05/2018: Harley <3 --="" 10.3="" 37="" joker="" nbsp="" p="">
06/2018: Harley Quinn #43 -- 29,948 (- 19.1%)
06/2018: Harley Quinn #44 -- 29,545 (- 1.3%)
07/2018: Harley Quinn #45 -- 30,518 (+ 3.3%)
07/2018: Harley Quinn #46 -- 29,343 (- 3.9%)
-----------------
6 months: - 7.4%
1 year : - 24.2%
2 years : - 34.1%
15 years: + 90.4%
A slight and brief bump up for the start of new writer Sam Humphries in issue #45.
---
66, 67 - HAL JORDAN & THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS ($2.99)
07/2008: Green Lantern Corps #26 -- 46,098
07/2013: Green Lantern Corps #22 -- 42,194
07/2014: Green Lantern Corps #33 -- 32,877 [33,160]
07/2015: --
07/2016: Rebirth #1 -- 125,362
07/2016: Hal Jordan & GLC #1 -- 119,579
--------------------------------------------
07/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #24 -- 32,210 (- 0.9%)
07/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #25 -- 31,838 (- 1.2%)
08/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #26 -- 31,481 (- 1.1%)
08/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #27 -- 31,251 (- 0.7%)
09/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #28 -- 30,911 (- 1.1%)
09/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #29 -- 30,864 (- 0.2%)
10/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #30 -- 31,268 (+ 1.3%)
10/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #31 -- 30,586 (- 2.2%)
11/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #32 -- 57,000 (+ 86.4%)
11/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #33 -- 33,624 (- 41.0%)
12/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #34 -- 29,474 (- 12.3%)
12/2017: Hal Jordan & GLC #35 -- 29,203 (- 0.9%)
01/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #36 -- 29,065 (- 0.5%)
01/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #37 -- 28,655 (- 1.4%)
02/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #38 -- 28,613 (- 0.1%)
02/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #39 -- 28,340 (- 1.0%)
03/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #40 -- 28,819 (+ 1.7%)
03/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #41 -- 28,291 (- 1.8%)
04/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #42 -- 28,427 (+ 0.5%)
04/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #43 -- 27,871 (- 2.0%)
05/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #44 -- 27,868 (- 0.0%)
05/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #45 -- 27,682 (- 0.7%)
06/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #46 -- 28,085 (+ 1.5%)
06/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #47 -- 27,825 (- 0.9%)
07/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #48 -- 28,341 (+ 1.0%)
07/2018: Hal Jordan & GLC #49 -- 27,998 (- 1.2%)
----------------
6 months: - 2.4%
1 year : - 12.1%
2 years : - 77.0%
5 years : - 33.2%
10 years: - 38.9%
Ending with issue #50 in August.
—–
68 - INJUSTICE VS. MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE ($3.99)
03/2014: DCU vs. MotU #6 of 6 -- 17,500 (- 6.8%)
---------------------------------------------
07/2018: Injustice vs. MotU #1 of 6 -- 27,250 (+ 55.7%)
The debut issue of a new MotU mini-series is the top non-DCU title for July.
---
69 - NIGHTWING ($3.99)
07/2003: Nightwing #83 -- 29,745
07/2008: Nightwing #146 -- 29,494
07/2013: Nightwing #22 -- 42,073
07/2014: Grayson #1 -- 81,433 [90,388]
07/2015: Grayson #10 -- 33,990 [34,882]
07/2016: Rebirth #1 -- 140,631
07/2016: Nightwing #1 -- 126,266
----------------------------------
07/2017: Nightwing #24 -- 35,370 (- 1.9%)
07/2017: Nightwing #25 -- 34,587 (- 2.2%)
08/2017: Nightwing #26 -- 34,020 (- 1.6%)
08/2017: Nightwing #27 -- 33,250 (- 2.3%)
09/2017: Nightwing #28 -- 32,874 (- 1.1%)
09/2017: Nightwing #29 -- 51,102 (+ 55.4%)
10/2017: Nightwing #30 -- 31,978 (- 37.4%)
10/2017: Nightwing #31 -- 31,762 (- 0.7%)
11/2017: Nightwing #32 -- 31,215 (- 1.7%)
11/2017: Nightwing #33 -- 30,418 (- 2.6%)
12/2017: Nightwing #34 -- 29,426 (- 3.3%)
12/2017: Nightwing #35 -- 29,310 (- 0.4%)
01/2018: Nightwing #36 -- 28,493 (- 2.8%)
01/2018: Nightwing #37 -- 28,873 (+ 1.3%)
02/2018: Nightwing #38 -- 27,188 (- 5.8%)
02/2018: Nightwing #39 -- 27,731 (+ 2.0%)
03/2018: Nightwing #40 -- 27,202 (- 1.9%)
03/2018: Nightwing #41 -- 26,951 (- 0.9%)
04/2018: Nightwing #42 -- 26,323 (- 2.3%)
04/2018: Nightwing #43 -- 25,986 (- 1.3%)
05/2018: Nightwing #44 -- 26,229 (+ 0.9%)
06/2018: Nightwing #45 -- 26,242 (+ 0.0%)
07/2018: Nightwing #46 -- 26,899 (+ 2.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 6.2%
1 year : - 23.1%
2 years : - 79.8%
5 years : - 36.1%
10 years: - 8.8%
15 years: - 9.6%
Apparently Nightwing’s unwarranted return to twice-monthly in September will be accompanied by some kind of life-changing injury. Oh, comics ... never stop being unimaginative!
