Market Data

This year as a divergence, the total penetrance list is provided on a separate page HERE. This page will summarize the current data trends and sales data.

There were 128 Archive Editions released at the time of the Survey in 34 separate lines. The survey population owned total of 26,285 Archives amounting to 6,169,750 pages of material and weighing a little over 22 tons.  The series are ranked below in terms of where the appear in the overall survey, not just series. The editions as they appear in popularity on the list of customers holdings are:

	The Batman Archives - The most popular line of Archives is the second oldest with 66% of respondents claiming to own the first editions and 50% of that number claiming to own the most recent. The drop-off for Batman is steeper than average and the penetrance of the market is greater as this is the Archive that has been available as a $19.95 version the longest.
	The Silver Age Flash Archives - Running ahead of the pack, The Silver Age adventures of the Scarlet Speedster is the second most popular series with 57% of respondents claiming to own the first edition and 76% sticking it out to the most recent edition released this spring. This is an impressive placing since The Flash Archives have not been released as a cheaper version yet.
	The Superman Archives - Third most popular status goes to DC's headline feature, Superman, with 56% of respondents claiming ownership of the first edition of this series. In parallel with Batman, the endurance through 7 volumes is only 51% due to the high level of sales of Volume 1, released as a $19.95 edition.
	The Dark Knight Archives - Fourth place also goes to a collection of Golden Age Batman stories, this time collecting BATMAN comics. 55% of  respondents claim to own Volume One, released as a $19.95 edition. 56% of respondents have stuck it out til the current edition (Volume 4).
	All-Star Archives - The Justice Society is the first team to entering the ranking with 54.7% of respondents claiming to own Volume one and an impressive 67% sticking it out for the full 11 volume run. The add-on volume, All-Star Archives #0, had 71% of original buyers' attention. This year, as every year before, two vagaries emerged: All-Star Archives #6 and #8. While Archives sales after the first volume to drop then flatten out, these two editions increase above those before them. Volume 8 is more explicable: it contains several key stories (1st Wizard, 1st Per Degaton, 1st Injustice Society, 1st Black  Canary in the JSA) and includes the only major All-Star appearances of Superman and Batman. Volume 6 is less, containing the first appears of Wildcat and Mr. Terrific and some otherwise unremarkable stories. Nevertheless, this minor variation persists in sub-set analysis and appears every year, indicating that there is small portion of the population that is sampling these two volumes.
	Justice League of America Archives - Taking 6th place with 54.1% of respondent claiming ownership of Volume One is the Silver Age counterpart to the Justice Society.  This edition also shows impressive longevity with 66% audience retention at nine volumes.
	Green Lantern Archives - Taking 7th place with 53.5% of the respondents owning Volume 1, this series maintains 80% loyalty at 5 volumes. The Silver Age Green Lantern series also enjoys the best second issue fidelty with 93% of those owning #1 also owning #2.
	Legion Archives - In 8th place is the current leader in longest series with 51% owning the first volume and 68% remaining through 12 volumes.
	Doom Patrol Archives - In 9th place is one of most successful recent series. Doom Patrol Volume One is owned by 50% of respondents and 74% remains after 3 editions.
	Atom Archives - Beginning in 12th place with 49% owning Volume One is the Atom. 84% of that group owns Volume Two, arguing for the eventual publication of third.
	Adam Strange Archives - The first volume of Adam Strange, the sole edition at the time of the survey, comes in 15th place with 48.7% of the vote
	SHAZAM! Archives - Coming in 16th place with 47% of the respondents owning the first volume. After four editions, 68% of the original group is retained.
	Silver Age Hawkman Archives - Coming in 19th with 46% of the vote, the Silver Age Hawkman preserves 80% of it's following with Volume Two.
	Action Archives - Coming in 24th with 45% of the respondents on Volume One and 66% persisting through 4 volumes.
