The Top 300 Selling Comic Books For October 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 IDENTITY CRISIS #5 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 125,637

And the plot thicks. No, that's not a typo.

This comic has been successful for older fans, and a lot of people really like it, but I still think of it as a very well written and well drawn story with a plot that isn't any good. A murder mystery that follows all the rules of a mystery to the letter, but doesn't fit with the characters that are being used.

2 WOLVERINE #20* $2.25 MAR 116,831

I was going to drop this when Greg Rucka left. Mark Millar is hit and miss for me, and John Romita Jr has been an artist I can take or leave, on a character that it mostly played out. However, Millar wrote this issue as if it was a speeding train, with enough of a plot to just keep the action flowing, and it worked for me. Mildly recommended, depending on what they do with it.

3 SUPERMAN #210 $2.50 DC 113,480

I have finally given up on trying to find the story in Jim Lee's crappy layouts and poster-style art. I know a lot of you people like him, but Jesus God the man can't create panel flow, or do anything but stock poses. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got 10 - 15 stock poses on his computer, and just prints them out and puts them on the page, and draws everything else around it.

4 SECRET WAR BOOK THREE (OF FIVE) $3.99 MAR 109,745

Here we are, halfway through, and it's still VERY unclear what went on during the Secret War, but Bendis is doing enough that as a reader, you want to know more. Useless without the previous two issues, but Marvel is keeping them in print. Highly recommended.

5 UNCANNY X-MEN #450 $2.25 MAR 101,506
6 UNCANNY X-MEN #451 $2.25 MAR 97,498

Amazingly, Marvel allowed a comic with an issue number in a multiple of 50 to pass without a double sized big extravaganza, and it's too bad, since Chris Claremont is good at pulling out all of the stops for such things. As is, it's just a pair of average stories by him. If you like Claremont's over-written style, you'll like this stuff. No Alan Davis on the art, so they just feel like average comics to me.

7 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #66 $2.25 MAR 95,917

This (and issue #67 below) are a good contrast to the VERY serious story this comic has been telling lately, and the change of pace works, as Spider-Man teams up with Wolverine in a story that is pure fun. For super-hero fans, this is a must read, and for non-comics fans, it's a solid Spider-Man story.

8 GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH #1 (OF 6) $2.95 DC 95,092

This is the Big Story to bring back Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, and like all big continuity driven stories, it's one that long-time fans will ooh and ah over, and non-fans will wonder what the flaming blue hell is going on. I'm more interested in the art by Ethan Van Scriber, who has shown amazing growth as an artist over the past five year or so, and is turning out some of the best art in comics here. For GL fans, you already have it, and if you aren't, it will just confuse you.

9 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #67 $2.25 MAR 95,071
10 ULTIMATE X-MEN #52 $2.25 MAR 93,833
11 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #513 $2.25 MAR 89,615

Near the end of the painfully horrible "Sins Past" story where we find out Gwen gave Mercy fucks to the Green Goblin, had a pair of kids and we NEVER saw it hinted at in any of the old stories. I still have no idea what possessed JMS or Marvel's editorial staff to say, "Yeah, go with this!"

12 X-MEN #163 $2.25 MAR 88,615
13 WOLVERINE #21 $2.25 MAR 83,585

Continuing Mark Millar's initial story arc, and it has won me over. I'm not a big fan of Millar, but he's doing a straight ahead action story that is a pure fanboy dream, and is highly recommended.

14 ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE #3 (Of 5) $2.25 MAR 83,208
15 X-MEN THE END BOOK ONE DREAMERS AND DEMONS #4 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 75,073
16 BATMAN #633 $2.95 DC 69,946

The end of War Games, in which lives are changed, and the status quo is shattered and such. I hate multi-book crossovers, and will be reading this in the three trade paperbacks, wondering just how jumpy they could make the transitions.

17 MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN #7 $2.99 MAR 69,918
18 JLA #107 $2.25 DC 65,225

Continuing the Kurt Busiek story, and it's not as good as this book was during its first 60 issues, but it has settled into a nice groove that makes it a solid, if unremarkable, super-hero team book. Mildly recommended.

19 TEEN TITANS #17 $2.50 DC 63,154
20 TEEN TITANS LEGION SPECIAL #1 $3.50 DC 59,293

A story that ties up any loose ends from the previous Legion of Super-Heroes series, tells a decent story and gives readers a hint as to what is to come in the new Legion book. As such, I'm interested and hope it's good, and these two issues are a bit more interesting than the average, so it's mildly recommended.

21 DAREDEVIL #66 $2.99 MAR 53,138

A GREAT story that digs deep into Daredevil's pulp roots, and had me wanting the next issue immediately, which is the hallmark of a good storyteller. Probably the best super-hero book on the stands, and highly recommended.

22 SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #20 $2.25 MAR 51,159

So, Spider-Man now has organic webshooters, no one seems to be bothered that he turned into a giant spider, and such. I used to LOVE Paul Jenkins' work on this book, since he focused more on Peter Parker (who is getting the short shrift in Amazing), but in this run, the book has been subpar, bordering on painful. Avoid this one.

23 THOR #85 $2.99 MAR 49,368

The last issue for now, and while fanboys wring their hands in anguish, the story was excellent, and quite possibly the best Thor story since Walt Simonson's classic run in the 80's. Finally following through on the Rangnarock story, we get an excellent blend of mythology and super-heroics, and a story that is Highly recommended.