---
74 - SUICIDE SQUAD ($3.99)
07/2013: Suicide Squad #22 -- 22,447
07/2014: New Suicide Squad #1 -- 49,260 [55,882]
07/2015: New Suicide Squad #10 -- 35,365 [35,842]
07/2016: New Suicide Squad #22 -- 25,162
------------------------------------------
07/2017: Suicide Squad #21 -- 36,077 (- 3.9%)
07/2017: Suicide Squad #22 -- 35,719 (- 1.0%)
08/2017: Suicide Squad #23 -- 34,209 (- 4.2%)
08/2017: Suicide Squad #24 -- 33,674 (- 1.6%)
09/2017: Suicide Squad #25 -- 33,553 (- 0.4%)
09/2017: Suicide Squad #26 -- 50,527 (+ 50.6%)
10/2017: Suicide Squad #27 -- 31,754 (- 37.2%)
10/2017: Suicide Squad #28 -- 31,633 (- 0.4%)
11/2017: Suicide Squad #29 -- 30,113 (- 4.8%)
11/2017: Suicide Squad #30 -- 29,301 (- 2.7%)
12/2017: Suicide Squad #31 -- 28,229 (- 3.7%)
12/2017: Suicide Squad #32 -- 27,631 (- 2.1%)
01/2018: Suicide Squad #33 -- 26,715 (- 3.3%)
01/2018: Suicide Squad #34 -- 26,515 (- 0.7%)
02/2018: Suicide Squad #35 -- 26,798 (+ 1.1%)
02/2018: Suicide Squad #36 -- 25,531 (- 4.7%)
03/2018: Suicide Squad #37 -- 25,367 (- 0.6%)
03/2018: Suicide Squad #38 -- 24,910 (- 1.8%)
04/2018: Suicide Squad #39 -- 24,141 (- 3.1%)
04/2018: Suicide Squad #40 -- 27,170 (+ 12.5%)
05/2018: Suicide Squad #41 -- 28,499 (+ 4.9%)
05/2018: Suicide Squad #42 -- 26,759 (- 6.1%)
06/2018: Suicide Squad #43 -- 27,089 (+ 1.2%)
07/2018: Suicide Squad #44 -- 26,076 (- 3.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 2.0%
1 year : - 27.4%
2 years : + 3.6%
5 years : + 16.2%
---
77, 84 - GREEN LANTERNS ($3.99)
07/2003: --
07/2008: Green Lantern #33 -- 63,814
07/2013: Green Lantern #22 -- 62,415
07/2014: Green Lantern #33 -- 47,279 [47,464]
07/2015: Green Lantern #42 -- 39,290 [39,708]
07/2016: Green Lanterns #2 -- 90,268 (- 16.2%)
07/2016: Green Lanterns #3 -- 86,579 (- 4.1%)
--------------------------------------
07/2017: Green Lanterns #26 -- 31,045 (- 1.2%)
07/2017: Green Lanterns #27 -- 30,278 (- 2.5%)
08/2017: Green Lanterns #28 -- 30,024 (- 0.8%)
08/2017: Green Lanterns #29 -- 29,451 (- 1.9%)
09/2017: Green Lanterns #30 -- 29,462 (+ 0.0%)
09/2017: Green Lanterns #31 -- 28,997 (- 1.6%)
10/2017: Green Lanterns #32 -- 28,775 (- 0.8%)
10/2017: Green Lanterns #33 -- 28,238 (- 1.9%)
11/2017: Green Lanterns #34 -- 27,959 (- 1.0%)
11/2017: Green Lanterns #35 -- 27,338 (- 2.2%)
12/2017: Green Lanterns #36 -- 26,436 (- 3.3%)
12/2017: Green Lanterns #37 -- 26,055 (- 1.4%)
01/2018: Green Lanterns #38 -- 25,172 (- 3.4%)
01/2018: Green Lanterns #39 -- 25,551 (+ 1.5%)
02/2018: Green Lanterns #40 -- 24,807 (- 2.9%)
02/2018: Green Lanterns #41 -- 25,155 (+ 1.4%)
03/2018: Green Lanterns #42 -- 25,092 (- 0.3%)
03/2018: Green Lanterns #43 -- 24,780 (- 1.2%)
04/2018: Green Lanterns #44 -- 24,528 (- 1.0%)
04/2018: Green Lanterns #45 -- 24,173 (- 1.4%)
05/2018: Green Lanterns #46 -- 23,727 (- 1.8%)
05/2018: Green Lanterns #47 -- 23,789 (+ 0.3%)
06/2018: Green Lanterns #48 -- 23,994 (+ 0.9%)
06/2018: Green Lanterns #49 -- 24,157 (+ 0.7%)
07/2018: Green Lanterns #50 -- 25,389 (+ 5.1%)
07/2018: Green Lanterns #51 -- 24,316 (- 4.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 2.0%
1 year : - 18.9%
2 years : - 71.9%
5 years : - 60.2%
10 years: - 61.1%
15 years: n.a.
Ending with issue #57 in October, to make room for Morrison & Sharpe’s The Green Lantern. Which means that in November DC’s Green Lantern franchise will have gone from four titles to one title in the span of a few months, a reduction that should have taken place at least a year ago...
---
80 - AQUAMAN ($3.99)
07/2003: Aquaman #8 -- 29,628
07/2013: Aquaman #22 -- 45,653
07/2014: Aquaman #33 -- 36,140 [36,581]
07/2015: Aquaman #42 -- 28,158 [28,479]
07/2016: Aquaman #2 -- 77,550
07/2016: Aquaman #3 -- 75,196
------------------------------
07/2017: Aquaman #26 -- 27,702 (- 0.3%)
08/2017: Aquaman #27 -- 28,677 (+ 3.5%)
09/2017: Aquaman #28 -- 28,081 (- 2.1%)
10/2017: Aquaman #29 -- 27,559 (- 1.9%)
11/2017: Aquaman #30 -- 27,243 (- 1.1%)
12/2017: Aquaman #31 -- 25,474 (- 6.5%)
01/2018: Aquaman #32 -- 25,232 (- 0.9%)
02/2018: Aquaman #33 -- 24,974 (- 1.0%)
03/2018: Aquaman #34 -- 24,323 (- 2.6%)
04/2018: Aquaman #35 -- 23,594 (- 3.0%)
05/2018: Aquaman #36 -- 23,057 (- 2.3%)
06/2018: Aquaman #37 -- 24,076 (+ 4.4%)
07/2018: Aquaman #38 -- 24,836 (+ 3.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 1.6%
1 year : - 10.3%
2 years : - 67.5%
5 years : - 45.6%
15 years: - 16.2%
Slowly inching back up—is this a trend?
