2010 September 13

SPX 10: You were awesome

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

Just a very quick moment to jot down a few thoughts on SPX. (My “official” report will be in PWCW tomorrow.) In short, it remains the summer camp of comics, with a bunch of people who are there for love just hanging out, talking, drawing, drinking, smiling, and laughing.

First off, SPX is the only comics show that has HOT BUBBLING CRAB.

It has Adam Hines and DUNCAN THE WONDER DOG.

The ATM machine is out of money by 4 pm.

Michael Cho and his prints!

Mike Dawson, Jon Lewis and Gabrielle Bell.

Robert Ullman and Keith Knight

The Tiny Kitten Teeth Gang

Metaphrog

Jesse Reklaw

Liz Baillie

Jen Vaughn

Vanessa Davis who was absolutely the sweetheart of the show.

On the car ride back, all we could talk about was what a good time we had and how nice everyone was. Seriously. No Diamond/Marvel/DC politics and stress. No editors from New York with credit cards to compete for (that sounds bad, but it all worked out.) Just love of comics and creativity. I don’t care that my breakfast on Saturday was inedible and my dinner almost never came. Words and pictures were enough to fill your belly for one weekend.

SPX is the one show where you know where everyone is all the time. With no real options nearby and a roomy hotel complete with drink tickets and a 7/11 next door for cheap beer, everyone hangs out. It was a blast running from room party to room party post Ignatzes, talking Primus with Lisa Hanawalt and Chester Brown with Tom Devlin. People sang songs and told jokes, and fell asleep but did not have mustaches drawn on them — at least where we were standing.

Good times.

Filed Under: Comics Still Wonderful In Spite Of It All, Indie Comics, Small Presses Tagged With: SPX

True Blood Recap: A Bloody Good Finish

09/13/2010 by Shannon OLeary Leave a Comment

Season 3/Episode 12: Evil Is Going On

Evil might’ve been going on, but at least True Blood had it goin’ on good for the finale. It truly came back from the grave after a sloppy penultimate episode. Sure, there were some hokey happenings and some sloppy wrap ups, but, all in all, this was a fun, satisfying conclusion to an uneven, blood spattered trail of season. Take the opening shot of a sun death ray shining down on Eric and Russell chained together in silver handcuffs. They’re spending the True Death reminiscing about Eric’s Viking Family Slaughter when who should show up to torment Eric with Germanic messages of forgiveness but a ghostly Godric. Phantom/Vision Godric begs Eric to spare Russell’s life. Only through forgiveness can he find love.

And if Godric showing up bathed in cheesy afterlife light and still wearing those New Agey white PJ’s that he’s apparently being forced to spend eternity in was a little twee, then cutting to Sookie running through the woods to her bad Christmas ornament looking fairy mothership was twee-er than I dunno what (‘cos Im’ not good at making jokes like that). Thankfully, Bill wakes her up from that dream fast. Just as fast, she slaps him and accuses him of betraying her. Bill’s all, “I only pretended to betray you,” and it seems like it finally gets through to Sookie that there’s a very fine line between betrayal and pretend when it comes to the mendacious Mr. Compton. Then to really bring her diss home, she runs outside to save Eric from the True Death. Godric’s still floating around Eric’s semi-conscious state as Russell goads her into using her powers to get the silver handcuffs off him and Eric. Ever the stately authoritative presence, even while being fried beyond recognition, Russell imperiously orders Sookie to bring him inside but she uses her powers again – this time slamming him up against a wall – and drags Eric in instead. Back inside Fangtasia, Eric’s dying and needs human blood. Sookie orders Bill to bite open one of her wrists since Eric’s too weak to drop fang. Eric feeds while Bill fumes.

Sookie finally realizes Bill's been dickishly lying all season

Also fumin’ and a feudin’ are Nan Flanigan and Steve Newlin on the TV over at Sam’s place. You’ve gotta hand it to Nan for trying to clean up the VLA’s image in a post spine rip era. And you’ve gotta hand it to the writers for having the good reverend take her quotes out of context (just like a real life right wing nut job), leaving viewers with the sound bite, “All human beings need to be wiped out of existence.” Sam’s making breakfast for Tara, who never stuck around that long after any of their previous trysts. Not because of the company though, because Sam barks in his sleep. Sam takes that opening to fess up to being a shifter and lets his freak flag fly.

Eric’s also letting the freak flag fly back at Fangtasia. He tells everyone Godric came to him in a dream, saying he must save Russell. Everyone’s annoyed but Eric says if they don’t save Russell, he’ll drag his dying ass out there and do it himself. So Sookie goes out to do what the vamps can’t and drags a seriously charred Russell in from the Sun. Too bad Tara’s not there to see Russell in that condition. It might cheer her up after hearing that Sam, along with everyone else she knows, is “a supernatural freak.” Aside from all that, she wants is to be a new person with a new life. Sam says she can do that. The old you might catch up, but all you can do is keep moving.

Things are still moving along at a quick, entertaining pace over at Fangtasia (begging the admittedly picky question, why couldn’t they have all season?). Bill and Pam tell Eric he’s a fool to save Russell. Whatever, the dude’s in a sorry state, dropping fangs and looking like a combination between a charcoal briquette and pinhead from Hellraiser. They leave him with Sookie over Bill’s protests and go off to take care of vamp business. How they’re going to do that during the day is anybody’s guess. Like Sookie cares. She hates all of them. Jason’s got no trouble getting around during the day but he does have trouble exercising any kind of good judgment or believable character development. He’s over at Bon Temps Police HQ trying to thwart the DEA raid on Hot Shot. When he can’t make any headway with Andy or the chain smoking DEA agent, he leaves in a spazzy hurry to warn the scum of Hot Shot that the raid’s coming down.

A world of pain and bad memories comes down on Tara YET AGAIN. She flashes back on all her suffering for the ninth millionth time this season as she leaves Sam’s place. Hoyt’s not suffering but he’s in for it. When he pulls up to his job site with visible fang marks, Mama Thortonberry, Summer, and his high school guidance counselor are there to stage a fangbanger intervention. Hoyt looks more exhausted than contrite after Mama Thortonberry and Summer share their feelings. The only thing Hoyt’s got to say is that he loves Jessica and he’ll never leave her.

I didn’t think anyone ever left Merlotte’s. It’s seems like someone’s always there. But Lafayette’s there waiting for Sam when he comes to open up. And there’s more nasty hallucinations lying in wait in the recesses of Lafayette’s brain. But this time they appear to have to a grain of truth to them. He sees Sam’s hands all bloody and seems to also see his true nature. Sam’s lips aren’t moving but Lafayette hears him saying, “Cross me, you’re a dead man.”

For a dead man, Russell’s keeping his spirits up. He’s trying to make a deal with Sookie at Fangtasia. He’ll give her Eric and Bill’s true deaths, the Mississipi Manse, and five million dollars if she’ll release him. Sookie tells him no while calmly flipping through a Star Magazine. Russell doesn’t let up. He tells her that some vamp will rip her open to get her fairy blood eventually. He’s impressed Bill hasn’t done it already, calling his restraint “tantric.” Sookie sprays silver in his eyes in response then flushes Talbot’s remains down the garbage disposal, laughing gleefully the whole time. Damn. Who got sassy over the course of a season?

Not Crystal. At least not as sassy as Sookie’s gotten. But with Jason’s boner for her, she’s at least got some gumption. The two show up at Hot Shot to warn her kin about the upcoming raid and all hell breaks loose. It turns out Felton’s been dipping into the V stash and there’s no way he’s gonna dump it along with all the crank they have to flush. When he and Calvin argue about this, Felton shoots him in the head. Ouch.

It looks like Terry’s got an ouchie too. He’s sobbing on the porch when Sam pulls up but not from sorrow. He’s overwhelmed with joy over Arlene’s Rosemary’s baby, his armadillo and everything else. Good for him. Not so good for Sam is when he goes into Tommy’s place and ominous music starts playing. When Sam sees the place’s been trashed, he realizes Tommy most likely double-crossed him. The DEA hasn’t crossed Andy but they’re not respecting his authority. Out in Hot Shot, Jason’s trying to talk Felton down from a megalomaniacal V trip of epic proportions. He gives Crystal an ultimatum: she either leaves with him or he’ll kill Jason. Jason unbelievably agrees to let the woman he loves run off with her murderous, wife beating scumbag of a half brother and says he’ll take care of the Hot Shot losers in their absence. Bye! Have a nice trip!

