Rocket Bomber - comics

Your Executive Summary and Index, Week Ending 6 September 2009

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last week’s rankings
About the Charts
Analysis and Commentary Posts

The Weekly Charts:
Your Executive Summary and Index
Week ending 6 September 2009009

Internet Archive link: http://www.archive.org/details/GraphicNovelRankingsWeekEnding06September09

Comics Top 500

1. ↔0 (1) : Watchmen – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [812.3] ::
2. ↑7 (9) : Mercy Thompson Homecoming – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Aug 2009 [742.6] ::
3. ↓-1 (2) : Batman The Killing Joke – DC, Mar 2008 [733.7] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : V for Vendetta – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [718.5] ::
5. ↓-2 (3) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [711.3] ::
6. ↑9 (15) : American Born Chinese – Macmillan Square Fish, Dec 2008 [703.8] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Batman Arkham Asylum – DC, Nov 2005 [702.1] ::
8. ↓-3 (5) : Batman The Dark Knight Returns – DC, May 1997 [698.0] ::
9. ↑20 (29) : Fables 12 – DC Vertigo, Aug 2009 [695.6] ::
10. ↑4 (14) : Walking Dead 10 – Image Comics, Aug 2009 [663.1] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of titles ranking in the Comics 500:

Viz Shonen Jump 64
DC Vertigo 52
DC 35
Viz Shojo Beat 32
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 31
Del Rey 23
Marvel 23
Dark Horse 18
Tokyopop 18
Image Comics 17

[more]

Top 50 Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,130.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman – DC [2,054.4] ::
3. ↑2 (5) : Walking Dead – Image Comics [1,346.0] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Sandman – DC Vertigo [1,304.9] ::
5. ↑4 (9) : Fables – DC Vertigo [1,300.9] ::
6. ↓-2 (4) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,288.0] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,268.9] ::
8. ↓-2 (6) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,244.0] ::
9. ↓-1 (8) : Green Lantern – DC [1,106.9] ::
10. ↑4 (14) : Maus – Random House Pantheon [1,080.0] ::

[more]

Top 500 Manga:

1. ↔0 (1) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [625.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [598.0] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [593.6] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [577.2] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [528.7] ::
6. ↑2 (8) : Naruto 43 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [519.6] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [491.2] ::
8. ↑1 (9) : Naruto 44 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [489.1] ::
9. ↑1 (10) : Naruto 42 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [481.0] ::
10. ↑4 (14) : Naruto 41 – Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2009 [469.0] ::

[more]

Top 50 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,130.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,288.0] ::
3. ↑1 (4) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,268.9] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,244.0] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,047.9] ::
6. ↓-1 (5) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,025.4] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [872.6] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat [841.2] ::
9. ↑1 (10) : D. Gray-Man – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [723.1] ::
10. ↓-1 (9) : Negima! – Del Rey [698.8] ::

[more]

Top 50 New Releases:
(August & September 2009)

2. ↑7 (9) : Mercy Thompson Homecoming – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Aug 2009 [742.6] ::
9. ↑20 (29) : Fables 12 – DC Vertigo, Aug 2009 [695.6] ::
10. ↑4 (14) : Walking Dead 10 – Image Comics, Aug 2009 [663.1] ::
16. ↓-4 (12) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [598.0] ::
27. ↑25 (52) : Batman Hush Complete – DC, Aug 2009 [525.4] ::
29. ↓-1 (28) : Mouse Guard 2 Winter 1152 – Archaia Studios, Aug 2009 [515.1] ::
33. ↓-1 (32) : Green Lantern Rage of the Red Lanterns – DC, Aug 2009 [496.3] ::
34. ↓-12 (22) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [491.2] ::
54. ↑125 (179) : Avengers Dark Avengers 1 – Marvel, Sep 2009 [414.1] ::
57. ↓-3 (54) : DNAngel 12 – Tokyopop, Aug 2009 [412.7] ::

[more]

Top 50 Preorders:

