
08/09  Nova v4 #28 - 27,010
---
08/13  Nova v5 #7  - 31,937  ( -6.7%)
09/13  Nova v5 #8  - 37,767  (+18.3%)
10/13  Nova v5 #9  - 32,323  (-14.4%)
11/13  Nova v5 #10 - 32,716  ( +1.2%)
12/13  Nova v5 #11 - 27,982  (-14.5%)
01/14  Nova v5 #12 - 25,043  ( -10.5%)
02/14  Nova#13.Now – 26,147  (   4.4%)
03/14  Nova v5 #14 – 23,459  ( -10.3%)
03/14  Nova v5 #15 – 22,996  (  -2.0%)
04/14  Nova v5 #16 – 22,020  (  -4.2%)
05/14  Nova v5 #17 – 21,652  (  -1.7%)
06/14  Nova v5 #18 – 25,875  (  19.5%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Nova v5 #19 – 24,580  (  -5.0%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Nova v5 #20 – 24,377  (  -0.8%) O.S. Tie-In
---
6 Mnth  (  -6.8%)
1 Year  ( -23.7%)
5 Year  (  -9.7%)

The Original Sin tie-in has helped this book a lot. It will be interesting to see if it drops a lot next month or if the tie-in helped it find new readers.

95. Iron Fist: Living Weapon
08/04  Iron Fist #5    -  17,985  
---
04/14  Iron Fist LW #1 -  53,613 (  --- )[2,350]
05/14  Iron Fist LW #2 -  33,643 ( -37.2%)
06/14  Iron Fist LW #3 -  29,816 ( -11.4%)
07/14  Iron Fist LW #4 -  26,147 ( -12.3%)
08/14  Iron Fist LW #5 -  24,178 (  -7.5%)
---
10 year (34.4%)

This series continues to drop and could be in trouble in a few months.

99.  AVENGERS WORLD
01/14  Avengers World #1 - 86,727
01/14  Avengers World #2 - 53,693  (-38.1%)
02/14  Avengers World #3 – 39,999  (-25.5%)
03/14  Avengers World #4 – 34,397  (-14.0%)
04/14  Avengers World #5 – 31,110  ( -9.6%)
05/14  Avengers World #6 – 28,969  ( -6.9%)
06/14  Avengers World #7 – 27,854  ( -3.8%)
06/14  Avengers World #8 – 26,912  ( -3.4%)
07/14  Avengers World #9 – 24,771  ( -8.0%)
07/14  Avengers World #10– 24,196  ( -2.3%)
08/14  Avengers World #11– 23,493  ( -2.9%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -41.3%)

Not a huge drop but still falling and still solicited through issue 15 in November.

100. CYCLOPS
---
05/14  Cyclops #1 – 47,468
06/14  Cyclops #2 – 31,132 ( -34.4%)
07/14  Cyclops #3 – 25,925 ( -16.7%)
08/14  Cyclops #4 – 23,305 ( -10.1%)

Cyclops continues to drop a lot of issues each month, which is very troubling. It needs to stabilize soon.

102. SHE-HULK
08/04  She-Hulk v1  #6  - 24,752
---
02/14  She-Hulk #1      - 41,921  (  --- )[3,270]
03/14  She-Hulk #2      - 26,675  (-36.3%)
04/14  She-Hulk #3      - 27,398  (  2.7%)
05/14  She-Hulk #4      - 25,543  ( -6.8%)
06/14  She-Hulk #5      - 24,736  ( -3.2%)
07/14  She-Hulk #6      - 23,562  ( -3.2%)
08/14  She-Hulk #7      - 22,883  ( -2.9%)
---
6 Mnth   (-45.4%)
10 Year  ( -7.6%)

She-Hulk’s drops are shrinking but it is already pretty low, which stinks as this is actually a very entertaining book.

104. MIGHTY AVENGERS
08/09  Mighty Avengers   #28 -  61,258  
---
09/13  Mighty Avengers v2 #1 - 101,921
10/13  Mighty Avengers v2 #2 -  54,862  (-46.2%)
11/13  Mighty Avengers v2 #3 -  42,210  (-23.1%)
12/13  Mighty Avengers v2 #4 -  35,740  (-15.3%)
01/14  Mighty Avengers#5.INH -  30,251  (-15.4%)
02/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #6 -  27,195  (-10.1%)
02/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #7 -  26,512  ( -2.5%)
03/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #8 -  24,933  ( -6.0%)
04/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #9 -  23,903  ( -4.1%)
05/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #10 - 28,711  ( 20.1%)
06/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #11 - 26,221  ( -8.7%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #12 - 24,851  ( -5.2%) O.S. Tie-In
08/14  Mighty Avengers v2 #13 - 22,490  ( -9.5%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -15.2%)
5 Year  ( -63.3%)

This is going to be relaunched in November to include the new Captain America which will hopefully help its sales.

106. X-FORCE
08/04  X-Force v2 #1  - 66,621  
08/09  X-Force v3 #18 - 56,362  
08/11  X-Force v4 #14 - 50,770 
08/12  X-Force v4 #30 - 44,918  
---
08/13  X-Force v5 #10 - 35,329  ( -4.5%)
09/13  X-Force v5 #11 - 36,186  ( +2.4%)
10/13  X-Force v5 #12 - 32,559  (-10.0%)
10/13  X-Force v5 #13 - 30,567  ( -6.1%)
11/13  X-Force v5 #14 - 28,885  ( -5.5%)
12/13  X-Force v5 #15 - 27,567  ( -4.6%)
01/14  X-Force v5 #16 - 27,701  (  0.5%)
01/14  X-Force v5 #17 - 27,319  ( -1.4%)
02/14  X-Force v6 #1  - 47,427  ( 73.6%)
03/14  X-Force v6 #2  - 33,079  (-30.3%)
04/14  X-Force v6 #3  - 29,541  (-10.7%)
04/14  X-Force v6 #4  - 28,067  ( -5.0%)
05/14  X-Force v6 #5  - 26,215  ( -6.6%)
06/14  X-Force v6 #6  - 24,358  ( -7.1%)
07/14  X-Force v6 #7  - 23,675  ( -2.8%)
08/14  X-Force v6 #8  - 22,299  ( -5.8%)
---
6 mnth  ( -53.0%)
1 year  ( -36.9%)
2 year  ( -50.0%)
3 year  ( -56.1%)
5 year  ( -60.4%)
10 year ( -66.5%)

X-Force continues to drop and is now 5k below where it was last time it was relaunched only 6 months ago.

