A Brief (and Incomplete) History of DC Price Increases

I originally wrote this as a comment over on a post by Johanna at Comics Worth Reading. Seeing as it's fairly substantial (and we're somewhat lacking in actual content at YACB lately) I figured it was worth posting here:

Most people remember the DC explosion/implosion (or at least have heard about it from us old-timers). The explosion was when they raised their prices from 35¢ to 50¢ and increased the story page count from 17 to 25 (and as previously noted, also added a bunch of titles). As we all know it bombed (for all sorts of reasons) and DC soon dropped the story page count back down to 17 and dropped the price to 40¢. So comics still cost more, you just didn’t get anything for the extra cost.

What many people forget is that just a few years later, DC once again raised their prices to 50¢ and added 8 more story pages (again, mostly through back-up stories, but within a few years the extra pages ended up become part of the main story); this time the increase worked and the price & page count stuck.

Later when they increased to 60¢, the story page count was increased to 27 pages!

Back in the day, an increase in price nearly always was accompanied by an increased in perceived value: either more pages, better quality paper, fewer ads, etc. Then as time went on, that value would be whittled away, until the next price increase and the cycle continued.

I see adding more pages with an accompanying price increase from $3 to $4 as being more tenable than Marvel’s “we’ll increase our prices to $4 on our top titles and you’ll smile and like it” approach. But then I’m probably sadly wrong…

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (+1). V for Vendetta
6 (-1). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
7 (+9). Star Trek: Countdown TPB *
8 (-). Batman: The Killing Joke
9 (N). Dark Tower: Treachery *
10 (-3). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
11 (-2). Blueberry Girl
12 (N). Mercy Thompson Homecoming *
13 (+10). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
14 (N). Naruto, Volume 42 *
15 (N). Naruto, Volume 43 *
16 (-4). Angel: After the Fall, Vol. 3
17 (-2). Batman: R.I.P.
18 (-8). Fruits Basket, Vol. 22
19 (+3). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
20 (N). Naruto, Volume 44 *
21 (+8). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
22 (-8). The Joker
23 (+4). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
24 (-11). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
25 (N). Negima! Magister Negi Magi, Vol. 21
26 (-15). Batman: Year One
27 (-6). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1972 *
28 (-11). Watchmen (hardcover)
29 (-10). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
30 (N). Dark Tower: The Long Road Home (Exclusive Amazon.com Cover)
31 (N). The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 39th Edition *
32 (+15). Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)
33 (+13). Bone: One Volume Edition
34 (-14). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
35 (-11). From Hell
36 (+5). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
37 (+5). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
38 (-12). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
39 (N). Wanted
40 (-22). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
41 (-10). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
42 (-9). Spike: After The Fall HC
43 (N). xxxHOLiC, Vol. 13
44 (+5). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
45 (N). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
46 (-11). The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack
47 (-10). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 1)
48 (-5). The Complete Persepolis
49 (-24). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
50 (-5). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind


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


Commentary:

* Watchmen still sits atop the Comics bestseller list, though it has slid to #13 on the overall list. The 'halo effect' also wanes, as much of the titles associated with the supposed halo also take a fall.

* After an off week last week, manga makes a resurgence. New pre-order listings for 3 more volumes of Naruto certainly helps, but we surprisingly also get volumes of Negima! and xxxHOLiC showing up on the list for the first time.

* The highest debut belongs to the pre-order for the new Dark Tower hardcover, and it brings the previous collection along for the ride. Unfortunately for Marvel these are the only volumes they have on the list, which pretty much assures that Marvel will keep making Dark Tower comics no matter how far they may slide in the sales of individual issues.

* After a brief surge up last week, comics in the Whedonverse slide back down to typical levels this week.

* And Jeff Kinney? It's like he's got a freakin' money machine; sales on Diary of a Wimpy Kid volumes are as rock-solid as ever.

Monkey Covers

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

Bob should know better than to play cards with a gorilla on the cover of The Adventures of Bob Hope #33 (1955).

