The Top 300 Selling Comics Books For September 2004

This list comes from digging through sales figures, asking too many questions and using Diamond Comics information. The snotty comments in white are from deep in Cory's sick twisted little brain.

1 SUPERMAN BATMAN #12 $2.95 DC 139,516

Continuing the new Supergirl story, and while I am not a big fan of the art, the story is a lot of fun. They are bringing back the "Classic" Supergirl, with a new origin that mirrors the original, it's a very good story, and a must read for DC super-hero fans. For non-comics fans....they throw a LOT of characters at you with no explanation, and all of the women look exactly the same, so you may want to think twice.

2 ASTONISHING X-MEN #5 $2.99 MAR 131,552

Even though this is the 5th part of a story, and there are a lot of references to past events, the book works on its own. It is an amazing read, powerful, and yet entertaining, reminding me of the best episodes of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." With super-hero art that makes it all seem like you are watching a movie, this comic is highly recommended.

3 IDENTITY CRISIS #4 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 128,837

Do I have to keep complaining about this book? This is the big "heroes fight a bunch of villains, and characters get knocked off" issue, and not a single one of the deaths has any drama whatsoever. This is the first issue of this comic that is just a big mess, whereas previous issues have been well-writen, but a poor plot. Avoid.

4 SUPERMAN #209 $2.50 DC 116,827

Yes, I have given up on the Jim Lee Superman story. So that's a bad review.

5 ULTIMATE X-MEN #51 $2.25 MAR 94,965
6 UNCANNY X-MEN #448 $2.25 MAR 94,708

Chris Claremont has taken this book back to the top selling regular X-Men comic, and while Chuck Austin wrote it, it was dropping down the charts. Claremont's work hasn't changed in years, so there's really no way to review it. The art is SUPPOSED to be by Alan Davis, but hasn't been, and since Claremont is very dependent upon his artists, this hasn't been all that good.

7 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #65 $2.25 MAR 94,174

Finishing up the Carnage arc, which has been the most shocking stuff that Bendis has done on the book. Unlike other "big shocking events" this one came out of nowhere, was done with tact and taste, and has made for a great story. Bendis understands what makes Spider-Man work more than any writer in recent memory, and this comic is, as always, highly recommended.

8 UNCANNY X-MEN #449 $2.25 MAR 93,839
9 AVENGERS #502 (#87) $2.25 MAR 93,105
10 AVENGERS #501 (#86) (Note Price) $2.25 MAR 91,054

The big "Avengers Dissaembled" arc has pissed off most of the on-line fanboys because of the destruction, death and the like. I like it. The art is VERY well done, the story feels like things are falling apart, and there is more that just "let's kill off some minor characters" to what is going on. While it is not the best introduction to the characters, it IS a story that I'm interested in, and recommend.

11 X-MEN #161 $2.25 MAR 90,591
12 X-MEN #162 $2.25 MAR 89,878

Funny how, when Chuck Austin switched from Uncanny X-Men to New X-Men, the sales on New X-Men quickly dropped to the level they were at on Uncanny. His run on the X-Men has been sputtering to a halt, and will probably be pretty much forgotten when it is over. I'm one who is all for forgetting it.

13 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #11 $2.25 MAR 87,620

Warren Ellis may piss and moan all the time about writing super-heroes, but his run on this book is shaping up to be very entertaining. A nice mix of humor and action, this is one of the better in the "each story is written to read better as a trade paperback" series, and is highly recommended.

14 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512 $2.25 MAR 87,236

Oh your God, this is bad. This is Clone Saga bad. This is Bob Harris on the Avengers Bad. The plot, such that it is, is that at some point, Gwen Stacy slept with the Green Goblin, had two kids, and now they are all grown up and want to kill Spider-Man. I won't get into the continuity issues, or how this is retroactive continuity at its worst. I'll just say that the comic is a gawdawful mess of over-angsting dialogue, endless exposition, and makes characters who were interesting out to be complete idiots. I wish I could say that if you ignore it long enough it will go away, but they have already announced a sequel to the story in another Spider-Man comic, so it looks like we'll have to put up with it for a while.

15 ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE #2 (Of 5) $2.25 MAR 87,221
16 X-MEN END BK 1 DREAMERS & DEMONS #3 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 84,001
17 WOLVERINE END #5 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 79,578

ANYONE who buys Marvel mini-series is just committed to reading books on a serialized basis, since they usually announce the trade paperback before the final issue comes out, or the month OF the final issue. I just buy the trades, as they are easier to read, easier to store and generally less of a pain in the ass. And you won't have to wait 6 months for the end of the story like the people buying this off the stands.

18 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #6 $2.99 MAR 71,492

This issue was by "Liberty Meadows" artist Frank Cho, and as such, the women in it are just amazingly well drawn. The story isn't really much good, however, as it is setting up that EVERYONE ON THE PLANET knows Spider-Man's secret identity, and just seems to tumble from one big cliffhanger to the next. Recommended for fans who like well-drawn women.

19 BATMAN #632 $2.25 DC 71,236

Another part of the "War Games" story, which isn't hanging together for me very well. There are a lot of them this month, and they'll all get a bit of a "whatever" as their review, as I have yet to read a Big Batman Crossover that was a great story.

20 WOLVERINE #19 $2.25 MAR 65,046

The last issue by Greg Rucka, and while it's a bad idea to just show up and get the end of a story, this has been the best run on the character in his own book that I've ever read. Highly recommended.

21 TEEN TITANS #16 $2.50 DC 64,177
22 TEEN TITANS #15 $2.50 DC 63,136

Again (and I'm sick of writing this) a perfectly average super-hero team book, and recommended for those who want to read that sort of thing.

23 JLA #105 $2.25 DC 60,836

Chuck Austin gets a lot of crap for his writing (and some of it is well deserved), but this loose collection of stories about the different JLA members has worked for me. A group of one issue stories about each character confronting a failure on their part, it's been well-written and worth reading. Mildly recommended.