Mama Thorton is also making questionable relationship decisions. But at least her’s are believable. Tara walks in on her and Reverend Daniels in a state of semi undress. Tara’s disgusted as usual with her crazy ass mama’s judgment. Mama Thornton’s under the impression she’s about to become the second Mrs. Reverend Daniels. Tara’s no one to judge and takes off with a peace out and a hug. Sam, on the other hand, is one to judge. Harshly and by force if necessary. And that’s just what he’s gonna do after he realizes Tommy swiped the safe at Merlotte’s. He starts cussing a blue streak which works Lafayette’s last remaining nerve. Still tripping, he sees Rene standing behind Arlene saying he’s inside her. That’s it. Lafayette calls Jesus looking for a come down speech, while Sam leaves packing heat and looking for revenge.

Alcide shows up at Fangtasia just as Russell says his wolves will come for him. But he’s not looking for Russell or Sookie and no way is he one of Russell’s wolves. He’s there under Eric’s orders. He brought a truck to help take care of Russell. But he’s been thinking about Sookie. Dreaming about her, even. Russell mocks his sentimentality as Bill and Eric show up. Bill pockets something while Sookie, revved up from Russell’s ribbing earlier, goes off about being vampire crack. She rescinds her invitation to her home to all vampires present. Alcide’s eyes gleam at that thought while Eric drags Russell out to Alcide’s truck.

Andy’s got a gleam in his eye too. For a vial of V he’s holding. He’s just looking. For now, that is. But the way he’s eyeballing it and with his known addictive tendencies, I see some foreshadowing for next season in the works. But before he can try a drop, the DEA agent brings Jason handcuffed into the office and fingers him for dropping a dime on the Hot Shot raid. In defense of his actions, Jason tells Andy that “sometimes the right thing’s the wrong thing.” Whatever, Jason! I know he’s supposed to be stupid but even stupid people make sense and stupid characters should too. IMHO, Jason sending Crystal off with Felton and torpedoing his nascent law enforcement career doesn’t make sense with every other thing he’s done.

But I’m really just being a nitpicky nerd; since everything other than Jason and the Hot Shot storyline came together pretty well last night. Like, Lafayette and Jesus’ witch-errific storyline which is surprisingly coming together nicely and making for some common sense plot development. Jesus shows up at Merlotte’s to babysit Lafayette who’s worried he’s turning into his crazy momma. She also used to see things and hear voices. Jesus hips him to the fact that he might just be becoming more sensitive to his witchy essence. The same thing happened to him when he was training to be a witch. This soothes Lafayette.

Tara doesn’t look so soothed. She looks like she might finally be going full blown suicidal, standing in front of a mirror with a knife in hand. But instead of offing herself, she hacks off her extensions and gives herself a fro bob. No mo’ extensions, no mo’ problems? Seems plausible. Not so plausible is when Sookie shows up and says she loves her hair. She looks about as cute as Carrot Top, which is not so cute. But I guess friends have to tell each other little white lies sometimes, especially when they’re letting bygones be bygones.

Eric and Bill are letting pylons be pylons. They’re encasing Russell, bound by silver, in concrete at some undisclosed construction site Alcide’s dropped them off at. Alcide’s agreed to be part of their nefarious plan to settle his father’s debts once and for all. For the arbitrary term of a hundred years, Russell will be buried alive and will surely go mad. He goes down fighting though, telling Eric and Bill, “a hundred years! That’s a nap!” Glad to see him laughing in the face of longterm torment. Godric, who’s shown up as an apparition visible only to Eric again, is not happy that his progeny’s disobeying his orders from the afterlife. Eric yells at phantom Godric but ignores his pleas to show Russell mercy. Bill and Eric pour concrete over Russell and ghostly Godric disappears. Bill extends a hand to Eric but then, surprisingly, overpowers him with whatever he pocketed at Fangtasia. What the heck did he use, btw? Was it the silver flecked water? It looked like it was smoking?? Help me out here, people. I’m genuinely stumped about what he used to subdue Eric to bury him. Regardless, it was an unexpected, fun turn of events that just kept twisting when Bill called Eric’s personal assassin, Rubin, imitated Eric perfectly, then ordered him to kill Pam.

Jessica’s in for a nice little surprise herself when Hoyt takes her to a shabby dump that must be considered quaint by Bon Temps standards and proposes. She accepts. They rejoice. But there’s a creepy doll lying on the floor, abandoned, unseen and foreboding in the other room. Maybe it’s an omen that Mama Thortonberry’s coming over for a visit. That’s a distinct possibility as the next scene cuts to her buying a gun.

Sookie should get a gun too. With wooden bullets. Bill shows up and wants to talk. Russell’s gone. Oh, and Eric’s gone too. And so’s anyone else who’s ever tasted Sookie or knows what she is. They will all face the True Death at Bill’s hands. He’ll kill them all because he loves her. He’ll do anything to keep her safe, even if it means not being with her. He goes to leave. She’s all, “Bill! Wait!” Then Eric shows up! Man! What a scene! I was riveted watching this love triangle kick back into high gear. Especially when Eric tells Sookie the extent of Bill’s deceptions. Their whole romance was a set up from the start. Bill was only courting her under Sofie Anne’s orders to get her a fairy. He set her up to be killed by the Rattrays back in Season One so he could rescue her with his healing but addictive vampire blood and make her fall in love with him! She disinvites him from her house and for good measure she tells Eric to get lost too. You go, lame fucking fairy girl.

Eric heads back over to Fangtasia where Pam’s taken out Bill’s assassin. Tara drives up to Merlottes then drives on by with an air of finality. Is she coming back for Season Four? Is Tommy? It’s a valid question to ask after Sam chases him down in the woods and demands his money back. Tommy refuses and runs off. Then Sam shoots him! Damn! It’s cliffhangerpalooza, people, and they just keep on comin’.

Cut to Sookie crying in the kitchen. She’s suddenly gripped by an uncontrollable urge to run out of the house. Is she going to Bill’s? Nope. He’s entertaining another visitor. Sofie Anne shows up in a smashing widow ensemble, pleased as blood orange punch that Russell’s dead and Bill’s got Sookie right where she’s wanted her all along – for lunch. But Bill’s brought her there under false pretenses. He’s pointedly carrying out his statewide vampire extermination plan to save Sookie. Although he’s a poor match for Sofie Anne, who’s twice as old and strong, Bill’s got nothing left to lose. He’s prepared to fight the kind of fight that only the desperate can. The two go at it all flying vampire karate style!

Sofie Anne looking for a fey in snazzy widow wear

We know Bill’s not going to die but Sofie Anne might and, come on, this is going to be a great fight to watch when Season Four picks up right where this one left off. But that’s not the only mystery left. Sookie’s crying over being all alone at her gran’s grave. But she’s not f0r long. Her fairy buddy Claudine show up in a bad ren faire get up and says, “you’re not alone, come with us,” then the fey come out of the woods, turn on their handheld lovelights and … disappear.

Sookie's fairy power at full wattage

Nice ending, nice episode all around. Only the Jason storyline felt incomplete and fuzzy and, all things considered, that was fairly forgivable given an otherwise solid and action packed hour. The whole episode was understated but suspenseful and still managed to maintain that great B Horror Movie gore fest tongue in cheek thing True Blood does so well. Or maybe I’m going soft on True Blood now that it’s going away. What did you think? Was it a strong finish or a weak end to an all around weak season?

Filed Under: Culture, Television

Nice Art: David Chelsea's Wonder Woman of Willendorf

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

Via David Chelsea , his art for the annual Wonder Woman Day auction:

This year’s piece of original art (or one of many others contributed by superstar cartoonists like Jamie Hernandez, David Lloyd and Roberta Gregory) can be yours. You can view the piece big here. The Wonder Woman Day silent auction will take place Sunday October 24th at Excalibur Comics in Portland. You can also bid online. Details at the Wonder Woman Day website.

Filed Under: Art, DC Tagged With: Wonder Woman

These dicey days: Up, up and…gone

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

For everyone wondering if mainstream comics are so tired that “the general zeitgeist seems to be that mainstream comics are spent right now” maybe this is part of the reason why.

For those too lazy to click basically, a Cincinnati retailer got the mayor of his suburban town and everyone else on board with a promotion for the story in SUPERMAN #703, where the Man of Steel, doing his Kerouac walk around America, visits Cincinnati. There was an entry in a parade, banners, flyers…you name it.

Only SUPERMAN #703 isn’t coming out in 9/15 as planned. It’s coming out a month later.

Retailer Kendall Swafford writes:

Naming names got me a lot of hate mail last time, but… I know for a fact that as of August 18th, the day DC’s The Source blog announced that Cincinnati was Superman’s next destination, there was no script. 28 days to go, and J. Michael Straczynski had not turned the script in. Gotta be penciled, inked, lettered, colored, printed and shipped in 28 days. This is the same J. Michael Straczynski that has very publicly proclaimed his love for Superman, who can’t/won’t/didn’t turn the script in on time. Famously late on Thor, never finished The Twelve, loves Superman more than any other comic character, and he isn’t living up to his end of the deal. Straczynski made me a Thor fan, and I didn’t think that was possible. So I was genuinely excited to see him move to DC and take on the Man of Steel. But if you can’t stand the pressures of delivering twenty-two pages every thirty days, write someplace else.