24 ULTIMATE ELEKTRA #3 (Of 5) $2.25 MAR 49,298
25 STRANGE #2 $3.50 MAR 48,410
26 EXCALIBUR #6 $2.99 MAR 48,410

Oh the pain...THE PAIN! Claremont has at least stopped undoing the stories of other writers, but the one he is telling here just isn't any good. A continuity wank for those who like such things, but if you want an actual STORY, I have to say "sorry".

27 DETECTIVE COMICS #799 $2.95 DC 48,228
28 FANTASTIC FOUR #519 $2.99 MAR 47,969

Starting up a Galactus story, and most of the time, those are the highlight of a creator's run. Mark Waid has already done excellent work on this series, and the setup for this one has made Galactus seem like a Real Threat again. One of my favorite comics and Highly Recommended.

29 X-FORCE #3 $2.99 MAR 46,528

Hey, it's Rob Liefeld on the book he created. Wake me up if there is a semblance of a plot.

30 NEW X-MEN #6 $2.99 MAR 45,647
31 CONAN #9 $2.99 DAR 44,633

Dark Horse has to be happy that this comic keeps climbing the charts. One of the classic fantasy characters, and the stories are great action fantasy stories with amazing art by Cary Nord. Highly recommended.

32 ROBIN #131 $2.25 DC 44,570
33 FLASH #215 $2.25 DC 44,024

Flash took a huge jump in sales, probably from a combination of the weakness of this month's offerings, and the tie-in to Identity Crisis, which is one of the better things to come out of that mini-series. How weird is it that the spin-offs are better than the main series? This story, dealing with a secret Barry Allen kept from everyone, is a solid mystery story with super-villains, and a nice jumping on point for the character. Mildly recommended.

34 NIGHTWING #98 $2.25 DC 43,618

More War Games.

35 BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #58 $2.50 DC 43,534
36 THE PUNISHER #12 (MR) $2.99 MAR 42,702

Garth Ennis's Punisher has become the premiere action comic on the stands. Ennis understands that the Punisher is a one-note character, so you have to have well crafted plots to drop him in. Ennis is now writing for the trade paperback collections, but it's still enjoyable as single issues. Highly recommended.

37 OUTSIDERS #17 $2.50 DC 41,814

Starting a story featuring John Walsh from America's Most Wanted about missing and exploited children. It's a bit heavy handed, but better than the average because of the emotional impact of the story. Mildly recommended.

38 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #184 $2.50 DC 41,170
39 ACTION COMICS #820 $2.50 DC 41,114
40 JSA #66 $2.50 DC 41,023
41 SABRETOOTH #1 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 39,722

Hey, it's the bajillionth Sabretooth mini-series, and like all of the others, it's a bland story with an utterly unlikable character that would have to improve by a factor of ten to be as good as a slasher movie.

42 BATGIRL #57 $2.50 DC 39,631
43 JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE #4 (Of 12) $2.50 DC 38,295
44 CATWOMAN #36 $2.50 DC 37,554
45 HULK AND THING HARD KNOCKS #2 (Of 4) $3.50 MAR 37,519

This was going to be four issues of the Hulk series, but for some reason, they made it its own mini-series. At this point, Bruce Jones has pretty much run out of ideas, and I have never cared for Jae Lee's art, so I'm giving this one a pass.

46 CAPTAIN AMERICA #32 $2.99 MAR 37,309

Last issue before it all starts up again. A nice conclusion to the current story, and a solidly entertaining comic book, but it's too bad this series was SO uneven.

47 MARVEL KNIGHTS 4 #11 $2.99 MAR 36,820
48 DOCTOR SPECTRUM #3 (Of 6) (MR) $2.99 MAR 36,582
49 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #633 $2.50 DC 36,505
50 NYX #5 (RES) $2.99 MAR 35,749

A comic so late that I have lost track of what it is about. I think they are also ending it with the next issue and restarting it as "The Girl Who Might Be Wolverine's Kid." Which shows that there is nothing better for a cool character aimed at a youth market than to make him a dad.

51 EXILES #53 $2.99 MAR 35,323

I have pretty much settled on this as the most professionally made fanfiction ever, but this is a stand alone issue that proves that buying the right danish at the right time can save the universe. A fun comic that really is a perfect stand alone issue. Highly recommended

52 SABRETOOTH #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 35,022
53 GAMBIT #3 $2.99 MAR 34,952

(sung to the tune of I Want Candy):

I hate Gambit!
I Hate Gambit!
I Hate Gambit!
I hate Gambit!

Thank you, thank you. You're too kind.

54 CONAN AND THE DAUGHTERS OF MIDORA ONE SHOT $4.99 DAR 34,665
55 SOULFIRE #2 (RES) $2.99 ASP 34,364
56 SUPERMAN BATMAN #12 $2.95 DC 34,127

No, this comic hasn't dropped in sales. These are re-orders. That's pretty amazing. I like the story and all, but Michael's Turner's art simply does nothing for me, and it looks like I'm reading an old Image comic. But you folks seem to like it, and the story's good, so...whatever.

