Image Comics Month-to Month Sales August 2016: Summer Clothes

by Dave Carter

Greetings, sales charts fans! It’s time once again to look at Image Comics’s sales figures.

Please refer to July 2015’s column for a preamble and explanation as to why sales standards for Image books are likely to be different than those for DC or Marvel.

Image shipped 52 comics in August, compared to 58 comics in July, 55 comics in June, 41 comics in May, 51 comics in April, 52 comics in March, 50 comics in February, 56 comics in January, 67 comics in December, 62 in November, 55 in October and 73 in September. Of those 52 comics, 17 did not place in Diamond’s Top 300, and another 13 placed below the 10K mark.

Warning: The commentary below may contain reasoned analysis, speculation (unfounded and otherwise), opinion, and/or snark. Those looking for a more straightforward analysis are directed to John Jackson Miller’s excellent Comichron analysis, posted earlier this month over at Comichron!

Please consider the fine print at the end of the column. Thanks to Milton Griepp and ICv2.com for the permission to use their figures. An overview of ICv2.com’s estimates can be found here.

(Note that the percentage comparisons are done with total orders including reorder activity, as opposed to initial orders.)

---

13 - THE WALKING DEAD ($2.99)
08/2006: The Walking Dead #30  --  20,540
08/2011: The Walking Dead #88  --  31,839
08/2012: The Walking Dead #101 --  51,732 
08/2013: The Walking Dead #113 --  70,273
08/2014: The Walking Dead #130 --  71,885  [72,202] 
-----------------------------------------
08/2015: The Walking Dead #145 --  82,792 (+  4.7%) [83,671]
09/2015: The Walking Dead #146 --  69,006 (- 16.6%) [69,799]
10/2015: The Walking Dead #147 --  67,056 (-  2.6%) [68,007]
11/2015: The Walking Dead #148 --  65,526 (-  2.3%) [66,446]
12/2015: The Walking Dead #149 --  65,406 (-  1.6%) 
01/2016: The Walking Dead #150 -- 156,166 (+138.8%) 
02/2016: The Walking Dead #151 --  67,381 (- 59.6%) 
03/2016: The Walking Dead #152 --  67,258 (-  0.2%) 
04/2016: The Walking Dead #153 --  67,358 (+  0.1%) 
05/2016: The Walking Dead #154 --  68,922 (+  2.3%) 
06/2016: The Walking Dead #155 --  71,755 (+  4.1%) 
07/2016: The Walking Dead #156 --  76,355 (+  6.4%) 
08/2016: The Walking Dead #157 --  97,689 (+ 27.9%) 
-----------------
6 months: + 45.0%
1 year  : + 16.8%
2 years : + 35.3%
5 years : +206.8%
10 years: +375.6%

The start of “The Whisper War” arc, and the first of (presumably) six connecting variant covers by Arthur Adams, gives Walking Dead a nice boost. And there were second prints of both covers that came out in September, so we could see sales for this issue go over 100K when all is said and done.

—

57 - SAGA ($2.99)
08/2012: Saga #6  -- 40,584 
08/2013: Saga #13 -- 55,372 
08/2014: Saga #22 -- 55,803  [55,523]
---------------------------
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Saga #31 -- 53,980 (-  5.0%) [54,650]
12/2015: Saga #32 -- 51,850 (-  5.1%) 
01/2016: Saga #33 -- 50,415 (-  2.8%) 
02/2016: Saga #34 -- 49,363 (-  2.1%) 
03/2016: Saga #35 -- 48,845 (-  1.0%) 
04/2016: Saga #36 -- 48,957 (+  0.2%) 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: -- 
07/2016: -- 
08/2016: Saga #37 -- 50,016 (+  2.2%) 
-----------------
6 months: +  1.3%
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years : -  9.9%

Saga returns from its scheduled hiatus without fancy variant covers or any other shenanigans, just a small but welcome boost for the start of a new story arc.