24 STRANGE #1 $3.50 MAR 59,974

JMS FINALLY gets his Dr. Strange mini-series after having stories tie into it for the past year or so. It's a reworking of the character's origin, and a four issue mini-series, which means it will be collected in a trade about two weeks after the last issue comes out.

25 JLA #106 $2.25 DC 59,838

See my review for JLA 105.

26 DAREDEVIL #65 ANNV SP (Note Price) $3.99 MAR 56,547

This has been an excellent comic for so long, it's almost boring to write about it. Bendis is doing a story that goes back to the dark, pulp roots of Daredevil, while the art is sketchy, jagged and captures the mood of a 40's crime photograph perfectly. Highly recommended and the start of a new story arc, so this is a good issue to pick up to see if you like the series.

27 ULTIMATE ELEKTRA #2 (Of 5) $2.25 MAR 54,296
28 EXCALIBUR #5 $2.99 MAR 53,776

Oh Dear Koresh this is a horrid little piece of crap. Marvel knows it too, since they are putting out work that the Big Summer Crossover is going to start with this comic. It doesn't make it any better.

29 DAREDEVIL #64 $2.99 MAR 52,259

Wrapping up a great story with witty writing, excellent art, and tight plotting. An amazingly good comic, but hard to understand if you haven't read the previous issues.

30 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #19 $2.25 MAR 51,874

Another horridly bad comic, this one has Spider-Man turning into a big spider. No, I'm not kidding. Just too damn stupid to be believed.

31 X-FORCE #2 $2.99 MAR 50,991

Which means that there are 51,000 people who actually like the crap that Rob Liefeld passes off as art. I need to know who these people are so that I can go to their home, smack them in the face with a rolled up copy of "Youngblood" and yell "Bad fan! No more piddling on the marketplace!"

32 FANTASTIC FOUR #518 $2.99 MAR 48,939

Simple the best run this comic has seen since the 80's. Another great issue, this one tying into the Avengers story in some way I don't quite grasp yet...but in the end, who cares. A great comic that has the kind of "Big Screen" sytuff that Lee and Kirby used to have in the comic. Highly recommended.

33 DETECTIVE COMICS #798 $2.95 DC 48,782
34 NEW X-MEN #5 $2.99 MAR 48,526

Not REALLY New X-Men so much as an updated version of The New Mutants, and a well done little comic. I wish it was a lower price, since it is a bit lightweight for the $3 price tag, but mildly recommended for super-hero fans.

35 GAMBIT #1 $2.99 MAR 46,994

Isn't this the third or fourth series featuring Gambit? Have I mentioned lately how much I hate Gambit? How he's a collection of stereotypes wrapped with fake comic book "mystery", and a concept about as deep as a mud puddle in my yard? I am putting this one in the dead pool at 18 issues.

36 CONAN #8 $2.99 DAR 46,339

A HUGE success for Dark Horse, and it shows that the character still had a lot of life left in it, even after Marvel spent the 80's treating it as "The Comic For People To Write And Draw That We're Too Lazy To Fire." I prefer it as trade paperbacks, simply because that's how I prefer to read my comics, but it's still a good read as individual monthly books, and has some of the best art in comics. Highly recommended.

37 NIGHTCRAWLER #1 $2.99 MAR 45,491

I liked this book. It's written in the "all first issues are the first part of a six part story" that Marvel seems to do, but the art by Darrik Robinson is just amazing, and the story gives enough hints at interesting things coming that you want to read more of it. Highly recommended.

38 ROBIN #130 $2.25 DC 45,406
39 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #57 $2.50 DC 44,914

Tie-ins to War Games. Unreadable without reading the other bajillion comics that tie into it.

40 VENOM VS CARNAGE #3 (Of 4) $2.99 MAR 44,864
41 WANTED #5 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99 IMA 44,644
42 HULK & THING HARD KNOCKS #1 (Of 4) $3.50 MAR 44,302

This is taking the part of the regular Hulk comic for four months. I hate Jae Lee's artwork, so I won't be able to slog my way through it. It's also pretty annoying that they jacked the price another 50 cents an issue just because they wanted to push it as a mini-series. Up your, Marvel.

43 FLASH #214 $2.25 DC 44,124
44 NIGHTWING #97 $2.25 DC 44,038

More tie-ins.

45 PUNISHER #11 (MR) $2.99 MAR 44,038

Garth Ennis's Punisher stories have been consistently excellent, and this issue is no exception. A tight action comic that is well worth the money.

46 ACTION COMICS #819 $2.50 DC 42,385

Chuck Austin's Superman stuff has been one of his better series, pretty much being straight ahead super-hero stuff with not much else to get in the way. It's not a deep or meaningful story, but if you are looking for two guys in tights bashing the hell out of each other, this comic delivers.

47 JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE #3 (Of 12) $2.50 DC 42,321
48 OUTSIDERS #15 $2.50 DC 42,186

Another perfectly average super-hero team book.

49 GREEN LANTERN #181 $2.25 DC 41,531

Last issue, until it restarts with Hal Jordan in a few months. Ron Marz came back and did his "last Kyle story" for a second time, and this one was just as bad as all of his others. Reading through it, it REALLY shows that the man has issues with women, and they surface constantly in his writing. It's also telling that Kyle Raynor became an interesting character once Marz was no longer writing him, proving that it's not the character, it's the creator.

50 JSA #65 $2.50 DC 41,459

This should be selling better, as it is DC's best Super-Hero book, by far. The creators juggle a large cast with skill, and make each story seem like it is important, not just a way to fill 22 pages. Highly recommended.

51 OUTSIDERS #16 $2.50 DC 41,374
52 BATMAN LEGENDS O/T DARK KNIGHT #183 $2.50 DC 41,174

More tie ins to War Games. Yep, there's 8 of them this month.

