The Top 300 Selling Comic Books For April 2004

This list comes from digging through sales figures, asking too many questions and using Diamond Comics information. The snotty comments in white are from deep in Cory's sick twisted little brain.

1 SUPERMAN #204 $2.50 DC 231,411

And Jim Lee makes the huge sales splash on Superman, just as everyone thought he would. DC has got to be pretty happy about buying Wildstorm, because even if none of the books they publish make money, they've nailed down Jim Lee, who is also an editor in absentia (since he lives in Europe). My feelings on Jim Lee's art are the opposite of everyone else's, since I could tell you five different problems with the cover, let alone the interior. They story was more of a prologue than a story, so we'll have to see where it goes, but no one is buying this for the story anyway.

2 SUPERMAN/BATMAN #9 $2.95 DC 145,072

The new (3rd since the Crisis on infinite earths?) Supergirl's story continues, and I have to say that Michael Turner's art actually turns me off. It is SO uber-sexualized that I feel like I'm reading near porn when he has a female character involved. The story itself is actually good, but it is disheartening that the Image style of art is coming back.

3 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #1 $2.99 MAR 137,314

Mark Millar and Terry Dodson do a more mature Spider-Man comic. I'll buy it as trades, since I didn't care for Millar's stints on Ultimate X-Men or The Ultimates, but I like Dodson's art. And yes, I KNOW that flies in the face of what I said about Turner's girly art, but Dodson's women don't all have the same face, and their bodies look like they can support the freakishly large chests both artists draw, which Turner's women look like they would snap in half from the strain of carrying their unnatural looking breasts.

4 MARVEL 1602 #8 (Of 8) (Note Price) $3.99 MAR 103,213

The last part of Neil Gaiman's Marvel series, which he said he had fun doing. I'd like it if Neil could do a project like this every so often, since Alan Moore won't work with either of the majors anymore, which has effectively landed him a in ghetto of low sales. Then again, Neil doesn't need comics, as he is a very successful novelist. I'm buying the hardcover collection of this one.

5 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #5 $2.25 MAR 102,648
6 NEW X-MEN #155 $2.25 MAR 100,088
7 NEW X-MEN #156 $2.25 MAR 98,785

Oh, and it only took two issues for Chuck Austin to screw things up.

Grant Morrison's last issue were poorly drawn but brilliantly written. In them, the future had turned to shite because Cyclops didn't re-open the school...and when Jean Grey found that out in that dystopian future, she changed things so that Scott would chose to be with Emma Frost and re-open the school. So, the first thing on the first page of Austin's first issue, he negates that entire story. I expect in the coming months, we'll discover that no one at Marvel understood any of the stuff that Grant Morrison was doing, and I will bitch about it constantly. Even without that, however, these two issue are pedestrian, and seem to be going back to the old "confusing as hell to people who don't breathe this shite" style.

8 ULTIMATE X-MEN #44 $2.25 MAR 96,264

Bendis's highest selling book, which is odd, because it's not his best. It is still GOOD, and delivers on a great idea, but it has too many characters for him to properly do the in-depth character work he is best at. Mildly recommended for super-hero fans.

9 WOLVERINE END #3 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 93,131
10 ULTIMATE SIX #7 (Of 7) $2.25 MAR 91,663
11 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #56 $2.25 MAR 91,585
12 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #57 $2.25 MAR 90,784

And normally, I praise this book to the high heaven, but the current storyline, about Spider-Man and Doc Oc fighting while a movie is being made about them, just isn't hitting on all cylinders. They are BAD issues, just not as good as we normally get from this comic. Maybe it will be better collected, but for now it's kind of a bland story.

13 UNCANNY X-MEN #442 $2.25 MAR 86,975
14 UNCANNY X-MEN #443 $2.25 MAR 86,002

Chuck Austin didn't really wrap much of anything up with the end of his run (which fits, since most of his cast are going over to X-Men), but it would have been nice if he would have had a bit of closure going into the new Relaunch. Austin has done good stories on other comics (and I am loving his Superman stuff so far), but on the X-Men, the stories have been deteriorating, and now are pretty much at the unreadable level.

15 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #506 (#65) $2.25 MAR 83,152

So, now we see that the mystic forces and such are all part of the storyline. I don't care for Big Cosmic events in Spider-Man, as I think the character works best when fighting street level crime and having soap opera complications in his personal life. JMS is doing decent enough work on the book, but it just doesn't quite fit the character as well as I would like.

16 BATMAN #626 $2.25 DC 78,519

I have only recommended one book, and we're all the way down to #16. This wraps up the Broken City storyline by the creative team behind 100 Bullets, and while the conclusion wasn't as solid as I would have liked, it was still a well-done comic that shows just how versatile the Batman character can be. Mildly recommended.

17 WOLVERINE #13 $2.25 MAR 71,060

And now, a highly recommended comic! If you would have told me two years ago, I would feel this way, I'd have smacked you silly. Now, with Greg Rucka writing and Darrick Robinson on pencils, this is the best Wolverine run since John Bucema draw the book back in the late 80's. On top of that, Rucka is dealing with one of the dumbest things that has been grafted on to Wolverine (that there was a secret government program making tons of "mutants" like him) and actually makes it an interesting story. Highly recommended.

