Friday, July 26, 2013

Amazon Top 50

Scott Pilgrim Color Volume 1: Precious Little Life
Here are the Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels on Amazon Friday morning. See About the Amazon Top 50 Lists for more information on how this list is compiled.


1 (N). Scott Pilgrim Color Volume 1: Precious Little Life (Kindle)
2 (-). Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened *
3 (+1). Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
4 (N). Injustice: Gods Among Us #28 (Kindle)
5 (-). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2
6 (+4). Vader's Little Princess
7 (-6). Superman (2011- ) #1 (Kindle)
8 (-2). Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero
9 (-2). Saga Volume 2
10 (+38). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
11 (-3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
12 (+7). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 *
13 (-10). Injustice: Gods Among Us #27 (Kindle)
14 (-). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
15 (-2). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
16 (-1). Saga Volume 1
17 (+3). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
18 (-7). Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
19 (+11). Deadpool Vol. 1: Secret Invasion (Kindle)
20 (-8). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7) (Kindle)
21 (-3). Darth Vader and Son
22 (+2). Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
23 (-7). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7)
24 (+21). Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Kindle)
25 (-8). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3 *
26 (+10). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
27 (-5). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 (Kindle) *
28 (-1). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
29 (-20). Injustice: Gods Among Us #26 (Kindle)
30 (-5). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
31 (-). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
32 (-11). Sailor Moon 12
33 (+11). Watchmen
34 (+2). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 1
35 (R). Batman: Year One
36 (-10). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
37 (N). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2 (Kindle)
38 (N). Hawkeye: Little Hits, Vol. 2 *
39 (-16). Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
40 (-11). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
41 (-7). Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
42 (R). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
43 (N). Deadpool Classic Vol. 1 (Kindle)
44 (R). Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe
45 (-10). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6) (Kindle)
46 (N). Deadpool Vol. 2: Dark Reign (Kindle)
47 (R). Wolverine by Claremont and Miller (Kindle)
48 (N). X-Men: Days of Future Past
49 (R). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5) (Kindle)
50 (R). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle)


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:
  • A sale earlier in the week on the first color edition volume of Scott Pilgrim on the Kindle propelled it to #1 on the chart this week. The sale is now over so expect it to drop off next week. Presumable the sale was done to stoke interest in the entire series, but so far sales on subsequent volumes haven't shown up on the chart.
  • Hyperbole and a Half falls to #74 on the overall Amazon books chart, but that's still good enough for the #2 slot.
  • Injustice Watch: The latest issue of Injustice: Gods Among Us debuts at #3 this week. Two additional issues chart as well, down one from last week.
  • Dead Watch: Only three Walking Dead collections make the chart this week, down from last week, though all three are in the top 15.
  • Batman: The Killing Joke jumps up into the top ten this week, presumable fueled by DCE's announcement at SDCC of a Batman/Superman movie tied with a quote from that landmark graphic novel.
  • Marvel Watch: A combination of factors—movie tie-ins, Kindle sales, and the awesomeness of Hawkguy—give Marvel a whopping ten slots on the comics chart this week, which might be a record. But despite a bald Karen Gillan at SDCC, there's still no sight of Guardians of the Galaxy on the chart.
  • Diary Watch: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries franchises between them take up eleven of the slots on the chart this week, down four from last week.
  • Kindle Watch: Twenty of the chart positions this week are taken up by Kindle editions, down one from last week.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Amazon Top 50

Superman #1
Here are the Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels on Amazon Friday afternoon. See About the Amazon Top 50 Lists for more information on how this list is compiled.