53 CATWOMAN WHEN IN ROME #1 (Of 6) $3.50 DC 40,206

A new mini-series by Loeb and Sale, who did the excellent "Dark Halloween" mini-series. However, their stuff doesn't work for me as individual issues, as they are written and drawn to be collected in a book, and read much better that way. So, again, I'm waiting. And every time I say that, John Byrne dies a little inside.

54 GAMBIT #2 $2.99 MAR 40,013

First issue sold 47,000, second issue loses 15% of its sales. Even if it stems the flow of readers leaving, it'll be down around 30,000 by issue #12.

55 BATGIRL #56 $2.50 DC 39,493

Yet another War Games Tie-in. Deal with it.

56 DOCTOR SPECTRUM #2 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99 MAR 39,244
57 GI JOE VS TRANSFORMERS VOL 2 #1* $4.95 DDP 39,016

Dear Koresh, not again. Why do they keep doing this? Why do people keep buying this? Why am I three months late posting this?

58 BLACK WIDOW #1 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 38,653
59 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #10 $2.99 MAR 38,318
60 ADVS O/SUPERMAN #632 $2.50 DC 38,111

Greg Rucka was a strange fit on Superman, but I was willing to give him a chance. The problem is that it looks like he just isn't suited for writing Superman, and his stories have been bland, at best. I love Rucka on most things, but this just reads like he's trying to wedge Superman into stories that don't quite fit.

61 ARMY O/DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #2 (MR) $2.99 DDP 37,940
62 PULSE #5 $2.99 MAR 37,812

Highly Recommended! A GREAT comic that doesn't seem to have a "main character", but deals with situations around the Daily Bugle, from the Spider-Man series. There are a number of characters that I really like, and the series has the freedom to deal with any and all of them. The important thing, however, is that it's a great story, and seems to be cleaning up all of the "Green Goblin" mess that other writers have left in trying to do stories featuring him.

63 CATWOMAN #35 $2.50 DC 37,784

Another War Games tie-in.

64 THOR #84 $2.99 MAR 37,342

One of the good side effects of the "Avengers Disassembled" crossover is that a lot of long-running Marvel books are getting shaken up, none moreso than Thor. The story may be another version of Ragnarock (the end of the Gods), but this one is based more on mythology than Stan Lee, and is highly recommended.

65 CAPTAIN AMERICA #31 $2.99 MAR 37,128

A solid action story that goes for the Big Shock Endings to each issue, and is fun enough that I don't mind the "fake cliffhanger" aspect of it. The best thing about this book under the current team is that they treat Captain America like a man out of time, but still comfortable with himself. A lot of fun to read, and an old-style super-hero comic. Highly recommended.

66 EXILES #52 $2.99 MAR 36,245

This book is pure fanfiction. A bunch of alternate universe X-Men minor characters as a team going to different "What If?" versions of the Marvel Universe. Fun for people who get all the references, a pain in the ass to everyone else.

67 ROGUE #3 $2.99 MAR 34,934
68 BULLSEYE GREATEST HITS #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 34,371
69 MADROX #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 33,752

Peter David, back on the X-Factor characters he made so much fun, this time in a noir/mystery setting. Well written, a lot of fun, and highly recommended.

70 JLA SECRET FILES 2004 $4.95 DC 33,595
71 TRANSFORMERS WAR WITHIN VOL 3 #1* $2.95 DRE 33,502

And each new #1 for The Transformers ends up lower on the sales charts. If the trend continues, they might not even be able to crack the top 100 soon. So much for that big "80's nostalgia" crazy that Wizard was pushing a couple of years ago.

72 POWERS #4 (MR) $2.95 MAR 33,046

Now that it's past the first issues, Powers is settling back down to its previous numbers. This is a great comic, and I'm glad Marvel gave it a chance to get new readers. A police procedural set in a super-hero universe, with the best dialogue in comics, and highly recommended.

73 IRON MAN #88 $2.99 MAR 32,932
74 INVADERS #2 $2.99 MAR 32,576

If anything, the second issue was worse than the first. Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to start a team based on WWII heroes, and then have every character be utterly unlikeable? I could ALMOST deal with that aspect of it if the stories were any good. But they aren't.

75 BIRDS O/PREY #73 $2.50 DC 32,070
76 TRANSFORMERS GENERATION ONE VOL 3 #8 $2.95 DRE 31,942
77 BIRDS O/PREY #74 $2.50 DC 31,835
78 GREEN ARROW #42 $2.50 DC 31,714

At one point, this was a top ten comic. Judd Winnik is doing a decent job, it's just a very special comic anymore, and I read it more out of momentum than desire. It's pretty much an average comic, neither so bad you want to drop it, nor good enough that you want to recommend it.

79 IDENTITY DISC #4 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 31,643

A lot of people complained about this comic when it came out, saying it was leeching off of the publicity of Identity Crisis...but as I read it, it's pretty clear that this is a better comic book. It's the story of a person who gathers up a bunch of Marvel's villains, and blackmails them into breaking into a secure facility. The characters are sharply drawn, the story is well paced, and as I read it, I have no idea what is coming next, but I need to know. Highly recommended.

80 JUBILEE #1 $2.99 MAR 31,287
81 FATHOM DAWN O/WAR #1 (RES) $2.99 ASP 31,073
82 ADAM STRANGE #1 (Of 8) $2.95 DC 30,895

All three of these number ones show up in the same place on the sales charts. The interesting thing about them is that Jubilee is prolly considered a failure because it is from Marvel, Adam Strange is prolly a hit for DC, and Fathom is by the artist who has the number one comic this month, proving that people want to see hot artists work on characters they know. While Adam Strange is a mini-series, I'm betting it will last longer than Jubilee.

83 SPAWN #138 (RES) $2.50 IMA 30,817

Ouch. I wonder if Todd McFarlane is regretting having to resolisit his comic? OK, it's not his comic in that he works on it, more that it's his comic because he owns it and make all of the money off of it. And no one reads this comic any more. They may BUY it, but no one READS it.

