Over on PW's site, Heidi MacDonald does a nice interview with DC Comics' John Rood (executive vice president for sales, marketing, and business development) about their recent reader survey. Lots of interesting tidbits were revealed in the survey:
· The launch of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 galvanized the traditional fan base for superhero comic books: male readers, who were already—or have at one time been—comic book fans.
· DC COMICS: THE NEW 52 appealed mainly to avid fans and lapsed readers. More than 70% of those surveyed categorized themselves as avid fans who visit the comic book store every week. More than a quarter of in-store consumers were lapsed readers. The survey indicates that 5% of those polled identified themselves as first-time, new readers.
· More than 50% of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 readers were between the ages of 13 and 34. And more than 50% of in-store DC COMICS-THE NEW 52 consumers had an annual income of $60K or less. The data supports and arguably validates our philosophy of holding the line at $2.99, which DCE is committed to maintaining.
· Avid fans purchased up to 20 titles out of the 52 titles.
· Digital: of dual mode readers, digital is far from replacing print.
· Impulse buys: Up to four-in-ten respondents reported that a NEW 52 title they were interested in (at a physical store location) was out of stock. Nearly two-thirds made a spontaneous purchase.
Click the link above to read the interview and learn more about Rood's interpretation of the numbers.