(Standard disclaimer about poker-playing gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)


Image courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
6 (+1). V for Vendetta
7 (-1). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
8 (+1). Batman: The Killing Joke
9 (+3). Blueberry Girl
10 (+10). Fruits Basket, Vol. 22
11 (N). Batman: Year One
12 (N). Angel: After the Fall, Vol. 3 *
13 (-3). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
14 (-3). The Joker
15 (-). Batman: R.I.P.
16 (+1). Star Trek: Countdown TPB *
17 (-9). Watchmen (hardcover)
18 (+9). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
19 (-6). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
20 (+3). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
21 (+3). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1972 *
22 (-6). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
23 (+3). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
24 (-10). From Hell
25 (+19). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
26 (N). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
27 (-8). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
28 (+8). Batman: The Long Halloween
29 (-11). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
30 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
31 (-2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
32 (-1). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
33 (N). Spike: After The Fall HC
34 (-12). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2
35 (N). The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack *
36 (+10). Eerie Archives Volume 1
37 (N). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 1)
38 (-8). Jack of Fables Vol. 5: Turning Pages
39 (-7). The Arrival
40 (+5). The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2
41 (N). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
42 (N). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
43 (N). The Complete Persepolis
44 (-16). The Vast Spread of the Seas (The Twelve Kingdoms)
45 (-11). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
46 (N). Bone: One Volume Edition
47 (N). Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)
48 (N). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5)
49 (+1). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
50 (-29). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel

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


Commentary:

* Watchmen finally starts to show slight signs of weakness; while it remains #1 on the comics charts, it slips a bit to #6 on the overall book chart. The hardcover falls nine places, and quite surprisingly Dave Gibbons' Watching the Watchmen falls 29 slots to anchor the bottom of the list at #50. We also see drops in other Alan Moore items like LXG & From Hell, although V for Vendetta is doing fine.

* A surprisingly high resurgence for Batman: Year One, which comes in at #11 after being absent form the chart previously. I wonder if this is where the Watchmen Halo is moving to?

* A strong showing this week for the Buffyverse: the third Angel After the Fall hardcover debuts way up at #12 as a pre-order; the Spike: After the Fall hardcover debuts at #33, and all the Buffy volumes show growth. On the other hand, the two volumes of Serenity both have steep drop-offs.

* In manga-watch: Fruits Basket moves up to the #10 slot as it moves from pre-order to shipping; the only other manga on the chart is The Vast Spread of the Seas, with Naruto being conspiculously absent.

Monkey Covers

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

"I Am the Gorilla-Man" on the cover to Tales to Astonish #28, by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers (1962).

(Standard disclaimer about mad scientists who turn into gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)


Image courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
6 (-). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
7 (+1). V for Vendetta
8 (-1). Watchmen (hardcover)
9 (-). Batman: The Killing Joke
10 (+1). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
11 (+7). The Joker
12 (+17). Blueberry Girl
13 (+12). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
14 (-). From Hell
15 (-). Batman R.I.P.
16 (-3). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
17 (-7). Star Trek: Countdown TPB *
18 (+5). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
19 (-7). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
20 (N). Fruits Basket, Vol. 22 *
21 (+3). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
22 (-2). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2
23 (+9). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
24 (-3). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1972 *
25 (+8). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
26 (N). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
27 (+19). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
28 (N). The Vast Spread of the Seas (The Twelve Kingdoms)
29 (-7). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
30 (N). Jack of Fables Vol. 5: Turning Pages
31 (-14). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
32 (+2). The Arrival
33 (N). Bone Volume 8: Treasure Hunters
34 (N). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
35 (N). Superman: Brainiac
36 (N). Batman: The Long Halloween
37 (N). Bone Volume 7: Ghost Circles
38 (N). Humbug (2 Volume Set) *
39 (-8). Vampire Knight, Vol. 6
40 (N). DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore
41 (-15). Naruto, Volume 38
42 (N). The DC Comics Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition
43 (-8). Naruto, Volume 41
44 (N). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
45 (-26). The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2
46 (N). Eerie Archives Volume 1 *
47 (N). The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country
48 (-20). Naruto, Volume 39
49 (N). Bone Volume 6: Old Man's Cave
50 (-23). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House

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


Commentary:

* Blah blah Watchmen blah blah. Watchmen actually sat at the top of the regular All Books charts for most of the week, but slipped back down to #2 this afternoon. It would appear that at least for now there's no major after-movie drop off for Watchmen.