18 JLA #96 $2.25 DC 70,377

And how the mighty have fallen. When I was a kid, Claremont and Byrne were working on the X-Men, making it the most influential and popular comic in print. Now, they have finally reunited in a bland story that gives us goofy looking vampires, The Doom Patrol and makes us think that they should have reunited back when both of them had talent.

Fun Fact: In interviews, Byrne is saying that the story is all his. If Claremont had any brains, he'd let him have the credit for it, because it's just horrid.

19 WOLVERINE #14 $2.25 MAR 69,874

See what I said about Wolverine above. This issue is just as good.

20 TEEN TITANS #10 $2.50 DC 68,359

DC has a hit with this comic, and while I don't see it as much more than an average super-hero team book, I guess since there aren't a lot of those, people are happy to buy one. For super-hero fans only.

21 JLA #97 $2.25 DC 68,170

See what I said about JLA above. This issue is just as bad.

22 DAREDEVIL FATHER #1 (Of 5) $3.50 MAR 66,050
23 PUNISHER END #1 ONE-SHOT (MR) $4.50 MAR 65,791

Wow. Garth Ennis and Richard Corbin do their version of the Last Punisher story, and blows away all of the other "The End" stories by putting the Punisher in a very depressing setting (post apocalypse, which seems a bit dated to me) and simply tell a powerful story with amazing art. Well worth the extra cost and highly recommended.

24 SUPREME POWER #9 (MR) $2.99 MAR 64,284
25 ACTION COMICS #814 $2.50 DC 56,714

Chuck Austin has taken over the writing of this comic, and it's pretty much expected to trash Austin if you are on the web, but I won't. His story here is fun, has a Superman who is angst free and loves what he does, a welcome change for the character. If he can keep up this tone and not play into his writing flaws (bad supporting character subplots and story twists that seem annoying rather than inventive) he could have a nice hit on his hands here. DC has to be happy that all of the Superman books have jumped in sales as well. Mildly recommended.

26 AVENGERS #81 $2.25 MAR 54,987

On the other hand, this plays to Austin's worst tendencies, and is best not read at all.

27 ADVS O/SUPERMAN #627 $2.50 DC 54,955

The last of the revamped Superman comics, and probably the closest one to what the comic used to be. It still has the soap opera elements (dealing with Clark Kent's demotion, etc...), but doesn't feel as bogged down with them.

28 DAREDEVIL #59 $2.99 MAR 54,398

A powerful storyline by Bendis, great art by Maleev, all make this is highly recommended comic, even if you don't like super-heroes.

29 FANTASTIC FOUR #512 $2.25 MAR 52,953

After a string of very serious issues, this one is more of a comedy issue with the Human Torch and Spider-Man. Very fun to read and highly recommended for super-hero fans.

30 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #13 $2.25 MAR 52,835

This title has been a letdown since it launched, and all of the things that were strengths of writer Paul Jenkins (humor, character interplay, etc...) are nowhere to be seen in this comic now. Sadly, I think that I have given up.

31 X-TREME X-MEN #45 $2.99 MAR 51,563
32 X-TREME X-MEN #46 $2.99 MAR 51,375

The last issue. Now that Claremont is moving to two different X-Books, the people who like his stuff can still get their monthly dose, and he still gets to write the characters he pretty much made into Marvel's moneymaking machine. I think he's lost his appeal, and is just going through the motions, but if people like it, there it is.

33 WOLVERINE/PUNISHER #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 51,155
34 CONAN #3 $2.99 DAR 48,588

Dark Horse's biggest hit in years, and they have to be pretty happy about it. It is a better Conan comic than had been done in the past 15 years or so, wince Marvel decided to make it where they would dump new artists. I'm going to buy it as a trade.

35 FLASH #209 $2.25 DC 47,543

New artist, new storyline, and yet I am still unimpressed with this comic. I know I should like it more, and it just doesn't appeal to me.

36 INCREDIBLE HULK #71 $2.25 MAR 46,837
37 INCREDIBLE HULK #70 $2.25 MAR 46,161

It appears that the series is heading for a big climax of the storylines that Bruce Jones started back with issue #30, so my interest has picked up. It is still a horror-tinged version of the Hulk, but that has started to wear thin. It'll be interesting to see where they take it from here.

38 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #4 $2.99 MAR 45,926
39 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #5 $2.99 MAR 45,227

OK, I read them, and I just didn't care for this version of the Fantastic Four. It seems too depressing and too far from the sense that anything can happen at any minute that Kirby infused into the comic when he did it. So, I've dropped it and will stick with Mark Waid's version.

40 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #2 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 44,717
41 SUPERMAN/BATMAN #8* $2.95 DC 43,437

I honestly think this is the highest I have ever seen reorders rank. Guess people like those Michael Turner women.

42 OUTSIDERS #11 $2.50 DC 43,130

Still a very average super-hero team book, if you like that sort of thing.

43 TRANSFORMERS GENERATION ONE VOL 3 #4* $2.95 DRE 43,083
44 JSA #60 $2.50 DC 42,824

Still my favorite super-hero team book, and the only one that seems to be able to use DC's vast continuity without feeling like you are reading someone's history paper. Highly recommended.

