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Comical Opinions: Comics Reviews for Image, Dynamite, Zenescope, And More: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Comic Book Reviews, News, and Opinions
Your regular update on Comic Book reviews, the latest news about the Comics Industry, and honest opinions. comicalopinions.substack.com
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- 3 days ago10 min
Readers Wait Months for Marvel Trades
New here? Start with the Start Here playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQEXyVpo2dRkMarvel trades land about 3 months after the last issue. Weekly Shonen Jump volumes land about 3 months after the last chapter. So why did 44% of you say trades show up too late? Because the fight is access, not printer speed. Jump chapters reach English readers the same day as Japan on VIZ and MANGA Plus, while Marvel and DC still lock the complete story behind single issues until the trade ships. Here are the measured gaps (Absolute Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, Ultimate Spider-Man, Immortal Thor, One Piece) and what that lock costs readers and comic shops.Follow-up to: Marvel & DC Keep Losing Readers. Manga Shows What They're Doing Wronghttps://youtu.be/utOEgppCT3MChapters0:00 3 months vs 3 months: so why "too late"?0:47 Who this is for1:18 The measured gaps: Marvel, DC, Jump3:01 Manga's real win: same-day access4:55 Why the Big Two keep the window5:43 "Trades too late" means the story was locked6:41 Subscribe7:16 Who else gets it + what to watch8:59 Verdict: fix the lockSources- Absolute Batman #6 (Mar 19, 2025) to Vol. 1 (Aug 5, 2025): https://www.dc.com/comics/absolute-batman-2024/absolute-batman-6 · https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/796797/absolute-batman-vol-1-the-zoo-by-scott-snyder/- Absolute Superman #6 (Apr 2, 2025) to Vol. 1 (Aug 19, 2025): https://www.dc.com/comics/absolute-superman-2024/absolute-superman-6 · https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/796800/absolute-superman-vol-1-last-dust-of-krypton-by-jason-aaron/- Absolute Wonder Woman #7 (Apr 23, 2025) to Vol. 1 (Aug 12, 2025): https://www.dc.com/comics/absolute-wonder-woman-2024/absolute-wonder-woman-7 · https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/absolute-wonder-woman-2024/absolute-wonder-woman-vol-1-the-last-amazon- Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #6 (Jun 19, 2024) to Vol. 1 (Sep 10, 2024): https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/113883/ultimate_spider-man_2024_6 · https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746609/ultimate-spider-man-by-jonathan-hickman-vol-1-married-with-children-by-jonathan-hickman/- Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) #12 (Dec 18, 2024) to Vol. 2 (Mar 18, 2025): https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/113889/ultimate_spider-man_2024_12 · https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/750421/ultimate-spider-man-by-jonathan-hickman-vol-2-the-paper-by-jonathan-hickman/- Immortal Thor #5 (Dec 13, 2023) to Vol. 1 (Mar 12, 2024): https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/109004/immortal_thor_2023_5 · https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/737322/immortal-thor-vol-1-all-weather-turns-to-storm-by-al-ewing/- One Piece Vols. 108, 111, 112 (Shueisha): https://one-piece.com/comics/67257/index.html · https://one-piece.com/comics/75896/index.html · https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Chapters_and_Volumes- Weekly Shonen Jump volumes every two to three months: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weekly_Sh%C5%8Dnen_Jump- VIZ simulpub (same day as
- 5 days ago12 min
Marvel Lost the Comic Shop Crown
New here? Start with the Start Here playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQEXyVpo2dRkDC Comics went from about 20% of comic-shop dollars to first place in two years. Absolute sold over 8.2 million copies. So did All In actually work for shops? Two years of shop data say yes — and here's who paid for that win (underprinting, speculation, and Marvel's lost share), plus what the Q2 2026 slip to 31.9% does and doesn't mean.Note: ComicHub/ICv2 market-share figures are point-of-sale estimates from a non-random sample of stores, not a full census. Absolute unit totals (8.2M+ / ~3M Absolute Batman) are publisher figures reported to The Hollywood Reporter. Absolute Batman #1's ~400K early-printing figure and #15's 