57 IRON MAN #89 $2.99 MAR 33,483

Unlike the Captain America final issue, which ended on a fun, upbeat note, this comic just kind of stops. Iron Man had a good first 40 or so issues, and since then, it's been wandering around, trying to find a direction. Hopefully the new Warren Ellis series will do that. OK, it can't be much worse than this.

58 X-MEN UNLIMITED #5 $2.99 MAR 32,910

A solid, "new talent" anthology that is better than most in the past, as a lot of these creators are just new to Marvel. The series features short stories that tell a simple story and move on, reminding me that there ARE ways to tell an X-Men story that doesn't have to sprawl over 25 issues. Highly recommended.

59 OFFICIAL HANDBOOK MARVEL UNIVERSE WOLVERINE 2004 $3.99 MAR 32,553
60 POWERS #5 (MR) $2.95 MAR 32,504

Continuing the initial story arc, featuring some of the best dialogue in comics, and art that is both iconic and focused on telling the story. This police procedural set in a super-hero universe is one of the best comics on the market and is highly recommended.

61 PLANETARY #21 $2.95 DC 32,266

A new issue of Planetary, which means that it will be about a year before the next one. GREAT art, and a solid story, and most issues are self-contained, but I prefer to read them collected, since it is SO LONG between issues, I tend to forget story threads.

62 LOKI #4 (Of 4) $3.50 MAR 32,217
63 GREEN ARROW #43 $2.50 DC 32,133

The big "Look! A Character Has Aids!!!" issue. Aside from that big revelation, this series is slowly sliding into boredom, and if not for this big shock, the entire issue would have been forgettable. Judd Winnick CAN write engaging comics, but this is not one of them.

64 BIRDS OF PREY #75 $2.95 DC 32,091
65 ROGUE #4 $2.99 MAR 31,301
66 SPAWN #139 (RES) $2.50 IMA 30,552
67 BLACK WIDOW #2 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 30,489
68 SOLO #1 $4.95 DC 30,482

A new series from DC that focuses on a single artist, and features a number of short stories by them. This issue, from Tim Sale, has personal stories, a GREAT Batman story and some of Sale's best art. Forget the cover price, as the comic is as good as any $7 novel you could pick up. Highly recommended.

69 IDENTITY DISC #5 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 30,175

A nice twist ending that I didn't see coming. Like most "crime caper" comics, this one has red herrings and tight plotting. I know some people have said "They are just leeching off of Identity Crisis," but this is a different kind of series, and a much better story. Highly recommended.

70 TOMB OF DRACULA #1 $2.99 MAR 29,762
71 CABLE DEADPOOL #8 $2.99 MAR 28,986
72 BULLSEYE GREATEST HITS #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 28,986
73 POWERLESS #5 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 28,636
74 GI JOE VS TRANSFORMERS VOL 2 #2* $2.95 DEV 28,342
75 FIRESTORM #6 $2.50 DC 28,034
76 CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE FALCON #8 $2.99 MAR 27,859

OK, I read the issues that tied into the Big Avengers Story, giving Christopher Priest another chance. By this issue, I was so confused that I had no idea what I was reading anymore. Typical Priest.

77 INVADERS #3 $2.99 MAR 27,286
78 IDENTITY CRISIS #1 2ND PRINTING $3.95 DC 27,265

A second printing sells more copies than MOST DC books? I think DC did a great job of selling this comic, and it also shows that when a big company does an IMPORTANT crossover, the fans are still willing to buy them.

79 DISTRICT X #6 $2.99 MAR 27,097

A book that should be selling better. The final part in the first story arc, so the next issue should be one that you can pick up and get into the flow with. The creative team has made Bishop interesting for the first time ever, and this comic is highly recommended.

80 Y THE LAST MAN #27 (MR) $2.95 DC 26,929
81 WE 3 #2 (Of 3) (MR) $2.95 DC 26,663

This is such a great comic! A story of three animals who have been turned into military weapons and have escaped is well writing, touching and a great action story. Highly recommended, but you KNOW I'm biased when it comes to Grant Morrison's writing.

82 AUTHORITY REVOLUTION #1 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 DC 26,572
83 AMAZING FANTASY #5 $2.99 MAR 26,349
84 EMMA FROST #16 $2.99 MAR 26,349
85 MADROX #2 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 26,167

Peter David, using the characters he used so well in his run on "X-Factor" in an interesting mystery/super-hero story. Unlike most writers who come back to their old characters, PAD has let them grow and change during the time he hasn't used them, and this self-contained story is the perfect use of continuity (nice nods to those who know it, not overwhleming to those who don't). It's a solidly entertaining comic and is highly recommended.

86 WONDER WOMAN #209 $2.25 DC 25,964
87 JSA STRANGE ADVENTURES #3 (Of 6) $3.50 DC 25,789

This is another one of those comics I would but if it were cheaper, but $3.50 for a regular comic is just too much for me.

88 STREET FIGHTER #10* $2.95 DEV 25,474
89 FABLES #30 (MR) $2.50 DC 25,390
90 FATHOM DAWN OF WAR #2 $2.99 ASP 25,076
91 SHE HULK #8 $2.99 MAR 24,929
92 ADAM STRANGE #2 (Of 8) $2.95 DC 24,677
93 MYSTIQUE #20 $2.99 MAR 24,446
94 EX MACHINA #5 (MR) $2.95 DC 24,124

One of the best new books of 2004. A minor super-hero has become Mayor of New York, and the opening arc has him dealing with a political crisis as well as a series of murders. Lots of fun, snappy dialogue and great art. Highly recommended.

