The sixth issue of DC's Infinite Crisis mini-series (which shipped with two covers) suffered a small sales decline (3.5%) in April, but finished well ahead of all the other periodical comics listed in Diamond Comic Distributors Top 300. Infinite Crisis has topped the charts in every month in which it has shipped and is playing a key role in the continuing sales growth of periodical comics so far in 2006. The strength of the market is also reflected in the fact that among returning issues in the Top 25, 11 series were up while just 8 declined.
Marvel had three inaugural issues that finished in the top seven. Wolverine Origins #1 (which shipped with two covers; 50/50 ratio) gave notice that it is going to be a title to be reckoned with by finishing second, while Moon Knight #1, written by novelist Charlie Huston, came in sixth, and New Avengers Annual #1 took the seventh spot.
DC Comics had some strong #1s of its own with the first issue of Ion debuting at #21 and Crisis Aftermath: Battle for Bludhaven #1 finished at #25.
Marvel and DC split the top 25 with Marvel claiming 15 spots and DC 10 (up one from last month).
Dark Horse's Hellboy Vol. 6: Strange Places topped the graphic novel chart followed by Marvel's Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol. 5 and DC's 100 Bullets Vol. 9. Last month's leader, V for Vendetta dropped to #6, but still sold a solid 5,671 copies.
Dark Horse's Berserk Vol. 11 was the top manga title sold through Diamond (at #14) followed by Viz's Inuyasha Vol. 25 (at #21).
The top 25 comic titles in April, with our estimates of the number sold to North American comic stores by Diamond Comic Distributors, are:
194,431 Infinite Crisis #6 (of 7)
150,283 Wolverine Origins #1
121,550 New Avengers #18
119,545 Astonishing X-Men #14
110,157 Justice #5
103,670 Moon Knight #1
101,877 New Avengers Annual #1
86,884 Amazing Spider-Man #531
82,503 Teen Titans #34
79,391 OMAC Project Infinite Crisis SP
79,157 Uncanny X-Men #472
78,815 X-Men #185
73,778 Villains United Infinite Crisis SP
73,355 Superman #651
73,188 Ultimate X-Men #69
73,151 Ultimate Extinction #4 (of 5)
72,889 Batman #652
72,831 Ultimate Spider-Man #93
70,965 Wolverine #41
67,554 Ultimate Fantastic Four #29
66,453 Ion #1
62,940 Fantastic Four #537
60,440 Detective Comics #818
56,613 Young Avengers #11
56,518 Crisis Aftermath:
For our estimates of actual orders to Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels scheduled to ship during April, see 'Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual--April 2006.'
For our estimates of actual orders to Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books scheduled to ship during March, see 'Top 300 Comics Actual--March 2006.'
For our estimates of actual orders to Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels scheduled to ship during March, see 'Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual--March 2006.'
For our index to our reports on the top comic and graphic novel preorders for January 2000 through April 2006, see 'ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 100 GNs Index.'