Ouchie.

Filed Under: DC, Retailing & Marketing Tagged With: Untitled

The Drawn & Quarterly sale

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

Drawn & Quarterly is also having a warehouse sale, with nearly all titles in stock 30-40% off. Lots of great stuff from Chester Brown to Lynda Barry to Kevin Huizenga.

Filed Under: Drawn & Quarterly Tagged With: Untitled

The Top Shelf sale

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

Top Shelf has announced a big $3 sale for the next 10 days with various titles slashed and others going for as little as $3. There are some fantastic deals here — Tom Spurgeon has posted a $100 guide — and if you’ve been thinking about getting something but twiddling your thumbs, this is a great time to just do it.

For the next ten days — thru Friday September 24th — Top Shelf is having a giant $3 graphic novel web sale. When you visit the site, you’ll find over 100 graphic novels and comics on sale — with over 70 titles marked down to just $3 & $1!

But here are a few sample sale items:

— Slashed Prices: Lost Girls, Alec: The Years Have Pants!
— Slashed Prices: Essex County, Moving Pictures, BB Wolf!
— Slashed Prices: Owly Hardcovers and Plushy, Undeleted Scenes!
— Slashed Prices: Dodgem Logic, The Surrogates Owner’s Manual!
— Slashed Prices: The 120 Days of Simon, Far Arden, and more!

— $3 Titles: Voice of the Fire, The Surrogates (Vols 1 & 2)!
— $3 Titles: Sulk (Vols 1, 2, & 3), I Am Going To Be Small!
— $3 Titles: SuperF*ckers #1-#4, Lower Regions, Please Release!
— $3 Titles: Regards from Serbia, Delayed Replays, and more!

— $1 Titles: The Surrogates #1-#5, Black Ghost Apple Factory!
— $1 Titles: The Man Who Loved Breasts, Comic Diorama, 24×2!
— $1 Titles: Jack’s Luck Runs Out, Tales/Great Unspoken, & more!

Please note that Top Shelf accepts PayPal (as well as Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover — all secure), and that this
sale is good for retailers as well (and comic book shops will get their wholesale discount on top of these sale prices).

Filed Under: Culture

Nice Art: DAPPER MEN pin-up by John Tyler Christopher

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN is a very unusual-looking graphic novel by Jim McCann and Janet Lee that comes out later this year — Lee’s wooden board collage art has been quite a conversation topic on the convention circuit this year. Prior to the book’s debut, McCann has released pin-up art; here’s one by illustrator John Tyler Christopher.

Filed Under: Art Tagged With: Archaia

2010 Ignatz Award winners

09/13/2010 by Heidi MacDonald Leave a Comment

Presented Saturday night at the Small Press Expo, here are the 2010 Ignatz Award winners. Nominees were chosen by a panel comprised of Anders Nilsen, David Kelly, Rob G, Joshua Cotter, and Trevor Alixopoulos. Winners were voted on by SPX attendees:

Outstanding Artist Eddie Campbell, Alec: The Years Have Pants (A Life-Sized Omnibus) (Top Shelf Productions)

Outstanding Anthology or Collection Masterpiece Comics, R. Sikoryak (Drawn & Quarterly)

Outstanding Graphic Novel Market Day, James Sturm (Drawn &

Outstanding Story Monsters, Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)

Promising New Talent Matt Wiegle, “The Orphan Baiter”, Papercutter #13 (Tugboat Press)

Outstanding Series Ganges, Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics Books)

Outstanding Comic I Want You, Lisa Hanawalt (Buenaventura Press)

Outstanding Mini-Comic Rambo 3.5, Jim Rugg

Outstanding Online Comic Troop 142, Mike Dawson

Johanna Draper Carlson (who was a presenter) has a fuller report on the proceedings which we live-tweeted.

She also has a link to the winner of the First Annual Animation Showcase Audience Choice Award. “Deadline” by Bang-Yao Liu.

Filed Under: Awards, Indie Comics

Indie Month-to-Month Sales: July 2010

09/13/2010 by Matthew Murray Leave a Comment

Vampires beat zombies this month, as the first issue of IDW’s new series based on the True Blood TV show is the top selling “indie” comic, beating an anniversary issue of The Walking Dead. We’ve also got the first issue of Doctor Solar and a new Star Wars miniseries from Dark Horse, while a new event miniseries from Top Cow is Image’s biggest launch.

Image had 4.49% of the dollar share and 3.89% of the unit share, Dark Horse had 4.12% of the dollar share and 3.04% of the unit share, and IDW had 3.94% of the dollar share and 3.67% of the unit share. These numbers include graphic novels and titles that failed to make the top 300 chart.

After some comments last month I feel I should explain a little where these numbers come from and how I choose which titles to write about. I list every “indie” (ie. non Marvel/DC) title in the top 200, and every title from Image, Dark Horse, and IDW (ie. “the front of Previews”), and a selection of others from 201 to 300. This means there are lots of titles I don’t include here, either because they don’t make the top 300 (Age of Bronze, Jack Staff, and King City being just three Image titles that don’t make the chart), or because I only have so much time to write this. You can click on the link below to go to ICV2 and get the complete list.

The numbers I have are estimates that ICV2 produces based upon sales to the US and Canada. I have been told by several people in the industry that these numbers are low, but that they are consistently low so they are useful for trends. They also do not include sales to the UK (I’m not sure about other international sales), sales through distributors other than Diamond, newsstand sales, subscription sales, direct sales to people at conventions, or online digital sales (which could soon make these charts utterly useless).

These numbers include reorders shipped in the same month. Thus a title shipping in the first week of a month has several weeks to gather sales from reorders and lost or late deliveries, while a book shipping in the last week will have those copies arrive the following month where they will more than likely fail to chart.

Also, it’s important to note that these are just orders made by stores, not sales to customers. Comic book stores buy (most) of their comics on a non-returnable basis months in advance and have to make educated guesses on what’s going to sell. Just because a book is listed as selling 20,000 copies does not mean that many customers bought it, it doesn’t even mean that stores ordered that many copies as sometimes companies will overship books. But now onto the actual comics!

Thanks to icv2.com and Milton Griepp for permission to use these numbers, which are estimates, and can be found here.

65. True Blood (IDW)
07/2010: True Blood #1 - 30,296

Based on the TV show much beloved on this site. It featured four different covers, but they were all sold at a 1 to 1 ratio.

68, 80. The Walking Dead (Image) 
07/2005: The Walking Dead #20 - 16,915
07/2006: The Walking Dead #29 - 20,385
07/2007: The Walking Dead #39 - 22,487
07/2008: The Walking Dead #50 - 27,691
07/2009: The Walking Dead #63 - 24,001
=====
08/2009: The Walking Dead #64 - 24,393 (+1.6%)
09/2009: The Walking Dead #65 - 24,892 (+2.0%)
10/2009: The Walking Dead #66 - 24,944 (+0.2%)
11/2009: The Walking Dead #67 - 24,666 (-1.1%)
12/2009: The Walking Dead #68 - 24,230 (-1.8%)
01/2010: The Walking Dead #69 - 23,695 (-2.2)
02/2010: The Walking Dead #70 - 23,999 (+1.3%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: The Walking Dead #71 - 24,567 (+2.4%)
05/2010: The Walking Dead #72 - 25,182 (+2.5%)
06/2010: The Walking Dead #73 - 25,645 (+1.8%)
07/2010: The Walking Dead #74 - 25,468 (-0.7%)
07/2010: The Walking Dead #75 - 28,667 (+12.6%)
                               6 month (+21.0%)
                               1 year (+19.4%)
                               2 year (+3.5)
                               3 year (+27.5%)
                               4 year (+40.6%)
                               5 year (+69.4%)

Two issues this month, but not even two covers for the anniversary issue could pull TWD into the top spot this month. Meanwhile volume 12 has first month sales of 16,627, volume 11 sold a couple hundred more than that in its first month.

91. Doctor Solar Man of the Atom (Dark Horse) 
07/2010: Doctor Solar Man of the Atom #1 - 22,630

This revamp of the Gold Key/Valiant character is written by Jim Shooter (who wrote the Valiant series), and must have gained some benefit from the Free Comic Book Day preview earlier this year and its two covers.

94. Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet (Dynamite) 

03/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #1 - 54,122
03/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #2 - 32,866 (-39.3%) [36,004]
04/2010: Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #3 - 29,552 (-17.9%)
05/2010: Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #4 - 26,292 (-11.0%)
06/2010: Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #5 - 23,841 (-9.3%)
07/2010: Kevin Smith's Green Hornet #6 - 22,024 (-7.6%)

The drops are veeeerrrry sllloooowlllly getting smaller. This issue has five covers.