95 TRANSFORMERS WAR WITHIN VOL 3 #2 $2.95 DRE 23,943
96 DOOM PATROL #5 $2.50 DC 23,915

At the rate this comic is dropping, John Byrne will be complaining about fans attacking him for his lame plots and lazy artwork right...about...now.

97 ELEKTRA THE HAND #3 (Of 5) $2.99 MAR 23,040
98 HAWKMAN #33 $2.50 DC 22,704
99 OCEAN #1 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 22,551
100 AQUAMAN #23 $2.50 DC 22,369
101 JUBILEE #2 $2.99 MAR 22,236
102 ALPHA FLIGHT #8 $2.99 MAR 21,956
103 SPIDER-GIRL #79 $2.99 MAR 21,893

A comic I still like a lot, although it's not GREAT. It's a simple, 80's style super-hero book with a lot of super-villains, soap opera subplots and engaging characters. The conceit that this is set in the future of the Marvel Universe is unobtrusive enough, and the comic is a solidly entertaining one for super-hero fans. Mildly recommended.

104 MAJESTIC #3 (Of 4) $2.95 DC 21,767
105 TOE TAGS FEATURING GEORGE ROMERO #1 (MR) $2.95 DC 21,264

The man who gave us Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Martin is now writing a horror comic for DC. It's VERY well done, and touches on social issues in-between the gore...but there IS a lot of gore. Highly Recommended for mature horror fans.

106 ASTRO CITY A VISITORS GUIDE $5.95 DC 20,844
107 AUTHORITY MORE KEV #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95 DC 20,249
108 STAR WARS REPUBLIC #70 $2.99 DAR 19,515
109 GI JOE RELOADED #8 $2.95 DEV 19,417
110 SILVER SURFER #14 $2.99 MAR 19,305
111 GI JOE REG CVR #35 $2.95 DEV 19,193
112 MANHUNTER #3 $2.50 DC 19,186

DC is not having a good track record when it come to re-introducing 2nd and 3rd tier super-hero revivals. Then again, isn't this about the 50th try and bringing back Manhunter? And each time, no one cares?

113 STAR WARS EMPIRE #25 $2.99 DAR 18,801
114 SWAMP THING #8 (MR) $2.95 DC 18,711
115 THOR SON OF ASGARD #9 $2.99 MAR 18,368
116 TRANSFORMERS ENERGON #28 $2.95 DRE 18,361
117 STOKERS DRACULA #1 (Of 4) $3.99 MAR 18,053

This is a reprint, but a reprint that I'm sure no one who reads this has ever read. In the early 70's, black and white horror mags like Creepy and Eerie were selling well, and Marvel lobbed a tonne of them onto the market. One of the best stories that ran through them was an adaptation of Dracula by Roy Thomas and Dick Giordano, but most of the time, the magazine it was beign serialized was cancelled. After a while, there weren't

118 SCRATCH #5 (Of 5) $2.50 DC 17,920
119 WARLOCK #2 $2.99 MAR 17,794
120 DAWN OF WAR CANNON HAWKE #1 $2.99 ASP 17,787
121 GOTHAM CENTRAL #24 $2.50 DC 17,717

I love this comic, a police procedural set in Gotham City. It has amazing writing, dark, moody art that looks like a series of crime photos, and a great collection of interesting characters. Highly recommended.

122 STAR WARS TALES #21* $5.99 DAR 17,116

They are calling it The New Star Wars Tales, and under a new editor, they have dropped the "What If" and humor stories to go with straight Star Wars adventures. It's a well done comic, and much more assessable than the other Dark Horse Star Wars comics, but it still geared primarily toward fans and is recommended only for them.

123 BATMAN STRIKES #2 $2.25 DC 16,941
124 JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #2 $2.25 DC 16,598
125 BOOKS OF MAGICK LIFE DURING WARTIME #4 (MR) $2.50 DC 16,542
126 100 BULLETS #54 (MR) $2.50 DC 16,276
127 DARKNESS VOL 2 #16 $2.99 IMA 16,262
128 HELLBLAZER #201 (MR) $2.75 DC 15,262

After #200, I nearly dropped this comic. It has been meandering for quite a while, and I have lost most of my interest in it until this issue, which was a VERY well done horror comic that got me interested again. I guess they are kicking it up a notch with the movie coming. Highly recommended.

129 TEEN TITANS GO #12 $2.25 DC 14,968
130 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #2 $1.75 MAR 14,892

The Marvel Age books are comics that are aimed at younger readers, and made to be collected in manga sized trade paperbacks. They really don't read all that well if you're over the age of 15, and almost read like Archie-ized versions of older Marvel stories. But, these aren't made for people like me.

131 CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #5 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 14,843
132 30 DAYS OF BLOODSUCKERS TALES #1 (MR) $3.99 IDE 14,752

They keep going to the well on this one....these are short stories set in the world created by the three "30 Days Of Night" mini-series. So, if you are interested in that sort of thing, here it is...myself, I don't think the stories are strong enough to sustain unique vampire stories, so it's pretty much for people who read the previous mini-series.

