Seven Years of Januarys

Over at his blog, Tim Callahan did a post comparing the number of books he bought from DC (and then Marvel in an edit) in January 2002 to January 2008, noting that the number has increased quite a bit over the years (433.33% to be exact... well, not exact as to be exact, the 3 would repeat to infinity). I figured I'd do something similar, but I would look at every January from 2002 to 2008 and look at the four companies I buy most of my books from (DC, Marvel, Image and Avatar). However, because I've had some slightly strange circumstances and buying habits, I've listed books from each month in three categories:

Bought--things I bought that month when they came out.

Read via dad--my dad reads comics, so some books I just read when he bought them while I lived at home. Books read this way fell into two categories: books I was waiting for in trade-form and books I wouldn't read normally but they were free, so fuck it. You'll probably be able to tell the former from the latter thanks to the next category.

Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later--this is a category for trades that came out that month but I know I didn't buy until a later date, singles I got in trade when it came out, and singles I bought as back issues (probably because they weren't in a trade). Seems simple enough. Oh, for 2008 books, this may mean that the solicits had a trade that was released in February that I bought or issues are solicited for books I buy, but are late.

I think I will go through this year by year, so we can see how each company stacks up against one another. I will provide the links to the solicits, so you can check them out if you want. As well, in one or two cases, I couldn't find the solicits for January, so I went with February. I will note that when it comes up. Commentary after each publisher and then probably a wrap-up for each year.

January 2002

DC
Bought: JLA #62, TRANSMETROPOLITAN: GOUGE AWAY TP
Read via dad: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #2, THE ESTABLISHMENT #5, GEN13 #73, THE MONARCHY #10
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #2, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #600, HELLBLAZER #170, TRANSMETROPOLITAN #52

Pretty self-explanatory. This JLA issue was at the beginning of Joe Kelly's run, which I dropped within a year. I plan to get Adam Warren's Gen 13 run at some point. Same with The Establishment and The Monarchy, both excellent titles. You'll see Hellblazer pop up in that last category a lot since I buy it just in trades and have every run since Warren Ellis's in that form.

Marvel
Bought: HOWARD THE DUCK #1, THE ULTIMATES #1
Read via dad: ULTIMATE X-MEN #14, EXILES #8, UNCANNY X-MEN #402, CABLE #101, DEADPOOL: FUNERAL FOR A FREAK #2, NEW X-MEN #122, ORIGIN #6, X-FORCE #124, THOR #45
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: ALIAS #5, FURY #5, THE ULTIMATES #1, UNCANNY X-MEN #402, NEW X-MEN #122, X-FORCE #124, DAREDEVIL #29

Again, pretty easy to understand. My dad mostly bought X-titles from Marvel--many of which made the jump to me buying later. I include Ultimates #1 in both the first and third categories because I only bought the first issue in singles, eventually buying the deluxe hardcover.

Image
Bought: NONE
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Um... sorry?

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: Warren Ellis' STRANGE KILLINGS #1

I'm not including the dad category for Avatar as he has never bought anything from them.

Totals
Bought: 4
Read via dad: 13
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 12

Little money meant not much actually bought at the time. But there's also a lot I've gotten over the years, which says something about a healthy trade program.

2003

DC
Bought: ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #612, AUTOMATIC KAFKA #7, FIGHT FOR TOMORROW #5, THE FILTH #8,
Read via dad: GLOBAL FREQUENCY #4, STORMWATCH: TEAM ACHILLES #7, WILDCATS Version 3.0 #6
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: SLEEPER #1, WILDCATS Version 3.0 #6, MEK #3, HELLBLAZER #180, HELLBLAZER: HAUNTED TP, VERTIGO POP!: LONDON #3

By this point in time, I had a pull list at my local shop. I tended to keep it to five titles or less and three of those titles are here (Fight for Tomorrow being a rack purchase). I still mean to get Global Frequency and Stormwatch: Team Achilles in trade/back issue form as both were great books. I didn't begin buying Sleeper until between the two seasons when I picked up the first trade based on all of the praise--and then promptly bought the remaining six issues of the first season. This month also marks the beginning of Joe Casey's brilliant final year on Adventures of Superman (yes, it went January through December strangely enough). Oh, and Vertigo Pop!: London is a great Peter Milligan book about growing older and rock music with lovely art by Phillip Bond and Warren Pleece--if you see the four-issue mini at your shop, pick it up.

