Fool Me Once...
ICv2 has released its
analysis of comic
book orders for September 2003, as well as lists of the
Top 300 Comics
and
Top 50
Graphic Novels. At first I was confused by the fact that ICv2
was estimating orders for JLA/AVENGERS #1 at only 189,919 copies.
Doesn't ICv2 read the
press releases
it puts up on its own website? But then I went back and re-read
the
original press release and noticed that Marvel never claimed that
JLA/AVENGERS #1 actually
sold over 200,000 copies to direct
market stores; Marvel only stated "unprecedented demand has led to the
production
of over 200,000 copies of JLA/AVENGERS #1 for
shipment to
the direct market" [emphasis mine]. Damn, and like a rank
amateur,
I
fell for Marvel's carefully crafted spin. That's it—from here
on out, I'm going to have to ratchet up the cynicism a couple
notches. (Of course, it could also be that ICv2's numbers are
wrong: It seems to be a perennial complaint that
their
estimates are overly conservative. In which case I'm still
determined to be more cynical—I'll just direct that attitude ICv2's
way.)