1 (+32). Superman (2011- ) #1 (Kindle)
2 (-1). Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened *
3 (N). Injustice: Gods Among Us #27 (Kindle)
4 (-1). Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
5 (-1). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2 *
6 (+11). Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero
7 (-1). Saga Volume 2
8 (-1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
9 (-7). Injustice: Gods Among Us #26 (Kindle)
10 (-5). Vader's Little Princess
11 (-2). Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
12 (-). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7) (Kindle)
13 (-3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
14 (-). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
15 (+5). Saga Volume 1
16 (-3). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7)
17 (+19). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3 *
18 (-10). Darth Vader and Son
19 (+4). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 *
20 (-1). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
21 (N). Sailor Moon 12
22 (-7). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 (Kindle) *
23 (-5). Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
24 (+3). Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
25 (R). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
26 (+17). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
27 (+1). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
28 (+12). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 1
29 (-8). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
30 (N). Deadpool Vol. 1: Secret Invasion (Kindle)
31 (-9). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
32 (-21). Injustice: Gods Among Us #25 (Kindle)
33 (-17). Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe *
34 (+5). Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
35 (-10). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6) (Kindle)
36 (-5). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
37 (R). The Walking Dead vol. 1 (Kindle)
38 (R). Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle)
39 (+5). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
40 (-3). Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2) (Kindle)
41 (+4). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
42 (-16). The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3) (Kindle)
43 (-5). Marvel Encyclopedia
44 (R). Watchmen
45 (N). Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Kindle)
46 (R). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
47 (R). Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (Kindle)
48 (-18). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
49 (N). Saga, vol. 1 (Kindle)
50 (-8). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle) *


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:
  • I have no idea what the Kindle edition of the New 52 Superman #1 is doing back on top of the chart this week. The promotion that caused it to originally shoot up on the chart ended a few weeks ago. Maybe someone is giving away vouchers at SDCC?
  • The pre-order for Hyperbole and a Half is at #11 on the overall Amazon books chart, but this week that's only good enough for the #2 slot on the comics chart due to whatever is going on with Superman...
  • There's some sort of sale going on for certain Marvel collections on the Kindle; it seems to be mostly Deadpool & Wolverine titles, and one of each shows up for the first time on the chart this week at the bargain price. The first Saga collection for Kindle shows up for the first time as well, but that's at its regular(-ish) price.
  • Injustice Watch: The latest issue of Injustice: Gods Among Us debuts at #3 this week. Three additional issues chart as well, up one from last week.
  • The other debut this week is the latest volume of Sailor Moon at #21.
  • Interest in Marvel's Pacific Rim prequel OGN actually grows in the wake of the movie's release as it moves up into the top ten, which is a good sign for its prospects in the near term.
  • Dead Watch: Only four Walking Dead collections make the chart this week, but that's still up one from last week.
  • Diary Watch: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries franchises between them take up fifteen of the slots on the chart this week, down two from last week.
  • Kindle Watch: Twenty-one of the chart positions this week are taken up by Kindle editions, up three from last week.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels on Amazon Friday morning. See About the Amazon Top 50 Lists for more information on how this list is compiled.


1 (R). Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened *
2 (N). Injustice: Gods Among Us #26 (Kindle)
3 (-2). Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
4 (+18). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2 *
5 (-). Vader's Little Princess
6 (-1). Saga Volume 2
7 (-4). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
8 (-2). Darth Vader and Son
9 (-2). Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
10 (+2). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
11 (-9). Injustice: Gods Among Us #25 (Kindle)
12 (-3). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7) (Kindle)
13 (-3). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7)
14 (-3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
15 (-2). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 (Kindle) *
16 (N). Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe *
17 (+27). Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero
18 (-). Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
19 (+1). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
20 (+10). Saga Volume 1
21 (+8). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
22 (-1). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
23 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 *
24 (N). The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics
25 (-8). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6) (Kindle)
26 (+7). The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3) (Kindle)
27 (-9). Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
28 (+19). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
29 (-6). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
30 (-3). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
31 (+3). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
32 (-24). Injustice: Gods Among Us #24 (Kindle)
33 (-14). Superman (2011- ) #1 (Kindle)
34 (R). The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
35 (+3). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5) (Kindle)
36 (N). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3 *
37 (-6). Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2) (Kindle)
38 (R). Marvel Encyclopedia
39 (-). Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
40 (R). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 1
41 (R). Big Nate: Game On!
42 (N). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle) *
43 (-11). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
44 (-29). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
45 (R). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
46 (-). Batman: Year One
47 (R). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 5)
48 (N). Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel
49 (R). The Complete Persepolis
50 (N). Symposium #1: A SideQuest Comic (Kindle)


