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Top 100 Comics: April 2011

In Our Time, with Melvyn Bragg

The awakening of the Serpent and Odin's removal of the Asgardians from Earth set the stage for Marvel Comics' next cataclysm in Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen's Fear Itself #1, the first part of a seven-issue mini-series event and April's top selling comic book to comics specialty retailers.

In total, Marvel had six of the month's top ten best-selling comics. In addition to Fear Itself #1 atop the chart, Matt Fraction and Olivier Coipel's The Mighty Thor #1, which began a storyline that will pit Thor and the Asgardians against the power of Galactus, ranked #2. FF #2 from Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting ranked #5. Avengers #12 from Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita, Jr. ranked #7 for the month, and Bendis, Mike Deodato and Howard Chaykin's New Avengers #11 ranked #9. Finally, Amazing Spider-Man #658 from Dan Slott and Javier Pulido ranked #10.

DC Comics had four of the top ten best-selling books in April, led by Geoff Johns, Dough Mahnke, and Keith Champagne's Green Lantern #65, a chapter in the "War of the Green Lanterns" storyline, at #3. The latest two chapters of the biweekly Brightest Day saga also placed in the top ten — Brightest Day #23 at #4 and the double-sized Brightest Day #24 at #6. Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated #5, which featured a team-up of Batman and Batwoman, ranked #8 for April.

Among other premier publishers, Mike Mignola and artist Kevin Nowlan's Hellboy: Buster Oakley Gets His Wish one-shot was Dark Horse Comics' top book for April, ranking #91 for the month. IDW Publishing's True Blood: Tainted Love #3, based on HBO's top-rated vampire series, was their top book at #112. Finally, Image Comics' The Walking Dead #84 was the publisher's top book, ranked #48.

TOP 100 COMIC BOOKS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in April 2011