45 X-MEN UNLTD #2 $2.99 MAR 42,597

A "new talent" book that has short stories by people who haven't worked at Marvel before. I like these kind of books, but they rarely succeed. Still, it's mildly recommended because the stories are short, well done and usually show a new way to telling an X-Men story.

46 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #3 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 40,759
47 CABLE DEADPOOL #2 (RES) $2.99 MAR 39,472
48 CAPTAIN AMERICA #25 $2.99 MAR 38,584

Marvel sure hasn't had the best of luck since they moved Captain America over to Marvel Knights. The first writer was let go in the middle of a story, then they had two "what if" stories and now Chris Bachalo was hyped as the new artist and he's gone in 5 issues. I like writer Robert Kirkman's work on other books, but he doesn't really have a handle on this one yet.

49 EXILES #45 $2.99 MAR 37,878

The new creative team has shuffled the characters a bit, but the concept is the same and this comic is only for hard-core Marvel fans.

50 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #52 $2.95 DC 36,951
51 CAPTAIN AMERICA & FALCON #2 $2.99 MAR 36,763

With issue #2, the older Cap book is already outselling the new Cap book. I hate Bart Sears' art and Priest's writing, so I have no interest at ALL in this comic.

52 ALPHA FLIGHT #2 $2.99 MAR 36,551
53 SUPERMAN BIRTHRIGHT #9 (Of 12) $2.95 DC 35,200

Oddly enough it has only dropped about 100 copies in sales, and for a mini-series, that's a pretty solid performance. This retelling of Superman's origin brings it more in line with the Silver Age version and will probably be in place for another 10 - 15 years when DC decides they need to revamp it again. This time, it is more of a "background" revamp, rather than the full-scale revamp they did in 1986.

54 SPAWN #134 $2.50 IMA 35,098
55 DETECTIVE COMICS #793 $2.95 DC 34,800

I finally dropped this comic after months of struggling to get through it.

56 GREEN LANTERN #176 $2.25 DC 34,674

Dropped this one as well, now that Ron Marz is back on the book. After reading one issue, we've gone from the book being bland and boring to being actively offensive. Marz tends to write every female character as either a slut or a moron...he went the slut route in this issue. Avoid this one.

57 PUNISHER #5 (MR) $2.99 MAR 34,234

I would think that this comic would sell better, as Ennis has changed his writing style to do this comic as a straight action book, without the over-the-top dark humor. And, it also shows that no one in comics can do that quite as well as Ennis. Highly recommended.

58 NEW MUTANTS #11 $2.99 MAR 34,148
59 GREEN ARROW #37 $2.50 DC 34,124

In the middle of a long story that has many of the problems I have with this run of the character. A down to earth character with no super-powers (Green Arrow) against a big mystic bad guy with amazing powers. I just don't' care for that style of story.

60 NEW MUTANTS #12 $2.99 MAR 33,481
61 NEW MUTANTS #13 $2.99 MAR 32,994

Getting the last three issues out quickly so that the comic can become "New X-Men". Out of all of the Marvel new series from about a year ago, this one has done the best, and I think there are some older fans that have a lot of nostalgia for the New Mutants series. I didn't care for the first issue of this run, but I'll be giving it a try with the new direction and name change.

62 ROBIN #125 $2.25 DC 32,923

The Big Reveal!! I would have been more shocked by7 this story if it wasn't pretty damn obvious that it will all be resolved in about 6 months. Still, a well done issue of a rapidly improving series and mildly recommended after almost 2 years of being a piece of feces.

63 EMMA FROST #10 $2.99 MAR 32,625
64 BIRDS O/PREY #66 $2.50 DC 31,525
65 TRANSFORMERS WAR WITHIN VOL 2 #6 $2.95 DRE 31,109
66 THOR #77 $2.99 MAR 30,819
67 SHE-HULK #2 $2.99 MAR 30,779
68 WONDER WOMAN #203 $2.25 DC 30,418

Greg Rucka has done the impossible. He has made it so I actually give a damn about Wonder Woman. I won't say it is a GREAT comic, but it is about the best Wonder Woman stories that have been done since the relaunch in the mid 80's. Mildly recommended for superhero fans.

69 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #2 $2.25 MAR 30,363

Oddly enough, there is already a book out of the first 6 or so issues. I guess this is the first time that people are waiting for the issues instead of buying the trade.

70 MYSTIQUE #13 $2.99 MAR 29,759
71 THANOS #9 $2.99 MAR 29,704
72 MARVEL AGE FANTASTIC FOUR #1 $2.25 MAR 29,641
73 NIGHTWING #92 $2.25 DC 29,555

This comic has turned to complete crap. Patrick Zircher's art is hard to follow, and Devin Greyson is doing the "take everything away from the hero over time" story that NEVER works unless Frank Miller is doing it. Yes, you have to give your hero obstacles, but the need some writers have to strip EVERYTHING away from the hero so that they have a bigger opponent to face usually ends up killing the comic (see Legion of Super Heroes in the mid 80's, X-Men in the late 80's, or any number of other examples). It is doing the same thing here, driving me away.

