Image Comics Month-to Month Sales February 2016: I’ll Sink Manhattan

by David Carter

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

Just a reminder that I’m not doing this as a permanent gig; just filling in until Heidi finds someone to take on the indy month-to-month chart. Although that keeps looking less and less likely with each passing month, so y’all might be stuck with me for a while…

Please refer to July’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 50 comics in February, compared to 56 comics in January, 67 comics in December, 62 in November, 55 in October and 73 in September. Of those 50 comics, 10 did not place in Diamond’s Top 300, and another 19 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)
02/2006: --
02/2011: The Walking Dead #81  --  30,750 
02/2012: The Walking Dead #94  --  32,361
02/2013: The Walking Dead #107 --  63,575 
02/2014: The Walking Dead #121 --  65,244  [65,318]
02/2014: The Walking Dead #122 --  64,810  [64,954]
-----------------------------------------
02/2015: The Walking Dead #137 --  65,620 (-  1.7%) [65,681]
03/2015: The Walking Dead #138 --  66,778 (+  2.0%) [67,008]
03/2015: The Walking Dead #139 --  67,349 (+  3.9%) [69,652]
04/2015: The Walking Dead #140 --  66,553 (-  3.9%) [66,944]
05/2015: The Walking Dead #141 --  68,931 (+  4.5%) [69,970]
06/2015: The Walking Dead #142 --  68,221 (-  1.3%) [69,079]
06/2015: The Walking Dead #143 --  67,989 (+  0.4%) [69,325]
07/2015: The Walking Dead #144 --  79,496 (+ 15.2%) [79,882]
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 19.5%
1 year  : +  2.6%
2 years : +  3.4%
5 years : +119.1%
10 years:    n.a.

After last month’s variant-field spike, sales for The Walking Dead return back to normal (though still a couple thousand higher than issue #149).

—

24 - SAGA ($2.99)
02/2013: Saga #10 -- 48,388 
02/2014: --
---------------------------
02/2015: Saga #25 -- 55,972 (+  2.7%) [56,852]
03/2015: Saga #26 -- 54,892 (-  3.5%) [54,876]
04/2015: Saga #27 -- 54,897 (-  0.0%) [54,868]
05/2015: Saga #28 -- 55,239 (+  2.6%) [56,275]
06/2015: Saga #29 -- 55,131 (-  0.9%) [55,752]
07/2015: Saga #30 -- 60,937 (+  3.1%) [57,501]
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%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 13.2%
2 years :    n.a.

Saga slips down below the 50K mark for the first time since its second story arc. But fear not for Saga; not only are its single issue sales well above the break-even point, it makes the majority of its sales in trade paperback collections.

—

39 - 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%)

The final issue of the first story arc. Now we anxiously await the collection sales to see just how big of a hit Paper Girls will be. The second arc starts in June.

—

79 - 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%)

Also the end of it first story arc. The collection is out in April and the second arc starts up in June.

—

95 - OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA ($2.99)
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: Outcast #7  -- 38,077 (+  6.1%) [38,574]
04/2015: Outcast #8  -- 36,188 (- 14.4%) [33,012]
05/2015: Outcast #9  -- 28,961 (-  8.8%) [30,104]
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Outcast #10 -- 28,012 (-  6.9%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 19.5%
1 year  :    n.a.

—

108 - HUCK ($3.50)
11/2015: Huck #1 -- 35,299           [37,775]
12/2015: Huck #2 -- 22,937 (- 39.3%)
01/2016: Huck #3 -- 20,986 (-  8.5%)
02/2016: Huck #4 -- 20,183 (-  3.8%)

Moving into standard attrition mode.

—

111 - DESCENDER ($2.99)
03/2015: Descender #1  -- 61,910           [71,989]
04/2015: Descender #2  -- 43,946 (- 41.9%) [41,853]
05/2015: Descender #3  -- 29,717 (- 22.7%) [32,343]
06/2015: Descender #4  -- 27,163 (- 10.2%) [29,046]
07/2015: Descender #5  -- 26,039 (- 10.4%) 
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%) 
01/2015: Descender #9  -- 20,017 (-  4.7%) 
02/2015: Descender #10 -- 19,642 (-  3.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 20.2%

