The Top 300 Selling Comics for January 2006

Thanks for checking out this column which is a look at sales of Comics where I comment on their sales, if they are any good or whatever other snarky remarks come to mind as I look over the sales figures.

So, what is this list? Every month, Diamond Comics (the company that ships comic books to comic book shops) list the sales figures of the previous month so that they can list actual sales through the entire month, but they list it in the form of “average number of copies sold to each comic shop”. Then, the site www.ICV2.com goes through the numbers they post and attempts to turn it into an approximation of the actual number of books sold.

1 INFINITE CRISIS #4 (Of 7) $3.99 DC 182,633

The big seller for the month, and probably the year, as it tries to be the Big Crossover for DC. After the success of the original Crisis, and Marvel's Secret Wars, both companies tried to do yearly crossovers, usually to diminishing returns, but DC has blown off the doors for this one. Still, with as much time as they put in to it, and how huge it is from a fanboy perspective, this number seems low to me. We'll see how ti does with all of the second printings and special covers added in.

2 ALL STAR SUPERMAN #2 $2.99 DC 124,328

Quite possibly the best single Superman story I have ever read. Period. Grant Morrison is one of my favorite writers, and this comic shows why. There are ideas tossed out here that each would be worth exploring for issue after issue, and the main plot is just perfectly done. Run out and buy this comic, and even if you don't like super-hero books, this one will change your mind. Highly recommended.

3 NEW AVENGERS #15 $2.50 MAR 121,758

15 issues in and it's still selling well. This time, it's got Frank Cho art (which never hurts), and is primarily a story about Spider-Woman's background, but even thought it's mostly exposition, it still keeps the reader turning pages, and moves the main story forward. Bendis is on top of his game her, and this is probably Marve's best mainstream super-hero book. Highly recommended.

4 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #528* $2.50 MAR 95,415

Finishing up the Gawd Awful “Other” storyline and starting a new story where Spider-Man will be working with Iron Man for a few months, and wearing armor. I haven't liked ANY of JMS's stuff since the “Gwen was a slut” story, but since this one was all set-up, it wasn't that bad. And for all of you people who are upset that Spidey has a new costume, I GUARENTEE it will be gone within 9 months. Geez, it's not like they haven't changed his costume a million times before and then changed it back.

5 GREEN LANTERN #7 $2.99 DC 84,723

I have to think of this as a surprise hit. Green Lantern has never been a HUGE seller, and even during the character's peaks, it has been a middle selling super-hero book. Somehow, DC has figured out how to get people to latch on to it, and even 7 issues in, it's keeping readers. Geoff Johns is telling the kind of stories he does on JA, respectful of the past, but also making it easy for new readers to jump on and figure out what's what. Each issue has been a fun read, and the artists have all been knocking themselves out on this series. Highly recommended for super-hero fans.

6 ULTIMATE EXTINCTION #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 82,721

The last of the “Galactus” mini-series has started up. I buy ALL Marvel mini-series as trades, and really, it's silly not to. The first two parts of this story were better than I thought they would be, and I have no doubt this one will be good as well, but when the trade will cost less than buying the individual issues, and will be devoid of ads and waiting for each issue, I don't think it's worth it to by the monthlies.

7 UNCANNY X-MEN #468 $2.50 MAR 79,808

And with the end of one of his better stories, Claremont slides right back into typical Claremont over-writing and messy plotting. I actually LIKED the last story arc of the alien Shi'ar coming to Earth to make SURE none of the family that spawned the Phoenix will be able to continue to use that power, but Claremont follows it up with a plot that is so messy, I gave up halfway through. It's too bad his writing has gotten to this point, since he was once my favorite comics writer.

8 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #4* $2.99 MAR 78,672
9 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #22* $2.99 MAR 74,923

It's interesting how these two books dealt with the ending of the ”Other” storyline. F'N Spidey did a story about someone who felt that Spidey was stalking her, and gave a nice change of pace that worked and re-humanized the character, while MK Spidey went th ll out action route, and showed that the new creative team isn't going to keep me reading. Angel Medina has done some great art in the past, but this issue looked HORRIBLE, and it's one of the few times where the art made me not want to read a comic.

10 X-MEN #181 $2.50 MAR 74,094

A mess, and now wrapping up all of the loose ends to get ready for the new creative team taking over this summer. Is there any company that has pissed away a better set-up for their books than Marvel? Morrison made the X-Men a must read again, and really shifted it forward after the franchise seeming to be mired in the worst of the 90's comics stories, and now it's back to an interminable soap opera with plots that don't end so much as just peter out.

11 JLA #124 $2.50 DC 74,069

Bob Harris writes a JLA story that rivals the era of Justice League Detroit for utter waste of the concept. T's just time wasting until the book is relaunched, but it reminds me of why I hated his work over at Marvel. Thinking about it, I'd RATHER read JLDetroit. At least in that comic, I could laugh at Vibe.

12 ULTIMATE X-MEN #66 $2.50 MAR 73,720
13 X-MEN DEADLY GENESIS #3 (Of 6) $3.50 MAR 73,401

Another attempt to re-launch the X-Men, this time by Ed Brubaker, who has done a great job on Captain America and previously on Batman. The story is decent enough, but again, I'm waiting for the trade.

14 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #89 $2.50 MAR 71,935

This is the first time in a LONG time that the main Spidey books have outsold Ultimate Spidey. This is still the best Spider-Man book on the stands, and while the “Silver Sable” story arc isn't one of the better ones, it's still a lot of fun to read, and does a good job at tying up a few loose ends from previous issues. Still I'd like to see more of an emphasis on Peter Parker in the next few issues, as that side of the book feels neglected as of late.

15 WOLVERINE #38 $2.50 MAR 70,944
16 X-MEN 198 #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 68,698

This is another of the books spinning out of “House Of M”, this one dealing with the mutants that are left. The covers look GREAT, and are about the only real eye-catching covers on the stands. Still, I'm a trade paperback boy.

17 DAY OF VENGEANCE INFINITE CRISIS SP $3.99 DC 67,550

The “Day Of Vengeance” mini-series wasn't the BEST of the four that led up to Infinite Crisis, but it was a damn sight better than this. The story just simply had too much going on to get a good idea of what was happening, and while this is the launching point for the “Shadowpact” series and the Spectre mini-series, it's pretty much a mess and only for the hardest of the hard core.

18 TEEN TITANS #31 $2.50 DC 65,223

More lead up to Infinite Crisis, and tying up all of the loose ends before jumping ahead a year. A nice issue to show the fight in IC #4 in more detail, so if you are reading that, you'll prolly want to read this.