* Not sure if DC's After Watchmen promotion will bear much fruit, but at least a handful of the titles they're promoting make debuts on the chart this week, including The Long Halloween and The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore. I'm surprised though that the new Swamp Thing hardcover doesn't chart.

* The top of the charts continue to be quite boring, with very little movement if any among the top ten titles. But there's plenty of volatility as you move down the charts.

* Naruto titles continue to fall down the charts, but I'm sure in a couple of weeks when the next batch are published they'll spike right back up again. In the meantime, the pre-order for volume 22 of Fruits Basket pops back up high on the list this week, after being missing entirely last week. And I'm surprised to see Fuyumi Ono's The Vast Spread of the Seas debuting so high, as this type of manga doesn't normally chart on bestseller lists.

* A lot of Bone action this week, with several older volumes popping up near the bottom of the chart.

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
6 (+3). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
7 (-1). Watchmen (hardcover)
8 (-). V for Vendetta
9 (+4). Batman: The Killing Joke
10 (+31). Star Trek: Countdown *
11 (+12). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
12 (-2). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
13 (+6). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
14 (+34). From Hell
15 (-8). Batman: R.I.P.
16 (+1). Batman: Year One
17 (-6). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
18 (-6). The Joker
19 (+5). The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2
20 (+20). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2
21 (N). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1972 *
22 (-7). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
23 (-9). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
24 (+6). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
25 (-7). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
26 (-10). Naruto, Volume 38
27 (+18). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
28 (-7). Naruto, Volume 39
29 (N). Blueberry Girl *
30 (-10). Naruto, Volume 40
31 (+1). Vampire Knight, Vol. 6 *
32 (-5). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
33 (-5). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
34 (N). The Arrival
35 (-9). Naruto, Volume 41
36 (N). Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 21: War of the Symbiotes
37 (N). Bone: One Volume Edition
38 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
39 (+11). The Adventures of Johnny Bunko (Kindle edition)
40 (N). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
41 (-4). Secret Invasion
42 (+2). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
43 (N). What It Is
44 (-9). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
45 (N). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
46 (-13). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
47 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
48 (-19). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) (v. 1, 2, 3)
49 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
50 (N). All Star Superman, Vol. 1


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


Commentary:

* Watchmen continues its domination, with the trade paperback staying at #1 on the graphic novel charts and moving up to #2 on the overall Amazon bestsellers list. Also of note is that the more expensive Absolute Edition edged up past the regular hardcover.

* The Watchmen Halo Effect also continues, with many Alan Moore properties remaining high on the list, and the two volumes of LXG taking sizable leaps up the chart.

* Scott Pilgrim Watch: While the latest volume slips again, earlier volumes percolate back up onto the chart near the end.

* All Naruto volumes slip this week; there seem to be a core set of Naruto fans who buy the books when they first come out.

* A huge jump on the chart for Star Trek: Countdown, the prequel comic to the upcoming Trek reimagining. Ain't It Cool News has been touting it as important and good, and providing copious links to purchasing it on Amazon.

* The highest debut of the week belongs to the second hardcover compilation of James Robinson's Starman. Kind of surprising for a book which I would not have thought would have much mainstream appeal, but then the 37% discount is rather sizable on a $50 book. (I also see that this book has made the top of the New York Times' new hardcover Graphic Books Best Seller List.)

Shameless Friend Promotion: JimO Interview at The Pulse

Pal Jim Ottaviani has once again been interviewed about his forthcoming book T-Minus: The Race to the Moon, this time by Jen Cantino over at The Pulse: "Ottaviani's Race to the Moon."

New Library Comics: February 2009

Here's a list of the titles we added to the library's comics collection last month:


Alixopulos. The hot breath of war / Portland, Or. : Sparkplug Comic Books, c2008.

B., David, 1959- Nocturnal conspiracies : nineteen dreams, from December 1979 to September 1994 / New York : NBM/Comics Lit, c2008.

Bart Simpson's Treehouse of horror. no. 14 / Santa Monica, Calif. : Bongo Entertainment, 1995-

Bellamy, Frank, 1917-1976. King Arthur and his knights : the complete adventires ; together with The Swiss family Robinson / London : Book Palace Books, c2008.

