Dark Horse overtakes Image in 2007

[waamblem]

With Image holding check for most of the year so far, I don't think any Independent publisher is going to catch Dark Horse for #3 publisher now especially since they just registered another 6.7+ % dollarshare for again. Image by comparison is still in the 4% area and has been trailing Dark Horse all year.

Also of note are some pretty impressive gains by IDW too.

[Garden Gnome]

Cool, Dark Horse has done consistantly good work for years and it seems they really care about their books, so more power to them! That said, Image certainly is a better comic book company than they were 10 years ago. Night and day. So no disrespect there either.

[sumo]

Darkhorse certainly has earned its position.

They have a quality that one could only wish DC and Marvel would emulate

[Yanni Salami]

Congrats to Dark Horse. What really helped them out was Buffy. Every issue so far has been in the top ten. But I wouldn't count Image out just yet. They have some great stuff coming out in the next couple of months.

[Tirpen]

I'm not reading anything by Image and hasn't for years. It perplexes me greatly that DH and Dynamite aren't both bigger than them already. :confused:

[Boostered]

It's no surprise to me, Darkhorse has really good books that sell really well and come out on time.

[jedifish]

Yeah, I don't read anything by Image either.

Good for Dark Horse. Their Star Wars stuff is really great right now. And I've been enjoying the Nexus Archives.

[Perseus]

Dark Horse and Image both have good books..but with Dark Horse putting out Buffy, Star Wars, and now Fear Agent(which was a brilliant move by Dark Horse), they should be leading Image...
Image has the Walking Dead and Invincible as their big books..but Dark Horse is a bit better by the series mentioned..

I like both companies however.

[bebopeva88]

For those not reading anything from Image, you're really missing out on some fantastic stuff -- Fell, Invincible, and The Walking Dead are outstanding, and among the best stuff out there. Astounding Wolf-Man is shaping up to be pretty good, and Liberty Meadows is great when Cho gets to do it.

[Derf]

With Image holding check for most of the year so far, I don't think any Independent publisher is going to catch Dark Horse for #3 publisher now especially since they just registered another 6.7+ % dollarshare for again. Image by comparison is still in the 4% area and has been trailing Dark Horse all year.

Also of note are some pretty impressive gains by IDW too.

Have you got a link to where you got this info from as I'd love to have a look?

[waamblem]

Have you got a link to where you got this info from as I'd love to have a look?

The recent Newsrama marketshare breakdown and ICN and comicbookresource.com reports all confirm it.

I'm not knocking on Image here. Image is completely changed (no pun intended) their image when it comes to quality books. No, it would never be wise to count Image out, but it's already in July, and Dark Horse doesn't look like they'll be caught until Buffy starts to tail off, and I don't see that happening for a while.

There is no way IDW is going to overtake Image or Dark Horse in the near future, they have some great books, but when you are considering overall lineup, the big two independents (if i may) just have too much still. Props to IDW though from being a strong up and comer. We need variety in this market.

[Derf]

There is no way IDW is going to overtake Image or Dark Horse in the near future, they have some great books, but when you are considering overall lineup, the big two independents (if i may) just have too much still. Props to IDW though from being a strong up and comer. We need variety in this market.

Well IDW do have the new 12 issue Angel comic which will be co-written by Joss Whedon and tells the story of what happens after the TV show ended . If it does anywhere close to the Buffy Season 8 numbers then it should give them a boost.

[Realmsartist]

Im sure Image will take back their spot in 2008 when they start publishing Youngblood again.
Also the upcoming news they are announcing at the SDCC should be interesting.

Jerimy

[waamblem]

Competition for #3 is not a bad thing :p

I'm thinking that the Angel series will do well, in fact I hope it does. Dreaming for a top 10 comic from somebody not Marvel, DC, Image or Darkhorse would be quite a feat and considered historical in this industry.

[Boostered]

Competition for #3 is not a bad thing :p

I'm thinking that the Angel series will do well, in fact I hope it does. Dreaming for a top 10 comic from somebody not Marvel, DC, Image or Darkhorse would be quite a feat and considered historical in this industry.
Well, has Image ever even had a book in the top 10? I'm dreaming that one day Darkhorse or Image will overtake DC or Marvel for the #2 spot.:)

[EmeraldGuy32]

Given four or five more years, Dynamite could overtake Image for sure, and maybe even DH.

[CountD]

I'm really enjoying Dark Horse's: Buffy, Conan and Fear Agent.

I may try more of their books soon...

[VivatGrendel]

DH has more than earned their spot..it will be well deserved!

[panicbxmb]

...and Liberty Meadows is great when Cho gets to do it.


...yeah, it's great, but it's been pretty much moved to an annual schedule (maybe even less frequently!!) :(

[WantonChicken]

ah, just when i thought all they did was aliens vs predator crossovers.

[Boostered]

I'm really enjoying Dark Horse's: Buffy, Conan and Fear Agent.

I may try more of their books soon...
Pick up Star Wars Legacy, it is one great book.:)

[Habitual]

Well, has Image ever even had a book in the top 10? I'm dreaming that one day Darkhorse or Image will overtake DC or Marvel for the #2 spot.:)

If I was going to pick a 3rd party book to break the top 10 it would be Invincible.