74 IRON MAN #79 $2.99 MAR 29,138
75 IRON MAN #80 $2.99 MAR 28,809

Just finishing up one revamp and about to get another. The current stories have been average, with art that looks still and amateurish.

76 IRON FIST #2 $2.99 MAR 28,432

Another solidly entertaining issue, written by the writer of the Destroyer novels and drawn in a manga style. Iron Fist is a character that has always been on the verge of being popular, and I hope that this series succeeds, as I know that they writer can do great work. Mildly recommended.

77 HAWKMAN #27 $2.50 DC 28,392

Another fill-in issue.

78 ARROWSMITH ASTRO CITY (RES) $2.95 DC 27,961

I am a big Astro City fan, but with it now as a series of mini-series, I'll be buying it as collected trades. I know, I know, John Byrne says I am killing the comic industry, but I think it is time the people realize that novels used to be serialized in magazines...and while they don't do that anymore, novel still exist. It is TIME for comics to make the leap into a different kind of publishing, and it can't happen while publishers and creators still think of comics the way they were 40, 50 or 60 years ago. Oh, and I will get this when it is printed in the Arrowsmith trade.

79 GI JOE RELOADED #2 $2.95 DDP 27,882
80 BATMAN HARLEY & IVY #1 (Of 3) $2.50 DC 27,882

By Paul Dini and Bruce Timm (the creative team behind the Batman Animated series), which means in 6 month when people realize what this was, it will be selling for lots of money.

81 VENOM #13 $2.99 MAR 27,537
82 Y THE LAST MAN #21 (MR) $2.95 DC 26,720

Still Vertigo's best selling comic, and one of my favorites as a trade paperback. Recommended in that format.

83 WANTED DOSSIER ONE-SHOT (MR) $2.99 IMA 26,335
84 SWAMP THING #2 (MR) $2.95 DC 26,013

Last month, this was the best-selling Vertigo comic...now it's started the inevitable drop, but it looks like there was a lot of interest in the series. I'm pretty much of the opinion that they should have put the character away when Alan Moore quit writing it, but no one listens to me.

85 TRANSFORMERS ENERGON #22 $2.95 DRE 25,990
86 X-STATIX #21 $2.99 MAR 25,911
87 BATGIRL #51 $2.50 DC 25,793
88 AQUAMAN #17 $2.50 DC 25,691
89 STREET FIGHTER #7* $4.50 DDP 25,597
90 SILVER SURFER #8 $2.99 MAR 25,542
91 WEAPON X #21 $2.99 MAR 25,527
92 FABLES #24 (MR) $2.50 DC 25,464
93 BATMAN DEATH & MAIDENS #8 (Of 9) $2.95 DC 25,385
94 WEAPON X #22 $2.99 MAR 25,283
95 THOR SON O/ASGARD #3 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 25,110
96 X-STATIX #22 $2.99 MAR 24,993
97 LEGION #32 $2.50 DC 24,608
98 CATWOMAN #30 $2.50 DC 24,286
99 BATMAN LEGENDS O/T DARK KNIGHT #178 $2.50 DC 24,145
100 BITE CLUB #1 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95 DC 24,043
101 SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY #4 (Of 4) $5.95 DC 22,833
102 AUTHORITY VOL 2 #11 (MR) $2.95 DC 21,938
103 30 DAYS O/NIGHT RETURN T/BARROW #1 (MR) $3.99 IDW 21,915
104 CAPTAIN MARVEL #22 $2.99 MAR 21,742
105 SPIDER-GIRL #72 $2.99 MAR 20,533
106 ELEKTRA #35 $2.99 MAR 20,313
107 DARKNESS VOL 2 #9 $2.99 IMA 19,842
108 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #63 $2.99 DAR 19,693
109 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #64 $2.99 DAR 19,669
110 DARKNESS VOL 2 #10 $2.99 IMA 19,559
111 STAR WARS EMPIRE #18 $2.99 DAR 19,543
112 RUNAWAYS #14 $2.99 MAR 19,363
113 HELLBOY WEIRD TALES #8 $2.99 DAR 19,221
114 TOMB RAIDER #40* $2.99 IMA 18,711
115 BPRD PLAGUE O/FROGS #2 $2.99 DAR 18,444
116 STRYKEFORCE #1 (Of 5) $2.99 IMA 18,044
117 STAR WARS TALES #19* $5.99 DAR 17,934
118 MINISTRY O/SPACE #3 (Of 3) (RES) $2.95 IMA 17,651
119 30 DAYS O/NIGHT RETURN T/BARROW #2 (MR) $3.99 IDW 17,580
120 WITCHBLADE #74 $2.99 IMA 17,573
121 TRANSFORMERS ARMADA MORE THAN MEETS EYE #2 (Of 3) $4.95 DRE 17,470
122 TOMB RAIDER #41 $2.99 IMA 17,290
123 LOBO UNBOUND #6 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95 DC 17,235
124 GOTHAM CENTRAL #18 $2.50 DC 17,164
125 CHOSEN #2 (Of 3) (MR) $2.99 DAR 16,827
126 HAWKEYE #7 $2.99 MAR 16,607
127 BATMAN CITY O/LIGHT #7 (Of 8) $2.95 DC 16,497
128 MASTERS O/T UNIVERSE VOL 3 #1 $2.95 MVC 15,994
129 PLASTIC MAN #5 $2.95 DC 15,877
130 INHUMANS #12 $2.99 MAR 15,696
131 HELLBLAZER #195 (MR) $2.75 DC 14,887
132 TOM STRONGS TERRIFIC TALES #10 $2.95 DC 14,879
133 SOJOURN #34 $2.95 CRO 14,801
134 TEEN TITANS GO #6 $2.25 DC 14,612
135 HERO #15 $2.50 DC 14,275
136 SANDMAN PRESENTS THESALY WITCH FOR HIRE #3 (Of 4) $2.95 DC 13,741
137 GEORGE ROMEROS DAWN O/T DEAD #1 (MR) $3.99 IDW 13,670
138 TALES O/T VAMPIRES #5 $2.99 DAR 13,584
139 WILDCATS VERSION 3.0 #20 (MR) $2.95 DC 13,545
140 BONE #54 $2.95 CAR 13,490