133 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #13 $2.25 MAR 14,437
134 TOM STRONG #29 $2.95 DC 14,101

A great comic, although this issue isn't written by Alan Moore. Tom Strong is a character who seems like he has been around since the 30's but is a Moore creation from about 5 years ago. Highly recommended and one of the most inventive comics on the stands.

135 MARVEL AGE SPIDER-MAN #14 $2.25 MAR 14,080
136 BART SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #10 $4.99 BON 13,912

Every year, this has been one of the funniest comics of the year, and this year is no exception. Written by rock stars this year, it's a wonderful mix of horror and humor, just like the TV show's Halloween epsiodes. Highly recommended.

137 RAZORS EDGE WARBLADE #1 (MR) $2.95 DC 13,458
138 METAL GEAR SOLID #2 (MR) $3.99 IDE 13,367
139 HERO #21 $2.50 DC 13,192

Near the end, and the final story has not been very good, which is a shame, since the first 16 issues were some of the best super-hero comics of the past few years. Grab the back issues and ignore this one.

140 MARVEL AGE HULK #2 $1.75 MAR 13,101
141 LUCIFER #55 (MR) $2.50 DC 12,919
142 STARJAMMERS #5 (Of 6) $2.99 MAR 12,604

I liked this series, but then I have always been a fan of the Starjammers. Space Pirates? How can you NOT love that? This series has suffered from the current trend of stretching 3 issues of story out to six, but it should make a good trade paperback at some point.

143 TERRA OBSCURA VOL 2 #3 (Of 6) $2.95 DC 12,569
144 SIMPSONS COMICS #99 $2.99 BON 12,506

Still a blast to read, and highly recommended.

145 RICHARD DRAGON #6 $2.50 DC 12,234

The creative team for this comic is about to move over to Nightwing for 6 issues, and I'll bet that those issues will sell amazingly well, and then when they come back to this book, it will already be canceled. People who say that comics fans follow creators and not characters speak for a small minority of fans.

146 WITCHING #5 (MR) $2.95 DC 12,136
147 THUNDERCATS ENEMYS PRIDE #5 (Of 5) $2.95 DC 12,073
148 GARTH ENNIS 303 #1 (Of 6) (MR)* $3.99 AVA 11,583
149 PLASTIC MAN #11 $2.95 DC 11,135

It's a damn shame that such a good comic doing so poorly. Plastic Man is a great mix of light humor and action that never fails to entertain. Kyle Baker (cartoonist of the book) is a talent who has a gift for humor that more people should take a look at. Highly recommended.

150 SHI JU NEN #2 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR 11,065
151 BREAKDOWN #1* $2.95 DEV 11,016
152 BATTLE OF THE PLANETS PRINCESS #1 (Of 6) $2.99 IMA 10,786
153 FALLEN ANGEL #16 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,401

Peter David's best comic, and in danger of being canceled for low sales. This is a complex noir tale that is slowly unfolding without feeling like it's being dragged out. Missing David's puns, but showcasing his deft plotting and understanding of character, this comic is highly recommended.

154 LOSERS #17 (MR) $2.95 DC 10,254
155 GOON DH ED #9 $2.99 DAR 10,156
156 BART SIMPSON COMICS #20 $2.99 BON 10,114

This reads like the Tv Tie-in comics of my youth...stories that don't fit the characters well, and just aren't all that entertaining. I don't understand how the Simpsons comic can be so good, and this comic can be so poor, but there you go.

157 DEFEX #1* $2.95 DEV 10,079
158 MARVEL AGE FANTASTIC FOUR #7 $2.25 MAR 9,995
159 FRANK MILLERS ROBOCOP #7 (Of 9) (MR)* $3.99 AVA 9,897
160 STRANGERS IN PARADISE #69 $2.95 ABS 9,757
161 NAIL #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.99 DAR 9,366
162 MONOLITH #9 $2.95 DC 9,303

If it isn't the last issue, it's damn close. DC's marketing department doesn't seem to want to do anything for a comic that isn't already going to be a big hit, so that they can say "Look! We did our job and that Superman/Batman comic is selling well because of us!" This comic wasn't GREAT, but it was no worse than many of the books that sold much better, and DC did remarkably little to let anyone know about the book. This is a pattern with both DC and Marvel, and until they change it, there won't be a lot of new series succeed.

163 VOLTRON VOL 2 #10 $2.95 DEV 9,121
164 MEGACITY 909 #2* $2.95 DEV 8,932
165 SAVAGE DRAGON #118 $2.95 IMA 8,806
166 HUMAN TARGET #15 (MR) $2.95 DC 8,652
167 HARD TIME #9 $2.50 DC 8,596

A great comic that just isn't getting any attention. Set in a prison, it's a completely new idea in the realm of super-hero comics, and is filled with interesting characters and situations. Written by Steve Gerber (who created Howard the Duck, and wrote most of Marvel's great comics of the 70's), this comic is well worth seeking out, and is going to be starting over after the 12th issue. Highly recommended.

168 YOUNGBLOOD BLOODSPORT #1 (RES) (MR) $3.99 JAY 8,547

A Youngblood comic is late? That NEVER happens. I'd make fun of this book, but it's like mocking a handicapped kid...it's too easy and makes you look like a bully. I will, however, mock the 8,547 people who bought it, and will spend the next few months hunting them down and smacking them across the nose with a rolled up Wizard and saying, "Bad dog!"