—

123, 131 - SPAWN ($2.99)
02/2006: Spawn #153      -- 26,874
02/2011: Spawn #202      -- 18,335 
02/2012: Spawn #203      -- 15,572 
02/2012: Spawn #216      -- 12,671 
02/2013: Spawn #228      -- 16,343  
02/2014: Spawn #240      -- 11,827 
----------------------------------
02/2015: Spawn #250      -- 60,357 (+398.0%)
03/2015: Resurrection #1 -- 29,787 (- 50.6%)
04/2015: Spawn #251      -- 17,443 (- 71.1%)
05/2015: Spawn #252      -- 15,904 (-  8.8%)
06/2015: Spawn #253      -- 15,993 (+  0.6%) 
07/2015: Spawn #254      -- 15,421 (-  3.6%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: + 10.8%
1 year  : - 71.1%
2 years : + 47.2%
5 years : -  5.0%
10 years: - 35.2%

—

125 - THE GODDAMNED ($3.99)
11/2015: The Goddamned #1 -- 33,809           [34,703]
12/2015: The Goddamned #2 -- 20,415 (- 41.2%) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2015: The Goddamned #3 -- 17,421 (- 14.7%)

—

126 - BITCH PLANET ($3.99)
02/2015: Bitch Planet #3  -- 24,999 (- 26.2%) 
03/2015: -- 
04/2015: Bitch Planet #4  -- 21,569 (- 13.7%) 
05/2015: -- 
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Bitch Planet #5  -- 22,041 (+  2.2%)
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Bitch Planet #6  -- 18,834 (- 14.6%)
02/2016: Bitch Planet #7  -- 17,721 (-  5.9%)
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 29.1%

—

127, 187 - SEX CRIMINALS ($3.50/$4.69)
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: --
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Sex Criminals #11 -- 35,234 (+ 82.5%) [40,283]
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Sex Criminals #12 -- 33,005 (- 18.1%) 
10/2015: Sex Criminals #13 -- 29,368 (- 11.0%) 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Sex Criminals #14 -- 26,435 (- 10.0%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.

Combined sales for the regular and XXX variants.

—

128 - SNOWFALL ($3.99)
02/2016: Snowfall #1  -- 17,195

New ecological sci-fi series from the creators of Great Pacific (Joe Harris & Martín Morazzo).

—

139 - LOW ($3.99)
02/2015: Low #6  -- 19,832 (-  8.1%) 
03/2015: --
04/2015: -- 
05/2015: --
06/2015: Low #7  -- 24,317 (+ 22.6%) 
07/2015: Low #8  -- 16,169 (- 33.5%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  5.0%
1 year  : - 24.7%

Back for a new story arc (“Shore of the Dying Light”).

—

140 - MIRROR ($2.99)
02/2016: Snowfall #1  -- 14,884

New series from Emma Ríos & Hwei Lim.

—

148 - BLACK MAGICK ($3.99)
10/2015: Black Magick #1 -- 28,429 
11/2015: Black Magick #2 -- 17,686 (- 37.8%) 
12/2015: Black Magick #3 -- 15,070 (- 14.8%) 
01/2015: Black Magick #4 -- 14,736 (-  2.2%) 
02/2015: Black Magick #5 -- 14,024 (-  4.8%)

Rucka and Scott will be working together on the Rebirth Wonder Woman. It’s unclear what that means for Black Magick going forward. It’s possible that Scott’s every-other-issue schedule on WW is to accommodate her also continuing to work on Black Magick

—

152 - VELVET ($3.50)
02/2014: --
-------------------------------
02/2015: Velvet #9  -- 16,274 (-  4.5%) 
03/2015: --
04/2015: Velvet #10 -- 15,720 (-  3.4%) 
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: Velvet #11 -- 14,802 (-  5.8%) 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Velvet #12 -- 14,206 (-  4.0%) 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Velvet #13 -- 13,585 (-  4.4%) 
-----------------
6 months: -  8.2%
1 year  : - 16.5%
2 years :    n.a.