Next to last issue, and why do I feel that the Big Ending we have been building toward just won't be one that satisfies? Because the last ten issues or so have been a drag, poorly paced, and don't seem to be answering any of the questions the readers have had for the past ten or so years.

141 ROSE & THORN #5 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 13,238
142 HUMAN TORCH #12 $2.99 MAR 13,168

Last issue, and the final issue was a well-done story with The Thing, a character who is one of Marvel's most interesting. This was probably a doomed series from the start, but the first six issues and the final two were well done. Dig them out of the back issues if you like the Fantastic Four.

143 MONOLITH #3 $2.95 DC 13,136
144 ENGINEHEAD #1 (Of 8) $2.50 DC 12,901

DC has no one to blame but themselves for the poor sales on this comic. The description in "Previews" was SO BAD that even if I liked the people working on it and was a huge fan of their work, I wouldn't go near it. When the only thing you have to grab a reader is a two-sentence paragraph, you need to make sure it is the best thing you have ever written.

145 LUCIFER #49 (MR) $2.50 DC 12,846
146 SIMPSONS COMICS #93 $2.99 BON 12,799

Most months, this comic is better than recent episodes. If you like the Simpsons, you should be buying this. Highly recommended and highly funny.

147 JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVS #30 $2.25 DC 12,194
148 BATMAN ADVS #13 $2.25 DC 12,092
149 ROBOTECH INVASION #4 (Of 5) $2.95 DC 11,951
150 FRACTION #1 $2.50 DC 11,542
151 TOUCH #1 $2.50 DC 11,283

Two more books in the "DC Focus" line. The line is supposed to be super-powered people without costumes and super-hero fights. Looking at the sales, it looks to me like those are the two things people want in their super-hero comics, but what do I know?

152 BRATH #13 $2.95 CRO 11,260
153 VOLTRON VOL 2 #4 $2.95 DDP 11,024
154 FALLEN ANGEL #10 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,930

Peter David's best book in a long time, dealing with a mysterious character who is, at best, morally ambiguous...and it fits her surroundings. It shows that if he leaves out the inside jokes and endless subplots, PAD can still write damn good stories. Highly recommended.

155 STORMWATCH TEAM ACHILLES #21 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,922
156 LOSERS #11 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,891
157 DAWN 2004 CON SKETCHBOOK ONE-SHOT (MR) $2.95 IMA 10,820
158 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #6 (MR) $2.95 MVC 10,812
159 HARD TIME #3 $2.50 DC 10,796

A great Steve Gerber book that is getting the short shift because it is under the Dc Focus line, which sounds like a new version of Marvel's "New Universe", with super-powered people in a normal world. Gerber's book is very well done, set in a prison and filled with the kind of rich characterization and strange events that Gerber weaves into his storytelling. Highly recommended.

160 STRANGERS I/PARADISE VOL III #64 $2.95 ABS 10,529
161 BART SIMPSON COMICS #17 $2.99 BON 10,388

The regular Simpsons comic is a joy, just as good if not better than the TV series and always highly recommended. The Bart Simpson comic, on the other hand, always reads like one of those crappy TV adaptation that Charlton was doing in the 70's, and I have yet to see an issue that was worth the $3 price tag. Avoid.

162 KINETIC #2 $2.50 DC 9,972
163 LIGHT BRIGADE #3 (Of 4) (MR) $5.95 DC 9,838
164 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #7 (MR) $2.95 MVC 9,776

It was supposed to be a 6-issue mini-series, but seems to be doing well enough to continue. It is a great comic for fans of Rob Zombie, as it shares his odd sense of mixing campy horror with humor, and has some decent art. For horror fans, this is a great comic if you don't mind your horror tongue in cheek, but for non-horror fans, there isn't much of anything here to like.

165 STEVE RUDE MOTH #1 $2.99 DAR 9,713

I have a deep love for Steve Rude's art, and the character is interesting, but the scripting is SO BAD on this comic that I can only recommend it for fans of Rude's art.