139. ↑1 (140) : Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 – HNA Amulet, Oct 2009 [299.9] ::
214. ↑101 (315) : The Book of Genesis – Crumb – WW Norton, Oct 2009 [241.5] ::
245. ↑28 (273) : Iron Man World’s Most Wanted – Marvel, Nov 2009 [222.8] ::
282. ↑228 (510) : Avengers New Avengers 11 – Marvel, Dec 2009 [199.8] ::
294. ↑86 (380) : The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks – Random House Three Rivers Press, Oct 2009 [194.8] ::
322. ↓-28 (294) : Dean Koontz’s Nevermore – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Oct 2009 [179.4] ::
468. ↓-5 (463) : Walking Dead 11 – Image Comics, Dec 2009 [123.0] ::
485. ↑324 (809) : Superman Red Son Deluxe Edition – DC, Nov 2009 [120.4] ::
535. ↑58 (593) : Bloom County Complete 1 – IDW, Oct 2009 [110.0] ::
601. ↓-104 (497) : Fables 13 The Great Fables Crossover – DC Vertigo, Feb 2010 [94.9] ::

[more]

Your Executive Summary and Index, Week Ending 30 August 2009

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last week’s rankings
About the Charts
Analysis and Commentary Posts

The Weekly Charts:
Your Executive Summary and Index
Week ending 30 August 2009009

Internet Archive link: http://www.archive.org/details/GraphicNovelRankingsWeekEnding30Aug09

Comics Top 500

1. ↔0 (1) : Watchmen – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [810.1] ::
2. ↑2 (4) : Batman The Killing Joke – DC, Mar 2008 [721.2] ::
3. ↓-1 (2) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [717.8] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : V for Vendetta – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [717.0] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Batman The Dark Knight Returns – DC, May 1997 [687.9] ::
6. ↓-1 (5) : Final Crisis – DC, Jun 2009 [672.0] ::
7. ↑4 (11) : Batman Arkham Asylum – DC, Nov 2005 [654.6] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [636.5] ::
9. ↑16 (25) : Mercy Thompson Homecoming – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Aug 2009 [633.7] ::
10. ↓-1 (9) : Sandman 1 – DC Vertigo, Sep 1991 [616.6] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of titles ranking in the Comics 500:

Viz Shonen Jump 62
DC Vertigo 53
DC 39
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 33
Viz Shojo Beat 29
Marvel 22
Del Rey 19
Tokyopop 19
Dark Horse 18
Image Comics 17

[more]

Top 50 Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,132.3] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman – DC [2,005.7] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Sandman – DC Vertigo [1,391.2] ::
4. ↑1 (5) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,342.2] ::
5. ↑2 (7) : Walking Dead – Image Comics [1,341.0] ::
6. ↔0 (6) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,255.5] ::
7. ↑1 (8) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,233.5] ::
8. ↓-4 (4) : Green Lantern – DC [1,214.7] ::
9. ↑8 (17) : Fables – DC Vertigo [1,166.7] ::
10. ↑1 (11) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Dark Horse [1,116.5] ::

[more]

Top 500 Manga:

1. ↔0 (1) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [636.5] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [608.9] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [588.1] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [579.3] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [547.1] ::
6. ↓-1 (5) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [542.0] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Dark Hunters 1 – St. Martin’s Griffin, Apr 2009 [527.3] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Naruto 43 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [517.9] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Naruto 44 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [480.4] ::
10. ↑2 (12) : Naruto 42 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [474.4] ::

[more]

Top 50 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,132.3] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,342.2] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,255.5] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,233.5] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,113.6] ::
6. ↔0 (6) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,076.2] ::
7. ↑1 (8) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [896.2] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat [879.1] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Negima! – Del Rey [766.0] ::
10. ↑2 (12) : D. Gray-Man – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [710.8] ::

[more]

Top 50 New Releases:
(July & August 2009)

3. ↓-1 (2) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [717.8] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [636.5] ::
9. ↑16 (25) : Mercy Thompson Homecoming – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Aug 2009 [633.7] ::
12. ↓-4 (8) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [608.9] ::
13. ↓-3 (10) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [599.8] ::
14. ↑23 (37) : Walking Dead 10 – Image Comics, Aug 2009 [596.8] ::
16. ↓-4 (12) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [588.1] ::
21. ↓-2 (19) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [547.1] ::
22. ↓-4 (18) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [542.0] ::
28. ↑3 (31) : Mouse Guard 2 Winter 1152 – Archaia Studios, Aug 2009 [513.7] ::