—

153 - BLACK SCIENCE ($3.99)
02/2014: Black Science #4  -- 25,713 
------------------------------------
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: Black Science #12 -- 26,112 (+ 32.6%)
04/2015: Black Science #13 -- 17,876 (- 31.5%) 
05/2015: Black Science #14 -- 17,090 (-  4.4%)
06/2015: Black Science #15 -- 17,932 (+  4.9%) 
07/2015: Black Science #16 -- 18,298 (+  2.0%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years : - 48.5%

—

162 - INJECTION ($2.99)
05/2015: Injection #1  -- 41,648           [43,733]
06/2015: Injection #2  -- 23,484 (- 43.6%) 
07/2015: Injection #3  -- 19,754 (- 15.9%) 
08/2015: Injection #4  -- 17,113 (- 13.4%) 
09/2015: Injection #5  -- 16,020 (-  6.4%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Injection #6  -- 13,153 (- 17.9%) 
02/2016: Injection #7  -- 12,459 (-  5.3%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 27.2%

IMHO the second Injection arc is much stronger than the first so far. Too bad a lot of readers have already bailed.

—

166 - PLUTONA ($2.99)
09/2015: Plutona #1 of 5 -- 25,690 
10/2015: Plutona #2 of 5 -- 16,656 (- 35.2%)
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: Plutona #3 of 5 -- 13,948 (- 16.3%)
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Plutona #4 of 5 -- 11,862 (- 15.0%)

—

173 - AUTUMNLANDS ($2.99)
02/2015: Autumnlands T&C #4 -- 17,700 (- 20.2%) 
03/2015: Autumnlands T&C #5 -- 16,054 (-  9.3%)
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: Autumnlands T&C #6 -- 15,321 (-  4.6%) 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Autumnlands #7     -- 12,227 (- 20.2%) 
12/2015: Autumnlands #8     -- 11,104 (-  9.2%) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Autumnlands #9     -- 10,249 (-  7.7%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 42.1%

Still shedding readers at too fast of a pace.

—

175 - PRETTY DEADLY ($3.50)
02/2014: --
------------------------------------
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: --
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: --
11/2015: Pretty Deadly #6  -- 15,494 (- 19.4%)
12/2015: Pretty Deadly #7  -- 11,277 (- 27.2%)
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Pretty Deadly #8  -- 10,180 (-  9.7%)
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years :    n.a.

The first collected volume has moved at least 28K units, so individual issue sales, while nice to have, are not what’s going to be driving this title.

—

180 - THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS: THE SUN BEYOND THE STARS ($3.50)
02/2013: Manhattan Projects #9    -- 17,229 
02/2014: Manhattan Projects #18   -- 15,076
---------------------------------
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: Sun Beyond Stars #1 of 4 -- 14,221 (+ 16.2%)
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Sun Beyond Stars #2 of 4 -- 11,844 (- 16.7%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Sun Beyond Stars #3 of 4 -- 10,936 (-  8.5%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Sun Beyond Stars #4 of 4 --  9,843 (-  9.2%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years : - 34.7%

I wonder if we’ll ever see any more of this? I know one thing for sure: if The Manhattan Projects does return, this sporadic schedule will move me to trade-wait it.

—

182 - CRY HAVOC ($3.99)
01/2016: Cry Havoc #1 -- 20,677 
02/2016: Cry Havoc #1 --  9,692 (- 53.1%)

Yikes!

—

184 - BIRTHRIGHT ($2.99)
02/2015: Birthright #5  -- 13,218 (-  2.1%) 
03/2015: --
04/2015: Birthright #6  -- 14,081 (+  6.5%)
05/2015: Birthright #7  -- 12,561 (- 10.8%)
06/2015: Birthright #8  -- 12,058 (-  4.0%) 
07/2015: Birthright #9  -- 11,496 (-  4.7%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 14.0%
1 year  : - 28.0%

—

201 - CHEW ($3.50)
02/2011: --
02/2012: Chew #24 -- 11,861
02/2013: -- 
02/2014: Chew #40 -- 11,193
------------------------------------
02/2015: Chew #46 -- 15,073 (+ 44.8%) 
03/2015: Chew #47 --  9,785 (- 35.1%)
04/2015: Chew #48 --  9,707 (-  0.8%)
05/2015: Chew #49 --  9,583 (-  1.3%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Chew #50 -- 10,679 (+ 11.4%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  : - 44.1%
2 years : - 24.7%
5 years :    n.a.

—

203 - NAILBITER ($2.99)
02/2015: Nailbiter #10 -- 10,889 (-  3.0%) 
03/2015: --
04/2015: Nailbiter #11 -- 12,868 (+ 18.2%)
05/2015: Nailbiter #12 -- 10,688 (- 16.9%)
06/2015: Nailbiter #13 -- 10,456 (-  2.2%) 
07/2015: Nailbiter #14 -- 10,130 (-  3.1%) 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 15.8%
1 year  : - 23.2%

Starting a new story arc with issue #21 in May.

