Top 100 Graphic Novels: February 2012
Fan-favorite Batman writer Scott Snyder and co-writer Kyle Higgins explored the secret history of Gotham City in Batman: Gates of Gotham from DC Comics, and the collected edition of the acclaimed mini-series was the best-selling graphic novel to comics retailers in February.
DC Comics had five of the month's top ten best-selling graphic novels. In addition to the month's top book, Scott Snyder's American Vampire Volume 3 from their Vertigo imprint ranked #4; Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel's Batman: Time and the Batman softcover ranked #5; the hardcover edition of Morrison's Batman: The Black Mirror ranked #6; and Batman Vs. Bane, which collects a number of stories pitting the Dark Knight against his nemesis from this summer's film, The Dark Knight Rises, ranked #7.
Marvel Comics had two volumes in the top ten, led by the Fantastic Four Season One hardcover, which retells the earliest days of Marvel Comics' First Family for a modern audience, from writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist David Marquez, at #2. Following at #3 was Uncanny X-Force Volume 2: Deathlok Nation, collecting the four part storyline from writer Rick Remender.
Two volumes of Image Comics' The Walking Dead placed in the top ten in February — Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead Volume 15 at #8 and Kirkman and Tony Moore's The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye at #9.
Also in the top ten was IDW Publishing's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume 1, collecting the first issues of the publishers new ongoing series.
Rounding out the premier publishers, Dark Horse Comics' top-selling graphic novel in February was Star Wars: Jedi Volume 1: The Dark Side by Scott Allie and Mahmud Adrar and based on the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn, which ranked #17 for the month.
TOP 100 GRAPHIC NOVELS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in February 2012
| QTY RANK |
DOLLAR RANK |
INDEX | ITEM CODE | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | VENDOR |
| 1 | 10 | 3.42 | NOV110194 | BATMAN GATES OF GOTHAM TP | $14.99 | DC |
| 2 | 9 | 3.16 | NOV110658 | FANTASTIC FOUR SEASON ONE PREM HC | $24.99 | MAR |
| 3 | 18 | 2.54 | DEC110743 | UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 02 DEATHLOK NATION | $15.99 | MAR |
| 4 | 7 | 2.48 | OCT110282 | AMERICAN VAMPIRE HC VOL 03 (MR) | $24.99 | DC |
| 5 | 22 | 2.43 | NOV110198 | BATMAN TIME AND THE BATMAN TP | $14.99 | DC |
| 6 | 5 | 2.37 | JUL110249 | BATMAN THE BLACK MIRROR HC | $29.99 | DC |
| 7 | 32 | 2.25 | NOV110193 | BATMAN VS BANE TP | $12.99 | DC |
| 8 | 26 | 2.20 | OCT110502 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 15 (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 9 | 56 | 2.14 | JUL068351 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE | $9.99 | IMA |
| 10 | 14 | 2.13 | DEC110372 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING TP VOL 01 | $17.99 | IDW |
| 11 | 21 | 1.84 | DEC110749 | CARNAGE FAMILY FEUD TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 12 | 37 | 1.74 | NOV110228 | HELLBLAZER PHANTOM PAINS TP (MR) | $14.99 | DC |