19 BATMAN #649 $2.50 DC 62,379

The last issue before the One Year Later, and it leads into the Batman Annual which will explain how Jason Todd came back to life. I have liked the whole “Red Hood/Jason Todd” stuff, even though it really seems like another version of the anti-hero who does the things our hero Just Won't Do Because of his code of honor. Still, it's been a decent enough Batman story and a plot device that has kept me interested in where it's all going. Still since this is the last part of a story that has gone on for two years, this might not be a good issue for a first time reader.

20 SUPERMAN #225 $2.50 DC 61,768

The series ends (and is going to be renumbered with the Adventures of Superman numbering) and goes out telling a story about the Golden Age Superman, as well as the current Superman. While it was fairly ambitious, and a story I liked, it was confusing as hell for anyone who hasn't been reading all of the Infinite Crisis stuff, and is probably best left for the hard core fanboys.

21 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR X-MEN SP $2.99 MAR 60,489
22 GREEN LANTERN CORPS RECHARGE #4 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 59,952

It says that it will be six issues, but on the comic itself it says it will be only 5. I want to like this comic, since I like the GL Corps and Dave Gibbons, but just like his Rann Thanagar War story, there are too many characters that you need to know a LOT of DC history to know about for me to keep straight. Hopefully, when this gets a regular series, they'll trim down the number of characters and keep it easier to follow.

23 GHOST RIDER #5 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 56,958
24 X-MEN END MEN & X-MEN #1 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 52,891

The last of three mini-series where Chris Claremont shows how he would end the X-Men series. And once again, I'm buying it as a trade. Deal with it.

25 SON OF M #2 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 52,704

The big spin off series from House of M, and while it's a decent enough Quicksilver story, it pretty much is a story about an unlikeable bastard who does unlikeable things, and we are supposed to feel sorry for him. The pacing is slooooooow, and these two issues so far could be condensed into about 6 pages of a faster paced book.

26 SPIDER-MAN BLACK CAT EVIL THAT MEN DO #6 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 51,538

And after 3 years, it's over. Was it worth the wait? Of course not. Nothing could be.

27 JSA #81 $2.50 DC 50,078

Paul Levitz returns to writing comics after years of just running DC, and if he has any “writer's rust”, I don't see it in this story. While it's not as good as the stories by Geoff Johns, he turns in a solid, entertaining story that reads like it was written in the mid 80's but one worked. seem dated. It's hard for people to write fill-in issues any mores, since comics are written for trade paperbacks now, but this

28 SUPERMAN SHAZAM FIRST THUNDER #3 (Of 4) $3.50 DC 48,899

This story is about the first meeting of Superman and Captain Marvel. It's grossly overwritten, entirely too complicated and for the most part, a story that doesn't need to be told.

29 NEW EXCALIBUR #3 $2.99 MAR 47,196

Three issues in, and already this book is filled with evil versions of the X-Men from another time line. I don't know if its a case of going to the well once too often or simply creative bankruptcy, but I felt like I have read this story so many times before, I could be arsed to deal with it.

30 TRANSFORMERS INFILTRATION #1* $2.99 IDW 45,468
31 ADVS OF SUPERMAN #648 $2.50 DC 45,287

This, like the other Superman comics, are treading water until the reboot coming from Infinite Crisis.

32 IRON MAN #5 $2.99 MAR 45,243

I'm sure that when this story is collected, it will be a good one and one I'll like, But with only 5 issues in a year and a half, I've lost track of what is going on, and don't feel like digging through back issues to read it all again. I don't care who's fault it is, when you book comes out this infrequently, to have a continued story is just stupid when you can only get out three issues a year.

33 DAREDEVIL #81 $2.99 MAR 44,252

And with this, Brian Michael Bendis finishes his run on this comic, and I will say that his run was the best of anyone on the character, including Frank Miller. Each issue was perfectly written, he brought the feel of a crime novel to a super-hero comic without watering it down, and he broke a LOT of new ground on the book. Ed Brubaker has a tough act to follow, and I think that this run will be one of the classics. Highly recommended, and if you haven't read this series, go out an get the collected trades (or hardcovers) and discover one of the best super-hero comics of all time.

34 OUTSIDERS #32 $2.50 DC 44,027
35 SPIDER-WOMAN ORIGIN #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 43,684

I never much gave a damn about this character, and her origin was one of the messiest in Marvel. Add to that my dislike of books that “fix” old continuity problems, and I expected that this would suck wet rocks. But, Bendis is able to make it interesting, and the art by the Luna Brothers is fresh, interesting and some of the best from new artists that I've seen in a long time. I always wait for the trade, but this one I had to pick up. Highly recommended.

36 NEW X-MEN #22 $2.99 MAR 42,923

Spinning out of the whole “most mutants have lost their powers” story, this is the first story arc by a new team, and a way to completely revamp the book. This arc isn't very good, as they are trying to do too much with it instead of just resetting the comic. But, I'll wait and see where it goes, since I have always liked the “teenagers just getting their powers” kind of comic.

37 JSA CLASSIFIED #7 $2.50 DC 42,854
38 WONDER WOMAN #225 $2.50 DC 42,661

Last issue for now. And now that it's gone, it is FINALLY selling. I'll give DC props for the way they keep trying to make this an interesting character, but other than the George Perez run, I don't think I have read a single Wonder Woman story that has been memorable.

39 RED SONJA #4 $2.99 DE 41,856

First Conan comes back and sells tons of copies, not Red Sonja. However, something to remember is that retailers get special limited cover versions if they order certain amounts of this comic...and it's already starting to show, as piles of the regular covered issues are stacking up in comics shops all over. I like the series, and not just because it is about a redhead (although that helps), but because it's a well done heroic fantasy that stands out from the seas of super-hero books.

40 GENERATION M #3 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 41,551

One of the better mini-series Marvel has done, this one dealing with a reporter who is covering the depowering of most of Marvel's mutant characters. It'll make a good trade.

41 ACTION COMICS #835 $2.50 DC 41,114
42 FLASH #230 $2.50 DC 40,571

Also a last issue until it's restarted after Infinite Crisis. Geoff Johns left with issue 225, and the five issues after that were bad. I mean painfully bad. The last story arc featuring Vandall Savage was probably the worst comic I have forced myself through in years, and if it wasn't already canceled, I would have dropped mid-story. If someone tries to GIVE it to you, smack them and run away.