—

223 - SPREAD ($3.50)
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: Spread #6  -- 10,203 (-  8.2%)
04/2015: Spread #7  -- 10,955 (+  7.4%)
05/2015: --
06/2015: Spread #8  --  8,388 (- 23.4%) 
07/2015: -- 
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%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 18.6%
1 year  :    n.a.

—

224 - WAYWARD ($3.50)
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: Wayward #6  -- 12,247 (+ 22.4%)
04/2015: Wayward #7  --  8,389 (- 31.5%)
05/2015: Wayward #8  --  8,073 (-  3.8%)
06/2015: Wayward #9  --  7,913 (-  2.0%) 
07/2015: Wayward #10 --  7,859 (-  0.7%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Wayward #11 --  8,024 (+  4.4%) 
12/2015: Wayward #12 --  7,015 (- 14.5%) 
01/2016: Wayward #13 --  6,589 (-  6.1%) 
02/2016: Wayward #14 --  6,397 (-  2.9%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.

—

230 - NOWHERE MEN ($2.99)
02/2013: -- 
02/2014: --
----------------------------------
02/2015: -- 
03/2015: --
04/2015: --
05/2015: --
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: -- 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Nowhere Men #7  --  7,498 (- 41.0%) 
02/2016: Nowhere Men #8  --  6,317 (- 15.8%) 
-----------------
6 months:    n.a.
1 year  :    n.a.
2 years :    n.a.

—

233 - WOLF ($3.50)
07/2015: Wolf #1  -- 18,864  
08/2015: Wolf #2  -- 12,898 (- 31.6%)  
09/2015: Wolf #3  -- 10,305 (- 20.1%)  
10/2015: Wolf #4  --  8,580 (- 16.7%)  
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Wolf #5  --  6,752 (- 21.3%)
02/2016: Wolf #6  --  6,098 (-  9.7%)
-----------------
6 months: - 52.7%

—

238 - THEY'RE NOT LIKE US ($2.99)
02/2015: They're Not Like Us #3  --  9,424 (-  6.0%) 
03/2015: They're Not Like Us #4  --  9,255 (-  1.8%)
04/2015: They're Not Like Us #5  --  8,903 (-  3.8%)
05/2015: They're Not Like Us #6  --  8,368 (-  6.0%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: -- 
08/2015: They're Not Like Us #7  --  7,599 (-  9.2%) 
09/2015: They're Not Like Us #8  --  6,988 (-  8.0%) 
10/2015: They're Not Like Us #9  --  6,780 (-  3.0%) 
11/2015: --
12/2015: They're Not Like Us #10 --  6,294 (-  7.2%) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: They're Not Like Us #11 --  5,813 (-  7.6%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 23.5%
1 year  : - 38.3%

—

247 - STARVE ($3.50)
06/2015: Starve #1  -- 24,847  
07/2015: Starve #2  -- 10,646 (- 57.2%)  
08/2015: Starve #3  --  8,379 (- 21.3%)  
09/2015: Starve #4  --  7,050 (- 15.9%)  
10/2015: Starve #5  --  6,416 (-  9.0%)  
11/2015: -- 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2015: Starve #6  --  5,422 (- 15.5%)

—————–
6 months: – 35.3%

—

250 - SYMMETRY ($3.99)
12/2015: Symmetry #1 -- 19,274 
01/2016: Symmetry #2 --  7,893 (- 59.1%)
02/2016: Symmetry #3 --  5,907 (- 25.2%)

Returnable, so the figures have been adjusted up 10% from what was reported by Diamond/ICv2. (For an explanation why this is done for returnable items, please see the fine print at the end of this post.)

—

258 - MYTHIC ($3.99)
05/2015: Mythic #1  -- 32,297 
06/2015: Mythic #2  -- 13,838 (- 57.2%) 
07/2015: Mythic #3  -- 10,197 (- 26.3%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Mythic #4  --  7,417 (- 27.3%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Mythic #5  --  6,538 (- 11.9%) 
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: Mythic #6  --  5,590 (- 14.5%) 
02/2016: Mythic #7  --  5,162 (-  7.7%)

—————–
6 months: n.a.