[more]

Top 50 Preorders:

140. ↑4 (144) : Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 – HNA Amulet, Oct 2009 [300.0] ::
164. ↑18 (182) : Peanuts Complete ’71-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [281.9] ::
179. ↑416 (595) : Avengers Dark Avengers 1 – Marvel, Sep 2009 [264.7] ::
188. ↑43 (231) : Peanuts Complete ’73-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [258.2] ::
194. ↑162 (356) : Black Is for Beginnings – Llewellyn Flux, Sep 2009 [254.4] ::
219. ↑25 (244) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight 5 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [233.7] ::
273. ↑43 (316) : Iron Man World’s Most Wanted – Marvel, Nov 2009 [207.7] ::
294. ↓-6 (288) : Dean Koontz’s Nevermore – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Oct 2009 [193.2] ::
315. ↑29 (344) : The Book of Genesis – Crumb – WW Norton, Oct 2009 [184.4] ::
327. ↑627 (954) : Bleach 28 – Viz Shonen Jump, Sep 2009 [179.8] ::

[more]

Your Executive Summary and Index, Week Ending 23 August 2009

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last week’s rankings
About the Charts
Analysis and Commentary Posts

The Weekly Charts:
Your Executive Summary and Index
Week ending 23 August 2009009

Internet Archive link: http://www.archive.org/details/GraphicNovelRankingsWeekEnding23August2009

Comics Top 500

1. ↔0 (1) : Watchmen – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [813.0] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [738.1] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : V for Vendetta – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [718.0] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Batman The Killing Joke – DC, Mar 2008 [700.5] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Final Crisis – DC, Jun 2009 [684.5] ::
6. ↑2 (8) : Batman The Dark Knight Returns – DC, May 1997 [680.6] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [655.6] ::
8. ↑3 (11) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [634.1] ::
9. ↑4 (13) : Sandman 1 – DC Vertigo, Sep 1991 [625.5] ::
10. ↓-1 (9) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [611.8] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of titles ranking in the Comics 500:

Viz Shonen Jump 58
DC Vertigo 51
DC 39
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 33
Viz Shojo Beat 29
Tokyopop 26
Dark Horse 23
Marvel 20
Del Rey 18
Viz 16

[more]

Top 50 Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,102.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman – DC [1,974.6] ::
3. ↑1 (4) : Sandman – DC Vertigo [1,444.2] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Green Lantern – DC [1,424.9] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,409.3] ::
6. ↔0 (6) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,263.5] ::
7. ↑5 (12) : Walking Dead – Image Comics [1,258.8] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,220.4] ::
9. ↑1 (10) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,153.1] ::
10. ↓-1 (9) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,128.0] ::

[more]

Top 500 Manga:

1. ↔0 (1) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [655.6] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [634.1] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [595.6] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [583.8] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [569.5] ::
6. ↓-1 (5) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [568.5] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Dark Hunters 1 – St. Martin’s Griffin, Apr 2009 [537.7] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Naruto 43 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [518.1] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Naruto 44 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [484.5] ::
10. ↑1 (11) : Bleach 27 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2009 [480.0] ::

[more]

Top 50 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,102.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,409.3] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,263.5] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,220.4] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,153.1] ::
6. ↓-1 (5) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,128.0] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat [923.8] ::
8. ↑1 (9) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [894.1] ::
9. ↓-1 (8) : Negima! – Del Rey [808.3] ::
10. ↑1 (11) : Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle – Del Rey [683.8] ::

[more]

Top 50 New Releases:
(July & August 2009)

2. ↔0 (2) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [738.1] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [655.6] ::
8. ↑3 (11) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [634.1] ::
10. ↓-1 (9) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [611.8] ::
12. ↑2 (14) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [595.6] ::
18. ↑2 (20) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [569.5] ::
19. ↓-2 (17) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [568.5] ::
25. ↑10 (35) : Mercy Thompson Homecoming – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Aug 2009 [531.5] ::
27. ↓-15 (12) : Green Lantern Rage of the Red Lanterns – DC, Aug 2009 [521.5] ::
30. ↓-12 (18) : Parker 1 The Hunter – IDW, Jul 2009 [513.3] ::

