Publishing sales at Marvel rose 13.5% in 2003, to $73.2 million, and operating income increased 30.2%, to $25.4 million.
The company's year-end filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission breaks down sales by market channel, though not by format. According to the company, in the mass market, which includes bookstores and other retailers where products are sold returnable, sales fell to $8.8 million in 2003 from $9 million in 2002.
Sales to the direct market, primarily comics stores, increased 5.9%, to $51.9 million. The company noted, however, that sales to comics stores include both comic books and trade paperbacks, which are primarily graphic novels. Subscription and advertising sales jumped 94% last year, to $12.4 million, due to an increase in both advertising and subscription revenue.
Marvel said it intends to expand its line of products aimed specifically at the mass market, and cited the release last year of its first young adult prose novel, Mary Jane, as an example of the product extensions it is planning. Those efforts, however, are not expected to have a significant impact on revenue in 2004. Growth will come from expansion of its core comic book and trade paperback lines.