| 13 | 67 | 1.73 | NOV111125 | BLEACH TP VOL 38 | $9.99 | VIZ |
| 14 | 38 | 1.71 | NOV110232 | IZOMBIE TP VOL 03 SIX FEET UNDER AND RISING (MR) | $14.99 | DC |
| 15 | 57 | 1.70 | DEC110741 | X-MEN PRELUDE TO SCHISM TP | $14.99 | MAR |
| 16 | 17 | 1.66 | DEC110734 | UNCANNY X-FORCE DARK ANGEL SAGA PREM HC BOOK 02 | $24.99 | MAR |
| 17 | 27 | 1.65 | NOV110033 | STAR WARS JEDI VOL 01 DARK SIDE TP | $18.99 | DAR |
| 18 | 39 | 1.60 | DEC110745 | FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN TP VOL 01 | $15.99 | MAR |
| 19 | 13 | 1.54 | OCT110292 | FABLES DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 04 (MR) | $29.99 | DC |
| 20 | 20 | 1.52 | NOV110666 | SUPERIOR PREM HC | $24.99 | MAR |
| 21 | 44 | 1.51 | DEC110744 | ANNIHILATORS TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 22 | 53 | 1.48 | NOV110203 | SUPERMAN THE BLACK RING TP VOL 01 | $14.99 | DC |
| 23 | 34 | 1.47 | DEC110732-M | PUNISHER BY GREG RUCKA PREM HC VOL 01 | $19.99 | MAR |
| 24 | 66 | 1.44 | DEC110754 | DAREDEVIL REBORN TP | $16.99 | MAR |
| 25 | 55 | 1.42 | SEP088204 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US (NEW PTG) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 26 | 23 | 1.41 | DEC110727 | ULT COMICS SPIDER-MAN BY BENDIS PREM HC VOL 01 | $24.99 | MAR |
| 27 | 58 | 1.35 | DEC110747 | INVINCIBLE IRON MAN TP VOL 08 UNFIXABLE | $15.99 | MAR |
| 28 | 73 | 1.32 | NOV111034 | NEGIMA GN VOL 33 (MR) | $10.99 | RAN |
| 29 | 31 | 1.30 | OCT110252 | SUPERMAN REIGN OF DOOMSDAY HC | $22.99 | DC |
| 30 | 25 | 1.28 | OCT110036 | STAR WARS LONG TIME AGO OMNIBUS TP VOL 05 | $24.99 | DAR |
| 31 | 33 | 1.28 | DEC110968 | GARTH ENNIS JENNIFER BLOOD TP VOL 01 (MR) | $19.99 | DE |
| 32 | 60 | 1.28 | OCT110040 | KING CONAN THE SCARLET CITADEL TP | $14.99 | DAR |
| 33 | 40 | 1.27 | DEC110742 | X-FORCE NECROSHA TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 34 | 43 | 1.26 | NOV110207 | POWER GIRL OLD FRIENDS TP | $19.99 | DC |
| 35 | 41 | 1.24 | JUL110264 | SHOWCASE PRESENTS GHOSTS TP VOL 01 | $19.99 | DC |
| 36 | 71 | 1.19 | NOV082245 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 03 SAFETY BEHIND BARS | $14.99 | IMA |
| 37 | 114 | 1.18 | OCT078350 | LOEG BLACK DOSSIER HC 2ND PTG | $29.99 | DC |
| 38 | 12 | 1.15 | DEC110499 | INVINCIBLE ULTIMATE COLL HC VOL 07 | $39.99 | IMA |
| 39 | 86 | 1.14 | OCT110055 | GANTZ TP VOL 21 | $12.99 | DAR |
| 40 | 47 | 1.14 | NOV110233-M | SANDMAN TP VOL 08 WORLDS END (MR) | $19.99 | DC |
| 41 | 49 | 1.14 | DEC110737 | CAPTAIN AMERICA PRISONER OF WAR TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 42 | 36 | 1.13 | SEP111252 | ASSASSINS CREED THE FALL TP (MR) | $18.99 | UBI |
| 43 | 121 | 1.12 | NOV111134 | YU-GI-OH 5DS GN VOL 02 | $9.99 | VIZ |
| 44 | 4 | 1.12 | SEP110637-M | AVENGERS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 JRJR CVR | $99.99 | MAR |
| 45 | 99 | 1.10 | NOV110737 | SONIC UNIVERSE TP VOL 02 30 YEARS LATER | $11.99 | ARC |
| 46 | 1 | 1.09 | OCT110341 | JOHN ROMITA AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ARTIST ED HC | IDW | |