110. ALL-NEW X-FACTOR
08/09  X-Factor #47    - 33,017  
08/11  X-Factor #224   - 23,681  
08/12  X-Factor #242   - 22,782  
---
08/13  X-Factor #260   - 19,982  ( -0.4%)
08/13  X-Factor #261   - 19,781  ( -1.0%)
09/13  X-Factor #262   - 20,382  ( +3.0%)
10/13  ---
11/13  ---
12/13  ---
01/14  X-Factor v4 #1  - 45,727  (
01/14  X-Factor v4 #2  - 32,228  ( -29.5%)
02/14  X-Factor v4 #3  - 29,915  (  -3.2%)
03/14  X-Factor v4 #4  - 27,337  (  -8.6%)
03/14  X-Factor v4 #5  - 26,656  (  -2.5%)
04/14  X-Factor v4 #6  - 26,029  (  -2.4%)
05/14  X-Factor v4 #7  - 24,873  (  -4.4%)
05/14  X-Factor v4 #8  - 24,283  (  -2.4%)
06/14  X-Factor v4 #9  - 23,720  (  -2.3%)
07/14  X-Factor v4 #10 - 22,563  (  -4.9%)
07/14  X-Factor v4 #11 - 22,428  (  -0.6%)
08/14  X-Factor v4 #12 - 21,352  (  -4.8%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -28.6%)
1 Year  (   7.9%)
2 Year  (  -6.0%)
3 Year  (  -9.8%)
5 Year  ( -35.3%)

X-Factor continues to drop as well.

111. CAPTAIN MARVEL
08/09  Ms. Marvel #44        - 25,523  
08/12  Captain Marvel #3     - 27,649  
---
08/13  Captain Marvel v6 #15 - 23,511  (+21.7%)
09/13  Captain Marvel v6 #16 - 22,845  ( -2.8%)
10/13  ---
11/13  Captain Marvel v6 #17 - 18,173  (-20.5%)
12/13  ---
01/14  ---
02/14  ---
03/14  Captain Marvel v7 #1  - 44,248  
04/14  Captain Marvel v7 #2  - 28,008 (-36.7%)
05/14  Captain Marvel v7 #3  - 26,057 ( -7.0%)
06/14  Captain Marvel v7 #4  - 24,062 ( -7.7%)
07/14  Captain Marvel v7 #5  - 23,666 ( -1.6%)
08/14  Captain Marvel v7 #6  - 21,221 (-10.3%)
---
1 year  (  -9.7%)
2 year  ( -23.0%)
5 year  ( -16.9%)

Captain Marvel drops a bit over 2000 issues this month and creeps towards that 20k mark.

112, 113. THUNDERBOLTS
08/11  Thunderbolts  #162  - 25,990  
---
08/13  Thunderbolts v2 #14 - 30,620  ( +7.3%)
09/13  Thunderbolts v2 #15 - 29,703  ( -3.0%)
10/13  Thunderbolts v2 #16 - 29,334  ( -1.2%)
10/13  Thunderbolts v2 #17 - 28,324  ( -3.4%)
11/13  Thunderbolts v2 #18 - 26,502  ( -6.4%)
12/13  Thunderbolts v2 #19 - 24,959  ( -5.8%)
01/14  Thunderblts #20.NOW - 28,994  ( 16.2%)
01/14  Thunderbolts v2 #21 - 24,293  (-16.2%)
02/14  Thunderbolts v2 #22 – 23,629  ( -2.7%)
03/14  Thunderbolts v2 #23 – 22,701  ( -3.9%)
04/14  Thunderbolts v2 #24 – 22,619  ( -0.4%)
04/14  Thunderbolts v2 #25 – 22,092  ( -2.3%)
05/14  Thunderbolts v2 #26 – 21,771  ( -1.5%)
06/14  Thunderbolts v2 #27 – 21,778  (  0.0%)
07/14  Thunderbolts v2 #28 – 21,652  ( -0.6%)
08/14  Thunderbolts v2 #29 – 21,144  ( -2.3%)
08/14  Thunderbolts v2 #30 – 21,016  ( -0.6%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -11.1%)
1 Year  ( -31.4%)
3 Year  ( -19.1%)

Cancelled with issue #32.

115. ALL NEW GHOST RIDER
08/11  Ghost Rider #1 - 24,440 
---
03/14  All New Ghost Rider  #1  -  50,072 (  --- )[2,567]
04/14  All New Ghost Rider  #2  -  29,429 (-41.2%)
05/14  All New Ghost Rider  #3  -  27,756 ( -5.7%)
06/14  All New Ghost Rider  #4  -  24,627 (-11.3%)
07/14  All New Ghost Rider  #5  -  21,820 (-11.4%)
08/14  All New Ghost Rider  #6  -  20,679 ( -5.2%)
---
3 year (-15.4%)

Ghost Rider gets a new creative team and only a slight drop.