43 JLA CLASSIFIED #16 $2.99 DC 39,336
44 MARVEL ZOMBIES #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 38,494

A decent enough joke title, but underneath is a solid alternate universe story where most of the Marvel heroes have become zombies. Not Classic Romero zombies, but they do eat flesh and such. Tyhen, after they have eaten, there is a LOT of talking, with some characterization and insight into the horror of the situation. I was amazed that this book was pulled off so well, and the covers are a great inside joke for long-time comics readers. Mildly recommended, but will be collected as a trade once it wraps up.

45 X-MEN 198 FILES $3.99 MAR 36,535
46 INCREDIBLE HULK #91 $2.99 MAR 35,980

This kicks off the 14 part “Planet Hulk” story, where Hulk is tossed on an alien world and must learn to survive there.

47 DETECTIVE COMICS #815 $2.50 DC 35,569

Another comic filling time until the “One Year Later” relaunch of all of DC's comics. A filler story, no more, no less.

48 NIGHTWING #116 $2.50 DC 35,113

Wrapping up Devin Greyson's disastrous run on this comic. From the endless story of how Nightwing watched someone kill a major villain, to this story of the character going undercover in the mob, it's been one misstep after another, which would have been as bad if the writing was good, but many issues are just slogs to get through. Avoid.

49 SENTINEL SQUAD ONE #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 34,988

Another of the House of M spin-offs, and obviously a mini-series about the people inside giant robots that sit and watch the X-Men isn't going to be a big hit. Who knew...other than anyone with a brain?

50 PUNISHER #29 (MR) $2.99 MAR 34,708

There's really nothing new to say about this comic. Garth Ennis produces good action stories in six part chunks, and if they were men's action novels, they do quite well. The Punisher is a simple character, and Ennis is a good enough writer than he makes each story a compelling read, even if they are all a bit one-note. Recommended.

51 EXILES #75 $2.99 MAR 33,485
52 EXILES #76 $2.99 MAR 32,843

Always a comic aimed at hard-core fanboys, this is now a way for the writer to revisit all of Marvel's other alternate universes like the New Universe, the 2099 universe and others. For long time Marvel fans, it's fun, and the characterization has really stepped up over the last year. If you haven't been reading Marvel comics for the last 20 years...well, good luck trying to figure out what the hell is going on.

53 SGT ROCK PROPHECY #1 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 32,793

Joe Kubert returns to the character that most fans feel was his best work. I haven't ever been a fan of war comics, and reading his early work in some recent reprints, I can see why people like the art so much. I'll pick it up when it's all collected.

54 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #13 $2.99 DC 32,730

The conclusion to the story that has built through the first 12 issues of this series. The Legion is a book that is hard to get right, since it is set 1000 years in the future and has over 20 members of the team, but Mark Waid has found a way to make it work, and Barry Kitson's art is perfect for the book. If you haven't tried the Legion, give this issue a try, because this is the best version of the series I've ever read. Highly recommended.

55 CONAN #24 (MR) $2.99 DAR 31,907
56 PLANETARY #24 $2.99 DC 31,844

And since an issue of this has come out, pigs have flown and hell has frozen over. I'd recommend this comic if it came out on anything resembling a schedule, but since it doesn't, buy the books, they're great.

57 GREEN ARROW #58 $2.50 DC 30,990

Another book wrapping up before the big re-set, and it REALLY feels like the story fro this one was stretched out an extra issue or two. I like it but I would have liked it more if the editor would have been tight on the pencil and brought it in a couple of issues shorter.

58 SUPREME POWER NIGHTHAWK #5 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99 MAR 30,828
59 MYTHOS X-MEN $3.99 MAR 30,634

A modernized retelling of the first issue of the X-Men, which is available in five different formats, making this story unnecessary. Hey, Marvel, QUIT UPDATING OLD STORIES AND WORK ON NEW ONES!!!!

60 BIRDS OF PREY #90 $2.50 DC 30,460
61 SEVEN SOLDIERS MISTER MIRACLE #3 (Of 4) $2.99 DC 30,085
62 SEVEN SOLDIERS FRANKENSTEIN #2 (Of 4) $2.99 DC 29,574

Morrison's Seven Soldiers is a crossover that doesn't feel like a crossover, and is instead a great way to introduce new characters and revamp ones that no one cared about. Each story stands on its own, but when read together, you get a “oh that's what that is about...” feel to it, much like watching an episode of “Lost” About the best comics on the stands, and highly recommended.

63 ROBIN #146 $2.50 DC 29,499
64 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #73 $2.50 DC 29,006

Has there been an on-going series that has been this bad for this long? Yeah, it's canceled, and this is a series that never really got a footing on what it was supposed to be, but the final story arc featuring Hush and The Joker was worse than most fan fic.

65 NEXT WAVE #1 $2.99 MAR 28,545

I wasn't expecting a lot from this comic. Warren Ellis's straight super-hero stuff hasn't been all that good over the past few years, so I decided that this idea sounded silly and just passed it by. Then, the interwebs went nuts over it, and my local shop owner shoved it under my nose and said, “Shut up and read it.”

It's GREAT. Ellis takes a bunch of D-List Marvel heroes and puts them in a team, has them fight Fin Fang Foom, and creates the funniest comic since the old Giffen/DeMatties JLA. It's not what you're expecting, and is pure joycore. Go, read it, and see how much fun you can have with a comic book.

66 SHE-HULK 2 #4 $2.99 MAR 28,214

This is another book I missed out on for a while, since I didn't much care for the character, but have gone back and got the trades, and now get the series. It's funny, plays around with the toys in the Marvel Universe and balances the funny stuff with solid character work. Book that is better than I thought it would be and highly recommended.

67 BLACK PANTHER #12 $2.99 MAR 27,933
68 PULSE #13 $2.99 MAR 27,671

Winding down, this sequel to Alias has been a good, solid read, and never really seemed to follow through on its premise of being about the reporters who cover super-heroes. Still, a decent enough comic, but not really for new readers since it is winding down.

69 DEFENDERS #5 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 27,596

The Giffen/DeMatties humor approach on Marvel characters, with unbelievably great art by Kevin Maguire. It is a goofy sitcom set in the Marvel Universe, and while it doesn't have the deep characterization of their JLA work (which is what made it more than just a parody comic), it's still well done and highly recommended.

70 SPAWN #152 $2.95 IMA 27,247
71 BATMAN & MONSTER MEN #3 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 27,135

Matt Wagner is one of my favorite creators, and his Batman has always been among the best work on th character. This mini-series is the first of three set in the early days of the character (he's calling it Batman Year 1.5), but since it will be getting the deluxe treatment when it's done, I'll wait and get it there.