Marvel
Bought: X-FORCE: FAMOUS, MUTANT AND MORTAL
Read via dad: ULTIMATE WAR #3, ULTIMATE X-MEN #27 & #28, NEW X-MEN #136, X-STATIX #7, EXILES #21, AGENT X #7, SOLDIER X #7, THOR #58, PARADISE X: RAGNAROK #1
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NEW X-MEN #136, FANTASTIC FOUR #65

Only one actual purchase, but a big one. I remember picking that up since I had ordered it when it was solicited. I also bought a "Murder Me Dead" t-shirt that day. Not much jumped from "read via dad" to "picked up later," but I do mean to get Soldier X and the rest of the X-Statix stuff.

Image (February)
Bought: PARADIGM #6
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Again, not a whole lot. I doubt January would have been much different, aside from maybe an issue of Rising Stars my dad got and I read. I really miss Paradigm as it was a really weird and fantastic read that only lasted one year before a temporary break became permanent. It was another pull list title.

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: Warren Ellis' STRANGE KILLINGS TPB Vol 1, Warren Ellis' SCARS #3

Up until recently, I didn't buy much from Avatar in singles, likening them to Vertigo where trades were a better way to read complete stories.

Totals:

Bought: 6 (+2)
Read via dad: 13 (+0)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 10 (-2)

There's an increase in items purchased at the time with an equal dip in items purchased later. This was around the time that the glory days of Jemas/Quesada were fading away, so not terribly surprising.

2004

DC
Bought: NOTHING
Read via dad: STORMWATCH: TEAM ACHILLES #19, WILDCATS Version 3.0 #18
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: BATMAN #623, GOTHAM CENTRAL #15, SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY #1, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER #1, WILDCATS Version 3.0 #18, HELLBLAZER #192, HUMAN TARGET #6

Wow, I didn't buy anything sold that month. Lots of stuff picked up later. Even Wildstorm's output was low--this was right before the imprint completely crapped out, basically. The Batman issue here is Azzarello's run, which I got in trade last year, I believe.

Marvel (February)
Bought: CAPTAIN AMERICA #23
Read via dad: SECRET WAR: BOOK ONE, ULTIMATE X-MEN #42, 1602 #7, THOR #74, NEW X-MEN #153, WOLVERINE #11
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: FANTASTIC FOUR #510, SECRET WAR: BOOK ONE, THE PULSE #1, 1602 #7, THANOS #6, NEW X-MEN #153, THE PUNISHER #3, BORN HC, NEW X-MEN VOL. 6: PLANET X TPB

Only one book bought, which would be part of Robert Morales's run on Captain America. Fantastic run--something else worth tracking down. A rather large number of books picked up later, though--many of which I read my dad's copy of. Oh, and the New X-Men stuff gets two mentions in the last category because I bought Morrison's run in the three deluxe hardcovers. As well, I got Born in trade, not hardcover, at a later date.

Image
Bought: NONE
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: Wanted #2

I later gave my copy of the Wanted trade to a friend, so not exactly Image's month.

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Nor Avatar's.

Totals:

Bought: 1 (-5)
Read via dad: 8 (-5)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 17 (+7)

Looks like a lot of stuff was unappreciated at the time, because the first two categories are way down, but the last one is up almost enough to keep things even. I kind of remember that month and I do remember picking up an issue of Demo as well, plus some stuff from December most likely. And, as usual, some older trade and maybe some back issues.