The best of Tharg's future shocks / Oxford : Rebellion, 2008.

Blanchet, Pascal, 1980- Baloney : a tale in 3 symphonic acts / Montreal : Drawn & Quarterly, 2008.

Brown, Jeffrey, 1975- Bighead & friends / Marietta, Ga. : Top Shelf, 2008.

Brown, Jeffrey, 1975- Deadly awesome / Marietta, Ga. : Top Shelf, 2008.

Butzer, C. M. Gettysburg : the graphic novel / New York : Bowen Press/Collins, 2009.

Byrne, Kerry. Lillian the legend / Montreal : Conundrum Press, 2008.

C. F. Powr mastrs vol. 2 / [Brooklyn, N.Y.] : Picture Box Inc, c2007.

Chaykin, Howard V. American Flagg! vol. 1 / Berkeley, CA : Image Comics, c2008.

Conley, Steve. Astounding space thrills : Argosy Smith and the codex reckoning / San Diego, Calif. : IDW, 2008.

Espey, Eamon. Wormdye / by Eamon Espey. Jackson Heights, NY : Secret Acres, 2008

Forsythe, Matthew, 1976- Ojingogo / Montreal : Drawn & Quarterly, 2008.

From the shadow of the northern lights : an anthology of Swedish alternative comics / Stockholm, Sweden : Ordfront Galago, 2008.

Gantz, David. Jews in America : a cartoon history / Philadelphia, PA : Jewish Publication Society, 2006.

Girard, Pascal. Nicolas / Montréal : Drawn & Quarterly, c2008.

Hansen, Lance Christian. Hayseed / [Philadelphia, Pa.] : KettleDrummer Books, 2008-

Heatley, David. My brain is hanging upside down / New York : Pantheon Books, c2008.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'étoile mystérieuse / [Tournai] : Casterman, c1974.

Hergé, 1907-1983. L'oreille cassée / [Paris] : Casterman, c1974.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Le tresor de Rackham le Rouge / [Paris] : Casterman, c1973.

Hergé, 1907-1983. Les 7 boules de cristal / [Paris] : Casterman, c1975.

Hernandez, Jaime. Love and rockets : new stories no. 1 / Seattle, WA : Fantagraphics Books, c2008-

Hicks, Faith Erin. The war at Ellsmere / San Jose, Calif. : SLG, 2008.

Hiramoto, Akira. Me and the devil blues : the unreal life of Robert Johnson vol. 2 / New York : Del Rey/Ballantine, c2008-

Ka, Olivier, 1967- Why I killed Peter / New York : Comics Lit, 2008.

Kramers ergot. no. 7 / Corte Madera, Calif. : Gingko Press, 1999-

Krell, Jeff. Jayson goes to Hollywood / Los Angeles, Calif. : Ignite! Entertainment, 2008

Kuwata, Jirō, 1935- Bat-manga! : the secret history of Batman in Japan / New York, N.Y. : Pantheon Books, 2008.

Lapham, David. Young liars vol. 1 / New York : DC Comics, 2008

Lemire, Jeff. The country nurse / Atlanta : Portland : Top Shelf, 2008.

Limits of the human / Minneapolis, Minn. : Univ of Minnesota Press, c2008.

Liquid city. Volume one / Berkeley, Calif. : Image Comics, c2008.

The mammoth book of best new manga. 3 / Philadelphia, PA : Running Press, 2008.

Marder, Larry. Beanworld holiday special / Milwaukie, Or. : Dark Horse Comics, 2008.

McCay, Winsor. Little Sammy Sneeze / Palo Alto, Calif. : Sunday Press, 2007

McKeever, Ted. Transit / Berkeley, Calif. : Image, 2008.

Miller, Frank, 1957- Daredevil vol. 1 / New York : Marvel, 2008-

Mome. vol. 13 : Winter 2009 / Seattle, Wash. : Fantagraphics, 2005-

Morse, Scott. Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! : a collection of scattered thoughts and moments that somehow equal a whole / Emeryville, CA : Red Window ; [Richomond, Va.] : Distributed by AdHouse Books, 2008-

Murphy, Justin S. Cleburne : a graphic novel / Jacksonville, FL : Rampart, 2008.