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:
  • Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half collection debuted at #1 back on May 10, then promptly disappeared from the chart the following week. Now it's back, once again at #1 (and #25 on the overall Amazon sales chart). I suspect some strange behind the scenes re-categorization on Amazon's part is the cause of this behavior, rather than sudden bursts of demand from consumers. The Kindle edition also shows up on the chart for the first time, down at #42.
  • I dithered back-and-forth for a while as to whether or not to include Tim Leong's Super Graphic on the chart. I finally decided that if the Marvel Encyclopedia was going to be on the chart (as it has been off-and-on for several years) then Super Graphic should as well. It debuts at #16 this week as a pre-order (it comes out next week), helped out by media mentions in places like The Los Angeles Times and the New York Post.
  • Anticipation is building for the second volume of Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, which will be released in a couple of weeks. It moves up into the top 5, the first volume returns at #40, and the third volume (to be released in December) debuts at #36.
  • The first offering from Amazon's own Jet City Comics imprint, the first Kindle-only issue of Symposium, sneaks up onto the chart to debut in the #50 position.
  • Injustice Watch: There are three issue of Injustice: Gods Among Us on the chart this week, with the newest issue debuting in a typical #2 position.
  • Also debuting this week are Grady Klein's The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics at #24 and the paperback version of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief at #48. For those keeping track at home, that's seven debut titles this week; I don't think that's a record, but it's pretty high.
  • Dead Watch: Only three Walking Dead collections make the chart this week, down three from last week. That's the lowest number in quite some time, although those three are all in the top 15.
  • Diary Watch: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries franchises between them take up seventeen of the slots on the chart this week, down one from last week. There are no Wimpy Kid books in the top ten this week, which is the first time in quite a while that that has been the case. (There are still two Dork Diaries in the top ten.)
  • Kindle Watch: Eighteen of the chart positions this week are taken up by Kindle editions, down six from last week.

Friday, July 05, 2013

Amazon Top 50

Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
Here are the Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels on Amazon Friday morning. See About the Amazon Top 50 Lists for more information on how this list is compiled.


1 (-). Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
2 (N). Injustice: Gods Among Us #25 (Kindle)
3 (+1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
4 (-1). Saga Volume 2
5 (-). Vader's Little Princess
6 (+1). Darth Vader and Son
7 (-1). Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
8 (-6). Injustice: Gods Among Us #24 (Kindle)
9 (-). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7) (Kindle)
10 (+1). The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7)
11 (+3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
12 (+3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
13 (+4). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 (Kindle) *
14 (-1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18 (Kindle)
15 (R). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
16 (R). Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
17 (-1). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6) (Kindle)
18 (+3). Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
19 (-11). Superman (2011- ) #1 (Kindle)
20 (+2). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
21 (-1). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
22 (+22). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2 *
23 (-4). Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
24 (-2). Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 8 *
25 (N). Cable/Deadpool Vol. 1: If Looks Could Kill (Kindle)
26 (-14). Injustice: Gods Among Us #23 (Kindle)
27 (+6). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
28 (-). Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4) (Kindle)
29 (-3). Cabin Fever (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 6)
30 (-20). Saga Volume 1
31 (-7). Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2) (Kindle)
32 (-9). Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
33 (-8). The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3) (Kindle)
34 (+3). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
35 (N). Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
36 (N). Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
37 (-5). Superman: Red Son
38 (+5). The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5) (Kindle)
39 (-1). Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
40 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 17: Something to Fear
41 (R). Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (Kindle)
42 (N). Cyanide and Happiness (Kindle)
43 (+2). Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 1
44 (R). Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero
45 (R). Watchmen
46 (-7). Batman: Year One
47 (-17). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
48 (-8). Dork Diaries 2 (Kindle)
49 (R). All Star Superman
50 (R). The Walking Dead vol. 1 (Kindle)