72 BATGIRL #72 $2.50 DC 26,480
73 Y THE LAST MAN #41 $2.99 DC 25,931
74 IRON MAN INEVITABLE #2 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 25,382

Since Iron Man is coming out so infrequently, Marvel decided to have a mini-series come out at the same time. Looks like no one cares, since it is selling about a third of what the main book is selling.

75 BOOKS OF DOOM #3 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 25,157
76 RUNAWAYS #12 $2.99 MAR 24,989

Another book that should be getting better sales, and is being kept alive by the trade paperback market. Solid storytelling, interesting characters and decent art don't seem to be enough to get the comic to sell well, but it's still highly recommended.

77 JONAH HEX #3 $2.99 DC 24,671

Probably a sales surprise to everyone, since Westerns don't do well anywhere. I won't say it's a hit, but it's got to be doing that DC thought it would.

78 FABLES #45 (MR) $2.75 DC 24,297
79 HAWKMAN #48 $2.50 DC 24,259
80 PUNISHER VS BULLSEYE #3 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 23,872
81 CABLE DEADPOOL #24 $2.99 MAR 23,542

Remember when Cable was the hottest character around, and he was guest-starring in everything? Those days are pretty much over, and all we're left with is a character whose back story is so confusing I DARE someone to give his origin without taking a breath, and stories that read is if they were left overs from 1994.

82 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #1 $2.99 DAR 23,486

Dark Horse has had a lot of trouble getting decent sales on their Star Wars comics, and this is the highest a Star Wars comic has charted in YEARS. While I like the two video games, it's yet another case of Dark Horse putting out a Star Wars comic without any of the characters from the main movies, which is what most people want to read. I wouldn't mind a comic set in the Star Wars Universe dealing with new characters, but when that's ALL they are putting out, I've lost interest.

83 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #199 $2.50 DC 23,461
84 ALL NEW OFF HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z #1 $3.99 MAR 23,423

Another listing of Marvel's characters and their powers. If that's what you are looking for, here it is, but I really don't have a lot of interest in how much the Black Panther can bench press.

85 NEW THUNDERBOLTS #17 $2.99 MAR 23,417
86 CATWOMAN #51 $2.50 DC 22,681
87 FIRESTORM #21 $2.50 DC 22,500
88 X-MEN COLOSSUS BLOODLINE #5 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 22,450

The trade paperback for this is already out as I type this. Kids, there is NO reason to buy a Marvel mini-series as individual comics.

89 STAR WARS PURGE ONE SHOT $2.99 DAR 22,251
90 THING #3 $2.99 MAR 21,839

I wondered just why Marvel was even publishing this comic when they announced it. The Fantastic Four isn't on a huge sales upswing, and there hasn't been a lot of demand for a solo book of the character. However, after picking up the first few issues because of a recommendation, I have to admit, it's a good comic. The first three issues form a complete story, and has a good mix of super-hero stuff and humor. It was also nice to read a comic where someone understands the character, when most writers either have the character be The Big Strong Guy and ignore the characterization that's been built up over the years. Highly recommended.

91 BATMAN JOURNEY INTO KNIGHT #6 (Of 12) $2.50 DC 21,670
92 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #26 $2.99 MAR 21,365

Canceled, and shows that the FF just wasn't hot enough to support a second book. Marvel fans are continuity freaks, and when this book came out and kind of worked in its own little universe without explaining why it wasn't following the same story lines as the main book, it was just a matter of time before it went away.

93 CAPTAIN ATOM ARMAGEDDON #4 (Of 9) $2.99 DC 21,327
94 EX MACHINA #17 (MR) $2.99 DC 21,196

Still one of the better comics on the stands, this story of a super-hero who is elected mayor of New York is completely self-contained, and has a good mix of political stories and super-hero trappings. A solid read and highly recommended.

95 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #81 $2.99 DAR 21,028
96 STREET FIGHTER II #2* $2.95 UDO 20,716
97 X-STATIX PRESENTS DEAD GIRL #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 20,685

Well, this can't be good. I LOVED X-Statix, and was excited when I heard this mini-series was coming out. It's got the same skewed sort of storytelling that made the X-Statix so a joy to read, and while it may say it's a Dead Girl mini-series, it's really a Dr. Strange story, and the best one in years. Buy it now, highly recommended!

98 ARES #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 20,541

This character is said to be a big deal, and will play a big part in Marvel's upcoming stories. No one seems to care, do they?

99 MARVEL TEAM-UP #16 $2.99 MAR 19,955

Probably Marvel's most overlooked comic, and rather than just tossing two heroes together, writer Robert Kirkman is telling stories that wouldn't fit in a single book, but run through the whole Marvel Universe. In this one, all of Marvel's heroes are killed off except a few of their lamer characters who go to the future to try and stop the fight before it happens..and it works. A solid, well-done super-hero book that deserves more attention.

100 DANGER GIRL BACK IN BLACK #3 (Of 4) $2.99 DC 19,899
101 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #82 $2.99 DAR 19,599
102 WALKING DEAD #25 (MR) $2.99 IMA 19,337

Yeah, it's another zombie comic, but it's the BEST zombie comic because it deals with how humans would deal with the aftermath of the fall of civilization by focusing on characters. It's a huge success as trade paperbacks, but I still like reading it as single issues, as writer Kirkman is a master of the cliffhanger and makes each issue feel like a whole entity. Add to that a DENSE letters page that usually runs five pages, it's worth picking up as a monthly.

103 GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE #7 $2.95 DDP 19,219
104 ASTONISHING X-MEN SAGA #1 $3.99 MAR 18,920

A recap comic. No, really, a comic that reprints panels from the 12 issue series and fills in reads on what happened. I'm amazed ANYONE bought it.

105 JLA CLASSIFIED COLD STEEL #2 (Of 2) $5.99 DC 18,558
106 RED SONJA VS THULSA DOOM #1 (Of 4) $3.50 DYN 18,333

Peter David writes Red Sonja, and I see no real different between this comic and the regular series that would account for the HUGE sales discrepancy. I liked it, and I liked it more than the regular Red Sonja series, as Peter David is simply writing a better fantasy story. Highly recommended.

