Friday, August 31, 2012

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) *
2 (-). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
3 (-). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
4 (+4). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
5 (+5). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
6 (-2). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
7 (+9). Watchmen
8 (+7). Big Nate Makes the Grade (Kindle)
9 (-4). The Complete Persepolis
10 (+8). American Born Chinese
11 (+1). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
12 (+8). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 *
13 (-6). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
14 (-1). Big Nate Makes the Grade
15 (+11). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1
16 (+5). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
17 (-6). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
18 (+7). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 2
19 (+4). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
20 (-14). Batman: The Killing Joke
21 (-4). Amulet #5: Prince of the Elves *
22 (+13). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 3 *
23 (-14). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You *
24 (-2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World
25 (-6). Darth Vader and Son
26 (+10). Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
27 (+4). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
28 (-14). Batman: Earth One
29 (+3). Dork Diaries 5: Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All *
30 (-6). V for Vendetta
31 (+3). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1
32 (-5). The Walking Dead, vol. 1 (Kindle)
33 (+5). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
34 (+14). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books
35 (-2). The Walking Dead, Book 8 *
36 (-6). Batman: The Long Halloween
37 (R). The Underwater Welder
38 (+3). Batman: Year One
39 (N). Drama
40 (R). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
41 (+8). Justice League Vol. 1: Origin (The New 52)
42 (N). Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History
43 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 17: Something to Fear *
44 (R). Dork Diaries 2 (Kindle)
45 (-8). Big Nate: Here Goes Nothing
46 (N). Swamp Thing Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones (The New 52)
47 (N). Sailor Moon 7 *
48 (+2). Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (The New 52)
49 (R). Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It's Necessary, How It Works
50 (-7). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)

Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:
  • For a third week in a row, the pre-order for the new Wimpy Kid is at the top of the list. It's almost safe to say that it will be at the top of the list through the end of the year, but with a new season of The Walking Dead this fall, along with a new WD collection due out during that period, I suspect we'll have a battle on our hands later this year...
  • Every week when I'm compiling this chart, I have to weed out the non-comics items that make it on to the Amazon Best Sellers chart (usually due to poor categorization on Amazon's part). Usually this is an easy decision to make (like when a Stephen King novel shows up on it), but decisions have to be made sometimes. I usually air on the side of inclusiveness and keep things like The Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries on the chart, though I know that others would disagree with calling those comics. This week I had to made a difficult choice regarding Billionaires & Ballot Bandits by Greg Palast. It's a 300 page book that includes a 48-page comic by Ted Rall. I went back-and-forth on including it, but ultimately decided not to, figuring that 250 pages of prose outweighed 50 pages of comics. But I can see how you might see otherwise. (For reference, it would have debuted at #34, just above The Wimpy Kid Box of Books.)
  • The top debut this week is Raina Telgemeier's new YA graphic novel, Drama. Also debuting is Abina and the Important Men by Trevor Getz & Liz Clarke; the first New 52 Swamp Thing collection; and the latest Sailor Moon edition.
  • Dead Watch: Six Walking Dead collections on the chart this week, up one from last week.
  • Bat Watch: Eight Batman books on the chart this week, down three from last week. We're pretty much done with the Dark Knight Rises bump and Batman sales have returned to normal levels.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) *
2 (+1). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
3 (+5). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
4 (+2). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
5 (+6). The Complete Persepolis
6 (-2). Batman: The Killing Joke
7 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
8 (+6). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
9 (-7). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You *
10 (+13). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
11 (-2). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
12 (-). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
13 (+16). Big Nate Makes the Grade
14 (-9). Batman: Earth One
15 (N). Big Nate Makes the Grade (Kindle)
16 (-1). Watchmen
17 (+32). Amulet #5: Prince of the Elves *
18 (+13). American Born Chinese
19 (-2). Darth Vader and Son
20 (-10). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 *
21 (+14). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
22 (-4). The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World
23 (+13). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
24 (+9). V for Vendetta
25 (-5). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 2
26 (+6). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1
27 (R). The Walking Dead, vol. 1 (Kindle)
28 (+20). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
29 (-7). Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life
30 (-1). Batman: The Long Halloween
31 (-12). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
32 (N). Dork Diaries 5: Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All *
33 (-9). The Walking Dead, Book 8 *
34 (-21). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1
35 (-7). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 3 *
36 (-15). Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
37 (N). Big Nate: Here Goes Nothing
38 (-). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
39 (+6). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
40 (-13). Batman: Hush
41 (-15). Batman: Year One
42 (-3). Locke & Key Volume 5: Clockworks
43 (-18). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
44 (R). Big Nate and Friends (Kindle)
45 (-4). Batman: Dark Victory
46 (-16). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle edition)
47 (R). Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle)
48 (R). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books
49 (R). Justice League Vol. 1: Origin (The New 52)
50 (-16). Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (The New 52)

Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:
  • The pre-order for the new Wimpy Kid remains at the top for the second consecutive week, solidifying its place even in the face of the University Effect (where comics used for college classes shoot to the top of the list at the start of the semester).
  • Falling victim to the University Effect is the pre-order for the new The Oatmeal collection (How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You). While I expect it to be back up near or at the top when it is released in October, for the time being it will have to live under books such as Persepolis and Maus.
  • The top debut this week is the Kindle edition of Big Nate Makes the Grade (just 2 spots under its print counterpart). Other debuts are the pre-order for a new Dork Diaries, and another Big Nate cartoon collection.
  • Bat Watch: Eleven Batman books on the chart this week, down three form last week, and many of those showing double-digit drops. Hard to tell if this is caused by distance from the movie or the University Effect (likely a combination), but it looks like Batman sales are back close to their traditional non-movie-influenced levels. (Which is still the best selling franchise that DC has.)
  • Dead Watch: Just five Walking Dead collections on the chart this week, same as last week. The new season starts in October...


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Monkey Covers

Sunday is Monkey Covers day here at YACB. Because there's nothing better than a comic with a monkey on the cover!

Power Girl #2 by Amanda Conner

The Ultra-Humanite bares his sharp teeth as he looms behind our heroine on Amanda Conner's variant cover to Power Girl #2 (2009).

(Standard disclaimer about evil geniuses who put their brains in the skulls of genetically-modified apes not really being monkeys applies.)

Image courtesy of the Comic Book DB. Click on the image for a larger version.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this afternoon. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (+1). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) *
2 (-1). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You *
3 (+2). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
4 (-). Batman: The Killing Joke
5 (+5). Batman: Earth One
6 (-). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
7 (-4). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
8 (+6). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
9 (+38). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
10 (+10). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 *
11 (+20). The Complete Persepolis
12 (+1). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
13 (-4). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1
14 (+9). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
15 (+3). Watchmen
16 (-5). Batman: The Long Halloween
17 (-1). Darth Vader and Son
18 (-3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World
19 (-7). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
20 (-3). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 2
21 (+8). Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
22 (-15). Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life
23 (+3). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
24 (+26). The Walking Dead, Book 8 *
25 (-6). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
26 (-18). Batman: Year One
27 (-3). Batman: Hush
28 (+10). The Underwater Welder
29 (-2). Big Nate Makes the Grade *
30 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle edition)
31 (+15). American Born Chinese
32 (-11). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1
33 (+11). V for Vendetta
34 (-12). Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (The New 52)
35 (R). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
36 (-3). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
37 (-12). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 2: Knightquest
38 (+10). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
39 (R). Locke & Key Volume 5: Clockworks
40 (R). Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama
41 (-13). Batman: Dark Victory
42 (-6). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 3 *
43 (-9). Batman: Year One Deluxe Edition
44 (-5). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 3 - KnightsEnd *
45 (R). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
46 (N). The Walking Dead Volume 17 *
47 (-12). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
48 (-8). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
49 (N). Amulet #5: Prince of the Elves *
50 (N). King City

Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:
  • The two books at the top of charts switch places, putting the upcoming Wimpy Kid book ahead of the upcoming Oatmeal collection. I suspect we'll be seeing a lot of such swapping over the next several weeks...
  • There's a lot of movement on the chart this week, with eighteen books moving 10 or more slots either up or down.
  • Bat Watch: Fourteen Batman books on the chart this week, down just one from last week.
  • Dead Watch: Just five Walking Dead collections on the chart this week, up one from last week. That one is the debut of the 17th trade paperback collection. It's way down at the bottom of the chart now, but by the time it is published in early December expect to see it up close to the top.
  • Only two other debuts this week, a new Amulet GN and the collection of Brandon Graham's King City, in the last two slots on the chart.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Amazon Top 50