169 LAST TRAIN TO DEADSVILLE A CAL MCDONALD MYSTERY #4 (Of 4) $2.99 DAR
8,512
170 VICTORY VOL 2 DEFEATED #2 (Of 4)* $2.95 IMA 8,421
171 GI JOE PX CVR #35 $3.95 DEV 8,394
172 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #141 $2.19 ARC 8,254

In the direct market, Sonic is Archie's best selling comic. Since most of Archie's sales are outside the direct market, this means that Sonic has done well enough that it has lasted over a decade. Anyone who says that kids don't buy comics needs to look at this series. I think that if there was a line of kid friendly, video game based comics, it would do well. My big question is: Why hasn't Archie tried a few more of these?

173 ULTRA #3 (Of 8) $2.95 IMA 7,932
174 COSMIC GUARD #3 $2.99 DYN 7,610
175 BLOODHOUND #4 $2.95 DC 7,309

Canceled.

176 KINETIC #7 $2.50 DC 7,134

This one too.

177 PVP #9 $2.95 IMA 6,974
178 PVP #10 $2.95 IMA 6,820
179 TALES OF TELLOS #1 (Of 3) $3.50 IMA 6,771

When this comic first came out, I was excited about it. It's been a long time since these were decent sword and sorcery comics on the stands, but the series was canceled, there have been a could of mini-series by other creators, and that has pretty much killed any interest I have had in the book.

180 LURKERS #1 $3.99 IDE 6,722

Ah yes, a comic about people who join message boards and don't say anything. Still, it's sells better than "AOLers" which consists of page after page of people saying "Me too!"

181 USAGI YOJIMBO #79 $2.99 DAR 6,680
182 ENGINEHEAD #5 (Of 8) $2.50 DC 6,645

This comic is setting records! Not good ones, as I think this is the lowest selling DC Universe comic yet. I understand that Ted McKeever is a solid artist who has a style that stretches the boundaries of comic book art, but he also has a style that just doesn't work on a super-hero comic, especially one that is a hard enough sell. I liked his alternative series, but he just isn't suited for a mainstream comic.

183 OJO #2 (Of 5) (MR) $2.99 ONI 6,638
184 IDENTITY CRISIS #4 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 6,316

Re-orders. Of course.

185 HORRORCIDE #1 (MR) $6.99 IDE 6,043
186 MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS ADVENTURES O/T ESCAPIST #4 $8.95 DAR 6,043

At this point, I don't see why anyone would pay $9 for a single comic when the trade paperback that collects two issues sells for $12. I'm buying it as trade paperbacks and review it there.

187 RIDE #2 $2.95 IMA 5,994
188 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #96 $3.99 KEN 5,945

I love this comic. $4 for 100 pages, half of which is comic strips and the other half is gaming articles, but the strips themselves are must read for a anyone who has ever been a gamer or known a gamer. Highly recommended.

189 NOBLE CAUSES #3* $3.50 IMA 5,847
190 SHONEN JUMP VOL 2 #11 NOV 2004 $4.99 VIZ 5,806

I'll say it again...when a comic like this sells 200,000 outside comic stores and only 6,000 in comic stores, I know that the comic shops no longer serve anything close to the mainstream, and as long as comics publishers pander to the comic shops, they'll never get out of them.

191 POWERPUFF GIRLS #55 $2.25 DC 5,792
192 SECRET SKULL #2 (MR) $3.99 IDE 5,785
193 QUEEN & COUNTRY #27 (MR) $2.99 ONI 5,666
194 REX MUNDI #12 $2.95 IMA 5,547
195 SINGULARITY 7 #4 (MR) $3.99 IDE 5,463
196 SCOOBY DOO #89 $2.25 DC 5,449
197 IDENTITY CRISIS #3 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 5,302

Even more reorders.

198 BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #94 (MR) $2.99 DAR 5,176

This is one of the last manga comics published as a monthly comic book instead of the book forms, and looking at sales, I can't see how this book can be profitable until it's collected. It's also nearly unreadable as a monthly comic, since it's gone on for so long.

199 DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #321 $2.95 GEM 5,078
200 HARRY JOHNSON #2 (Of 2) (MR) $2.95 FUL 5,057
201 GRENDEL DEVILS REIGN #5 (Of 7) (MR) $3.50 DAR 4,910

Reprinting that final Comico Grendel issues, mostly so that they can pay for the restoration needed to publish it as a trade paperback. This was one of the greatest comics of the 80's, and probably of the past 40 years, but wait until it's a trade paperback, as it is incredibly complex and VERY hard to read in monthly installments at this point.

202 PSCYTHE #2 (Of 2) (MR) $3.95 IMA 4,910
203 MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS #270 $2.95 GEM 4,735
204 GREEN LANTERN #181 $2.25 DC 4,665

Reorders of the final issue. I know there have been a lot of on-line debates about Hal Jordan and Kyle Raynor as "who is the better Green Lantern"...with me, it was all about the creators. I ACTIVELY disliked Ron Marx's writing, finding it pedestrian at best, and misogynistic at worst. The character was amazingly well-written by Grant Morrison in his run on JLA, and was reasonably well done by other writers. However, with Geoff Johns bringing back Hal Jordan, you have a talented creators writing a character he enjoys, so it will probably do much better than the last 5 years of this run.

