How can you find out the print run on comics????

[Blue Meanie]

Is it speculation, or can you find out the print run on comics? Reason why I ask is I saw this auction that ended and I find it hard to believe that there were only 5000 of these printed:

Miracleman 15! Less then 5000 exist. NM+ A Real Beauty | eBay

I think there is a Valiant/Acclaim site that gives you estimated print runs on their books...but can anyone else verify that there were only 5000 of Miracleman #15 printed?

[B-Lister]

it IS a rare book, but there's no way there were only 5k produced. And if there were, I imagine the price on this issue would be a lot higher than it is, because this is definitely a book that is in high demand.

I have been looking for a good copy for the last decade.

[wayne foundation 07]

The Comics Chronicles: A Resource for Comics Research hope this helps

[Blue Meanie]

it IS a rare book, but there's no way there were only 5k produced. And if there were, I imagine the price on this issue would be a lot higher than it is, because this is definitely a book that is in high demand.

I have been looking for a good copy for the last decade.

You think that the issues after 20 would go for a lot more than number 15...try and find those last 4 issues.

[B-Lister]

true that.

[jwyblejr]

The seller was corrected. It states on there the run was 7000 issues.

[samurainoir]

This website claims print runs of 7,250 and 6,400 on issues 23 and 24
http://www.4colorheroes.com/mm22.html

Similar numbers on Miracleman Apocrypha, which I find hard to believe given that those seem much more plentiful.
http://www.4colorheroes.com/mma.html

My theory is that those were perhaps numbers from one of the distributers, and does not take into account the others at that time.

Although given how sporadic Miracleman was being published, perhaps they were in fact that low by the nineties when indies were being squeezed out by the glut as well.

I'm sure Miracleman #15 was solicited numerous times and canceled, which would account for a great deal of attrition in retailer orders. I believe this issue and the next were close to a year in coming out (reportedly due to John Totleben's eyesight issues).

[samurainoir]

Just found this as well...
Rare Comics - Miracleman 24:
Not sure what their sources are.

I'd guess this is where folks get the 7,000 number.

[Adam West]

Does the sporadic printing mean that although the quantities are relatively low and the demand high, that it isn't too difficult to find them in NM-M condition?

[samurainoir]

I'd suspect it's pretty easy to find any comic printed in the last thirty years in nm condition given the adult collector's that the direct market primarily catered to.

With that said, the mess of the miracle man rights coupled with the creative teams involved and the sporadic publishing schedule at the time has certainly made the demand high. I'm sure there were even fans like me back in the day that found following the series difficult because it was like winning the lottery if you found one off the racks without a subscription. Why should your local retailer stock it when that huge stack of x-men was their bread and butter income every single month?