IDW Publishing Forums

Bobby Curnow · IDW Editor Joined: 17 Nov 2010 Posts: 1261

Maybe!
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Nissl · Private Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 4

Oh boy, time to speculate on sales numbers while someone who knows the actual figures watches.

The only solid info I'm aware of comes from an interview of Cook and Price where they said they had heard 125k total *physical* copies for the first issue as of late November. So it seems like you can tack on another 50% in "dark matter" sales relative to the Diamond numbers for this book, and that's before the Hot Topic rollout, which anecdotally seems to be going swimmingly.

We know that the first issue did another 6k via Diamond in December, so add another 10k total.

Digital sales are typically ~10% according to Bobby, but MLP seems to be knocking it out of the park with digital. The first two issues have been parked at #1 and #2 on iTunes' comic section for a month now. I don't think 15k or more is unreasonable. This is a very internet savvy audience that's already buying episodes through iTunes, and some are still going to be shy about buying the book in real life.

Add it all up and I think you're looking at sales north of 150k for issue #1, although 220k seems a bit high.

Bobby Curnow · IDW Editor Joined: 17 Nov 2010 Posts: 1261

Hey guys,

I've made a huff about our books not really being late, as they hit the month they are solicited for. Unfortunately, I've got bad news to report.

Due to a customs inspection, MLP#3 is going to be delayed a week, till the first week of February. By extension, MLP#4 will ship the first week of March.

Trust me, no one is more frustrated by this than me. We've pulled such long hours to ensure this book gets out on time. To see our efforts blown to the wind like this is extremely, extremely annoying.

So: apologies, if there was anything I, or IDW could do, we would do it. I can say that the books are great!
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Rhuen · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:20 pm Post subject:

we must pray to the monstrous Zumalgustar to bring us out of these dark times.

Heather Breckel · Slayer Joined: 15 Oct 2012 Posts: 96

The important part is it has never been the staff's fault for the delays. Just apparently Chrysalis herself likes to attack the physical books.

Soundalek44 · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:15 pm Post subject:

Its official, the Pony comic is cursed, CURSED I TELL YOU!

.... I bet Trixie did it, she was jealous of Twilight branching out into comics, so this is her way of trying to foil it!

On the bright side this makes certain decisions much easier for me.

Also, not to sound rude, but at this point don't be surprised if the sales figures start going down in heavy numbers for the book, 4 issues in a row getting pushed back, it turns off readers. I know its not your fault, but yeah.

Gawd I hope the second arc doesn't suffer as much. Also, so why move back #4 just because #3 is being pushed back a week, no reason we can't have 2 issues in the same month? does that mean #5 will be pushed back to April? Are the comics going to be moved to the start of each month?

*Sigh* Again I know its not you guys fault and your just as frustrated as the rest of us, if not more so, but yeah, this book, i'll be honest at this point i'll be surprised if it gets a single issue out on time all year! *knock on wood*

Well best of luck, and I hope all these delays don't completely kill sales!

And if things persist in such an annoying and negative way I guess you could always change up the format just release the completes stories in quarterly trades. Kind of like a manga publishers in the states do with their books.

Anywho best of luck and may pony still have a bright future despite all these problems we seem to be having atm!

Keep on trotting you guys, keep on trotting.
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Heather Breckel · Slayer Joined: 15 Oct 2012 Posts: 96

I wouldn't get doom and gloom yet. I would start worrying if we have a bunch of month delays.

SteelEagle · I'm kind of a big deal Joined: 13 Oct 2012 Posts: 103

It's a small delay. I understand the frustration, most especially from those actually working on the series, but it isn't as if we're getting delayed a whole month. It's a week. Everything will be okay!

cbrubaker · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:00 pm Post subject:

At this point, have IDW considered changing the release schedule so that it comes out on the first week of the month instead? In order to work-around the inevitable delay?

Like, have #3 cover-dated Feb. 2013; skip January entirely.

Bobby Curnow · IDW Editor Joined: 17 Nov 2010 Posts: 1261

Seeing as how these delays happen after we go to print, that's hard to pull off.

We've had some peculiar bad luck— this doesn't happen to the vast majority of the books we put out. All we can really do is aim to hit the month we solicit for.
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"I've lost all the hamburgers."

The Illustrious Q · I'm kind of a big deal Joined: 09 Nov 2012 Posts: 126

Have you considered printing in the good old USA and avoid the shipping from overseas, the import taxes, and customs all together?

Sprite · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:06 am Post subject:

I collect a lot of IDW comics and Bobby's right, this kind of thing rarely happens. FiM is just having rotten luck. Confused

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Marimo · Comic Book Guy Joined: 14 Oct 2012 Posts: 39

For April's solicitation's, I noticed Luna had her season 1 character design instead of her current one on cover A for #6.

Just curious, is that the same design that's going to be used inside the comic?

Soundalek44 · Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:51 am Post subject:

Heather Breckel · Slayer Joined: 15 Oct 2012 Posts: 96

I don't know officially but I would think Hasbro would want us sticking to the newer Luna. But then again you never know!