The Top 300 Selling Comics for October 2001

1 ORIGIN #2 122,632
2 ORIGIN #3 120,205

Yeah, it's selling insanely well. Yeah, I don't think they could possibly make sense of all the "Wolverine's Origin" crap that was put out over the years. I still remember when the writer of "Wolverine" did a story making "Weapon X" a "false memory" before the ink was even dry on the damn book. Jenkins can do great work (on Peter Parker) and utter crap (all of his Top Cow work), so it'll be interesting to see which he does here. And the collected book will be out the week after the last issue ships.

3 NEW X-MEN #119 115,828

Good thing about the book? I'm excited about the X-Men again. I haven't been this thrilled when a new issue comes out since the Phoenix storyline. Grant Morrison has taken a book that was painful to try and read and made it an unmitigated joy. Each issue is shocking, thrilling and inventive. Never thought I'd say it, but this is Highly Recommended. Bad thing about the book? It's always LATE!!

4 UNCANNY X-MEN #399 110,158
5 ULTIMATE X-MEN #11 99,329

After realizing I haven't read the last 3 issues, this one is gone. I never warmed up to the art, and it feels just as messy as an old X-Men book Pre-Morrison. If this is for people who haven't read comics before, they aren't doing all that good a job.

6 X-TREME X-MEN #6 86,876

For people who miss Claremont's overwriting, pointless exposition and overwrought character angst, here you go! All with muddy art that does a piss poor job of telling a story. Eat up!

7 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #36 86,456

So...Aunt May knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Again. I much prefer Amazing Spider-Man's issue #400 where, as she was dying, she told him that she had known all along. It was touching, made a lot more sense, and gave the book a powerful story deserving of the character. Then, in their infinite wisdom, Marvel got rid of it in a stupid way to go back to the status quo because, "That's what the fans want." Oh, and this story was OK, but not as great as it's being touted as.

8 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #14 78,436

This Spidey book, however, IS as good as you've heard. It has the thrill of the early Ditko-Lee stuff without feeling like its 40 years old. If Marvel ever decided to start over, this book should be required reading for everyone involved, as it doesn't "re-write" the original stories, but makes new stories with the same characters. Highly Recommended.

9 GREEN ARROW #9 78,414

I like Kevin Smith a LOT, but the explanation of how Oliver Queen came back is so convoluted, I'd prefer is it were just an aftereffect of the Crisis on Infinite Earths 15 years ago. And he's having Green Arrow fight a bunch of mystic opponents... If not for the crisp realistic dialogue and dead-on characterization of every character that even shows up for a cameo, the book would be a failure. As is, it's, OK, but not GREAT.

10 WOLVERINE #169 71,314

Rob Levifeld is all over the internet slamming this book and saying it's not the kind of comics he would do. That means I should buy it and will love it, don't you think?

11 JLA #59 67,744

Is Mark Waid gone or not? I know he was leaving around issue 60, but the Martian story didn't feel like the Big Finale he usually plans when he leaves a book. Again, Morrison has me spoiled. This is a tie-in to the horrid "Last Laugh" mini-so you can ignore it and it won't make any difference.

12 PUNISHER #5 64,226

Homicidal Russians with head grafts, massive explosions and the Punisher ending the book by threatening "President" Bush. This book is over-the-top grand guginal fun, and a pity anyone who has to write a story now that this is Garth Ennis's last issue.

13 X-TREME X-MEN SAVAGE LAND #2 60,794

More Claremont. A three issue mini-series? It takes him that long to introduce characters and set up a storyline...how does anyone think he'll tell a story with a beginning, middle and end? OK, he hasn't done that since 1984, but still, one can hope, can't one?

14 AVENGERS #47 58,771

Jeez, from my favorite Marvel book, to one where I have lost interest. Maybe it's because Busiek is trying to do so many stories at once, but DAMN if this book isn't a horrid mess. Hopefully it will all dovetail with issue 50, because I've lost interest and am now losing patience.

15 DAREDEVIL YELLOW #5 56,327

One issue left until they make it a collected book. I'll read it then.

16 ELEKTRA #4 54,793

Another Bendis book, another comic Highly Recommended. And I thought she should have stayed dead the first time.

17 DAREDEVIL #26 52,719

Bendis takes over yet another Marvel book. His first arc was a bit too art-sy for me, but this one feel more like a crime story, which is what he excels at. And, since he's going to stay on the book for the foreseeable future, it should also allow him to do long-range plotting. Highly recommended, and I wonder how long until Bendis is writing every damn Marvel book.

18 PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN #36 50,146

The second best Spider-Man book, and to my mind, the most interesting. For a book that has Peter Parker in the title, the book has been doing stories about people whose lives are affected by Spider-Man. All done in one issue, all very well written and expertly drawn. Highly recommended.

19 X-FORCE #121 49,274

I have disliked Milligan (the current writer) since he did a Batman story about how the Founding Fathers of the US were all Satanists, and the US was their evil spell (all this was also in a bad Riddler story, too). E-Force, however, is an odd mix of indy weirdness and Good Old Fashioned X-Men angst done in a new way. I can't recommend it for everyone, but to be honest, this is one of the few books I would recommend to people who hate comic book super-hero stuff.

20 FANTASTIC FOUR #48 48,616

OK, the #20 book sells about 1/3rd of what the #1 book sells. Do people really come into a comic shop and say, "I'm just going to buy the X-Men and this Wolverine mini-series. All the rest of these books can piss off" is it more likely that people buy a couple copies of the top X-Books and it's more likely that there are only 50,000 core comics fans...? And this book isn't bad, but the current story arc feels like he wants to do a re-write of the Galactus saga by Lee and Kirby.

21 ICEMAN #1 (MR) 48,552
22 ROGUE #3 (MR) 47,470

Didn't Marvel say they were done with flooding the market with shitty X-Books just to grab market share? That's lasted about a month.

23 SPAWN #115 46,559

Flies all green and buzzin, in this dungeon of despair. Yep, when I think of Spawn, the song "The Torture Never Stops" by Frank Zappa comes to mind. In the past year, sales the book have dropped to a third of what they once were. I just can't figure out why they were so high to begin with.

24 RISING STARS #18 46,310

Still buying it as a book. It's pretty damn good as one too.