	World's Finest Archives - At 27th with 44% of the vote, World's Finest displays an unusual property in that the second edition is actually the most owned. 6 % of respondents owned #2 but not #1 of the series. The third volume captures 71% of the original audience
	Starman Archives - With 43.7% of the vote, the single edition of Starman ranks 29th in penetrance.  This is the highest rank of any solo Golden Age DC character who is not "iconic" and begs the single edition required to complete this series.
	Metal Men Archives - Leap-frogging way ahead of the competition in less than 3 months out of the gate, the collection of the initial adventures of the Metal Men comes in 30th with 43.3% of the vote. This standout edition was the best selling Archive by a wide margin in the year since last survey (see below).
	Plastic Man Archives - The only annual series comes in 31st with 43.1% of the respondents owning Volume 1. After 8 volumes, retention is running 52%, one of the lowest especially for a series that has not been released in a cheaper format.
	Golden Age Green Lantern Archives - With 43.1 % of respondents owning Volume One, the Golden Age Green Lantern Archives ties Plastic Man for 31st place. 81% of that group stuck around for Volume Two.
	Golden Age Flash Archives - With 42.7% claiming ownership, The Golden Age Flash Archives takes 37th place and has a retention of 74% on Volume 2
	Golden Age Spectre Archives - Owned by 42.5% of respondents, the Golden Age Spectre comes in 38th place
	Aquaman Archives - At 42% penetrance, Aquaman Archives comes in 42nd place
	Challengers of the Unknown Archives - The Archives priced for a lower page count, the Challs claim 42% penetrance and tie Aquaman for 41st place. 92% of those owning Volume 1 also own Volume 2
	Black Canary Archives - The first done-in-one, Black Canary comes in 44th with 41.6% of respondents owning it
	Superman: Man of Tomorrow Archives - The Archival collection of the Silver Age Superman comes in 47th with 41.4% of the vote.  79% of respondents own Volume 2.
	Wonder Woman Archives - Coming 51st with 40.5% of the respondents owning Volume One, Wonder Woman retains 68% of the original group after 4 editions
	Supergirl Archives - The Maid of Steel ties Wonder Woman for 51st place with 40.5% of the vote. 90% of Volume one owners own Volume Two
	Sandman Archives - Sandman claims 61st place with 39.2% of the vote
	Seven Soldiers of Victory Archives  - Coming 63rd place, 39% of respondents own the first SSOV Archives
	DC Rarities - The first over-sized done-in-one comes in  66th place with 38.4% of the vote
	Silver Age Teen Titans Archives - in 72nd place with 37.3% of respondents owning the sole edition.
	Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives - Tying Teen Titans for 72nd place, 74% of respondents own Volume 2
	New Teen Titans Archives - The sole Modern Age series comes in  74th place with 37.1% of the vote. 83% stick around for Volume Two
	Comic Cavalcade Archives - 300 pages and still $50 bucks gets you 84th place and 36% of the vote
	Brave and the Bold Archives  - Tying Comic Cavalcade for 84th place and 36% of the vote
	Enemy Ace Archives - Enemy Ace claims 87th place with 35.6% of the vote.  63% of that own the most recent volume 2.
	Blackhawk Archives - The sole edition comics in 91st place with 35.1% of the vote
	Action Hero Archives - Tying Blackhawk in 91st place with 35.1% of the vote
	Batman in World's Finest - Coming in 93rd place with 34.9% of respondents owning Volume One and 86% of those owning Volume Two
	Sgt Rock Archives - DC's longest running war Archives tie Batman for 93rd place with 69% or original buyers hanging around for three volumes
	Golden Age Hawkman - Coming in 96th place with 34.7% of respondents owning it, misprints and all
	Robin Archives - Coming in 100th place, 33% of respondents own the collected adventures of the Boy Wonder
	Superman in World's Finest - In 108th place,  with 32% of respondents owning this sole edition to date
	Kamandi Archives - The Jack Kirby character from a far flung future is the last entry in the survey in 111th place with 31 % of the vote

The 128th Archive is Plastic Man Archives #8, as that series is getting impressively long in the tooth.               

Showcase Editions Purchased

Chronicle Editions Purchase

Chronicles remains an unpopular feature among Archives buyers, presumable because they own the originals (esp Batman Archives which are arguably cheaper)

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