[more]

Top 50 Preorders:

144. ↓-15 (129) : Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 – HNA Amulet, Oct 2009 [300.0] ::
182. ↑78 (260) : Peanuts Complete ’71-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [263.5] ::
231. ↑109 (340) : Peanuts Complete ’73-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [229.0] ::
244. ↑19 (263) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight 5 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [221.0] ::
288. ↓-32 (256) : Dean Koontz’s Nevermore – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Oct 2009 [195.4] ::
316. ↑22 (338) : Iron Man World’s Most Wanted – Marvel, Nov 2009 [184.3] ::
344. ↑31 (375) : The Book of Genesis – Crumb – WW Norton, Oct 2009 [171.7] ::
356. ↑163 (519) : Black Is for Beginnings – Llewellyn Flux, Sep 2009 [166.6] ::
418. ↓-11 (407) : Simon’s Cat – Grand Central Publishing, Sep 2009 [139.4] ::
440. ↓-29 (411) : Neon Genesis Evangelion The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 1 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [129.0] ::

[more]

Editorial: I’ve a lot of ground to make up and only so many days left in the calendar year. I may have to resort to some short cuts and post ‘provisional’ top ten lists to fill in the gaps and play catch-up — but unlike last year’s hiatus, I am now in the habit of archiving web sources, so nothing is actually lost. I can go back and fill in the blanks with corrected posts [the full rankings] at some later date. For the rest of this week, at least, there are no compromises — other than the fact that the charts are months late ;) — and I’ll post one of these a day until I collapse. Get in the habit of checking the site around midnight EST. [with love. MB, 16 Dec.]

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Your Executive Summary and Index, Week Ending 16 August 2009

##

last week’s rankings
About the Charts
Analysis and Commentary Posts

The Weekly Charts:
Your Executive Summary and Index
Week ending 16 August 2009009

Comics Top 500

1. ↔0 (1) : Watchmen – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [827.1] ::
2. ↑1 (3) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [766.7] ::
3. ↓-1 (2) : V for Vendetta – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [722.2] ::
4. ↑1 (5) : Batman The Killing Joke – DC, Mar 2008 [700.4] ::
5. ↑2 (7) : Final Crisis – DC, Jun 2009 [695.0] ::
6. ↑3 (9) : Green Lantern The Sinestro Corps War 1 – DC, Apr 2009 [689.4] ::
7. ↓-3 (4) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [682.7] ::
8. ↓-2 (6) : Batman The Dark Knight Returns – DC, May 1997 [667.2] ::
9. ↑3 (12) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [652.1] ::
10. ↓-2 (8) : Dark Tower 3 – Marvel, Apr 2009 [634.9] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of titles ranking in the Comics 500:

Viz Shonen Jump 55
DC Vertigo 50
DC 40
Viz Shojo Beat 33
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 31
Tokyopop 28
Marvel 24
Dark Horse 23
Del Rey 19
Viz 15

[more]

Top 50 Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,102.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman – DC [1,993.9] ::
3. ↑2 (5) : Green Lantern – DC [1,599.7] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Sandman – DC Vertigo [1,476.2] ::
5. ↓-2 (3) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,442.5] ::
6. ↑4 (10) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,240.2] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,219.1] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Dark Tower – Marvel [1,218.1] ::
9. ↓-2 (7) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,154.4] ::
10. ↑10 (20) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,136.5] ::

[more]

Top 500 Manga:

1. ↔0 (1) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [682.7] ::
2. ↑8 (10) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [631.7] ::
3. ↓-1 (2) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [621.2] ::
4. ↑1 (5) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [589.9] ::
5. ↓-2 (3) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [577.1] ::
6. ↑22 (28) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [564.2] ::
7. ↓-3 (4) : Dark Hunters 1 – St. Martin’s Griffin, Apr 2009 [558.1] ::
8. ↓-2 (6) : Naruto 43 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [521.8] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Naruto 44 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [500.0] ::
10. ↓-3 (7) : Fruits Basket 22 – Tokyopop, Mar 2009 [484.3] ::

[more]