That is if Image can hold on to Kirkman.

Hab

[Boostered]

If I was going to pick a 3rd party book to break the top 10 it would be Invincible.

That is if Image can hold on to Kirkman.

Hab
Invincible only sells in the 15k range though. A 3rd party book I can see break into the top 10 besides Buffy is a new Sin City book.

[WahWahWeeWow]

Coincidentally enough, to go along with Dark Horse taking over Image in profit margin, just the other day I was thinking about how recently, Dark Horse has taken over Image in my own preferences as my favorite publisher as well. Image used to be my uncontested
# 1 favorite publisher with all of the material they put out, with Dark Horse comign in a close second.

But recently, I've found that a vast majority of the product and titles that Dark Horse are putting out just seem to peak my interest. Along with all the great titles that I already pick up from Dark Horse, including Conan, Hellboy, BPRD, The Goon, Fear Agent, and now with new series like Grendel, Zero Killer, Umbrella Academy, Pantheon City, The End League, and Lobster Johnson, I've absolutely ecstatic about Dark Horse's output.

As for Image, about 9 of my top 20 favorite titles were Image titles. Then all of a sudden, Girls was concluded, Fear Agent moves over to Dark Horse, Strange Girl is about to get canceled, Fell and Pirates of Coney Island stop coming out regularly, and Invincible and Elephantmen lose my interest.

Still, I'm excited about some upcoming Image titles, like Strange Embrace, Mice Templar, Youngblood, and The Sword. Just not as many titles as Dark Horse, I suppose.

[RolandGunner]

Well, has Image ever even had a book in the top 10? I'm dreaming that one day Darkhorse or Image will overtake DC or Marvel for the #2 spot.:)

Forever ever? Sure in the early 90's Image had several top 10 books like Spawn and WildCATS. For a year or two they even had a larger maket share than DC. Then everything imploded. So its been quite a while.

[Flashforward]

Dark Horse and Image both have good books..but with Dark Horse putting out Buffy, Star Wars, and now Fear Agent(which was a brilliant move by Dark Horse), they should be leading Image...
Image has the Walking Dead and Invincible as their big books..but Dark Horse is a bit better by the series mentioned..

I like both companies however.

Those books from Image are great...when they actually come out. :p

Dark Horse is the winner for variety and consistency in my book.

[Yanni Salami]

Coincidentally enough, to go along with Dark Horse taking over Image in profit margin, just the other day I was thinking about how recently, Dark Horse has taken over Image in my own preferences as my favorite publisher as well. Image used to be my uncontested
# 1 favorite publisher with all of the material they put out, with Dark Horse comign in a close second.

But recently, I've found that a vast majority of the product and titles that Dark Horse are putting out just seem to peak my interest. Along with all the great titles that I already pick up from Dark Horse, including Conan, Hellboy, BPRD, The Goon, Fear Agent, and now with new series like Grendel, Zero Killer, Umbrella Academy, Pantheon City, The End League, and Lobster Johnson, I've absolutely ecstatic about Dark Horse's output.

As for Image, about 9 of my top 20 favorite titles were Image titles. Then all of a sudden, Girls was concluded, Fear Agent moves over to Dark Horse, Strange Girl is about to get canceled, Fell and Pirates of Coney Island stop coming out regularly, and Invincible and Elephantmen lose my interest.

Still, I'm excited about some upcoming Image titles, like Strange Embrace, Mice Templar, Youngblood, and The Sword. Just not as many titles as Dark Horse, I suppose.

Have you tried Madman yet? The new series under the Image banner has been amazing. You might like it, and it'll be another Image comic to add to your pull list in hopes to get them be your "uncontested #1 favorite publisher" again.:p

[coldwarmyth]

Pick up Star Wars Legacy, it is one great book.:)

Best Star Wars comic yet and easily the best Extended Universe title as well. Combines what came before in a very easy to understand fashion and makes me real excited about Star Wars again.

[carl kolchak]

Dark Horse seems to be making lots of sound decisions ever since they got the Conan franchise. I always start to question when a company is made up so much of franchises, like Buffy, Star Wars, but their books are of high quality. Hopefully, this will lead readers to explore their best books like Hellboy, Usagi Yojimbo, Blade of the Immortal, Hellboy etc.

I prefer Image myself. They take more chances with alot of personal works by up and coming people. It's a pity that the playing field isn't open enough for them to directly compete with the Big Two. That would certainly improve the quality and diversity of books.

I read somewhere that Dynamite is apparently working with Silvestri to create a new hero line. This could bust like so many before them. Or it could change things.

[waamblem]

Just looking at Image and Darkhorse's lineup for the near future and beyond, you gotta be pretty excited for these two semi-independent publishers. Yes Fear Agent moving over to Dark Horse was a huge coup, but I believe Madman going the other way has equalized that move IF Allred can keep up a moderately predictable publishing schedule.

In all, I don't think Larsen and company at Image aren't so concerned so much as to marketshare as they are to quality now it seems which is a fantastic thing. Neither is Dark Horse for that matter also, but you do reap the benefits for continued quality material. There were times when Image and Darkhorse commanded as much as 15% marketshare EACH, but it's debateable whether their books were better than or now.