Storm is a wonderful Len Wein/Dave Cockrum character. I have loved her character ever since I started reading the X-Men. What is interesting about Storm is the perception of her character versus reality. Storm is a character that people often profess a great love for and this makes Storm come across as one of the more popular X-Men. However, every time Storm gets a title the sales success is just not there. This is not unusual as there is often a difference between what people say and what people actually spend their money on. That is the biggest reason why Marvel Comics has been hesitant to roll out a Storm monthly ongoing title.
We now have the news that Marvel Comics will be rolling out a new Storm mini-series. Storm #1 will debut on May 24, 2023. This mini-series will run for five issues. Personally, I love that Marvel Comics is choosing to publish a Storm mini-series rather than an ongoing monthly title. First, mini-series are fun! They offer focused and entertaining one-and-done stories. Mini-series should definitely get more respect from readers. Second, Storm has struggled in the sales charts. So, it is smart for Marvel Comics to use this Storm mini-series as a trial balloon in order to gauge reader interest in a possible ongoing Storm title at some point in the future.
Marvel Comics genuinely surprised me with the creative team for this Storm mini-series. Ann Nocenti is going to be the writer. Wow! That is a name that I have not heard in a long time. Anyone who is a fan of 1980s Marvel Comics will instantly recognize Nocenti’s name. Whether you enjoy Nocenti’s writing or not, there is no denying her impressive credentials. This is a woman who knows Marvel Comics. No doubt about it.
Nocenti was an assistant editor for Marvel Comics from 1982-1984 and worked with some talented editors like Al Milgrom and Louise Jones. Nocenti went on to be a full-fledged editor from 1983-1988. Nocenti also wrote a ton of comics for Marvel Comics from 1982-1996. Nocenti also wrote a bunch of comics for DC Comics from 1993-2015. Of course, the bulk of Nocenti’s writing came between 1982-1994.
Nocenti also created several characters that modern readers may know including Longshot, Mojo, Spiral, Blackheart, and Typhoid Mary. My favorite work from Nocenti would be her run on Daredevil from 1986-1991. I also liked her Beaty and the Beast mini-series starring Dazzler and the Beast that was published in 1984-1985. I also liked her Longshot mini-series from 1985-1986.
The 66-year-old Nocenti is definitely a surprise choice to write Storm. But, I think Nocenti’s experience in writing for Marvel Comics in the 1980s and 1990s will serve her well in writing a Storm title. After all, it was the 1980s and 1990s when Storm’s character grew in popularity and those two decades gave us the most defining and iconic Storm stories of any decade.
Marvel Comics is bringing Sid Kotian in as the artist on the Storm mini-series. Kotian is an Indian artist who has tons of talent. Kotain is an excellent choice to draw a Storm comic. I am expecting this Storm mini-series to be a good-looking title.
Rokk’s Excitement Level:8 Night Girls out of 10. I love Storm’s character but I was so unimpressed by her last ongoing title from 2014-2015 that I was unsure I would hop onto another Storm comic. However, the creative team of Nocenti and Kotian has definitely gotten me excited about this new Storm mini-series.
Rokk’s Prediction: Despite my excitement for this new Storm mini-series, I am not expecting this title to sell well at all. I do not think that Nocenti’s name alone will attract many readers to this mini-series. In fact, many modern-day readers may not know who Nocenti is at all. And while I do like Kotian’s artwork, he is not a big name who will draw readers to a title, either.
As much as I love Storm, this is a character that has obviously struggled in the sales charts every time she has her own title. Storm’s first mini-series debuted in February 1996 and ran for six issues.
Storm got a second mini-series that was released in February 2006. Storm #1 debuted at the number 61 spot and sold 32,819 units. Storm #2-6 averaged the number 94 spot in the sales rankings and sold an average of 23,193 units per issue.
X-Men Curse of Mutants Storm & Gambit #1 was a one-shot issue that was released in August 2010 and came in at the number 55 spot with 31,751 units.
Storm had an ongoing monthly title that was released in July 2014 and ran until issue #11 before it got canceled. Storm #1 debuted at the number 26 spot and sold 47,566 units. Storm #2-11 averaged the number 143 spot in the sales rankings and sold an average of 17,196 units per issue.
Giant-Size X-Men: Storm #1 in September 2020 was a one-shot issue that came in the number 27 spot and sold between 55,000-66,000 units.
In January 2023, the Top 5 selling female lead titles were Scarlet Witch #1 at the number 3 spot, Mary Jane & Black Cat #2 at the number 30 spot, Poison Ivy #8 at the number 48 spot, Wasp #1 at the number 65 spot, and Captain Marvel #45 at the number 91 spot. So, expecting the Storm mini-series to stay in the Top 50 for its entire five-issue run is going to be a tall task.
None of Storm’s prior sales rankings or numbers are good. So, I am going to predict that Storm #1 debuts in the Top 25. After that, I think the remainder of the mini-series will sell between the numbers 75-100 range in the sales rankings. I do not think Storm is going to sell well enough to convince Marvel Comics to make this an ongoing title.
Conclusion: I am looking forward to Storm’s mini-series. I have a feeling that we are going to get a fun read. I am also really curious to see what kind of reader support Storm receives with this title.