---
81 - THE TERRIFICS ($2.99)
02/2018: Terrifics #1 -- 45,493 [51,924]
03/2018: Terrifics #2 -- 34,525 (- 31.2%) [35,707]
04/2018: Terrifics #3 -- 30,134 (- 13.0%) [31,069]
05/2018: Terrifics #4 -- 28,849 (- 7.1%)
06/2018: Terrifics #5 -- 26,676 (- 7.5%)
07/2018: Terrifics #6 -- 24,736 (- 7.3%)
The best-selling book in the rapidly deteriorating New Age of Heroes line
---
86 - THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: BATMAN & WONDER WOMAN ($3.99)
07/2008: The Brave & The Bold #15 -- 32,682
------------------------------------------------
02/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #1 of 6 -- 42,087
03/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #2 of 6 -- 31,831 (- 26.8%)
04/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #3 of 6 -- 28,209 (- 13.7%)
05/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #4 of 6 -- 26,910 (- 4.6%)
06/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #5 of 6 -- 25,123 (- 6.6%)
07/2018: Batman & Wonder Woman #6 of 6 -- 24,170 (- 3.8%)
-----------------
10 years: - 26.0%
---
99 - PLASTIC MAN ($3.99)
06/2018: Plastic Man #1 of 6 -- 31,997
07/2018: Plastic Man #2 of 6 -- 20,632 (- 35.5%)
A typical second issue drop.
---
102 - GREEN ARROW ($3.99)
07/2003: Green Arrow #28 -- 45,270
07/2008: Green Arrow/BC #10 -- 29,604
07/2013: Green Arrow #22 -- 26,172
07/2014: Green Arrow #33 -- 23,452
07/2015: Green Arrow #42 -- 24,921
07/2016: Green Arrow #2 -- 80,134
07/2016: Green Arrow #3 -- 80,150
-------------------------------------
07/2017: Green Arrow #26 -- 27,285 (- 0.4%)
07/2017: Green Arrow #27 -- 26,715 (- 2.1%)
08/2017: Green Arrow #28 -- 26,572 (- 0.5%)
08/2017: Green Arrow #29 -- 26,455 (- 0.4%)
09/2017: Green Arrow #30 -- 26,429 (- 0.1%)
09/2017: Green Arrow #31 -- 25,742 (- 2.6%)
10/2017: Green Arrow #32 -- 48,898 (+ 90.0%)
10/2017: Green Arrow #33 -- 25,963 (- 46.9%)
11/2017: Green Arrow #34 -- 25,181 (- 3.0%)
12/2017: Green Arrow #35 -- 23,682 (- 6.0%)
01/2018: Green Arrow #36 -- 23,012 (- 2.8%)
02/2018: Green Arrow #37 -- 22,425 (- 2.6%)
03/2018: Green Arrow #38 -- 21,935 (- 2.2%)
04/2018: Green Arrow #39 -- 21,269 (- 3.0%)
05/2018: Green Arrow #40 -- 20,995 (- 1.3%)
06/2018: Green Arrow #41 -- 20,309 (- 3.3%)
07/2018: Green Arrow #42 -- 20,107 (- 1.0%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.6%
1 year : - 25.5%
2 years : - 74.9%
5 years : - 23.2%
10 years: - 32.1%
15 years: - 55.6%
A two-part fill-in ahead of the new writers coming on board next month.
---
104 - THE IMMORTAL MEN ($2.99)
04/2018: Immortal Men #1 -- 48,567
05/2018: Immortal Men #2 -- 27,896 (- 42.6%)
06/2018: Immortal Men #3 -- 25,770 (- 7.6%)
07/2018: Immortal Men #4 -- 19,954 (- 22.6%)
Ending with issue #6.
---
109 - RED HOOD & THE OUTLAWS ($3.99)
07/2013: Red Hood & Outlaws #22 -- 30,534
07/2014: Red Hood & Outlaws #33 -- 20,669
07/2015: Red Hood/Arsenal #2 -- 26,829
07/2016: Rebirth #1 -- 97,722
-----------------------------------------
07/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #12 -- 26,251 (+ 4.2%)
08/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #13 -- 25,073 (- 4.5%)
09/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #14 -- 24,376 (- 2.8%)
10/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #15 -- 23,680 (- 2.9%)
11/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #16 -- 23,610 (- 0.3%)
12/2017: Red Hood & Outlaws #17 -- 21,838 (- 7.5%)
01/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #18 -- 21,385 (- 2.1%)
02/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #19 -- 20,744 (- 3.0%)
03/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #20 -- 20,214 (- 2.6%)
04/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #21 -- 19,590 (- 3.1%)
05/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #22 -- 18,989 (- 3.1%)
06/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #23 -- 19,034 (+ 0.2%)
07/2018: Red Hood & Outlaws #24 -- 18,829 (- 1.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 12.0%
1 year : - 28.3%
2 years : - 80.7%
5 years : - 38.3%
---
118 - NEW CHALLENGERS ($2.99)
05/2018: New Challengers #1 of 6 -- 36,557 [37,537]
06/2018: New Challengers #2 of 6 -- 22,094 (- 41.1%)
07/2018: New Challengers #3 of 6 -- 16,870 (- 23.6%)
---
123 - THE UNEXPECTED ($2.99)
06/2018: Unexpected #1 -- 28,028
07/2018: Unexpected #2 -- 16,441 (- 41.3%)
That percentage drop is a bit on the high side for a typical second issue.
---
Coming in at #125 is the Teen Titans Go! To the Movies! Special #1, a $1 movie tie-in comic reprinting TTG! stories. At 16,253 copies that’s nearly double what a typical issue of Teen Titans Go! normally sells. (Not counted in the summary statistics at the end of the column, as it is a promotion-priced reprint.)
---
129 - BATMAN BEYOND ($3.99)
07/2013: Unlimited #18 -- 15,275
07/2014: Universe #12 -- 14,419
07/2015: Batman Beyond #2 -- 35,000 [35,238]
07/2016: Batman Beyond #14 -- 18,001
------------------------------------
07/2017: Batman Beyond #10 -- 22,871 (- 2.1%)
08/2017: Batman Beyond #11 -- 21,640 (- 5.4%)
09/2017: Batman Beyond #12 -- 21,866 (+ 1.0%)
10/2017: Batman Beyond #13 -- 20,464 (- 6.4%)
11/2017: Batman Beyond #14 -- 19,181 (- 6.3%)
12/2017: Batman Beyond #15 -- 18,336 (- 4.4%)
01/2018: Batman Beyond #16 -- 17,946 (- 2.1%)
02/2018: Batman Beyond #17 -- 17,197 (- 4.2%)
03/2018: Batman Beyond #18 -- 16,797 (- 2.3%)
04/2018: Batman Beyond #19 -- 16,335 (- 2.8%)
05/2018: Batman Beyond #20 -- 16,093 (- 1.5%)
06/2018: Batman Beyond #21 -- 16,049 (- 0.3%)
07/2018: Batman Beyond #22 -- 15,839 (- 1.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 11.7%
1 year : - 30.7%
2 years : - 12.0%
5 years : + 3.7%
Another month in which I’m surprised that Batman Beyond is still being published.