—

86 - PAPER GIRLS ($2.99)
10/2015: Paper Girls #1  -- 75,585           [80,620]
11/2015: Paper Girls #2  -- 46,274 (- 40.0%) [48,346]
12/2015: Paper Girls #3  -- 43,737 (-  9.5%) 
01/2016: Paper Girls #4  -- 38,290 (- 12.5%) 
02/2016: Paper Girls #5  -- 37,206 (-  2.8%) 
03/2016: -- 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: Paper Girls #6  -- 36,385 (-  2.2%) 
07/2016: Paper Girls #7  -- 35,392 (-  2.7%) 
08/2016: Paper Girls #8  -- 33,731 (-  4.7%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  9.3%

These are still good numbers, but I’d prefer to see the drops slow down or reverse fairly soon.

—

93 - KILL OR BE KILLED ($3.99)
08/2016: Kill or Be Killed #1  -- 30,050

The new Brubaker & Phillips crime comic is the top debut from Image in August. Presumably retailers know what they’re getting here and the second-issue drop-off won’t be as severe as it has been lately for other Image comics.

(Their previous series, The Fade Out, debuted with first month sales at 34.5K and ended its twelve-issue run at 16.5K.)

—

99 - SPAWN KILLS EVERYONE ($2.99)
08/2016: Spawn Kills Everyone  -- 28,227

The one-shot comes in at nearly twice as much as the regular Spawn series.

—

104 - THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS ($4.99)
08/2016: Kill or Be Killed #1  -- 26,696

A new crypto-noir occult crime comic from Jonathan Hickman & Tomm Coker.

—

113 - SNOTGIRL ($2.99)
07/2016: Snotgirl #1  -- 37,765 
08/2016: Snotgirl #2  -- 23,830 (- 36.9%)

Apparently I juts completely flaked and left the debut of Snotgirl off of last month’s Image summary. My apologies to Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung, who had a good debut in July and a typical second issue drop in August.

The first issue was returnable, while the second issue was not, and both had variant covers. Issue #1 had a second printing out in August, but it didn’t chart in the Top 300.

—

117 - I HATE FAIRYLAND ($3.50)
10/2015: I Hate Fairyland #1 -- 50,318           [53,492]
11/2015: I Hate Fairyland #2 -- 31,626 (- 38.2%) [33,054]
12/2015: I Hate Fairyland #3 -- 27,843 (- 15.8%) 
01/2016: I Hate Fairyland #4 -- 25,708 (-  7.7%) 
02/2016: I Hate Fairyland #5 -- 24,793 (-  3.6%) 
03/2016: -- 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: I Hate Fairyland #6 -- 26,095 (+  5.3%) 
07/2016: I Hate Fairyland #7 -- 23,742 (-  9.0%) 
08/2016: I Hate Fairyland #8 -- 22,562 (-  5.0%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  9.0%

While definitely a book for specialized tastes, you’d think at this point those tastes would sort themselves out and the drops would be closer to standard attrition.

—

119 - OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA ($2.99)
08/2014: Outcast #3  -- 46,717  [50,919]
------------------------------
08/2015: Outcast #11 -- 27,087 (-  3.3%) 
09/2015: Outcast #12 -- 26,115 (-  3.6%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Outcast #13 -- 24,051 (-  7.9%) 
12/2015: Outcast #14 -- 23,319 (-  3.0%) 
01/2016: Outcast #15 -- 22,195 (-  4.8%) 
02/2016: Outcast #16 -- 21,801 (-  1.8%) 
03/2016: Outcast #17 -- 21,426 (-  1.7%) 
04/2016: Outcast #18 -- 21,261 (-  0.8%) 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: -- 
07/2016: Outcast #19 -- 22,167 (+  4.3%) 
08/2016: Outcast #20 -- 21,919 (-  1.1%) 
-----------------
6 months: +  0.5%
1 year  : - 19.1%
2 years : - 57.0%

Ratings for the television show weren’t great, but good enough apparently for Cinemax to give it a second season. Meanwhile the comic seems to have found its level in the low-20K range.