25 ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM UP #9 46,185

More Bendis. Just buy it, how much do I have to praise him to get you to give it a try? Highly Recommended.

26 CYCLOPS #3 46,082

Another X-Men mini by people we haven't ever heard of and events that won't ever be referred to again. Think I'm cynical about it? Fine. Tell me what happened in the Beast mini-series from four years ago. I DARE YOU.

27 SUPERMAN #175 46,035

100 issues after the Death of Superman, we have another fight with Doomsday, and in the end, it didn't matter. Doomsday should have been the Worst thing Superman ever fought, but they kept bringing him back over and over again, and each time he's defeated easier and easier. In another 100 issues, he'll be like every other Superman villain. And no one will care.

28 MUTANT X #1 45,597

Based on the TV series that isn't based on the series that was cancelled about a year ago that Fox sued Marvel over saying that they were doing too many Mutant based series... Got all that? In other words, it's a TV adaptation by Marvel. Stay away. Stay far away.

29 PARADISE X THE HERALDS #1 43,647
30 Just Imagine Stan Lee W/DAVE GIBBONS CREATING GREEN LANTERN 43,054

Stan's DC stuff has been kind of neat, kind of fun, and hammered into my head once and for all that he needed Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Wally Wood to make him a great writer. But it's nice that he got to play with DC's toys for a while.

31 FANTASTIC FOUR 1234 #4 43,015

Grant Morrison. The Fantastic Four. Disturbing. Troubling. Highly recommended.

32 BATMAN #596 42,955

Still very good (but Detective is better). Batman was the first DC series I bought after years of being a Marvel Zombie, and I have always liked the character. Too bad they have to keep having "events" with the books, since I like the smaller stories a lot better.

33 EXILES #5 42,659

If you haven't read this book, it's best described as Marvel What If Team Up. A bunch of characters from different versions of the Marvel Universe travel to OTHER different versions of the Marvel Universe to put right what once went wrong, Ala Quantum Leap. And if you didn't understand that DON'T EVEN FUCKING TRY TO READ THE THING. If you did, time to go outside and find a life. Even if it's a bowling league.

34 MARVEL KNIGHTS DOUBLE SHOT #1 (MR) 42,345
35 JSA #29 42,195

After YEARS of DC people saying the Justice Society doesn't sell, it's now one of their top selling books. And for good reason. Each issue feels like an event, but not in a forced way. Big Things Happen, and the characters are solidly interesting, fulfilling a tradition without betting bogged down in 60+ years of history. And ANYONE who can make Hawkman interesting is doing a good job, in my mind. Highly Recommended

36 FURY #2 (MR) 41,546

OK, it's not as good as fellow MAX book (Marvels' swearing line) Alias, but it sells better. Is it because people have been hankerin' to read a comic where Nick Fury talks about getting a three-way? Again, because it's a mini, I'm waiting for the trade. You should to.

37 AUTHORITY #27 41,353

Oh, like DC is going to release it anyway. Wimps. The book isn't all that good anymore (it sold like shit when it was GREAT, and now that it's about half as good it's a hit) but I doubt the 40,000 people who pick it up will go, "Hey, all this destruction reminds me of 9/11...let's storm DC and kill the creators!" No, people will read it. Go, "Bitchin, shit blew up" and shove it in a plastic bag and forget about it.

38 JOKER LAST LAUGH #1 (Of 6) 41,314

While the IDEA is good (the Joker is dying and wants to take as many people with him as possible) it just is a mess of a story. We have the Joker unleashing Black Holes on the Earth, making tons of villains into versions of him, and crossovers that don't make any sense at all. And if the Joker is gone for more than two years, I'll eat my girlfriend's corset.

Hey, I won't make it so I have to do anything I DON'T want to do.

Anyway.

The mini-series sucks. Avoid it like you would Little Nicky action figures.

39 X-MEN UNLIMITED #33 40,876
40 ALIAS #2 40,180

What can I say, other than buy this book if you are over 18? A hard-boiled detective story that doesn't FEEL like a hard-boiled detective story. It's fascinating, incredibly scripted and I want the next issue Right Fucking Now! Highly recommended, and if you buy it and don't like it, I'll buy it from you to give to someone who would like it. Really. E-mail me if you don't like it.

41 DETECTIVE COMICS #763 40,021

The best Batman book. Greg Rucka is adept at tight plots and new ideas for a character who's going on 70 years in print. The art is moody, and while the coloring is not the duo-pallate they used in the beginning of Rucka's run, it is still very unique and makes the book FEEL different. Highly recommended.

42 ACTION COMICS #784 39,892
43 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #597 39,742
44 SUPERMAN THE MAN OF STEEL #119 39,196

Finally, after years of the Superman books all selling at wildly different levels, they have evened out (with the exception of the big Superman 175th issue event). And, oddly enough, since the big summer crossover, the books don't tie in as closely anymore. They're all solid super-hero stuff, nothing too great, but not painfully bad. Buy 'em if you like Superman or have the money for extra comics, but don't go out of your way for them.

45 JOKER LAST LAUGH #2 (Of 6) 38,939
46 JOKER LAST LAUGH #3 (Of 6) 38,307
47 JOKER LAST LAUGH #6 (Of 6) 38,123
48 JOKER LAST LAUGH #4 (Of 6) 38,019

I reviewed this above. Maybe the poor sales of this one will make DC quit doing this sort of thing for a while. Of course, Chuck Dixon is going to CrossGen, so HE won't be doing this sort of thing anymore, which is a good thing.

49 AVENGERS CELESTIAL QUEST #2 (Of 8) 38,015

A good book for us old fogeys who still like the mid 70's Marvel stuff and wish it never would have ended. Now this isn't as good as it would have been back then, since Englehart isn't able to grab that sense of "Cosmic Wonder" after we've read Moore, Gaiman, Morrison and the like, but it's still a decent enough mini-series and well worth buying if you were around in comics back then, or really like Thanos as a character.

50 JOKER LAST LAUGH #5 (Of 6) 37,830
51 DANGER GIRL KAMIKAZE #2 37,805

Not done by J. Scott Campbell. Not worth reading, either.