99. The Boys (Dynamite) 

07/2008: The Boys #20 - 27,571
07/2009: The Boys #32 - 25,231
=====
08/2009: The Boys #33 - 24,684 (-2.1%)
09/2009: The Boys #34 - 24,502 (-0.7%)
10/2009: The Boys #35 - 24,841 (+1.4%)
11/2009: The Boys #36 - 23,471 (-5.5%)
12/2009: The Boys #37 - 24,025 (+2.4%)
01/2010: The Boys #38 - 22,203 (-7.6%)
02/2010: The Boys #39 - 21,905 (-1.3%)
03/2010: The Boys #40 - 22,022 (+0.5%)
04/2010: The Boys #41 - 21,552 (-2.1%)
05/2010: The Boys #42 - 21,479 (-0.3%)
06/2010: The Boys #43 - 21,390 (-0.4%)
07/2010: The Boys #44 - 21,270 (-0.6%)
                               6 month (-4.2%)
                               1 year (-15.7%)
                               2 year (-22.9%)

Stable. There’s another spin-off miniseries coming soon.

101. Star Wars Old Republic (Dark Horse) 
07/2010: Old Republic #1 - 20,529

Six part miniseries tying in to the upcoming videogame. This is also the first series listed so far that cost $2.99.

102. Hellboy (Dark Horse) 

07/2005: The Island #2 - 28,844
07/2006: -
07/2007: Darkness Calls #4 - 25,210
07/2008: The Crooked Man #1 - 29,083
07/2009: -
 =====
08/2009: The Wild Hunt #5 (of 8 ) - 20,375 (-6.3%)
09/2009: The Wild Hunt #6 (of 8 ) - 20,146 (-1.1)
10/2009: The Wild Hunt #7 (of 8 ) - 19,414 (-3.6%)
11/2009: The Wild Hunt #8 (of 8 ) - 18,942 (-2.4%)
12/2009: Bride of Hell One Shot - 20,761 (+9.6%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: Hellboy in Mexico Or, A Drunken Blur - 22,569 (+8.7%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: The Storm #1 - 20,404 (-9.6%)
                                6 month (n.a.)
                                1 year (n.a.)
                                2 year (29.8%)
                                3 year (-19.1%)
				4 year (n.a.)
				5 year (-29.3%)

The final arc in the story drawn by Duncan Fegredo that started with Darkness Calls three years ago.

107. Haunt (Image) 

10/2009: Haunt #1 - 50,078
11/2009: Haunt #2 - 28,254 (-43.6%)
12/2009: Haunt #3 - 28,390 (+0.5%)
01/2010: Haunt #4 - 26,420 (-6.9%)
02/2010: Haunt #5 - 22,454 (-15.0%)
03/2010: Haunt #6 - 20,489 (-8.8%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: Haunt #7 - 20,005 (-2.4%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Haunt #8 - 19,242 (-3.8%)
                                6 month (-27.2%)

Running late. Oh, and Image United #3 finally came out in August.

110. Artifacts (Image) 
07/2010: Artifacts #1 - 18,711

Top Cow big event’s that was “five years in the making”. There are three covers.

113. Spawn (Image) 

07/2006: Spawn #158 - 17,728
07/2007: Spawn #169 - 24,037
07/2008: Spawn #180 - 19,188
07/2009: Spawn #193 - 20,293
 =====
07/2009: Spawn #194 - 18,916 (-6.8%)
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: Spawn #195 - 18,475 (-2.3%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: -
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: Spawn #196 - 18,893 (+2.3)
04/2010: -
05/2010: Spawn #197 - 18,361 (-2.8%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Spawn #198 - 17,985 (-2.0%)
                                6 month (n.a.)
                                1 year (-11.4%)
                                2 year (-6.3%)
                                3 year (-25.2%)
                                4 year (+1.4%)

Very late. This month Spawn #205 was supposed to come out.

120. Angel (IDW) 

07/2005: The Curse #2 - 14,657
07/2006: Angel Spotlight: Doyle - 8,949
07/2007: -
07/2008: After the Fall #10 - 43,024
07/2009: Angel: After the Fall – Epilogue #23 - 24,003
=====
08/2009: Angel #24 - 22,795 (-5.0%)
09/2009: Angel #25 - 23,815 (+4.5%)
10/2009: Angel #26 - 22,886 (-3.9%)
11/2009: Angel #27 - 20,731 (-9.4%)
12/2009: Angel #28 - 21,301 (+2.7%)
12/2009: Angel Annual #1 - 16,616 (-22.0%)
01/2010: Angel #29 - 20,280 (+22.5%)
02/2010: Angel #30 - 11,044 [19,394] (-4.4%)
03/2010: Angel #31 - 18,538 (-4.4%)
04/2010: Angel #32 - 17,942 (-3.2%)
05/2010: Angel #33 - 17,521 (-2.3%)
06/2010: Angel #34 - 17,467 (-0.3%)
07/2010: Angel #35 - 16,664 (-4.6%)
                               6 month (-17.8%)
                               1 year (-30.6%)
                               2 year (-61.2%)
                               3 year (n.a.)
                               4 year (+86.2%)
                               5 year (+13.7%)

The license for Angel is moving back to Dark Horse next year. Issue #44 will be the last one published by IDW.

122. Conan the Cimmerian (Dark Horse) 

07/2005: Conan #18 - 36,323
07/2006: Conan #30 - 31,095
07/2007: Conan #42 - 24,288
07/2008: The Cimmerian #1 - 31,296
07/2009: The Cimmerian #12 - 19,268
=====
08/2009: The Cimmerian #13 - 18,881 (-2.0%)
09/2009: The Cimmerian #14 - 18,643 (-1.3%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: The Cimmerian #15 - 18,293 (-1.9%)
11/2009: The Cimmerian #16 - 17,778 (-2.8%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Weight of Crown One Shot - 17,571 (-1.2%)
01/2010: The Cimmerian #17 - 17,356 (-1.2%)
02/2010: The Cimmerian #18 - 17,074 (-1.6%)
03/2010: The Cimmerian #19 - 18,131 (+6.2%)
04/2010: The Cimmerian #20 - 16,393 (-9.6%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: The Cimmerian #21 - 16,421 (+0.2%)
07/2010: The Cimmerian #22 - 16,240 (-1.1)
                6 month (-6.4%)
                1 year (-15.7%)
                2 year (-48.1)
                3 year (-33.1%)
                4 year (-47.8%)
                5 year (-55.3%)

Ending at issue 25 to be relaunched next year.

124. X-Files 30 Days of Night (DC) 

07/2007: 30 Days of Night: Eben & Stella #3 - 6,250
07/2008:
07/2009:
=====
07/2010: X-Files 30 Days of Night #1 - 16,109

Okay, so this technically isn’t an “indie” title since it’s published by DC, but I finished I’d include it anyway. The last 30 Days of Night series (“30 Days Til Death” by David Lapham) ended in March, 2009, with sales of 5,902.

125. GI Joe Real American Hero (IDW) 
07/2010: Real American Hero #156 - 15,795

This is a sequel to the series that Marvel put out in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the final issue of which came out in October, 1994. At that time there were 12 (!!!) different distributors, and so numbers for what the series sold are hard to come by.

However John Jackson Miller estimates the final issue probably sold around 50,000 copies, though mentions that with more than twice as many comic shops than now, and substantial newsstand sales we’re looking at a very different era. There was also an issue #155.5 released for Free Comic Book Day.

126. Star Wars Invasion (Dark Horse) 

07/2009: Invasion #1 (of 5) - 24,548
=====
08/2009: Invasion #2 (of 5) - 21,004 (-14.4%)
09/2009: Invasion #3 (of 5) - 19,798 (-5.7%)
10/2009: Invasion #0 - 19,714 (-0.4%)
10/2009: Invasion #4 - 19,138 (-2.9%)
11/2009: Invasion #5 - 18,315 (-4.3%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #1 - 17,911(-2.2%)
06/2010: Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #2 - 16,098 (-10.1%)
07/2010: Star Wars Invasion: Rescues #3 - 15,736 (-2.2%)
                6 month (n.a.)
                1 year (-35.9%)

Settling down into an average decline.

136. Kevin Smith's Kato (Dynamite) 
05/2010: Kevin Smith's Kato #1 – 19,720
06/2010: Kevin Smith's Kato #2 - 16,361 (-17.0%)
07/2010: Kevin Smith’s Kate #3 - 13,833 (-15.5%)

Five different covers aren’t helping this series hold on to readers.

137. Green Hornet Strikes (Dynamite) 

05/2010: Green Hornet Strikes #1 - 15,626
06/2010: -
07/2010: Green Hornet Strikes #2 - 13,383 (-14.4%)

This one only had three covers, but that’s actually a pretty good second issue drop.

