BUFFY: SEASON 8 #1 GOES TO SECOND PRINTING

[MattBrady]

<i>Press Release</i>
<blockquote>Following the book’s release yesterday, Dark Horse will be going back to print on the much anticipated first issue of Buffy: Season 8. Since the book was announced last summer, Dark Horse has garnered a great deal of attention both in and outside of the comic market. With high profile press coverage, buzz among fans, and excitement from direct market retailers, orders exceeded the initial printing of over 100,000 copies!

“Admittedly, our expectations were already gigantic, but this has surpassed even those” says Dirk Wood, Director of Marketing. “We couldn’t be happier about how this has launched, and have high hopes for upcoming issues.”

“We've done something unique here. We've taken something really popular from the most mainstream of media, television, and we've transplanted it with total authority into comics” says Managing Editor, Scott Allie. “This is Buffy, by Joss, as much as the show ever was. And the sales seem to suggest that people are getting the message.”

The upcoming second printing will feature a full bleed version of the breathtaking Jo Chen cover, with some of the design elements removed for a cleaner, and more stripped down look. This new version will be arriving in stores with an on sale date of March 28, just a week before the release of issue #2. Dark Horse encourages retailers to backorder Buffy The Vampire Slayer #1 with confidence, as orders will be filled in full with the new printing.</blockquote>

[The 'Nam]

“We couldn’t be happier about how this has launched, and have high hopes for upcoming issues.”


You wouldn't be happier if it was actually released on time?

[michaelman9]

100K and more for a book is a good deal all around. Between these numbers and the eventual trades, I say it's a win!

[Derf]

You wouldn't be happier if it was actually released on time?

That wasn't due to the art or script being late but rather due to a printing error.

[purplerocket]

You wouldn't be happier if it was actually released on time?

The week delay probably increased demand if anything. Plus whats a week delay nowadays.

[borghe]

this is the best selling independent we've had in our first six months after only a day and I even have reorders committed and #2 orders legitimately increased. All that being said, I am still blown away that this is over 100K. How long has it been (90's?) since the last single cover (for practical purposes) issue of an independent book has gone over 100K? I couldn't find any on ICV2.

[hellboy666]

Good news for Buffy fans! :) I plan on eventually getting this in TPBs.

[paulski]

Whoa! A 100K printing for a Dark Horse comic and it sold out immediately? That's incredible.

I thought there might be a bit of interest in this Season 8 idea, but this is certainly beyond my wildest expectations! Kudos to all involved.

[WineLoverBub]

Awesome news! I was able to get both covers from my shop today. :)

Finally, something good in the comic world to talk about.

[Scooby2099]

Yeah, it's good that DH is offering a second printing, but too bad DH didn't have extras printed to meet immediate reorder demand. Seems too many companies these days do not have faith in their products (and kudos to DC for being a company that does have extras avaialble) -- or they just want to bask in that "Sold Out" glory. Ah well...

[borghe]

Yeah, it's good that DH is offering a second printing, but too bad DH didn't have extras printed to meet immediate reorder demand. Seems too many companies these days do not have faith in their products (and kudos to DC for being a company that does have extras avaialble) -- or they just want to bask in that "Sold Out" glory. Ah well...
to comment on this, I did place a hefty reorder on this on Tuesday and it went through fine. I don't know by what time it was sold out on Wednesday but I imagine the overprint was there and just went very quickly.

[Scooby2099]

to comment on this, I did place a hefty reorder on this on Tuesday and it went through fine. I don't know by what time it was sold out on Wednesday but I imagine the overprint was there and just went very quickly.

It's great that you were able to get a reorder filled. The comic shop I help out at ordered an okay amount, but when it became apparant that more copies would be needed there were none left at Diamond around 3:30 or 4pm (CST) Wednesday.

[jmcl89]

It's good to see there is so much interest. It seemed like both the fans and the writers were a bit burned out on Buffy when the show ended, but I guess enough time has passed for both to miss her.

[EMeadow]

I'll be very curious to see how IDW can capitalize on all this with the Angel books.

Or if people are buying it just because Whedon happens to be the writer on the arc. In which case see what happens with issue 5 when he's not on the book and Brian K Vaughn is (but its going to be a Faith arc so they may not care by then).

[Dane Hill]

As long as the series remains in 8th Seasonal continuity (and on), I imagine the demand will remain high, no matter who the writer. Maybe not up at 100K per issue. But healthy enough for a long long series.

[paulski]

I thought there might be a bit of interest in this Season 8 idea, but this is certainly beyond my wildest expectations! Kudos to all involved.
Well, I was planning to get the trade when it came out, but my retailer still had a copy of the variant when I went there today, so I picked up #1 to have a look at. If it's good enough, I'll get the monthly instead.