Top 50 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,102.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,442.5] ::
3. ↑2 (5) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,240.2] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,219.1] ::
5. ↓-1 (4) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,154.4] ::
6. ↑2 (8) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [1,136.5] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat [947.8] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Negima! – Del Rey [875.8] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [870.1] ::
10. ↑2 (12) : Berserk – Dark Horse [717.8] ::

[more]

Top 50 New Releases:
(July & August 2009)

2. ↑1 (3) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [766.7] ::
7. ↓-3 (4) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [682.7] ::
9. ↑3 (12) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [652.1] ::
11. ↑23 (34) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [631.7] ::
12. ↑3 (15) : Green Lantern Rage of the Red Lanterns – DC, Aug 2009 [626.6] ::
14. ↓-4 (10) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [621.2] ::
17. ↓-3 (14) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [577.1] ::
18. ↑12 (30) : Parker 1 The Hunter – IDW, Jul 2009 [575.6] ::
20. ↑58 (78) : Rosario+Vampire 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Aug 2009 [564.2] ::
24. ↑46 (70) : Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation – Macmillan Hill & Wang, Jul 2009 [549.2] ::

[more]

Top 50 Preorders:

129. ↑9 (138) : Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 – HNA Amulet, Oct 2009 [309.4] ::
256. ↓-45 (211) : Dean Koontz’s Nevermore – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Oct 2009 [217.4] ::
260. ↑87 (347) : Peanuts Complete ’71-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [217.1] ::
263. ↓-53 (210) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight 5 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [216.2] ::
338. ↑389 (727) : Iron Man World’s Most Wanted – Marvel, Nov 2009 [170.2] ::
340. ↑109 (449) : Peanuts Complete ’73-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [169.7] ::
375. ↓-31 (344) : The Book of Genesis – Crumb – WW Norton, Oct 2009 [158.5] ::
407. ↑45 (452) : Simon’s Cat – Grand Central Publishing, Sep 2009 [144.6] ::
411. ↓-8 (403) : Neon Genesis Evangelion The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 1 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [143.9] ::
430. ↓-99 (331) : Street Fighter SF20: The Art of Street Fighter – Udon, Sep 2009 [136.4] ::

[more]

Sorry for the delay; and it looks like I came up 2 short. (there are some extras tacked on to the end for you)

Here’s the original post, with intro and disclaimer; let’s skip the nonsense and and just do this thing.

For those of you who don’t want to read the last post, I’ll just note that the ISBNs below correspond to the e-book version (smart pubs are issuing unique isbns to e-books, and smart retailers will use them) & also that the five titles I used as a teaser in the initial post are also included below.

My interest in trying to ‘sell’ you on e-books has significantly waned in the past week; not because I don’t believe in the format but because of the time it takes to write up (or even just cut-n-paste) the damn summaries and links. (this is time I could be spending on other essays and features, and my time is a very dear commodity at the moment)

I’ll give you a huge head start — these are titles available from both B&N and Amazon — but you’re going to have to run that last leg yourself.

if you really want a link, here: have some.

##

‘08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail, Michael Crowley & Dan Goldman, Three Rivers Press (Random House), 9780307588722

Baltimore: Or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire, Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden, Random House, 9780307481917

Best of Callahan, John Callahan, Random House, 9780307482150

The Best of in the Bleachers: A Classic Collection of Mental Errors, Steve Moore, Grand Central (Hachette), 9780446562515

Cell Block Z; Ghostface Killah with Chris Walker, Marlon Chapman, & Shauna Garr; Grand Central (Hachette), 9780446550932

Cruddy: An Illustrated Novel, Lynda Barry, Simon & Schuster, 9780743212175

Dark Wraith of Shannara, Terry Brooks with Edwin David & Robert Place Napton, Ballantine (Random House), 9780307494740

Elk’s Run, Joshua Fialkov & Noel Tuazon, Random House, 9780307495099

Embroideries, Marjane Satrapi, Pantheon (Random House), 9780307522870

Epileptic, David B., Pantheon (Random House), 9780307522955

French Milk, Lucy Knisley, Simon & Schuster, 9781416588245

Funny Misshapen Body: A Memoir, Jeffrey Brown, Simon & Schuster, 9781439159293

Good-bye, Chunky Rice, Craig Thompson, Pantheon (Random House), 9780307485557

Impostor’s Daughter: A True Memoir, Laurie Sandell, Little Brown & Co., 9780316053426

Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, adapted by Peter Huper, Three Rivers Press (Random House), 9780307717009

The Shiniest Jewel, Marion Henley, Grand Central (Hachette), 9780446542241

Vlad the Impaler, Sid Jacobson & Ernie Colon, Hudson Street Press (Penguin), 9781101150962

The World of Quest: Volume 2, Jason Kruse, Yen/Orbit (Hachette), 9780759529908
[Oddly, Volume 1 is not available as an ebook; Kurt, please fix this pronto.]

