I'm actually interested in finding out if this whole reboot thing has been a success, I mean, I am following a majority of the books involved, and some have been awesome, but some have just plain sucked, overall I don't think this re-boot was necessary and hopefully they won't wait too long to get the point of the whole thing...hopefully there is a point to all of this...I mean I'm glad Barbara Gordon is back, but I think she was just as awesome as Oracle...
anyway

The whole point behind this was $$$. Which in that regard has been successful for DC, at least short term. We're already seeing the numbers at my lcs dropping back to post-reboot levels in terms of sales, whereas at the begging of the reboot we were seeing new customers coming in specifically for the new 52 and even getting calls from across country looking for these books. Some books we've already stopped ordering completely.

I agree with nanosplicer. It has been a huge success for DC. Will it be a long term success? Who knows. 3 months in and DC are still #1 in terms of their market share. I'd say that was mission accomplished so far.
One thing that struck me the other day was how the list of "Hot titles" on this very site's homepage has changed so dramatically recently. At the time of writing this post, DC have 9 out of the top ten titles and and a total of 14 out of the top twenty.
Now, I've been a subscriber here nearly since the site's inception (coming up for 5 years next April from when I joined) and I have never seen the likes of it before. I love the software but the forums and the hot title chart has always been more weighted towards Marvel. But I guess comic sales in general where more in Marvel's favour. I think, for me anyway, this shows how much of a swing towards DC comic sales have went in the past few months. I no longer buy ANY Marvel titles and I don't get the feeling I'm missing much. I buy EVERY DC title and can't honestly think of any I want to drop just yet. There are some whose jackets are hanging on wobbly coat hooks for sure, but I'm giving them a chance. I mean you can't bring out 52 new titles plus minis and expect everyone of them to be a success.

So, a success for DC? Absolutely. And, I think a success for comics in general. Well done DC.

ps. When I say I buy every DC title I want to make it clear I don't buy Batman Odyssey. Just needed to clear that up and distance myself from that self indulgent piece of nonsense.

I have to agree with chiller and nanosplicer. From a business standpoint, the New 52 is great right now. DC is getting people to buy and read their books. Before the relaunch I was reading 3 Green Lantern titles and Legion of Super-Heroes. I just turned in my Previews order this week and it included over 30 DC titles, far more than my Marvel titles (which used to outweigh DC).

It all depends on what your view point is and what you wanted/expected from the 'reboot'.
Was Flashpoint a successful way to reboot the entire "continuity" of DC Comics? I'd say no. As with all of Geoff Johns' "BIG IDEAS", it had a ton of really great potential, it started off awesome with a big bang, then it kinda started dragging on with a bunch of convoluted irrelevant non-story, and finally it ended with an unimpressive whipmer and no sense of closure.
He really should just stick with writing 1 or 2 titles and leave the 'big picture' stuff to somebody else.
Have the newly numbered titles been successful in relaunching and reinventing the characters for a new generation & audience? Probably not... I'm only reading a few of the titles and so far I'm underwhelmed. Action and Superman have been slow to start and after 4 issues not much has hapened in Superman - in fact it's really freakin' boring. Action is pretty cool, but it's only a (short) matter of time before the creative team is changed. The various Green Lantern titles have been nothing spectacular. Just like CoIE, the Green Lantern mythos remains fairly untouched - Flashpoint had very little impact on the Green Lantern stuff and #1 was just a continuation of the storyline that was already in progress. Red Lanterns needs some serious help and New Guardians is going to get cancelled for sure...
JLA is pretty cool so far, JLI has potential.
I've heard Detective Comics is bad-ass but I've never been a Batfan so I can't comment.
Has the new same day digital delivery been a success? I really don't know, but I'm gonna go with no because all the comic nerds I know with tablets/nooks/kindles/whatever still buy comics and have very little if any interest in downloading their funnybooks.
Has the 'reboot' brought in the fresh new younger demographic that DC was certain it would? NO - I'm 38 and definitely the median age of who I see in the comic shops. I can't remember the last time I saw an actual child in my LCS or any of the comic shops in my area. It's all dudes my age (which is just fine since I really can't stand kids!).

