These are estimates of the initial raw orders to Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores for graphic novels scheduled for shipping in March 2003.

 

For an over-view and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in March, see 'March Comic Orders Mixed.'

 

For an analysis of the dollar trends in March, see 'Q1 Comics Even With 2002.'

 

For the top 300 comics in March, see 'Top 300 Comics--March 2003.'

 

QtyRank

Guide

 

Description

Price

 

Pub

Est.Qty

1

3.99

 

100 BULLETS VOL 5 COUNTERFIFTH DETECTIVE TP (MR)

$12.95

 

DC

4,901

2

3.54

 

TOP TEN BOOK TWO TP

$14.95

 

DC

4,348

3

2.8

 

STAR WARS INFINITIES EMPIRE STRIKES BACK TP

$12.95

 

DAR

3,439

4

2.77

 

CHOBITS VOL 5 GN (Of 8)

$9.99

 

TKP

3,403

5

2.51

 

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON GN #3

$13.95

 

COM

3,083

6

2.49

 

COWBOY BEBOP SHOOTING STARS VOL 1 GN (Of 2)

$9.99

 

TKP

3,059

7

2.41

 

BIZARRO COMICS SC

$19.95

 

DC

2,960

8

2.39

 

GREEN LANTERN EMERALD DAWN II TP

$12.95

 

DC

2,936

9

2.35

 

HEROBEAR & THE KID VOL 1 INHERITANCE TP

$17.95

 

AST

2,887

10

2.35

 

METROPOLIS TP

$13.95

 

DAR

2,887

11

2.2

 

GOLDEN AGE SPECTRE ARCHIVES VOL 1

$49.95

 

DC

2,702

12

2.2

 

BATMAN ADV DANGEROUS DAMES & DEMONS TP

$14.95

 

DC

2,702

13

2.15

 

MARVEL UNIVERSE VOL 1 THANOS INFINITY ABYSS TP

$17.99

 

MAR

2,641

14

2.1

 

Y THE LAST MAN UNMANNED VOL 1 TP (STAR17386) (MR)

$12.95

 

DC

2,580

15

2.09

 

NEW TEEN TITANS JUDAS CONTRACT TP NEW ED

$19.95

 

DC

2,567

16

2.07

 

AVENGERS LEGENDS VOL 2 KORVAC SAGA TP

$19.95

 

MAR

2,543

17

2.07

 

ULTIMATE X-MEN VOL 2 HC

$29.99

 

MAR

2,543

18

2.06

 

XENOZOIC TALES VOL 1 TP

$14.95

 

DAR

2,530

19

2.05

 

LOEG ABSOLUTE ED VOL 1 OVERSIZED HC

$75.00

 

DC

2,518

20

2.05

 

ASTRO BOY VOL 14 TP

$9.95

 

DAR

2,518

21

2.03

 

STRANGERS IN PARADISE VOL 12 TP

$12.95

 

ABS

2,494

22

1.99

 

KOLCHAK NIGHT STALKER LAMBS TO SLAUGHTER GN (MR)

$6.95

 

MNS

2,444

23

1.96

 

DAREDEVIL VOL 1 HC

$29.99

 

MAR

2,408

24

1.96

 

WONDER WOMAN PARADISE FOUND TP

$14.95

 

DC

2,408

25

1.92

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE ADV TP

$9.95

 

DC

2,358

26

1.88

 

BATMAN DEATHBLOW AFTER FIRE TP

$12.95

 

DC

2,309

27

1.86

 

WAY O/T RAT VOL 1 TP WALLS O/ZHUMAR

$15.95

 

CRO

2,285

28

1.8

 

INU YASHA VOL 13 TP

$8.95

 

VIZ

2,211

29

1.79

 

FORGE #12

$7.95

 

CRO

2,199

30

1.72

 

AVENGERS VOL 1 WORLD TRUST TP

$14.99

 

MAR

2,113

31

1.71

 

WOLVERINE LEGENDS VOL 2 MELTDOWN TP

$19.99

 

MAR

2,100

32

1.71

 

CARDCAPTOR SAKURA MASTER O/T CLOW VOL 4 GN

$9.99

 