Also of interest:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel, 2nd Edition, Nat Gertler, Alpha (Penguin), 9781101155615

The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America, David Hajdu, FSG, 9781429937054

Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed, Brian Cronin, Penguin, 9781101045244

Comic Books 101, Chris Ryall & Scott Tipton, F+W, 9781440307904

##

The Future is Now, the books are out there. Note that almost all of these are from big publishers — DC & Disney/Marvel may get left behind. But then again, if graphic-novels-as-e-books become a new way for ‘indy’, ‘arty’ graphic novels to reach a larger audience (if only because there is no spandex or manga competition), is this necessarily a bad thing?

per new FTC rules I must at this time disclose that when, in the past, I referred to my current employment as “field management for one of the big box bookstore chains” what I really meant was that I work for Barnes & Noble (an open secret, as I have disclosed that fact before in other fora). As I am about to discuss one of B&N’s corporate products (not always in the most glowing light, fwiw) I feel it is necessary to point out, once more, that they are the Big Corporation That Signs My Paychecks™. If that doesn’t matter to you, please forget I mentioned it.

past my normal (and I assure you, well earned) pay, no other enticement or compensation was provided by my employer for this post, the following article was neither suggested by nor sanctioned by B&N corporate, and wasn’t submitted to any of my supervisors for review before posting. All opinions and comments are my own, & while I do include links to Barnes & Noble’s site I’m about to encourage you to make the most of the free applications and samples that are available there. And: damn the FTC regulations are a bitch.

We cool?

##

All the buzz about the Nook (in some quarters styled the ‘nook’ but true to my Germanic Roots I feel Nouns, and certainly all Brands, should be capitalized) and the anticipation of the Nook vs. Kindle Cagematch have overshadowed at least one point:

dude, you can read e-books right now on your home computer or laptop.

Prior to the Nook, B&N also announced (to much hoopla, at the time) e-reader software that would run equally well on your Mac, PC, iPhone, or Blackberry — stuff you already own — without the need for a fancy new $260 appliance.

Which is fine, if you don’t mind reading on your existing computer screen — if you’re reading this actual sentence (posted to a blog) I can’t imagine that you’d have an objection…

Not that the B&N eReader is a fabulous chunk of new Web 2.0 awesomeness — it looks and feels like a 1998 application: bare bones, MS-Windows default menus, buttons, and toolbars, and very little in the way of user comforts. The interface is far from intuitive, you need a current account with B&N or else you can’t even view free samples of new e-books, and you can’t click on a title in your online library to read it, you have to download it to your local ‘bookshelf’, and change screens, before hitting that ‘read’ button even becomes an option.

Granted, 11 years ago? This was minor sh*t. Nowadays, if you want to compete with iTunes? We need to do better.

Quite a few (almost all) of my objections go out the window when we reconsider ‘free’ — the app is free to download, OS agnostic, cross-OS compatible, you can access a single ‘online library’ from all your toys (phone, netbook, laptop, desktop) with minimal hassle — and you can read the same e-books on any or all of them with only the single purchase.

##

Here’s a download link for you; took me about 15 minutes to download and install the software to a new PC this evening.

##

And an aside: Did you know that publishers are already assigning e-books their own unique ISBNs? Assuming this isn’t some kind of fluke (or B&N specific), in the future this is going to make searching for (and linking, and buying) individual e-books much easier.

So what’s already out there?