—

122, 126 - TOKYO GHOST ($3.99)
09/2015: Tokyo Ghost #1  -- 39,682           [44,296]
10/2015: Tokyo Ghost #2  -- 27,688 (- 32.8%) [29,770]
11/2015: Tokyo Ghost #3  -- 25,198 (- 15.4%) 
12/2015: Tokyo Ghost #4  -- 24,133 (-  4.2%) 
01/2016: Tokyo Ghost #5  -- 22,724 (-  5.8%) 
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: Tokyo Ghost #6  -- 22,231 (-  2.2%) 
05/2016: Tokyo Ghost #7  -- 21,487 (-  3.3%) 
06/2016: -- 
07/2016: Tokyo Ghost #8  -- 21,688 (+  0.9%) 
08/2016: Tokyo Ghost #9  -- 20,860 (-  3.8%) 
08/2016: Tokyo Ghost #10 -- 20,255 (-  2.4%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.

Playing catch-up in August with two issues, continuing the Tokyo Drift downward with standard attrition.

—

142 - DESCENDER ($2.99)
08/2015: Descender #6  -- 24,615 (-  5.5%) 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Descender #7  -- 23,684 (-  3.8%) 
12/2015: Descender #8  -- 20,999 (- 11.3%) 
01/2016: Descender #9  -- 20,017 (-  4.7%) 
02/2016: Descender #10 -- 19,642 (-  3.4%) 
03/2016: Descender #11 -- 18,842 (-  2.6%) 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: Descender #12 -- 19,782 (+  5.0%) 
07/2016: Descender #13 -- 17,783 (- 10.1%) 
08/2016: Descender #14 -- 17,296 (-  2.7%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 11.9%
1 year  : - 29.7%

—

148 - EAST OF WEST ($3.99)
08/2013: East of West #5  -- 36,345
08/2014: -- 
-----------------------------------
08/2015: East of West #20 -- 21,778 (-  3.1%) 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: East of West #21 -- 21,075 (-  3.2%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: East of West #22 -- 19,867 (-  5.7%) 
12/2015: East of West #23 -- 19,184 (-  3.4%) 
01/2016: East of West #24 -- 18,460 (-  3.8%) 
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: East of West #25 -- 19,297 (+  4.5%) 
05/2016: East of West #26 -- 17,645 (-  8.6%) 
06/2016: East of West #27 -- 18,146 (+  2.8%) 
07/2016: East of West #28 -- 17,019 (-  6.2%) 
08/2016: East of West #29 -- 16,613 (-  2.4%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 23.7%
2 years :    n.a.

—

154 - JUPITER'S LEGACY ($3.99)
08/2013: --
08/2014: -- 
--------------------------------------
08/2015: Jupiter's Circle #5 -- 18,889 (-  3.2%) 
09/2015: Jupiter's Circle #6 -- 18,732 (-  0.8%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: Jupiter's Crc v2 #1 -- 18,175 (-  3.0%)
12/2015: Jupiter's Crc v2 #2 -- 15,719 (- 13.5%)
01/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #3 -- 14,631 (-  6.9%)
02/2016: -- 
03/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #4 -- 13,726 (-  6.2%)
04/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #5 -- 13,418 (-  2.2%)
05/2016: Jupiter's Crc v2 #6 -- 11,177 (- 16.7%)
06/2016: Jupiter's Leg v2 #1 -- 28,409 (+154.2%)
07/2016: Jupiter's Leg v2 #2 -- 17,031 (- 40.1%)
08/2016: Jupiter's Leg v2 #3 -- 16,111 (-  5.4%)
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 14.7%
2 years :    n.a.