2005

DC
Bought: JLA CLASSIFIED #3, THE INTIMATES #3, SLEEPER SEASON TWO #8, JOHN CONSTANTINE: HELLBLAZER - RARE CUTS TP, WE3 #3
Read via dad: THE AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #4, PLANETARY #22
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: SUPERMAN #213, THE INCAL VOL. 1: THE EPIC CONSPIRACY TP, THE AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #4, HELLBLAZER #204

Purchasing is way up with some great books there. I buy Planetary in "absolute" collections. As well, if you can find a copy of the Incal books, very good stuff. The Superman issue is from Azzarello's run. And, of course, Hellblazer continues to show up in the third category.

Marvel
Bought: AVENGERS: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST #5 & #6
Read via dad: WOLVERINE #24, STORMBREAKER: THE SAGA OF BETA RAY BILL #1, X-MEN #166, ASTONISHING X-MEN #9
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: ULTIMATES 2 #2, NEW AVENGERS #3, THE PULSE #7, CAPTAIN AMERICA #3, FANTASTIC FOUR #522, ASTONISHING X-MEN #9, PUNISHER #16, AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED TPB

Marvel only gets one title sold this month (two issues, though) for another in what I love to call the "Joe Casey fills in Stan Lee's plot holes" series. Peter Milligan was writing X-Men at the time and not doing that great of a job. The Beta Ray Bill mini was decent. Fantastic Four continues to be from the Waid/Wieringo run.

Image
Bought: NONE
Read via dad: Rising Stars #24
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: Wanted #4 Death Row Edition

Last issue of Rising Stars, which my dad bought and I had mostly lost interest in by this point.

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

January continues to not be kind month for Avatar (and will continue to be unkind, actually).

Totals:

Bought: 7 (+6)
Read via dad: 7 (-1)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 13 (-4)

An increase in books bought, but a decrease in the other two caterogies--but for a general increase of one book. Around this time, I was reading less of what my dad was buying since he tends to stick to characters, while I follow creators and what looks good. I expect that category's numbers to go down from now on.

2006

DC
Bought: SEVEN SOLDIERS: FRANKENSTEIN #2, SEVEN SOLDIERS: MISTER MIRACLE #3, DESOLATION JONES #5
Read via dad: INFINITE CRISIS #4, DAY OF VENGEANCE: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL, TEAM ZERO #2, PLANETARY #24
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: GOTHAM CENTRAL #39, INFINITE CRISIS #4, DC UNIVERSE: THE STORIES OF ALAN MOORE TP, DMZ #3, HELLBLAZER #216, HELLBLAZER: STARING AT THE WALL TP, LOVELESS #4

Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis make the sales here. Note that Planetary shipped only one issue between Januarys. Typical assortment of "picked up later" books, mostly Vertigo stuff.

Marvel
Bought: NEXTWAVE #1
Read via dad: X-MEN #181, X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS #3
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: ULTIMATES 2 #10, NEW AVENGERS #15, PULSE #13, THE SENTRY #5, PUNISHER #29, NEW AVENGERS VOL. 2: SENTRY PREMIERE HC, NEW AVENGERS VOL. 1: BREAKOUT TPB

Again, the only book actually picked up was a Warren Ellis title. Peter Milligan and Ed Brubaker on the X-books are the only thing worth reading from my dad's pile, while Bendis dominates the "picked up later" category as I got into his Avengers stuff after Civil War. Ennis's Punisher is the Hellblazer of Marvel, apparently.

Image
Bought: FELL #5, GØDLAND #7
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: GØDLAND, VOL. 1: HELLO, COSMIC! TP, GØDLAND #7

I buy GØDLAND monthly, but also got the first year's worth of books in the "celestial" hardcover, giving the issues to Steve Higgins (who I also gave the Wanted trade to, I believe). It's a fantastic book and I don't mind buying the same content twice if it means a gorgeous hardcover and spreading the love a little.