52 BROTHERHOOD #6 37,070

OK, it's outselling Cable, but is already cancelled. Maybe someone at Marvel said, "Gee, it's selling OK, but what a piece of dog shit! Cancel it and tell X to call himself Howard Mackie again."

53 NIGHTWING #62 36,658

The sad thing is, at DC, this is considered a Big Hit. The book is always good, but with Devon Grayson taking over as the writer, I expect the stories to tighten up a lot, not so many endless subplots, and a loss of the feeling of "that's it?" when you come to the last page. Chuck Dixon is a competent writer, but I never feel like the story mattered when I get done with one of his books.

54 THOR #42 36,477

Now Thor is the leader of Asgard, and Odin is dead. At least dead for a couple of years. The thing I always loved about Marvel's Thor was that he was a God among mortals, marveling at their lives, almost a man out of his own time. Now, with him in charge in Asgard, it's just stories of Gods doing Godly stuff...and that always made me snore unless Kirby had Mangog attack them. So, I'll continue to skip this title until they remember why it was fun.

55 GHOST RIDER HAMMER LANE #5 36,035

If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning...I'd hammer myself in the head until the Ghost Rider GOES AWAY AGAIN.

56 MIDNIGHT NATION #11 35,958

One issue left. This series, like Rising Stars, doesn't work as a monthly comic for me. Read the first six issues, and it felt like a novel someone had ripped the last pages out of. Again, wait and buy it as a collected trade paperback.

57 BATGIRL #21 35,906
58 IRON MAN #47 35,734

Mike Grell is going to start writing the book with issue 50. The current guy is doing an OK job, and the most recent story was fun, but Mike Grell is a comics creator I have loved for years. Jon Sable Freelance was one of the favorite comics in the 80's, and his Green Arrow was one of my favorites in the 90's. I just get kind of amazed that he takes so long between projects, and has trouble getting writing gigs.

59 GREEN LANTERN #143 35,713
60 CAPTAIN AMERICA #48 35,257

Looks like they'll be killing him AGAIN with the 50th issue. He should get a frequent dier's card at the funeral home.

61 JLA INCARNATIONS #6 (Of 7) 34,673

Amazingly, this mini-series made me feel bad that I hated Gerry Conway's Justice League (the one with Gypsy, Vibe, Vixen and Steel). Just for making THOSE characters likeable the book is highly recommended, but on top of that, this mini-series has been better than I thought it would be, and each issue is more than just a nostalgia romp, but a well plotted story that also takes time to delve into character.

62 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #22 34,227

With Devon Grayson leaving the book in a few months, I give it about a year before this one in cancelled. For a Batman book to sell this far below the others, there must be some reason the fans aren't warming to it. It's a nice little Batman book, but doesn't ever turn out a story as good as the two main books.

63 WONDER WOMAN #175 33,359
64 TOMB RAIDER #17 33,015
65 CABLE #98 32,959

And this is the one X-Book they kept going with? Time to streamline and get rid of ALL of the characters thought up by the future Image boys.

66 BLOODSTONE #1 32,324
67 NIGHTSIDE #1 31,911

Two new mini-series in a sort of mini-Marvel horror line. I have no idea anything about them other than Bloodstone has a hell of a big ass on the cover of her first issue. She should sue.

68 INCREDIBLE HULK #33 31,529

A 100 Page Monster issue. The "new" story is incomprehensible and reads like an issue of Black Panther that the Hulk dropped by to visit. The reason to get the book is the reprints in the back. One of Peter David's early stores (which doesn't hold up as well as I thought it would) and two great Len Wein stories from near the end of his run on the comic. So, you get two fun stories, one mediocre story and one that can't suck enough for only $3.50. Highly recommended.

69 DEADPOOL AGENT OF WEAPON X #3 31,224

I keep thinking that I'll drop this book because it's not as good as it used to be, then when I read the new issue, I think about how it was pretty good and I'll give it another chance. The new system of "Miniseries as series" is a pain in the ass, but if it boosts sales, I guess there's nothing wrong with it.

70 THUNDERBOLTS #57 31,172

From a book I loved to a big mess. The current storyline is garbled, there are so many characters running around I have no idea who is who, and I missed an issue and didn't notice. Maybe after the current story arc, it'll improve. But I doubt it.

71 SPIDER-MANS TANGLED WEB #7 30,700

Marvel's version of "Legends of the Dark Knight" and it sells about as well too. The Rhino story was brilliant, but the Garth Ennis three parter to start the series wasn't. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep getting decent talent, of if it will turn into "Whoever's laying around waiting to work" like Dark Knight.

72 DOOM PATROL #1 30,674

After Grant Morrison was done with the book, they should have just said, No More. But now its back as a standard super-hero book, and it just isn't memorable in any way. I read it a week ago and couldn't tell you the plot to save my life.

73 BATMAN LEGENDS O/T DARK KNIGHT #148 30,550

Speaking of...remember when this was touted as "The best creators doing their best stories"? I think it's time for DC to start going around to people who are REALLY good and asking them to come up with a story for the book. Otherwise it will just keep fading into "Batman Fill-in Showcase."

74 THOR GODSTORM #2 (Of 3) 29,991

Steve Rude. Hell, I'd buy Poison Elves is Steve Rude drew it. Story? I don't know. It's Steve Rude art. That's all that matters.

75 JLA GATEKEEPER #1 (Of 3) 29,832

Tim Truman, who is a brilliant artist, doing a super-hero book, which he's not all that good at. I flipped through it and it looked GREAT, but again, I'll wait for a collected version.

76 WITCHBLADE #52 29,480

This is better than I thought it was selling. It's still not great for a comic that has the highest rated original series on TNT. I was at my local when they did the Witchblade marathon on TNT and someone came in for the trade paperbacks...and got a bit intimidated over how many there were and the cost. Hey. Top Cow. Put out a nice $20 book of self-contained stories and you'd have a seller here. Trust me.

77 ROBIN #95 29,480

Another Joker tie-in. By the time it came out, I was so sick of dealing with all the damn tie-ins I put it aside for a few weeks.

78 FLASH #179 29,231

I still kind of waver on the current team. Mark Waid was on this book so long and gave it such an identity that the new team still feels like they are marking time to me. It's solidly entertaining and I like each issue, but it's just lacking something. Too bad I can't put my finger on it, though.