140. Chew (Image) 

07/2009: Chew #2 - 6,735
=====
08/2009: Chew #3 - 13,762 (+104.3%)
09/2009: Chew #4 - 12,294 (-10.7%)
10/2009: Chew #5 - 13,498 (+9.8%)
11/2009: Chew #6 - 13,139 (-2.7%)
12/2009: Chew #7 - 12,902 (-1.8%)
01/2010: Chew #8 - 12,727 (-1.4%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Chew #9 - 12,866 (+1.1%)
04/2010: Chew #10 - 13,335 (+3.6%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Chew #11 - 13,204 (-1.0%)
07/2010: Chew #12 - 13,011 (-1.5%)
                6 month (+2.2%)
                1 year (+93.2%)

Dropping a little, but still doing very well.

143. GI Joe (IDW) 

07/2006: America’s Elite #13 (Devil’s Due) - 16,751
07/2007: America’s Elite #25 (Devil’s Due) - 16,119
07/2008: America’s Elite #36 (Devil’s Due) - 19,689
07/2009: GI Joe #7 – 20,319
=====
08/2009: GI Joe #8 – 18,750 (-7.7%)
09/2009: GI Joe #9 – 17,436 (-7.0%)
10/2009: GI Joe #10 – 16,264 (-6.7%)
11/2009: GI Joe #11 – 15,527 (-4.5%)
12/2009: GI Joe #12 – 14,824 (-4.5%)
12/2009: GI Joe #13 – 15,759 (+6.3%)
01/2010: GI Joe #14 – 14,030 (-11.0%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: GI Joe #15 – 13,607 (-3.0%)
03/2010: GI Joe #16 – 13,288 (-2.3%)
04/2010: GI Joe #17 – 13,129 (-1.2%)
05/2010: GI Joe #18 – 12,776 (-2.7%)
06/2010: GI Joe #19 – 12,849 (+0.6%)
07/2010: GI Joe #20 - 12,599 (-1.9%)
                6 month (-10.2%)
                1 year (-38.0%)
                2 year (-36.0%)
                3 year (-21.8%)
                4 year (-24.8%)

Standard drop.

145. Green Hornet Year One (Dynamite) 

03/2010: Green Hornet Year One #1 - 21,330
04/2010: Green Hornet Year One #2 - 16,355 (-23.3%)
05/2010: Green Hornet Year One #3 - 13,954 (-14.7%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Green Hornet Year One #4 - 12,524 (-10.2%)

All the Green Hornet titles are still dropping by huge amounts despite the variant covers (this one has three).

146. Irredeemable (Boom) 

07/2009: Irredeemable #4 - 13,623
=====
08/2009: Irredeemable #5 - ??? (???)
09/2009: Irredeemable #6 - 14,128 (+3.7%)
10/2009: Irredeemable #7 - 14,282 (+1.1%)
11/2009: Irredeemable #8 - 13,688 (-4.2%)
12/2009: Irredeemable #9 - 13,515 (-1.3%)
01/2010: Irredeemable #10 - 13,106 (-3.0%)
02/2010: Irredeemable #11 - 12,912 (-1.5%)
03/2010: Irredeemable #12 - 13,058 (+1.1%)
04/2010: Irredeemable Special #1 - 12,411 (-5.0%)
05/2010: Irredeemable #13 - 12,784 (+3.0)
06/2010: Irredeemable #14 - 12,608 (-1.4%)
07/2010: Irredeemable #15 - 12,442 (-1.3%)
                               6 month (-5.1%)
                               1 year (-8.7%)

Standard drop. Still doing well.

147. Alan Moore Neonomicon Hornbook (Avatar) 

01/2010: Neonomicon Hornbook - 7,117
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: -
07/2010: Neonomicon #1 - 12,432 (+74.7%)

This series is actually written by Alan Moore, and seems to be one of his final forays into comics.

148. Transformers Ongoing (IDW) 

07/2008: All Hail Megatron #1 - 15,703
07/2009: All Hail Megatron #13 - 11,892
=====
08/2009: All Hail Megatron #14 - 11,736 (-1.3%)
09/2009: All Hail Megatron #15 - 11,634 (-0.9%)
10/2009: All Hail Megatron #16 - 11,281 (-3.0%)
11/2009: Transformers Ongoing #1 - 15,220 (+34.9%)
12/2009: Transformers Ongoing #2 - 12,516 (-17.8%)
01/2010: Transformers Ongoing #3 - 12,609 (+0.7%)
02/2010: Transformers Ongoing #4 - 12,221 (-3.1%)
03/2010: Transformers Ongoing #5 - 11,994 (-1.9%)
04/2010: Transformers Ongoing #6 - 12,171 (+1.5%)
05/2010: Transformers Ongoing #7 - 11,932 (-2.0%)
06/2010: Transformers Ongoing #8 - 12,360 (+3.6%)
07/2010: Transformers Ongoing #9 - 12,369 (+0.1%)
                               6 month (-1.9%)
                               1 year (+4.0%)
                               2 year (-21.2%)

Part one of a new storyline.

151. Charmed (Zenescope) 

07/2010: Charmed #1 - 12,061

New ongoing series based on the TV show about witches. Any guesses for what the next supernatural show to be adapted into a comic will be?

153. BPRD (Dark Horse) 

07/2006: Universal Machine #4 - 16,024
07/2007: Garden of Souls #5 - 15,784
07/2008: The Warning #1 - 17,866
07/2009: 1947 #1 (of 5) - 15,845
=====
08/2009: 1947 #2 (of 5) - 14,893 (-6.0%)
09/2009: 1947 #3 (of 5) - 14,810 (-0.6%)
10/2009: 1947 #4 (of 5) - 14,505 (-2.0%)
11/2009: 1947 #5 (of 5) - 13,977 (-3.6%)
12/2009: War on Frogs #4 (of 4) - 12,904 (-7.7%)
01/2010: King of Fear #1 - 14,081 (+9.1%)
02/2010: King of Fear #2 - 13,123 (-6.8%)
03/2010: King of Fear #3 - 12,874 (-1.9%)
04/2010: King of Fear #4 - 12,480 (-3.1%)
05/2010: King of Fear #5 - 12,519 (+0.3%)
06/2010: Abe Sapien Abysmal Plain #1 - 13,010 (+3.9%)
07/2010: Abe Sapien Abysmal Plain #2 - 11,805  (-9.3%)
                               6 month (-16.1%)
                               1 year (-25.5%)
                               2 year (-33.9%)
                               3 year (-25.2%)
                               4 year (-26.3%)

Next month starts a new direction for the BPRD series. Also, volume 13 of BPRD (1947) had first month sales of 3,967.

158. Aliens vs. Predator (Dark Horse) 

01/2010: Three World War #1 - 15,218
02/2010: Three World War #2 - 11,875 (-22.0%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Three World War #3 - 11,498 (-3.2%)
05/2010: Three World War #4 - 11,112 (-3.4%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Three World War #5 - 10,985 (-1.1%)

Running late.

159. Incorruptible (Boom) 

12/2009: Incorruptible #1 - 15,710
01/2010: Incorruptible #2 - 12,635 (-19.6%)
02/2010: Incorruptible #3 - 11,860 (-6.1%)
03/2010: Incorruptible #4 - 11,749 (-0.9%)
04/2010: Incorruptible #5 - 3,642 [11,542] (-1.8%)
05/2010: Incorruptible #6 - 11,517 (-0.2%)
06/2010: Incorruptible #7 - 11,091 (-3.7%)
07/2010: Incorruptible #8 - 10,947 (-1.3%)

Standard drop.

162. GI Joe Origins (IDW) 

07/2009: GI Joe Origins #5 - 17,822
 =====
08/2009: GI Joe Origins #6 - 15,898 (-10.8%)
09/2009: GI Joe Origins #7 - 14,753 (-7.2%)
10/2009: GI Joe Origins #8 - 14,961 (+1.4%)
11/2009: GI Joe Origins #9 - 12,955 (-13.4%)
12/2009: GI Joe Origins #10 - 12,295 (-5.1%)
01/2010: GI Joe Origins #11 - 11,726 (-4.6%)
02/2010: GI Joe Origins #12 - 12,312 (+5.0%)
03/2010: GI Joe Origins #13 - 11,043 (-10.3%)
04/2010: GI Joe Origins #14 - 10,811 (-2.1%)
05/2010: GI Joe Origins #15 - 10,650 (-1.5%)
06/2010: GI Joe Origins #16 - 10,643 (-0.1%)
07/2010: GI Joe Origins #17 - 10,215 (-4.0%)
                                6 month (-12.9%)
                                1 year (-42.7%)

The drops this year are really starting to add up.