—

259 - INVISIBLE REPUBLIC ($2.99)
03/2015: Invisible Republic #1  -- 22,974 
04/2015: Invisible Republic #2  -- 15,586 (- 32.2%)
05/2015: Invisible Republic #3  --  8,359 (- 46.4%)
06/2015: Invisible Republic #4  --  7,836 (-  6.3%) 
07/2015: Invisible Republic #5  --  7,187 (-  8.3%) 
08/2015: -- 
09/2015: Invisible Republic #6  --  6,415 (- 10.7%) 
10/2015: -- 
11/2015: Invisible Republic #7  --  5,897 (-  8.1%) 
12/2015: Invisible Republic #8  --  ????? (< 5,848) 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Invisible Republic #9  --  5,117

—————–
6 months: n.a.

—

273 - RINGSIDE ($3.99)
11/2015: Ringside #1 -- 14,205 
12/2015: Ringside #2 --  6,447 (- 54.6%) 
01/2016: Ringside #3 --  5,269 (- 18.3%) 
02/2016: Ringside #4 --  4,637 (- 12.0%)

—

281 - CITIZEN JACK ($3.99)
11/2015: Citizen Jack #1 -- 16,605 
12/2015: Citizen Jack #2 --  9,242 (- 44.3%) 
01/2015: Citizen Jack #3 --  6,070 (- 34.3%) 
02/2015: Citizen Jack #4 --  4,358 (- 28.2%)

The previous three issues were returnable.

—

286 - POSTAL ($3.99)
02/2015: Postal #1  -- 13,967 
03/2015: Postal #2  --  8,464 (- 39.4%)
04/2015: Postal #3  --  7,031 (- 16.9%)
05/2015: Postal #4  --  6,296 (- 10.5%)
06/2015: -- 
07/2015: Postal #5  --  5,835 (-  7.3%) 
08/2015: Postal #6  --  5,380 (-  7.8%) 
09/2015: Postal #7  --  5,169 (-  3.9%) 
10/2015: --
11/2015: Postal #8  --  4,882 (-  5.6%) 
12/2015: --
01/2016: Postal #9  --  4,382 (- 10.2%) 
02/2016: Postal #10 --  4,171 (-  4.8%) 
-----------------
6 months: - 22.5%
1 year  : - 70.1%

—

288 - STRAY BULLETS: SUNSHINE & ROSES ($3.50)
02/2006: --
02/2011: --
02/2012: --
02/2013: --
02/2014: --
--------------------------------------
02/2015: Sunshine & Roses #1  -- 14,122 (-  3.5%) 
03/2015: Sunshine & Roses #2  --  5,688 (- 59.7%)
04/2015: Sunshine & Roses #3  --  ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Sunshine & Roses #4  --  5,274 
06/2015: Sunshine & Roses #5  --  5,207 (-  1.3%) 
07/2015: Sunshine & Roses #6  --  ????? (< 5,446) 
08/2015: Sunshine & Roses #7  --  4,827   
09/2015: Sunshine & Roses #8  --  ????? (< 5,049)
10/2015: --
11/2015: Sunshine & Roses #9  --  4,583   
12/2015: Sunshine & Roses #10 --  ????? (< 5,848)
01/2016: Sunshine & Roses #11 --  4,583   
02/2016: Sunshine & Roses #12 --  4,092 (-  5.2%)   
-----------------
6 months: - 15.2%
1 year  : - 71.0%
2 years :    n.a.
5 years :    n.a.
10 years:    n.a.

—

297 - SHUTTER ($3.99)
02/2015: Shutter #9  --  5,881 (- 16.4%) 
03/2015: Shutter #10 --  5,497 (- 10.7%)
04/2015: Shutter #11 --  ????? (< 6,352)
05/2015: Shutter #12 --  5,023 
06/2015: --
07/2015: Shutter #13 --  ????? (< 5,446)
08/2015: Shutter #14 --  5,160  
09/2015: Shutter #15 --  ????? (< 5,049)
10/2015: Shutter #16 --  4,248  
11/2015: Shutter #17 --  ????? (< 4,197)  
12/2015: -- 
01/2016: -- 
02/2016: Shutter #18 --  3,827  
-----------------
6 months: - 25.8%
1 year  : - 34.9%

The start of a new story arc.

—

Image titles shipping but not making the Top 300 in February include: Astronauts in Trouble, Axcend, Black Jack Ketchum, Four Eyes, From Under Mountains, Limbo, No Mercy, Pencil Head, Saints, Tithe.

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.

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.

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 Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 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 is you need to contact me).

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