Stats Week: 2013 - A Year of Reading Comics

Here's a chart showing how many comics I acquired each week, and how many I read each day of 2013:

My comics week starts on Thursday, as that's when the weekly DCBS shipment usually arrives. Each individual item counts as a comic, whether it be a 22 page floppy or a 600+ page graphic novel opus. The 'Roll' column represents the total delta from when I started keeping track (Feb 2009).

Once again this year I counted digital comics in the count in addition to physical comics. While I purchased fewer comics this year than last year (1683 vs. 1868) I read even fewer, leaving me with a sizable 75 comic deficit. I partially blame the massive comic book weeding and organizing project that I began in the second half of the year; it turns out that organizing comics takes away time from reading comics!

(Charts for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012.)

Hey look, graphs! 

Stats Week: Amazon Top 50 for 2013

Here are the top 50 comics from the weekly Amazon Top 50 posts of 2013:

1. The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
2. The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
3. Darth Vader and Son
4. How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
5. Vader's Little Princess
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7 (Kindle)
7. Saga Volume 1
8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel
9. Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
10. The Walking Dead, vol. 18: What Comes After
11. Dork Diaries 5 (Kindle)
12. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6 (Kindle)
13. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever
14. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
15. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
16. Dork Diaries 6 (Kindle)
17. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
18. Saga Volume 2
19. Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
20. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1 (Kindle)
21. Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
22. Dork Diaries 4 (Kindle)
23. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 (Kindle)
24. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5 (Kindle)
25. The Walking Dead, vol. 19: March to War
26. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 (Kindle)
27. The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
28. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3
29. Star Wars: Jedi Academy
30. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8 (Kindle)
31. The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book (revised and expanded edition)
32. Watchmen
33. Dork Diaries 6: Tales from a Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker
34. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 2
35. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 (Kindle)
36. The Walking Dead, vol. 17: Something to Fear
37. The Walking Dead vol. 1 (Kindle)
38. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 1
39. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8: Hard Luck
40. The Walking Dead, Book 9
41. Big Nate Makes the Grade (Kindle)
42. Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (Kindle)
43. Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants
44. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
45. Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
46. Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
47. The Complete Persepolis
48. Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
49. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5: The Ugly Truth
50. Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon

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. You can download a spreadsheet with all of the data here.

Commentary:

• This was the year that weirdness happened. Specifically, in late August, Amazon reclassified all of the Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to not be comics and they disappeared entirely from the Comics & Graphic Novels bestseller chart. This caused no end of havoc on my weekly snapshot compilations. Had they stayed on the chart I am almost certain that DoaWK 7 would have been the #1 book of 2013. But they didn't, and so we're stuck with the data as Amazon gave it to us. And unless Amazon reverse course sometime in the next year, you won't see any of the Diary books on the chart in 2014.
• So, the top book this year was the first Walking Dead Compendium, followed closely by the second Walking Dead Compendium.  But while in 2012 every extant Walking Dead collection showed up on the Top Fifty chart for at least one week, that wasn't the case in 2013. Still, many WD collections did chart, including quite a few that ended up in the yearly top fifty.
• Once again, Batman is the only one of DC's New 52 properties to place any collections in the yearly top 50. A couple of Justice League volumes also charted during the year (at #112 & #117) as did a Nightwing collection for one week (placing it in a tie for #311). A few sale-priced New 52 Kindle editions charted as well.
• Marvel actually placed a title in the annual top 50 this year! Okay, it was in the #50 slot, but still... compared to other Marvel collections, Hawkeye is a mainstream hit!
• The two Saga collections had a great year, placing at #7 and #18. Granted those aren't quite Walking Dead numbers, but then again Saga doesn't have any sort of television or movie exposure, meaning it achieved its sales based solely on the appeal of its comic-ness. 
• It was a great year for Jeffrey Brown. He had two of the top five books with Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess, and his Star Wars: Jedi Academy (which came out later in the year) is at #29. 
• Several perennials make the annual top fifty, including Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Persepolis, Watchmen, Batman: The Killing Joke, Maus, and Fun Home.
• There were 347 different works that showed up at least once on the weekly top fifty charts during the year (up from 275 last year). Of those, 123 only showed up once. Five showed up for all fifth-two weeks: The two Walking Dead Compendia, Darth Vader and Son, How to Tell if Your Cat…, and the first volume of Saga.
• It was not a great year for manga; the top seller for the year was the first volume of Attack on Titan, which places at #107. Most of the AoT volumes charted at some point during the year, as did most of the volumes of Sailor Moon and Naruto that were released; they just never stuck around the chart very long.
• This was the year that regular-priced Kindle editions of single issues started to chart. Mostly Walking Dead, but also Sandman: Overture, Forever Evil, and Justice League. Mostly they just appeared for one or two weeks, but that's more than we've seen in the past.
• On the digital first single issue front, Kindle editions of the Injustice: Gods Among Us tie-in comic ruled the year, especially for the weeks around the release of the video game. But for all the noise the individual issues made on the weeks they were released, most didn't stick around for long (I detail this in yesterday's post). Only the debut issue made the annual top fifty chart.
• Predictions for the coming year can be hard to make; last year I didn't foresee the wholesale Diary reclassification... We're likely to see continued strong sales from Hyperbole and a Half and Walking Dead collections (particularly the Compendia). I won't be surprised if the third Saga trade shows up in the #1 spot when it is released. If there's another Matthew Inman book or another Jeffrey Brown Star Wars book those should sell strong. I predict that in spite of at least four Marvel-related movies coming out in 2014 the sales of collections to the general public will remain weak. The new Sin City movie might drive sales of the trade collections (if Dark Horse can keep them in stock/print).