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:

  • Topping the chart for the second week in a row is the Kindle edition of the sixth Dork Diaries installment. Looks like it might be sticking around there for a while...
  • All of the debuts this week are Kindle editions, led by (of course) the latest issue of Injustice: Gods Among Us, and followed by a bargain-priced Cable/Deadpool collection, the two Percy Jackson graphic novels, and a bargain priced Cyanide and Happiness.
  • After weeks of bubbling around just under the chart threshold, All Star Superman finally slips up onto the bottom of the chart this week. There are three Superman titles on the chart this week, nearly tying Batman, who has four.
  • Injustice Watch: Four issues show up on the chart this week, up one from last week, with two in the top ten.
  • Dead Watch: Six Walking Dead collections are on the chart this week, up two from last week.
  • Diary Watch: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries franchises between them take up eighteen of the slots on the chart this week, down three from last week.
  • Kindle Watch: Twenty-four of the chart positions this week are taken up by Kindle editions, up six from last week.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Amazon Top 50 for the first half of 2013

Here are the top 50 comics from the weekly Amazon Top 50 posts for the first six months of 2013:
  1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7 (Kindle)
  2. The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
  3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel
  4. The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
  5. How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
  6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6 (Kindle)
  7. Darth Vader and Son
  8. Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
  9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever
  10. Saga Volume 1
  11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 (Kindle)
  12. Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
  13. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5 (Kindle)
  14. Vader's Little Princess
  15. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 (Kindle)
  16. The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
  17. Big Nate Makes the Grade (Kindle)
  18. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
  19. The Walking Dead, vol. 17: Something to Fear
  20. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 (Kindle)
  21. Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (Kindle)
  22. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 1
  23. The Walking Dead, vol. 18: What Comes After
  24. Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
  25. The Walking Dead vol. 1 (Kindle)
  26. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5: The Ugly Truth
  27. Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
  28. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4: Dog Days
  29. Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon
  30. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
  31. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8 (Kindle)
  32. Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
  33. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
  34. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
  35. Watchmen
  36. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8
  37. Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
  38. Dork Diaries 3 (Kindle)
  39. Building Stories
  40. Dork Diaries 1 (Kindle)
  41. Injustice: Gods Among Us #2 (Kindle)
  42. Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
  43. The Walking Dead, vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
  44. My Dog: The Paradox
  45. The Walking Dead vol. 2 (Kindle)
  46. Big Nate: Genius Mode
  47. Injustice: Gods Among Us #3 (Kindle)
  48. Injustice: Gods Among Us #12 (Kindle)
  49. The Walking Dead, Book 1
  50. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
Methodology: I took my weekly (compiled on Friday) lists of Amazon Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels, and for each week assigned a comic a numerical score equal to 51 minus its ranking; e.g. the #1 book got 50 points, the #2 book got 49 points, the #3 book got 48 points, etc., all the way down to the #50 book getting 1 point. I poured everything into a spreadsheet, and voila.

Commentary:
  • Normally I only due these compilation Amazon Top 50 posts at the end of the year, but since this year I've been good at keeping up with entering things into my spreadsheet each week, I figured why not take a mid-year peek as well?
  • There are some really close entries, and surprisingly at the top of the list where gaps generally tend to be larger. There is only one point separating the #2 & #3 entries, and only one point separating #6 & #7. 
  • Nine of the top ten (for that matter, twelve of the top thirteen) have been on the chart for all twenty-six weeks. (The fifth Dork Diaries on the Kindle missed one week.)
  • Among traditional comic publishers, Image is clearly the winner with three books in the top ten; Marvel & DC have none. (The rest of the top ten is taken up with books from 'mainstream' book publishers.)
  • So far this year, 171 different works have been on the weekly Amazon Top 50 chart at least once.