84 POWERLESS #4 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 30,361
85 CABLE DEADPOOL #7 $2.99 MAR 30,325
86 AMAZING FANTASY #4 $2.99 MAR 30,325
87 MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 DAREDEVIL #1 $2.99 MAR 29,784
88 MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 PUNISHER #1 $2.99 MAR 29,007

Another of the big One Month Special bunch of comics that DC and Marvel try from time to time. They never seem to do very well, and I skipped them because they will be available as a trade paperback in about two months.

89 DISTRICT X #5 $2.99 MAR 28,979

I love this comic, even though I am not a fan of the character Bishop. This is a good police procedural (yep, another one) set in a Mutant filled slum. VERY well done, and worthy of your attention. Highly recommended.

90 CAPTAIN AMERICA & FALCON #7 $2.99 MAR 28,886

Even with the tie-in to Disassembled, people just aren't interested in Christopher Priest's version of Captain America. I picked up these issues for the tie-in, and it was a solid little super-hero story, but it still felt like I was walking into the middle of someone else's party where people were having a fight and I was trying to figure out what was going on. VERY unfriendly to new readers.

91 ELEKTRA HAND #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 28,694
92 JSA STRANGE ADVS #2 (Of 6) $3.50 DC 28,594

This is a mini-series I would have bought if it was at a decent price, but at $3.50 for a regular sized comic, it's just too expensive, so I'll buy it as a collected trade.

93 MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 MUTANT #1 $2.99 MAR 28,160
94 EMMA FROST #15 $2.99 MAR 27,412
95 GI JOE #34* $2.95 DDP 26,934

And the 80's nostalgia crazy continues to die.

96 Y THE LAST MAN #26 (MR) $2.95 DC 26,735
97 WONDER WOMAN #208 $2.25 DC 26,628
98 FIRESTORM #5 $2.50 DC 26,429
99 DOOM PATROL #4 $2.50 DC 26,101

This is the Big John Byrne Exciting Comic that no one could possibly care less about. Just a note to Mr. Byrne (since I know the people on his message board fan out over the internet to find people who speak disparaging words about him): You can't slack off and produce crappy half-assed comics for about 12 years and expect people to still jump when you prod them to buy your comics. I tried. I really did, but the crap you shoveled out on Wonder Woman and Spider-Man finally made it so I just won't pick up your work anymore. I read that this comic has been renewed until at least #18. Well, if sales are in this range by #4, this comic will be losing money by issue #10.

100 ELEKTRA HAND #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 25,638
101 MYSTIQUE #19 $2.99 MAR 25,467
102 DC NEW FRONTIER #6 (Of 6) $6.95 DC 25,410

This was a great mini-series. Excellent art by Darwin Cooke, a story that places the Silver Age heroes of DC in their proper historical context and yet didn't feel like yet another re-hash of old Silver Age stories. This was an amazingly good mini-series, is highly recommended, and I wish I would have just given it a try with the first issue instead of waiting until the third was on the stands.

103 SHE HULK #7 $2.99 MAR 25,303
104 WEAPON X #28 $2.99 MAR 25,196

Last issue, and even though there was an on-line campaign to save it, it's an X-Men related comic with Wolverine and Sabretooth in it, and it can't break 30K? It was well done, but just didn't tell stories people are interested in.

105 MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 BLACK PANTHER #1 $2.99 MAR 25,139
106 FABLES #29 (MR) $2.50 DC 25,025
107 WARLOCK #1 $2.99 MAR 24,890

Oh your God, that is a horrid little debut. I don't think Marvel will keep this comic going on for very long with sales this low. And like a lot of Marvel's revivals of older 2nd tier characters, it was a completely new approach with indy style art, and the people who buy those don't buy Marvel #1s.

108 VENOM #18 $2.99 MAR 24,762

Another last issue, and this one HAS to hurt the creative team, since the first issue was in the top ten. The ONLY reason sales fall this low is because people read the book and didn't like it.

109 MARVEL KNIGHTS 2099 INHUMANS #1 $2.99 MAR 24,612
110 TRANSFORMERS MICROMASTERS #3 (Of 4) $2.95 DRE 24,199
111 MAJESTIC #2 (Of 4) $2.95 DC 24,163
112 SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #5 $2.99 MAR 24,156

Sadly, this is about the best you can expect with this kind of series. It's a series of short stories by new or new to Marvel talent featuring Spider-Man. I love these books, and Marvel, to their credit, keeps trying them, but they never seem to sell well. This is another solid issue, giving a couple of great Spider-Man stories. Highly recommended.

113 HAWKMAN #32 $2.50 DC 23,729
114 AQUAMAN #22 $2.50 DC 23,358

Sadly, I think this is about the best a second tier DC title can do without a big name creative team, as there just aren't that many people who are interested in these characters.

115 ALPHA FLIGHT #7 $2.99 MAR 23,280
116 EX MACHINA #4 (MR) $2.95 DC 22,845

This is probably one of the more interesting new comics of the year. A minor league super-hero is elected mayor of New York, and this opening story deals with him handling one of those "invented by news people" controversys, as well as what looks like a super-hero vengance at the same time. VERY well done, and a step above most mainstream super-hero comics. Highly Recommended.

117 OFF HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE DAREDEVIL ELEKTRA 2004 $3.99 MAR 22,781
118 SPIDER-MAN DOCTOR OCTOPUS YEAR ONE #3 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 22,653

I don't think Marvel was expecting this book to tank, but they should have got it out before the movie, in case people were interested in Dr. Octopus. As is now, it just feels like they were late to the party, and the story isn't all that great.

119 BATMAN STRIKES #1 $2.25 DC 22,397
120 SPIDER-GIRL #78 $2.99 MAR 22,076

I have always liked this book. It's not GREAT, or Earthshaking, but a solid 80's style super-hero soap opera. However, with sales this low, I am trying to figure out why Marvel is still publishing it, since their cut-off, sales-wise seems to be between 25,000 and 30,000, depending on the comic.