TKP

2,100

33

1.68

 

EDGE #12

$7.95

 

CRO

2,064

34

1.66

 

PROHIBITED #3 HC (MR)

$14.95

 

HEA

2,039

35

1.65

 

SIMPSONS COMIC MADNESS TP

$14.95

 

BON

2,027

36

1.61

 

WOLVERINE LEGENDS VOL 3 LAW O/T JUNGLE TP

$12.99

 

MAR

1,978

37

1.57

 

MARMALADE BOY VOL 6 GN (Of 8)

$9.99

 

TKP

1,929

38

1.54

 

HIGH ROADS TP

$14.95

 

DC

1,892

39

1.53

 

WEAPON X VOL 1 TP

$21.99

 

MAR

1,879

40

1.52

 

BTVS WILLLOW & TARA TP

$9.95

 

DAR

1,867

41

1.47

 

ALL NEW TENCHI MUYO VOL 1 TP ALIEN NATION

$8.95

 

VIZ

1,806

42

1.45

 

LUPIN III VOL 3 GN (Of 14)

$9.99

 

TKP

1,781

43

1.42

 

MEGATOKYO CHAPTER ONE

$10.95

 

ICE

1,744

44

1.3

 

SCION VOL 4 TP SANCTUARY

$15.95

 

CRO

1,597

45

1.3

 

TOKYO MEW MEW VOL 1 GN (Of 4)

$9.99

 

TKP

1,597

46

1.3

 

HOOD VOL 1 BLOOD FROM STONES TP (MR)

$14.99

 

MAR

1,597

47

1.24

 

SPIDER-MANS TANGLED WEB VOL 4 TP

$15.99

 

MAR

1,523

48

1.23

 

INITIAL D VOL 6 GN (Of 23) (RES)

$9.99

 

TKP

1,511

49

1.2

 

SHADOW STAR NOTHING BUT TRUTH TP

$14.95

 

DAR

1,474

50

1.19

 

MERIDIAN TRAVELER VOL 1 FLYING SOLO

$7.95

 

CRO

1,462

 

Notes on this chart:

Some titles have been truncated or abbreviated for space reasons.

Publisher abbreviations have also been used.

Mar = Marvel

Dar = Dark Horse

Dre = Dreamwave

Ima = Image

Bla = Black Bull

Car = Cartoon Books

Har = Harris

Cro = Crossgen

Bon = Bongo

Tok = Tokyo Pop

 

The quantities in this chart are ICv2 estimates of initial raw orders to Diamond North America on titles scheduled for shipment in March 2003.  They do not include late orders, advancer reorders, distributor extras, or reorders. 

 

Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and Image distribute 100% of their comic store orders through Diamond.  Some other publishers distribute directly to stores or through other distributors and as a result this analysis may underestimate their sales. 

 

Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Image distribute some of their titles through channels other than comic specialty stores, e.g., newsstands and bookstores.  These quantity estimates do not reflect distribution through those channels. 

 

The quantities above do not include advance reorders, late orders, or reorders.

 

Most of the titles on this chart are also distributed to Europe by Diamond UK, which can account for significant sales for the publisher, ranging from 3-20% of the US numbers.  Sales by Diamond UK are not included in the numbers above.

 

Even given the above, however, it is probably safe to say that these quantities reflect 80% or more of the total North American sales by the publisher on most periodical comics.   

 

One other factor to consider is that sales through Diamond and other comic distributors are non-returnable to retailers.  That means that there is a considerable unknown percentage of books unsold at the retailer level.  If that percentage is 10-20% of sales (a reasonable assumption), the estimates above may be quite close to actual sales to consumers.

 

For the top 50 graphic novels in February, see 'Top 50 Graphic Novels--February 2003.'

 

For an over-view and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in February, see 'Batman Continues To Climb in February.'

For an analysis of the dollar trends in February, see 'Comic Dollar Declines Slow in February.'

For the top 300 comics in February, see 'Top 300 Comics--February 2003.'

 

For links to all of the Top 300 Comic and Top 300 Graphic Novel orders, see our 'ICv2's Top 300 Comics & Top 50 GN's Index.'