As a follow-up to Diamond Distribution’s Top 20 Publishers, Top 300 Comics, and Top 300 TPBs & GNs for December 2009, I have used the raw data to construct the sales charts for small press titles, published in December 2009.
To see the charts for independently published comics for December 2009, please click here.
What do I mean by Small Press? I mean independently owned and operated companies, who only publish a small handful of titles, and hold under 1% of the total market share. There are of course a couple of exceptions to this rule, for example, I have also excluded companies like Archie Comics, Scholastic, and Random house, because while they hold under 1% of the market share via direct distribution, this is only a small fraction of these companies total sales.
The Top ranking Indy comic for December was Crossed #8 (Avatar Press), at position #159 overall.
There is almost nowhere to go now as a crushed Cindy and her rag-tag group of survivors have been pushed far beyond what they can handle. This bleak life is making them break, in the worst ways possible. Nothing is going right, but this is no fairy tale - there are no magic cures on the horizon. When civilization crumbles in one terrifying moment; when people are gleefully breaking into unthinkable acts of violence all around you; when everyone you love has died screaming in agony: What do you do? There is no help. There is no hope. There is no escape. There are only the Crossed.
- Written by Garth Ennis, with artwork by Jacen Burrows.
Position two goes to Supergod #2 (Avatar Press), with an overall ranking at position #169.
South-east Asia is on fire, an artificial angel whose brain is a faulty radio to God has been loosed on the world, something unimaginable is rising in China, attempts to reactivate America’s superhuman in his underground fake childhood town are not going well, nuclear winter blankets the world — and things haven’t even gotten BAD yet. This is what a superhuman arms race would look like. This is what asking to be saved by men who can fly would look like.
- Written by Warren Ellis, with artwork by Garrie Gastony.
Position three goes to Escape from Wonderland #3 (Zenoscope Entertainment), with an overall ranking at position #174.
Calie continues her journey towards the Jabberwocky’s lair and finds a friend in the Lizard creature she discovered last issue. But Calie finds that the closer she gets to her goal the more dangerous her path becomes. Strange creatures of every sort try to prevent them from reaching their destination but Calie is determined to let nothing stand in her way and will let nothing keep her from reaching her daughter.
- Written by Raven Gregory, with artwork by Daniel Leister & Sean Chen.
Position four goes to Vampirella Second Coming #4 (Harris Comics), with an overall ranking of #175.
The Army of Vampirella strikes back at Gore, led by a reborn Vampirella. But is she really back? Or is this just the Beginning of the End of Vampirella for good. In a series of shocking twists and turns we’ve saved the very best for last. The re-invention of Vampirella concludes and Vampirella as you know it will never be the same!
- Written by Phil Hester, with artwork by Al Rio.
Position five goes to Terry Moore’s Echo #17 (Abstract Studio), with an overall ranking of #181.
Julie is getting used to the idea of another woman living inside her, but she is not so crazy about Annie using her body to reunite with boyfriend Dillon! Meanwhile, HeNRI prepares to turn on its super-collider, despite global protest against it. Now it’s up to Julie/Annie to stop the collider and save the world!
- Written and Illustrated by Terry Moore.
Position six spot goes to Grimm Fairy Tales #43 (Zenoscope Entertainment), with an overall ranking of #182.
A mythical creature of intense power finds itself needed by both the forces of good and evil. When the last unicorn appears in central park both Sela and Belinda are enlisted to find the magical creature for very different reasons. Sela seeks to protect the creature and guide it back home while Belinda needs it for her own evil plot. But unknown to both women a third party with malevolent plans for the creature is set to enter the game. Sela find herself in a race against time to bring the last unicorn back to its own realm before her rivals can accomplish their goals.
- Written by John Brusha, with artwork by Mike Debalfo.
Position seven goes to Chimichanga #1 (Albatross Exploding Funnybooks), with an overall ranking of #194.
A story fit for youngsters, Chimichanga tells the tale of a bearded girl, her less than spectacular traveling circus, and a bizarre creature that turns their lives upside down.
- Written and illustrated by Eric Powell.
Position eight goes to Giant-Size Grimm Fairy Tales 2009 Holiday Edition (Zenoscope Entertainment), with an overall ranking of #203.
The classic story of ‘The Nutcracker’ gets the Zenescope treatment as Sela finds herself in the midst of the most popular holiday fairy tale of the century. Get lost in a gorgeous yet terrifying world which includes the famous nutcracker prince as he battles a monster of epic proportions
- Written by Joe Brusha, with artwork by Various.
Position nine goes to Barack the Barbarian #3 (Devil’s Due Publishing), with an overall ranking of #215.