---
130 - MERA: QUEEN OF ATLANTIS ($3.99)
02/2018: Mera Queen #1 of 6 -- 35,701 [38,363]
03/2018: Mera Queen #2 of 6 -- 19,761 (- 48.5%)
04/2018: Mera Queen #3 of 6 -- 17,729 (- 10.3%)
05/2018: Mera Queen #4 of 6 -- 16,456 (- 7.2%)
06/2018: Mera Queen #5 of 6 -- 16,112 (- 2.1%)
07/2018: Mera Queen #6 of 6 -- 15,607 (- 3.1%)
At least they’ll have a Mera trade collection available when the Aquaman movie hits the theaters.
---
131 - BATWOMAN ($3.99)
07/2013: Batwoman #22 -- 27,400
07/2014: Batwoman #33 -- 23,922
-------------------------------
07/2017: Batwoman #5 -- 24,843 (- 7.2%)
08/2017: Batwoman #6 -- 22,362 (- 10.0%)
09/2017: Batwoman #7 -- 21,415 (- 4.2%)
10/2017: Batwoman #8 -- 20,364 (- 4.9%)
11/2017: Batwoman #9 -- 18,976 (- 6.8%)
12/2017: Batwoman #10 -- 17,746 (- 6.5%)
01/2018: Batwoman #11 -- 17,183 (- 3.2%)
02/2018: Batwoman #12 -- 16,228 (- 3.2%)
03/2018: Batwoman #13 -- 16,587 (+ 2.2%)
04/2018: Batwoman #14 -- 15,560 (- 6.2%)
05/2018: Batwoman #15 -- 15,716 (+ 1.0%)
06/2018: Batwoman #16 -- 15,449 (- 1.7%)
07/2018: Batwoman #17 -- 15,491 (+ 0.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 9.8%
1 year : - 37.6%
5 years : - 43.5%
Penultimate issue. And, IMHO, the best issue of this new Batwoman series by far. Frankly, if the previous sixteen issues had been more like this, it might not be on the chopping block.
---
132 - DAMAGE ($2.99)
01/2018: Damage #1 -- 37,001 [41,076]
02/2018: Damage #2 -- 27,044 (- 33.3%) [27,792]
03/2018: Damage #3 -- 22,394 (- 19.4%)
04/2018: Damage #4 -- 20,166 (- 9.9%)
05/2018: Damage #5 -- 18,923 (- 6.2%)
06/2018: Damage #6 -- 17,308 (- 8.5%)
07/2018: Damage #7 -- 15,433 (- 10.8%)
-----------------
6 months: - 62.4%
134 - SIDEWAYS ($2.99)
02/2018: Sideways #1 -- 35,086 [36,969]
03/2018: Sideways #2 -- 23,807 (- 35.6%)
04/2018: Sideways #3 -- 19,890 (- 16.5%)
05/2018: Sideways #4 -- 18,300 (- 8.0%)
06/2018: Sideways #5 -- 16,543 (- 9.6%)
07/2018: Sideways #6 -- 15,152 (- 8.4%)
No doubt these would be selling somewhat better if they had variant covers like most of the rest of the DCU line (maybe a 10-15% boost?). But as the New Age of Heroes books are holding the line at $2.99, they’re also generating less revenue, and at these low sales numbers the only thing really keeping most of them alive is editorial’s beneficence.
---
Coming in at #135 is the DC Beach Blanket Bad Guys Special #1, the latest in DC’s $9.99 80-page short story anthologies, with 15,033 in sales. While the high price somewhat limits their sales appeal, it does mean that the book is #42 on the dollar rankings for July.
---
142 - THE WILD STORM (WildStorm) ($3.99)
07/2017: The Wild Storm #6 -- 22,640 (- 6.5%)
08/2017: --
09/2017: The Wild Storm #7 -- 20,027 (- 11.5%)
10/2017: The Wild Storm #8 -- 19,041 (- 4.9%)
11/2017: The Wild Storm #9 -- 18,608 (- 2.3%)
12/2017: The Wild Storm #10 -- 17,599 (- 5.4%)
01/2018: The Wild Storm #11 -- 17,152 (- 2.5%)
02/2018: --
03/2018: The Wild Storm #12 -- 16,821 (- 1.9%)
04/2018: --
05/2018: The Wild Storm #13 -- 14,661 (- 12.8%)
06/2018: The Wild Storm #14 -- 14,107 (- 3.8%)
07/2018: The Wild Storm #15 -- 13,787 (- 2.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 19.6%
1 year : - 39.1%
While these are not great sales numbers, WS has been hitting above its weight class in the digital sales arena, and DC & Ellis are planning further Wild Storm series after the current series end.
