Retailers reporting their top dollar products to ICv2 based on October sales listed products with retail prices varying by over a factor of 100, showing that it's not necessarily a high price (or a low one) that produces big dollar volume.  At the low end of the price scale was Batman #608, Jim Lee's kick-off issue at a $2.25 cover price, which topped the Top 10 Cool Comics for October.  And at the highest end was the Shield of Captain America at $269.95, which was #1 in the Top 10 Cool Toys for October.  Click here for all of the Top 10 Cool lists for October.  These lists are based on actual sales by pop culture retailers during the month of October 2003, as reported to ICv2.

 

Toys

The Shield of Captain America from Factory X, mentioned above, is the second Marvel-licensed prop from the company to top our toy lists this year; the Hammer of Mighty Thor was a winner in February 2003.   A company new to us, Varner Studios, made the list with its Lara Croft: Evening Dress statue, showing that a pretty woman in a black dress is always in style.  Dark Horse's Groo PVCs and the Smallville Action Figures from DC Direct are two other exceptionally cool best-sellers this month.  The rest of the list is divided up between the usual suspects.  For those keeping score at home, Bowen had three of the Top 10, DC Direct also had three, Diamond Select had one.  For the Top 10 Cool Toys of October, click here.

 

Anime

Neon Genesis Evangelion took two slots this month.  Manga Entertainment's End of Evangelion (see 'End of Evangelion Streets in September') topped the list; and the NGE Perfect Collection from ADV worked its way back into the Top 10 for pre-holiday sales.  The Gigantor Part I Box Set, collecting 26 episodes of the 1965 anime at $59.95 MSRP, came in at #2.  Lots of other strong (and interesting) anime in the Top 10 this month, including another Love Hina collection, the Grave of the Fireflies Collectors Series DVD from CPM, the last of the Tenchi Muyo! OVA specials, and more.  For the Top 10 Cool Anime of October, click here.

 

Games

The ever-powerful Magic:  The Gathering topped the Top 10 Cool Games in October with the new Onslaught expansion.  Yu-Gi-Oh took three slots, including #2, as demand and supply both grow.  WizKids took four slots with its DC HeroClix, Mechwarrior:  Dark Ages, and Mage Knight:  Minions products.  The controversial Book of Vile Darkness from Wizards of the Coast (see 'Controversy Erupts Over Mature D&D Content') was the only RPG on the list of top dollar games for October.  The new World Games Saga expansion for Score's DBZ CCG rounded out the Top 10.  For the Top 10 Cool Games of October, click here. 

 

Comics

As mentioned above, Jim Lee's first issue of Batman, #608, was the top dollar comic product in October, with Marvel's Spider-Man/Black Cat #3 coming in second.  The Marvel Encyclopedia was the top book product and one of only two books on the list for October, a small percentage.  For the Top 10 Cool Comics of October, click here.

 

Movie/TV Products

Only four of the Top 10 Cool Movie/TV Products for October were current movie or TV products, including three shows based on Sci Fi Channel shows plus a Simpsons trade paperback.  Three were repackaged British TV shows, topped by the Dr. Who Tom Baker episode collection (see 'Dr. Who Box Sets for the Holidays'), and followed by The Young Ones (see '80s Retro -- British Style') and Secret Agent DVDs.  The Ultimate Godzilla DVD Collection rounded out the list with products from that other island culture.   For the Top 10 Cool Movie/TV Products for October, click here.