107 AQUAMAN #38 $2.50 DC 18,321
108 DOC SAMSON #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 18,240
109 GOTHAM CENTRAL #39 $2.50 DC 17,778

Wrapping up all of its story lines before having two of its characters take part in The Big Crossover. It's a shame this book never caught on, since I LOVE the idea of telling the stories of cops who deal with a super-hero city, and Batman is the perfect character to do that with. The current story about a corrupt cop, and the damage he is doing could easily become pale copy of the TV show “The Shield”, but instead, it stands on its own an is well wroth reading.

110 DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #1 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 17,522

Marvel tosses these books on the market a lot, taking a couple of obscure characters and giving them a chance at a mini-series. I'd probably like this comic a lot more if the art wasn't just so damn awful. It's hard to read, and has NO sense of transition from panel to panel.

111 DESOLATION JONES #5 (MR) $2.99 DC 17,160
112 SPIDER-GIRL #94 $2.99 MAR 17,148

Canceled with issue #100, and while it's never been a huge sales success, it's pretty impressive that a Marvel book set in an alternate time line, written in an 80's style and aimed at younger readers has lasted this long. It's never been a book where I've thought it's the best book of the month, it's been a solid super-hero soap opera that reads like a late 80's Marvel book.

113 EXTERMINATORS #1 (MR) $2.99 DC 16,187
114 SOULFIRE DYING OF THE LIGHT #5 $2.99 ASP 15,801
115 RED SONJA GOES EAST ONE SHOT $4.99 DE 15,564
116 SABLE & FORTUNE #1 (Of 4) $2.99 MAR 15,451

I knew this wouldn't do very well, since neither character has seen the light of day in YEARS, but I didn't know it would tank this bad.

117 WILDCATS NEMESIS #5 (Of 9) $2.99 DC 14,983
118 ANGEL OLD FRIENDS #2 (Of 5) $3.99 IDW 14,753
119 BPRD BLACK FLAME #6 (Of 6) $2.99 DAR 14,740
120 WITCHBLADE #93 $2.99 IMA 14,696

Top Cow keep trying to get people interested in this comic by hyping that Big Things will happen and major characters will die. Just a word of advice: If we have no clue who the supporting cast is, telling us you are going to off one of them doesn't really generate a lot of interest.

121 HELLBLAZER #216 (MR) $2.75 DC 14,590
122 DMZ #3 (MR) $2.99 DC 14,503
123 NEW MANGAVERSE #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 14,403

Yeah, it didn't sell well, and most comics fans who have written about it have said “Who cares”. What they don't seem to realize is that the Mangaverse comics sell REALLY well in bookstores and through other distribution centers who have asked for more of it. So, the lesson here is: Maybe not every comic is aimed at you.

124 WITCHBLADE #94 $2.99 IMA 14,322
125 100 BULLETS #68 (MR) $2.75 DC 13,879
126 SPIDER-MAN UNLTD #13 $2.99 MAR 13,780

OK, I've been writing a LOT of negative stuff this month, but this is another gem that should be getting more attention.

127 TESTAMENT #2 (MR) $2.99 DC 13,518
128 BOOK OF LOST SOULS #4 $2.99 MAR 13,455
129 MANHUNTER #18 $2.50 DC 13,212
130 DOC FRANKENSTEIN #4* $3.50 BUR 12,994
131 DOWN #3 (Of 4) $2.99 IMA 12,526
132 SENTINEL #3 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 12,438

Marvel can't seem to figure out how many issues are in this mini-series, fluctuating between five and six, depending on which issue you get. The original mini-series had an interesting gimmick that made it a fun read, but this one focuses more on the character than the gimmick, and there isn't a whole lot to focus on. I know that this came about because the character is in The Avengers, but it's just not interesting enough to sustain another mini-series.

133 GI JOE SIGMA 6 #2 $2.95 DDP 12,114
134 TEAM ZERO #2 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 11,995
135 VIGILANTE #5 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 11,939
136 BLOOD OF THE DEMON #11 $2.50 DC 11,883

John Byrne's art on this book is better than most of his efforts from the past few years, but the comic has stripped away all of the interesting changes made over the past 30 years to revert to a bland version of the original Kirby version. Look for this comic to go away around issue 18.

137 REVELATIONS #6 (Of 6) $2.99 DAR 11,646
138 TEEN TITANS GO #27 $2.25 DC 11,609
139 GIRLS #9 (MR) $2.99 IMA 11,359
140 NICK FURY HOWLING COMMANDOS #4 $2.99 MAR 11,297

Marvel gave this book a HUFE push, and I liked the idea, but when I read the preview in their books before it came out, I couldn't force myself through the pages. The art was HORRID, and made it so that even if the comic was brilliant, I wasn't able to figure out what was going on.

141 FRESHMEN #5 (Of 6) $2.99 IMA 11,247
142 MAJESTIC #13 $2.99 DC 10,904
143 SIMPSONS COMICS #114 $2.99 BON 10,891

The best TV adaptation comic EVER. Now that the series is in a creative slump, the comic regularly comes out with better stories on a monthly basis. If you've ever like The Simpsons, the comic is well worth getting. Highly recommended.

144 ELFQUEST DISCOVERY #1 (Of 4) $3.99 DC 10,817

A new mini-series continuing the classic series. I LOVED the first 21 issues of the original series from the late 70's and early 80's, and then gradually lost interest. Now that Wendy Pini is back drawing the comic, I tried the original graphic novel from a couple of years ago, and it didn't strike my fancy, but would probably be one that fantasy fans would like.

145 LUCIFER #70 (MR) $2.75 DC 10,779
146 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #527* $2.50 MAR 10,661
147 AMAZING FANTASY #17 $2.99 MAR 10,517

Marvel's tryout book for revamps of older characters doesn't seem to have enough people interested in it to continue. This run featuring Death's Head will be the last...and I didn't like the two previous versions of Death's Head, so I am pretty sure I won't like this on.

148 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLTD #17 $2.25 DC 10,199
149 WARREN ELLIS BLACK GAS #1* $3.99 AVA 9,887

It's been a while, so people may have forgotten “Cory's Law #2”: If a writer's name is in the title of a comic, it sucks. This is yet another self-indulgent case in point.

150 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #36 (MR) $2.95 BRO 9,856
151 HARD TIME SEASON 2 #2 $2.50 DC 9,625

You can tell I'm running behind, since issue #4 of this came out, and they have already announced that #7 will be the last one. This was a book that should have gotten MUCH more attention from readers, as it was a well constructed story of a teenager with superpowers in prison that didn't turn it into a typical super-hero comic. The first “Season” is available as trade paperbacks, and you should be able to find all of the issues of this run pretty easily. Highly recommended.

