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Top 100 Graphic Novels and Trade Paperbacks: April 2009

DC Comics had the best-selling graphic novel in April 2009 with Watchmen by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, its strong sales fueled by readers discovering the source material for the just-released motion picture adaptation, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.

DC Comics also had Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War Volume 1 TP at #5.

Marvel Comics' adaptation of one of Stephen King's seminal novels ranked #2 on the Top 100 chart with The Dark Tower: Treachery Premiere HC. Spider-Man: Death of the Stacys Premiere HC ranked #3, Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America HC ranked #6, Marvel Zombies 3 HC at #7, Marvel Zombies 2 TP at #9, and Red Prophet: Tales of Alvin Maker Premiere Volume 1 HC at #10.

Dark Horse Comics rounded out the top 10 with Star Wars Adventures Volume 1: Han Solo and the Hollow Moon Of Khorya TP at #4 and B.P.R.D. Volume 10: The Warning TP at #8.

TOP 100 GRAPHIC NOVELS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in April 2009

Quantity Rank Dollar Rank Index Item Code Title Price Vendor
1 4 7.18 FEB058406-M WATCHMEN TP $19.99 DC 
2 3 6.29 JAN092437 DARK TOWER TREACHERY PREM HC $24.99 MAR
3 107 6.10 NOV062353 SPIDER-MAN DEATH OF THE STACYS PREMIERE HC $19.99 MAR
4 41 5.58 DEC080065 STAR WARS ADV TP VOL 01 HAN SOLO & HOLLOW MOON OF KHORYA $7.95 DAR
5 11 5.41 JAN090228 GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP VOL 01 $14.99 DC 
6 136 4.63 AUG072290 FALLEN SON DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA PREM HC $19.99 MAR
7 7 4.53 FEB092605 MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 HC $19.99 MAR
8 9 4.49 JAN090111 BPRD TP VOL 10 THE WARNING $17.95 DAR
9 19 4.46 FEB092632 MARVEL ZOMBIES TP VOL 02 $15.99 MAR
10 149 4.45 FEB072176 RED PROPHET TALES OF ALVIN MAKER PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99 MAR
11 23 4.44 FEB092626-M NEW AVENGERS TP VOL 09 SECRET INVASION BOOK 02 $14.99 MAR
12 64 4.32 JAN094487 NARUTO TP VOL 43 $7.95 VIZ
13 65 4.32 JAN094488 NARUTO TP VOL 44 $7.95 VIZ
14 66 4.32 JAN094486 NARUTO TP VOL 42 $7.95 VIZ
15 28 3.96 FEB092628-M MIGHTY AVENGERS TP VOL 04 SECRET INVASION BOOK 02 $14.99 MAR
16 8 3.89 MAR094092 FREAKANGELS TP VOL 02 (MR) $19.99 AVA
17 12 3.89 DEC080152 BATMAN THE HEART OF HUSH HC $19.99 DC 
18 176 3.83 SEP072270 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VENOM PREM HC $19.99 MAR
19 15 3.80 FEB092611-M HULK PREM HC VOL 02 $19.99 MAR
20 5 3.78 FEB092641 DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 02 $29.99 MAR
21 30 3.76 JAN090231 JSA TP VOL 02 THY KINGDOM COME PART 01 $14.99 DC 
22 33 3.74 JAN090288 SCALPED TP VOL 04 THE GRAVEL IN YOUR GUTS (MR) $14.99 DC 
23 13 3.63 JAN090144 STAR WARS KNIGHTS O/T OLD REPUBLIC TP VOL 06 VINDICATION $19.95 DAR