---
134 - THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE ($2.99)
04/2018: Curse of Brimstone #1 -- 33,707
05/2018: Curse of Brimstone #2 -- 20,244 (- 39.9%)
06/2018: Curse of Brimstone #3 -- 15,949 (- 21.2%)
07/2018: Curse of Brimstone #4 -- 13,741 (- 13.8%)
---
151 - BATMAN: SINS OF THE FATHER (Digital First) ($3.99)
02/2018: Batman Sins #1 of 6 -- 32,487 [33,086]
03/2018: Batman Sins #2 of 6 -- 20,422 (- 38.3%)
04/2018: Batman Sins #3 of 6 -- 16,901 (- 17.2%)
05/2018: Batman Sins #4 of 6 -- 15,213 (- 10.0%)
06/2018: Batman Sins #5 of 6 -- 13,551 (- 10.9%)
07/2018: Batman Sins #6 of 6 -- 13,026 (- 3.9%)
---
154 - THE SILENCER ($2.99)
01/2018: The Silencer #1 -- 30,131 [33,101]
02/2018: The Silencer #2 -- 21,003 (- 36.5%)
03/2018: The Silencer #3 -- 18,208 (- 13.3%)
04/2018: The Silencer #4 -- 16,145 (- 11.3%)
05/2018: The Silencer #5 -- 15,261 (- 5.5%)
06/2018: The Silencer #6 -- 13,868 (- 9.1%)
07/2018: The Silencer #7 -- 12,524 (- 9.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 62.2%
---
156 - SCOOBY APOCALYPSE (Hanna-Barbera) ($3.99)
07/2016: Scooby Apocalypse #3 -- 29,494
----------------------------------------
07/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #15 -- 14,931 (- 3.7%)
08/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #16 -- 14,309 (- 4.2%)
09/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #17 -- 13,866 (- 3.1%)
10/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #18 -- 13,478 (- 2.8%)
11/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #19 -- 12,974 (- 3.7%)
12/2017: Scooby Apocalypse #20 -- 12,369 (- 4.7%)
01/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #21 -- 12,072 (- 2.4%)
02/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #22 -- 11,684 (- 3.2%)
03/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #23 -- 12,410 (+ 6.2%)
04/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #24 -- 11,713 (- 5.6%)
05/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #25 -- 15,577 (+ 33.0%)
06/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #26 -- 13,166 (- 15.5%)
07/2018: Scooby Apocalypse #27 -- 12,221 (- 7.2%)
-----------------
6 months: + 1.2%
1 year : - 18.2%
2 years : - 58.6%
---
158 - THE HELLBLAZER ($3.99)
07/2003: Hellblazer #186 -- 16,405
07/2008: Hellblazer #246 -- 12,088
07/2013: Constantine #5 -- 30,664 [35,027]
07/2014: Constantine #16 -- 16,235
07/2015: The Hellblazer #2 -- 27,512
07/2016: Rebirth #1 -- 84,404
-------------------------------------
07/2017: The Hellblazer #12 -- 17,111 (- 2.7%)
08/2017: The Hellblazer #13 -- 16,111 (- 5.8%)
09/2017: The Hellblazer #14 -- 15,431 (- 4.2%)
10/2017: The Hellblazer #15 -- 15,035 (- 2.6%)
11/2017: The Hellblazer #16 -- 13,988 (- 7.0%)
12/2017: The Hellblazer #17 -- 13,683 (- 2.2%)
01/2018: The Hellblazer #18 -- 13,457 (- 1.7%)
02/2018: The Hellblazer #19 -- 13,065 (- 2.9%)
03/2018: The Hellblazer #20 -- 12,579 (- 3.7%)
04/2018: The Hellblazer #21 -- 12,614 (+ 0.3%)
05/2018: The Hellblazer #22 -- 12,310 (- 2.4%)
06/2018: The Hellblazer #23 -- 12,179 (- 1.1%)
07/2018: The Hellblazer #24 -- 12,009 (- 1.4%)
-----------------
6 months: - 10.8%
1 year : - 29.8%
2 years : - 85.8%
5 years : - 65.7%
10 years: - 0.7%
15 years: - 26.8%
Final issue. And with no new Hellblazer series on the horizon, that means that next month will be the first time in over thirty years that DC is not publishing a comic with John Constantine as the main character. I’m sure he’ll be back at some point in the next few years, and will be making guest appearances in other titles, but it sure will be odd not to have Constantine around in his own title.
---
178, 177 - INJUSTICE 2 (Digital-First) ($2.99)
07/2013: Injustice #7 -- 25,731
07/2014: Injustice Y2 #7 -- 19,811
07/2014: Injustice Y2 #8 -- 18,931
07/2015: Injustice Y4 #5 -- 15,905
07/2015: Injustice Y4 #6 -- 15,556
07/2016: Injustice Y5 #13 -- 13,590
07/2016: Injustice Y5 #14 -- 13,418
-----------------------------------
07/2017: Injustice 2 #5 -- 13,960 (+ 4.6%)
07/2017: Injustice 2 #6 -- 13,372 (- 4.2%)
08/2017: Injustice 2 #7 -- 13,272 (- 0.7%)
08/2017: Injustice 2 #8 -- 13,104 (- 1.3%)
09/2017: Injustice 2 #9 -- 12,783 (- 2.4%)
09/2017: Injustice 2 #10 -- 12,390 (- 3.1%)
10/2017: Injustice 2 #11 -- 12,356 (- 0.3%)
10/2017: Injustice 2 #12 -- 12,022 (- 2.7%)
11/2017: Injustice 2 #13 -- 11,899 (- 1.0%)
11/2017: Injustice 2 #14 -- 11,543 (- 3.0%)
12/2017: Injustice 2 #15 -- 11,199 (- 3.0%)
12/2017: Injustice 2 #16 -- 10,927 (- 2.4%)
01/2018: Injustice 2 #17 -- 10,916 (- 0.1%)
01/2018: Injustice 2 #18 -- 10,662 (- 2.3%)
02/2018: Injustice 2 #19 -- 10,584 (- 0.7%)
02/2018: Injustice 2 #20 -- 10,268 (- 3.0%)
03/2018: Injustice 2 #21 -- 10,373 (+ 1.0%)
03/2018: Injustice 2 #22 -- 10,179 (- 1.9%)
04/2018: Injustice 2 #23 -- 10,111 (- 0.7%)
04/2018: Injustice 2 #24 -- 9,847 (- 0.7%)
05/2018: Injustice 2 #25 -- 10,211 (+ 3.7%)
05/2018: Injustice 2 #26 -- 9,788 (- 4.1%)
06/2018: Injustice 2 #27 -- 9,936 (+ 1.5%)
06/2018: Injustice 2 #28 -- 9,698 (- 2.4%)
07/2018: Injustice 2 #29 -- 9,666 (- 0.3%)
07/2018: Injustice 2 #30 -- 9,696 (+ 0.3%)
-----------------
6 months: - 10.3%
1 year : - 29.2%
2 years : - 28.3%
5 years : - 62.4%
Ending in October, though with a wrap-up Annual in November.