118. SECRET AVENGERS
08/11  Secret Avengers    #15 - 46,712
08/12  Secret Avengers    #29 - 41,653
---
08/13  Secret Avengers v2 #7  - 27,222  (  -5.8%)
08/13  Secret Avengers v2 #8  - 26,150  (  -3.9%)
09/13  Secret Avengers v2 #9  - 24,870  (  -4.9%)
10/13  Secret Avengers v2 #10 - 29,134  ( +17.1%)
11/13  Secret Avengers v2 #11 - 25,326  ( -13.1%)
12/13  Secret Avengers v2 #12 - 23,863  (  -5.8%)
12/13  Secret Avengers v2 #13 - 23,172  (  -2.9%)
01/14  Secret Avengers v2 #14 - 21,372  (  -7.8%)
02/14  Secret Avengers v2 #15 – 20,059  (  -6.1%)
02/14  Secret Avengers v2 #16 – 20,022  (  -0.2%)
03/14  Secret Avengers v3 #1  - 34,036  (  70.0%)
04/14  Secret Avengers v3 #2  - 24,724  ( -27.4%)
05/14  Secret Avengers v3 #3  - 22,860  (  -7.5%)
06/14  Secret Avengers v3 #4  - 21,335  (  -6.7%)
07/14  Secret Avengers v3 #5  - 20,088  (  -5.8%)
07/14  Secret Avengers v3 #6  - 19,435  (  -3.3%)
08/14  Secret Avengers v3 #7  - 20,017  (   3.0%)
---
6 Mnth  (   0.0%)
1 Year  ( -26.5%)
2 Year  ( -48.0%)
3 Year  ( -56.8%)

The only thing different about this issue from the last was that Deadpool guest-starred in it. No variants, or creative team changes… just Deadpool. Apparently, that is enough to boost sales by 3%. This will now be called the Deadpool effect.

120. SAVAGE WOLVERINE
08/13  ---
09/13  Savage Wolverine #8  -  38,208  ( -6.7%)
10/13  Savage Wolverine #9  -  36,451  ( -4.6%)
10/13  Savage Wolverine #10 -  33,627  ( -7.7%)
11/13  Savage Wolverine #11 -  30,338  ( -9.8%)
11/13  Savage Wolverine #12 -  29,739  ( -2.0%)
12/13  Savage Wolverine #13 -  27,490  ( -7.6%)
01/14  Savage #14.NOW       -  30,370  ( 10.5%)
02/14  Savage Wolverine #15 -  25,190  (-17.1%)
03/14  Savage Wolverine #16 -  24,008  ( -4.7%)
04/14  Savage Wolverine #17 -  22,350  ( -6.9%)
05/14  Savage Wolverine #18 -  21,599  ( -3.4%)
05/14  Savage Wolverine #19 -  21,144  ( -2.1%)
06/14  Savage Wolverine #20 -  20,725  ( -2.0%)
07/14  Savage Wolverine #21 -  20,050  ( -3.3%)
08/14  Savage Wolverine #22 -  19,124  ( -4.6%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -24.1%)

Savage doesn’t tie in to the Death of Wolverine at all, so it doesn’t get a sales boost from the extra attention that series is giving the ol’ Canucklehead. Instead it continues its steady decline.

122. ALL-NEW INVADERS
08/04  Invaders #1          - 42,578  
---
01/14  All-New Invaders  #1 - 55,167
02/14  All-New Invaders  #2 – 32,293  (-41.5%)
03/14  All-New Invaders  #3 – 27,329  (-15.4%)
04/14  All-New Invaders  #4 – 22,927  (-16.1%)
05/14  All-New Invaders  #5 – 21,843  ( -4.7%)
06/14  All-New Invaders  #6 – 23,470  (  7.4%) O.S. Tie-In
07/14  All-New Invaders  #7 – 22,332  ( -4.8%) O.S. Tie-In 
07/14  All-New Invaders  #8 – 19,865  (-11.0%) 
08/14  All-New Invaders  #9 – 18,666  ( -6.0%) 
---
6  Mnth  ( -42.2%)
10 Year  ( -56.2%)

As soon as this series O.S. Tie-In issues ended, it dropped right back to the sales decline it had before, completely erasing any good that tie-in did. Invaders is still solicited through issue 12 in November and by that point I imagine it will be around 16k and we’ll be discussing its cancelation or relaunch.

131. Elektra
---
04/14  Elektra #1 -  47,676 (  --- )
05/14  Elektra #2 -  26,612 (-44.2%)
06/14  Elektra #3 -  22,773 (-14.4%)
07/14  Elektra #4 -  19,125 (-16.0%)
08/14  Elektra #5 -  17,209 (-10.0%)

This series was really cool, but just never found its audience in the direct market. It is solicited through November with issue 8 at this point. It will be interesting to see if they give it some wiggle room and see if the first trade helps it find an audience or if they cancel it.

133, 134. All NEW ULTIMATES
08/11  Ult comics Ultimates #1  - 47,630
08/12  Ult comics Ultimates #14 - 30,311
-
08/13  Ultimates v5 #29 -  19,657  ( -1.0%)
09/13  Ultimates v5 #30 -  19,420  ( -1.2%)
10/13  ---
11/13  Cataclysm #1 of 3 - 28,422  (+46.4%)
12/13  Cataclysm #2 of 3 - 24,819  (-12.7%)
01/14  Cataclysm #3 of 3 - 21,705  (-12.5%)
02/14  ---
03/14  ---
04/14  All-New Ult #1   - 30,308  ( 39.6%)
05/14  All-New Ult #2   - 24,165  (-20.3%)
06/14  All-New Ult #3   - 21,898  ( -9.4%)
06/14  All-New Ult #4   - 20,561  ( -6.1%)
07/14  All-New Ult #5   - 18,199  (-11.5%)
08/14  All-New Ult #6   - 16,605  ( -8.8%)
08/14  All-New Ult #7   - 16,654  (  0.3%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -35.3%)
1 Year  ( -15.3%)
2 Year  ( -45.0%)
3 Year  ( -57.4%)

This series (and some could say the Ultimate Universe) has been in trouble sales wise for a while. According to the November solicits, issue #10 begins a 3-issue climax, but the wording is unclear for sure if that means the cancellation of the series.

135. SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN
07/13  Superior Foes #1 - 61,413
08/13  Superior Foes #2 - 34,300  (-44.1%)
09/13  Superior Foes #3 - 30,081  (-12.3%)
10/13  Superior Foes #4 - 26,884  (-10.6%)
11/13  Superior Foes #5 - 23,694  (-11.9%)
11/13  Superior Foes #6 - 21,367  ( -9.8%)
12/13  Superior Foes #7 - 20,858  ( -2.4%)
01/14  ---
02/14  Superior Foes #8 – 19,193  ( -8.0%)
03/14  Superior Foes #9 – 18,620  ( -3.0%)
03/14  Superior Foes #10- 18,437  ( -1.0%)
04/14  Superior Foes #11- 18,143  ( -1.6%)
05/14  ---
06/14  Superior Foes #12- 17,826  ( -1.7%)
07/14  Superior Foes #13- 16,903  ( -5.2%)
08/14  Superior Foes #14- 16,604  ( -1.8%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -13.5%)
1 Year  ( -51.6%)

Issue 17 will be the final issue.