300K+ are orders/estimates as reported — labeled on screen in the video.Chapters0:00 DC went from 20% to #1 — did All In work?0:49 The share chart: Marvel 39.9% to DC's crown2:19 Was it only Absolute Batman?2:29 Absolute's 8.2 million and a line that held4:54 Shop floor: Mission +69% DC, channel up ~30%6:39 Who paid for the win?6:53 Underprinting, speculators, Marvel's lost Wednesdays9:16 Q2 2026: 34.7% → 31.9% — hold test, not a rewrite10:41 Subscribe10:54 What readers and shops should watch11:45 Verdict: All In worked — with a receiptSources- Hollywood Reporter, Absolute 8.2M+ / Abs Bat ~3M / #15 orders 300K+ / Fraction Batman #1 500K+ (Dec 23, 2025): https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/batman-absolute-universe-comics-dc-super-year-1236458286/- Popverse, ComicsPRO 2026 / Nancy Spears 8M Absolute / underprint rib: https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-dc-absolute-8-million-comicspro-2026- ICv2 Q3 2024 shares (Marvel 39.9% / DC 20.1%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/57938/dc-reverses-decline-idw-reverts-norm-oni-back-chart- ICv2 Q4 2024 (Marvel 33.3% / DC 26.9%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/58581/marvel-slips-dc-gains-ground- ICv2 Q3 2025 (DC 29.5% / Marvel 36.6%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/60830/dc-gains-market-share-hot-summer- ICv2 Q4 2025 (DC #1 at 32.6%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/61398/dc-had-1-comic-store-market-share-q4-2025- ICv2 Q1 2026 (DC 34.7% / Marvel 29.4%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/62162/dc-expands-lead-over-marvel- ICv2 Q2 2026 (DC 31.9% / Marvel 28.3% / Image 15.3%): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/62873/image-gains-dc-marvel-slip- ICv2 White Paper 2025 ($2.2B / shops ~+30% / Abs Bat top series): https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/61573/icv2-white-paper-comics-graphic-novel-sales-reached-new-high-2025- ICv2 Top 50 Comics Aug 2026 (Abs Bat #23 #1): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/63317/top-50-comics-august-2026- ICv2 Top 50 Comics Aug 2025 (Abs Bat #11 #1): https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/60449/top-50-comics-august-2026- Comic Book Club, Abs Bat #1 ~400K / 2024 bestseller: https://comicbookclublive.com/2024/11/19/absolute-batman-bestselling-comic-2024/- Mission Comics 2025 Review (DC +69%): https://www.missioncomicsandart.com/blog/2025-review- Bleeding Cool, Abs Bat #1 initial orders "well over 200,000": https://bleedingcool.com/comics/absolute-batman-1-gets-well-over-200000-order
- 1 weeks ago10 min
Comic Shops Lose Money on Every Reboot
New here? Start with the Start Here playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQEXyVpo2dRkIn June 2016, Batman's reboot sold 280,360 copies to comic shops, nearly triple what the book was doing before. By issue 11 it was selling below the run it replaced. So why did DC's biggest hit since then not reboot Batman at all? Using the same sales chart three times (Rebirth, One More Day and Absolute), here's what a reset actually buys readers and comic shops, and the one move that has beaten both.Note: Diamond/Comichron figures are estimated orders to shops, not sales to readers. The One More Day / Brand New Day numbers and Absolute Batman #1's ~400K are as reported/estimates and haven't been independently verified.Chapters0:00 Batman's reboot nearly tripled. Then what?0:45 The chart, pass 1: Rebirth's spike and fade2:55 Did Rebirth actually work?3:07 When a reset "works," check what else changed4:36 The chart, pass 2: Spider-Man after One More Day5:55 So does anything work?6:09 The chart, pass 3: Absolute, a new front door8:18 The best case against me9:18 What to watch (readers and retailers)10:09 The verdictSources- Comichron, June 2016: https://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2016/2016-06.html- Comics Beat, Sep 2016: https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-comics-month-to-month-sales-september-2016-young-chemical-romance/- ICv2, Rebirth vs. New 52: https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/36391/comparing-dcs-rebirth-new-52- One More Day / Brand New Day (as reported): https://comicbookinvest.com/2017/03/14/a-look-at-amazing-and-superior-spider-mans-numbers/ | https://icv2.com/print/article/12098 | http://sequentiallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2008/08/brand-new-day-day-after.html- Absolute: https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-absolute-batman-1-dc-best-selling-comic-2024 | https://icv2.com/print/article/58667 | https://www.dc.com/blog/2024/11/18/absolute-batman-1-is-2024-s-bestselling-comic-book | https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/61464/full-year-2025-circana-bookscan-top-20-author-superhero-graphic-novelsMusic: "Clean Soul" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Tags: comic book sales, comic book market, Batman Rebirth, Absolute Batman, One More Day, Brand New Day, Spider-Man, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, comic reboots, comic relaunches, retcons, comic shops, pull list, direct market, BookScan, comic industry analysis, Comical Opinions This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
- 1 weeks ago12 min
Marvel & DC Keep Losing Readers
10 of the 20 best-selling manga in America last year were Volume 1s. Manga grew 11% while graphic novels overall grew 5%. And when Marvel and DC do build a front door, like Absolute Batman, DC Compact, and Ultimate Spider-Man, it works. So why do they still treat it as the exception? Here's what US publishers refuse to learn from manga, and what it costs comic shops.Sources: Circana BookScan 2025 (via ICv2), Comichron.Chapters0:00 Half of manga's Top 20 are Volume 1s0:50 The manga wall vs. the Big Two shelf2:06 The problem, in numbers3:19 Point 1: The front door is the product4:54 Point 2: Bookstores reward it6:20 Point 3: When the Big Two build a front door, it works7:51 The counterargument: where do you start with Batman?9:18 What to watch for10:15 Bottom line + 3 questions for you12:02 OutroMusic: "Wallpaper" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
- 2 weeks ago15 min
Is the Variant Cover Boom Repeating the 1990s Mistake?
Chainkata #1 was announced with 116 retailer-exclusive covers. Meanwhile, Absolute Batman #25 reportedly exceeded 775,000 retailer preorders. Those numbers have reignited a familiar debate about comic book sales, collectible editions, and the health of the direct market.But do these examples actually prove that a new speculation bubble is forming?In this Comical Opinions industry deep dive, we examine the difference between retailer orders, customer demand, collectible premiums, and lasting readership. We look at what the 1990s can teach us, why enormous order numbers are not automatically evidence of speculation, and what publishers and comic shops should watch next.**In this video:**- Why 116 retailer-exclusive covers do not automatically prove a speculative bubble- What Absolute Batman #25's reported preorder milestone actually tells us- The difference between retailer orders and customer sell-through- What the 1990s comic-book speculation boom can teach today's market- Why collectible resale prices are not proof of guaranteed future value- What publishers, retailers, and readers should measure after launchThe verdict: collectible excitement can help sell a comic, but sustainable readership requires customers to keep coming back.What do you think matters more for the long-term health of comics: record-breaking launches or repeat readership? Share your reasoning in the comments.For questions and examples from your own shop or collecting experience, email: questions@comicalopinions.comSubscribe to Comical Opinions for evidence-led analysis of comic book sales, publishing decisions, and the patterns shaping the industry's future.#ComicBooks #VariantCovers #ComicBookMarket #chainkata #danielwarrenjohnson #absolutebatmanTimestamps:00:00 - Is the Variant Comics Boom Back?00:48 - What Comic Book Orders Actually Measure01:57 - 116 Covers: The Chainkata Case03:32 - Absolute Batman: 775,000+ Reported Preorders06:05 - The 1990s Speculator Boom08:46 - The Case for Variant Covers10:18 - What Publishers and Retailers Should Watch13:00 - Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
- 2 weeks ago17 min
Why Marvel's $4.99 Comics Could Hurt Comic Book Sales