79 STARTLING STORIES BANNER #4 28,977

Soon to be a trade paperback. So why bother buying it as a mini?

80 HARLEY QUINN #13 28,509

Still a goofy book with great art. Highly Recommended for sheer entertainment value.

81 LEGION #1 28,350

For a first issue, it didn't sell very well. The story was OK, and the art wasn't as horrid as in Legion Lost, but it wasn't anything that will grab new readers and go "Hey! Buy this!" like a first issue should. I'm guessing that it will go about 2 or 3 years and then DC will just live off the Legion Archives.

82 YOUNG JUSTICE #38 28,286

Too...many...crossovers. I find myself not caring at ALL since the last three issues have all be part of some Big Company Wide tie in that has been more of a pain in the ass than a good idea. I'm wavering on a Peter David book...odd, isn't it?

83 TITANS #34 28,075

Is it just me, or is this book selling better than it used to? It still is a nice super-hero soap opera book, very light on the super-hero stuff, but nothing special. Hopefully a new artist coming on board in the next couple of months will make it seem more...interesting.

84 US WAR MACHINE #4 (MR) 27,985
85 US WAR MACHINE #5 (MR) 27,873
86 US WAR MACHINE #6 (MR) 27,680
87 SUPERMAN & BATMAN GENERATIONS II #3 (Of 4) 27,599

See? If you let John Byrne play off in his own little sandbox, he can screw with things all he wants and the stories will be semi decent. Unlike his output for the past 5 years, which looks rushed and reads like some old guy trying get those kids off his yard.

88 US WAR MACHINE #7 (MR) 27,556
89 US WAR MACHINE #8 (MR) 27,431

Marvel seems to have a minor hit with their Adult line. It sells better than the Vertigo stuff, and Alias at least is better than 90% of the Vertigo stuff (100% of it now). I'm waiting on the trade for this one...since it ships the week after the mini-series finishes.

90 JOKER LAST LAUGH SECRET FILES #1 27,392
91 POWERS #15 26,830

Still an amazingly well written comic. The current story about super-hero groupies is inventive, well done and stuffed with humor that you wouldn't expect. Bendis is too damn good a writer to stay in comics for very long. I predict he'll be writing movies within 5 years...and we'll all miss him.

92 HELLSPAWN #15 25,700

SURE it will be out. I haven't even seen #13, the "Miracleman" issue. And Todd, for being such as ass clown about the Miracleman rights, I want you to get hit cow on the way home. And if you want my take on how Toddy Mac believes in creator's rights only for himself, e-mail me and I'll rant about it for a while.

93 SPECTRE #10 25,412

Not a comic for everyone. I'm amazed that DC allows DeMatties to use the Hal Jordan character for such personal feeling stories. If you like DeMatties, this is one of his best books in a long time. If you don't, you'll think it's a bunch of New Age hoo-hah and should just put it back on the rack and get something else.

94 WARLANDS AGE #3 25,408
95 BIRDS OF PREY #36 25,279

Soon to be a TV series. Yeah, and I can't wait to see how the cut out that Barbara Gordon is the former Batgirl...

96 SUPERGIRL #63 24,566

I seem to have lost my place in this comic. I'll catch up in a few weeks, but when you forget what's going on or if the comic is worth reading, it's a sign that it isn't worth reading.

97 TOM STRONG #15 (RES) 24,282

Highly recommended. Alan Moore is playing with the super-hero in this book by writing each story as a pulp novella. But don't let that chase you off. The book reads like nothing else out there, and evokes nostalgia without being a re-tread of previously told stories. With Chris Sprouse's clean art style, this is always a joy to read. And shouldn't comics be fun once in a while?

98 WITCHBLADE LADY DEATH SPECIAL 23,806

Jesus God, does Witchblade do so well that she gets a Team Up book every month? Did that big Aliens, Witchblade, Darkness, Predator, Lawn Furniture team up just end?

99 UNIVERSE #3 23,552

A big Top Cow crossover. So, let me summarize. Titty, titty, titty, ass, ass, ass, titty, titty, titty, ass. Thank you.

100 SPIDER-GIRL #39 23,514

Tom DeFalco is a much better Spider-Man writer than he's given credit for. I've hated his other runs on books like Thor and the Fantastic Four, but his Spider-Man stuff always strikes a nice balance between soap opera and action. So to, on this book which kind of goes off from what was going on in the clone saga, which is universally hated it seems. This books is never going to get people to nominate it for awards and such, but give it to a 12 year old and they'll be hooked.

101 DEFENDERS #10 23,307

Another great Marvel book that should sell better. The early issues were a BLAST, and even though they aren't as good as the first 6, it's still a very fun read for long-time comics fans.

102 SUPERMAN TARZAN SONS O/T JUNGLE #1 (Of 3) 23,136

Tarzan is a character that always did better overseas in comics than here. Myself, I was never interested in the whole idea of a jungle hero. Maybe someone can explain the appeal to me at some point. But pairing up Superman and Tarzan just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

103 SUICIDE SQUAD #2 23,136

And it sells just as bad as the last time DC did a Suicide Squad comic. While most internet comics fans rave about the last series, it never sold very well, and was in danger of being cancelled for pretty much its entire run. The first issue was OK, but not great. And in today's market, average books just aren't worth the inflated cover price.

104 STAR WARS JEDI QUEST #2 (Of 4) 22,994
105 CAPTAIN MARVEL #24 22,921

Still a fun comic. I have no clue why it sells so poorly. It's not GREAT, but certainly a book Marvel fans would like.

106 BATMAN ORPHEUS RISING #3 (Of 5) 22,276
107 STAR WARS #35 DARKNESS (4 OF 4) 21,697
108 RUSE #1 21,546
109 STAR WARS TAG & BINK ARE DEAD #1 (Of 2) 21,460

I gave up on the Star Wars comics a few years ago (like everyone else did) when they no longer had anything but the most tenuous connections to the movies. This, however, was put in my face and is the best Star Wars comic EVER. If you are a Star Wars fan, buy this book...as it's by the guy who did the movie "Troops" and is brilliant at weaving stories around the events of the movies. Trust me. It's highly recommended.