Anyway, all the nuts-and-bolts aside, and back to the promise of Graphic Novels as e-books: here’s what I found.
— and I’d like to note a free sample/preview is available for all of the following titles. [I said ‘free’; there are other costs. It took me hours, and multiple tries, to get some few ‘free’ samples downloaded so there is an investment of time&effort to take into account in this instance, even just to get to the previews. And some of them would just stall mid-download… I shut down μtorrent, I stopped Sirius Internet Radio, I closed everything but the browser and B&N reader, and still couldn’t get the Epileptic sample — so I went ahead and just bought the e-book; $10, no biggie.]

‘08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail, Michael Crowley & Dan Goldman, Three Rivers Press (Random House), 9780307588722, B&N – Amazon
“Taking its cue from campaign classics like Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72 and The Making of the President Series, 08 brings politico journalism into the graphic novel form. Reflect on all the single-issue candidates, the pundits, the meltdowns, the awkward missteps, and the ruthless maneuvers of the scorched-earth campaign trail as they knit themselves into a political tale of the present-day battle for the future of America.”

Epileptic, David B., Pantheon (Random House), 97803075522955, B&N – Amazon
“Hailed by The Comics Journal as one of Europe’s most important and innovative comics artists, David B. has created a masterpiece in Epileptic, his stunning and emotionally resonant autobiography about growing up with an epileptic brother. Epileptic gathers together and makes available in English for the first time all six volumes of the internationally acclaimed graphic work.”

The Shiniest Jewel, Marion Henley, Grand Central (Hachette), 9780446542241, B&N – Amazon
“At 49, cartoonist Marian Henley hasn’t committed to marrying the man with whom she has been dating for seven years. But as the Big 5-0 looms, she realizes that above all else she wants a child. Her story follows the heartbreaking ups and downs of going through the international adoption process; deciding when it’s time to grow up and maybe even get married; and in the end, it’s the story of a daughter’s relationship with her father, and how becoming a mother finally led her to understand him. THE SHINIEST JEWEL is a touching narrative, accompanied by Marian’s winsome drawings, that beautifully weaves together her realizations about the joy, and sometimes heartbreak, of building a family.”

Dark Wraith of Shannara, Terry Brooks with Edwin David & Robert Place Napton, Ballantine (Random House), 9780307494740, B&N – Amazon
“The first-ever Graphic Novel set in the World of Shannara! … If you’ve never ventured into the wondrous world of Shannara, consider this an ideal opportunity. Prepare to enter the breathtaking realm of the Four Lands, where beings both noble and sinister have quested and clashed, crossed swords in the names of darkness and light, and engaged in adventures rich with mystery and majesty. “

Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, adapted by Peter Huper, Three Rivers Press (Random House), 9780307717009, B&N – Amazon
Kafka’s work of man-as-bug, from provider to his family kicked back (by the impossible twist of fate that has to be accepted because hell, it’s the first line that opens the story) to a parasite. Weird, weird stuff — now in comic form.

[part one of… 4? (if I can find more I’ll post ‘em.) …next five titles tomorrow.]

Edit 2 Dec 2009: Actually, there is no part 2. There is a follow-up, though.

Your Executive Summary and Index, Week Ending 9 August 2009

##

last week’s rankings
About the Charts
Analysis and Commentary Posts

The Weekly Charts:
Your Executive Summary and Index
Week ending 9 August 2009009

Comics Top 500

1. ↔0 (1) : Watchmen – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [830.5] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : V for Vendetta – DC Vertigo, Apr 1995 [730.9] ::
3. ↑2 (5) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [723.3] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [720.5] ::
5. ↓-1 (4) : Batman The Killing Joke – DC, Mar 2008 [701.4] ::
6. ↑1 (7) : Batman The Dark Knight Returns – DC, May 1997 [682.9] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Final Crisis – DC, Jun 2009 [681.2] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Dark Tower 3 – Marvel, Apr 2009 [671.2] ::
9. ↑14 (23) : Green Lantern The Sinestro Corps War 1 – DC, Apr 2009 [647.6] ::
10. ↑1 (11) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [640.6] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of titles ranking in the Comics 500:

Viz Shonen Jump 55
DC Vertigo 46
DC 40
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 35
Viz Shojo Beat 34
Tokyopop 29
Dark Horse 26
Del Rey 22
Marvel 21
Viz 14

[more]

