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Top 100 Comics: May 2012

Run RunawayThe Avengers and the X-Men continued their pursuit of Hope while the Phoenix Force neared Earth in Avengers Vs. X-Men #4, the best-selling comic book to comics retailers in May 2012.

Overall, Marvel Comics had three of the month's top ten books, all of them part of the Avengers Vs. X-Men event. Avengers Vs. X-Men #3 was the month's #2 book, and AVX Vs. #2, the tie-in comic that focuses solely on the fights from Avengers Vs. X-Men, ranked #6.

DC Comics had the other seven books in the top ten, led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #9, part of the "Court of Owls" storyline, at #3. Justice League #9 ranked #4; Batman Annual #1, a tie-in to "Court of Owls," ranked #5; Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham's Batman, Incorporated #1 ranked #7; Detective Comics #9 ranked #8; Action Comics #9 ranked #9; and Green Lantern #9 ranked #10.

Image Comics' The Walking Dead #97, the first of two issues of the Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard zombie series, was the publisher's top-selling comic in May at #28.

Dark Horse Comics' best-selling book for the month continued to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9; the ninth issue ranked #94 for the month.

IDW Publishing's top book in May was Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #1. The first part of the long-awaited crossover between these two venerable science-fiction franchises ranked #121.

TOP 100 COMIC BOOKS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in May 2012