110 PROMETHEA #17 21,246

Sometimes a lesson into Alan Moore's beliefs about magick, sometimes an exploration of feminine myth symbols, always a challenging read, and if you want more than two guys in tights beating on each other one of the Highest recommended books coming out.

111 ESTABLISHMENT #2 21,065

I would bet that this Authority spin-off is destined for a quick and brutal death. Somehow, I have this irrational belief that DC will quit milking the cash cows it seems to get from time to time. But it just...doesn't...happen.

112 SUPERBOY #93 20,679

Also dropping this one. I loved Karl Kesel's work on the book, but no one else seems to be able to make the character remotely interesting.

113 JOSS WHEDONS FRAY #4 (Of 8) 20,644

Every month the low sales of this Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin-off BY THE CREATOR OF THE TV SHOW surprises me. Even when I read DC say that it's selling very well and such, it still make me wonder why he would waste his time writing this. He could make a kerjillion times this much money just writing an extra episode of Buffy instead of letting someone else do it. But, when it's a trade, maybe it will get the exposure it should.

114 NINJA BOY #3 19,308

Not even getting the cover of Previews can make someone buy a shit sandwich twice, let alone three times. Miss Cleo foresees an early death for this book.

115 BLACK PANTHER #37 19,192

Marvel's worst selling series. They keep going to retailers to try and figure out how to get it to sell, since editors at Marvel like it. Too bad they are the only ones.

116 SOJOURN #4 19,149
117 GEN 13 #70 18,209

Also cancelled...and a shame since the book is better than it has ever been. This issue did more for Rainmaker's character than all of her previous appearances. Why? Adam Warren treats the book as if he's writing short stories. If he doesn't get another series to write after this, editors need to be knocked about the face and eyes.

118 HELLBLAZER #167 (MR) 18,067
119 TRANSMETROPOLITAN #50 (MR) 17,942

Another comic where the bloom is off the rose. A year ago, I was shoving it in people's faces saying "Read This!" Now the book has gone to a snail's pace, and a story that should have been two issues is lasting forever...maybe it will work as a collected book, but as of now it's $2.50 for fifty cents worth of reading.

120 FELON #1 17,805
121 MONARCHY #8 17,624
122 MAGDALENA ANGELUS #1/2 17,435

Oh...who cares. Another Top Cow titty book. Piffle.

123 WAR STORY D DAY DODGERS (MR) 17,332
124 ADVS I/T RIFLE BRIGADE OPERATION BOLLOCK #3 (Of 3) 17,311

Two Garth Ennis war books, and two books that start me thinking that Ennis might be scraping the bottom of his barrel here. Rifle Brigade is a silly book of mismatched soldiers getting into weird and perverse situations...and it just doesn't ring true. The saving joy of Preacher was that in with all the over the top violence and strange situations, the core characters felt like whole people. Without that anchor, it's just an exercise in shock for its own sake. And that isn't enough.

125 AZRAEL AGENT O/T BAT #83 17,092

They still publish this? Anyone know why?

126 100 BULLETS #29 (MR) 16,898
127 SCION #17 16,709

So this is the top selling CrossGen book? I haven't been remotely interested in the line, and it reminds me of the Valiant books...lots of hype, lots of big names, nothing worth reading. I picked up the first 3 or so issues of the Mark Waid series for the line and just lost all interest by the time I was done with the first. I SHOULD judge each book on its own merits, but there's a sameness to the books when I see them on the shelf. And you can't buy everything.

128 IMPULSE #79 16,628

Bart has lost interest in being Impulse, and I have lost interest in this book. When it started, it was a fun super-hero book aimed at kids as well as adults. Bart was an interesting character, and Mark Waid and Humberto Ramos made each issue a joy. Now, for a book about a speedster, the stories drag, the wonderful humor of Bart not quite getting what was going on around him is gone, and the art rarely rises about mediocre. This is my last issue unless I hear something good about the book later on.

129 CRUX #7 16,177
130 LADY DEATH MISCHIEF NIGHT #1 16,031

Kat is into the Chaos stuff. I just find them kinda silly, although the characters could have some potential (like Chastity and *God Help Me* Bad Kitty). But for the most part, they all read like page filler.

131 ORION #19 16,005

Cancelled with #25 due to low sales. And I hate you all for not buying it. Not only did it have Simonson's best art in years, the stories couldn't have been any more fun. It stuck to the Kirby stuff for the traditionalists, but also full of slam-bang action that didn't make you read all of the old New Gods stuff. This book was the most underappreciated DC book around, and should have lasted a lot longer.

132 TOMORROW STORIES #12 (RES) 15,953

I love Alan Moore. Really, I do. But in this anthology, Cobweb and First American just aren't worth reading. If Jack B Quick is in it, grab a copy. Otherwise just pass.

133 BTVS #38 FALSE MEMORIES (4 OF 4) 15,902
134 SANDMAN PRESENTS THE CORINTHIAN #1 (Of 3) 15,872

As DC continues to devour the corpse of Neil Gaiman's series...I notice he's going to be working for Marvel next year. I wonder if Marvel will put out a bunch of crappy mini-series spin-offs from what he does for them, or will he point to DC and say, "Please, don't bloody do the kind of crap they are doing with what I leave behind."

135 WILDCATS VOL 2 #28 15,859
136 ANGEL VOL 2 #2 (Of 4) 15,434

Joss Whedon is plotting this book, and it still can't sell. I am actually old enough to remember when TV tie-ins were like a license to print money, and the Buffy TV shows ARE comic books on the screen. Why they don't sell is a mystery to me.

137 MYSTIC #17 15,434
138 FIRST #12 15,361
139 SAM & TWITCH #27 14,983

Toddy Mac continues to try and write a book that he should have cancelled when he fired Bendis. It's not even good enough to be funny, just a mish-mash of crap that calls itself a story. Avoid it as if it were an issue of Poison Elves.

140 HUNTER THE AGE OF MAGIC #4 14,622
141 CODENAME KNOCKOUT #6 (MR) 14,583

This book has no redeeming qualities, does everything it can to up the T&A factor, and has a plot so silly it wouldn't be plausible enough for the next Austin Powers movie. But it's damn fun and makes me want to read more by the creative team, just because you have no clue what's coming next. And that makes it highly recommended.