136. MIRACLEMAN
01/14  Miracleman #1 - 52,313
01/14  Miracleman #2 - 36,927  ( -29.4%)
02/14  Miracleman #3 – 25,970  ( -32.6%)  
03/14  Miracleman #4 – 23,557  (  -9.3%)
04/14  ---
05/14  Miracleman #5 – 22,399  (  -4.9%)
05/14  Miracleman #6 – 20,598  (  -8.0%)
06/14  Miracleman #7 – 19,123  (  -7.2%)
07/14  Miracleman #8 – 17,654  (  -7.7%)
08/14  Miracleman #9 – 16,466  (  -6.7%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -36.6%)

Since this is just recolored reprints, I guess Marvel can afford to have it not sell very well.

138. NEW WARRIORS
---
02/14  New Warriors #1  -  45,765  (  --- )
03/14  New Warriors #2  -  26,006  (-43.2%)
04/14  New Warriors #3  -  23,105  (-11.2%)
05/14  New Warriors #4  -  19,900  (-13.9%)
06/14  New Warriors #5  -  18,576  ( -6.7%)
06/14  New Warriors #6  -  18,156  ( -2.3%)
07/14  New Warriors #7  -  17,304  ( -4.7%)
08/14  New Warriors #8  -  16,081  ( -7.1%)
---
6 Mnth  ( -64.9%)

Cancelled with issue 12 in November

139, 140. AVENGERS UNDERCOVER
08/11  Avengers Academy #18  - 24,538  
08/12  Avengers Academy #35  - 26,381  
---
08/13  Avengers Arean #13 - 22,955  ( -4.2%)
08/13  Avengers Arena #14 - 23,204  ( +1.1%)
09/13  Avengers Arena #15 - 22,180  ( -4.4%)
10/13  Avengers Arena #16 - 22,179  ( -0.0%)
11/13  Avengers Arena #17 - 20,744  ( -6.5%)
11/13  Avengers Arena #18 - 20,712  ( -0.2%)
12/13  ---
01/14  ---
02/14  ---
03/14  Avengers Undrcvr #1- 31,936
04/14  Avengers Undrcvr #2- 23,746  (-25.65)
04/14  Avengers Undrcvr #3- 21,830  ( -8.1%)
05/14  Avengers Undrcvr #4- 19,696  ( -9.8%)
06/14  Avengers Undrcvr #5- 18,115  ( -8.0%)
06/14  Avengers Undrcvr #6- 17,771  ( -9.8%)
07/14  Avengers Undrcvr #7- 16,705  ( -6.0%)
08/14  Avengers Undrcvr #8- 15,864  ( -5.0%)
08/14  Avengers Undrcvr #9- 15,715  ( -0.9%)
---
1 year  ( -32.3%)
2 year  ( -40.0%)
3 year  ( -36.0%)

Cancelled with issue 10 in September, no word yet if there will be a relaunch or where these characters might appear next.

159. FIGMENT
---
06/14  Figment #1  -  12,735  (  --- )
07/14  Figment #2  -  11,929  ( -6.3%)
08/14  Figment #3  -  13,105  (  9.9%)

Apparently issue 1 sold out and drove retailers to order more issue 3. Cool. Marvel could use more all-ages fare.

183. Ultimate FF
---
04/14  Ultimate FF v2 #1 -  23,316  (  --- )
05/14  Ultimate FF v2 #2 -  17,059  (-26.8%)
06/14  Ultimate FF v2 #3 -  14,413  (-15.5%)
07/14  Ultimate FF v2 #4 -  12,187  (-15.4%)
07/14  Ultimate FF v2 #5 -  11,778  ( -3.4%)
08/14  Ultimate FF v2 #6 -  10,617  ( -9.9%)

Final issue.

186. UNITED STATES OF MURDER INC
---
05/14 Murder Inc #1  -  18,474  (  --- )
06/14 Murder Inc #2  -  13,561  (-26.6%)
07/14 Murder Inc #3  -  11,444  (-15.6%)
08/14 Murder Inc #4  -  10,419  ( -9.0%)

These numbers seem pretty low for a Bendis book, but I know a lot of creator-owned books that would kill for these kind of sales.

205. DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU
---
05/14 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1 - 19,315 (  --- )
06/14 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #2 - 13,093 (-32.2%)
07/14 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #3 - 10,221 (-21.9%)
08/14 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #4 -  8,563 (-16.2%)

Final issue.

—

6-Month Comparisons

---

21.6%	Deadpool #33 (O.S. Tie-In)
17.6%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
16.8%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
11.9%	Hulk #5
9.4%	Guardians o/t Galaxy #18 (O.S. Tie-In)
1.4%	Superior Spider-Man #32
0.0%	Secret Avengers #7
-4.1%	Uncanny Avengers #23
-6.8%	Nova #20 (O.S. Tie-In)
-7.2%	Captain America #23
-9.0%	Avengers #34 (O.S. Tie-In)
-9.4%	All New X-Men #31
-10.5%	Thunderbolts #29
-11.1%	Thunderbolts #30
-11.5%	Black Widow #9
-13.2%	Kick-Ass 3 #8
-13.5%	Superior Foes of Spider-Man #14
-15.1%	Wolverine And X-Men #7
-15.1%	All New X-Men #30
-15.2%	Mighty Avengers #13
-15.5%	New Avengers #22
-16.8%	Wolverine And X-Men #8
-21.0%	New Avengers #23
-23.2%	Original Sin #3.4
-24.1%	Savage Wolverine #22
-28.1%	X-Men #18
-28.6%	All New X-Factor #12
-34.6%	Ms. Marvel #7
-35.3%	All New Ultimates #7
-35.5%	All New Ultimates #6
-36.6%	Miracleman #9
-41.3%	Avengers World #11
-42.2%	All New Invaders #9
-43.1%	Wolverine #12
-43.7%	Amazing X-Men #10
-44.7%	Wolverine #11
-45.4%	She-Hulk #7
-52.6%	Punisher #9
-53.0%	X-Force #8
-53.4%	Fantastic Four #8 (O.S. Tie-In)
-56.2%	Fantastic Four #9
-64.9%	New Warriors #8