Niño, Alex. The art of Alex Niño / San Francisco [Calif.] : Auad Pub 2008.

No formula : stories from the chemistry set. Vol. 1 / Dallas, Ga. : Desperado Publishing, c2008.

Ōba, Tsugumi. Death note / San Francisco, CA : VIZ Media, 2008.

Paszkiewicz, Douglas. Arsenic lullaby : pulp edition no. 0 / [Milwaukee, Wis.] : Arsenic Lullaby Publishing, 2007-

Ploog, Michael, 1940- Mike Ploog / Raleigh, N.C. : TwoMorrows, 2008.

Rege, Ron. Against pain : 01986-02006 [sic], twenty years, seventy five cartoons / Montreal : Drawn and Quarterly, 2008.

Ristaino, Andy. The babysitter / San Jose, Calif. : Slave Labor Graphics, 2008.

Ryan, Johnny. Comics are for idiots / Seattle, WA : Fantagraphics Books, c2008.

Sickles, Noel. Scorchy Smith and the art of Noel Sickles / San Diego, Calif. : IDW Publishing, 2008.

Spiegelman, Art. Breakdowns : portrait of the artist as a young %@[squiggle][star]! / New York : Pantheon Books, 2008.

Takahashi, Rumiko, 1957- One-pound gospel vol. 4 / San Francisco, CA : Viz Media, 2008-

Taniguchi, Jirō. The quest for the missing girl / Wisbech, England : Fanfare ; [Rasquera, Spain] : Ponent Mon, 2008

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Black Jack vol. 2 / New York : Vertical, c2008-

Tezuka, Osamu, 1928-1989. Black Jack vols. 1-2 / New York : Vertical, c2008-

Usui, Yoshito, 1958- Crayon Shinchan vol. 6 / La Jolla, CA : CMX, c2008-

Vernon, Ursula. Digger vol. 1 / Saint Paul, MN : Sofawolf Press, c2005-

Ward, Barnaby. Sixteen miles to Merricks and other works / Lynnwood, Wa : Frogchildren Studios, c2008.

Ware, Chris, 1967- The Acme novelty library. Fall/winter 2008, number 19 / Oak Park, Ill. : ACME Novelty Library ; Distributed in the United States by Drawn & Quarterly Books, c2008.

Wood, Brian, 1972- Local / Portland, Or. : Oni, 2008.

Wood, Brian, 1972- Supermarket / San Diego, Calif. : IDW, 2009.

Yokoyama, Yuichi. Travel / Brooklyn, NY : PictureBox, c2008.

Zahler, Thomas F. Love and capes vol. 1 / San Diego, Calif. : IDW, c2008-




As always, this listing is available as an RSS Feed.

Monkey Covers

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

Daregorilla patrols the streets of Hell's Kitchen on the HERO variant cover to Marvel Apes #1, by Mike Wieringo & Karl Kesel (2008).

(Standard disclaimer about blind gorilla super-heroes not really being monkeys applies.)


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

Friday Night Fights: Illyana Rasputin vs. S'ym

From Magik #4 (1984). Art by Sal Buscema & Tom Palmer. Colors by Ken Feduniewicz. Letters by Tom Orzechowski. Story by Chris Claremont. (click pic for larger)

One panel? UARRRGH!

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (+2). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
6 (-1). Watchmen (hardcover)
7 (-1). Batman: R.I.P.
8 (+4). V for Vendetta
9 (+7). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
10 (+1). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
11 (-3). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
12 (-2). The Joker
13 (-4). Batman: The Killing Joke
14 (-). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
15 (-2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
16 (+4). Naruto, Volume 38 *
17 (-2). Batman: Year One
18 (+14). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
19 (-). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
20 (+2). Naruto, Volume 40 *
21 (-). Naruto, Volume 39 *
22 (+16). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
23 (N). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
24 (N). The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2 *
25 (+22). Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)
26 (-2). Naruto, Volume 41 *
27 (-2). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
28 (+9). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
29 (+6). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes)
30 (-2). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
31 (N). Y: The Last Man Vol. 2: Cycles
32 (N). Vampire Knight, Vol. 6 *
33 (N). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
34 (N). Y: The Last Man Vol. 3: One Small Step
35 (+13). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
36 (-9). The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
37 (-20). Secret Invasion
38 (-7). Mercy Thompson Homecoming *
39 (-). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 1)
40 (N). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2
41 (N). Star Trek: Countdown TPB *
42 (N). Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores
43 (-). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
44 (-14). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
45 (N). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
46 (N). Fruits Basket Volume 22 *
47 (N). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier
48 (N). From Hell
49 (+1). Bleach, Volume 26 *
50 (N). The Adventures of Johnny Bunko (Kindle edition)