121 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLTD #1 $2.25 DC 21,941
122 GI JOE MASTER & APPRENTICE #4 (Of 3) $2.95 DDP 21,178
123 BATMAN CATWOMAN TRAIL O/T GUN #2 (Of 2) $5.95 DC 21,072

This was a GREAT mini-series, and one of the few worth the upscale treatment. A tight, odd story by Ann Nocenti, and some of Ethan Van Scriber's best art. IT's still reorderable, so ask your comic shop for both issues.

124 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #1 $1.75 MAR 20,801
125 GI JOE RELOADED #7 $2.95 DDP 20,780
126 MANHUNTER #2 $2.50 DC 20,281

Dear DC, no one wants to read a Manhunter series. OK? They don't want the Martian Manhunter, they don't want Kirby's Manhunter, they dont' want the Manhunter from Zero Hour. NONE OF THEM!!!

127 SWAMP THING #7 (MR) $2.95 DC 20,238
128 SILVER SURFER #13 $2.99 MAR 20,053

The last issue. This is another of Marvel's new series that brings back a hero that hasn't had their own series in a few years by a creative team that wants to completely reinvent the character. It's a plan that doesn't seem to be working, and leaves a lot of Marvel fans scratching their head when they pick up first issues.

129 MARVEL AGE HULK #1 $1.75 MAR 19,975
130 TRANSFORMERS ENERGON #27 $2.95 DRE 19,775
131 SCRATCH #4 (Of 5) $2.50 DC 19,711
132 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #69 $2.99 DAR 19,647
133 STAR WARS EMPIRE #24 $2.99 DAR 18,906
134 THOR SON O/ASGARD #8 $2.99 MAR 18,856
135 RUNAWAYS #18 $2.99 MAR 18,614

Last issue, for now. I love this comic, and the final issue was nice, in that the previous issue wrapped up the main plot threads, and this one sets the characters up for a new run in a few months. They have the first 12 issues available as $8 trade paperbacks, and I highly recommend them.

136 BOOKS O/MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #3 (MR) $2.50 DC 18,585
137 BITE CLUB #6 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95 DC 18,222
138 MARVEL 65TH ANNV SP $4.99 MAR 18,016

A very nice reprint of the big Submariner/Human Torch fight from the early 40's. I don't know if it was a huge hit when it was printed, or it became big when people remembered it in the 60's, but it's considered Marvel's high spot during WWII. For a Golden Age comic, it's a blast to read, with the story just going all over the place what a big group of people working on it. A blast, and VERY much worth the price, even if you aren't a big Golden Age fan. Highly recommended.

139 GOTHAM CENTRAL #23 $2.50 DC 17,773

Sadly, this great comic is still selling poorly. If you at ALL interested in reading a different kind of comic, this is one to look for. The story of police officers in Batman's Gotham City, and probably one of the better comics on the market. Highly recommended.

140 DEVIL MAY CRY #3 $3.95 DRE 17,759
141 METAL GEAR SOLID #1 (MR) $3.99 IDW 17,659

A couple of video game tie-ins, and a pair of books that would probably sell better if they were on sale outside of comic shops, as there are a ton of people who obsess over Metal Gear Solid. Me, not so much, especially at $4 for a 32 page comic.

142 WITCHBLADE #79 $2.99 IMA 17,104
143 KABUKI #2 $2.99 MAR 16,705
144 MAN THING #3 (Of 3) $2.99 MAR 16,577

Final issue, and finally Man-Thing shows up. This was supposed to tie into the movie that was supposed to come out in September, but hasn't surfaced yet. It's a rather standard horror comic, and doesn't have any of the human interest style stuff that made Man Thing so wonderful in the 70's.

145 CHALLENGERS O/T UNKNOWN #4 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 16,505
146 100 BULLETS #53 (MR) $2.50 DC 16,413
147 DARKNESS VOL 2 #15 $2.99 IMA 16,363
148 HELLBLAZER #200 (MR) (Note Price) $4.50 DC 16,342
149 TOMB RAIDER #45 $2.99 IMA 16,064

From what I hear, issue #50 is the last one. I wish there was SOMEONE in comics who could put together a decent Tomb Raider comic...why is it so hard to do a decent story about a female Indiana Jones? The movies can't do it, the last three games couldn't do it, and comics have yet to do it.

150 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #11 $2.25 MAR 16,007
151 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #12 $2.25 MAR 15,601
152 TOMB RAIDER #46 $2.99 IMA 15,522
153 STARJAMMERS #4 $2.99 MAR 15,408

Next to last issue, and it's too bad that this comic didn't really get a chance. I have always liked the Starjammers characters, and this is a decent version of them, but with sales this low, there's no way they'll be used again any time soon.

154 TEEN TITANS GO #11 $2.25 DC 15,337
155 MARY JANE #4 $2.25 MAR 15,273
156 TOM STRONG #28 $2.95 DC 14,269

Alan Moore is stepping away from this comic, but it is still one of the better comics on the stands. A fun character, inventive stories and some of the best art in comics, this should be selling much better. Highly recommended.

157 ELRIC MAKING O/A SORCERER #1 (Of 4) $5.95 DC 14,126
158 HUMANKIND #1 WIZARD CON CVR $2.00 IMA 13,998
159 WALKING DEAD #10 (MR) $2.95 IMA 13,720
160 WALKING DEAD #11 (MR) $2.95 IMA 13,556

The top selling zombie comic on the stands today! Taking place after zombies destroy civilization, the comic is a nice mix of soap opera, action and horror, and is highly recommended.

161 HERO #20 $2.50 DC 13,399

This comic was one of my favorites, but once it was announced that it's coming to an end with issue #24, the story has taken a nose dive for the worst. If you haven't bought it by now, don't bother, as it is just a mess.

162 WITCHING #4 (MR) $2.95 DC 13,399
163 TERRA OBSCURA VOL 2 #2 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 13,357
164 MEGACITY 909 #1* $2.95 DDP 13,264
165 RICHARD DRAGON #5 $2.50 DC 13,164

This is a comic created by the team that made Nightwing a hit. I am a big fan of Scott McDaniels's art, but Chuck Dixon is one of those writers whose work is SO generic, half the time I can't remember the story he wrote an hour after I read it. This is no exception.