166 HUMAN TARGET #9 (MR) $2.95 DC 9,556
167 COMMON GROUNDS #4 (Of 6) $2.99 IMA 9,093

A GREAT comic that should appeal to fans of Astro City and similar series as it tells short stories based around a chain of coffee shops that cater to super-heroes. Each story is a gem, and with art by George Perez, Dan Jurgens and others, it should be selling much better. Highly recommended.

168 MICRONAUTS #2 $2.95 DDP 9,014

A sales failure of MASSIVE proportions, with the first issue of the second series selling worse than the final issue of the second series. It's too bad, because this is a much better comic than the first series, with some very good Pat Broderick art. It hasn't been announced officially, but the third issue is the final issue, and it ended on a cliffhanger. I loved the Marvel Micronauts series, but this one is just playing off of the toys and could not use any of the classic characters or settings, and just felt like another confusing comic based on toys.

169 KISS KISS BANG BANG #4 $2.95 CRO 8,983
170 GHOSTBUSTERS LEGION #1 (Of 4) $2.95 EIG 8,967
171 MIDNIGHT MASS HERE THERE BE MONSTERS #4 (Of 6) (MR) $2.95 DC 8,661

DC's lowest selling book that is not already planned as a trade paperback or aimed at young kids. I know that there was a lot of talk that even though the first series didn't sell very well, DC would get behind a second mini-series, but it looks like they just didn't get the word out to the potential audience.

172 ABADAZAD #3 $2.95 CRO 8,653
173 GOON DH ED #6 $2.99 DAR 8,543
174 DUEL MASTERS #4 $2.95 DRE 8,504
175 CAPER #7 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 DC 8,402
176 MY FAITH I/FRANKIE #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95 DC 7,875

DC finished this mini-series, which surprised me. With sales this low, I thought for sure they would end it early, but with a digest sized collection aimed at bookstores coming out, they could probably say they have paid for it already, why not get it out to make the fans happy.

177 WAY O/T RAT #23 $2.95 CRO 7,852
178 CASEFILES SAM & TWITCH #8 (MR) $2.50 IMA 7,789
179 WALKING DEAD #6 (MR) $2.95 IMA 7,726

The last issue put into the recent collected trade, and it is one of the few comics going up in sales. It is a zombie comic that shares a LOT of ideas and themes from every zombie movie you have ever seen, but it has enough new and interesting that it is highly recommended and the best horror comic on the stands.

180 PVP #6 $2.95 IMA 7,711
181 SHONEN JUMP VOL 2 #5 MAY 2004 $4.99 VIZ 7,663

Every month I say the same thing, so instead I will say that the comic holds no appeal to me at ALL, and I couldn't be happier. It's GOOD that they are printing comics that appeal to young kids instead of thirty-something comics geeks.

182 CSI DEMON HOUSE #2 (Of 5) (MR) $3.99 IDW 7,569
183 MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS ADVS O/T ESCAPIST #2 $8.95 DAR 7,554

One of the more interesting comics being printed. The character is from the award winning fiction novel "The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay" which every comic fan should read, and they have gathered up some amazing talent to do stories of this character through the different ages of comics, from the 40's to now. A GREAT comic that is highly recommended.

184 VICTORY #4* $2.95 IMA 7,530
185 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #135 $2.19 ARC 7,271
186 ALEISTER ARCANE #1 (MR) $3.99 IDW 7,130
187 SILENT HILL DYING INSIDE #3 (MR) $3.99 IDW 7,082
188 DRAGONLANCE LEGEND O/HUMA #3 $2.95 DDP 7,043
189 USAGI YOJIMBO #75 $2.99 DAR 6,910
190 CONAN #2 $2.99 DAR 6,329

More re-orders. Methinks Dark Horse finally has a hit on their hands.

191 POWERPUFF GIRLS #49 $2.25 DC 6,219
192 UNCLE SCROOGE #329 $6.95 GEM 6,187
193 CONAN #1* $2.99 DAR 6,132

Even more re-orders. I wonder if Marvel is a bit peeved that they let Conan slip away from them, since they were only paying $400 a month for the rights as long as they published a Conan comic every month, and now dark Horse has turned it back into a hit.

194 KNIGHTS O/T DINNER TABLE #90 $3.99 KZR 6,101

Love this comic, and I can't be objective about this issue, since they plug the comic strip I'm writing, Asylum on 5th Street. And 10 of the copies sold this month were to me.

195 REX MUNDI #9 $2.95 IMA 5,960
196 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #15 $2.95 MIR 5,912
197 DONALD DUCK & FRIENDS #315 $2.95 GEM 5,881
198 QUEEN & COUNTRY #24 (MR) $2.99 ONI 5,865

A book I buy via trade paperbacks, and is seems to be succeeding in that venue. I can see a smaller company like Oni actually switch over to trades only in the next couple of years s monthly books continue to slide. As a trade, I HIGHLY recommend this comic, but as individual issues, there's just too much backstory and too many continued stories.

199 TALES O/TMNT #2 $2.95 MIR 5,787
200 HACK SLASH #1 (MR) $4.95 DDP 5,724
201 INVINCIBLE #10 $2.95 IMA 5,598
202 OH MY GODDESS #107 $2.99 DAR 5,583

One of the last manga series still published in comic form, and it has been going for about 9 years. It would be VERY hard for a new reader to jump in, and the previous issues are collected in trade paperbacks, so I can't see Dark Horse keeping this form of printing up for much longer.