164. Spike (IDW) 

07/2006: Spike vs. Dracula #4 - 11,095
07/2007: Shadow Puppets #2 - 7,071
07/2008: Spike After the Fall #1 - 36,874
07/2009: -
=====
06/2010: Spike The Devil You Know #1 - 12,057
07/2010: Spike The Devil You Know #2 - 10,145 (-15.9%)
				1 year (n.a.)
				2 year (-72.5%)
                                3 year (+43.5%)
				4 year (-8.6%)

This was intended to be an ongoing series, but with the license going back to Dark Horse next year we’ll have to wait and see how long it will last.

166. Comic Book Guy (Bongo) 
07/2010: Comic Book Guy The Comic Book #1 - 9,993

The death of Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons gets its own miniseries.

169. GI Joe Cobra II (IDW) 

01/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #1 - 12,062 (-27.9%)
02/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #2 - 11,121 (-7.8%)
03/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #3 - 10,562 (-5.0%)
04/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #4 - 10,384 (-1.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #5 - 10,136 (-2.4%)
07/2010: GI Joe Cobra II #6 - 9,726 (-4.0%)
                6 month (-19.4%)

Too soon to tell if this series is going to stick around for long.

170. Grimm Fairy Tales (Zenescope) 

07/2006: Grimm Fairy Tales #7 - 6,212
07/2007: -
07/2008: Grimm Fairy Tales #29 - 9,644
07/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #40 - 9,616
=====
08/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #41 - 10,600 (+10.2%)
09/2009: -
10/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #42 - 9,070 (-14.4%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: Grimm Fairy Tales #43 - 10,246 (+13.0%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #44 - 8,824 (-13.9%)
03/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #45 - 8,916 (+1.0%)
04/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #46 - 8,694 (-2.5%)
05/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales Annual Las Vegas - 8,462 (-2.7%)
06/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #47 - 8,721 (+3.2%)
06/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #48 - 10,011 (+14.8%)
07/2010: Grimm Fairy Tales #49 - 9,594 (-4.2%)
                               6 month (n.a.)
                               1 year (-0.2%)
                               2 year (-0.5%)
                               3 year (n.a.)
                               4 year (+54.4%)

Zenescope has really been pumping these out this year.

172, 202. Predators (Dark Horse) 

06/2010: Predators #1 - 12,283
06/2010: Predators #2 - 11,237 (-8.5%)
06/2010: Predators #3 - 10,811 (-3.8%)
06/2010: Predators #4 - 10,390 (-3.9%)
07/2010: Preserve the Game - 9,533 (-8.2%)
07/2010: Movie Adaptation - 7,512 (-21.2%)

Preserve the Game is a one shot single issue, while the movie adaptation cost $6.99.

174. Queen Sonja (Dynamite) 

10/2009: Queen Sonja #1 - 13,849
11/2009: Queen Sonja #2 - 12,024 (-13.2%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Queen Sonja #3 - 10,768 (-10.4%)
02/2010: Queen Sonja #4 - 10,766 (-0.0%)
03/2010: Queen Sonja #5 - 10,393 (-3.5%)
04/2010: Queen Sonja #6 - 9,800 (-5.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Queen Sonja #7 - 9,879 (+0.8%)
07/2010: Queen Sonja #8 - 9,438 (-4.5%)

Probably about where it would have been without last month’s small bump.

175. GI Joe Hearts and Minds (IDW) 

05/2010: Hearts and Minds #1 - 11,039
06/2010: Hearts and Minds #2 - 8,592 (-22.2%)
07/2010: Hearts and Minds #3 - 9,421 (+9.6%)

Looks like the second issue was under ordered by retailers.

178. Terry Moore’s Echo (Abstract) 

07/2008: Echo #4 - 14,111
07/2009: Echo #13 - 10,783
=====
08/2009: Echo #14 - 10,663 (-1.1%)
09/2009: Echo #15 - 10,529 (-1.3%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Echo #16 - 10,234 (-2.8)
12/2009: Echo #17 - 10,282 (+0.5%)
01/2010: Echo #18 - 10,137 (-1.4%)
01/2010: Echo #19 - 4,978 [9,787] (-3.5%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Echo #20 - 9,378 (-4.2%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: Echo #21 - 6,611 (-29.5%)
06/2010: Echo #22 - 9,277 (+40.3%)
07/2010: Echo #23 - 8,998 (-3.0%)
				6 month (11.2%)
				1 year (-16.6%)
				2 year (-36.2%)

Scheduled to end at issue 30.

179. Richard Stark’s Parker (IDW) 
07/2010: The Man With the Getaway Face - 8,975

$2 oversized preview of Darwyn Cooke’s novel adaptations.

181. Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Neverland (Zenescope) 

03/2010: Neverland #1 - 10,401
04/2010: Neverland #2 - 7,961 (-23.5%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Neverland #3 - 9,006 (+13.1%)
07/2010: Neverland #4 - 8,793 (-2.4%)

Standard drop.

182. Smurfs (NBM) 

07/2010: Smurfs #1 Smurfnapper - 8,781

$1 preview.

187. Transformers Ironhide (IDW) 

05/2010: Ironhide #1 - 9,019
06/2010: Ironhide #2 - 8,546 (-5.2%)
07/2010: Ironhide #3 - 8,300 (-2.9%)

Standard drop.

191. Tarot Witch of the Black Rose (Broadsword) 

07/2005: Tarot #33 - 10,227
07/2006: Tarot #39 ¬- 9,528
07/2007: Tarot #45 - 9,610
07/2008: Tarot #51 - 9,144
07/2009: Tarot #57 - 8,705
 =====
08/2009: -
09/2009: Tarot #58 - 8,502 (-2.3%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Tarot #59 - 8,356 (-1.7%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Tarot #60 - 8,241 (-1.4%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Tarot #61 - 8,096 (-1.8%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: Tarot #62 - 8,131 (+0.4%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Tarot #63 - 8,112 (-0.2%)
                                6 month (-1.6%)
                                1 year (-6.8%)
                                2 year (-11.3%)
                                3 year (-15.6%)
                                4 year (-14.7%)
                                5 year (-20.7%)

Stable.

193. Life With Archie (Archie) 

07/2010: Married Life #1 - 7,998

This is the spin-off of the very popular Archie gets married storyline from last year. Included are stories where Archie has married either Betty or Veronica.

194. Rasl (Cartoon Books) 

07/2009: Rasl #5 - 9,866
=====
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: -
12/2009: -
01/2010: Rasl #6 - 8,844 (-10.4%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Rasl #7 - 8,301 (-6.1%)
04/2010: -
05/2010: -
06/2010: -
07/2010: Rasl #8 - 7,875 (-5.1%)
			1 year (-20.2%)

The plan to start shipping bimonthly hasn’t worked out too well.

196. Hack Slash (Image) 

07/2007: Hack Slash #3 (Devil’s Due) - 6,300
07/2008: Hack Slash #13 (Devil’s Due) - 5,959
07/2009: -
=====
08/2009: Hack Slash #24 - 5,069 (-15.8%)
08/2009: Hack Slash #25 - 5,326 (+5.1%)
09/2009: Hack Slash #26 - 5,400 (+1.4%)
10/2009: Hack Slash #27 - 6,005 (+11.2%)
11/2009: -
12/2009: Hack Slash #28 - 6,260  (+4.2%)
01/2010: Hack Slash #29 - 5,935 (-5.2%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Hack Slash #30 - 5,647  (-4.9%)
04/2010: Hack Slash #31 - 5,566 (-1.4%)
04/2010: Hack Slash #32 - 5,344  (-4.0%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Hack Slash My First Maniac #1 - 9,270 (+66.5%)
07/2010: Hack Slash My First Maniac #2 - 7,803 (-15.8%)
                6 month (+31.5%)
                1 year (n.a.)
                2 year (+30.9%)
                3 year (+23.9%)

Sales are still well above the Devil’s Due series.

199. Simpsons Comics (Bongo) 

07/2005: Simpsons Comics #108 - 11,687
07/2006: Simpsons Comics #120 - 10,323
07/2007: Simpsons Comics #132 - 9,291
07/2008: Simpsons Comics #144 - 8,983
07/2009: Simpsons Comics #156 - 7,774
 =====
08/2009: Simpsons Comics #157 - 7,565 (-2.7%)
09/2009: Simpsons Comics #158 - 7,782 (+2.9%)
10/2009: Simpsons Comics #159 - 7,645 (-1.8%)
11/2009: Simpsons Comics #160 - 7,618 (-0.4%)
12/2009: Simpsons Comics #161 - 7,414 (-2.7%)
01/2010: Simpsons Comics #162 - 7,227 (-2.5%)
02/2010: Simpsons Comics #163 - 7,507 (+3.9%)
03/2010: Simpsons Comics #164 - 7,351 (-2.1%)
04/2010: Simpsons Comics #165 - 7,228 (-1.7%)
05/2010: Simpsons Comics #166 - 7,161 (-0.9%)
06/2010: Simpsons Comics #167 - 7,477 (+4.4%)
07/2010: Simpsons Comics #168 - 7,569 (+1.2%)
                                6 month (-4.7%)
                                1 year (-2.6%)
                                2 year (-15.7%)
                                3 year (-18.5%)
                                4 year (-26.7%)
                                5 year (-35.2%)

Not sure why the last two issues have seen increases.