Marvel's $4.99 price floor could hurt comic book sales. Not because every reader will quit, but because trying unfamiliar comics is getting more expensive.Marvel's last $3.99 holdout, Generation X-23, is scheduled to end in November 2026. The change raises a bigger business question: can publishers collect more per issue without making readers more selective about which books they try?In this Comical Opinions video, we examine the move from $3.99 to $4.99, calculate what it means for a monthly pull list, and separate a credible risk to reader sampling from a sales decline that has not yet been demonstrated.Have you changed what you buy at $4.99? If you're a retailer, are customers becoming more selective about trying new titles?Send questions and story suggestions to questions@comicalopinions.comTimestamps:00:00 - Why $4.99 Could Hurt Comic Book Sales00:53 - Marvel's New Price Floor03:22 - Marvel's $3.99-to-$4.99 Shift04:49 - The Same Four Comics Cost $4 More06:52 - The Real Risk Is Fewer New Readers08:48 - What the Evidence Doesn't Prove10:07 - Marvel Must Prove Readers Will Stay12:06 - What Readers and Retailers Should Watch13:39 - The Test for a Sustainable Price Increase15:17 - Final Thoughts#comics #comicbooks #Marvel #comicalopinions #comicbooksales This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
- 3 weeks ago14 min
Why Marvel's Short Runs Could Cost Shops in the Comic Book Market by 2027
Marvel's next publishing cycle may depend less on keeping every comic alive and more on repeatedly launching books that can earn readers' attention. I put the odds at 70% that Marvel will continue rotating through ongoing series, finite runs, and relaunches into 2027, but the evidence has to distinguish planned endings from a genuine shift toward shorter-lived comics.This video examines Marvel's recent Avengers transition, third-party sales-chart classifications, and the difference between launch attention and repeat readership. The goal is to determine whether Marvel's publishing model is becoming more dependent on new #1 issues, what evidence could disprove that prediction, and how readers and retailers should make buying and ordering decisions.Core argument: A final issue does not prove failure, but a sustained pattern of short-lived launches could reveal a publishing strategy that prioritizes fresh sales opportunities over durable readership.Have a comic-industry question you want the Internet Judge to investigate? Send it to questions@comicalopinions.com.## Chapter timestamps00:00 - Why Marvel's cancellations may signal a bigger shift01:13 - A final issue isn't the same as a failed book02:17 - Why Marvel will keep rotating through launches07:46 - The strongest argument against the prediction09:47 - What Marvel has to prove11:04 - How readers and retailers should respond12:39 - The number that will settle the argument#comics #comicbooks #marvel #marvelcomics #comicalopinions #comicbookmarket This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
- 3 weeks ago15 min
Marvel Reversing One More Day Could Save Comic Book Sales
Marvel may finally have a reason to revisit One More Day, but the evidence does not yet prove Peter Parker's marriage to Mary Jane is coming back.Nearly 19 years after Mephisto's bargain erased their marriage from Spider-Man continuity, two developments have renewed speculation: the memory-theft storyline in Amazing Spider-Man #1000 and #1001, and Marvel's mysterious “1 Day” tease for June 2027.But are these clues connected, or are fans reading more into them than the evidence supports?In this video, we examine what Ravage's powers actually establish, what Marvel has (and has not) revealed about “1 Day,” and what a genuine reversal would mean for Spider-Man's future. We also examine the business implications: whether a major continuity change could restore reader confidence, attract lapsed readers, and sustain sales beyond an initial announcement.**The verdict:** The theory is worth investigating, but a reversal remains unconfirmed. Marvel must deliver a real story change before readers or retailers should treat it as a certainty.**What do you think?** Should Marvel restore Peter Parker and Mary Jane's marriage, or leave One More Day alone? Retailers, would a confirmed reversal change your orders, or would you wait for evidence of sustained demand?Send your comic-industry questions to questions@comicalopinions.com#SpiderMan #MarvelComics #OneMoreDayTimestamps:00:00 - Why Marvel Might Revisit One More Day00:48 - The Decision That Still Divides Spider-Man Readers02:14 - Ravage's Powers Don't Prove a Reversal03:34 - What Marvel's “1 Day” Teaser Actually Tells Us05:06 - What Marvel Must Prove06:35 - The Limits of the Evidence07:56 - What Marvel Has to Deliver09:41 - Should Readers and Retailers Buy Into the Theory?11:38 - What to Watch Before June 202713:48 - Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit comicalopinions.substack.com
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