24 35 3.52 FEB092645 WOLVERINE TP LOGAN $14.99 MAR
25 10 3.40 DEC080159 JSA HC VOL 04 THY KINGDOM COME PART 3 $24.99 DC 
26 27 3.16 DEC080035 CHRONICLES OF CONAN TP VOL 17 CREATION QUEST $17.95 DAR
27 55 2.98 DEC083961 NEGIMA GN VOL 21 (MR) $10.99 DEL
28 233 2.93 DEC072265 RED PROPHET TALES OF ALVIN MAKER PREM HC VOL 02 $19.99 MAR
29 43 2.87 JAN090223 BATMAN LOVERS AND MADMEN TP $14.99 DC 
30 44 2.86 FEB092638 SPIDER-MAN TP KRAVENS FIRST HUNT $14.99 MAR
31 60 2.85 JAN088344 STINKY GN $12.95 RAW
32 40 2.82 JAN090236 SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE DOOM PATROL TP VOL 01 $16.99 DC 
33 51 2.75 FEB092636 ULTIMATE IRON MAN TP VOL 02 $14.99 MAR
34 101 2.73 DEC080074 PATH OF THE ASSASSIN TP VOL 15 BAD BLOOD PART 2 $9.95 DAR
35 22 2.68 FEB092616-M PUNISHER WAR ZONE PREM HC RESURRECTION MA GNUCCI $24.99 MAR
36 56 2.67 JAN090229 GREEN LANTERN CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 $14.99 DC 
37 112 2.61 JUL068351 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE $9.99 IMA
38 21 2.61 DEC080067 STAR WARS OMNIBUS EMISSARIES AND ASSASSINS $24.95 DAR
39 36 2.61 FEB094340 STAR TREK COUNTDOWN TP $17.99 IDW
40 39 2.54 DEC084356 GRIMM FAIRY TALES TP VOL 05 $15.99 ZEN
41 17 2.51 FEB092606 UNCANNY X-MEN HC MANIFEST DESTINY $29.99 MAR
42 26 2.50 FEB092642 GAMBIT CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99 MAR
43 48 2.49 JAN090237 SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES TP VOL 03 $16.99 DC 
44 275 2.47 MAY072184 X-MEN PHOENIX WARSONG PREMIERE HC $19.99 MAR
45 75 2.44 FEB092643 HOUSE OF M TP CIVIL WAR $14.99 MAR
46 70 2.40 SEP088204 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US (NEW PTG) $14.99 IMA
47 42 2.38 FEB092648 WHAT IF TP SECRET WARS $19.99 MAR
48 89 2.35 OCT080048 GANTZ TP VOL 04 (MR) $12.95 DAR
49 77 2.34 FEB092630-M SHE-HULK TP VOL 08 SECRET INVASION $14.99 MAR
50 129 2.31 JAN094507 VAMPIRE KNIGHT TP VOL 06 $8.99 VIZ
51 142 2.29 JAN094533 LEGEND OF ZELDA GN VOL 04 $7.99 VIZ
52 78 2.28 JAN090227 GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE TP $14.99 DC 
53 31 2.27 OCT080163 BATMAN RIP DELUXE EDITION HC $24.99 DC 
54 84 2.22 JAN090282 HELLBLAZER PRESENTS CHAS THE KNOWLEDGE TP (MR) $14.99 DC 
55 32 2.21 JAN090266 RESIDENT EVIL FIRE AND ICE TP (MR) $24.99 DC 
56 45 2.17 FEB092613-M ANITA BLAKE PREM HC BOOK 01 LC ANIMATOR (MR) $19.99 MAR
57 87 2.14 FEB092394 ASTOUNDING WOLF MAN TP VOL 02 $14.99 IMA
58 16 2.14 JUN082228 INVINCIBLE HC VOL 04 ULTIMATE COLL $34.99 IMA
59 81 2.14 JAN094152 WOLVERINE PRODIGAL SON GN VOL 01 $12.99 DEL
60 90 2.13 FEB092649 NOVA TP VOL 04 NOVA CORPS $14.99 MAR
61 91 2.10 JAN090230 JONAH HEX BULLETS DONT LIE TP $14.99 DC 
62 25 2.08 FEB092387 APES & BABES ART OF FRANK CHO HC (MR) $29.99 IMA
63 85 2.06 NOV084364 TALES FROM WONDERLAND TP $12.99 ZEN
64 38 2.06 FEB092602-M MMW AVENGERS TP VOL 01 $24.99 MAR
65 108 2.04 JAN094161 NEGIMA NEO GN VOL 01 MAGISTER NEGI MAGI (MR) $10.99 DEL