Barack escapes from the horrific Pit of Punditry and battles his way past eldritch threats and byzantine obstacles to reach the pinnacle of the Elephant Tower whilst The Old Warrior and Red Sarah nip at his heels. At the top of the tower Boosh and his evil vizier cast down spells and aspersions.
- Written by Larry Hama and Tim Seeley, with artwork by Chris Schons.
Position ten goes to Simpsons Comics #161 (Bongo Comics), with an overall ranking of #217.
The Simpsons take part in a massive multiplayer online role playing game that takes them on a medieval quest, into simulated cities, and into battle against super soldiers.
- Written by Patrick Verrone, with art by Various.
Beyond the Top Ten
Avatar Press and Zenoscope Entertainment are the companies that rack up the most titles in the small press charts this month, both with a total of four comics. Bongo Comics comes in second with a total of three, and DDP comes third with two titles ranking this month.
Christos N. Gage and Joe Brusha are the creators with the most titles ranking this month. Gage with Absolution #4 and Absolution #5, and Brusha with Grimm Fairy Tales #43 and Giant-Size Grimm Fairy Tales 2009 Holiday Edition.
The top ranking indy TPB in December was Tales from Wonderland Volume 2 (Zenoscope Entertainment), with an overall ranking at position #25.
Get up close and personal with some of Wonderland’s most notorious characters as the Cheshire Cat comes to a crossroads for the first time in it’s existence; the Red Queen prepares for the ultimate battle to take back what is hers; and brothers Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum have their incredibly disturbing past revealed. The conclusion of the Wonderland origin story will be told as the madness unfolds to reveal what the strange realm truly is.
- Written by Raven Gregory, Ralph Tedesco, and Joe Brusha, with art by Various.
In 1926 H.P. Lovecraft comes calling to warn Atomic Robo of imminent doom. But the Shadow From Beyond Time escapes into the future, intersecting with our world through the 20th-century. The future and history of the universe hangs in the balance as Atomic Robo teams up with, uh, Atomic Robo in a last ditch effort to protect reality itself! Collecting the best-selling mini-series.
- Written by by Brian Clevinger, with artwork by Scott Wegener.
Position three goes to Popeye Volume 4 (Fantagraphics Books), with an overall ranking at position #75.
This fourth volume of the beloved series, Segar’s Popeye reaches one of its highest peaks in “Plunder Island,” the glorious, epic-length Sunday-continuity adventure that ran for eight months and pitted the intrepid sailorman against the malevolent Sea Hag and the Goon - helped, and sometimes hindered by, the easily corruptible J. Wellington Wimpy. “Plunder Island” is presented here for the first time in its full, full-color, uncut glory! Meanwhile, in the “dailies” section of Popeye Volume 4: Plunder Island, Popeye visits “Poodleburg,” gets involved in a quest for both “Romance and Riches,” and much more. Comics historian Richard Marschall contributes an article on Segar’s storytelling skills and narrative strategies, focusing in particular on the “Plunder Island” sequence.
- Written and Illustrated by E. C. Segar.
After carving a bloody path through his fellow members of the Minor Seven, the last thing Sergeant Major William Gravel expected was to be welcomed with open arms into a much more prestigious ensemble: The Major Seven. But enlistment as the newest recruit among the Master Magicians of England comes with a price - and a penance! Before Gravel can fully gain acceptance within their ranks, the Major Seven have two tasks for him. The first, to reform the Minor Seven, whom he personally crushed with his own hands. The second, to uncover the murderer within the Major Seven who killed one of their own, the woman whose place Gravel will fill if he completes his inaugural assignments. This second, full-color volume of Warren Ellis’ and Mike Wolfer’s on-going adventures of Combat Magician William Gravel collects issues #8-14.
- Written by Warren Ellis & Mike Wolfer, with artwork by Mike Wolfer.
Imagine Plato as a wrestling superstar of ancient Greece, Nietzsche as the original ubermensch, and Bohidharma as the grand master of kung fu. These are not just great thinkers they also make great comics. Action Philosophers details the lives and thoughts of history’s A-list brain trust in hip and humorous comic book fashion. All nine issues of the award-winning, best-selling comic book series have been collected into a single volume, making this a comprehensive cartoon history of ideas from pre-Socratics to Jacques Derrida, including four new stories.
- Written by Fred Van Lante, with artwork by Ryan Dunlavey.
This collection contains all three issues worth of classic strips from Knights of the Dinner Table #96 to #98.
- Written and Illustrated by Jolly R. Blackburn.
Tthis Life-Size Omnibus edition of ALEC includes collects the previous Alec books The King Canute Crowd, Graffiti Kitchen, How to Be an Artist, Little Italy, The Dead Muse, The Dance of Lifey Death, and After the Snooter, as well as an all-new 35 page book, The Years Have Pants, and some other short stories rarely or never before seen.
- Written and illustrated by Eddie Campbell.