It's been a success in every sense of the word. In money terms DC is selling more than Marvel with waaaaayyyyy less titles per month, which is if not a success in itself, a message to Marvel from the fans that they dont want to pay $3.99 per book. It's been a success in bringing new readers, it's also been a success in creating a buzz among the comic fans and non-comic fans alike that hasn't been seen since the Death of Superman or Captain America! Me personally, I'm picking at least 15of the new DC titles, which is amazing being that I've been a Marvel zombie all my life! As a matter of fact, I'm currently picking up no more than 5 Marvel titles and around 18 DC titles which comes to show that they're doing things right.
As for some books being awesome and others being horrible, that's a personal opinion and in no way means that books are good or bad. In my opinion, at least 80% of the new 52 are great books which is an amazing thing! Even though I'm not picking all the ones that I'd like to because of $$$ issues, DC has made a conscious effort to give fans what they've been asking for, low price without reducing pages, making good comics, bringing diverse characters instead of putting out 5 books of the same character like Marvel does and bringing in amazing talents to create amazing stories. Any way you look at it DC is doing things right and if Marvel don't change their way of doing business and treating their customers, many of them are going to end up leaving to DC or another of the many comic book companies out there putting out cool books; like I did!

Talked for a while to my LCS. He said it's been and still is a crazy success. He said he's been incredibly busy since the new 52 without lettup, and I have to admit I wish I had jumped on a few titles now.

I think the new 52 has been a success. The stories and art are pretty impressive at least in the comics I collect. Since I was a little kid up into the early 2000's, I was also a Marvel Zombie. When Marvel jacked up the price, brought it some artists who draw like blind pre-schoolers, and messed up the Avengers big time, I moved on to DC and found that things were a lot more interesting. I wasn't sure I would like the new 52. It made me nervouse when I heard about that happening but I've been pleasantly surprised and its caused me to drop more Marvels so I can add more DC's. I still collect Mighty Thor, Captain America, Incredible Hulk, and Uncanny X-Force but that is a major drop of Marvels I used to collect and its all due to art and story quality.

Here Is what I collected on a regular basis PRE New 52:

Marvel Comics:

Thor
Amazing Spiderman
Captain America
Avengers
Avengers West Coast (when it existed)
Spiderman
Uncanny X-Men
X-Force
Incredible Hulk
Fantastic Four
Ghost Rider
Iron Man
Civil War
Infinity Gauntlet
Siege


DC Comics:

Detective Comics
Justice League of America
Hawkman
Green Lantern
Blackest Night
Brightest Day



Now, this is what I collect POST DC's new 52:

Marvel Comics

Captain America
Mighty Thor
Incredible Hulk
Uncanny X-Men


DC Comics:

Batman
Detective Comics
Superman
Action Comics
Savage Hawkman
Firestorm: The Nuclear Men
Green Lantern
Batman: The Dark Knight
Justice League


I think that's a pretty major jump from Marvel to DC and its because Marvel has decided to increase prices while decreasing talent. I dont mind paying more for better art and writing which is why I'm happy with the new 52 so far. I would like to see Superman back in the red underwear though.

Another crazy thing is that they're bringing new characters or previously less used characters and making the awesome! I'm picking up some of the ones you might expect like:

Batman
Detective
Batgirl
JLA
Dark Knight
Flash
Catwoman

But I'm also getting and really enjoying titles like:

Batwing (my favorite of the new 52!!!)
Huntress (mini series)
Suicide Squad
Hawk & Dove
Nightwing
Birds of Prey
Supergirl
Superboy
Teen Titans

So that goes to show you the variety of titles DC's putting out with just around 60 titles a month. Marvel on the other hand... **sigh**

If you fellers know me, then you know my stance on buying new books - you know I'm a "save your money for the overstock cheap boxes" kinda guy. However, I have been following a few of the new 52 titles and they are pretty dang good. I'm currently reading:

Batman - Scott Snyder is bringing it!
Detective - a pretty good story; not sure how long it will continue.
Catwoman - not bad...not great...but not bad.
Teen Titans - loving it!
Frankenstein - really loving it!
Red Hood & Outlaws - eh...not so much.
Batman: Dark Knight - very good now that David Finch is not going solo on the book.

So, out of those titles, I'm really digging only about 4 of them. Will likely drop Red Hood, Catwoman, and possibly Detective within the next month.