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this morning. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (N). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You *
2 (-1). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) *
3 (-1). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
4 (-). Batman: The Killing Joke
5 (-3). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
6 (+1). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
7 (N). Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 1: Precious Little Life
8 (-2). Batman: Year One
9 (-4). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1
10 (-7). Batman: Earth One
11 (-1). Batman: The Long Halloween
12 (+3). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
13 (-1). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
14 (+3). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
15 (-1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World
16 (+3). Darth Vader and Son
17 (-8). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 2
18 (-2). Watchmen
19 (+3). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
20 (-7). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 *
21 (-1). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1
22 (+21). Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel (The New 52)
23 (+16). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
24 (+8). Batman: Hush
25 (-14). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 2: Knightquest
26 (+15). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
27 (N). Big Nate Makes the Grade *
28 (+1). Batman: Dark Victory
29 (-5). Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
30 (-9). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle edition)
31 (-3). The Complete Persepolis
32 (R). Batman: Year One (Kindle)
33 (+17). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
34 (-11). Batman: Year One Deluxe Edition
35 (-5). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
36 (-4). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 3 *
37 (-11). Superman: Earth One
38 (-13). The Underwater Welder
39 (R). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 3 - KnightsEnd *
40 (+2). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
41 (+5). Big Nate: From the Top (Kindle)
42 (R). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Box of Books
43 (N). Dork Diaries 5: Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All *
44 (-8). V for Vendetta
45 (N). Scott Pilgrim Color Hardcover Volume 2: Vs. The World *
46 (-8). American Born Chinese
47 (-29). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
48 (-17). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
49 (R). 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth
50 (-6). The Walking Dead, Book 8 *


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:
  • Another new #1 this week: The new Oatmeal collection,  How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You, became available for pre-order and immediately shot into the top slot. It is currently #7 on the overall Amazon chart, which is pretty amazing.
  • There's another top ten debut as well, with the first color hardcover edition of Scott Pilgrim entering at #7. Other debuts this week are a new Big Nate comic strip collection, a new Dork Diaries volume, and the second Scott Pilgrim color hardcover.
  • Bat Watch: Although the top Batman books slip a bit, there are still fifteen on the chart, same as last week.
  • Dead Watch: Only four Walking Dead collections on the chart this week. But there's only two months until the new tv season debuts, so look for a rebound just in time for the holidays.
  • Speaking of the holidays, it looks like we're in for an epic showdown at the top of the list, with The Oatmeal, The Wimpy Kid, and The Walking Dead battling it out come November. Or will there be a dark horse in the mix with something like Avatar? (Pun more-or-less intended...)

Friday, August 03, 2012

Amazon Top 50

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7: The Third Wheel
Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this evening. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (+3). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7) *
2 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
3 (-2). Batman: Earth One
4 (+1). Batman: The Killing Joke
5 (-2). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1
6 (+1). Batman: Year One
7 (-1). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
8 (+18). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
9 (+3). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 2
10 (+4). Batman: The Long Halloween
11 (-). Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 2: Knightquest
12 (+1). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
13 (+9). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 *
14 (+1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 16: A Larger World
15 (-6). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
16 (+14). Watchmen
17 (+16). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
18 (-10). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
19 (-1). Darth Vader and Son
20 (-4). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1
21 (-11). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle edition)
22 (-5). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
23 (-3). Batman: Year One Deluxe Edition
24 (+3). Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess
25 (+3). The Underwater Welder *
26 (+9). Superman: Earth One
27 (-4). Get Jiro!
28 (+14). The Complete Persepolis
29 (+12). Batman: Dark Victory
30 (+1). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
31 (+6). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
32 (-11). Batman: Hush
33 (-8). Locke & Key Volume 5: Clockworks
34 (R). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
35 (-11). Batman: Earth One (Kindle)
36 (R). V for Vendetta
37 (N). 99 Reasons to Hate Cats (Kindle)
38 (R). American Born Chinese
39 (R). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
40 (+7). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 3 *
41 (R). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
42 (-8). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
43 (N). Superman - Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel *
44 (N). The Walking Dead, Book 8
45 (-5). Batman & Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill (The New 52)
46 (-8). Big Nate: From the Top (Kindle)
47 (R). Sailor Moon 6
48 (-16). The Walking Dead, Book 1
49 (N). X-Men: Days of Future Past
50 (R). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.

N = New listing appearing on list for first time
R = Item returning to the list after having been off for 1 or more weeks


Commentary:
  • We have a new number one: the pre-order for the seventh Wimpy Kid book (it won't be published until November) leaps over a few Batman books to land at the top of the chart. It is at #75 on the overall Amazon books chart.
  • Bat-Watch: Despite losing the top spot, Batman titles continue to dominate: fifteen on the chart, and six of the top ten slots, including slots #2-6.
  • The top debut this week is 99 Reasons to Hate Cats, an affordably-priced collection of panel cartoons for the Kindle; the first collection of Grant Morrison's New 52 Superman in Action Comics; a new Walking Dead hardcover; and X-Men: Days of Future Past (possibly due to rumors of it being the basis for the next X-Men movie)
  • Persepolis moves into the top ten. Watchmen and Maus make big moves up the chart. American Born Chinese, Fun Home, and Understanding Comics all return. It a sure sign that college classes will be starting up again soon...
  • Dead Watch: Just five Walking Dead collections on the chart this week, down one from last week.