Top Comics Sales in 1965

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Top Comics Sales in 1965

http://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssa ... /1965.html

Quote:

1) Superman DC 823,829
2) Superboy DC 672,681
3) Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane DC 556,091
4) Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen DC 554,931
5) Action Comics DC 525,254
6) Adventure Comics DC 520,440
7) Archie Archie 467,552
8) World's Finest Comics DC 465,842
9) Batman DC 453,745
10) Walt Disney's Comics & Stories Gold Key 410,209

11) Justice League of America DC 389,285
12) Treasure Chest Catholic Guild 386,171
13) Flintstones Gold Key 374,322
14) Tarzan Gold Key 356,699
15) Metal Men DC 334,245
16) Uncle Scrooge Gold Key 330,925
17) Betty and Veronica Archie 328,969
18) G.I. Combat DC 320,607
19) Detective Comics DC 304,414
20) Flash DC 298,151

21) Walt Disney's Donald Duck Gold Key 298,144
22) Life with Archie Archie 293,651
23) Bugs Bunny Gold Key 291,816
24) The Three Stooges Gold Key 288,967
25) Korak Gold Key 278,800
26) Tom and Jerry Gold Key 276,980
27) Archie's Joke Book Archie 273,679
28) Green Lantern DC 273,527
29) Our Army at War DC 270,100
30) Laugh Comics Archie 269,747

31) Archie's Pal Jughead Archie 269,512
32) Archie Giant Series Archie 256,516
33) Twilight Zone Gold Key 256,050
34) Atom DC 255,254
35) Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Archie 253,860
36) Woody Woodpecker Gold Key 250,340
37) Turok, Son of Stone Gold Key 250,316
38) Yogi Bear Gold Key 250,175
39) Brave & Bold DC 249,768
40) All-American Men of War DC 247,717

41) Aquaman DC 247,140
42) Little Lulu Gold Key 246,650
43) Top Cat Gold Key 245,387
44) Bonanza Gold Key 244,042
45) Daffy Duck Gold Key 243,825
46) Star-Spangled Comics DC 243,700
47) Beetle Bailey Gold Key 237,700
48) Magnus Gold Key 236,713
49) Showcase DC 235,091
50) Journey into Mystery Marvel 232,644

51) Madhouse Archie 231,934
52) Mickey Mouse Gold Key 231,814
53) Strange Tales Marvel 230,285
54) Tomahawk DC 229,979
55) Phantom Gold Key 229,890
56) Doctor Solar Gold Key 226,720
57) Tales to Astonish Marvel 224,346
58) Tales of Suspense Marvel 222,060
59) Challengers of the Unknown DC 220,965
60) Pep Comics Archie 220,010

61) Millie the Model Marvel 219,427
62) Lost in Space Gold Key 216,775
63) Combat Dell 210,687
64) Wonder Woman DC 209,918
65) Adventures of Jerry Lewis DC 209,691
66) Young Love DC 206,456
67) Doom Patrol DC 200,188
68) House of Mystery DC 196,677
69) Kid Colt Outlaw Marvel 193,506
70) Rawhide Kid Marvel 192,540

71) Adventures of Bob Hope DC 191,656
72) Sea Devils DC 182,866
73) Mystery in Space DC 182,376
74) Thirteen Dell 175,169
75) Sugar & Spike DC 175,089
76) Forbidden Worlds ACG 172,270
77) Unknown Worlds ACG 168,330
78) Adventures into the Unknown ACG 163,049
79) Fox & The Crow DC 160,515
80) Adventures of the Fly Archie 160,235

81) Fightin' Army Charlton 144,865
82) Fightin' Marines Charlton 144,487
83) Hot Rods and Racing Cars Charlton 143,342
84) Sweethearts Charlton 142,208
85) Love Diary Charlton 141,333
86) Billy the Kid Charlton 140,635
87) Romantic Story Charlton 140,528
88) I Love You Charlton 139,689
89) Strange Suspense Stories Charlton 131,350
90) Space War Charlton 130,490

91) Texas Rangers in Action Charlton 126,665
92) Outlaws of the West Charlton 126,012
93) Cheyenne Kid Charlton 118,124

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Also, with the return policy, those are actual sales. Don't the current sales figures count copies collecting dust on retailer's shelves?

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Those are average monthly sales for 1965?

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Hanzo the Razor wrote:

Also, with the return policy, those are actual sales. Don't the current sales figures count copies collecting dust on retailer's shelves?

Statement of ownership details total copies printed, number of copies given away for free and number of copies sold. This would be a better reflection than modern times, because stores could return unsold items. Nowadays they can't.

Uncle Twitchy · **Joined:** 28 Nov 2006 **Posts:** 30520

Li'l Jay wrote:

Those are average monthly sales for 1965?