203 MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #264 $2.95 GEM 5,528
204 SCOOBY DOO #83 $2.25 DC 5,528
205 MINISTRY O/SPACE OMNIBUS $4.95 IMA 5,488

Reprinting the first two issues of this mini-series that didn't release the final issues for almost two years. I just don't understand how ANY creator or publisher can allow this to happen unless a banana truck hits someone involved. If the third issue sold more than half of the second issue, I would be very surprised.

206 UNDERWORLD RED I/TOOTH & CLAW #2 (MR) $3.99 IDW 5,151

IDW is making a nice little company out of doing licensed products and horror comics, but these are NOT good sales. I hope that they are able to get their stuff outside of comic shops or they are tossing money down a VERY deep hole.

207 WALT DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES #644 $6.95 GEM 5,151
208 FRANKENSTEIN MOBSTER #3* $2.95 IMA 5,112
209 PHANTOM JACK #2 $2.95 IMA 5,104

Dear Image,
I'm thinking that picking up a mini-series that Marvel wouldn't publish because they shut down their Epic division was not a great sales idea.

210 BLADE O/T IMMORTAL #88 (MR) $2.99 DAR 5,072
211 AVENGERS/JLA #4 (Of 4) $5.95 DC 4,994
212 GHOSTBUSTERS LEGION BRERETON CVR #1 (Of 4) $3.50 EIG 4,829
213 EL ZOMBO #1 (Of 3) $2.99 DAR 4,703
214 MYTHSTALKERS #8 $2.95 IMA 4,695
215 LONE #6 $2.99 DAR 4,444
216 NEGATION WAR #1 $2.95 CRO 3,989

Re-orders, which is a good sign for this VERY troubled company. I hope for their fans sake that they have enough money to get all of the issues of this mini-series published.

217 WARREN ELLIS STRANGE KILLINGS NECROMANCER #2 (Of 6)* $3.50 AVA 3,879

Warren Ellis's stuff for Avatar should be where he cuts loose and does the kind of stuff he can't do anywhere else, and instead it shows his deep need for an editor to help him construct his stories so that they don't suck.

218 ULTRAMAN TIGA #7 (Of 10) $3.99 DAR 3,722
219 JLA #95 $2.25 DC 3,722
220 PATIENT ZERO #2 (Of 4) $2.95 IMA 3,518
221 DESPERATE TIMES #1 $2.95 IMA 3,423

A comic collecting a comic strip that isn't in newspapers or on the internet, so I don't exactly know from where it is being collected. However, the artist is one of the most "in demand" letterers and a friend of the new President of Image, so that's how it got printed.

222 GIFT #5 (MR) $2.95 OVE 3,337
223 JOE LANSDALES BY BIZARRE HANDS #1 (Of 6)* $3.50 AVA 3,298
224 LOONEY TUNES #113 $2.25 DC 3,266
225 REAPER ONE-SHOT (MR) $6.95 IMA 3,227
226 AGE O/BRONZE #19 $3.50 IMA 3,204
227 KOLCHAK TALES O/NIGHT STALKER #3 (MR) $3.50 MNS 3,109
228 DEAD A/17 BLOOD O/SAINTS #1 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95 VIP 2,968

Another zombie comic, this one with a hot girl in a schoolgirl outfit killing zombies. You know, when I describe it that way, I amazed it's not the #1 selling book of the month. Maybe it needs pirates and ninjas in order to be a hit.

229 OPTIC NERVE #9 (RES) (MR) (PU#608) $3.95 DRA 2,732

Short stories and other things by one of the masters of comics storytelling. It's a shame that a book this good comes out both so infrequently and to such reader apathy. Highly recommended.

230 DEEP SLEEPER #2 (Of 4) (MR) $3.50 ONI 2,701
231 ALAMO $4.95 ANT 2,646

Looks like it did about as well as the movie did. But at least it was cheaper to buy the comic.

232 SUPERMAN/BATMAN #7 $2.95 DC 2,638
233 ARCHIE #547 $2.19 ARC 2,638
234 TOO MUCH HOPELESS SAVAGES #3 (Of 4) (RES) $2.99 ONI 2,552
235 SERENITY ROSE #3 $2.95 SLG 2,552
236 GHOULY BOYS #1 $2.95 SLG 2,528
237 STARGATE SGI 2004 CON SP WRAP/PHOTO CVR* $3.99 AVA 2,497
238 LOVE FIGHTS #9 (MR) $2.99 ONI 2,450
239 STARGATE SGI 2004 CON SP REG CVR $2.99 AVA 2,434
240 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE ILLUSTRATED #33 $2.99 KZR 2,403

I love Knights of the Dinner Table, but this comic illustrating their characters adventures just doesn't do anything for me. For hard-core gamer fans only.