[IllKidd]

this is the best selling independent we've had in our first six months after only a day and I even have reorders committed and #2 orders legitimately increased. All that being said, I am still blown away that this is over 100K. How long has it been (90's?) since the last single cover (for practical purposes) issue of an independent book has gone over 100K? I couldn't find any on ICV2.

Off the top of my head, I know the Conan 25 cent issue from a few years ago was over 100K. Of course, I suppose you can't really count that, being 25 cents and all.

[Juisarian]

My LCS says it was their largest customer pre-ordered comic ever. In addition they had at least 60 copies on the shelf when I got there first thing this morning (new comic day for us central Australians) to snag a copy before it sold out. We are a small market - by contrast, they stocked about 40 (?) shelf copies of CIVIL WAR #1 and they usually have about 8-10 copies of BATMAN for the shelf each month.

[Don Mega]

Congratz to DH and everyone involved.

I hope it´s going to be a long success-story so that we will be able to get many Buffy issues! :)

[Dr Manolis Dooplove]

i'm a bit dissapointed at Dark Horse. Only 100k printing?

This is BUFFY by JOSS WHEDON. I'm fairly confident even a 200k printing would have sold out. i don't know if it was underprinted or criminally underordered, but this bok should be topping the sales charts...

[borghe]

i'm a bit dissapointed at Dark Horse. Only 100k printing?

This is BUFFY by JOSS WHEDON. I'm fairly confident even a 200k printing would have sold out. i don't know if it was underprinted or criminally underordered, but this bok should be topping the sales charts...
but when you're an independent publisher, how much of an over print is too much? We know retailers ordered UNDER 100K, and know that DH published 100K. So they already did an overprint beyond what was ordered. At some point you have to say enough is enough. Not to mention I realize it is mostly collectors/fans and retailers that make up these forums, but remember that to the general consumer a 2nd printing is just as good as a first printing for the most part.

Retailers ordered. DH overprinted. It wasn't enough and that is why there is such things as additional printings.

Also remember that this isn't another Cap #25. Both retailers and fans have known forever what this is and that it was coming. This is simply a matter of retailers not understanding the full potential of the book. Why would DH overprint a ton of these. DH isn't the one who is supposed to understand the demand, that's our job as retailers.

[darrenmdr]

Great News for Dark Horse
Great News for Retailers
Great News for Buffy Fans
Great News for The Industry
Great News for Comic Fans
Great News for fans of Great Art
Great News for fans of Great Writing

Ummm I think I'll stop there. I thiny you can tell I liked this.:D

[BrotherI]

Seriously, Joss is GOD. He deserves this more than any writer, and his works stun me to the point of joy.

I haven't posted in a year, but this provokes it. Joss, I love you. I love Buffy, Angel, Once More With Feeling, Firefly, Serenity, everything; I'm a fanboy, and I'm unashamed. Thanks to you, I brought Veronica Mars and loved it(until the second season finale. But I love Veronica, her friends and her Dad!).

Anyway, my point remains this; I write because of you, and this success is utterly deserved. Thank you for Season 6 of Buffy, or I'd never be where I am now, for better or worse.

It sure as well took something for me to post once again on the site where everyone used to attack you for no reason...GO JOSS!

[kimota94]

this is the best selling independent we've had in our first six months after only a day and I even have reorders committed and #2 orders legitimately increased. All that being said, I am still blown away that this is over 100K. How long has it been (90's?) since the last single cover (for practical purposes) issue of an independent book has gone over 100K? I couldn't find any on ICV2.

I don't quite understand the "last single cover (for practical purposes)" remark. Wasn't Buffy # 1 a two-cover comic? It sure seemed like my daughter got one version, and I got another.. was it a 50/50 split, or something else? I still think it's impressive that it sold so well but there was a variant cover factor involved, wasn't there? And that always leads some people to buy two (or whatever number of) copies, in order to have one of each.

[Nat Gertler]

You wouldn't be happier if it was actually released on time?Had it come out on the intially planned week, the Buffy fans might've had trouble elbowing their way into the comic shop past all of those folks wanting to enjoy Cap's death.

[lfhobbies]

Had it come out on the intially planned week, the Buffy fans might've had trouble elbowing their way into the comic shop past all of those folks wanting to enjoy Cap's death.


Thats true - the previous week was a little overwhelming - I think the 1 week delay probably helped the book. I'm happy I over ordered - preorder wise it wasn't a great seller but when it came in - so did the fans

It was like Dark Tower - all new faces - I love new faces, it means more people possibly entering the great world of comics.

The added 1:4 variants to 2 & 3 should keep the completionists happy too

Congrats DH & Joss