QTY
RANK
DOLLAR
RANK
INDEX ITEM CODE DESCRIPTION PRICE VENDOR
1 1 132.48 MAR120534-M AVENGERS VS X-MEN #4 $3.99 MAR
2 2 130.53 MAR120530-M AVENGERS VS X-MEN #3 $3.99 MAR
3 3 100.00 MAR120184-M BATMAN #9 $3.99 DC
4 4 97.57 MAR120159-M JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 $3.99 DC
5 5 75.33 MAR120188 BATMAN ANNUAL #1 $4.99 DC
6 6 73.41 MAR120528-M AVX VS #2 $3.99 MAR
7 10 71.68 MAR120149-M BATMAN INCORPORATED #1 $2.99 DC
8 7 71.33 MAR120189-M DETECTIVE COMICS #9 $3.99 DC
9 9 65.97 MAR120176-M ACTION COMICS #9 $3.99 DC
10 13 65.08 MAR120204-M GREEN LANTERN #9 $2.99 DC
11 8 64.02 MAR120145-M EARTH 2 #1 [*] $3.99 DC
12 18 61.04 MAR120193-M BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #9 $2.99 DC
13 21 56.44 MAR120196 BATMAN AND ROBIN #9 $2.99 DC
14 11 51.46 MAR120539 UNCANNY X-MEN #12 $3.99 MAR
15 12 50.33 MAR120538 AVENGERS #26 $3.99 MAR
16 14 48.24 MAR120541 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #11 $3.99 MAR
17 15 47.79 MAR120542 NEW AVENGERS #26 $3.99 MAR
18 16 47.29 MAR120540 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #10 $3.99 MAR
19 27 46.66 MAR120168-M FLASH #9 $2.99 DC
20 23 46.49 MAR120147-M WORLDS FINEST #1 [*] $2.99 DC
21 28 46.23 MAR120180-M SUPERMAN #9 $2.99 DC
22 29 45.61 MAR120203 NIGHTWING #9 $2.99 DC
23 30 44.97 MAR120166-M AQUAMAN #9 $2.99 DC
24 31 43.62 MAR120200 BATGIRL #9 $2.99 DC
25 19 43.34 MAR120573-M AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #686 $3.99 MAR
26 20 43.18 MAR120571-M AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #685 $3.99 MAR
27 25 43.04 MAR120623-M ASTONISHING X-MEN #50 $3.99 MAR
28 36 39.92 MAR120507 WALKING DEAD #97 (MR) $2.99 IMA
29 17 37.78 MAR120615-M UNCANNY X-FORCE #25 $4.99 MAR
30 42 37.34 MAR120229-M TEEN TITANS #9 $2.99 DC
31 40 37.13 MAR120508 WALKING DEAD #98 (MR) $2.99 IMA
32 24 37.04 MAR120543 SECRET AVENGERS #27 $3.99 MAR
33 43 36.94 MAR120202 CATWOMAN #9 $2.99 DC
34 44 36.25 MAR120201 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #9 $2.99 DC
35 45 36.22 MAR120164-M WONDER WOMAN #9 $2.99 DC
36 48 34.42 MAR120210 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #9 $2.99 DC
37 51 34.38 MAR120547 X-MEN LEGACY #267 $2.99 MAR
38 50 34.35 MAR120208-M GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #9 $2.99 DC
39 22 33.00 MAR120228 TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1 $4.99 DC
40 56 32.65 MAR120197-M BATWOMAN #9 $2.99 DC
41 32 32.60 MAR120548 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #3 $3.99 MAR
42 59 32.09 MAR120546 X-MEN LEGACY #266 $2.99 MAR
43 26 31.73 MAR121222-M X-O MANOWAR #1 $3.99 VAL
44 33 31.47 MAR120560 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #10 $3.99 MAR
45 34 31.26 MAR120594-M INCREDIBLE HULK #8 $3.99 MAR
46 35 31.11 MAR120569 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #39 $3.99 MAR
47 64 30.85 MAR120199 BIRDS OF PREY #9 $2.99 DC
48 53 30.29 MAR120153-M DIAL H #1 [*] $2.99 DC
49 66 29.65 MAR120597 FANTASTIC FOUR #606 $2.99 MAR
50 55 29.57 MAR120157-M RAVAGERS #1 [*] $2.99 DC
51 69 29.33 MAR120596 FANTASTIC FOUR #605.1 $2.99 MAR
52 68 29.26 MAR120213-M SWAMP THING #9 $2.99 DC
53 70 29.15 MAR120608 DAREDEVIL #12 $2.99 MAR
54 67 29.13 MAR120211 RED LANTERNS #9 $2.99 DC
55 71 29.02 MAR120609 DAREDEVIL #13 $2.99 MAR
56 38 28.98 MAR120583 CAPTAIN AMERICA #11 $3.99 MAR
57 57 28.90 MAR120499 SAGA #3 (MR) [*] $2.99 IMA
58 39 28.83 MAR120584 CAPTAIN AMERICA #12 $3.99 MAR
59 72 28.58 MAR120591 INCREDIBLE HULK #7.1 $2.99 MAR
60 41 28.24 MAR120570 AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #7 $3.99 MAR
61 46 26.62 MAR120619 X-MEN #28 $3.99 MAR
62 78 26.55 MAR120195 BATWING #9 $2.99 DC
63 79 26.52 MAR120215 ANIMAL MAN #9 $2.99 DC
64 47 26.36 MAR120620 X-MEN #29 $3.99 MAR
65 80 26.10 MAR120183 SUPERGIRL #9 $2.99 DC
66 49 25.91 MAR120617 WOLVERINE #306 $3.99 MAR
67 81 25.88 MAR120182 SUPERBOY #9 $2.99 DC
68 82 25.74 MAR120212 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #9 $2.99 DC
69 83 25.67 MAR120598 FF #18 $2.99 MAR
70 52 25.62 MAR120618 WOLVERINE #307 $3.99 MAR
71 87 24.20 MAR120225 SUICIDE SQUAD #9 $2.99 DC
72 85 24.19 MAR120163 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #9 $2.99 DC
73 58 24.18 MAR120588 MIGHTY THOR #14 $3.99 MAR
74 89 23.84 MAR120626 AGE OF APOCALYPSE #3 $2.99 MAR
75 37 23.56 MAR120216 ANIMAL MAN ANNUAL #1 $4.99 DC
76 61 23.43 MAR120590 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #517 $3.99 MAR
77 60 23.34 MAR120227 ALL STAR WESTERN #9 $3.99 DC
78 62 23.31 MAR120589 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #516 $3.99 MAR
79 63 23.29 MAR120562 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #11 $3.99 MAR
80 65 23.22 MAR120561 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #10 $3.99 MAR
81 92 22.98 MAR120576 SCARLET SPIDER #5 $2.99 MAR
82 93 22.77 MAR120587 WINTER SOLDIER #5 $2.99 MAR
83 54 22.56 MAR120155-M GI COMBAT #1 [*] $3.99 DC
84 94 22.40 MAR120565-M VENOM #17 $2.99 MAR
85 96 22.02 MAR120627 DEADPOOL #54 $2.99 MAR
86 97 21.89 MAR120544 AVENGERS ACADEMY #29 $2.99 MAR
87 99 21.70 MAR120545 AVENGERS ACADEMY #30 $2.99 MAR
88 98 21.56 MAR120628 DEADPOOL #55 $2.99 MAR
89 73 21.42 MAR120564 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #12 $3.99 MAR
90 74 21.33 MAR120563 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #11 $3.99 MAR
91 75 21.25 MAR120614 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN ALPHA AND #5 $3.99 MAR
92 102 21.03 MAR120567 VENOM #18 $2.99 MAR
93 105 21.00 MAR120633-M SECRET SERVICE #2 (MR) $2.99 MAR
94 100 20.97 MAR120045-M BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #9 $2.99 DAR
95 76 20.32 MAR120568 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN OF EARTH #1 $3.99 MAR
96 77 20.06 MAR120235 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #1 $3.99 DC
97 108 20.04 MAR120635-M SUPERCROOKS #3 (MR) $2.99 MAR
98 107 20.03 MAR120174 GREEN ARROW #9 $2.99 DC
99 84 18.96 MAR120606 DEFENDERS #6 $3.99 MAR
100 111 18.73 MAR120237 BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #2 $2.99 DC

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.

Please note that comics marked with an asterisk have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

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.