205 MILKMAN MURDERS #4 (Of 4) (MR) $2.99 DAR 4,651
206 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #18 $2.95 MIR 4,651
207 POISON ELVES HYENA #1 (Of 4) (MR) $2.95 SIR 4,512
208 PHANTOM #4 $3.50 MOO 4,498

I have never much cared for The Phantom. A comic strip character with a very detailed background, the strip has always left me cold. DC did a good series using the character in the late 80's, but this comic is fairly pedestrian, and with the high cover price, I want something more than that.

209 DEMO #11 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 AIT 4,344
210 IDENTITY CRISIS #2 (Of 7) $3.95 DC 4,330
211 DEMO #10 (Of 12) (MR) $2.95 AIT 4,260
212 BRIAN PULIDOS LADY DEATH DEAD RISING $2.50 AVA 4,197

As soon as Lady Death left Crossgen, I noticed she had her breast implants put back in. Is there a reason Brian Pulido keeps getting work, and people think that this character still is salesworthy?

213 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #5 $2.95 MIR 4,162
214 RIDE 2 FOR THE ROAD ONE SHOT $2.95 IMA 3,896
215 POISON ELVES #79 (MR) $2.95 SIR 3,889
216 GOLD DIGGER #56 $2.99 ANT 3,735
217 SUPER MANGA BLAST #45 (MR) $5.99 DAR 3,707

A great manga anthology that does a wonderful job of putting together series that appeal to mainstream American audiences (rather than kids who watch a lot of Cartoon Network manga and play card battle games). Highly recommended.

218 BALLAD OF SLEEPING BEAUTY #4 $1.99 BEC 3,588

I know that Beckett has a LOT of success in sports card price guides, but they aren't making any traction at all in the comics market. I wonder how long they can keep losing money before they call it a day.

219 SUPER MANGA BLAST #46 (MR) $5.99 DAR 3,581
220 BLUE MONDAY PAINTED MOON #3 (Of 4) (MR) $2.99 ONI 3,560
221 CATWOMAN #35 $2.50 DC 3,455
222 JACK STAFF #6 $3.50 IMA 3,357
223 WARREN ELLIS STRANGE KILLINGS NECROMANCER #5 (Of 6)* $3.50 AVA 3,315
224 SMALL GODS #4 $2.95 IMA 3,238
225 LOONEY TUNES #119 $2.25 DC 3,218
226 CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #2 $2.25 DC 3,043
227 NIGHTMARES AND FAIRY TALES #10 $2.95 SLG 2,987

One of the better comics being printed, and it deserves to sell better than this. A horror comic with both goth and Japanese horror overtones, it is one of the few comics to capture the feeling of both innovation as horror in a comic book format, and is highly recommended.

228 ARCHIE #552 $2.19 ARC 2,931
229 LUBA #9 (MR) $3.50 FAN 2,861
230 FLASH #214 $2.25 DC 2,770
231 NYC MECH #6 (MR) $2.95 IMA 2,763
232 GLOOMCOOKIE #21 (MR) $2.95 SLG 2,665

I have written endlessly about my love of this comic, and the current story is one of the most complicated the series as seen, with the feeling of a horror fairy tale. One of the few comics that has blended humor, horror, romance and mystery without felling like a complete mess, this comic is highly recommended.

233 BETTY & VERONICA #203 $2.19 ARC 2,637
234 ASTONISHING X-MEN #5 $2.99 MAR 2,602
235 BATGIRL #56 $2.50 DC 2,595
236 METAL GEAR SOLID #1 2ND PTG $3.99 IDW 2,525
237 TEEN TITANS #16 $2.50 DC 2,518
238 NIGHTJAR #3 (Of 4) (MR)* $3.50 AVA 2,511

Books like this irritate me. They SAY they are by Alan Moore, but what it ends up being is some hack writer doing an adaptation and continuation of a short story by Moore, who has no imput into the comic at all. Avalon has to be the worst publisher for this kind of thing, and the artists they chose are simply unsuited to storytelling. Avoid.

239 BRIAN PULIDOS LADY DEATH DEAD RISING* $5.99 AVA 2,504
240 DOGWITCH #13 (MR) $2.95 SIR 2,490
241 WORLDWATCH #2 (MR) $2.95 WIL 2,392
242 VERONICA #156 $2.19 ARC 2,385
243 GHOST SPY #5 $2.95 IMA 2,336
244 ARMY OF DARKNESS ASHES 2 ASHES #2 (MR) $2.99 DYN 2,315
245 ARCHIE AND FRIENDS #86 $2.19 ARC 2,287
246 CAVEWOMAN PREHISTORIC PINUPS BOOK 4 (MR)* $3.50 AMR 2,196

Do the creators of Cavewoman do anything but pinup books anymore? And why do people BUY pinup books? It's not like there aren't any magazines with actual PHOTOS of women in them anywhere.

247 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE ILLUSTRATED #39 $2.99 KZR 2,140
248 SUPERMAN BATMAN #11 $2.95 DC 2,070
249 RUULE KISS & TELL #5 $1.99 BEC 2,021
250 CATWOMAN WHEN IN ROME #1 (Of 6) $3.50 DC 1,979
251 FLARE #1 $2.99 HER 1,896

When Flare came out in the early 90's, the writer was on a lot of message board forums, and pushed this comic really hard as a comic about a strong female, and that it was aimed at a female readership...and when it came out, it had art my Mark Beachum filled with crotch shots, poses lifted from Penthouse and the like, and we pointed out that if you WANT to aim a comic at a female readership, maybe you shouldn't fill it with creepy panty shots. He got upset, said we didn't understand the comic, and left in a huff. Or a minute and a huff. Now the comic is back, and while the art isn't as creepy, the story is still pretty bland, and reads like a 70's Marvel fill in for a 3rd tier series.