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


Commentary:

* How big is Watchmen? The regular paperback edition is not only #1 on the Comics & Graphic Novels chart, but also #4 on the overall Amazon bestsellers chart.

* How big the the Watchmen halo effect? All three League of Extraordinary Gentlemen volumes debut on the list, as does From Hell.

* Y, the Last Man makes a strong showing this week, with the first volume rocketing up twenty-two places, and three more volumes debuting on the list.

* All manga on the list, save one, are pre-orders. In addition to the usual Naruto, we also see new volumes of Vampire Knight & Fruits Basket pop up.

* That one non-pre-order manga title is The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, a job hunting guide done as manga. A sign of the economy? Even more oddly it's the Kindle version (the print version is apparently not in print/stock from Amazon); if you need a job hunting book, how is it that you've spent money on a Kindle?

* Another bad week for Marvel on Amazon; they place only one title, Secret Invasion, and that falls a whopping twenty places on the chart.

Oscar Picks

My sure-to-be-wrong Oscar picks:

Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Actress: Kate Winslet
Actor: Mickey Rourke
Sup Actress: Penelope Cruz
Sup Actor: Heath Ledger
Director: Gus Van Sant
Adapt Screenplay: Frost/Nixon
Orig Screenplay: Milk
Animated: WALL-E
Art Direction: Benjamin Button
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Costume Design: Milk
Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Foreign Film: The Class
Makeup: Benjamin Button
Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Song: "Down to Earth"
Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
Sound Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Visual Effects: Benjamin Button
Animated Short: Presto
Live Short: Manon on the Asphalt
Doc Feature: Man on Wire
Doc Short: The Conscience of Nhem En

These picks of course reflect who I think will win, not necessarily who I think should win...

Monkey Covers

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

It's gorilla vs. mini van on the cover of Journal de Tintin #851 (1965?).

(Standard disclaimer about motor vehicle-hating gorillas not really being monkeys applies.)


Image courtesy of the GCD. Click on the image for a larger version.

Friday Night Fights: Mr. Masago vs. the chefs of Shinto Pete's

From Johnny Hiro #2 (2007). Story and art by Fred Chao. (click pic for larger)

One panel? Lobster!

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (+1). Watchmen
2 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Watchmen (hardcover)
6 (-). Batman: R.I.P.
7 (+2). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
8 (-1). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
9 (-1). Batman: The Killing Joke
10 (+2). The Joker
11 (+6). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
12 (-1). V for Vendetta
13 (-3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
14 (-1). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
15 (+3). Batman: Year One
16 (-2). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
17 (+12). Secret Invasion
18 (+1). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
19 (+7). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
20 (N). Naruto, Volume 38 *
21 (N). Naruto, Volume 39 *
22 (N). Naruto, Volume 40 *
23 (+2). Naruto, Volume 35
24 (N). Naruto, Volume 41 *
25 (-9). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
26 (+5). Naruto, Volume 36
27 (+9). The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
28 (+16). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
29 (+1). Naruto, Volume 34
30 (-6). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
31 (+15). Mercy Thompson Homecoming *
32 (-12). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
33 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
34 (N). DMZ Vol. 6: Blood in the Game
35 (-20). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
36 (-8). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
37 (-15). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
38 (+10). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 1)
39 (N). Wanted
40 (-7). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
41 (-6). Barack Obama Amazing Spider-Man #583 Flag Cover Variant Third Printing
42 (-19). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
43 (-11). The Complete Persepolis
44 (N). Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
45 (N). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
46 (N). Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)
47 (-4). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
48 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
49 (N). Bleach, Volume 26 *

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


Commentary:

* Watchmen finally breaks into the top spot. The hardcover remains at #5, and the absolute edition also maintains strong sales. Even the Dave Gibbons retrospective gets some pre-movie love, jumping up 16 places.

