Diamond Announces the Top 25 Small Press Comics and Graphic Novels for May 2011
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Please note, I do not agree with whatDdiamond terms “small press”. For example, Archie is clearly not small press. It just sells a small amount though Diamond, with the bulk of its books sold through direct distribution. I used to put together my own version of this list from the Top 300 list. If there is still interest, I can go back to doing this.
Capcom’s beloved video game character Mega Man made his comic book debut in Archie Comics’ Mega Man #1, the best-selling Small Press Comic Book sold in May. Other publishers in the top ten include Archaia Studios Press, Bongo Comics, BroadSword, and Zenescope Entertainment, which had five of the the top ten Small Press books for the month.
Archie Comics also had the best-selling Small Press Graphic Novel in May with Sonic the Hedgehog Archives Volume 15, which collects a number of stories starring SEGA’s video game mascot. Other publishers in the top ten include Bongo Comics, Del Rey Manga, Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, Humanoids, NBM, Th3rd World Studios, Udon Entertainment, and Zenescope Entertainment.
Diamond Comic Distributors defines Small Presses as publishers outside the top-10 bestselling publishers over the previous six months. In offering these breakdowns of the bestselling small press comics and graphic novels, a spotlight is shown on these publishers, affording them recognition for their strong sales in a crowded marketplace. To help retailers contextualize the relationship between the Small Press sales rankings, each chart offers for each book the overall ranking for the month amongst all publishers.
TOP 25 SMALL PRESS COMICS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in May 2011
| QTY RANK |
OVERALL QTY RANK |
OVERALL DOLLAR RANK |
INDEX | ITEM CODE |
DESCRIPTION | PRICE | VENDOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 128 | 155 | 22.85 | FEB110748-M | MEGA MAN #1 | $2.99 | ARC |
| 2 | 161 | 84 | 16.89 | MAR111352-M | GFT DREAM EATER CROSSOVER (PT 1) #1 | $5.99 | ZEN |
| 3 | 163 | 161 | 16.74 | FEB111227-M | GFT MYTHS & LEGENDS #4 | $2.99 | ZEN |
| 4 | 167 | 151 | 15.90 | SEP100781 | MOUSE GUARD BLACK AXE #2 | $3.50 | ARA |
| 5 | 170 | 233 | 15.54 | FEB111225-M | GFT DREAM EATER SAGA CROSSOVER PRELUDE | $1.99 | ZEN |
| 6 | 176 | 176 | 15.17 | FEB111234-M | GRIMM FAIRY TALES #59 | $2.99 | ZEN |
| 7 | 178 | 202 | 14.94 | MAR111010 | TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #68 (MR) | $2.95 | BRO |
| 8 | 182 | 196 | 14.56 | FEB110751 | SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #224 | $2.99 | ARC |
| 9 | 198 | 136 | 12.81 | FEB111230-M | GFT PRES TALES FROM NEVERLAND #1 | $4.99 | ZEN |
| 10 | 200 | 218 | 12.69 | MAR110947 | SIMPSONS COMICS #178 | $2.99 | BON |
| 11 | 207 | 221 | 12.20 | MAR110878 | SONIC UNIVERSE #28 | $2.99 | ARC |
| 12 | 213 | 234 | 11.21 | MAR110946 | FUTURAMA COMICS #55 | $2.99 | BON |
| 13 | 219 | 208 | 10.68 | DEC101120-M | CHARMED #9 | $3.50 | ZEN |
| 14 | 230 | 224 | 9.81 | MAR111366-M | BRIMSTONE #1 (MR) | $3.25 | ZEN |
| 15 | 247 | 235 | 8.49 | MAR110834 | RICHIE RICH #1 | $3.95 | APE |
| 16 | 253 | 212 | 8.06 | MAR110948 | SIMPSONS SUMMER SHINDIG #5 | $4.99 | BON |
| 17 | 276 | 264 | 6.66 | JAN111298 | ATOMIC ROBO DEADLY ART OF SCIENCE #5 | $3.50 | RED |
| 18 | 279 | 288 | 6.51 | MAR110865 | ARCHIE #621 | $2.99 | ARC |
| 19 | 285 | 180 | 6.22 | FEB110814 | FAME GLEE GN ED | $7.99 | BLU |
| 20 | 286 | 292 | 6.17 | DEC100979 | ROUTE DES MAISONS ROUGES #4 (MR) | $2.99 | GG |
| 21 | 287 | 269 | 6.07 | MAR110833 | KUNG FU PANDA #1 | $3.95 | APE |
| 22 | 309 | 283 | 4.90 | FEB111150 | TANK GIRL BAD WIND RISING #4 | $3.99 | TIT |
| 23 | 313 | 285 | 4.81 | FEB111071 | KODT BLACK HANDS 2011 ONE SHOT | $3.99 | KEN |
| 24 | 329 | 333 | 4.08 | FEB110753 | VERONICA #206 | $2.99 | ARC |