---
191 - FUTURE QUEST PRESENTS (Hanna-Barbera) ($3.99)
07/2016: Future Quest #3 -- 27,786
-----------------------------------
07/2017: --
08/2017: FQ Presents #1 -- 18,347 (+ 18.2%)
09/2017: FQ Presents #2 -- 13,783 (- 24.9%)
10/2017: FQ Presents #3 -- 12,788 (- 7.2%)
11/2017: FQ Presents #4 -- 11,721 (- 8.3%)
12/2017: FQ Presents #5 -- 10,657 (- 9.1%)
01/2018: FQ Presents #6 -- 10,279 (- 3.5%)
02/2018: FQ Presents #7 -- 9,526 (- 7.3%)
03/2018: FQ Presents #8 -- 9,113 (- 4.3%)
04/2018: FQ Presents #9 -- 8,637 (- 5.2%)
05/2018: FQ Presents #10 -- 8,497 (- 1.6%)
06/2018: FQ Presents #11 -- 8,348 (- 1.8%)
07/2018: FQ Presents #12 -- 8,336 (- 0.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 18.9%
1 year : n.a.
2 years : - 70.0%
Final issue. If I had to pick a reason why Future Quest didn’t work out, it would be that it presumed a level of familiarity with the various featured characters that was not wide-spread enough to pull on a nostalgia kick.
---
221 - SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP (All-Ages) (Hanna-Barbera) ($2.99)
07/2014: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #5 -- 9,042
07/2015: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #11 -- 6,809
07/2016: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #17 -- 7,892
-----------------------------------------
07/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #28 -- 6,028 (- 4.0%)
08/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #29 -- 5,778 (- 4.1%)
09/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #30 -- 5,760 (- 0.3%)
10/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #31 -- 5,757 (- 0.1%)
11/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #32 -- 5,207 (- 9.6%)
12/2017: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #33 -- 5,900 (+ 13.3%)
01/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #34 -- 6,610 (+ 12.0%)
02/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #35 -- 5,491 (- 16.9%)
03/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #36 -- 5,301 (- 3.5%)
04/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #37 -- 6,237 (+ 17.7%)
05/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #38 -- 5,823 (- 6.6%)
06/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #39 -- 6,947 (+ 19.3%)
07/2018: Scooby-Doo Team-Up #40 -- 6,526 (- 6.1%)
-----------------
6 months: - 1.3%
1 Year : + 8.3%
2 Years : - 17.3%
---
225 - THE WILD STORM: MICHAEL CRAY (WildStorm) ($3.99)
10/2017: Michael Cray #1 -- 14,145
11/2017: Michael Cray #2 -- 10,339 (- 26.9%)
12/2017: Michael Cray #3 -- 8,804 (- 14.8%)
01/2018: Michael Cray #4 -- 8,373 (- 4.9%)
02/2018: Michael Cray #5 -- 7,968 (- 4.8%)
03/2018: Michael Cray #6 -- 7,821 (- 1.8%)
04/2018: --
05/2018: Michael Cray #7 -- 7,521 (- 3.8%)
06/2018: Michael Cray #8 -- 6,488 (- 13.7%)
07/2018: Michael Cray #9 -- 6,347 (- 2.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 24.2%
For anyone missing John Constantine, you’ll find the WildStorm Universe version of him hanging out here...
---
242 - SHADE, THE CHANGING WOMAN (Young Animal) ($3.99)
07/2017: Shade Girl #10 -- 8,468 (- 4.2%)
08/2017: Shade Girl #11 -- 8,035 (- 5.1%)
09/2017: Shade Girl #12 -- 7,640 (- 4.9%)
10/2017: --
11/2017: --
12/2017: --
01/2018: --
02/2018: --
03/2018: Shade Woman #1 -- 12,705 (+ 66.3%)
04/2018: Shade Woman #2 -- 7,854 (- 38.2%)
05/2018: Shade Woman #3 -- 6,900 (- 12.1%)
06/2018: Shade Woman #4 -- 6,145 (- 10.9%)
07/2018: Shade Woman #5 -- 5,752 (- 6.4%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year : - 30.5%
247 - MOTHER PANIC: GOTHAM A.D. (Young Animal) ($3.99)
07/2017: Mother Panic #9 -- 9,282 (- 4.6%)
08/2017: Mother Panic #10 -- 8,589 (- 7.5%)
09/2017: Mother Panic #11 -- 8,019 (- 6.6%)
10/2017: Mother Panic #12 -- 7,801 (- 2.7%)
11/2017: --
12/2017: --
01/2018: --
02/2018: --
03/2018: MP Gotham AD #1 -- 14,047 (+ 80.1%)
04/2018: MP Gotham AD #2 -- 8,053 (- 42.7%)
05/2018: MP Gotham AD #3 -- 6,801 (- 15.5%)
06/2018: MP Gotham AD #4 -- 6,055 (- 11.0%)
07/2018: MP Gotham AD #5 -- 5,635 (- 6.9%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
249 - ETERNITY GIRL (Young Animal) ($3.99)
03/2018: Eternity Girl #1 of 6 -- 16,277
04/2018: Eternity Girl #2 of 6 -- 8,201 (- 49.6%)
05/2018: Eternity Girl #3 of 6 -- 6,743 (- 17.8%)
06/2018: Eternity Girl #4 of 6 -- 5,908 (- 12.4%)
06/2018: Eternity Girl #5 of 6 -- 5,516 (- 6.6%)
255 - CAVE CARSON HAS AN INTERSTELLAR EYE (Young Animal) ($3.99)
07/2017: Cave Cybernetic #10 -- 9,005 (- 6.0%)
08/2017: Cave Cybernetic #11 -- 8,231 (- 8.6%)
09/2017: Cave Cybernetic #12 -- 8,050 (- 2.2%)
10/2017: --
11/2017: --
12/2017: --
01/2018: --
02/2018: --
03/2018: Cave Interstellar #1 -- 11,659 (+ 44.8%)
04/2018: Cave Interstellar #2 -- 7,540 (- 35.3%)
05/2018: Cave Interstellar #3 -- 6,387 (- 15.3%)
06/2018: Cave Interstellar #4 -- 5,602 (- 12.3%)
07/2018: Cave Interstellar #5 -- 5,237 (- 6.5%)
-----------------
6 months: n.a.