—

1 Year Comparisons

---

67.3%	Amazing X-Men #10
30.2%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
27.0%	Wolverine #12
23.5%	Wolverine #11
12.2%	Superior Spider-Man #32
8.3%	Deadpool #33 (O.S. Tie-In)
7.9%	All New X-Factor #12
5.8%	Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man #4
4.4%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
-6.1%	Fantastic Four #8 (O.S. Tie-In)
-9.7%	Captain Marvel #6
-11.7%	Fantastic Four #9
-15.3%	All New Ultimates #7
-15.5%	All New Ultimates #6
-19.9%	All New X-Men #31
-20.1%	Hulk #5
-21.0%	Wolverine And X-Men #7
-21.4%	Captain America #23
-22.1%	Uncanny Avengers #23
-22.6%	Wolverine And X-Men #8
-23.7%	Nova #20 (O.S. Tie-In)
-24.9%	All New X-Men #30
-26.5%	Secret Avengers #7
-27.2%	Avengers #34 (O.S. Tie-In)
-29.3%	New Avengers #22
-30.9%	Thunderbolts #29
-31.4%	Thunderbolts #30
-31.5%	Kick-Ass 3 #8
-31.6%	Avengers Undercover #8
-32.3%	Avengers Undercover #9
-33.9%	New Avengers #23
-36.9%	X-Force #8
-44.5%	X-Men #18
-51.6%	Superior Foes of Spider-Man #14

—

2 Year Comparisons

---

75%	Deadpool #33 (O.S. Tie-In)
23%	Wolverine #12
20%	Wolverine #11
17%	Punisher #9
13%	Amazing X-Men #10
12%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
7%	X-Men #18
-4%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
-5%	Hulk #5
-6%	All New X-Factor #12
-12%	Avengers #34 (O.S. Tie-In)
-12%	Captain America #23
-16%	Fantastic Four #8 (O.S. Tie-In)
-18%	Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man #4
-21%	Fantastic Four #9
-23%	Captain Marvel #6
-28%	New Avengers #22
-33%	New Avengers #23
-40%	Avengers Undercover #8
-40%	Avengers Undercover #9
-45%	All New Ultimates #7
-45%	All New Ultimates #6
-48%	Secret Avengers #7
-48%	Wolverine And X-Men #7
-49%	Wolverine And X-Men #8
-50%	X-Force #8

—

3 Year Comparisons

---

86.7%	Deadpool #33 (O.S. Tie-In)
76.7%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
30.1%	Wolverine #12
26.5%	Wolverine #11
24.5%	Moon Knight #6
8.8%	Amazing X-Men #10
-8.7%	Hulk #5
-9.8%	Avengers #34 (O.S. Tie-In)
-9.8%	All New X-Factor #12
-10.3%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
-15.4%	All New Ghost Rider #6
-17.7%	X-Men #18
-18.6%	Thunderbolts #29
-19.1%	Thunderbolts #30
-23.6%	New Avengers #22
-28.6%	New Avengers #23
-35.3%	Avengers Undercover #8
-36.0%	Avengers Undercover #9
-36.8%	Kick-Ass 3 #8
-39.1%	Punisher #9
-43.1%	Captain America #23
-56.1%	X-Force #8
-56.8%	Secret Avengers #7
-65.0%	All New Ultimates #7
-65.1%	All New Ultimates #6

—

5 Year Comparisons

---

117.7%	Guardians o/t Galaxy #18 (O.S. Tie-In)
43.2%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
-0.4%	Deadpool #33 (O.S. Tie-In)
-9.7%	Nova #20 (O.S. Tie-In)
-16.9%	Captain Marvel #6
-21.6%	Punisher #9
-26.2%	Wolverine #12
-28.2%	Wolverine #11
-35.3%	All New X-Factor #12
-45.5%	Hulk #5
-49.9%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
-50.8%	Fantastic Four #8 (O.S. Tie-In)
-52.4%	New Avengers #22
-53.8%	Fantastic Four #9
-55.5%	New Avengers #23
-59.5%	Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man #4
-60.4%	X-Force #8
-63.3%	Mighty Avengers #13
-75.3%	Captain America #23

—

10 Year Comparisons

---

49.8%	Silver Surfer #5
34.4%	Iron Fist Living Weapon #5
15.4%	Amazing Spider-Man #5 (O.S. Tie-In)
-7.6%	She-Hulk #7
-17.9%	Hulk #5
-19.6%	Captain America #23
-22.6%	Wolverine #12
-24.7%	Wolverine #11
-29.4%	Daredevil #7 (O.S. Tie-In)
-39.0%	Fantastic Four #8 (O.S. Tie-In)
-42.6%	Fantastic Four #9
-43.0%	Punisher #9
-56.2%	All New Invaders #9
-61.3%	X-Men #18
-63.2%	Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man #4
-66.5%	X-Force #8
-75.0%	Amazing X-Men #10

—

It is always interesting to look at these normal months where there aren’t any giant launches or major events, because you see more the real sales numbers when they aren’t inflated by other factors. We often talk a lot about Marvel’s top books, the ones that sell over 50k. What really keeps Marvel on top are those mid-tier books, the 25k to 50k books which make up 47% of Marvel’s units sold. This month we saw quite a few of those books drop below 25k, some of which are very new series. So the question then becomes why have some of these new series dropped so fast? Is it just that people aren’t interested in She-Hulk or Cyclops or Ghost Rider? Is it due to poor marketing, too many new launches? Which of these mid-tier books have caught your interest? Which ones failed to catch your eye? What should they do with future mid-tier book launches to catch reader interest and boost their sales?

Think about those questions and discuss below in the comments. Then prepare yourself for next month as the March to Axis begins, we visit the Edge of Spider-Verse, and we say goodbye to dear old Logan.

