The most recent “Wolverine” #1 sold around 88,923 units. The previous “Wolverine” #1 sold an estimated 117,669 units in March 2013 with the series dropping by around 51.41% on the second issue and continuing to drop from there. “Wolverine #2 (of this newest volume) also shipped in February selling an estimated 47,339 units, down 46.76% from the first issue. The most recent "Fantastic Four” #1 sold an estimated 65,775 units. The previous volume of launched around 114,543 units and dropped 49% to about 58,418 units on the second issue.
Shifting to shorter volumes with frequent relaunches isn’t helping sales beyond the first issues. The practice runs the risk of training readers and retailers to consider first issues as the only jumping on points which can’t possibly help long term sales. The initial bump in sales caused by the new first issue usually goes away quickly with the title returning to the sales level it was at before the relaunch. The best case scenario is a new high water mark for the title which is then slowly declines from until the next relaunch which resets the sales to a new high point from which it continues to deteriorate from.
The problem with constant relaunches, from here.
That both the Wolverine and Fantastic Four launches are so far below the first Marvel NOW! relaunches of each title speaks to how devalued the Marvel NOW! relaunch has become as a concept, I suspect.