252 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #128 $3.59 ARC 1,896
253 JUGHEAD #161 $2.19 ARC 1,882
254 HOLIDAY FUN DIGEST #9 $2.39 ARC 1,847
255 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #156 $3.59 ARC 1,791
256 ANIMERICA EXTRA OCT 2004 VOL 7 #10 $4.99 VIZ 1,763
257 SPUNKY KNIGHT EXTREME #3 (A) $3.95 ERO 1,735

That's cool...a story set in the time of King Arthur and dealing with a perky Knight who...what's that? It's a porn comic? And by spunky it means.... DUDE, THAT'S SICK!!!

258 ARCHIE DIGEST #211 $2.39 ARC 1,714
259 ROBIN #130 $2.25 DC 1,707
260 PS238 #8 (RES) $2.99 DOR 1,665
261 BATMAN #632 $2.25 DC 1,623
262 NEOTOPIA VOL 4 #2 $2.99 ANT 1,602
263 NINJA HIGH SCHOOL #120 $2.99 ANT 1,532
264 LAUGH DIGEST #197 $2.39 ARC 1,497
265 SUPERMAN #209 $2.50 DC 1,462
266 AMELIA RULES SUPERHEROES #3 (Of 6) $2.95 REN 1,448
267 ADAM STRANGE #1 (Of 8) $2.95 DC 1,441
268 EX MACHINA #4 (MR) $2.95 DC 1,434
269 GHOULY BOYS #2 $2.95 SLG 1,427
270 CONAN #3 $2.99 DAR 1,427
271 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512 $2.25 MAR 1,392
272 DAISY KUTTER #3 $3.99 VIP 1,378
273 CITY OF HEROES #6 $2.95 BLU 1,371

This comic is going to keep going for the time being, since it s primarily a give-away to people who play the on-line game, and is just offered to Diamond because they are the comics distributor. Otherwise there is no way a color comic could sell this poorly and survive.

274 NEOTOPIA VOL 4 #3 $2.99 ANT 1,343
275 DAREDEVIL #65 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL $3.99 MAR 1,294
276 HELLBLAZER #200 (MR) $4.50 DC 1,294
277 SUPERMAN BATMAN #10 $2.95 DC 1,266
278 I FEEL SICK #2 $3.95 SLA 1,203

Most of what is down past about #250 this month are re-orders. Part of this is because there were so few indy comics coming out, and part of it is that DC is having HEAVY re-order activity on a number of this comics.

279 SONIC QUEST DEATH EGG SAGA #1 (O/A) $1.50 ARC 1,126
280 HEAVEN SENT #5 $2.99 ANT 1,126
281 DICTATORS SADDAM HUSSEIN #2 (Of 2) $3.95 ANT 1,126

Dear Antarctic comics, I have a few problems with this mini-series:

-Saddam was captured about a year ago, so he's now a creepy old guy in prison and not someone anyone wants to read about
-You didn't cover that most of his time as a brutal dictator, he was also a close ally of the US and ALL of the WMDs he was supposed to have were ones he bought from US firms.
-This is just damn tacky
-I hate war profiteers

Please go back to publishing substandard Americanized manga ripoffs and glorified fan fiction, ok?

282 JLA #106 $2.25 DC 1,105
283 SONIC QUEST DEATH EGG SAGA #3 (O/A) $1.50 ARC 1,098
284 SONIC QUEST DEATH EGG SAGA #2 (O/A) $1.50 ARC 1,098
285 VAMPIRELLA HALLOWEEN 2004 $4.95 HAR 1,084
286 I HUNT MONSTERS #7 $2.99 ANT 1,070
287 NIGHTCRAWLER #1 $2.99 MAR 1,056
288 TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD #11 $2.95 CLI 1,014

This comic should be selling better. It is a warm, funny and touching story about a long distance relationship between a man in California and a women from Puerto Rico he met at a bus stop. The first collection was one fo the best book of the year, and he tells the story in such a way that it can't help but being engaging. Highly recommended.

289 COCOPIAZO #1 $2.95 SLA 1,014
290 AP YOU CAN DRAW MANGA #9 $4.95 ANT 1,007
291 IDW POSTER BOOK #1 (MR) $6.99 IDE 958
292 SUPERMAN BATMAN #9 $2.95 DC 958
293 BATMAN STRIKES #1 $2.25 DC 951
294 NIGHTWING #97 $2.25 DC 923
295 LUFTWAFFE 1946 ANNUAL #2 $4.95 ANT 902
296 REAR ENTRY #7 (A) $3.95 ERO 902
297 X-MEN #162 $2.25 MAR 874
298 FRANK MILLERS ROBOCOP #7 DR LOVE CVR (Of 9) (MR) $5.99 AVA 867
299 DEFEX #1 SKOTTIE YOUNG VARIANT CVR $1.48 DEV 867
300 ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE #2 (Of 5) $2.25 MAR 867

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