142 FANTASTIC FOUR WORLDS GREATEST COMIC MAG #11 14,497

Marvel's lowest selling comic, and it's a damn shame. The creative team is putting together a GREAT story that feels exactly like it is a reprint from 1971 or so, and Fantastic Four feels the way I remember them when it was my favorite book. Take note, my friends, nostalgia doesn't sell unless it's in a $50 hardcover book.

143 SIGIL #17 14,411
144 SUPERGIRL WINGS 14,403

A DeMatties Prestige comic. Another one for DeMatties fans who dig his views on reincarnation and heaven. For most others, it wouldn't be worth it.

145 SIMPSONS COMICS #63 14,403
146 MERIDIAN #17 14,325
147 LUCIFER #19 (MR) 14,175
148 GREYSHIRT INDIGO SUNSET #1 (Of 6) 14,003

A spin-off from Tomorrow Stories, but it's not by Alan Moore. And it's a mini-series. And if you've been reading this for a while, you'll know that means I will wait for the collected version.

149 VAMPI #12 REG ED 13,917
150 FOUR WOMEN #1 (Of 5) (MR) 13,797

The new mini-series by Sam Keith, the man behind The Maxx and various other brilliant comics. I expect this one to be no different and await its collection as well.

151 PLANET O/T APES #2* 13,737

Get your fans away from me You Damn Dirty Apes! I would have killed for a Planet of the Apes comic as a kid. Now, no one cares.

152 PURGATORI MISCHIEF NIGHT #1 13,707

This is what I normally expect from a Chaos comic. A messy, muddled story, graphic violence for no good reason, tons of crotch shots in the art, and in the end, none of it made sense. They have to get away from this sort of shite if they want to move up the sales charts like they say they do.

153 TALEWEAVER #2 (Of 6) 13,668
154 100 GREATEST MARVELS #1 13,595

I don't agree with a LOT of the choices (way too damn many x-men books and way too many MODERN x-men books) but I love the idea, the price and will want to collect the whole run (even the ones they don't put into these mini-trade paperbacks) just because.

155 STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOL III #44 13,582
156 AMERICAN CENTURY #8 (MR) 13,574

My last issue. After a promising start, the book has run aground and seems to be out of ideas. It's almost as if they didn't think it would last more than four issues, so the didn't plan on going past that. It'll prolly be cancelled by issue 20 anyway.

157 HALLOWEEN III THE DEVILS EYES* 13,342
158 CREEPS #1 13,295

I believe this is the Peter David Chaos book, which sells even worse than his stuff for Marvel and DC, and about like a mid-line Chaos comic. But, with them now trying to pull in better creators, maybe Chaos is going to make a go at being one of the upper tier independants. Too bad they rely on tons and tons of special cover books, since it becomes a pain in the ass to know if you've got everything, and their lack of trade paperbacks makes it impossible to get any backstory on their characters.

Still, getting someone who knows how to tell a story is a good first step in moving their company profile up a bit.

159 SAVAGE DRAGON #91 13,239

This and Spawn are the only two Original Image books left, and I can't see how this one can provide Erik Larson with enough money for cheese and tater tots. Of course, I've never liked his stuff unless he's aping another artist, so I don't' much care, now do I?

160 100 GREATEST MARVELS #2 13,101
161 100 GREATEST MARVELS #5 13,058
162 100 GREATEST MARVELS #3 13,002
163 FUTURAMA COMICS #6 13,002

This, along with the Simpson's comic book, are about the only two humor books that I would give to people who don't read comics at all. They are both well done, and in some months, better than the shows they are based on. I don't' care as much for the Bart Simpson comics or Radioactive Man, but the two core Bongo comic books are Highly Recommended.

164 100 GREATEST MARVELS #4 12,985
165 OBERGEIST #6 12,835
166 SHADOW REAVERS #3 12,478

So, for all of us who felt that Wizard getting into comic publishing was a bad idea, and would give them way too many opportunities to use their mag to jack their sales, our fears were unfounded. People may buy Wizard, but they don't give a damn about whatever else they publish.

167 ANGEL & THE APE #3 (Of 4) (MR) 12,444
168 BATMAN GOTHAM ADVENTURES #43 12,096
169 BAD KITTY MISCHIEF NIGHT #1 12,049

I read it, expecting it to be utter shite, but it was OK. Not great, but they introduce the character and her background, have a decent story and made me kind of want to read more about her. Too bad the character's name is so FUCKING STUPID.

170 AVENGELYNE SHI #1 12,040
171 IMAGE INTRODUCES PRIMATE #1* 11,658

On Barbelith, someone said this was the worst comic of all time. People, people, people...there are Image books far worse than this, most of which have the word Boof in them or were drawn by someone named Rob. A little perspective my friends...

172 EVIL ERNIE RETURNS #1 11,352

The company said he was brought back by popular demand. *looks at sales figures* Obviously not THAT popular of a demand.

173 INSANE CLOWN POSSE HALLOWICKED #1 11,125
174 CRUSADES #8 (MR) 10,979

It's prolly going to be cancelled very soon, but this is one of Vertigo's better books. Kelly Jones is the master of creepy art and the story of a knight in modern world who says, "Evil to them who do evil," has been interesting without being too cliché. Its days may be numbered, but it is still highly recommended.

175 LAST SHOT #2 10,348
176 SWAMP THING #20 (MR) 10,159

Last issue. I picked up the whole run dirt cheap...and haven't been able to make it through the first issue. That's prolly why it sells so poorly.

177 OUTLAW NATION #14 (MR) 9,875

Another cancelled book. Jamie Delano hasn't been able to rev sales for anything since he left Hellblazer. Just an idea, maybe he should try mainstream stuff for a bit, like Grant Morrison did, just to kind of get back into the swing of writing linear comics. As much as I love Morrison's Vertigo stuff, his mainstream stuff kind of buts the lie to the "He writes stuff that's weird just to be weird." Anyway. I liked this comic, but not enough to recommend it. Now it's cancelled.

178 POWERPUFF GIRLS #20 9,781
179 10TH MUSE #7* 9,721

The last issue had a "9/11 Tribute cover." Which had nothing to do with anything inside the book. I long for the days of people being able to see something called "War Profiteering."