152 ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #1 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 9,588
153 FALLEN ANGEL IDW #2 (Of 5) $3.99 IDW 9,588

The first series I've ever seen that was a creator owned book at DC that jumped to a different publisher when canceled. Sales are pretty much the same as they were at DC, but the book LOOKS better, with better art, and has gotten darker. It's good to see Peter David doing work this good, as there are times he will just put in about a half issues worth of story per comic, but this is one of his best works in a long time and is well worth finding, even if you didn't read the book when it was at DC. Highly Recommended.

154 CANNON HAWKE #5 $2.99 ASP 9,488
155 FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF EXILE #3 SEELEY CVR (Of 3) $4.95 DDP 9,401
156 AEON FLUX #4 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR 9,082
157 VAMPIRELLA REVELATIONS #2* $2.99 HAR 9,045

Harris has done more relaunches of Vampirella than Mariah Carey has had nervous breakdowns, and they just can't seem to get it right. This most recent one is ending with the third issue, and rumors abound that they will simply keep the character going with reprints. It's too bad that they didn't do a good job of following up on what Grant Morrison did on his relaunch, because it was the first time the character has been interesting since the original magazines.

158 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #526* $2.50 MAR 8,995
159 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #3* $2.99 MAR 8,995
160 STRANGERS IN PARADISE #79 $2.95 ABS 8,945
161 X-FACTOR #1* $2.99 MAR 8,808
162 SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #2 $2.99 MAR 8,590
163 SWAMP THING #23 (MR) $2.99 DC 8,527

Since Losers has been canceled, I would imagine that if this comic drops a bit lower, it will be canceled as well. Vertigo is having trouble keeping people interesting in their older properties, and when I look through this book, I don't see a lot to prompt me to pick it up.

164 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #21 2ND PTG VAR $2.99 MAR 8,440
165 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES #6 KURTH CVR (Of 8) $2.95 DDP 8,321
166 ROBOTECH PRELUDE TO SHADOW CHRONICLES #5 (Of 5) $3.50 DC 8,234
167 BATMAN STRIKES #17 $2.25 DC 8,172
168 LOSERS #31 (MR) $2.99 DC 8,153
169 JUSTICE #2 2ND PTG (Of 12)* $3.50 DC 7,679
170 ESCAPE OF THE LIVING DEAD #3 (Of 5) (MR)* $3.99 AVA 7,629

This is a pretty ambitious comic, as it is a sequel to Night of the Living Dead by one of the co-writers of the original. It's from Avalon, so the art isn't very good, but I'm going to struggle through it as a trade paperback. This is an interesting use of comics to do sequels to cult movies, f they can get people involved in the writing of the movies. Still, with sales at this level, it might not be worth the writing time for most screenwriters, since royalties will be pretty low. But it did have five different covers, one of which was $20 for a single 24 page comic.

171 X-MEN & POWER PACK #4 (Of 4) $2.99 MAR 7,529
172 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #158 $2.25 ARC 7,504
173 SAVAGE DRAGON #122 (RES) $2.99 IMA 7,180

The last of the original Image books done by its creator. It's impressive, and if I was a fan of Erik Larson's work, I'd prolly be happy when he gets a new issue out. Problem is, I didn't like his work back in 1993, and he hasn't changed his style at all, so I'm not buying this book.

174 VICE #4 $2.99 IMA 7,136
175 PLASTIC MAN #20 $2.99 DC 7,043

Final issue, and a damn shame. This has been one of DC's best books, with Kyle Baker bringing the character back to his comedy roots, and giving us one of the funniest comics of the past 10 years. Add to that Baker's excellent cartooning, and you had a comic that should have sold a lot better, and in a different marketplace would have been a huge hit. Go buy the trades to see what I mean.

176 INFINITE CRISIS #3 (Of 7) $3.99 DC 6,918
177 MARVEL SPOTLIGHT WARREN ELLIS & JIM CHEUNG $2.99 MAR 6,843
178 GEORGE ROMEROS LAND OF THE DEAD #5 (Of 5) $3.99 IDW 6,562

Still don't see the need for comics adaptations of movies. I saved my money and bought the DVD from Blockbuster used for the price of two issues of this comic

179 PURGATORI (DDP) #3 (MR) $2.95 CHA 6,419
180 MARVEL ADVS SPIDER-MAN #11 $2.50 MAR 6,107

The Marvel Adventure comics are aimed at kids, and sell fairly well outside of comic shops. I don't care for it, but then again, I'm not the audience.

181 USAGI YOJIMBO #90 $2.99 DAR 5,957
182 CITY OF HEROES #9 $2.99 IMA 5,882
183 METAL GEAR SOLID SONS OF LIBERTY #3 $3.99 IDW 5,658
184 MASTERS OF HORROR #1 (Of 12) $3.99 IDW 5,471
185 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #110 (NOTE PRICE) $4.99 KZR 5,365

This has been one of my favorite comics for a long time, and I recommend it every month. No difference this month, and even with the price hike, it's more of a 100 page magazine than a regular comic, so if you are a gamer, you'll devour the whole thing.

186 MARVEL ADVS FANTASTIC FOUR #8 $2.50 MAR 4,834
187 JON SABLE FREELANCE BLOODLINE #6 (Of 6) $3.99 IDW 4,803

Another comic returning from the 80's, and another comic I'd pick up if it wasn't 4 an issue. I'll get the trade, since Mike Grell is a great artist, and I have always liked his work on Jon Sable, but $4 for 24 pages of comics is insanely expensive.

188 UNCLE SCROOGE #350 $6.95 GEM 4,766
189 BART SIMPSON COMICS #27 $2.99 BON 4,747
190 SHONEN JUMP FEB 06 #38 $4.99 VIZ 4,735

This book sells around 300,000 in newsstand sales and in subscriptions. It's selling BETTER than it did a few months ago, but it's still not selling well in comic shops. I would imagine that if kids knew that shops had it (and back issues) you could get them to visit comic shops to pick it up.

191 LOCAL #3 (Of 12) (MR) $2.99 ONI 4,703
192 HAUNTED MANSION #2 $2.95 SLG 4,641

After a PAINFULLY horrible movie based on this property, I wasn't expecting much from this comic, but it had a nice talent line-up so I tried it. I'm glad I did, as it is a collection of short horror stories that are suitable for older kids, but done well enough that I liked reading it. It's also densely done, so it read like a double sized comic, even though it isn't. Highly recommended.

193 GODLAND #6 $2.95 IMA 4,522

There's a better review of this book directly below, since they shipped two issues in a single month and I'm working from the bottom up.

