The dollar total for comics purchased by comic stores dropped again in July, by 3%, the sixth consecutive month of year over year declines.  It’s getting harder to lay the declines at the feet of tough comparables, with the tail end of Civil War Initiative and Captain America: Fallen Son titles, along with World War Hulk, not providing particularly tough competition for the year over year comparisons.  Certainly general market conditions are having an impact, with store visits and purchases impacted by inflation and other macro-economic issues.  But July 2008 sales were still higher than July 2006, so the longer term trends are positive.