The fifth volume in Viz's Full Metal Alchemist manga series has sprinted off to a big lead in year-to-date bookstore sales according to the latest BookScan report, which covers graphic novel sales for almost the entire month of January.  The first volume in the FMA series was the best-selling graphic novel in U.S. bookstores in 2005, and Vol. 5 is off to a strong start in 2006.  While FMA Vol. 5 was the best-selling graphic novel for the week ending January 29, Naruto remained the strongest property with all eight volumes that have been released in the U.S. ranked among the Top Ten graphic novel bestsellers, with only FMA Vol. 5 (at #1) and Tokyopop's Fruits Basket Vol. 12 (at #7) sharing the Top Ten.

The best-selling title on the list is actually not a graphic novel at all -- The Simpsons Trivial 2006 Box Calendar has been a spectacular seller and has demonstrated incredible 'legs' for a calendar as has the wall calendar for Futurama (#32), another Matt Groening created property.   Alan Moore's V for Vendetta, which the Wachowski brothers have adapted into a major motion picture starring Natalie Portman that debuts on March 17, is the best-selling non-manga graphic novel at #33 followed closely by Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 14 at #35.  The only other non-manga graphic novel in the Top 50 is Alan Moore's perennial seller Watchmen at #47.