* Four new Naruto pre-orders land on the chart, bunched up in the early-twenties. The only non-Naruto manga to make the charts is a pre-order of Bleach, eking in at #50.

* A couple of Vertigo perennials resurface near the bottom of the chart--the first volumes of Y, the Last Man and Fables. (Y made an appearance on this week's episode of Lost, as Hurley was seen reading a Spanish-language edition.)

Shameless Friend Promotion: Jim Ottaviani Interview on Newsarama

Pal Jim O is interviewed by Newsarama's Zack Smith about his upcoming comic T-Minus: "The Race to the Moon in Comic Form: Ottaviani on T-Minus"

Friday Night Fights: Olive Oyl vs. Popeye

From Popeye #135 (1976). Writer & artist uncredited. (click pic for larger)

A Love Tap? Never laugh at a lady!

Amazon Top 50

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


1 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
2 (-). Watchmen
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Watchmen (hardcover)
6 (+5). Batman RIP *
7 (-1). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe *
8 (+1). Batman: The Killing Joke
9 (-2). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
10 (-). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
11 (+2). V for Vendetta
12 (-). The Joker
13 (+5). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
14 (+35). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
15 (+22). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
16 (+12). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
17 (+16). All Star Superman, Vol. 2 *
18 (+12). Batman: Year One
19 (+5). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
20 (+3). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
21 (-2). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
22 (-8). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
23 (+18). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
24 (+7). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
25 (-). Naruto, Volume 35
26 (-2). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
27 (-10). The Stuff of Life: A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA
28 (-13). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
29 (-9). Secret Invasion
30 (-2). Naruto, Volume 34
31 (-9). Naruto, Volume 36
32 (-3). The Complete Persepolis
33 (-1). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
34 (N). Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 21: War of the Symbiotes *
35 (-27). Barack Obama Amazing Spider-Man #583 Flag Cover Variant Third Printing
36 (-20). The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
37 (N). The Dangerous Alphabet
38 (N). Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Volume 6
39 (N). The Complete Far Side 1980-1994
40 (-5). The Arrival
41 (+7). Dilbert 2.0: 20 Years of Dilbert
42 (N). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
43 (-9). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
44 (N). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
45 (-5). The Marvel Encyclopedia
46 (N). Mercy Thompson Homecoming *
47 (N). The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country
48 (-3). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 1)
49 (N). The Legend of Zelda , Volume 3: Majora's Mask
50 (N). Dark Tower: The Long Road Home (Exclusive Amazon.com Cover)

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


Commentary:

* While pre-orders on the fifth Scott Pilgrim volume remain strong, interest in the previous volumes has waned after the surge last week.

* Sales on Watchmen are probably keeping all of the rest of DC Comics afloat. Not only do the paperback & hardcover remain in the top five, but the expensive absolute edition surged up from 49 to 14.

* DC also have strong pre-order sales with their two high-profile Grant Morrison projects: Batman RIP & All-Star Superman.

* Interest in the Obama Spider-Man third-party market is officially over. Only the 3rd printing still shows up in the top fifty; it plummets from 8 down to 35 and goes for as little as $3.79

* The highest debut belongs to a pre-order for the latest Ultimate Spider-Man volume. In fact, with the exception of the aforementioned Obama-Spidey comic back issue, Brian Michael Bendis is responsible for all of Marvel's charting graphic novels. (The Marvel Encyclopedia is actually a Dorling Kindersly publication.)

* For no discernable reason there's a mini surge of interest in strip collections, with The Complete Calvin & Hobbes jumping way up (I think there was a modest price drop), and a Dick Tracy volume and the old Complete Far Side both debuting on the chart.

Shameless Friend Promotion: Sara Ryan & Steve Lieber Interviewed on Circle Into Square

The Portland-based online magazine Circle Into Square has a fairly lengthy interview with pals Sara Ryan & Steve Lieber. Don't miss the end where Steve tells you the secret formula for how to break into comics!