Average Total Paid Circulation as Reported in Publishers' Statements of Ownership.

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Top 10 for 1960 is CRAZY!

http://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssa ... /1960.html

Quote:

1) Uncle Scrooge Dell 1,040,543
2) Walt Disney's Comics & Stories Dell 1,004,901
3) Superman DC 810,000
4) Superboy DC 635,000
5) Mickey Mouse Dell 568,803
6) Batman DC 502,000
7) Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen DC 498,000
8) World's Finest Comics DC 476,000
9) Looney Tunes Dell 459,344
10) Action Comics DC 458,000

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Where is X-Men?

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

First reference I can find to X-Men is in 1966.

Quote:

40) X-Men Marvel 255,070

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Actually, 1966 has much more Marvel listed than 1965. Maybe they didn't file Statement of Ownerships or the data wasn't fully collected for the chart? Anyway, here's '66.

Quote:

1) Batman DC 898,470
2) Superman DC 719,976
3) Superboy DC 608,386
4) Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane DC 530,808
5) Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen DC 523,455
6) World's Finest Comics DC 513,201
7) Archie Archie 491,691
8) Action Comics DC 491,135
9) Adventure Comics DC 481,234
10) Justice League of America DC 408,219

11) Detective Comics DC 404,339
12) Metal Men DC 396,506
13) Treasure Chest Catholic Guild 348,305
14) Walt Disney's Comics & Stories Gold Key 346,250
15) Betty and Veronica Archie 342,295
16) Amazing Spider-Man Marvel 340,155
17) Tarzan Gold Key 338,052
18) Flintstones Gold Key 332,362
19) Fantastic Four Marvel 329,379
20) Flash DC 325,404

21) Life with Archie Archie 300,954
22) Uncle Scrooge Gold Key 297,516
23) Thor Marvel 296,251
24) Archie's Pal Jughead Archie 284,928
25) Laugh Comics Archie 282,731
26) Brave & Bold DC 279,406
27) Bugs Bunny Gold Key 276,949
28) Tom and Jerry Gold Key 271,920
29) Korak Gold Key 270,923
30) Avengers Marvel 269,994

31) Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Marvel 268,499
32) The Three Stooges Gold Key 266,701
33) Walt Disney's Donald Duck Gold Key 265,932
34) Archie's Pals 'n' Gals Archie 265,476
35) Porky Pig Gold Key 261,850
36) Strange Tales Marvel 261,069
37) Twilight Zone Gold Key 259,703
38) Tales to Astonish Marvel 256,145
39) G.I. Combat DC 255,496
40) X-Men Marvel 255,070

41) Daffy Duck Gold Key 254,750
42) Mighty Samson Gold Key 254,725
43) Lost in Space Gold Key 253,025
44) Archie Giant Series Archie 252,427
45) Tales of Suspense Marvel 252,239
46) Showcase DC 250,512
47) Pep Comics Archie 248,718
48) Woody Woodpecker Gold Key 248,199
49) Yogi Bear Gold Key 247,356
50) Green Lantern DC 245,699

51) Turok, Son of Stone Gold Key 245,202
52) Little Lulu Gold Key 245,000
53) Our Army at War DC 243,906
54) Magnus Gold Key 236,304
55) Atom DC 232,850
56) Bonanza Gold Key 230,033
57) Blackhawk DC 228,453
58) Aquaman DC 228,403
59) Mickey Mouse Gold Key 225,716
60) Doctor Solar Gold Key 224,936

61) Phantom Gold Key/King 221,141
62) Wonder Woman DC 220,168
63) Archie's Madhouse Archie 220,056
64) Star-Spangled Comics DC 215,495
65) Kid Colt Outlaw Marvel 214,555
66) Tomahawk DC 212,954
67) Adventures of Jerry Lewis DC 211,934
68) Challengers of the Unknown DC 210,316
69) Our Fighting Forces DC 207,885
70) Little Archie Archie 206,321

71) Young Romance DC 204,613
72) Sad Sack Harvey 204,253
73) Rawhide Kid Marvel 202,823
74) Adventures of Bob Hope DC 194,004
75) Doom Patrol DC 191,420
76) Sugar & Spike DC 190,515
77) Millie the Model Marvel 190,217
78) Tales of the Unexpected DC 185,650
79) House of Mystery DC 183,934
80) Strange Adventures DC 174,922

81) Sea Devils DC 168,731
82) Unknown Worlds ACG 162,684
83) Thirteen Dell 161,231
84) Forbidden Worlds ACG 160,520
85) Adventures into the Unknown ACG 155,102
86) Teen-Age Love Charlton 148,813
87) Fox & The Crow DC 142,720
88) Army War Heroes Charlton 133,205
89) Fightin' Army Charlton 129,514
90) Texas Rangers in Action Charlton 125,114