180 FARSCPAE WAR TORN #1 (Of 2) 9,549
181 OH MY GODDESS PART XI #3 MYSTERY CHILD PART 1 (OF 8) 8,866
182 GRENDEL THE DEVIL INSIDE #2 (Of 3)(MR) 8,784

Not bad for a reprint of a comic that's already been a trade paperback twice. I know they do this to pay for the recoloring and restoration, but I just wish they would publish a few new Grendel comics. That, Badger and Nexus are the 80's comics I thought Dark Horse had saved, but sales just weren't there. Too bad, since when you get down to it, those were the best three comic series of the 80's.

183 SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #62 8,385
184 USAGI YOJIMBO #52 8,118
185 DRAGONBALL Z PART 4 #11 (Of 15) 7,891
186 GUMSMITH CATS SPECIAL (MR) 7,530
187 CYBERNARY 2.0 #4 (Of 6) 7,496
188 BLADE O/T IMMORTAL #61 SECRETS (4 OF 4) 7,483
189 ADVS OF BARRY WEEN 3 MONKEY TALES #5 7,431

As trade paperbacks, this is one of the funniest comics being printed, and again, while it doesn't sell in the comics market today, I think if you shoved it in the hand of a teenager who avoided comics stores they would go nuts for it. Or an adult who likes infantile humor. Like me! And besides, everyone loves monkeys! Comics need more monkeys!!

190 TERRY MOORES PARADISE TOO #4 7,212
191 KNIGHTS O/T DINNER TABLE #60 7,152
192 CEREBUS #271 6,731

Still plodding along. To be honest, I haven't read the last two trade paperbacks, and I wonder how many people just buy the book because they've been reading it for so long. His best work was Jaka's Story. Everything up to that was fun and most of what came after it has tried to hard to be Serious Art. But Jaka's Story is so good, it's worth all the rest of it.

193 DRAGONBALL PART 4 #3 (Of 10) 6,667
194 MURDER ME DEAD #9 (MR) 6,482
195 SUPER MANGA BLAST #17 (MR) 6,336
196 ALAN MOORES GLORY PREVIEW 6,297

Rob Liefeld can't even afford to use the scripts Alan Moore gave him years ago, so he has to farm them out to a comics company best known for splatterporn. I'm sure Alan Moore is thinking that he wasted those two years of his life when he wrote for Rob. I know I am.

197 GUNDAM WING BATTLEFIELD OF PACIFISTS #1 6,293
198 OUTLAW 7 #3 (Of 4) 6,186
199 RANMA 1/2 PART 10 #7 (Of 11) 6,104
200 AVENGELYNE SHI #1/2* 6,014
201 GIRL GENIUS #5 5,895
202 HAMMER O/T GODS #5 (Of 5) 5,747
203 GUNDAM WING EPISODE ZERO #7 (Of 8) 5,687
204 POISON ELVES PARINTACHIN #1 (Of 3) 5,619

So, the regular series isn't bad enough. Although, if we ignore it for 3 issues, they promise it will go away.

205 SCOOBY-DOO #53 5,412
206 DISCIPLES #4 5,399
207 FAUST LOVE O/T DAMNED ACT TWELVE 5,232
208 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #103 5,107

Sega no longer even makes video game systems, and this comic still exists. Doesn't sell for shite in the comics market, but then the Dreamcast didn't sell for shite either. Dammit. *goes and hugs his Dreamcast* I still love it though.

209 CARDCAPTOR SAKURA #21 4,841
210 GUNWITCH OUTSKIRTS OF DOOM #3 (Of 3) 4,768

I didn't remember that this is by the former Gloomcookie artist and Dan Berenton (who does The Nocturnals). So I picked all three issues up last week. Haven't read it yet, but it looks pretty damn good.

211 ANCIENT JOE #1 (Of 3) 4,570
212 NO NEED FOR TENCHI PART 12 #3 (Of 6) 4,248
213 KNIGHTS O/T DINNER TABLE ILLUSTRATED #9 4,222
214 HOW TO DRAW MANGA #9 4,068

And again, a book by Americans on how to draw like in Japanese comics sells better than a lot of Japanese comics. What does that tell us? More people want to work in comics that BUY them. Much like poetry, where more people write it than can stand reading or hearing it.

215 MR RIGHT #2 4,025

A book by Tom DeFalco and Ron Lim, at one point anything they did sold at least 75,000 copies. But that was when they were at Marvel. Out on their own, no one cares, and it's a shame. This is a fun book, one you can read, enjoy and give to a kid. Lim's art has always been a clean storytelling style I have likes as well. I would imagine that this is the last or next to last issue.

216 INCAL #6 (MR) 4,021
217 INU YASHA PART 6 #6 (Of 15) 3,935
218 SCARY GODMOTHER #6 (Of 6) 3,887

Ok, this one is late since issue 5 hasn't come out yet, but the g/f Kat loves this book and says you should buy it. I'm a bit lukewarm to it...because I have a penis and everything.

219 SLAYERS SUPER EXPLOSIVE DEMON STORY #1 3,630
220 DEXTERS LABORATORY #26 3,625

More people than this watch this show from an Iron Lung. Why don't these books sell? Buy them and give them to kids...where else will we get the next generation of addicts?

221 LUBA #6 (MR) 3,613
222 CAVEWOMAN PANGAEAN SEA #3 3,561
223 ARCHIE #516 3,432
224 CERES CELESTIAL LEGEND #5 (Of 6) 3,415
225 AGE OF BRONZE #12 3,406
226 TROUT #1 (Of 2) 3,239

The shocking tale of a man who was bitten by a radioactive fish. At least I hope so. It might also be what happened to Seaman when the Dreamcast was discontinued. Or who he's sleeping with now that the game is discontinued.

227 NEON GENESIS BOOK 6 #4 (Of 4) 3,226
228 LOONEY TUNES #83 3,183
229 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #102 3,088
230 I DREAM OF JEANNIE WISHBOOK #1 3,080

WHY ISN'T THIS A PORNO!!! I know what I would wish for if I had a woman who could work magic and called me Master. And no, I'm not telling you, ya sick little bastards.