—

155 - THE WICKED + THE DIVINE ($3.50)
08/2014: Wicked + Divine #3  -- 27,208  [29,472]
--------------------------------------
08/2015: Wicked + Divine #13 -- 20,161 (-  1.2%) 
09/2015: Wicked + Divine #14 -- 20,706 (+  2.7%) 
10/2015: Wicked + Divine #15 -- 20,154 (-  2.7%) 
11/2015: Wicked + Divine #16 -- 19,360 (-  3.9%) 
12/2015: Wicked + Divine #17 -- 18,479 (-  4.6%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: Wicked + Divine #18 -- 17,722 (-  4.1%) 
05/2016: Wicked + Divine #19 -- 16,929 (-  4.4%) 
06/2016: Wicked + Divine #20 -- 17,831 (+  5.3%) 
07/2016: Wicked + Divine #21 -- 16,283 (-  8.7%) 
08/2016: Wicked + Divine #22 -- 15,969 (-  1.9%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 20.8%
2 years : - 45.8%

—

156 - SPAWN ($2.99)
08/2006: Spawn #159      -- 26,182 
08/2011: Spawn #210      -- 14,100 
08/2012: Spawn #222      -- 18,336  
08/2013: Spawn #234      -- 15,930 
08/2014: Spawn #246      -- 13,343  
----------------------------------
08/2015: Spawn #255      -- 15,717 (+  1.9%) 
09/2015: Spawn #256      -- 15,087 (-  4.0%) 
10/2015: Spawn #257      -- 15,266 (+  1.2%) 
11/2015: Spawn #258      -- 15,163 (-  0.7%) 
12/2015: Spawn #259      -- 16,906 (+ 11.5%) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Spawn #260      -- 17,877 (+  5.7%) 
02/2016: Spawn #261      -- 16,949 (-  5.2%) 
03/2016: --
04/2016: Spawn #262      -- 18,775 (+ 10.8%) 
05/2016: Spawn #263      -- 16,109 (- 14.2%) 
06/2016: -- 
07/2016: Spawn #264      -- 17,157 (+  6.5%) 
08/2016: Spawn #265      -- 15,927 (-  7.2%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 10.9%
1 year  : +  1.3%
2 years : + 19.4%
5 years : + 13.0%
10 years: - 39.2%

—

165 - DEMONIC ($2.99)
08/2016: Demonic #1  -- 14,442

Previously a comic in Top Cow’s Pilot Season by Kirkman & Silvestri, now a comic from Kirkman’s Skyline by Sebala, Walter & Brown.

—

175 - LOW ($3.99)
08/2014: Low #2  -- 31,269  [31,703]  
--------------------------
08/2015: Low #9  -- 15,717 (-  2.8%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: Low #10 -- 15,351 (-  2.3%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Low #11 -- 14,939 (-  2.7%) 
03/2016: Low #12 -- 14,494 (-  3.0%) 
04/2016: Low #13 -- 13,956 (-  3.7%) 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: Low #14 -- 13,903 (-  0.4%) 
07/2016: -- 
08/2016: Low #15 -- 12,955 (-  6.8%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 13.3%
1 year  : - 17.6%
2 years : - 59.1%

—

178 - BLACK SCIENCE ($3.99)
08/2014: --  
------------------------------------
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Black Science #17 -- 15,094 (- 17.5%) 
12/2015: Black Science #18 -- 14,465 (-  4.2%) 
01/2016: Black Science #19 -- 13,966 (-  3.4%) 
02/2016: Black Science #20 -- 13,251 (-  5.1%) 
03/2016: Black Science #21 -- 13,092 (-  1.2%) 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: -- 
07/2016: Black Science #22 -- 12,829 (-  2.0%) 
08/2016: Black Science #23 -- 12,466 (-  2.8%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  5.9%
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years :    n.a.