166 LUCIFER #54 (MR) $2.50 DC 13,008
167 THUNDERCATS ENEMYS PRIDE #4 (Of 5) $2.95 DC 12,737
168 SIMPSONS COMICS #98 $2.99 BON 12,730

I LOVE this book, and every month, I recommend it. One of the very few comics based on a TV show that it at least as good as the show (and this month, better than most recent episodes).

169 SMALLVILLE #10 $3.95 DC 12,324
170 STRYKEFORCE #5 (Of 5) $2.99 IMA 12,110
171 HUMANKIND #2 $2.99 IMA 11,875
172 SLEEPER S2 #4 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 DC 11,875

A great comic that is just seems to not be able to catch sales. It's the story of a deep undercover agent who become trapped undercover, and happens to have super-powers. Crisp dialogue, tight plotting and art that does a good job telling the story, this comic is highly recommended.

173 PLASTIC MAN #10 $2.95 DC 11,626

I love this comic too, and with sales this low, it's almost a guarantee that it will not last much longer. A damn shame, since this is one of the most entertaining comics around, as cartoonist Kyle Baker uses the character for funny adventure stories VERY much in the vein of the original without making it seem like a retread of old musty stories. Highly recommended.

174 GUARDIANS #4 $2.99 MAR 11,497

Hey, can YOU guess why this comic got canceled with issue #6?

175 MASTERS O/T UNIVERSE VOL 3 #6 $2.95 MVC 11,405
176 MARVEL AGE FANTASTIC FOUR #6 $2.25 MAR 11,184
177 GI JOE MASTER & APPRENTICE #3 (Of 3) $2.95 DDP 11,006
178 TAROT WITCH O/T BLACK ROSE #28 (MR) $2.95 BRO 10,628
179 LOSERS #16 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,465
180 FALLEN ANGEL #15 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,386

Peter David's best comic in a LONG time, telling a complex and fascinating story about a female character in a noir setting. Each character has a past that affects the story, but instead of being a drudge through endless backstory, it's a mystery that is slowly unraveled issue by issue. One of the best WRITTEN comics on the stands, and highly recommended.

181 IDENTITY CRISIS #3 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 10,351

Yep, those are re-orders.

182 FREAKS O/T HEARTLAND #5 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99 DAR 10,329
183 MONOLITH #8 $2.95 DC 10,301
184 NAIL #3 (Of 4) (MR) $2.99 DAR 10,265
185 STRANGERS I/PARADISE VOL III #68 $2.95 ABS 10,016
186 COSMIC GUARD #2 $2.99 DDP 9,695

Jim Starlin at a different company. Because of my comic shop woes, I missed the first two issues, so am waiting for a collected version. However, with sales this low, I would think that Starlin might be looking to wrap the thing up quickly.

187 VOLTRON VOL 2 #9 $2.95 DDP 9,539
188 FUTURAMA COMICS #19 $2.99 BON 9,332

This comic is just as good as the Simpsons comic, and without a TV show, this is the only way to get new Futurama stories. One of the funniest comics on the stands and highly recommended.

189 VICTORY VOL 2 #1 (Of 4)* $2.95 IMA 9,132
190 HUMAN TARGET #14 (MR) $2.95 DC 9,075
191 SAVAGE DRAGON #117 $2.95 IMA 9,040
192 HARD TIME #8 $2.50 DC 9,026

Another of my favorite comics (they all seem to land in this part of the sales chart, don't they?), as Steve Gerber tells a fascinating story of a teenager with powers locked up in prison. The first six issues are available in a trade paperback, but this issue is also Highly Recommended.

193 IDENTITY CRISIS #2 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 8,848
194 YOUNGBLOOD GENESIS #1 $3.99 JAY 8,783
195 ARMY O/DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #1 (MR)* $2.99 DDP 8,648
196 INVINCIBLE #15 $2.95 IMA 8,612
197 ULTRA #2 (Of 8) $2.95 IMA 8,577
198 BLOODHOUND #3 $2.95 DC 8,456
199 INVINCIBLE #16 $2.95 IMA 8,427
200 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #140 $2.19 ARC 8,363
201 REMAINS #5 (MR) $3.99 IDW 7,872
202 BRIAN PULIDOS BELLADONNA #1 (Of 5)* $3.99 AVA 7,693
203 KINETIC #6 $2.50 DC 7,437

Another in the same product line as Hard Time, and I think the entire line was a mistake. It was pitched as "super-heroes in a non-super-hero world", just like Marvel's "New Universe" of the mid 80's. No one bought that either.

204 CASEFILES SAM & TWITCH #10 (MR) $2.50 IMA 7,259
205 CAPER #12 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 DC 7,230

Last issue, and I don't see this being collected as a trade. Another comic that DC just tossed into the market without any sort of support or interest.

206 SHONEN JUMP VOL 2 #10 OCT 2004 $4.99 VIZ 6,354

Just so people know, this comic sells 200k outside the comic book store market. Further proof that the direct sales market doesn't have a clue how to sell something that isn't two guys in tights beating the tar out of each other.

207 CSI DOMINOS #1 (MR) $3.99 IDW 6,326

I sure hopethe CSI comics have a market outside of the direct sales market, since sales this low mean they are definitely losing money. This is another IDW series that I would buy if it wasn't $4 for 22 pages of story. If comics don't figure out a way to give more bang for your buck, the upcoming price hikes are going to drive a lot more people out.

208 PSCYTHE #1 (Of 2) (MR) $3.95 IMA 6,076
209 NOBLE CAUSES #2* $3.50 IMA 6,062
210 POWERPUFF GIRLS #54 $2.25 DC 6,005
211 KNIGHTS O/T DINNER TABLE #95 $3.99 KZR 5,927

Highly recommended! A 100 page comic that is about half comic strips, half gaming articles that are so well-written that you can read most of them without being a gamer. The strips are hilarious if you have even a rudimentary knowledge of role playing games and are some of the funniest stuff on the stand.