And yet more to do tonight as the World War 3 Illustrated crew presents a reading and performance.

Seth Tobocman, Peter Kuper, Paula Hewitt Amram, Nicole Schulman andJames Romberger will perform their comic strips about Global Warming, Police Brutality, youth organizing and other issues. A Bookend event for the Brooklyn Book Festival, in support of the People’s Climate March. It’s FREE!

The event takes place  at the Brooklyn Public Library at the Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza.

The Peoples Climate March is going to be a HUGE thing this weekend. Please show your support of keeping the world green for your kids and grand kids.

And here’s another great event for the weekend, Brandon Graham talking about Comics, Creativity, and Censorship at the Society of Illustrators/ The event is sponsored by the CBLDF.

Brandon Graham, the acclaimed cartoonist of the highly influential graphic novels King City and Multiple Warheads, and the driving force behind the genre-bending science fiction series Prophet will appear in New York City on September 19 for a lecture and reception at the Society of Illustrators, and sponsored by Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! CBLDF will also be offering copies of a new, limited edition sketchbook by Graham!

Graham brings a broad, international range of influences to his comics, fluidly meshing Japanese, European, and North American genre and literary styles within his approach. In this slide lecture, Graham discusses his influences, and unpacks his approach to solving creative problems, navigating censorship and self-censorship, and advancing a unique creative point of view in the current publishing landscape.

Graham’s lecture will begin at 7 PM to be followed by a cocktail reception from 8 PM to 11 PM at the Society of Illustrators, 128 East 63 Street.

Admission
$15 Non-Memebrs | $10 CBLDF and SI Members | $7 Students and Seniors with Valid ID

Du Maurier called the house her “rat-filled ruin.” It wasn’t hyperbole. Rats, dozens of them, scuttled along the house’s floors at night. Bats flit in and out. It was freezing, too, even by the stoic standards of the time, and damp, with a hard, nipping cold rising off the sea. Scarves and hats were routinely worn indoors.
— I wrote about Daphne du Maurier and the Manderley estate she bought with her Rebecca $ at the new Gawker Review of Books! It was so much fun to write—I’ve loved du Maurier forever and wanted to write about her life since coming across this picture of her last year.

The week between SPX and the Brooklyn Book Festival s usually crowded with events and this is no exception. Tonight, things kick off at Bergen Stree Comics with A Live Reading with Julia Wertz and MariNaomi!:

Two of the the most spectacular people in comics on one night, reading from their fresh-from-the-printer new books? It doesn’t get better than that! Come on out to and let MariNaomi and Julia Wertz remind you that in the contest for funniest comics on the scene, we’re all scrambling around for third place. (Because they have the first two spots, you see.) Besides the new books, the live reading and the general joie de vivre, they’ve even promised a signing to boot. You have to be here. It’s not even a question. YOU HAVE TO BE HERE.

Wertz and MariNaomi do have two of the freshest books out there so stop on by.

Rob Liefeld was right!

The co-creator of Deadpool has been hinting about a movie for the “merc with a mouth” for years, and he’s finally been vindicated, as Fox has announced a Deadpool movie for February 12, 2016. While Ryan Reynolds—who portrayed Deadpool in Wolverine: Origins—hasn’t been signed yet, given his decade long opsession with making a Deadpool movie, and his presence in leaked test footage, we’re guessing he won’t take too long to hop on board. More facts you must know in order to fully appreciate this amazing movie news!

• Tim Miller is definitely on board to direct—Miller is best known for doing visual effects on Scott Pilgrim vs The World and the title sequence for Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. He also directed the test footage. More on that in a minute.

• There is a finished script by Rhett Reese and Paul Warnick who wrote Zombieland (Yay!) and GI Joe: Retaliation (eh) but apparently this has been floating around for a while, and has garnered positive response from those who have read it.

• Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, started as a bit of a joke but over the last few years has developed into one of Marvel’s most popular characters—so popular he has a whole month of variant covers to his name. A loose-cannon type who frequently breaks the fourth wall, while he’s killing people with alacrity, he’s a versatile, anarchic presence.

• Deadpool was killed off in Wolverine: Origins, however a post credit scene showed that he had resurrected himself. That entire mutant continuity was once again killed off in X-Men; Days of Future Past but when has that ever stopped a comic book movie?

• Test footage directed by Miller and starring Reynolds was shown at Comic-Con and leaked soon after to good result, which helped get the green light going. Back in July Reynolds told the Niagara Falls Review (yes) “There was such an overpowering reaction to the footage, you sort of feel like, ‘Oh, so we weren’t crazy for our reasons for loving this character, for loving this role.’ It’s interesting to see the power of the Internet. It’s awe-inspiring, actually. And it’s neat that Twitter and Facebook and Instagram can move mountains when used in the right way.”

• The footage shows a crazy, wise cracking Deadpool slicing and dicing his foes, with a CGI Deadpool doing most of the stunts. It seems a bit fresher and more up to date than Marvel’s previous wisecracking hero Spider-Man, who has been benched by Sony following disappointing results earlier this year.

• The February release date—and barely a year production schedule—is a pretty low expectations time frame. Fox will probably expect this to be a toe in the water, can it grow beyond a cult movie. But hey if it tests well, who knows? Fox has similarly shuffled its release dates for one of its other 2016 superhero movies, with Fantastic Four pushed back a skotch from June to August because of an Assassin’s Creed movie starring Michael Fassbender, be still me heart, that ran into some problems. Fox also has X-men Apocalypse on tap for Summer 2016, and another Wolverine-ish movie coming out in 2017.

• Reynolds has always wanted to play Deadpool! And it seems a more natural fit than Green Lantern, let’s be honest. So there’s enthusiasm on that side,

• Maybe THIS will be the quirky superhero movie that we’ve been waiting for? Certainly Deadpool is the least serious of superheroes and if there’s going to be Bugs Bunny type fourth wall busting this is the place.

Dearest readers, I am sorry to say that the time has come for me to say goodbye. I have had a wonderful time meeting you all, not to mention learning more than I ever thought I would know about the fantastic field of oral history. However, grant applications and comprehensive examinations are calling my name, so I must take a step back from tweeting, Facebooking, tumbling and Google plusing (sure, why not).