—

181 - LAZARUS ($3.99)
08/2013: Lazarus #3  -- 24,961
08/2014: Lazarus #10 -- 18,051  
------------------------------
08/2015: --
09/2015: Lazarus #19 -- 14,506 (-  0.4%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: Lazarus #20 -- 14,218 (-  2.0%) 
12/2015: Lazarus #21 -- 13,390 (-  5.8%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2006: Lazarus #22 -- 14,177 (+  5.9%)
07/2006: Lazarus #23 -- 12,300 (- 13.2%)
08/2006: Lazarus #24 -- 12,098 (-  1.6%)
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years : - 33.0%

—

182 - INVINCIBLE ($2.99)
08/2006: Invincible #34  -- 13,610
08/2011: Invincible #82  -- 15,105
08/2012: Invincible #94  -- 14,355 
08/2013: --
08/2014: Invincible #113 -- 13,642  
----------------------------------
08/2015: Invincible #122 -- 13,001 (-  0.6%) 
09/2015: Invincible #123 -- 12,758 (-  1.9%) 
10/2015: Invincible #124 -- 13,186 (+  3.4%) 
11/2015: Invincible #125 -- 12,561 (-  4.7%) 
12/2015: Invincible #126 -- 12,436 (-  1.0%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: Invincible #127 -- 12,038 (-  3.2%) 
05/2016: Invincible #128 -- 11,982 (-  0.5%) 
06/2016: Invincible #129 -- 12,510 (+  4.4%) 
07/2016: --
08/2016: Invincible #130 -- 11,921 (-  4.7%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : -  8.3%
2 years : - 12.6%
5 years : - 21.1%
10 years: - 12.4%

—

187 - TREES ($2.99)
08/2014: Trees #4  -- 23,639 
----------------------------
08/2015: Trees #12 -- 13,569 (-  4.9%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: --
11/2015: --
12/2015: Trees #13 -- 12,728 (-  6.2%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: --
05/2016: --
06/2016: --
07/2016: --
08/2016: Trees #14 -- 11,530 (-  9.4%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 15.0%
2 years : - 51.2%

Hey, who needs anything resembling a regular schedule when your comic gets optioned for a television series?

—

208 - LAKE OF FIRE ($2.99)
08/2016: Lake of Fire #1 of 5 -- 9,142

Limited series from Nathan Fairbairn and Matt Smith.

—

215 - MANIFEST DESTINY ($2.99)
08/2014: Manifest Destiny #9  -- 14,672 
---------------------------------------
08/2015: Manifest Destiny #16 -- 10,986 (-  3.5%) 
09/2015: Manifest Destiny #17 -- 10,748 (-  2.2%) 
10/2015: Manifest Destiny #18 -- 10,503 (-  2.3%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: -- 
03/2016: -- 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: Manifest Destiny #19 --  9,900 (-  5.7%) 
06/2016: Manifest Destiny #20 --  9,399 (-  5.1%) 
07/2016: Manifest Destiny #21 --  8,763 (-  6.8%) 
08/2016: Manifest Destiny #22 --  8,526 (-  2.7%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 22.4%
2 years : - 41.9%

—

220 - CHEW ($3.99)
08/2011: Chew #20      -- 12,202
08/2012: -- 
08/2013: --
08/2014: -- 
--------------------------------
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: Chew #51      --  9,652 (-  9.6%) 
11/2015: Chew #52      --  9,056 (-  6.2%) 
12/2015: Chew #53      --  8,829 (-  2.5%) 
01/2016: Chew #54      --  8,556 (-  3.1%) 
02/2016: Chew #55      --  8,430 (-  1.5%) 
03/2016: --
04/2016: Demon Chicken -- 10,447 (+ 23.9%)
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: --
07/2016: Chew #56      --  8,469 (- 18.9%) 
08/2016: Chew #57      --  8,280 (-  2.2%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  1.8%
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years :    n.a.
5 years : - 32.1%

Ending with issue #60.