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Okay, it's beginning to look like I'm being cruel to Avatar, isn't it?

Totals:

Bought: 6 (-1)
Read via dad: 6 (-1)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 16 (+3)

Again, first two categories go down, last one goes up, total number of books goes up by one. 2005 and 2006 were my last two years as an undergrad, so it makes sense that the number of books bought each month was basically the same as nothing changed for me monetarily those two years. The "dad" category continues to fall. Let's see what happens when I move to Windsor, only visiting home from time to time.

2007

DC
Bought: THE CREEPER #6, THE SPIRIT #2, TEEN TITANS #43, DEATHBLOW #3, MIDNIGHTER #3, THE BOYS #7
Read via dad: 52: WEEKS 35-39
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 52: WEEKS 35-39, DMZ #15, HELLBLAZER #228, TESTAMENT #2, DMZ VOL. 2: BODY OF A JOURNALIST TP

Okay, of the titles bought, The Creeper, The Spirit and Teen Titans were random grabs so I could talk about them here. The Boys #7 was not released by DC, but I include here... well, to make sure my love of The Boys is known. On visits home, I would skim through 52.

Marvel
Bought: CIVIL WAR: THE RETURN, BLADE #5, IMMORTAL IRON FIST #3, NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #2, newuniversal #2, PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #3, NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E. #12, THUNDERBOLTS #110, X-FACTOR #15, CRIMINAL #4
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: SPIDER-MAN: REIGN #2, PUNISHER #43 & #44

Blade and X-Factor were both "review copies" as well. But, here, we see Civil War actually getting me to buy Marvel books. Basically, Warren Ellis, Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker and Brian Michael Bendis are the reasons why Marvel got so much of my money.

Image
Bought: GØDLAND #16
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: THE NIGHTLY NEWS #3

The Nightly New later made my "best of 2007" list. And that issue of GØDLAND was insanely cheap.

Avatar
Bought: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Okay, I have a point with Avatar... just trust me.

Totals:

Bought: 17 (+11)
Read via dad: 1 (-5)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 9 (-7)

Alright, I count 52 as one book. But, it seems moving away and making more money, along with shopping at two comic shops (one in Windsor, one in London) means more buying of current stuff--mostly Marvel. DC maintains a solid "picked up later" total with Vertigo books. The drop-off for reading stuff at home is huge, even considering visits back. I honesty lost all interest in most of what my dad buys (although there is some crossover like Deathblow).

2008

DC
Bought: DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #5, INFINITY INC. #5, BATMAN #673, THE PROGRAMME #7
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: HELLBLAZER: JOY RIDE TP

The Hellblazer trade was in the January solicits, but didn't come out until February--a policy I hate as it's hard enough to remember what trades you want to pick up when they're solicited three months in advance, but DC has made it four now. If that helps retailers in any way, I'm glad, but I tend to forget about trades a lot easier now as four months is a long time to remember to pick up a book. Hellblazer is a series I always pick up in trades, so it's eay to keep an eye out for. Not a lot of DC books, only one Countdown-related one, which I only buy because of Jim Starlin.

Marvel
Bought: ULTIMATE HUMAN #1, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #549-551, CAPTAIN AMERICA #34, IMMORTAL IRON FIST #13, IRON MAN: ENTER THE MANDARIN #5, MIGHTY AVENGERS #8, NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #2, OMEGA: THE UNKNOWN #4, THE ORDER #7, PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #15, THUNDERBOLTS #119, WOLVERINE #61
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: NONE

Amazing Spider-Man was gotten to check it out and for The Splash Page. Everything else is a regular book I buy. The "picked up later" category is understandably empty, but I'm curious to see how that would change in a few years.

Image
Bought: YOUNGBLOOD #1, CASANOVA #12
Read via dad: NONE
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: PAX ROMANA #3, A RED MASS FOR MARS #2

Joe Casey and Matt Fraction need no explanation. The two "picked up later" books are delayed Jonathan Hickman books that I will pick up when those issues come out.