| 47 | 35 | 1.08 | DEC110728 | ULT COMICS ULTIMATES BY HICKMAN PREM HC VOL 01 | $24.99 | MAR |
| 48 | 78 | 1.06 | DEC110740 | X-MEN LEGACY NECROSHA TP | $15.99 | MAR |
| 49 | 6 | 1.04 | SEP110639-M | MMW UNCANNY X-MEN HC VOL 08 | $59.99 | MAR |
| 50 | 64 | 1.01 | NOV110663 | NEW AVENGERS BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS TP VOL 02 | $19.99 | MAR |
| 51 | 144 | 1.01 | NOV110653 | AVENGERS ORIGIN TP | $14.99 | MAR |
| 52 | 61 | 1.01 | DEC110736 | SPIDER-MAN FANTASTIC SPIDER-MAN TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 53 | 30 | 1.00 | DEC110705 | ASTONISHING X-MEN WHEDON CASSADAY ULT COLL TP BOOK 01 | $29.99 | MAR |
| 54 | 97 | 1.00 | NOV110209 | XOMBI TP | $14.99 | DC |
| 55 | 135 | 1.00 | DEC110751 | WOLVERINE AND CAPTAIN AMERICA TP | $14.99 | MAR |
| 56 | 96 | 0.99 | NOV110199 | DEADMAN TP VOL 02 | $14.99 | DC |
| 57 | 87 | 0.99 | AUG110733 | UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 01 APOCALYPSE SOLUTION | $15.99 | MAR |
| 58 | 79 | 0.98 | DEC110755 | MARVEL ZOMBIES SUPREME TP | $16.99 | MAR |
| 59 | 65 | 0.97 | AUG110438 | ARTIFACTS TP VOL 03 | $19.99 | IMA |
| 60 | 117 | 0.97 | DEC110824 | MEGA MAN TP VOL 02 TIME KEEPS SLIPPING | $11.99 | ARC |
| 61 | 190 | 0.96 | SEP110732 | STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DIGEST GN PINEAPPLE & OTHER | $6.99 | APE |
| 62 | 154 | 0.96 | NOV111131 | BAKUMAN TP VOL 09 | $9.99 | VIZ |
| 63 | 104 | 0.95 | DEC111253 | SOUL EATER TP VOL 08 | $11.99 | HAC |
| 64 | 101 | 0.95 | DEC058055 | BATMAN DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP | $14.99 | DC |
| 65 | 45 | 0.95 | MAY090178 | BATMAN HUSH COMPLETE TP | $24.99 | DC |
| 66 | 100 | 0.94 | SEP088205-M | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 67 | 128 | 0.92 | NOV110628 | AVENGERS HAWKEYE TP | $19.99 | MAR |
| 68 | 24 | 0.92 | JUL110825 | A TALE OF SAND HC | $29.95 | ARA |
| 69 | 108 | 0.91 | NOV110205 | JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA MONUMENT POINT TP | $14.99 | DC |
| 70 | 156 | 0.91 | OCT110054 | GATE 7 TP VOL 02 | $10.99 | DAR |
| 71 | 173 | 0.91 | NOV110661 | JOHN CARTER A PRINCESS OF MARS TP | $14.99 | MAR |
| 72 | 155 | 0.90 | DEC110746 | IRON MAN 2.0 TP VOL 02 ASYMMETRY | $14.99 | MAR |
| 73 | 72 | 0.90 | FEB058406-M | WATCHMEN TP | $19.99 | DC |
| 74 | 3 | 0.90 | SEP110635-M | X-MEN AGE OF APOCALYPSE OMNIBUS HC | $125.00 | MAR |
| 75 | 166 | 0.90 | NOV111129 | BLUE EXORCIST GN VOL 06 | $9.99 | VIZ |
| 76 | 51 | 0.90 | NOV110665 | STAND NIGHT HAS COME PREM HC | $24.99 | MAR |
| 77 | 133 | 0.89 | DEC111043 | XXXHOLIC GN VOL 19 | $10.99 | RAN |
| 78 | 76 | 0.89 | DEC110722 | FEAR ITSELF UNCANNY X-MEN PREM HC | $19.99 | MAR |
| 79 | 92 | 0.87 | DEC110700 | AVENGERS BIG THREE TP | $29.99 | MAR |
| 80 | 115 | 0.85 | SEP088206-M | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 05 BEST DEFENSE (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 81 | 141 | 0.85 | NOV110700 | EXPLORER THE MYSTERY BOXES SC | $10.95 | ABR |
| 82 | 77 | 0.85 | DEC110719 | VENGEANCE HC | $24.99 | MAR |
| 83 | 146 | 0.84 | DEC110514 | PIGS TP VOL 01 HELLO CRUEL WORLD (MR) | $12.99 | IMA |