Stats Week: Injustice Kindle Sales

I'll soon be posting the Annual Amazon Top 50 round-up post (likely tomorrow), but here's a look at the sales of the Kindle editions of Injustice: Gods Among Us, the digital-first tie-in to the hit video game:

(click the image for a larger version. Seriously, there's no way to read it otherwise!)

In this chart, higher numbers are better; e.g. 50 means it was #1 on the comics chart that Friday, 49 means it was #2, 48 means it was #3, etc.

Awareness was slow to build, with none of the issues charting until issue #3 was released. Interest gradually built (a classic word-of-mouth scenario). The game was released on April 16, and you can see the explosion of interest in the Fridays immediately before and after the release date. After that it settled into a predictable pattern: each week a new issue debuted—usually in the top five—and then hung around for another week or two.

Clearly Injustice: Gods Among Us was a digital success for DC, and one that they hope to replicate as the first issue of Injustice: Year Two was released last week. There's also a digital first tie-in comic to Scribblenauts Unmasked, but so far none of the issues of that have charted (there have been four so far).

Stats Week: My Year in Music 2013

Last.fm conveniently keeps track of all of the music I listen to. Here are my top twenty-five artists, albums & tracks for 2013 (Links are for Spotify):

Artists

 1. Hey Ocean!
 2. They Might Be Giants
 3. Kacey Musgraves
 4. Kim Richey
 5. Pentatonix
 6. Cassadee Pope
 7. San Cisco
 8. Elizabeth Mitchell
 9. Kelly Willis
10. Daft Punk
11. Scala & Kolacny Brothers
12. Heather Nova
12. Adele
14. Moxy Früvous
14. Gangstagrass
16. Tegan & Sara
16. Mandy Barnett
16. Cara Dillon
16. Mindy Smith
20. The Beach Boys
20. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
20. Sarah Jarosz
23. Kathryn Williams
23. She & Him
25. Genesis
25. Mannhaim Steamroller
25. Jessica Andrews
25. Tok Tok Tok
25. Echosmith


Albums

 1. Hey Ocean! – IS
 2. Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park 
 3. Teen Beach Movie (Soundtrack)
 4. San Cisco – San Cisco
 4. Kim Richey – Thorn In My Heart
 6. Best of Bootie 2012
 7. Chess in Concert
 7. Elizabeth Mitchell - The Sounding Joy: Christmas Songs in and out of the Ruth Crawford Seeger Songbook
 9. Pentatonix – PTX, Vol. 2
10. Daft Punk – TRON: Legacy
11. Mandy Barnett – Winter Wonderland
12. Tegan and Sara – Heartthrob
13. Heather Nova – 300 Days At Sea
13. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – It Feels Like Christmas Time
15. Kathryn Williams – Relations
15. Pitch Perfect (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
15. They Might Be Giants – Nanobots
15. Mindy Smith – Snowed In
19. Lori Carson – Another Year
19. The Last Bison – Sleigh Ride
21. The Crooked Jades – Shining Darkness
21. Cara Dillon – Hill of Thieves
23. Moxy Früvous – Bargainville
23. They Might Be Giants – Here Comes Science
23. Balligomingo – Under an Endless Sky
23. Oh Darling – Brave The Sound
23. Daniela Andrade – The Christmas EP


