Ultimate Spider-Man once again has topped the list of comics bestsellers, for February 2024. The Krakoa era ends in X-Men #35. Scout Comics relaunching with new partner. All on Comic Book Club News for March 7, 2024.
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Episode Transcript:
Ultimate Spider-Man tops February sales list.
Krakoa ends in X-Men #35.
Scout Comics relaunching with new partner.
This is Comic Book Club News for March 7, 2024.
Ultimate Spider-Man Tops February 2024 Comics Sales List:
For the second month in a row, Ultimate Spider-Man is dominating the comic book sales charts, with the second issue of the reboot series taking the top slot on both units sold, and dollars earned. Looks like Marvel has something here with this “Spider-Man” guy.
The news comes from ICv2, with a big new entry on the list: ThunderCats #1 at number two on both charts. What is most interesting about this is while we don’t have exact sales figures for most of this list, we do know that the inaugural issue of ThunderCats from Dynamite sold 170,000 copies to comic book stores. Meaning Ultimate Spider-Man #2 most likely sold even more than that. Mamma mia, that’s a lot of Ultimate Spider-Man!
The rest of the top ten is pretty comparable on both lists as well, with Batman snagging the next two slots, and on units sold, Transformers, Amazing Spider-Man, Spawn, Edge of Spider-Verse, another issue of Batman, and Fall of the House of X rounding out the top ten titles.
Ultimate Black Panther #1 fell a little short of Spider-Man, not ranking in the top ten on either list; though anecdotally it seems stores underordered that title by a lot. It’s already headed to a second printing.
Marvel and DC continue to dominate the units sold list, with only Image and Skybound’s Energon Universe titles breaking through onto the Top 50, other than the aforementioned Spawn #350 and ThunderCats. The same holds for the dollars earned list, which only boasts two additional publishers: Titan, with Savage Sword of Conan #1; and priced at a whopping $9.99 and ranking at #13 on dollars earned is the return of… Penthouse Comics.
Now release Penthouse Spider-Man and we could have a real hit on our hands. Oh wait that was called Spider-Man: Reign, never mind.
X-Men’s Krakoa Era Officially Ends In X-Men #35:
For the past several months, we’ve known the Krakoa era in Marvel’s X-Men would be ending in time for a relaunch in July. And now we know exactly where and when it will all end: X-Men #35, which Marvel is renumbering as the 700th issue of Uncanny X-Men.
The book will be split into a final goodbye to Krakoa story written by Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, and Al Ewing, with art by Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara and more; as well as a story by Chris Claremont; and a preview of the new X-Men titles coming this Summer. Additional talent credited on the book include Gail Simone, who is the odds-on favorite to take on X-Men next, as well as Phil Noto, Jerome Opeña, Stefano Casseli, Walt Simonson, and Leinil Francis Yu. The cover is by Pepe Larraz.
Said outgoing X-Men line editor Jordan D. White via press release: “Being a part of the Krakoan experiment has been a true thrill. Honestly—in many ways it echoed the experience of mutantkind itself in the era. We worked differently, we tried new things, we survived incredible new experiences. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such fantastically talented creators throughout the era, and working on the glorious ending is truly bittersweet. I will miss it with my whole heart, but I do know… Krakoa will live on within us forever.”
The issue will hit stores on June 5, with news on what’s next for X-Men promised to be dropping in the following weeks.
Scout Comics Relaunching With New Financial Partners:
Last week on the Comic Book Club website, we reported about an uproar surrounding fledging publisher Scout Comics. Amid allegations that the publisher was essentially ghosting comic creators as well as withholding payment, Scout had pushed back, admitting to being not great with communication, but telling Comic Book Club the payment allegations were simply not true.
Sources who worked with the publisher gave different accounts. Some had good experiences, others a very “c’est la vie” attitude about working with a smaller, start-up publisher. Regardless what is the truth of the matter, clearly Scout was having some sort of growth problems; and the outrage against them online definitely was not helping their reputation.
In the midst of all this, The Beat reports that Scout is now relaunching with new financial partners. The company, Element Media Global, is a publicly traded company not currently traded by NASDAQ, and seems to have fingers in mining, technology, and sports. And now Scout Comics.
As part of the relaunch, which will happen this Summer, Element promises more paying jobs for creators, as well as a focus on selling IP to TV and film companies. Scout will also be adding a horror imprint to its portfolio.
Tell you what: this doesn’t set off my alarm bells at all. A company with no experience in comics partnering with a comic company under fire for potentially shady business practices is a match made in heaven. If you currently work for Scout Comics, they ask that you bring all of your work with you to the Element Media Global mine. Please leave any ID and phones behind in your car. Thanks!
Just kidding, but I guess we’ll see how this goes!
For Comic Book Club News, I’m Alex Zalben. And honestly I wish I owned a mine, that sounds cool.
Got tips or stories you’d like us to cover? Email us at comicbookclublive@gmail.com.
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