| 84 | 122 | 0.83 | APR110444 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 14 NO WAY OUT (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 85 | 103 | 0.82 | DEC110492 | HACK SLASH TP VOL 10 DEAD CELEBRITIES | $16.99 | IMA |
| 86 | 125 | 0.81 | NOV082242 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 09 HERE WE REMAIN (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 87 | 136 | 0.81 | SEP110221 | FABLES TP VOL 16 SUPER TEAM (MR) | $14.99 | DC |
| 88 | 224 | 0.80 | NOV110709 | STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DIGEST GN BERRY SCARY STORM | $6.99 | APE |
| 89 | 176 | 0.80 | SEP110039 | AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 01 PROMISE PART 1 | $10.99 | DAR |
| 90 | 170 | 0.79 | JUL108036 | FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE | $12.99 | DC |
| 91 | 2 | 0.79 | AUG110352 | WALLY WOOD EC STORIES ARTIST ED HC | IDW | |
| 92 | 142 | 0.79 | NOV111123 | NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 19 | $12.99 | VIZ |
| 93 | 28 | 0.78 | OCT110243 | DC UNIVERSE SECRET ORIGINS HC | $39.99 | DC |
| 94 | 220 | 0.77 | NOV111136 | POKEMON ADVENTURES PLATINUM GN VOL 04 | $7.99 | VIZ |
| 95 | 89 | 0.77 | NOV110044 | CHRONICLES OF KULL TP VOL 05 DEAD MEN O/T DEEP & OTHER STORI | $18.99 | DAR |
| 96 | 68 | 0.77 | DEC110694 | TORSO GN HC (MR) | $24.99 | MAR |
| 97 | 90 | 0.76 | SEP110443 | WITCHBLADE REDEMPTION TP VOL 04 | $19.99 | IMA |
| 98 | 105 | 0.76 | JAN120951 | KEY OF Z TP VOL 01 (MR) | $14.99 | BOO |
| 99 | 93 | 0.76 | SEP088030 | V FOR VENDETTA TP (MR) | $19.99 | DC |
| 100 | 138 | 0.76 | JUN090332 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 10 WHAT WE BECOME | $14.99 | IMA |
This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of Diamond Comic Distributors.
For retailers, Diamond offers the Top 300 Comics and Top 300 Graphic Novels sales charts on the Diamond Tools page of the Diamond Retailer Services website to provide more information about the industry's top selling publications.
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts – which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts – are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. The account base includes not only brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, but also Internet stores, chain stores, and other specialty stores.
Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, minus any copies that are distributed free of cost.
About the Diamond Sales Index: The Sales Index of selected monthly Best Seller Charts is presented as a comparative tool for retailers and publishers. It presents Diamond’s monthly sales for individual titles in relation to Diamond’s total sales for the issue of DC Comics' monthly Batman comic book. (Batman is used as the control title – with a value of 100 – because sales of Batman usually remain relatively stable.) This allows for easy comparison to other titles and helps retailers gauge their orders for all other titles. This formula is only a guide, other factors may impact a titles’ ability to sell in certain locations and clientele.