Songs

 1. Signe Tollefsen – As the World Falls Down
 2. Heather Nova – Until The Race Is Run
 2. Hey Ocean! – Big Blue Wave
 2. Kacey Musgraves – Blowin' Smoke
 2. Chambaland – Semi-Charmed Call (Bootie Edit) (Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Third Eye Blind)
 2. Echosmith – Cool Kids
 7. Hey Ocean! – If I Were a Ship
 7. Hey Ocean! – Jolene
 7. Hey Ocean! – Change
 7. Hey Ocean! – Bicycle
 7. Hey Ocean! – Make a New Dance Up
 7. Hey Ocean! – Islands
 7. Kacey Musgraves – Merry Go 'Round
 7. Kacey Musgraves – Silver Lining
15. Hey Ocean! – Steady
15. Hey Ocean! – I Am A Heart
15. Hey Ocean! – New Love
15. Kacey Musgraves – Dandelion
15. San Cisco – Hunter
15. Pentatonix – Run to You
15. Mindy Smith – Tomorrow Is Christmas Day
22. Hey Ocean! – Last Mistake
22. Maren Ord – The Gift of Sacrifice
22. Hey Ocean! – Give
22. Hey Ocean! – (For) Give
22. Kacey Musgraves – I Miss You
22. Kacey Musgraves – My House
22. San Cisco – Fred Astaire
22. San Cisco – Beach
22. San Cisco – Awkward - EP Version
22. Hey Ocean! – Liar
22. Bonnie McKee – American Girl
22. Pentatonix – Daft Punk
22. Pentatonix – Little Drummer Boy

Stats Week: Top Comic Book Movies of 2013

Here are the domestic grosses of comic book-related movies released in 2013, according to Box Office Mojo:

1. Iron Man 3: $409M
2. Man of Steel: $291M
3. Thor: The Dark World: $204M
4. The Wolverine: $133M
5. 2 Guns: $76M
6. The Smurfs 2: $71M
7. Red 2: $53M
8. R.I.P.D.: $34M
9. Kick-Ass 2: $29M
10. Oldboy: $2M
11. Blue is the Warmest Color: $2M

Amazon Top 50 - January 10, 2014

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 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
2 (-). Dilbert 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar: There's No Kill Switch on Awesome
3 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
4 (R). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
5 (+40). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
6 (+9). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
7 (-3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
8 (-3). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
9 (+34). The Complete Persepolis
10 (+40). Saga Volume 3 *
11 (+2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War
12 (+10). The Walking Dead, Vol. 20: All Out War *
13 (R). Understanding Comics
14 (+6). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
15 (+8). Saga Volume 1
16 (R). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
17 (-1). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye (Kindle)
18 (R). Watchmen
19 (+29). Stephen King's N. (Kindle)
20 (+7). Darth Vader and Son
21 (N). Naruto, Vol. 64: Ten Tails
22 (+20). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
23 (+7). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
24 (-5). X-Men: Days of Future Past (Kindle)
25 (N). The Walking Dead #119 (Kindle)
26 (R). American Born Chinese
27 (-2). Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
28 (+5). Saga Volume 2
29 (-1). Vader's Little Princess
30 (+16). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
31 (R). Star Wars: Jedi Academy
32 (-20). The Argyle Sweater 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
33 (R). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
34 (+6). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
35 (R). V for Vendetta
36 (R). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel
37 (+1). Fables Vol. 19: Snow White
38 (R). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
39 (-2). Infinity Gauntlet (Kindle)
40 (R). Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History
41 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
42 (-35). The Essential Calvin and Hobbes (Kindle)
43 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
44 (N). History of World Philosophy (Kindle)
45 (R). The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale
46 (N). Monster Musume Vol. 2
47 (-). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
48 (N). Injustice Year Two #1 (Kindle)
49 (N). Attack on Titans 10
50 (R). Hyperbole and a Half (hardcover)


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:

• Still on top is Hyperbole and the Half, though it has slipped a bit on the overall books chart to #52.
• The University Effect is in full swing this week: Persepolis, Maus & Fun Home all move up into the top ten, with Understanding Comics, Watchmen, American Born Chinese, and Abina and the Important Men also making returns to the chart.
• Last week's DC Kindle sale has ended and those books disappear from the chart. Some of the Marvel and Image Kindle collections remain on sale, though of those only Steven King's N. and Infinity Gauntlet remain in the top fifty.
• The top debut this week is the latest volume of Naruto. Two other manga volumes, the latest for Monster Masume and Attack on Titan, also debut.
• Two regular comic issues on the Kindle also debut this week: The latest issue of The Walking Dead and the first issue of the new volume of Injustice. Injustice debuts relatively low compared to what it was selling at the end of its previous volume; it is possible that its audience didn't know that it was returning. Alternately the lay-off between volumes may have dampened enthusiasm...
• Much like this week's new comics shipments in the Midwest, this week's planned 2013 Amazon Year-End Round-Up was delayed due to weather. Look for it early next week instead.
  

Amazon Top 50 - January 3, 2014

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 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
2 (+1). Dilbert 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar: There's No Kill Switch on Awesome
3 (-1). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
4 (+1). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
5 (-1). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
6 (-). Batman: The Complete Hush (Kindle)
7 (R). The Essential Calvin and Hobbes (Kindle)
8 (+35). Batman: Year One (Kindle)
9 (+3). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle)
10 (+4). Batman: The Killing Joke (Kindle)
11 (-1). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (Kindle)
12 (+14). The Argyle Sweater 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
13 (-6). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War
14 (+11). Batman: The Long Halloween (Kindle)
15 (R). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
16 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye (Kindle)
17 (+11). V for Vendetta (Kindle)
18 (+11). Kingdom Come (Kindle)
19 (R). X-Men: Days of Future Past (Kindle)
20 (-12). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
21 (+1). Watchmen (Kindle)
22 (+19). The Walking Dead, Vol. 20: All Out War *
23 (-3). Saga Volume 1
24 (N). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1 (Kindle)
25 (-16). Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
26 (+13). Cartoons from The New Yorker 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
27 (-12). Darth Vader and Son
28 (-10). Vader's Little Princess
29 (N). Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon (Kindle)
30 (-19). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
31 (N). Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1: Unmanned (Kindle)
32 (N). Saga Volume 2 (Kindle)
33 (-14). Saga Volume 2
34 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War (Kindle)
35 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us (Kindle)
36 (+12). Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile (Kindle)
37 (N). Infinity Gauntlet (Kindle)
38 (-21). Fables Vol. 19: Snow White
39 (N). Final Crisis (Kindle)
40 (-24). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
41 (R). Saga Volume 1 (Kindle)
42 (-21). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
43 (R). The Complete Persepolis
44 (N). Nowhere Men Volume 1: Fates Worse Than Death
45 (R). Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
46 (-23). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
47 (R). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
48 (-18). Stephen King's N. (Kindle)
49 (N). The Flash: Rebirth (Kindle)
50 (N). Saga Volume 3 *


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:

• Hyperbole and a Half remains on top this week, and is #19 on the overall Amazon books chart.
• The top six this week are simply a rearranging of the deck chairs. It is after that where things start to get interesting... 
• Earlier in the week, the Kindle edition of The Essential Calvin and Hobbes was at #1 for several days, due to a weekend sale. Such was the strength of its saels that even now, days after the sale price ended, it is still sticking around in the top ten.
• Speaking of Kindle sales, this week's chart is dominated by sale-priced Kindle editions of collections from DC, Marvel and Image.
• That domination suppresses somewhat the Winter semester University Effect. Still, editions of Fun Home and Persepolis manage to make the chart.
• Non-Kindle debuts this week are the first Nowhere Men collection, and the pre-order for the third Saga collection. Pay attention to the Saga collection; even though it is debuting way down at #50, when it comes out in March we can expect to see it climb rapidly.
• The 2013 year-end review will likely be out sometime next week. Stay tuned...

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Betty & Veronica and all of us here at Yet Another Comics Blog!

(Cover to Betty and Veronica New Year's Resolutions! by Dan DeCarlo & Alison Flood.)

Winter Covers - December 31

How can she stay, loving him the way she does, on the cover of Secret Hearts #37 (1956)?