201. Darkness (Image) 

07/2005: Darkness #21 - 14,016
07/2006: -
07/2007: Darkness Level 5 - 10,171
07/2008: -
07/2009: Darkness #78 - 10,417
=====
08/2009: Darkness #79 - 13,260 (+27.3%)
09/2009: Darkness #80 - 14,045 (+5.9%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Darkness #81 - 9,419 (-32.9%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Darkness #82 - 8,848 (-6.0%)
01/2010: Shadows and Flame One Shot - 6,924 (-21.7%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: Darkness #83 - 7,834 (+13.1%)
04/2010: Darkness #84 - 7,366 (-6.0%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: -
07/2010: Darkness #85 - 7,530 (+2.2%)
				6 month (+8.8%)
				1 year (-27.7%)
				2 year (n.a.)
				3 year (-26.0%)
				4 year (n.a.)
				5 year (-46.3%)

Start of a new storyline.

203. Buzzard (Dark Horse) 

06/2010: Buzzard #1 - 10,888
07/2010: Buzzard #2 - 7,506 (-31.1%)

The Goon spinoff.

209. Pilot Season (Image) 

07/2008: Core #1 - 5,508
07/2009: -
=====
10/2009: Declassified - 7,672
11/2009: -
12/2009: Murderer #1 - 8,454 (+10.2%)
01/2010: Demonic #1 - 8,353 (-1.2%)
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: Stealth #1 - 7,676 (-8.1%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Stellar #1 - 7,126 (-7.2%)
                                6 month (-14.7%)
                                1 year (n.a.)
                                2 year (+29.4%)

Written by Robert Kirkman, yet nobody seems to care.

211. Locke & Key (IDW) 

07/2008: Locke & Key #6 - 9,584
07/2009: Head Games #6 - 8,889
=====
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: Crown of Shadows #1 - 9,952 (+12.0%)
12/2009: Crown of Shadows #2 - 7,707 (-22.6%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: Crown of Shadows #3 - 3,690 [7,550] (-2.0%)
03/2010: Crown of Shadows #4 - 7,010 (-7.2%)
04/2010: Crown of Shadows #5 - 6,818 (-2.7%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: -
07/2010: Crown of Shadows #6 - 6,931 (+1.7%)
					6 month (n.a.)
					1 year (-22.0%)
					2 year (-27.7%)

Final issue, the next miniseries started in August.

212. Transformers Nefarious (IDW) 

03/2010: Nefarious #1 - 8,810
04/2010: Nefarious #2 - 8,002 (-9.2%)
05/2010: Nefarious #3 - 7,354 (-8.1%)
06/2010: Nefarious #4 - 7,194 (-2.2%)
07/2010: Nefarious #5 - 6,908 (-4.0%)

Standard drop.

216. Star Trek McCoy (IDW) 

04/2010: McCoy #1 - 7,292
05/2010: McCoy #2 - 6,450 (-11.5%)
06/2010: McCoy #3 - 6,800 (+5.4%)
07/2010: McCoy #4 - 6,639 (-2.4%)

Ditto.

217, 228. Doctor Who Ongoing (IDW) 

07/2009: Doctor Who #1 - 10,949
=====
08/2009: Doctor Who #2 - 8,908 (-18.6%)
09/2009: Doctor Who #3 - 8,711 (-2.2%)
10/2009: Doctor Who #4 - 8,354 (-4.1%)
11/2009: Doctor Who #5 - 7,958 (-4.7%)
12/2009: Doctor Who #6 - 7,448 (-6.4%)
01/2010: Doctor Who #7 - 7,239 (-2.8%)
02/2010: Doctor Who #8 - 7,014 (-3.1%)
03/2010: Doctor Who #9 - 6,991 (-0.3%)
04/2010: Doctor Who #10 - 6,784 (-3.0%)
05/2010: Doctor Who #11 - 6,743 (-0.6%)
06/2010: Doctor Who #12 - 6,754 (+0.2%)
07/2010: Doctor Who #13 - 6,636 (-0.0%)
07/2010: Doctor Who Annual 2010 - 5,828 (-12.2%)
                6 month (-8.3%)
                1 year (-39.4%)

The annual was $7.99 and was squarebound. There were several titles on the graphic novel chart this month that sold for that price, and at least one book that sold for less. How do they decide what’s a graphic novel and what isn’t?

Meanwhile, issue 13 is the beginning of the final arc featuring the 10th doctor and the series ends with issue 16 before, presumably, being relaunched. The six month and one year comparisons are done with this issue.

230. Star Trek Burden of Knowledge (IDW) 

06/2010: Star Trek Burden of Knowledge #1 - 6,757
07/2010: Star Trek Burden of Knowledge #2 - 5,823 (-13.8%)

Based on the original series.

232. Mystery Society (IDW) 

05/2010: Mystery Society #1 - 17,630
06/2010: -
07/2010: Mystery Society #2 - 5,691 (-67.7%)

Woaaaah, either this was incredibly overshipped for the first issue, or lots of copies didn’t make it to shops in July. Can any retailers let me know which is the case?

239. Savage Dragon (Image) 

07/2006: Savage Dragon #0 - 8,165
07/2007: -
07/2008: Savage Dragon #136 - 6,279
07/2009: Savage Dragon #150 - 6,619
=====
08/2009: Savage Dragon #151 - 6,034 (-8.8%)
09/2009: Savage Dragon #152 - 5,993 (-0.7%)
10/2009: Savage Dragon #153 - 6,571 (+9.6%)
11/2009: Savage Dragon #154 - 5,885 (-10.4%)
12/2009: Savage Dragon #155 - 5,736 (-2.5%)
01/2010: Savage Dragon #156 - 6,152 (+7.3%)
02/2010: Savage Dragon #157 - 5,617 (-8.7%)
03/2010: Savage Dragon #158 - 5,578 (-0.7%)
04/2010: Savage Dragon #159 - 5,359 (-3.9%)
05/2010: Savage Dragon #160 - 5,411 (+1.0%)
06/2010: Savage Dragon #161 - 5,544 (+2.5%)
07/2010: Savage Dragon #162 - 5,494 (-0.9%)
                              6 month (-10.7%)
                              1 year (-17.0%)
                              2 year (-12.5)
                              3 year (n.a.)
                              4 year (-32.7%)

Pretty stable the last few months.

240. Darkwing Duck (Boom!) 

06/2010: Darkwing Duck #1 - 6,300
07/2010: Darwking Duck #2 - 5,396 (-14.3%)

This one costs $3.99, unlike Boom’s other Disney titles. Still, that’s a good second issue drop.

244. Battlefields (Dynamite) 

07/2009: Tankies #3 - 6,834
=====
08/2009: -
09/2009: -
10/2009: -
11/2009: -
12/2009: Happy Valley #1 - 7,193 (+5.3%)
01/2010: Happy Valley #2 - 6,038 (-16.1%)
02/2010: Happy Valley #3 - 5,840 (-3.3%)
03/2010: Battlefields #4 - 5,805 (-0.6%)
04/2010: Battlefields #5 - 5,582 (-3.8%)
05/2010: Battlefields #6 - 5,444 (-2.4%)
06/2010: Battlefields #7 - 5,484 (+0.7%)
07/2010: Battlefields #8 - 5,296 (-3.4%)
                              6 months (-12.3%)
                              1 year (-22.5%)

This second series of miniseries ends with issue 9.

248. Star Trek (IDW) 

02/2010: Movie Adaptation #1 - 6,436
03/2010: Movie Adaptation #2 - 5,622 (-12.6%)
04/2010: Movie Adaptation #3 - 5,256 (-6.5%)
05/2010: Movie Adaptation #4 - 4,993 (-5.0%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Movie Adaptation #5 - 5,090 (+1.9%)

Issue six will be the last.

249, 256. Sixth Gun (Oni) 

07/2010: Sixth Gun #1 – 4,899
07/2010: Sixth Gun #2 - 5,061 (+3.3%)

What? A series gaining readers with the second issue? Well, no, as issue one was Oni’s Free Comic Book Day offering this year, so there are presumably a lot of copies out there already.

Oh, and over on the graphic novels list, the final volume of Scott Pilgrim (also published by Oni) sold an astonishing 21,305 copies. Woah. The other five volumes are also all in the top ten.