66 54 2.04 DEC080162 SUPERMAN THE COMING OF ATLAS HC $19.99 DC 
67 221 2.03 FEB094410 RESURRECTION TP VOL 01 $6.00 ONI
68 58 2.01 NOV082448-M WOLVERINE PREM HC NOT DEAD YET $19.99 MAR
69 114 1.97 JAN094163 XXXHOLIC GN VOL 13 $10.99 DEL
70 99 1.97 NOV082242 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 09 HERE WE REMAIN (MR) $14.99 IMA
71 61 1.95 JAN090258 DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR TP $19.99 DC 
72 159 1.93 FEB072205 WOLVERINE ORIGINS TP VOL 01 BORN IN BLOOD $13.99 MAR
73 128 1.92 JAN094439 CHIBI VAMPIRE GN VOL 13 (OF 13) (MR) $10.99 TOK
74 14 1.91 DEC080153 DC LIBRARY BATMAN THE ANNUALS HC $39.99 DC 
75 104 1.91 JAN092590 WOLVERINE HC WORST DAY EVER $14.99 MAR
76 67 1.90 FEB092647 WOLVERINE TP DANGEROUS GAMES $19.99 MAR
77 46 1.89 FEB094357 DOCTOR WHO FORGOTTEN TP $19.99 IDW
78 82 1.87 JAN090238 SUPERGIRL WAY OF THE WORLD TP $17.99 DC 
79 154 1.86 DEC080073 TRIGUN MAXIMUM TP VOL 14 MIND GAMES $9.95 DAR
80 94 1.83 DEC082436 WOLVERINE ORIGIN TP $16.99 MAR
81 34 1.83 FEB092652 SPIDER-MAN 2099 TP VOL 01 $29.99 MAR
82 109 1.82 JAN090270 SUPERNATURAL RISING SON TP $14.99 DC 
83 174 1.80 APR058372 FABLES TP VOL 01 LEGENDS IN EXILE $9.99 DC 
84 88 1.80 NOV070226 BATMAN THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL ED HC $17.99 DC 
85 62 1.73 MAR094180 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS TP VOL 01 $19.99 DE
86 79 1.71 MAR094322 TERMINATOR SALVATION MOVIE PREQUEL TP $17.99 IDW
87 68 1.71 NOV084218 QUEEN & COUNTRY DEFINITIVE ED TP VOL 04 (MR) $19.95 ONI
88 120 1.70 DEC058055 BATMAN DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP $14.99 DC 
89 83 1.69 NOV082453-M X-MEN PREM HC PROTEUS $19.99 MAR
90 133 1.68 OCT058020 Y THE LAST MAN TP VOL 01 UNMANNED $12.99 DC 
91 370 1.67 JUL062017 NEW AVENGERS PREM HC VOL 04 COLLECTIVE $19.99 MAR
92 122 1.67 MAR050489 PREACHER TP VOL 01 GONE TO TEXAS NEW EDITION (MR) $14.99 DC 
93 1 1.66 DEC082419-M WOLVERINE OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $99.99 MAR
94 86 1.63 JUL080124 JOKER HC $19.99 DC 
95 380 1.61 DEC072253 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PREM HC TREASURE ISLAND $19.99 MAR
96 2 1.61 NOV082436-M X-MEN OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $99.99 MAR
97 137 1.60 JAN090241 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED HEROES TP $12.99 DC 
98 135 1.59 SEP088205 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE (NEW PTG) $14.99 IMA
99 212 1.59 JAN094493 ROSARIO VAMPIRE GN VOL 06 $7.99 VIZ
100 396 1.57 DEC072251 MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PREM HC LAST OF THE MOHICANS $19.99 MAR

This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of Diamond Comic Distributors.

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 4,000+ 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, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.

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.