We've hope you've enjoyed our month-long celebration of comic book covers!

(2012: Mod Wheels #2)
(2011: Sabrina the Teenage Witch #63)
(2010: Jughead with Archie Digest #97)
(2009: Batman: The Long Halloween #4)

Winter Covers - December 30

Archie discovers the hardest thing about learning to skate on the cover of Archie Double Digest #237 (2013) by Bob White.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2012: Ponytail #5)
(2011: Scamp #2)
(2010: The Flash #2)
(2009: The Simpsons Winter Wing Ding #1)

Winter Covers - December 29

The Road Rally turns vicious when heavy snow arrives on the cover of Calagan: Rallye Raid Tome 3 (2008) by Dominique Mainguy.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2012: Teen-Age Love #25)
(2011: Girls' Love Stories #61)
(2010: New Kids on the Block Digest #5)
(2009: Tommy og Tigern #13) 

Winter Covers - December 28

Unless they find a way to stop that dark star from absorbing the Sun's radiation, The Earth will become an icebound planet! So warns the cover of Strange Adventures #149 (1963) by Murphy Anderson.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2012: Batman #337)
(2011: Liberty Meadows #30)
(2010: Daffy #12)
(2009: DC Universe Holiday Special '09) 

Amazon Top 50 - December 27, 2013

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 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
2 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
3 (-). Dilbert 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar: There's No Kill Switch on Awesome
4 (+4). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
5 (+4). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
6 (+9). Batman: The Complete Hush (Kindle)
7 (+3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War
8 (-4). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
9 (+16). Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
10 (+20). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (Kindle)
11 (+18). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
12 (+25). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle)
13 (+8). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
14 (+24). Batman: The Killing Joke (Kindle)
15 (-10). Darth Vader and Son
16 (R). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
17 (N). Fables Vol. 19: Snow White
18 (-11). Vader's Little Princess
19 (+9). Saga Volume 2
20 (+3). Saga Volume 1
21 (+1). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
22 (R). Watchmen (Kindle)
23 (+1). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
24 (+2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
25 (+7). Batman: The Long Halloween (Kindle)
26 (-13). The Argyle Sweater 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
27 (+9). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
28 (+18). V for Vendetta (Kindle)
29 (N). Kingdom Come (Kindle)
30 (R). Stephen King's N. (Kindle)
31 (+8). The Walking Dead, Book 9
32 (-21). Marvel Encyclopedia
33 (-13). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel
34 (-28). Star Wars: Jedi Academy
35 (R). Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
36 (-17). I Am Pusheen the Cat
37 (+5). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3
38 (N). Parker: Slayground
39 (+1). Cartoons from The New Yorker 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
40 (R). The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us
41 (N). The Walking Dead, Vol. 20: All Out War *
42 (-30). Hyperbole and a Half (hardcover)
43 (R). Batman: Year One (Kindle)
44 (-11). The Walking Dead, Book 1
45 (+2). Batman: Year One
46 (-19). Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe
47 (R). Batman: The Long Halloween
48 (R). Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile (Kindle)
49 (-31). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (hardcover)
50 (R). V for Vendetta


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:

• In this first post-holiday Amazon Top 50 comics chart the top three slots remain the same (led of course by Hyperbole and a Half, #14 in the overall books chart again this week), but there's a good deal of shifting and readjustment in spots below that. 
• Batman seems to be quite popular to those with new Kindle devices and gift cards in hand. 
• The sharp fall-off of some items, such as the Jeffrey Brown Star Wars books, the Calvin & Hobbes books, and the Hyperbole and a Half hardcover suggests that those were titles that had been popular as gifts.
• The DC graphic novel and collection Kindle sale enters its second week, and a few more titles enter the chart along with the Batman boom.
• The top debut this week is the latest Fables collection. Also debuting are the latest Darwyn Cooke Parker adaptation and the pre-order for the upcoming new Walking Dead collection.
• This is the final Amazon Top 50 comics chart for 2013; I'll be compiling the year-end data soon and post that in a week or so.

Winter Covers - December 27

Snowball Fight! IT must be winter on the cover of The Muppets #4 (2012) by Elisabetta Melaranci.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2012: Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #46)
(2011: Spooky Spooktown #62)
(2010: Spooky #78)
(2009: P.S. Magazine: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #11) 

Winter Covers - December 26

Linus reviews his snowman army on the cover of Peanuts #14 (2013) by Charles M. Schulz.