Avatar
Bought: GRAVEL #0
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: BLACK SUMMER #6, DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #7

Those last two books are running late, but I buy them. Gravel I'm also buying monthly, having picked up the previous series in trades (except for the first two minis, which I bought as they came out all those years ago).

Totals:

Bought: 19 (+2)
Read via dad: 0 (-1)
Got at a later date in trade or as back issue/trade bought later: 5 (-4)

I counted Amazing Spider-Man as one like 52 because I felt like it. It's strange that the "picked up later" category has so many books in it--four late titles and one advance solicit. This was right at the beginning of my doing The Splash Page with Tim, which meant going to the shop every week, which will naturally increase the purchase numbers.

What does it all mean?

Well, it's obvious that I follow certain creators as they make up the bulk of the "purchased" and "picked up later" categories. Over time, I grew less willing to even spend time reading books I had no interest in for free from my dad's pile--and, now, when I visit home, I don't read any of them since I have enough money to buy what I want.

I included Avatar throughout because it really is the publisher I buy the most books from after the other three (and Image isn't exactly kicking ass either). But including those consecutive years of nothing only highlights that with a company whose books you buy exclusively for a creator or two and, almost always (up until recently) in trade, each month really is hit-or-miss. The same for Image. I'm sure I could go through those years and find a whole bunch of stuff I bought (at some point) from them. Really, I guess including Avatar and Image really highlights the sheer pointlessness of this sort of survey for smaller companies. You can see trends for Marvel and DC quite easily here, but for Image and Avatar, you would need a month-by-month analysis to really see anything (and, even then, you probably wouldn't get that much--at least not with my buying habits).

DC especially benefitted from their books being the bookstore here at the University of Windsor. A lot of the "picked up later" stuff was me browsing there, wanting to get something and really just having DC books to choose from.

I do find it interesting that I'm more willing to buy singles now than when I was younger. Is it just a steady paycheque that does that, or has my mindset changed as well? If you'll recall, a few years before this study begins, trades were the hot new thing and, being a big fan of Warren Ellis, one of the format's most vocal propponents, I naturally followed his lead (which is why his books dominate the early "picked up later" lists). But, now, I think I understand that the best way to make sure a book you enjoy continues is to buy it regularly. As well, Marvel's trade prices are insane (the recent parity of the Canadian dollar has helped as most shops sell at the American price), while DC's have always been much more reasonable. On the other hand, I did enjoy Marvel's deluxe hardcovers, which I bought New X-Men, X-Force and Waid/Wieringo's Fantastic Four in (and continues to be my format of choice for Ennis's Punisher). Even now, though, I'm much more likely to pick up a DC trade than a Marvel one, because of price.

But, for the hell of it, here is the total number of books read each January of the year, so we can see if there's an actual increase/decrease of quality (books in multiple categories will only count once):

2002: 24
2003: 27 (+3)
2004: 22 (-5)
2005: 25 (+2)
2006: 26 (+1)
2007: 26 (+0)
2008: 24 (-2)

Amazingly consistent with an average of 24.857 books read per month and a median of 24.5 books read per month. I imagine 2007 and 2008 will go up if I look back in a few years (2008 in particular as there are a few Vertigo titles that would wind up in the "picked up later" category--same with Punisher at Marvel). It also seems very clear that my willingness to try out books for free thanks to my dad has been replaced by my willingness to try out a book by paying for it, which strikes me as odd, actually.

I am really surprised at how steady I am per month as far as reading comics go--or buying comics from a single month in single or trade. Does this mean that, for me, each month offers 24.857 comics worth reading eventually? Does everyone have their number? Huh.

Tomorrow (or, later today, to be accurate), I will look at The Incredible Hulk #473 as part of my overall analysis of Joe Casey's run on the book. Until then.