Fear not, we have found another to take my place: the esteemable and often bow-tie-wearing Andrew Shaffer. I chatted with him earlier this week and I already think he’ll make a wonderful Caitlin 2.0. (For instance, Andrew originally wanted to introduce himself with the lyrics from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. A+.)

*   *   *   *   *

So, Andrew, tell us a bit about yourself.

Well, Caitlin, I am a first year PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying gender and sexuality history in a modern US context. I’m originally from Illinois, but lived in San Francisco for three years before coming to Madison. There I received an MA in International Studies and worked at a non-profit that provides legal resources and policy analysis to immigrants and immigration advocates.

Do you have any interests outside of school?

Honestly? Not really… But when I’m not thinking about school, I sometimes read, go on walks, or explore all the exciting things Madison has to offer.

That’s a little sad. But since you love school so much, I bet you have exceptionally exciting research interests?

I’m really interested in the ways LGBT activists have responded to political and social changes, and how their efforts have impacted the everyday lives of LGBT communities. Because of the incredible diversity among LGBT communities, I use intersectional approaches to better understand how various segments of our community are affected, or even created by these changes.

Oh, awesome! Do you use oral history or interviews in your research?

Absolutely! I had the good fortune to take a class on oral history methods in college, and I fell in love with it right away. Since then, I’ve been involved with multiple oral history projects, and I think it is one of the best tools available to preserve a community’s memories. Because I study the very recent past, I’m lucky to be able to use interviews and oral histories extensively in my research.

You’ll fit in just fine here then — perhaps even better than I did. Speaking of, what are you looking forward to about this position?

I’m most looking forward to meeting and interacting with people who are using oral history to accomplish new and interesting things. The Oral History Review has featured some really great articles on things like using Google Glass for interviews, and using oral history to document the lives of people with schizophrenia. I’m excited to learn more about novel uses of oral history.

Thanks for noticing! I (and Troy) have worked hard to keep up with the latest trends in the field and to shine a spotlight on all the great work oral historians have been doing. Any concerns about taking over?

Definitely! Like most academic types, I find it easier to write 30 pages than 140 characters, but hopefully I’ll learn some brevity. You’ve done a really great job of preparing and sharing high quality posts through Oral History Review’s social media outlets, and I hope I can continue to provide an enjoyable experience for all of our followers!

I’m sure you’ll do great. Best of luck!

*   *   *   *   *

Andrew has already taken over all the social media platforms, so you should feel free to bombard him with questions at @oralhistreview, in the comments below or via the other 3 million social media accounts he now runs. He and I will also be at the upcoming annual meeting in October, so be sure to say hi — and goodbye.

Image credit: Cropped close-up of two hands passing a relay baton against a white background. © chaiyon021 via iStockphoto.

The post So Long, Farewell appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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Most of what we hear and read about twelfth-century hottie Rosamund Clifford, aka “Fair Rosamund,” just wasn’t so. True, she was Henry II’s mistress. But that’s about it. Like so many other medieval myths, Rosamund’s legendary life and death are a later invention. Herewith, the best of (untrue) Rosamund:

Myth 1:   She went to school at, lived at, had assignations with the king at, retired to, died at, or in any way hung out at Godstow Abbey.

Sadly, Rosamund never entered Godstow until she was a fair corpse. She died around the year 1176, in the midst of her affair with the king, and was buried at Godstow, probably because her mother was already buried there. Contrary to what you will read in various places, there is no evidence that the king paid for her tomb. Her tomb was placed in the front of the high altar, and the king did show particular favor to the monastery because of it. Fifteen years later, Bishop Hugh of Lincoln made the nuns move the tomb out of the church because it was inappropriate for a “whore” to be buried there.

Myth 2:   She and Henry went drinking at the Trout. Or the Perch.

I read this about the pubs near Godstow in a student handbook when I was doing my postgraduate work at Oxford, and I wanted to believe it. So did visiting relatives. Alas, not true. See number 2 above: no hanging out at Godstow. But my visitors and I did enjoy some pleasant pints at both the aforementioned hostelries.

Myth 3:   She lived in a maze at Woodstock.

Of course this is a later embellishment, related to the next two myths. But a fairly elaborate pleasure garden does seem to have been incorporated into the royal residence at Woodstock in this period, adjacent to a room that just a generation later was known as “Rosamund’s Chamber.” So the maze story may have evolved from a real trysting place in a complex garden.

Myth 4:   The queen found her in the maze by means of a silken thread.

See previous myth. But there is, just barely, a silken thread in Rosamund’s true story. After her burial at Godstow, King Henry wanted a special relationship with her burial place, so the nunnery’s patron deeded his patronal rights in Godstow to the king. In the ceremony he used a silk cloth that was later described as “a silken thread.”

Myth 5:   She was murdered by Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.

The earliest version of this story, from the fourteenth century, has Eleanor stabbing Rosamund; in Renaissance versions the queen makes Rosamund choose between stabbing and poison. Interestingly, even the Victorians made a sympathetic victim of poor Rosamund (the fornicating mistress) and turned Eleanor (the wronged wife) into a murderous monster. Needless to say, there’s no truth to the murder stories, which arose long after Rosamund died.

Myth 6:   She was the mother of Henry II’s illegitimate son Geoffrey Plantagenet, archbishop of York, and/or his illegitimate son William Longespee, earl of Salisbury.

Rosamund was too young to be Geoffrey’s mother, who was apparently a woman named Ikeni. William Longespee was the son of Ida de Tosny.

Myth 7:   Latin bell inscriptions all over England make reference to her.

These inscriptions read, “I who am struck am called Maria [or Katherine], the rose of the world.” Rosamund was a rare, possibly unique, name for a woman in twelfth-century England, but the phrases rosa munda (pure rose) and rosa mundi (rose of the world) were epithets for the Virgin Mary. It’s likely that Rosamund Clifford was named (creatively and, as it turned out, ironically) in honor of the Virgin, and that the bell inscriptions came from the same general cultural source.

Myth 8:   Roses were spread over her tomb.