Christmas may be over, but we're filling out December with winter-themed comics covers!

(2012: Sabrina #3)
(2011: Daredevil #7)
(2010: Alleen op de wereld #6)
(2009: Liberty Meadows #7)

Christmas Covers - December 25

Mary and Joseph care for the baby Jesus on the cover of The Christmas Story (1955).

We hope you've enjoyed twenty-five days of Christmas-themed covers this year. Stay tuned as we finish out December with a batch of winter-themed comics covers...

(2012: The Life of Christ #1)
(2011: The International Children's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew)
(2010: The First Christmas)
(2009: Topix vol. 9 #12)
(2008: Junior Partners #5)
(2007: Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #194)
(2006: Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact #35)
(2005: Dell Four Color #1274)
(2004: Treasure Chest vol. 2 #9)

(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar) 

Christmas Covers - December 24

Rudolph helps Santa find his way in a pre-Google Maps era on the cover of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #8 (1957) by Rube Grossman.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new festive cover.

Just 1 more 'get-up' until Santa!

(2012: Four Color #525)
(2011: Sergio Aragonés Funnies #6)
(2010: Ole Brumm Julehefte 1993)
(2009: Ninja High School #156)
(2008: Tommy og Tigern Julehefte 2007)
(2007: Action Comics #105)
(2006: Dell Four Color #666)
(2005: Dell Four Color #1274)
(2004: Captain Marvel Adventures #19)

(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)  

Christmas Covers - December 23

Freaky Santa sees you when you're sleeping on the cover of Shade, The Changing Man #19 (1992) by Jamie Hewlett.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Just 2 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: I Gotta' Catch Santa Claus)
(2011: Journal de Tintin #424)
(2010: Katy Keene #57)
(2009: Marvelman #71)
(2008: The Original Black Cat #8)
(2007: Dennis the Menace Pocket Full of Fun #22)
(2006: Girls Bravo vol. 6)
(2005: All-New Collectors' Edition #C-53)
(2004: Impulse #34)

(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar) 

Christmas Covers - December 22

Velma is easy to shop for, as exhibited by the cover of Scooby-Doo #17 (1998) by Mike DeCarlo.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)
 
Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 3 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Target Comics #44)
(2011: Romantic Secrets #20)
(2010: I Classici Disney #241)
(2009: Archie Giant Series Magazine #501)
(2008: Harvey Hits Comics #3)
(2007: Marge's Little Lulu #90)
(2006: Dell Giant #26)
(2005: Man-Thing #3)
(2004: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #9)

(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar) 

Christmas Covers - December 21

It's a Batman Christmas two days in a row! Why? Because he's Batman! Today he teams up with Adam Strange to stop Calendar Man from ruining Christmas on the cover of Batman: The Brave in the Bold #12 (2010) by Eric Jones.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 4 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Magali #117)
(2011: Tom & Jerry Comics #149)
(2010: Superman #166)
(2009: Hulk #9)
(2008: Teen Beam #2)
(2007: Bugs Bunny #46)
(2006: Wacky Squirrel #2)
(2005: Archie Giant Series Magazine #15)
(2004: DC Comics Presents #67)

(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar) 

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 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
2 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
3 (+2). Dilbert 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar: There's No Kill Switch on Awesome
4 (+2). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
5 (-1). Darth Vader and Son
6 (+3). Star Wars: Jedi Academy
7 (+3). Vader's Little Princess
8 (-5). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
9 (-2). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
10 (-2). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War
11 (+5). Marvel Encyclopedia
12 (+2). Hyperbole and a Half (hardcover)
13 (+9). The Argyle Sweater 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
14 (+26). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
15 (N). Batman: The Complete Hush (Kindle)
16 (+14). My Dog: The Paradox
17 (+8). Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants
18 (+16). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (hardcover)
19 (+8). I Am Pusheen the Cat
20 (+17). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel
21 (-6). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
22 (+4). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
23 (+15). Saga Volume 1
24 (+12). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
25 (+6). Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
26 (+3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
27 (+5). Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe
28 (+13). Saga Volume 2
29 (+17). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
30 (R). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (Kindle)
31 (-20). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
32 (N). Batman: The Long Halloween (Kindle)
33 (-13). The Walking Dead, Book 1
34 (+13). The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes
35 (-12). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
36 (-23). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
37 (R). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kindle)
38 (N). Batman: The Killing Joke (Kindle)
39 (-6). The Walking Dead, Book 9
40 (N). Cartoons from The New Yorker 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
41 (N). How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way
42 (-18). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3
43 (R). Calvin and Hobbes
44 (R). Weirdos from Another Planet!
45 (-28). The Complete Peanuts 1987-1990 Gift Box Set
46 (N). V for Vendetta (Kindle)
47 (R). Batman: Year One
48 (R). Building Stories
49 (R). Watchmen
50 (R). Attack on Titan 1