252. Amory Wars (Boom) 

07/2007: Amory Wars #2 (Image) - 6,770
07/2008: Amory Wars II #2 (Image) - 7,972
07/2009: -
=====
05/2010: Keeping Secrets of Earth 3 #1 - 6,909
06/2010: Keeping Secrets of Earth 3 #2 - 5,178 (-25.1%)
07/2010: Keeping Secrets of Earth 3 #3 - 4,958 (-4.2%)
                1 year (n.a.)
                2 year (-37.8%)
                3 year (-26.8%)

Coheed and Cambria comics.

253. Sweets (Image) 

07/2010: Sweets #1 - 4,914

Five issue crime miniseries set in New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina.

257. Lady Robotika (Image) 

07/2010: Lady Robotika #1 - 4,854

Created and co-written by Jane Wiedlin from the rock band the Go-Go’s. It’s about her being turned into a cyborg by aliens. Co-written and drawn by Bill Morrison who works for Bongo Comics.

258. Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse) 

07/2005: Usagi Yojimbo #85 - 6,432
07/2006: -
07/2007: Usagi Yojimbo #104 - 6,049
07/2008: Usagi Yojimbo #113 - 5,628
07/2009: -
=====
08/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #122 - 5,077 (-1.8%)
09/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #123 - 5,051 (-0.5%)
10/2009: -
11/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #124 - 4,992 (-1.2%)
12/2009: Usagi Yojimbo #125 – 4,980 (-0.2%)
01/2010: -
02/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #126 - 4,909 (-1.4%)
03/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #127 - 4,893 (-0.3%)
04/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #128 - 4,855 (-0.8%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #129 - 4,863 (+0.2%)
07/2010: Usagi Yojimbo #130 - 4,848 (-0.3%)
                6 month (n.a.)
                1 year (n.a.)
                2 year (-13.9%))
                3 year (-19.9%)
                4 year (n.a.)
                5 year (-24.6%)

The samurai rabbit has been pretty stable for most of the year. Volume 24 sold 2,092 copies this month.

260. Strange Science Fiction (IDW) 

07/2010: Strange Science Fiction #1 - 4,818

Comic anthology by Scott Morse.

261. Archie (Archie) 

07/2007: Archie #577 - 2,815
07/2008: -
07/2009: -
=====
08/2009: Archie #600 - 54,170 [58,408] (+2,178.9%)
09/2009: Archie #601 - 37,871 (-35.2%)
10/2009: Archie #602 - 28,211 (-25.5%)
11/2009: Archie #603 - 25,799 (-8.5%)
12/2009: Archie #604 - 25,058 (-2.9%)
01/2010: Archie #605 - 24,803 (-1.0%)
02/2010: Archie #606 - 15,127 (-39.0%)
03/2010: Archie #607 - 5,013 (-66.9%)
04/2010: Archie #608 - 5,224 (+4.2%)
05/2010: Archie #609 - 4,848 (-7.2%)
06/2010: Archie #610 - 5,180 (+6.8%)
07/2010: Archie #611 - 4,796 (-7.4%)
                              6 month (-80.7%)
                              1 year (n.a.)
                              2 year (n.a.)
                              3 year (+70.4%)

The Man from R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E. story continues. I believe this is also the highest number of Archie comics shipped in a year in quite some time, as I believe recent years have seen 9 issues shipped on a “one every six weeks” basis.

265. Chimichanga (Exploding Albatross) 

12/2009: Chimichanga #1 - 9,111
01/2010: -
02/2010: -
03/2010: -
04/2010: -
05/2010: Chimichanga #2 - 3,608 (-60.4%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Chimichanga #3 - 4,664 (+29.3%)

The final issue of Eric Powell’s self published comic.

268. Cowboy Ninja Viking (Image) 

10/2009: Cowboy Ninja Viking #1 - 8,380
11/2009: Cowboy Ninja Viking #2 - 6,394 (-23.7%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #3 - 6,062 (-5.2%)
02/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #4 - 5,651 (-6.8%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #5 - 3,928 (-30.5%)
05/2010: -
06/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #6 - 5,100 (+29.8%)
07/2010: Cowboy Ninja Viking #7 - 4,595 (-9.9%)

That’s a pretty big drop. No issues past #10 have been solicited.

271. Pat Lee’s Widow Warriors (Dynamite) 

07/2010: Widow Warriors #1 - 4,524

This four issue series is possibly drawn by Pat Lee!

275. Incredibles (Boom!) 

05/2009: Family Matters #2 (of 4) - 8,041
=====
06/2009: Family Matters #3 (of 4) - 8,169 (+1.6%)
07/2009: Family Matters #4 (of 4) - 8,199 (+0.4%)
08/2009: Incredibles #0 - 9,407 (+14.7%)
09/2009: -
10/2009: Incredibles #1 - 9,471 (+0.7%)
11/2009: Incredibles #2 - 7,383 (-22.0%)
12/2010: Incredibles #3 - 6,849 (-7.2%)
01/2010: Incredibles #4 - 6,149 (-10.2%)
02/2010: Incredibles #5 - 5,502 (-10.5%)
03/2010: Incredibles #6 - 5,230 (-4.9%)
03/2010: Incredibles #7 - 4,025 (-23.0%)
04/2010: Incredibles #8 - 4,582 (+13.8%)
05/2010: Incredibles #9 - 4,288 (-6.4%)
06/2010: Incredibles #10 - ???? (????)
07/2010: Incredibles #11 - 4,324 (????)
                                6 month (-25.3%)
                                1 year (-42.9%)

Issue 10 sold less than 4,528 copies.

277. Wolfskin (Avatar) 

07/2008: Wolfskin Annual #1 - 5,859
08/2009: -
=====
04/2010: Hundredth Dream #1 - 5,322
05/2010: Hundredth Dream #2 - 4,788 (-10.0%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Hundredth Dream #3 - 4,251 (-11.2%)

                                2 year (-27.4%)

Warren Ellis writes about barbarians.

282. Yours Truly Jack the Ripper (IDW) 

06/2010: Yours Truly Jack the Ripper #1 - 7,730
07/2010: Yours Truly Jack the Ripper #2 - 4,139 (-46.5%)

Adaptation of a Robert Bloch story.

283. Red Mass for Mars (Image) 

07/2010: Red Mass for Mars #4 - 4,125 (-12.8%)

Issue 3 came out in June of last year selling 4,732 copies

289. Fall Out Toy Works (Image) 

09/2009: Fall Out Toy Works #1 - 10,159
10/2009: -
11/2009: Fall Out Toy Works #2 - 5,339 (-47.4%)
12/2009: -
01/2010: -
02/2010: Fall Out Toy Works #3 - 4,492 (-15.7%)
03/2010: -
04/2010: Fall Out Toy Works #4 - 4,161 (-7.4%)
05/2010: -
06/2010:
07/2010: Fall Out Toy Works #5 - 3,869 (-7.0%)

Comic related to the band Fall Out Boy.

290. Kill Shakespeare (IDW) 

04/2010: Kill Shakespeare #1 - 5,447
05/2010: Kill Shakespeare #2 - 3,703 (-32.0%)
06/2010: -
07/2010: Kill Shakespeare #3 - 3,861 (+4.3%)

Planned to be twelve issues.

293. Dust Wars (Image) 

06/2010: Dust Wars #1 - 5,212
07/2010: Dust Wars #2 - 3,796 (-27.2%)

Three issue spinoff of a strategy RPG of some kind.

297. Brigade (Image) 

07/2010: Brigade #1 - 3,708

John Jackson Miller’s site lists Brigade Vol. 2 (but I think it was volume 3) #1 from Awesome selling 8,293 copies in April, 2000. That was the only issue of that series published.

298. Dynamo 5 (Image) 

07/2007: Dynamo 5 #5 - 5,957
07/2008: Dynamo 5 #14 - 5,238
07/2009: -
====
06/2010: Sins of the Father #1 - ???
07/2010: Sins of the Father #2 - 3,691 (????)
				6 month (n.a.)
				1 year (n.a.)
				2 year (-29.5%)
				3 year (38.0%)

Issue one sold less than 4,528 copies.

299. Fear Agent (Dark Horse) 

07/2006: Fear Agent #6 (Image) - 5,213
07/2007: Last Goodbye #2 - 6,644
07/2008: -
07/2009: Fear Agent #27 - 4,296
=====
07/2010: Fear Agent #28 - 3,679
			1 year (-14.4%)
			2 year(n.a.)
			3 year(-44.6%)
			4 year(-29.4%)

Beginning the final arc. The year long gap since the last issue hasn’t helped sales.

300. Torchwood (Titan) 

07/2010: Torchwood #1 - 3,675

This Doctor Who spinoff is the lowest selling comic on the top 300 this month.

==========

Matthew Murray really likes (vegetarian) cooking, and zines and comics. Now if only he could somehow combine them.

Filed Under: Indie Comics, Sales Charts Tagged With: Charts, Sales, Sales Charts

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