231 BETTY & VERONICA #168 3,063
232 HOPELESS SAVAGES #3 (Of 4) 3,041
233 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #53 3,041

There are 3000 comic shops in America, so any comic below this line is not even getting a single issue in each store.

234 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #88 2,942 235 SABRINA VOL 2 #25 2,938 236 DARK ANGEL #30 2,938

It's a Japanese book, not a spin-off of the TV series. With sales figures this low, I wonder why the trades are full of "Manga is how comics will survive" stories. I can't see anything surviving on sales of 3,000.

237 BETTY #105 2,921
238 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #129 2,869
239 BONEYARD #4 (MR) 2,861
240 LODOSS WAR DEEDLITS TALE #3 2,814
241 KISSING CHAOS #2 (Of 8) (MR) 2,795
242 MAGIC PICKLE #2 (Of 4) 2,783

Oh dear God, make it stop. I'd rather read some shitty mid 80's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-off.

243 BETTY #106 2,771
244 KISSING CHAOS #3 (Of 8) (MR) 2,760
245 VERONICA #120 2,753

OK, Betty outsells Veronica. Which proves that Archie should pick Betty and leave Cheryl Blossom to me.

246 DRAGON KNIGHTS #1 2,715
247 PALS N GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #62 2,668
248 LODOSS WAR CHRONICLES HEROIC KNIGHT #14 2,612
249 EL HAZARD PART 3 #4 (Of 6) 2,612
250 BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #51 2,603

No, it doesn't mean what you think it does. Sick bastards. Go read Cheryy Poptart for that.

251 KAOS MOON #1 GATES OF DELIRIUM 2,560
252 JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #81 2,534
253 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #125 2,470
254 ARCHIE DIGEST #185 2,461
255 SEVENTH SEA #1 ABSOLUTION (Of 4) 2,453
256 NODWICK #11$ 2,427 257 SMILE VOL 3 #11 2,405

The world's only comic about when your grandma wants to take your picture.

258 WERESLUT #5 (A) 2,367

I am now officially out of jokes for this series. Please make your own. Thank you.

259 CORRECTOR YUI #2 2,345
260 NEON GENESIS BOOK 6 COLL ED #4 (Of 4) 2,259
261 S&M UNIVERSITY #3 (A) 2,186
262 JETCAT CLUBHOUSE #4 2,143
263 JUGHEAD W/ARCHIE DIGEST #170 2,139 264 GENUS #50 (A) 2,139

Kat makes me buy it. I then give it to her and she gives me a big hug. So everyone wins.

265 SILENT MOBIUS ADVENT #4 (Of 6) 2,122
266 SAINT TAIL #12 1,963
267 AMELIA RULES #3 1,933
268 ULTIMATE MARVEL MAGAZINE #10 1,911

Hopefully this sells better on newsstands. That's what it was made for anyway, until Comic Dealers got all up in arms demanding that Marvel make it available to the direct market. Now that it is, those same stores aren't ordering it. Ad that, my friends, is why publishers hate comic shops.

269 GEOBREEDERS #32 1,869
270 MIRACLE GIRLS #13 1,787
271 WARRIOR NUN AREALA DANGEROUS GAME #3 (Of 3) 1,765

At one point, this was so popular they made an action figure of it. Guess the joke kinda wore thin.

272 MILK SPOTLIGHT #3 (A) 1,757
273 FUTABAKUN CHANGE VOL 7 #3 1,753
274 WRITERS BLOCK #1 1,701

If he has writer's block, how did this get done? The same way most comics get done, FIGHT SCENE!!!

275 SPACE COWBOY #1 (Of 3) (RES) 1,688

Some call him the gangster of love. Some people call him Maurice, but no one buys his comic book.

276 BATTLE POPE PRESENTS ST MICHAEL #2 (Of 3) 1,688
277 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #4 1,675
278 ALRAUNE #3 (A) 1,658
279 BURNING BLUE #1 TUCCI CVR (Of 2) 1,637
280 FURRLOUGH #106 1,632

Good thing furry fans have such great parties because THEIR BOOKS DON'T SELL FOR SHIT!!!

281 LA BLUE GIRL MANGA ED #3 (A) 1,632
282 ISLAND #3 (MR) 1,594
283 FATHOM KILLIANS TIDE BEACH BABE CVR 1,581
284 MONSTER HIGH #1 (Of 3) 1,533

Wanna bet we'll never see #2 or #3?

285 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #5 1,512
286 NANOSAUR #1 1,503
287 VAMPIRE PRINCESS YUI VOL 3 #3 1,486
288 ASTRA #4 1,439
289 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #6 1,422
290 NAUGHTY BITS #35 (MR) 1,418

I no longer feel bad about saying, "I don't much like that comic". For all the hype, it sells this poorly?

291 JOSS WHEDONS FRAY #2 (Of 8) (O/A) 1,400
292 FIRST WAVE #1 PATRIOT OR TRAITOR 1,392

I'm guessing this would have sold like shite no matter what happened in New York.

293 DAHLIA VAMPIRE #6 (Of 6) 1,392
294 MAXION #23 (MR) 1,370
295 POKEMON ADVS PART 5 #4 (Of 4) 1,370

Comic Stores can only sell 1,000 of a new Pokemon comic. Not only is the craze over, but comics stores couldn't sell this stuff when it was hot. You can't tell me only 1000 kids still want Pokemon stories when the cartoon is STILL being shown on the WB.

296 OGENKI CLINIC VOL 8 #3 (A) 1,366
297 KANE #33 1,357
298 CROSSGENESIS #1 1,332
299 PRINCESS PRINCE #13 1,306
300 JOSS WHEDONS FRAY NEW PRTG #1 (Of 8) 1,254

It didn't sell very well to start with. OK, not for a comic written by the creator and force behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but it did well enough for a second printing...and yet people still ignore it? I know I'm getting the trade paperback, but are other fans thinking the same way? And if so, does that mean that mini-series are just a way to give a creator income until the trade can be published? Hm....

If you made it all the way down here, congratulations. And my comic thought this week is that I think comics will go the all trade paperback route within the next few years, and slowly filter into book stores as comic shops die. If you think something different, let me know. Maybe we'll get popular enough here to start a REAL discussion board.

Back to the main comics page