212 HARRY JOHNSON #1 (Of 2) (MR) $2.95 FUL 5,863
213 HACK SLASH GIRLS GONE DEAD (MR)* $4.95 DDP 5,856
214 VAMPI VICIOUS CIRCLE #3 REG ED $2.99 HAR 5,848
215 FRACTION #6 $2.50 DC 5,820
216 CSI DOMINOS #2 (MR) $3.99 IDW 5,649
217 SCOOBY DOO #88 $2.25 DC 5,571
218 SPYBOY FINAL EXAM #4 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR 5,549

Dark Horse has really tried to make Spyboy a hit, and for the most part it is well-done. However, taking the art to black and white REALLY hurt the book, as the artist does not do a good job in black and white, and Peter David's complex character driven plots don't work as well when you got over a year between mini-series.

219 SINGULARITY 7 #3 (MR) $3.99 IDW 5,435
220 UNCLE SCROOGE #334 $6.95 GEM 5,364
221 BLADE O/T IMMORTAL #93 (MR) $2.99 DAR 5,250
222 OH MY GODDESS #112 $3.99 DAR 5,229
223 TOUCH #6 $2.50 DC 5,214

The other "DC Focus" comic, and I would be utterly amazed if the book broke even with sales this low.

224 SYLVIA FAUST #1 (Of 4) $2.95 IMA 5,207
225 DONALD DUCK & FRIENDS #320 $2.95 GEM 5,172
226 GRENDEL DEVILS REIGN #4 (Of 7) (MR) $3.50 DAR 5,150
227 NIGHT O/T LIVING DEAD BARBARAS ZOMBIE CHRON #1 (Of 3) (MR) $4.95 DEA 5,115

I am a huge fan of Night of the Living Dead, to the point where I think I have seen it more times than almost any other movie. This purports to be a sequel to it, however, it dismisses the entire ending of that movie as a bad dream so it can tell its story, which is a poor story choice. On it's own, it a bit over-the-top, but as a sequel to one of the most known horror films of all time, it fails on a bit of a grand scale. No, I won't be buying future issues, despite my well-known love of zombies.

228 CATWOMAN #34 $2.50 DC 5,065
229 MILKMAN MURDERS #3 (Of 4) (MR) $2.99 DAR 4,972
230 MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #269 $2.95 GEM 4,894
231 METAL HURLANT #13 (MR) $3.95 DC 4,645

I like this comic, but it has a number of things against it: It's reprinting European comics which Americans know little about, is an anthology, and most of the stories are continued. If you are willing to put up with those three things, you should pick this comic up. It has incredible art, stories that are outside the mainstream of American comics, and opens you up to a bunch of different comic styles. Highly recommended.

232 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #649 $6.95 GEM 4,431
233 FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER #5* $2.95 IMA 4,431

A great title (and that's probably why its been picked up for a movie), but I missed the first issue due to comic shop problems, so I'm waiting for the collected edition.

234 LORE #4 (MR) $5.99 IDW 4,281
235 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #1 $2.25 DC 4,203
236 INFERNO HELLBOUND #1* $2.50 IMA 4,096
237 SOULFIRE #1 $2.99 ASP 4,075
238 BATGIRL #55 $2.50 DC 4,025
239 PHANTOM JACK #5 $2.95 IMA 3,961

Last issue from Image. The creator of this comic has got to be given credit, he doesn't want to give up on this book. It was supposed to come out under the ill-fated "Epic" line, then when that went away, he took it to Image, and now that sales are poor, he's taking it to another publisher. The story isn't worth all of that trouble, in my opinion. It's a decent enough super-hero story, but it's not like there is a scarcity of them, and the art is sub-par.

240 WE 3 #1 (Of 3) (MR) $2.95 DC 3,932

One of my favorite comics of the past year, and this is re-order activity. Grant Morrison writes a story about three animals that were used in military experiments escaping, and to tell you more about it ruins the pure sense of wonder that this comic is able to bring across. Frank Quitely's art is about the best I have seen in a comic book, and the entire package made me want to demand that DC put the damn thing about weekly. A GENUINE innovative and interesting series that should be on everyone's pull list. Highly recommended.

241 GOLD DIGGER #55 $2.99 ANT 3,783
242 LOONEY TUNES #118 $2.25 DC 3,548
243 SWORD O/DRACULA #6 $2.95 IMA 3,548
244 WARREN ELLIS STRANGE KILLINGS NECROMANCER #4 (Of 6)* $3.50 AVA 3,426

One of my oldest rules in reviewing comics is that if a creator's name is in the title, the comic is usually bad, and since this one is from Avalon, you can COUNT on the art sucking. This is a damn shame, since I know Warren Ellis can write good stories. This isn't one of them.

245 BEAR #6 $2.95 SLG 3,320
246 SMALL GODS #3 $2.95 IMA 3,234
247 FATHOM CANNON HAWKE #0* $2.50 ASP 3,213

I sure hope that these are reorders, because if this is original sales for a new series by Michael Turner, he should RUN back to DC and draw whatever they shove his way.

248 DEEP SLEEPER #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95 IMA 3,191

That's right, a comic about me after I have been drinking to make it through this list.

249 FORSAKEN #2 $2.95 IMA 3,177
250 NYC MECH #5 (MR) $2.95 IMA 3,120
251 EZRA #2 $2.95 ARC 3,092

The comic that the band "Better Than Ezra" feels that they are more entertaining than.

252 FIERCE #3 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR 3,070
253 GHOST SPY #3 (Of 6) $2.95 IMA 3,049
254 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY PREVIEW REG CVR $1.99 AVA 2,956

Wonder where all of the old, lame, derivative characters from Chaos Comics would end up? These may be new characters NAMES, but it sure reads like every other comic he wrote.