1 year : - 41.8%
Penultimate issues for all father Young Animal series. But apparently YA will be continuing in some fashion, as a new issue of Doom Patrol has been (re-)solicited and a new story arc of DP is coming at some point (likely along with when the TV series debuts). And Way is allegedly planning new YA books for sometime in the undetermined future.
---
272 - DEATHBED (Vertigo) ($3.99)
02/2018: Deathbed #1 of 6 -- 10,270
03/2018: Deathbed #2 of 6 -- 6,255 (- 39.1%)
04/2018: Deathbed #3 of 6 -- 5,358 (- 14.3%)
05/2018: Deathbed #4 of 6 -- 4,857 (- 9.4%)
06/2018: Deathbed #5 of 6 -- 4,685 (- 3.5%)
07/2018: Deathbed #6 of 6 -- 4,689 (+ 0.1%)
The only Vertigo comic published this month. The latest Vertigo re-invigoration starts next month, with Sandman Universe.
---
332 - LOONEY TUNES (All-Ages) ($2.99)
07/2003: Looney Tunes #104 -- 3,533
07/2008: Looney Tunes #164 -- ?????
07/2013: --
07/2014: --
07/2015: --
07/2016: --
-----------------------------------
07/2017: Looney Tunes #238 -- ????? (< 4,435)
08/2017: --
09/2017: Looney Tunes #239 -- ????? (< 4,053)
10/2017: --
11/2017: Looney Tunes #240 -- ????? (< 4,763)
12/2017: --
01/2018: Looney Tunes #241 -- 2,761
02/2018: --
03/2018: Looney Tunes #242 -- 2,866 (+ 3.8%)
04/2018: --
05/2018: Looney Tunes #243 -- 3,037 (+ 6.0%)
06/2018: --
07/2018: Looney Tunes #244 -- 3,080 (+ 1.4%)
-----------------
6 months: + 11.6%
1 year : ????%
2 years : n.a.
5 years : n.a.
10 years: ????%
15 years: - 12.8%
DC’s lowest-selling title for May.
---
Average Periodical Sales (not counting reprints, reorders shipping after the initial month of release, director’s cuts, and magazines; based on first-month sales only.)
DC COMICS
07/2003: 25,980
07/2008: 27,436
07/2013: 34,402
07/2014: 32,760 **
07/2015: 27,005 **
07/2016: 63,656 **
---------------
07/2017: 30,743 (+ 0.9%) **
08/2017: 30,478 (- 0.9%) **
09/2017: 34,005 (+ 11.6%) **
10/2017: 34,805 (+ 2.4%) **
11/2017: 32,415 (- 6.9%) **
12/2017: 29,762 (- 8.2%)
01/2018: 28,657 (- 3.7%)
02/2018: 25,798 (- 10.0%)
03/2018: 27,449 (+ 6.4%)
04/2018: 30,117 (+ 9.7%)
05/2018: 29,876 (- 0.8%)
06/2018: 31,374 (+ 5.0%)
07/2018: 40,199 (+ 28.1%)
-----------------
6 months: + 40.3%
1 year : + 30.8%
2 years : - 36.8%
5 years : + 16.9%
10 years: + 46.5%
15 years: + 54.7%
DC UNIVERSE
07/2003: 31,686
07/2008: 35,553
07/2013: 36,524
07/2014: 40,945
07/2015: 32,688
07/2016: 90,237
---------------
07/2017: 37,764 (- 0.1%)
08/2017: 35,921 (- 4.9%)
09/2017: 41,756 (+ 16.2%)
10/2017: 41,924 (+ 0.4%)
11/2017: 39,600 (- 5.5%)
12/2017: 35,878 (- 9.4%)
01/2018: 35,579 (- 0.8%)
02/2018: 31,696 (- 10.9%)
03/2018: 34,751 (+ 9.6%)
04/2018: 37,752 (+ 8.6%)
05/2018: 37,935 (+ 0.5%)
06/2018: 39,466 (+ 4.0%)
07/2018: 50,334 (+ 27.5%)
-----------------
6 months: + 41.5%
1 year : + 33.3%
2 years : - 44.2%
5 years : + 37.8%
10 years: + 41.6%
15 years: + 58.9%
WILDSTORM
07/2003: 16,911
07/2008: 9,875
---------------
07/2017: 22,640 (- 6.5%)
08/2017: --
09/2017: 20,027 (- 11.5%)
10/2017: 16,593 (- 17.1%)
11/2017: 14,474 (- 12.8%)
12/2017: 13,202 (- 8.8%)
01/2018: 12,763 (- 3.3%)
02/2018: 7,968 (- 37.6%)
03/2018: 12,321 (+ 54.6%)
04/2018: --
05/2018: 11,091 (- 10.0%)
06/2018: 10,298 (- 7.1%)
07/2018: 10,067 (- 2.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 21.1%
1 year : - 55.5%
10 years: + 1.9%
15 years: - 40.5%
VERTIGO & YOUNG ANIMAL
07/2003: 15,720
07/2008: 10,821
07/2013: 16,099
07/2014: 15,803 **
07/2015: 15,251 **
07/2016: 6,328 **
---------------
07/2017: 9,751 (+ 19.8%) **
08/2017: 6,959 (- 28.6%) **
09/2017: 8,577 (+ 23.3%) **
10/2017: 6,998 (- 18.4%) **
11/2017: 9,604 (+ 37.2%) **
12/2017: 6,468 (- 32.7%)
01/2018: 11,226 (+ 73.6%)
02/2018: 14,325 (+ 27.6%)
03/2018: 9,990 (+ 27.6%)
04/2018: 7,430 (- 25.6%)
05/2018: 5,837 (- 21.4%)
06/2018: 5,783 (- 0.9%)
07/2018: 5,366 (- 7.2%)
-----------------
6 months: - 52.2%
1 year : - 45.0%
2 years : - 15.2%
5 years : - 66.7%
10 years: - 50.4%
15 years: - 65.9%
Young Animal average (4 comics): 5,535; Vertigo average (1 comic): 4,689.