Like others, not buying any Marvel titles - would definitely be getting Uncanny X-Force if not for the 4 buck price tag; gonna buy the trades of the Dark Angel saga when they come out.

As for the success of the new 52, from a consumer's standpoint, I can't really say. But my LCS and the other shop in town seen an increase in subscriptions and a large jump in sales of the new books. So far, so good.

I'll tell you what I'm enjoying, the characters that were over in Vertigo for the last 10-15 years integrated into the DC Universe proper, Swamp Thing, Shade, Madame Xanadu, Jonah Hex..etc, Justice League Dark is awesome...

+ 1

the sad, sad reality is, my favorite hobby is dying a slow death. i didn't delve into DC's press releases, but the idea that new comic addicts would materialize from this stunt is preposterous, imho.

i'll use myself as an example: my interest in comics started in the convenience store, which i could walk to after school (3rd grade... i'm 42 now), and pick up a couple of $.30 books.

within a few years i knew where two LCS's were, and if dad took me, i could spend my allowance there (i always wanted that KISS book with their blood in the ink!). it was the time of the Super Friends cartoon, Spider-Man & his Amazing Friends cartoon, Adam West & Burt Ward, Mego dolls;

so it was 'news stand' and the occasional LCS trip for years... fast forward to 1990 San Diego, my first Navy duty station, 20 years old. this was the first time i started a weekly pull/subscription.

fast forward again to 2010. as i retire from the Navy, there are only a fraction of the LCS's still open in the country compared to years past (and it seems like they stay afloat thanks to scads of MTG & other CCG players who pile in the shop for tournaments); also (i guesstimate) 99% of all convenience / grocery stores do not carry comics.

blame can be placed and fingers can be pointed (i'm guilty, too) but in the grand scheme i tend to ally my opinions with ideas like: the material has evolved, the culture/media landscape has changed, the economy's in the toilet; summarily, the 'formula' that existed 20+ years ago, does not exist now. and DC's New 52 didn't come close to bringing in a "fresh new demographic".

i hate b|tching about circumstances without offering solutions, but as i watch my kids grow up, i honestly don't have those answers (and neither does DC, or Marvel, or any other publisher...).

i feel like i do my part... i promote comics every chance i get... i give them away as presents; with candy for halloween; i circulate TPB's through my kids for their friends to read (my 11 year old is currently reading the Capital/First Badger series); i display my figures and statues and posters... my monthly pull list hovers around 30 items; but in 10... 15... 20 more years, will the comic book hobby we know (and love) still exist?

anyone else feel this way?

sorry to ramble... umm, of the New 52 titles, i currently read:
Batman
Detective
Dark Knight
Green Lantern
DC Presents (the deadman arc)
Grifter
Stormwatch

I completely disagree. From the comic shop owners I talked to, DC 52 has been a huge hit. I've been told they are ordering in numbers that they haven't since the 90s. And that people they've never had as regulars are coming in and starting boxes just to check out the New 52.

If comic shops are ordering larger amounts and bringing in new customers, then you have to assume that that includes the younger demographic.

Agreed. I was talking to a friend just last week who had been out of comics for a while but wanted to get in on the New 52 specifically so he could have a run of comics that began with #1s to share with his boys when they get a little older.

i don't think anyone can dispute that from an LCS perspective it's been successful, in an 'instant gratification' sense of the word.





again, ordering in big #'s is good for the LCS, but i'm not sure we have all the evidence necessary for conclusions we're looking for. people who have never been regulars starting pulls COULD point toward the decline in number of LCS's; and nothing in that statement causes me to "assume that that includes the younger demographic", especially with todays comic prices.


however, these two statements...





...demonstrate my point. and i can add my testimony as well. other than FCBD, and one kid who walked into an LCS i was in and picked out an OMAC action figure, i don't see any younger demographic purchasing comics from the 4 or 5 LCS's in my area... they ARE in the shops, but they are playing CCG's.

CCL'ers who have posted about whether or not they will give the New 52 a chance, and if so, which titles they are trying out, are all previous collectors...

it's just difficult not to compare how i got into the hobby (which seems 'organic' to me) with how my kids & their friends regard the hobby... and that's with a passing interest, coupled with a "let's play Black-Ops on PS3".