In his double-Eisner-nominated debut series (Best Limited Series, Best Coloring), Atomic Robo takes on Nazis, giant ants, clockwork mummies, walking pyramids, Mars, cyborgs and his nemesis, and Baron von Helsingard. Reprints the sold-out first edition of the smash hit with all-new cover.
- Written by by Brian Clevinger, with artwork by Scott Wegener.
This 256-page ALL-COLOR trade paperback, is one of a pair of color trades which re-presents in their entirety all the Tick COLOR comics (originally published in color) by NEC Press. This trade includes all of the following color Tick comics: The Tick’s Incredible Internet Comic #1 the Tick Color #1-6 the Tick’s Big Halloween Special #1 the Tick’s Big Red-n-green Christmas Spectacle #1 (2001) Introducing the Tick #1.
- Writing and Art by Various.
Position ten goes to Engineer HC (Archaia Studios), with an overall ranking at position #150.
An ancient sentient entity is feasting on the very fabric of space and time. Only one man can stop it: The Engineer, last survivor of the destroyed Earth. Utilizing a colossal pipe organ that enables ‘pan-dimensional travel,’ The Engineer pursues the lost components of The Konstrukt, an archaic mechanism that imbues whoever possesses it with the ability to manipulate reality itself, in the hopes of using it to defeat the creature and undo the incalculable damage it has already done. Giant bat creatures, were-crabs, immense rock creatures, amorphous witches and armies of undead abound in this pulpy sci-fi romp for all ages! Collects and completes the Engineer series.
- Written by Jeremy Shepherd, with artwork by Brian Churilla.
Beyond the Top 10
Fantagraphics Booksis the company that racks up the most titles in the small press charts this month, both with a total of seven books. Oni Press comes in second with a total of four, and Archaia comes third with two titles ranking this month.
Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener are the creators with the most titles ranking this month, with both volumes 1 & 2 of Atomic Robo ranking in this month’s charts.
SP Rank
Quantity Rank
Dollar Rank
Index
Item Code
Description
Price
Vendor
ISBN-13
1
25
48
2.87
AUG091146
TALES FROM WONDERLAND TP VOL 02
$12.99
ZEN
9.78098E+12
2
73
56
1.89
OCT091062
ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 03
$18.95
RED
9.78098E+12
3
75
20
1.88
MAY090847
POPEYE HC VOL 04 PLUNDER ISLAND
$29.99
FAN
9.78161E+12
4
86
69
1.74
OCT090716
GRAVEL TP VOL 02 THE MAJOR SEVEN (MR)
$19.99
AVA
9.78159E+12
5
100
52
1.46
SEP090822
MORE THAN COMPLETE ACTION PHILOSOPHERS TP
$24.99
EVI
9.78098E+12
6
128
174
1.06
OCT091011
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 29
$12.99
KEN
9.78159E+12
7
137
58
1.01
FEB098161
ALEC SC YEARS HAVE PANTS LIFE SIZE OMNIBUS
$35
TOP
9.7816E+12
8
141
126
1
OCT091063
ATOMIC ROBO TP VOL 01 NEW PTG
$18.95
RED
9.78098E+12
9
150
64
0.93
AUG091018
TICK COLOR SERIES COMPLETE WORKS TP VOL 01
$34.95
NEW
10
194
294
0.72
MAY090650
ENGINEER HC
$9.95
ARC
9.78193E+12
11
204
182
0.7
OCT090910
COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS SC VOL 12 CURR PTG
$19.99
FAN
9.78156E+12
12
212
244
0.67
JUN091040
RETURN OF KING DOUG HC
$14.95
ONI
9.78193E+12
13
213
397
0.66
SEP090824
SUBLIFE GN VOL 02
$7.99
FAN
9.78161E+12
14
221
305
0.63
AUG091024
NORTH WORLD GN VOL 03 OTHER SAGAS
$11.95
ONI
9.78193E+12
15
222
186
0.63
JUL091035
CHARLEYS WAR HC VOL 06 UNDERGROUND & OVER THE TOP
$19.95
TIT
9.78185E+12
16
226
167
0.63
SEP090829
DEFINITIVE PRINCE VALIANT COMPANION SC
$24.99
FAN
9.78161E+12
17
230
170
0.62
MAR094250
GREAT ANTI WAR CARTOONS
$24.99
FAN
9.78161E+12
18
241
300
0.58
OCT091097
CONNIE TP VOL 01 CAPTIVES OF SPACE PIRATES
$11.95
TON
9.78062E+12
19
243
274
0.58
SEP090946
LOVE BUZZ GN
$14.95
ONI
9.78193E+12
20
248
350
0.58
MAY042851
SCOTT PILGRIM GN VOL 01 SP PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE (MAY042851)