194 X-MEN DEADLY GENESIS #2 (Of 6) $3.50 MAR 4,485
195 SUPER BAD JAMES DYNOMITE #1 $3.99 IDW 4,454
196 SCOOBY DOO #104 $2.25 DC 4,454
197 13TH SON WORSE THING WAITING #3 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR 4,441
198 DONALD DUCK & FRIENDS #336 $2.95 GEM 4,435
199 GODLAND #7 $2.95 IMA 4,435

I missed out on the first few issues, and decided to pick up the first trade. This is WONDERFULLY inventive stuff. It's drawn in a faux Kirby style, and rather than feeling like swipes, it defines the kind of story being told, a big cosmic story that would have fit in well with Kirby's late 70's output. It's got cool imagery, a big story an each issue reads like a separate part of a much larger story. Highly recommended.

200 SEA OF RED #8 (MR) $2.99 IMA 4,379
201 X-MEN DEADLY GENESIS #1 (Of 6)* $3.99 MAR 4,198
202 NOBLE CAUSES #16 $3.50 IMA 4,154

Another comic that would probably sell better if it wasn't over $3. I buy it as trade paperbacks, and it is a decent super-hero soap opera that leans on the idea of a super-hero family pretty heavily, but there's nothing here that screams “Must Buy!”

203 IRON GHOST #5 (Of 6) $2.99 IMA 4,073
204 MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #285 $2.95 GEM 4,061
205 POWERPUFF GIRLS #70 $2.25 DC 3,961
206 REX MUNDI #16 $2.99 IMA 3,936
207 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #665 $6.95 GEM 3,917

Another comic where the price point is KILLING sales. It's a 48 page comic for $7, which boils down to a comic that costs more than renting two DVDs and gives you about 20 minutes of reading. If it were thicker for the price (say 64 or 72 pages) I'd be recommending this book, since Disney comics are usually very good, and always better than their movies, but at this price point, it's a pass.

208 LULLABY #2 $2.99 ALI 3,886
209 INFINITE CRISIS #2 (Of 7) $3.99 DC 3,818
210 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #109 (MR) $2.99 DAR 3,737
211 SILENT HILL DEAD ALIVE #2 (Of 5) (MR) $3.99 IDW 3,624
212 SHADOWPLAY #4 $3.99 IDW 3,599
213 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #25 $2.95 MIR 3,450
214 PACT #4 (Of 4) $2.99 IMA 3,450
215 PHANTOM #9 $3.50 MNS 3,344
216 GOLD DIGGER #71 $2.99 ANT 3,312
217 ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN #3* $2.99 DC 3,225
218 CASEFILES SAM & TWITCH #21 (RES) (MR) $2.50 IMA 3,219

When Bendis wrote this book about 4 years ago, it was selling in the top 100. Now, it will go months between issues and doesn't sell. You make your own call on that, but I think that the comic should have folded up shop when he left.

219 WOLVERINE #37 $2.50 MAR 3,150
220 MAZE AGENCY #2 (Of 4) $3.99 IDW 3,106

I loved this comic back in the 80's, but I haven't picked up the re-launch because I feel that paying $4 for a regular color comic is a price that's just too high for what you get.

221 MARVEL MILESTONES BLOODSTONE X-51 & CAPTAIN MARVEL II $4.99 MAR 3,075

Marvel keeps trying these reprint books to have some background available for characters when they use them in newer books. I have bought some of them, mostly because I like picking up reprints of books I don't have, but sales like this have to be losing money for Marvel, even if they aren't paying any reprint fees.

222 TALES OF TMNT #18 $3.25 MIR 2,894
223 TALES OF TMNT #19 $3.25 MIR 2,882
224 SPIDER-WOMAN ORIGIN #1 (Of 6)* $2.99 MAR 2,838
225 SEASON OF THE WITCH #3 (Of 4) $3.50 IMA 2,720
226 JUSTICE #3 (Of 12) $3.50 DC 2,664
227 RISING STARS VOICES OF THE DEAD #6 (Of 6) $2.99 IMA 2,657

I REALLY hope these are re-order numbers, because if they aren't, Top Cow's plan to continue this book with mini-series not by JMS has fallen directly on it's ace. These are DISASTEROUS sales for a full color comic that got a huge push from Image.

228 FRANK MILLERS ROBOCOP #9 (MR)* $3.99 AVA 2,639

Only two years late, this mini-series went back and adapted Frank Miller's original script for Robocop 2. As with all of the other books from Avalon, it might have a good story, but the art is so poorly done for black and white, it looks like they had planned to do it in color, didn't, and you can't quite tell what's going on without it. Add to that how late it is, and I don't know anything about it. Waiting for the trade.

229 LOONEY TUNES #134 $2.25 DC 2,601
230 ARCHIE #563 $2.25 ARC 2,520
231 MARLENE #1 (A) $3.95 SLG 2,520
232 TICK DAYS OF DRAMA #4 $3.95 NEW 2,476

Since the creator of this book took off for TV, NEC has tried over and over to keep the character in comics, but The Tick is such an oddly personal creation, that I think it's silly for them to keep trying to get new series featuring the character to succeed. I'm obviously not the only one.

233 POLLY & PIRATES #3 (Of 6) $2.99 ONI 2,427
234 JUSTICE #1 3RD PTG (Of 12) $2.99 DC 2,308
235 SMALL GODS #12 $2.99 IMA 2,283
236 NEW AVENGERS #14 $2.50 MAR 2,283
237 NIGHTMARES & FAIRY TALES #15 (MR) $2.95 SLG 2,227

One of my favorite comics, by the writer of Gloomcookie, this is serializing her new graphic novel. It's probably still best read as a trade, but this is a comic that seems to understand that each chapter needs to feel like enough of a read on its own to work as a comic. As it all of her stuff, it's a mix of magic, fairy tale and modern horror that works. Highly recommended.

238 NITROGEN #1 REG ED $3.99 JAY 2,165
239 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #97 $2.25 ARC 2,127
240 INFINITE CRISIS #1 (Of 7) $3.99 DC 2,121
241 VERONICA #167 $2.25 ARC 2,108
242 SHOJO BEAT FEB 06 VOL 2 #2 $5.99 VIZ 2,071

This is a manga anthology that is aimed at young teenage girls. I'm kind of amazed it sells this many copies in the direct market, since I haven't seen a teenage girl in a comic shop that wasn't asked for directions to a store with a lot of manga in years.