241 MONTE MOORES BLOODLINES #1 $3.50 MNS 2,387
242 CARTOON CARTOONS #29 $2.25 DC 2,348
243 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #151 $3.59 ARC 2,308
244 FLASH #208 $2.25 DC 2,293
245 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #147 $2.39 ARC 2,238
246 VERONICA #151 $2.19 ARC 2,238
247 BETTY #137 $2.19 ARC 2,214
248 RICH JOHNSTONS HOLED UP #1 (Of 3) (MR)* $3.50 AVA 2,120

The new comic by the gossip columnist who said in an interview with Joe Quesada about a year or so ago that he wasn't trying to break into the comics business. Rich, I have a scoop for you: Quesada was right!

249 PS238 #6 $2.99 DOR 2,065
250 ALICE I/SEXLAND EXTREME #7 (RES) (A) $3.95 ERO 2,034
251 BATGIRL #50 (Note Price) $3.25 DC 1,979
252 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #84 $3.59 ARC 1,947
253 HOT MOMS #3 (A) $4.95 ERO 1,947
254 SILENT HILL DYING INSIDE #2 CURR PRT (MR) $3.99 IDW 1,877
255 JUGHEAD #157 $2.19 ARC 1,853
256 DICTATORS HITLER #1 (Of 4) $2.99 ANT 1,845
257 LAUGH DIGEST #192 $2.39 ARC 1,837
258 WANTED DEATH ROW ED #2 (MR) $2.99 IMA 1,822
259 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #103 $3.59 ARC 1,822
260 JUGHEAD W/ARCHIE DIGEST #192 $2.39 ARC 1,727
261 GENUS #64 (A) $3.50 RAD 1,727
262 AMELIA RULES SUPERHEROES #2 (Of 6) $2.95 REN 1,696
263 JLA #94 $2.25 DC 1,688
264 ULTIMATES #13 (RES) (Note Price) $3.50 MAR 1,665
265 NEOTOPIA VOL 3 #2 $2.99 ANT 1,610
266 PLANETARY #19 $2.95 DC 1,602
267 MILK #39 (A) $3.50 RAD 1,594
268 BLOOD ORANGE #1 (MR) $5.95 FAN 1,578
269 FORGIVE ME FATHER #1 (Of 3) (MR) $2.95 HIG 1,547

With a title like that and the fact that it is mature readers only, I KNOW I don't want to read this comic. I am getting cold chills just thinking about it.

270 VEROTIK WORLD #2 (MR) $3.95 VER 1,523
271 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #4 $2.25 MAR 1,523
272 SEX WARRIOR ISANE #6 (A) $3.95 ERO 1,484
273 SUPERMAN/BATMAN #6 $2.95 DC 1,460
274 BATMAN #625 $2.25 DC 1,382
275 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #2 CURR PRT (Of 5) (MR) $2.95 MVC 1,351
276 QUAGMIRE USA #2 $2.99 ANT 1,327
277 I HUNT MONSTERS #2 $2.99 ANT 1,327
278 HELLINA VS PANDORA #2 (Of 3) (MR)* $3.50 AVA 1,311
279 FURRLOUGH #134 $2.99 RAD 1,303
280 FRANK MILLERS ROBOCOP SNEAK ATTACK #5 (Of 9) (MR) $5.99 AVA 1,280
281 SWAMP THING #1 (MR) $2.95 DC 1,272
282 JLA/AVENGERS #3 (Of 4) $5.95 MAR 1,186
283 AP YOU CAN DRAW MANGA #3 $4.95 ANT 1,170

No, you can't, because you suck and everyone knows it.

284 CISCO KID #2 (Of 3) (MR) $2.95 MNS 1,146

OK, I misread the title and thought it was the Crisco Kid and it was another of the porn comics that hang out at the bottom of the sales charts. Don't mind me.

285 GI JOE RELOADED #1 $2.95 DDP 1,139
286 PARA #2 $2.95 PEN 1,123
287 BLOKHEDZ #2 (Of 4) (RES) (MR) $2.95 STR 1,068
288 BLOWJOB #9 (A) $3.95 ERO 1,044

Yes, only 1000 comics fans want a blowjob. Thank you! I'll be here all week!

289 ASSASSIN SCHOOL #0 $2.99 APC 1,044

Lesson one: Don't have stupid #0 issues OR I KEEL YOU NINE TIMES!

290 OUTSIDERS #10 $2.50 DC 1,044
291 LIGHT BRIGADE #2 (Of 4) (MR) $5.95 DC 989
292 ANGELS 750 #1 (Of 9) $2.99 ANT 989
293 STARGATE SG1 POW HAZARDOUS DUTY #2 (Of 3) $5.99 AVA 981
294 2 TO CHEST #1 (MR) $2.99 DAR 981
295 HERO HAPPY HOUR #5 $3.00 GEE 981
296 BEAR #1 $2.95 SLG 966
297 WARHAMMER MONTHLY #80 $3.50 GAM 966
298 SPANISH CONQUEST #1 (A) $3.95 ERO 958
299 GREEN LANTERN #175 $3.50 DC 950
300 TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD #8 $2.95 CLI 950

I bought the collected version of this, and it's a rarity in comics: An autobiographical comic that is pleasant to read. The story of how a cartoonist met the love of his life at a bus stop, told with heart, great art and skill, for anyone who doesn't need fight scenes in their comics.

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