No, just a silken pall and candles, as far as we know. It’s possible, however, that the Gallica rose ‘Rosa Mundi’ was named for her, as her legend grew in the later Middle Ages. Perhaps the rose, like the bells, was named for the Virgin Mary, but the name of the rose is one bit of Rosamund lore that seems plausible.

The post Eight myths about Fair Rosamund appeared first on OUPblog.

        

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Uncertainty is everywhere. There can hardly be a person alive who has not experienced it at some time. Indeed, as Shakespeare indicates in his play The Tempest (Act I) we are all submitted to “life’s uncertain voyage.” We may well find ourselves asking “What shall I do?” or “How should I react?”, familiar questions as we continue our voyage.

This common factor in human experience is heightened when the circumstances involve serious illness, whether for the patient or for those who care for them. Living with uncertainty affects all at the bedside. The patient longs for normality and yearns for safety. The family has to face unexpected disruption bringing new routines, responsibilities, and many new people into their lives. A whole new world seems to open up. A client once said, “It is like having a new job” referring to all the new things she had learnt following her husband’s terminal diagnosis.

The professional or volunteer carer, too, has to adjust to uncertainty. The progression of the disease is endlessly variable. There are no certainties in medicine, only likelihoods. This may place the carer under pressure to say something that will give patients and their families a sense of having a handle on their life, regardless of the seriousness of the condition. There are also the practical issues, often difficult and complex, about, for instance, discharge arrangements and future support. Working alongside the families, the carer must hold an appropriate balance between hope for the future alongside a realism about what is or could be involved.

Challenges and choices in life-threatening illnesses create a spectrum of strong feelings among those experiencing them. The patient may well ask “Will I ever be well again? What are they going to do to me? Can I cope with the noise and bustle of a hospital ward? Why has this happened to me?” Fear, anger, grief and helplessness are all present in some degree. Even time itself seems to drag amidst the pain and weakness, loss of ability and responsibility. The notion of self-worth can be seriously challenged. The present and the future may look bleak and insecure as compared with “normal” life. Many of the same feelings will be felt also by families, including anxiety about whether they will be able to cope with the new circumstances and the inevitable increase in financial costs.

The radical changes in circumstances can promote the reasonable question “Why me or us?” Disease is often understood to be a form of judgement, and where the patient has done their best, and in their own view, lived a “good life,” the question arises out of what is felt to be an unjust judgement and cruel sentence. People can feel rewarded, unjustly, by the disease, even if in some ways they have unconsciously contributed to its onset by excessive working, smoking, or drinking. The disease can also arise out of the environment in which the patient lives, or their genetic make-up, over which they have no control. The illness therefore becomes an unfair threat and obstruction in the mind of those involved whether as a patient or family member.

Major disease can not only radically change a person’s circumstances, but also their judgement, attitude, and mood. They can be changed as people. Medical experience can be overwhelming, distorting judgements and decisions, undermining relationships, and creating a deep sense of vulnerability. “Why me?” becomes a cry from the heart; a cry for help; a cry out of hopelessness. But it need not be.

We are all vulnerable. There is a fault in creation, just as there is wonder and genius. Both facets can be seen within scientific fact as well as religious and moral recognition. Disease can be judged as part of nature just as death is part of life. Such reality challenges the patient just as it does the doctor and researcher.

Such natural faults need to be accepted and worked with. They confront but they also inspire. Our uncertain voyage can involve major illness and its concomitants. A constructive but very difficult response can be to accept, remain positive and be grateful to those who are helping by their skills, support, and encouragement. Disease and disorder are part of the underbelly of creation of which we are all a part. “Why me?” can be changed to “Why not me?” The change in the question can bring about change in outlook and peace.

As Shakespeare reminds us of “life’s uncertain voyage”, we wrestle with uncertainty. Often, we hope, we may find resources which help us along the road. Close supportive relationships, a commitment to an ideal or an allegiance to a faith which inspires, even those quiet times of reflection and self-realization can prove invaluable. They all have a part to play in helping us to cope with the unknown. Self-confidence or lack of it can be instrumental in how we manage uncertainty, but neither can assure us that our thoughts and actions are right. Subsequent experience is often the only measure of that.

We can learn from experience — we can learn to live life fully, whatever the circumstances, even when we are uncertain as to what they may be or lead to. We will never know everything, and perhaps it requires a sense of peace to live with such uncertainty — a tough challenge, but one with a great reward.

Heading Image: Snowstorm by William Turner. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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       They've announced that Chu T'ien-Wen [朱天文] Wins 2015 Newman Prize for Chinese Literature. The fourth winner of the biennial prize -- after Mo Yan, Han Shaogong, and Yang Mu -- she beat out other nominees Yan Lianke, Yu Hua, Ge Fei, and Chang Kui-hsing.
       Chu is best-known in English for her novel, Notes of a Desolate Man; see the Columbia University Press publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

       Romain Gary is one of the big-name authors celebrating the centenary of their birth in 2014 (others include: Tove Jansson, Julio Cortázar, and Arno Schmidt) and among the more impressive efforts celebrating that can now be found at the Institut français de Lituanie (!), where they have a pretty impressive web-documentaire on the Hocus Bogus-author. Yes, it's all in French, but if you can manage that it's well-worth your while.

       I think it's pretty neat that the city of Vienna has a (biennial) H.C.Artmann-Preis -- a decent €10,000, and a namesake who isn't exactly one one would expect hidebound bureaucrats and politicians to appreciate. Near-impossible to translate, Atlas Press have given it a go with The Quest for Dr. U -- see their publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk -- but his original Viennese-dialect(ic) wordplay is, in fact, a challenge even for German-German readers.
       They've announced this year's winner of the prize, and it's Elfriede Czurda -- one of whose books, Almost 1 Book / Almost 1 Life, has been translated by Rosmarie Waldrop (if anyone could, then she); see the Burning Deck publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. (I have a copy; it looks good, and I hope to review it at some point.)

       At Eurozine E. Khayyat wonders How to turn Turk ? (a piece originally published in the Belgrade Journal of Media and Communications), an interesting look at: "The literary history of the Turk".