| 25 | 330 | 327 | 4.08 | JAN111225 | MEDITERRANEA #4 | $2.99 | GG |
TOP 25 SMALL PRESS GRAPHIC NOVELS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in May 2011
| QTY RANK |
OVERALL QTY RANK |
OVERALL DOLLAR RANK |
INDEX | ITEM CODE |
DESCRIPTION | PRICE | VENDOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | 116 | 3.37 | MAR110879 | SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 15 | $7.95 | ARC |
| 2 | 29 | 11 | 3.36 | MAR111105 | PAYING FOR IT HC | $24.95 | DRA |
| 3 | 34 | 69 | 3.19 | MAR111186 | NEGIMA GN VOL 29 (MR) | $10.99 | RAN |
| 4 | 39 | 41 | 3.07 | FEB111143 | STUFF OF LEGEND TP VOL 02 THE JUNGLE | $16.99 | TH3 |
| 5 | 71 | 52 | 2.37 | FEB111236 | ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND TP | $17.99 | ZEN |
| 6 | 73 | 75 | 2.31 | MAR110949 | BART SIMPSON PRINCE OF PRANKS TP | $15.99 | BON |
| 7 | 76 | 32 | 2.25 | JAN111233 | ALEXANDRO JODOROWSKY SCREAMING PLANET HC | $24.95 | HUM |
| 8 | 94 | 112 | 2.00 | MAR111279 | MEGA MAN GIGAMIX TP VOL 01 | $12.95 | UDO |
| 9 | 98 | 228 | 1.87 | FEB111112 | SMURFS GN VOL 06 SMURFS & HOWLIBIRD | $5.99 | NBM |
| 10 | 107 | 88 | 1.73 | MAR111128 | YEAH GN | $19.99 | FAN |
| 11 | 118 | 114 | 1.56 | JAN111401 | SALEMS DAUGHTER TP VOL 01 | $15.99 | ZEN |
| 12 | 120 | 192 | 1.54 | FEB110750 | NIGHT AT COMIC SHOP TP | $9.95 | ARC |
| 13 | 142 | 183 | 1.36 | MAR111182 | FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 13 | $10.99 | RAN |
| 14 | 147 | 110 | 1.29 | JAN111320 | FIGHTING AMERICAN TP | $19.95 | TIT |
| 15 | 155 | 213 | 1.23 | APR110835 | KANNAGI GN VOL 01 (OF 6) | $10.99 | BAN |
| 16 | 159 | 195 | 1.19 | FEB108442-M | SCOTT PILGRIM GN VOL 01 PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE | $11.99 | ONI |
| 17 | 170 | 124 | 1.09 | JAN111321 | MODESTY BLAISE TP VOL 19 DOUBLE AGENT (RES) | $19.95 | TIT |
| 18 | 175 | 71 | 1.07 | JAN111242 | PINOCCHIO HC | $29.95 | LAS |
| 19 | 176 | 174 | 1.06 | FEB111167 | LIARS KISS HC | $14.95 | TOP |
| 20 | 185 | 155 | 1.04 | MAR111130 | TAKE A JOKE TP | $18.99 | FAN |
| 21 | 196 | 249 | 0.94 | MAR111184 | SHUGO CHARA GN VOL 10 | $10.99 | RAN |
| 22 | 197 | 296 | 0.93 | FEB111032 | HOUSEWIVES AT PLAY DO YOU WORK HERE GN (A) | $9.99 | ERO |
| 23 | 206 | 150 | 0.91 | FEB111187 | HUNTINGTON WEST VIRGINIA ON THE FLY GN | $19.95 | RAN |
| 24 | 225 | 241 | 0.84 | FEB111005 | THAT WAS GOOD GN (MR) | $12.95 | DIG |
| 25 | 234 | 136 | 0.80 | MAR111233 | SLAINE THE HORNED GOD HC (S&S ED) | $25.00 | POC |
This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of Diamond Comic Distributors.
Item codes followed by -M indicate multiple covers and skus at the standard SRP.
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. The account base includes not only brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, but also Internet stores, chain stores, and other specialty stores.
Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.
About the Diamond Sales Index: The Sales Index of selected monthly Best Seller Charts is presented as a comparative tool for retailers and publishers. It presents Diamond’s monthly sales for individual titles in relation to Diamond’s total sales for the issue of DC Comics’ monthly Batman comic book. (Batman is used as the control title — with a value of 100 — because sales of Batman usually remain relatively stable.) This allows for easy comparison to other titles and helps retailers gauge their orders for all other titles. This formula is only a guide, other factors may impact a titles’ ability to sell in certain locations and clientele.
Related posts:
- Diamond Announces the Top 25 Small Press Comics & Graphic Novels for March 2011
- Diamond Announces Top 25 Small Press Comics and Graphic Novels for February 2011
- Diamond Announces the Top 50 Indy Comics & Graphic Novels for May 2011
- Diamond Announces the Top 50 Indy Comics & Graphic Novels for April 2011
- Diamond Announces Top 100 Graphic Novels for May 2011