243 BETTY #153 $2.25 ARC 2,040
244 CATWOMAN #50 $2.50 DC 2,034
245 RUNES OF RAGNAN #2 (Of 4) $3.50 IMA 2,021
246 PRELUDE TO INFINITE CRISIS $5.99 DC 2,002

A cheap trade paperback that reprints a lot of the stories and one page bits that led up to the big crossover. There is really only one complete story in this book (the Flash/Wonder Woman crossover) and the rest is a lot of “See this panel!” sort of thing.

247 PS238 #14 $2.99 DOR 1,952
248 CHICANOS #3 $3.99 IDW 1,859
249 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #17 $2.25 DC 1,797
250 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #139 $3.59 ARC 1,772
251 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #3 $2.99 ZEN 1,734

Zen is the company that comes out with “Zen, Intergalactic Ninja”, which has been a sales failure since the late 80's when they FIRST tried it. It's good that they are finally trying something else, but these books look like badly drawn soft-core porn.

252 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #73 $2.25 ARC 1,734
253 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #100 $3.59 ARC 1,690
254 BONE REST #7 (MR) $2.99 IMA 1,609
255 BATMAN #648 $2.50 DC 1,609
256 GOLD DIGGER COLOR REMIX #1 (Of 4) $2.99 ANT 1,603
257 YOUNG AVENGERS SPECIAL #1 $3.99 MAR 1,597

More reorders for a book that is a lot better than I thought it since the first would be. This is a “getting up to speed” issue that covers the origins and back stories of the main characters, but has enough information that people who've been reading since the first issue should read it as well.

258 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #167 $3.59 ARC 1,578
259 DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES WALPOLE CVR B #6 (Of 8) $5.95 DDP 1,572
260 AG SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #25 (A) $4.99 ICA 1,566
261 YENNY #2 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99 ALI 1,559
262 AG SUPER EROTIC ANTHOLOGY #26 (A) $4.99 ICA 1,528
263 LITTLE GLOOMYS SUPER SCARY MONSTER SHOW #3 $2.95 SLG 1,522
264 SURROGATES #4 (Of 5) $2.95 TOP 1,516
265 SUPERMAN BATMAN #23 $2.99 DC 1,478

Might as well get the re-orders, since this book is so horribly late, no one can remember what the story is about.

266 FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF EXILE #3 WALPOLE CVR (Of 3) $8.95 DDP 1,472

If you've wondered why so many different comic book companies have had the rights to do D&D, but none of them have stuck with it, sales like this are the reason why. I wonder if this gets into gaming stores and picks up some more sales there, but even with the $9 price tag, these sales for something this well known is horrible.

267 TALES FROM RIVERDALE DIGEST #8 $2.39 ARC 1,404
268 SCHIZO #4 (RES) (MR) $9.95 FAN 1,397
269 VICE #1* $2.99 IMA 1,372
270 AMAZING JOY BUZZARDS VOL 2 #4 $2.99 IMA 1,372
271 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #26 $2.50 MAR 1,366
272 SPUNKY KNIGHT XXX #5 (A) $3.95 ERO 1,366
273 ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 $2.99 DC 1,354

Wow...reorders of a book at least two months old. I think the All Star Superman comic is going to be one that builds over time, unlike the Batman one which sell BIG the first weeks but has little to no re-order activity.

274 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #20 2ND PTG VAR $2.99 MAR 1,322
275 LOVELESS #3 (MR) $2.99 DC 1,304
276 LITTLE STAR #6 (Of 6) $2.99 ONI 1,297
277 MILK #50 (A) $3.50 RAD 1,279
278 TESTAMENT #1 (MR) $2.99 DC 1,273

These are re-orders for a new Vertigo series. It's pretty significant when the re-orders come to almost 10% of initial sales. Like every other new Vertigo series, I'm going to wait and see when it gets to trades, since you can't tell if the series will be any good from a first issue anymore. Hell, you can't tell what the story is going to be from the first issue of most Vertigo books any more.

279 DEVILS KEEPER #3 $2.99 ALI 1,248
280 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #88 $2.50 MAR 1,229
281 JUGHEAD & FRIENDS DIGEST #8 $2.39 ARC 1,223
282 SUPREME POWER HYPERION #3 (Of 5) (MR) $2.99 MAR 1,216
283 A1 MISTER MONSTER WHO WATCHES GARBAGEMEN SP $6.99 ATO 1,204

A1 needs to figure out a way to get the word out better, since I am a big Mr. Monster fan, and had no idea this book was coming out. It's always been my problem with the comics business, there are SO many books coming out, it's hard to know what all is going to hit the market. Now I have to try and FIND the damn thing.

284 GENERATION M #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 1,198
285 METADOCS TYPE A #1 $2.99 ANT 1,185
286 GREEN LANTERN CORPS RECHARGE #3 (Of 6) $2.99 DC 1,179
287 X-MEN #180 $2.50 MAR 1,173
288 STREET FIGHTER II #2 POWER FOIL VRIENS CVR $12.50 UDO 1,160
289 ATOMIKA #6 (Of 12) $2.99 MER 1,154
290 JOHNNY THE HOMICIDAL MANIAC #6 $2.95 SLG 1,148

This has been in print for at least 15 years, and has been in a trade paperback for as long. I guess the people who like this book REALLY like it. Myself, I've tried reading it a few times and just can't make it through the horrible lettering.

291 OZ MANGA #7 (Of 8) $2.99 ANT 1,123
292 SEX WARRIOR ISANE XXX #9 (A) $3.95 ERO 1,067
293 FURRLOUGH #154 $3.50 RAD 1,067
294 SPIDER-MAN BLACK CAT EVIL THAT MEN DO #5 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 1,060
295 ED THE HAPPY CLOWN #4 (Of 9) (MR) $2.95 DRA 1,029

This is one of those comics that I'm kind of amazed it exists, let alone sells. This reprints a VERY odd series from the 80's that has been in print as a trade paperback for at least 15 years, and the artist is going back and fixing problems with it. I didn't much care for it, feeling that it was just TOO weird, and the story didn't hold together, but selling 1000 copies of a reprint comic that didn't sell that well in the first place is a bit impressive.

296 GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE #3 2ND PTG $2.95 DDP 954
297 ULTIMATE X-MEN FANTASTIC FOUR SP $2.99 MAR 954
298 SINS OF THE FALLEN #2 NIGHTSTALKER (Of 5) $2.99 ZEN 954
299 REAR ENTRY #11 (A) $3.95 ERO 929
300 TWILIGHT X WAR #2 (Of 7) $2.99 ANT 929

And that's it!

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