Spurred by sales of Marvel's Civil War and DC's weekly 52 series, periodical comics sold in North America through Diamond Comic Distributors had their best month ever since ICv2 began tracking comic sales, soaring 38% above the total for May, 2005.  Civil War#1 debuted at #1, displacing DC's Infinite Crisis, and all four weekly issues of DC's 52 made the top ten.  Thirteen titles sold over 100,000 in May, almost twice as many as topped 100K in April.

 

After two months of decline due to the Sin City effect that drove graphic novel sales in 2005, graphic novels posted a modest 3% gain in May 2006 versus 2005.  Over-all sales of both comics and graphic novels were up 32% versus May 2005 -- and the dollar total is highest dollar amount registered by the comic market since ICv2 has been compiling these numbers.

 

Sales of comic periodicals have risen (on a year-over-year basis) every month so far in 2006, but the rise in May was by far the largest.

 

For the top 300 comics in May, see 'Top 300 Comics Actual--May 2006.'
 
For the top 100 graphics novels in May, see 'Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual--May 2006.'
 
For an overview and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in May, see ''Civil War Ends Reign of 'Infinite Crisis'.'
 
For the top 300 comics in April, see 'Top 300 Comics Actual--April 2006.'
 
For the top 100 graphics novels in April, see 'Top 100 Graphic Novels Actual--April 2006.'
 
For an over-view and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in April, see ''Infinite Crisis' Still Dominant.'  For an analysis of the dollar trends in April, see 'Periodicals Drive April Sales.'
 
For our index to our reports on the top comic and graphic novel preorders for January 2000 through May 2006, see 'ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 100 GNs Index.'