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:

• Is anyone surprised at this point to see Hyperbole and a Half still on the top of the chart? It's currently #14 on the overall books chart.
• It's the last week before Christmas, as people scour Amazon wish lists to figure out what comics their relatives and friends want as gifts. Next week will be the post-Christmas chart, and we'll see what effect newly-acquired Kindles and Amazon gift cards have.
• There's a sale this week on Kindle editions of DC graphic novels and collections, which accounts for several of the debuts on the chart this week. It also proves the adage that Batman + discount = sales!
• Also new this week are a desk calendar of New Yorker cartoons, and How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way.

Christmas Covers - December 20

Batman is trapped inside a flaming Christmas wreath on the cover of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #79 (1996) by Steve Yeowell and Dick Giordano.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 5 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Nemi julehefte 2002)
(2011: Laugh #5)
(2010: Sleivdal Julehefte 2002)
(2009: Bamses Julehefte 1998)
(2008: Larry Marder's Beanworld Holiday Special)
(2007: Archie Giant Series Magazine #218)
(2006: 52 week 33)
(2005: Strangers in Paradise #70)
(2004: The Amazing Spider-Man #314)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar) 

Christmas Covers - December 19

Every little girl wants a creepy monster tentacle for Christmas, as on the cover of Wumo Bryter Julefreden 2011 by Mikael Wulff and Anders Morgenthaler.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 6 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Spooky #72)
(2011: P.S. Magazine The Preventive Maintenance Monthly #134)
(2010: Ghostbusters #3)
(2009: Magnus Robot Fighter #34)
(2008: DCU Holiday Special 2008)
(2007: Walter Lantz New Funnies #167)
(2006: Omaha the Cat Dancer vol. 2 #1)
(2005: Marvel Comics Super Special #39)
(2004: The Spirit #12)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 18

Once again, Archie Andrews spends Christmas getting busy with the ladies, this time on the cover of Archie Double Digest #246 (2013) by Jeff Shultz & Bob Smith.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 7 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Teen Titans #13)
(2011: Tivoli med vänner #11)
(2010: Looney Tunes #97)
(2009: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #4)
(2008: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #364)
(2007: Guy Garder: Warrior #39)
(2006: Impulse #45)
(2005: Adventures of Superman #487)
(2004: Mutt & Jeff #32)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 17

Poor Denny Colt finds himself all wrapped up for Christmas on the cover of The Spirit #13 (2008) by Darwyn Cooke & J. Bone.


For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 8 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Critters #11)
(2011: Star Trek: The Next Generation #2)
(2010: Heathcliff #6)
(2009: Gold Digger X-Mas Special #2)
(2008: Little Dot #29)
(2007: Classics Illustrated #53)
(2006: Patrick The Wolf Boy Christmas Special)
(2005: A Patty Cake Christmas)
(2004: Superman #165)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 16

It's a wild and crazy Christmas party on the cover of Whizzer and Chips #891230 (1989).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 9 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Four Color #205)
(2011: Doctor Who #12)
(2010: Swan vol. 15)
(2009: The Transformers #250)
(2008: Tantalizing Stories #2)
(2007: Funny Pages vol. 2 #43)
(2006: Katy Keene #33)
(2005: Bone Holiday Special)
(2004: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #76)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 15

Donald is having trouble putting up the Christmas tree on the cover of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #4 (1941).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 10 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Mike #11)
(2011: Santa Takes a Trip to Mars)
(2010: Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1 )
(2009: Kollektivet Julealbum 2007)
(2008: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #7)
(2007: Donald Duck & Co. #49/1964)
(2006: 2000 A.D. #763)
(2005: Incredible Hulk #378)
(2004: Batman #45)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

Christmas Covers - December 14

The Demon forces Superman to act as his Reindeer on the cover of Action Comics #762 (2000) by Humberto Ramos and Wayne Faucher.