255 NIGHTWING #96 $2.25 DC 2,921
256 ARCHIE #551 $2.19 ARC 2,914
257 BRIAN PULIDOS GYPSY PREVIEW REG CVR $1.99 AVA 2,906

Another one of these. By the way, "Preview" at Avalon means a lot of sketches, some nudity and nothing worth $2. But, I guess people are willing to spend $2 to a see a bad drawing of boobs. Never underestimate the power of boobs over fanboys.

258 EX MACHINA #3 (MR) $2.95 DC 2,871

Re-orders for a highly recommended comic.

259 BALLAD O/SLEEPING BEAUTY #3 (Note Price) $1.99 BEC 2,842
260 GOLD DIGGER ANNUAL 2004 $4.95 ANT 2,828
261 SABRINA VOL 2 #61 $2.19 ARC 2,821

I don't know, but I'm thinking that this comic's switch over to a manga style of art may have something to do with the fact that it outsells all of the other Archie comics (Except for Sonic the Hedgehog). The stories are pretty much the same ones you read when you were of the age that likes this comic, but I wouldn't be shocked if the Archie comics all started slowly migrating to this art style over time.

262 ROBIN #129 $2.25 DC 2,750
263 BATMAN LEGENDS O/T DARK KNIGHT #182 $2.50 DC 2,750
264 LUBAS COMICS & STORIES #5 (MR) $3.50 FAN 2,743

I know that, as a more sophisticated comics reader, I should like the stuff from Los Bros. Hernandez. However, to me it reads like overheated melodrama that is very dependent upon having followed these characters since the early 80's, and reads like a soap opera on paper. Maybe it's your cuppa tea, but not mine.

265 TALES FROM BULLY PULPIT ONE-SHOT $6.95 IMA 2,707
266 OLYMPUS HEIGHTS #3 $3.99 IDW 2,693
267 AMAZING SCREW ON HEAD $2.99 DAR 2,636

Put out again, a Mike Mignola one-shot joke comic that is a pleasant enough little piece of fluff. Not something I would go out of my way to read, but nothing earth-shaking.

268 SHI WAY O/T WARRIOR #1 10TH ANN ED $2.99 CRU 2,614
269 GHOST SPY #4 (Of 6) $2.95 IMA 2,557
270 BATMAN #631 $2.25 DC 2,543
271 NODWICK #25 (RES) $2.99 DOR 2,536
272 100 GIRLS #1 $2.95 ARC 2,472
273 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #56 $2.50 DC 2,443
274 VERONICA #155 $2.19 ARC 2,436
275 BETTY #141 $2.19 ARC 2,429
276 PALOOKA VILLE #17 (MR) $4.95 D&Q 2,322

I have a deep, abiding love for Seth's work. He is one of the few "autobiographical" cartoonists of the 80's to mature into an impressive talent. His art is perfect in tone, and the story, while seemingly slow, is pretty textured, and shows just how well comics can handle dramatic pauses, lower key stories, and the kind of fiction that just isn't being done in a comic book style format anymore. I buy these stories as trade paperbacks, because that is how they are being done (with the individual issues to keep money coming in for the artist), but when this story is done, it will be one of the better graphic novels I have ever read, based on what he has done so far. Highly recommended.

277 GI JOE #33* $2.95 DDP 2,315
278 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY PREVIEW SP CVR* $2.99 AVA 2,287
279 RUULE KISS & TELL #4 (Note Price) $1.99 BEC 2,280
280 BRIAN PULIDOS GYPSY PREVIEW SP CVR* $2.99 AVA 2,187
281 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE ILLUSTRATED #38 $2.99 KZR 2,180

As much as I like Knights of the Dinner Table, this version of their character's adventures just doesn't do anything for me.

282 CAPTAIN CANUCK UNHOLY WAR #1 (OF 3) $2.50 CMY 2,180

I remember hearing what a big deal it was that this comic was coming back. Guess it wasn't that big a deal afterall.

283 PS238 #7 (RES) $2.99 DOR 2,166
284 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #85 $2.19 ARC 2,151
285 JOE LANSDALES BY BIZARRE HANDS #4 (Of 6) (MR)* $3.50 AVA 2,123

I like Joe Lansdale's writing, and his mixing of westerns with horror has always been something that interests me. However, the art in Avalon comics is usually unreadable, and the price per issue (these are 24 page comics, folks) just is too high. I might get it as a trade if I can struggle through the art.

286 DETECTIVE COMICS #797 $2.95 DC 2,116
287 A1 BLOODMAN SP MISTER MONSTER WWII $6.99 ATO 2,116

This is, by FAR, the worst title of a comic this month, and just looking at the title, I have no clue in the world what the hell this comic is.

288 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #127 $3.59 ARC 2,101
289 CITY O/HEROES #5 $2.95 BLU 2,094
290 CITY O/HEROES #4 $2.95 BLU 2,080

At first, you would think "HOLY CRAP, THESE SALES SUCK!", but in the end it doesn't matter. This comic is made for the people who play the on-line game, and get this comic as a bonus when they pay their $13 a month, so it's just offered to the direct market as a "Well, maybe someone will pay for it." Trust me, it's not worth paying for.

291 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #155 $3.59 ARC 2,073
292 UNIVERSE SILVESTRI CVR #1 $2.50 IMA 1,987

Otherwise known as "Top Cow found a bunch of these in the warehouse and wants to unload them for some quick cash."

293 SUPERMAN/BATMAN #11 $2.95 DC 1,966
294 JUGHEAD #160 $2.19 ARC 1,874
295 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #119 $2.99 ANT 1,767
296 FADE FROM GRACE #2 $1.99 BEC 1,745
297 EX MACHINA #2 (MR) $2.95 DC 1,738
298 STREET ANGEL #3 $2.95 SLG 1,724
299 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #151 $2.39 ARC 1,710
300 KODT EVERKNIGHTS #14 $2.99 KZR 1,681

And that's the end. Maybe I'll finally get caught up soon.

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