—

223 - BIRTHRIGHT ($2.99)
08/2015: Birthright #10 -- 11,072 (-  3.7%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: --
11/2015: Birthright #11 -- 10,989 (-  0.7%) 
12/2015: Birthright #12 -- 10,633 (-  3.2%) 
01/2016: Birthright #13 --  9,931 (-  6.6%) 
02/2016: Birthright #14 --  9,519 (-  4.1%) 
03/2016: Birthright #15 --  9,344 (-  1.8%) 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: Birthright #16 --  9,015 (-  3.5%) 
07/2016: Birthright #17 --  8,264 (-  8.3%) 
08/2016: Birthright #18 --  8,146 (-  1.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 14.4%
1 year  : - 26.4%

—

229 - HORIZON ($2.99)
07/2016: Horizon #1 -- 15,175  
08/2016: Horizon #2 --  7,860 (- 48.2%)

It didn’t, and it likely won’t be.

—

231 - NAILBITER ($2.99)
08/2014: Nailbiter #4  -- 14,706 
--------------------------------
08/2015: Nailbiter #15 --  9,934 (-  1.9%) 
09/2015: --
10/2015: Nailbiter #16 --  9,719 (-  2.2%) 
11/2015: Nailbiter #17 --  9,333 (-  4.0%) 
12/2015: Nailbiter #18 --  8,853 (-  5.1%) 
01/2016: Nailbiter #19 --  8,464 (-  4.4%) 
02/2016: Nailbiter #20 --  8,368 (-  1.1%) 
03/2016: -- 
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: Nailbiter #21 --  8,196 (-  2.1%) 
06/2016: Nailbiter #22 --  8,477 (+  3.4%) 
07/2016: Nailbiter #23 --  7,938 (-  6.4%) 
08/2016: Nailbiter #23 --  7,780 (-  2.0%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  7.0%
1 year  : - 21.7%
2 years : - 47.1%

—

236 - EDEN'S FALL ($3.99)
08/2016: Eden's Fall #1 of 3 -- 7,613

Crossover series for three Top Cow comics: Think Tank, The Tithe, and Postal.

—

243 - RENATO JONES: THE ONE % ($3.99)
05/2016: One Percent #1  -- 14,857 
06/2016: One Percent #2  -- 10,565 (- 28.9%) 
07/2016: One Percent #3  --  9,027 (- 14.6%) 
08/2016: One Percent #4  --  7,418 (- 17.8%)

Issues of Renato Jones are have multiple printings, so sales are at least somewhat better than these figures indicate.

—

252 - BLACK ROAD ($3.99)
04/2016: Black Road #1  -- 16,572 
05/2016: Black Road #2  -- 10,131 (- 38.9%) 
06/2016: Black Road #3  -- 10,484 (+  3.5%) 
07/2016: Black Road #4  --  7,292 (- 30.4%) 
07/2016: Black Road #5  --  6,912 (-  5.2%)

—

265 - THE HUNT ($3.99)
07/2016: The Hunt #1 -- 12,166  
08/2016: The Hunt #2 --  6,453 (- 47.0%)

—

268 - THE DISCIPLINE ($2.99)
03/2016: Discipline #1  -- 20,221
04/2016: Discipline #2  -- 10,288 (- 49.1%)
05/2016: Discipline #3  --  9,161 (- 11.0%)
06/2016: Discipline #4  --  9,017 (-  1.6%)
07/2016: Discipline #5  --  6,969 (- 22.7%)
08/2016: Discipline #6  --  6,381 (-  8.4%)

—

285 - RUMBLE ($3.50)
08/2015: Rumble #6  --  8,810 (-  6.9%) 
09/2015: Rumble #7  --  7,613 (- 13.6%) 
10/2015: Rumble #8  --  7,084 (-  6.9%) 
11/2015: Rumble #9  --  6,774 (-  4.4%) 
12/2015: Rumble #10 --  6,324 (-  6.6%) 
01/2016: --
02/2016: --
03/2016: --
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: Rumble #11 --  8,139 (+ 28.7%) 
07/2016: Rumble #12 --  5,857 (- 28.0%) 
08/2016: Rumble #13 --  5,904 (+  0.8%) 
----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 33.0%