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.


Just 11 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: On a volé le courrier de Petit Père Noël)
(2011: Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #87)
(2010: Sal y Pimienta #151)
(2009: Sugar & Spike #50)
(2008: Tom-Tom, The Jungle Boy #3)
(2007: Sugar & Spike #68)
(2006: Sugar & Spike #38)
(2005: Sugar & Spike #26)
(2004: Sugar & Spike #32)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)

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 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (paperback)
2 (-). Hyperbole and a Half (Kindle)
3 (-). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1
4 (+13). Darth Vader and Son
5 (+7). Dilbert 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar: There's No Kill Switch on Awesome
6 (+8). How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You
7 (-2). The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2
8 (+5). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War
9 (+7). Star Wars: Jedi Academy
10 (+8). Vader's Little Princess
11 (+9). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (paperback)
12 (R). The Art of Rube Goldberg: (A) Inventive (B) Cartoon (C) Genius
13 (+8). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel (Kindle)
14 (+9). Hyperbole and a Half (hardcover)
15 (R). Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (The New 52)
16 (+9). Marvel Encyclopedia
17 (R). The Complete Peanuts 1987-1990 Gift Box Set
18 (+31). Big Nate: I Smell a Pop Quiz! (Kindle)
19 (+12). The Walking Dead, Book 1
20 (N). The Walking Dead #118 (Kindle)
21 (+20). Stephen King's N. (Kindle)
22 (+16). The Argyle Sweater 2014 Day-to-Day Calendar
23 (+3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 18: What Comes After
24 (+3). Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search, Part 3
25 (+4). Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants
26 (+7). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
27 (+10). I Am Pusheen the Cat
28 (-9). Jim Butcher's Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin (Kindle)
29 (+5). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
30 (+9). My Dog: The Paradox
31 (-1). Batman Vol. 3: Death of the Family (The New 52)
32 (+11). Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe
33 (-1). The Walking Dead, Book 9
34 (-6). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (hardcover)
35 (-13). The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye (Kindle)
36 (-). Batman: The Killing Joke, Deluxe Edition
37 (-2). The Hedge Knight: The Graphic Novel
38 (+7). Saga Volume 1
39 (-15). The Walking Dead, Vol. 19: March to War (Kindle)
40 (+2). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
41 (-1). Saga Volume 2
42 (R). The Essential Calvin and Hobbes (Kindle)
43 (+1). The Walking Dead #117 (Kindle)
44 (+6). The Walking Dead, Vol. 17: Something to Fear
45 (N). Justice League (2011- ) #25 (Kindle)
46 (R). Batman Vol. 2: The City of Owls (The New 52)
47 (R). The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes
48 (R). The Walking Dead, Book 2
49 (R). Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Search, Part 2
50 (-4). The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us (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:

• Hyperbole and a Half remains in the top slot; it is currently #20 on the overall Amazon books chart.
• With last week's Marvel Kindle sale now past us, those titles slide off the chart completely and the list returns to some semblance of holiday shopping normality. 
• Only two new items chart this week, the latest Kindle issues of The Walking Dead and Justice League.
• Dead Watch: Fourteen Walking Dead editions on the chart this week. I guess that Christmas is a time for zombies?

Christmas Covers - December 13

They're getting ready for Christmas on the streets of Europe on the cover of Robbedoes #2017 (1976) by Mittéï (Jean Mariette).

For each day of December until Christmas I'm featuring a Holiday-related comic book cover. (Click on the image to get a larger version.)

Come back tomorrow, and every day this month, for a new Christmas cover.

Just 12 more 'get-ups' until Santa!

(2012: Cheryl Blossom Special #3)
(2011: Batman #239)
(2010: Pelle Svanslös Jul-album 1960)
(2009: Robbedoes #2436)
(2008: Sugar and Spike #44)
(2007: Love Hina vol. 6)
(2006: Green Lantern: Mosaic #9)
(2005: Jonah Hex #34)
(2004: Starman #27)


(Also see: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull's A Four Color Christmas)
(And: The 2013 Comics Should Be Good Advent Calendar)