91) Outlaws of the West Charlton 124,813
92) Fightin' Marines Charlton 123,517
93) Strange Suspense Stories Charlton 123,267
94) Cheyenne Kid Charlton 116,320

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

#1 Selling books, each year of the '60s:

1960: Uncle Scrooge, 1,040,543
1961: Uncle Scrooge, 853,928
1962: Superman, 740,000
1963: Dennis The Menace, 493,534
1964: Action Comics, 518,026
1965: Superman, 823,829
1966: Batman, 898,470
1967: Batman, 805,700
1968: Superman, 636,400
1969: Archie, 515,356

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

It's fair to say that actual sales are usually about half that number, due to returns, freebies, damaged, and other such things. Still, stunning numbers.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Jeff wrote:

It's fair to say that actual sales are usually about half that number, due to returns, freebies, damaged, and other such things. Still, stunning numbers.

I'm not sure about that -- I think the number of printed copies is higher than the above number, and they're supposed to report the number of copies they got paid for. In other words, the destroyed returns don't count in that report, or something.

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Li'l Jay wrote:

Jeff wrote:

It's fair to say that actual sales are usually about half that number, due to returns, freebies, damaged, and other such things. Still, stunning numbers.

I'm not sure about that -- I think the number of printed copies is higher than the above number, and they're supposed to report the number of copies they got paid for. In other words, the destroyed returns don't count in that report, or something.

That is my understanding. Statements of Ownerships show both figures, and also the amount of copies given away for free.

Bully · **Joined:** 21 Jun 2007 **Posts:** 13750

Marvel was taking a beating early on, huh?

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

Bully wrote:

Marvel was taking a beating early on, huh?

Spider-Man was getting outsold by Metal Men! :lol:

My favorite DC comic of that era, Doom Patrol, wasn't doing very well

Jason Czeskleba · **Joined:** 03 Jan 2007 **Posts:** 1645

Li'l Jay wrote:

I think the number of printed copies is higher than the above number, and they're supposed to report the number of copies they got paid for. In other words, the destroyed returns don't count in that report, or something.

That's exactly right. The statements of ownership contained both the number of copies printed and the number of copies actually sold. The numbers being reported on this chart are the total number of copies sold ("total paid circulation"). The number of copies printed would be anywhere from 1.6 to 2 times higher than these numbers.

It is apparently open to debate how accurate these figures are. I remember an column by Joe Brancatelli in the late 70's (he behind-the-scenes reporting on the industry in Warren magazines). He said he'd been told that these numbers were largely "a work of fiction." It's interesting that when you read interviews with creators from this era, they often talk about how they didn't know what sales were like on the books they did, and the publishers tried to keep them in the dark about that. So there must have been a widespread belief at the time that these figures weren't accurate. Who knows whether it's true or not though.

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

Li'l Jay wrote:

Jeff wrote:

It's fair to say that actual sales are usually about half that number, due to returns, freebies, damaged, and other such things. Still, stunning numbers.

I'm not sure about that -- I think the number of printed copies is higher than the above number, and they're supposed to report the number of copies they got paid for. In other words, the destroyed returns don't count in that report, or something.

Wow, that's a lotta trees.

That meddlin kid · 26 Mar 2007

Look at how dramatically paid circulation of the top 10 fell between 1960 and 1965. Comics were already tanking even then. Marvel made its fortune by basically taking over a large share of a slowly dying industry.

Bolgani Gogo · 11 Aug 2004

That meddlin kid wrote:

Look at how dramatically paid circulation of the top 10 fell between 1960 and 1965. Comics were already tanking even then. Marvel made its fortune by basically taking over a large share of a slowly dying industry.

Stoopid comics code turned comics to shit, that's what happened. :evil:

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

Bully wrote:

Marvel was taking a beating early on, huh?

DC was their distributor.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Bolgani Gogo wrote:

Top 10 for 1960 is CRAZY!

http://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssa ... /1960.html

Quote:

1) Uncle Scrooge Dell 1,040,543
2) Walt Disney's Comics & Stories Dell 1,004,901
3) Superman DC 810,000
4) Superboy DC 635,000
5) Mickey Mouse Dell 568,803
6) Batman DC 502,000
7) Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen DC 498,000
8) World's Finest Comics DC 476,000
9) Looney Tunes Dell 459,344
10) Action Comics DC 458,000

Wow, that's nuts. Superman was so popular that his non-superhero sidekick was a top ten seller -- even beating out Superman's own flagship title, Action Comics!

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

How far back do their sales numbers go?

Top Comics Sales in 1965

Who is WANline