QTY
RANK
DOLLAR
RANK
INDEX ITEM CODE DESCRIPTION PRICE VENDOR
1 1 227.29 FEB110500-M FEAR ITSELF #1 $3.99 MAR
2 4 145.06 FEB110544-M MIGHTY THOR #1 $3.99 MAR
3 9 133.94 FEB110114-M GREEN LANTERN #65 $2.99 DC 
4 12 124.23 FEB110120-M BRIGHTEST DAY #23 $2.99 DC 
5 13 123.35 FEB110578-M FF #2 $2.99 MAR
6 3 123.27 FEB110122-M BRIGHTEST DAY #24 $4.99 DC 
7 5 112.13 FEB110528 AVENGERS #12 $3.99 MAR
8 20 109.94 JAN110265-M BATMAN INCORPORATED #5 $2.99 DC 
9 7 109.19 FEB110534-M NEW AVENGERS #11 $3.99 MAR
10 6 109.03 FEB110551-M AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #658 $3.99 MAR
11 24 106.85 FEB110529 AVENGERS #12.1 $2.99 MAR
12 21 106.33 FEB110116-M GREEN LANTERN CORPS #59 $2.99 DC 
13 2 106.32 FEB110136-M ACTION COMICS #900 $5.99 DC 
14 25 104.42 FEB110153-M BATMAN AND ROBIN #22 $2.99 DC 
15 8 102.97 FEB110553 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #659 $3.99 MAR
16 10 100.38 FEB110611-M UNCANNY X-MEN #535 $3.99 MAR
17 29 100.00 FEB110151 BATMAN #709 $2.99 DC 
18 30 97.13 NOV100194-M FLASH #10 $2.99 DC 
19 31 96.56 JAN110255-M FLASH #11 $2.99 DC 
20 14 95.96 FEB110629-M UNCANNY X-FORCE #7 $3.99 MAR
21 11 94.56 FEB110613 UNCANNY X-MEN #536 $3.99 MAR
22 37 94.51 FEB110610 UNCANNY X-MEN #534.1 $2.99 MAR
23 35 91.86 FEB110626-M X-MEN LEGACY #247 $2.99 MAR
24 34 91.53 FEB110118-M GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #9 $2.99 DC 
25 15 89.98 FEB110631 UNCANNY X-FORCE #8 $3.99 MAR
26 16 89.96 FEB110524-M ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #157 $3.99 MAR
27 18 89.51 FEB110530-M SECRET AVENGERS #12 $3.99 MAR
28 17 89.35 FEB110607-M X-MEN #10 $3.99 MAR
29 38 83.39 FEB110134-M JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #56 $2.99 DC 
30 19 83.09 FEB110614-M WOLVERINE #8 $3.99 MAR
31 40 81.59 FEB110532 SECRET AVENGERS #12.1 $2.99 MAR
32 22 80.24 FEB110537-M CAPTAIN AMERICA #617 $3.99 MAR
33 23 80.09 FEB110508-M INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #503 $3.99 MAR
34 26 77.64 FEB110510-M JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #622 $3.99 MAR
35 27 77.45 FEB110526-M ULTIMATE AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES #3 $3.99 MAR
36 33 74.30 FEB110557 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #38 $3.99 MAR
37 43 72.48 FEB110554 VENOM #2 $2.99 MAR
38 45 70.93 FEB110152 DETECTIVE COMICS #876 $2.99 DC 
39 46 70.07 FEB110161-M SUPERMAN #710 $2.99 DC 
40 75 68.53 FEB110581-M HERC #1 $3.99 MAR
41 49 68.40 FEB110628 NEW MUTANTS #24 $2.99 MAR
42 28 60.03 FEB110139 SUPERMAN BATMAN ANNUAL #5 $4.99 DC 
43 41 59.46 FEB110625 AGE OF X UNIVERSE #2 $3.99 MAR
44 53 57.74 FEB110128-M GREEN ARROW #11 $2.99 DC 
45 42 57.62 FEB110507 FEAR ITSELF HOME FRONT #1 $3.99 MAR
46 32 57.00 FEB110179-M JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #50 $4.99 DC 
47 47 56.46 FEB110536 AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #5 $3.99 MAR
48 54 56.44 FEB110475 WALKING DEAD #84 (MR) $2.99 IMA
49 56 56.18 FEB110149 RED ROBIN #22 $2.99 DC 
50 58 54.80 FEB110165-M WONDER WOMAN #610 $2.99 DC 
51 60 54.42 FEB110565-M INCREDIBLE HULKS #627 $2.99 MAR
52 59 54.33 FEB110124-M JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #23 $2.99 DC 
53 62 54.18 FEB110560 HULK #32 $2.99 MAR
54 36 54.16 FEB110126-M JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #24 $4.99 DC 
55 61 53.89 FEB110140 SUPERBOY #6 $2.99 DC 
56 63 53.50 FEB110160 BIRDS OF PREY #11 $2.99 DC 
57 65 52.64 FEB110564 INCREDIBLE HULKS #626 $2.99 MAR
58 48 52.08 FEB110558 CARNAGE #4 $3.99 MAR
59 68 50.48 FEB110620-M X-23 #9 $2.99 MAR
60 67 50.40 FEB110603 DEADPOOL #35 $2.99 MAR
61 66 50.20 FEB110164 SUPERMAN BATMAN #83 $2.99 DC 
62 70 49.79 FEB110604 DEADPOOL #36 $2.99 MAR
63 73 47.59 FEB110619 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #8 $2.99 MAR
64 72 47.23 FEB110155 BATMAN BEYOND #4 $2.99 DC 
65 52 46.54 FEB110523 ULTIMATE COMICS CAPTAIN AMERICA #4 $3.99 MAR
66 74 44.52 FEB110185 TEEN TITANS #94 $2.99 DC 
67 76 44.39 FEB110597 THUNDERBOLTS #156 $2.99 MAR
68 78 43.88 FEB110632 X-FACTOR #218 $2.99 MAR
69 57 43.78 FEB110616-M WOLVERINE BEST THERE IS #5 $3.99 MAR
70 55 43.43 FEB110542 STEVE ROGERS SUPER SOLDIER ANNUAL #1 $3.99 MAR
71 79 43.19 FEB110150 GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #22 $2.99 DC 
72 80 42.97 FEB110159 BATGIRL #20 $2.99 DC 
73 50 42.63 FEB110573-M ANNIHILATORS #2 $4.99 MAR
74 83 41.67 FEB110533 AVENGERS ACADEMY #12 $2.99 MAR
75 82 41.39 FEB110168 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #12 $2.99 DC 
76 86 40.86 FEB110575-M BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR #517 $2.99 MAR
77 39 40.64 FEB110177 JLA 80 PAGE GIANT 2011 #1 $5.99 DC 
78 85 40.56 FEB110167 ADVENTURE COMICS #525 $2.99 DC 
79 88 39.84 FEB110596 SILVER SURFER #3 $2.99 MAR
80 89 39.58 FEB110593 SECRET WARRIORS #26 $2.99 MAR
81 51 39.34 FEB110594-M SHIELD INFINITY $4.99 MAR
82 103 38.56 FEB110586-M HEROES FOR HIRE #5 $2.99 MAR
83 92 38.17 FEB110163 SUPERGIRL #63 $2.99 DC 
84 94 37.87 FEB110130 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #5 $2.99 DC 
85 108 36.95 JAN110727-M IRON MAN 2.0 #3 $2.99 MAR
86 101 36.39 FEB110186 TITANS #34 $2.99 DC 
87 102 36.16 FEB110131 DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #6 $2.99 DC 
88 106 36.01 FEB110633 GENERATION HOPE #6 $2.99 MAR
89 105 35.95 FEB110584-M IRON MAN 2.0 #4 $2.99 MAR
90 109 34.84 FEB110183 SECRET SIX #32 $2.99 DC 
91 98 33.67 FEB110013-M HELLBOY BUSTER OAKLEY GETS HIS WISH $3.50 DAR
92 111 33.25 FEB110255 FABLES #104 (MR) $2.99 DC 
93 77 33.12 FEB110636 PUNISHERMAX #12 (MR) $3.99 MAR
94 71 33.04 FEB110942 BOYS #53 (MR) $3.99 DE
95 113 32.58 FEB110189 ZATANNA #12 $2.99 DC 
96 93 32.06 FEB110028 STAR WARS LEGACY WAR #5 $3.50 DAR
97 64 32.05 FEB110556 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1000 $4.99 MAR
98 120 31.82 FEB110561-M SKAAR KING OF SAVAGE LAND #1 $2.99 MAR
99 97 31.38 FEB110543 TOMB OF DRACULA PRESENTS THRONE OF BLOOD #1 $3.99 MAR
100 99 31.35 FEB110029 STAR WARS DARTH VADER & LOST COMMAND #4 $3.50 DAR

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, 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.