---
DC COMICS - TOTAL SALES
07/2003: 1,870,572
07/2008: 2,469,283
07/2013: 2,648,984
07/2014: 2,817,397 **
07/2015: 2,052,349 **
07/2016: 4,010,332 **
------------------
07/2017: 2,121,295 (- 16.1%) **
08/2017: 2,377,270 (+ 12.1%) **
09/2017: 2,584,383 (+ 8.7%) **
10/2017: 2,679,977 (+ 3.7%) **
11/2017: 2,917,319 (+ 8.9%) **
12/2017: 2,351,182 (- 19.4%)
01/2018: 2,493,119 (+ 6.0%)
02/2018: 2,270,180 (- 8.9%)
03/2018: 2,305,728 (+ 1.6%)
04/2018: 2,439,466 (+ 5.8%)
05/2018: 2,210,850 (- 9.4%)
06/2018: 2,321,651 (+ 5.0%)
07/2018: 2,452,128 (+ 4.5%)
-----------------
6 months: - 1.6%
1 year : + 15.6%
2 years : - 38.9%
5 years : - 7.4%
10 years: - 0.7%
15 years: + 31.1%
Total sales for DC were up again this month, despite having far fewer new comics: 61 in July compared to 74 in each of the previous two months. This led to some of the highest average sales for the DCU and DC as a whole in quite some time. The high average is in large part due to Batman #50, as can be seen by the fact that the median DCU sales are a much more modest 28,170, compared to the average DCU sales of 50,334, which makes for quite a skew! But it’s also a factor of it being a Doomsday Clock month, and the debut issues of the new Superman and Catwoman series, there being several comics selling in the 60K & 70K ranges, and the ending of some of the lower-selling DCU series (like New Super-Man, Cyborg, and Bane)
There have been a handful of times since Diamond started reporting actual sales in February 2003 when DC had 61 or fewer new comics titles in a month: February 2004, April 2004 & May 2007 (61 each); and January 2004 when they had just 59. (The highest was in October 2007, when they had 96!)
(The two-year comparisons this month are with the second month of Rebirth—when DC and the DCU titles had their best average sales ever—so don’t get too depressed by those percentages.)
Sales Indices
=============
The Sales Index number is the ratio of that comic’s sales to the average sales of all comics in that category.
DCU: Average: 50,334. Median: 28,170. No.: 46. Total: 2,315,365.
8.7 - Batman (50)
2.7 - Doomsday Clock
2.6 - Superman
1.4 - Catwoman
2.2 - Batman (51)
1.6 - Justice League (3)
1.6 - Action Comics
1.5 - Justice League (4)
1.3 - Teen Titans
1.3 - Man of Steel
1.2 - Justice League Dark
1.1 - Flash (50)
1.1 - Flash (51)
1.0 - Detective Comics (984)
1.0 - Detective Comics (985)
1.0 - Wonder Woman (51)
0.8 - Wonder Woman (50)
0.7 - Deathstroke
0.6 - Titans
0.6 - Hawkman
0.6 - Harley Quinn (45)
0.6 - Harley Quinn (46)
0.6 - Hal Jordan & GLC (48)
0.6 - Hal Jordan & GLC (49)
0.5 - Nightwing
0.5 - Green Lanterns (50)
0.5 - Aquaman
0.5 - The Terrifics
0.5 - Green Lanterns (51)
0.5 - Brave & Bold Batman & Wonder Woman
0.4 - Plastic Man
0.4 - Green Arrow
0.4 - The Immortal Men
0.4 - Red Hood & Outlaws
0.3 - New Challengers
0.3 - The Unexpected
0.3 - Batman Beyond
0.3 - Mera Queen of Atlantis
0.3 - Batwoman
0.3 - Damage
0.3 - Sideways
0.3 - DC Beach Blanket Bad Guys
0.3 - The Curse of Brimstone
0.2 - The Silencer
0.2 - The Hellblazer
Vertigo & Young Animal: Average: 5,366. Median: 5,516. No.: 5. Total: 26,829.
1.1 - Shade the Changing Woman
1.1 - Mother Panic Gotham AD
1.0 - Eternity Girl
1.0 - Cave Carson Has an Interstellar Eye
0.9 - Deathbed
WildStorm: Average: 10,067. Median: 10,067. No.: 2. Total: 20,134
1.4 - The Wild Storm
0.6 - Wildstorm: Michael Cray
Digital First & Other: Average: 8,995. Median: 8,903. No.: 10. Total: 89,952
2.4 - Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe
1.2 - Batman Sins of the Father
1.1 - Scooby Apocalypse
0.9 - Injustice 2 (30)
0.9 - Injustice 2 (29)
0.7 - Future Quest Presents
0.6 - Scooby-Doo Team-Up
0.3 - Looney Tunes
---
The Fine Print (Disclaimers, et cetera)
The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com and Comichron, according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.
ICv2.com's and Comichron’s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it's a "month-to-month" column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.
Bear in mind that the figures measure sales of physical comics to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include many sales to bookstores, newsstands, libraries, other mass-market retail chains, or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book's initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month; or they show up in the year-end Top 1000. Keep in mind that sales for some titles may include incentives to acquire variants and not every unit sold is necessarily even intended to be sold to a customer.
If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book's initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in brackets behind those issues (e.g. "[36,599]"). Likewise, any lower numbers due to returns or other factors returns will also be reflected in the brackets. Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used. Titles which are returnable have their numbers artificially adjusted down by Diamond. To make up for that this column increases the reported numbers for those titles by 10%. Which is likely also wrong, but it's a different and likely less wrong kind of wrong, and experience has shown that this leads to sales figures which are more consistent.
Titles released under the All-Ages line and magazines, such as Mad, mostly sell through channels other than the direct market, so direct-market sales don't tell us much about their performance. Likewise, Digital First comics are published online before print, and may do a significant amount of their sales in that arena. For most Vertigo titles, collection sales tend to be a significant factor, so the numbers for those books should be taken with a grain of salt as well.
Please keep in mind that raw sales numbers do not tell us about how profitable a book is for a publisher or for the creators.
Above all, do not allow sales numbers to dictate your purchasing and enjoyment of a particular comic. If you enjoy reading a comic series then go right on buying and reading that comic, no matter what the sales figures say.
** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it's assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.
Opinions expressed in this column are mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer; The International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers; or my former neighbor's dog Miles.
The author of this column does weekly snapshots of Amazon comic sales charts at http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/ and tweets about comics and related subjects on Twitter at @davereadscomics (PM me there is you need to contact me). As always, we welcome your comments and corrections below. Please try to keep things civilized.