^^^

Since you highlighted it I noticed I wrote post instead of pre. D'oh

I am basically reading the same DC books I was before the 52. I did try a few new titles but I have been let down by StormWatch and Static. I will prob drop them before they reach issue 6.

But looking at the Diamond Top 100 books for November...

So here's a list (October ranking - November ranking = Change):

1 - 1 = 0 JUSTICE LEAGUE
2 - 2 = 0 BATMAN
3 - 3 = 0 ACTION COMICS
4 - 4 = 0 GREEN LANTERN



11 - 12 = -1 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT
18 - 19 = -1 AQUAMAN
6 - 8 = -2 DETECTIVE COMICS
12 - 14 = -2 BATMAN AND ROBIN
10 - 13 = -3 SUPERMAN
42 - 45 = -3 ANIMAL MAN
5 - 9 = -4 FLASH
13 - 17 = -4 WONDER WOMAN
14 - 18 = -4 BATGIRL
15 - 20 = -5 BATWOMAN
16 - 21 = -5 TEEN TITANS
19 - 24 = -5 GREEN LANTERN CORPS
17 - 23 = -6 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS
21 - 28 = -7 NIGHTWING
68 - 75 = -7 ALL STAR WESTERN
39 - 47 = -8 SUPERBOY
27 - 36 = -9 SWAMP THING
35 - 44 = -9 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS
83 - 92 = -9 BATMAN ODYSSEY VOL 2 #1
33 - 43 = -10 SUPERGIRL
62 - 72 = -10 DEMON KNIGHTS
65 - 76 = -11 FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE
20 - 32 = -12 RED LANTERNS
29 - 41 = -12 CATWOMAN
30 - 42 = -12 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK
36 - 48 = -12 GREEN ARROW
44 - 56 = -12 STORMWATCH
58 - 70 = -12 BATWING
66 - 79 = -13 HUNTRESS
70 - 85 = -15 RESURRECTION MAN
81 - 96 = -15 I VAMPIRE
23 - 40 = -17 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL
45 - 62 = -17 SUICIDE SQUAD
67 - 84 = -17 GRIFTER
73 - 90 = -17 HAWK AND DOVE
43 - 61 = -18 BIRDS OF PREY
63 - 81 = -18 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS
49 - 69 = -20 SAVAGE HAWKMAN
69 - 89 = -20 BLUE BEETLE
50 - 71 = -21 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES
53 - 74 = -21 DEATHSTROKE
59 - 80 = -21 LEGION LOST
71 - 93 = -22 CAPTAIN ATOM
54 - 78 = -24 FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN
75 - 99 = -24 MISTER TERRIFIC


Out of top 100 MEN OF WAR
Out of top 100 BLACKHAWKS
Out of top 100 STATIC SHOCK
Out of top 100 OMAC
Out of top 100 VOODOO


--Sean

(It's fun to watch Didio fail.)

I've never been a DC kind of guy. I grew up on Marvel and thats where my loyalty has always been. But, I've been tiring of Marvel in recent years and looked to the news of DC's New 52 with some interest. I now pick up Batgirl, Justice League, Red Lanterns, Aquaman, Batwoman, and Hawk & Dove. I've been enjoying them!

Compare that to my Marvel reading nowadays which consists of Avengers and New Avengers. I've been considering dropping them altogether, but I've heard that Bendis is leaving soon, so I think I'll stick with them a bit longer...(Bendis has been tired out on the Avengers for a long time now)

I don't know if DC is bringing in "new and younger" readers or not, but they have gotten a convert from Marvel! I suspect I'm not the only one.

I was wondering if I was alone in feeling that a new writer on all the Avengers title would be a good thing. I do think Bendis is very talented obviously but he's been on those books for so long. I'd love to see someone else step up to the Avenger titles. I read New and regular Avengers and they just don't pack the punch and excitement they once had.

Anyway about the "New 52" I hope it was and continues to be successful. There are a lot of great books on the shelves. Batwoman, Swamp Thing, Batwing, Justice League, Birds of Prey, and All Star Western to name a few.

I'm reading a lot of titles I read before the relaunch and I even picked up a few new ones to boot. So from my view I'd consider it a success.