—

299 - SPREAD ($3.50)
08/2014: Spread #2  -- 15,244 
-----------------------------
08/2015: Spread #9  --  7,866 (-  6.2%) 
09/2015: Spread #10 --  7,372 (-  6.3%) 
10/2015: Spread #11 --  6,965 (-  5.5%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Spread #12 --  7,190 (+  3.2%) 
02/2016: Spread #13 --  6,401 (- 11.0%) 
03/2016: --
04/2016: -- 
05/2016: -- 
06/2016: --
07/2016: Spread #14 --  5,783 (-  9.7%) 
08/2016: Spread #15 --  5,559 (-  3.9%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 13.2%
1 year  : - 29.3%
2 years : - 63.5%

—

Image titles shipping but not making the Top 300 in August include: Aloha Hawaiian Dick, Dream Police, Elephantmen, Faster Than Light, The Fuse, Island, Mechanism, Midnight of the Soul, Postal, Ringside, Sex, Sons of the Devil, Stray Bullets, Symmetry, Thief of Thieves, Throwaways, The Violent.

Note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that any of them are in danger of being cancelled; there are many reasons that the creators of these books may desire to keep them going.

---

The Fine Print (Disclaimers, et cetera)

The numbers above are estimates for comic-book sales in the North American direct market, as calculated by ICv2.com according to the chart and index information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.

ICv2.com’s estimates are somewhat lower than the actual numbers, but they are consistent from month to month, so the trends they show are fairly accurate. Since it’s a “month-to-month” column, the comments, unless otherwise noted, are on the most recent month.

Bear in mind that the figures measure sales of physical comics to retailers, not customers. Also, these numbers do not include sales to bookstores, newsstands, other mass-market retail chains or the United Kingdom. Re-orders are included, so long as they either reached stores in a book’s initial calendar month of release or were strong enough to make the chart again in a subsequent month. Keep in mind that sales for some titles may include incentives to acquire variants and not every unit sold is necessarily even intended to be sold to a customer.

If additional copies of an issue did appear on the chart after a book’s initial calendar month of release, you can see the total number of copies sold in brackets behind those issues (e.g. “[36,599]”). Should more than one issue have shipped in a month which is relevant for one of the long-term comparisons, the average between them will be used.

Titles which are returnable have their numbers artificially adjusted down by Diamond. To make up for that this column increases the reported numbers for those titles by 10%. Which is likely also wrong, but it’s a different and likely less wrong kind of wrong, and experience has shown that this leads to sales figures which are more consistent.

Image is not a normal comics publisher, and the typical metrics for sales success may not apply. For many titles, collection sales tend to be a significant factor, so the numbers for those books should be taken with a grain of salt as well.

Please keep in mind that raw sales numbers do not tell us about how profitable a book is for a publisher or for the creators.

Above all, do not allow sales numbers to dictate your purchasing and enjoyment of a particular comic. If you enjoy reading a comic series then go right on buying and reading that comic, no matter what the sales figures say.

** Two asterisks after a given month in the average charts mean that one or more periodical release did not make the Top 300 chart in that month. In those cases, it’s assumed that said releases sold as many units as the No. 300 comic on the chart for that month for the purposes of the chart, although its actual sales are likely to be less than that.

Opinions expressed in this column are mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer, Heidi MacDonald or anyone at The Comics Beat, the Overseas Press Club of America, or my former neighbor’s dog Miles.

The author of this column does weekly snapshots of Amazon comic sales charts at http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/ and tweets about comics and related subjects on Twitter at @davereadscomics (PM me there if you need to contact me).

As always, we welcome your comments and corrections below. Please try to keep things civilized.