Top 50 Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,171.1] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Batman – DC [1,947.7] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,556.4] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Sandman – DC Vertigo [1,516.1] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Green Lantern – DC [1,514.0] ::
6. ↔0 (6) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,253.0] ::
7. ↔0 (7) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,216.9] ::
8. ↔0 (8) : Dark Tower – Marvel [1,194.3] ::
9. ↔0 (9) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Dark Horse [1,158.0] ::
10. ↑2 (12) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,140.3] ::

[more]

Top 500 Manga:

1. ↔0 (1) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [720.5] ::
2. ↑1 (3) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [640.6] ::
3. ↓-1 (2) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [624.3] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Dark Hunters 1 – St. Martin’s Griffin, Apr 2009 [595.1] ::
5. ↑14 (19) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [545.4] ::
6. ↑1 (7) : Naruto 43 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [529.7] ::
7. ↓-2 (5) : Fruits Basket 22 – Tokyopop, Mar 2009 [513.8] ::
8. ↓-2 (6) : Negima! 23 – Del Rey, Jul 2009 [508.6] ::
9. ↓-1 (8) : Naruto 44 – Viz Shonen Jump, Apr 2009 [503.0] ::
10. ↑17 (27) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [500.9] ::

[more]

Top 50 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [2,171.1] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Fruits Basket – Tokyopop [1,556.4] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [1,253.0] ::
4. ↔0 (4) : Fullmetal Alchemist – Viz [1,216.9] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [1,140.3] ::
6. ↑1 (7) : Ouran High School Host Club – Viz Shojo Beat [983.3] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Negima! – Del Rey [977.7] ::
8. ↑1 (9) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [969.0] ::
9. ↓-1 (8) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [908.1] ::
10. ↔0 (10) : Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle – Del Rey [780.8] ::

[more]

Top 50 New Releases:
(July & August 2009)

3. ↑2 (5) : Batman Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader – DC, Jul 2009 [723.3] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Fruits Basket 23 – Tokyopop, Jul 2009 [720.5] ::
10. ↑1 (11) : Naruto 45 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2009 [640.6] ::
12. ↑1 (13) : Asterios Polyp – Random House Pantheon, Jul 2009 [628.0] ::
14. ↓-4 (10) : Fullmetal Alchemist 19 – Viz, Jul 2009 [624.3] ::
15. ↑1 (16) : Green Lantern Rage of the Red Lanterns – DC, Aug 2009 [605.5] ::
18. ↔0 (18) : Superman Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow – DC, Jul 2009 [573.3] ::
29. ↓-7 (22) : Negima! 23 – Del Rey, Jul 2009 [508.6] ::
30. ↑45 (75) : Parker 1 The Hunter – IDW, Jul 2009 [506.0] ::
34. ↑30 (64) : Vampire Knight 7 – Viz Shojo Beat, Aug 2009 [500.9] ::

[more]

Top 50 Preorders:

138. ↑32 (170) : Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4 – HNA Amulet, Oct 2009 [308.8] ::
210. ↑10 (220) : Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight 5 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [244.9] ::
211. ↓-9 (202) : Dean Koontz’s Nevermore – Del Rey/Dabel Bros., Oct 2009 [243.7] ::
331. ↓-92 (239) : Street Fighter SF20: The Art of Street Fighter – Udon, Sep 2009 [171.3] ::
344. ↓-35 (309) : The Book of Genesis – Crumb – WW Norton, Oct 2009 [167.8] ::
347. ↑20 (367) : Peanuts Complete ’71-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [166.7] ::
403. ↓-14 (389) : Neon Genesis Evangelion The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 1 – Dark Horse, Sep 2009 [146.5] ::
449. ↑21 (470) : Peanuts Complete ’73-‘74 – Fantagraphics, Sep 2009 [130.5] ::
452. ↑159 (611) : Simon’s Cat – Grand Central Publishing, Sep 2009 [130.0] ::
524. ↑29 (553) : Asterix How Obelix Fell into the Magic Potion When He Was a Little Boy – Orion, Oct 2009 [109.6] ::

[more]

But I’m going to enthusiastically encourage you to participate anyway.

That link over in the left sidebar — yeah, the second one — has been sitting there for like a year now.

Go ahead, click it.

Even better, click this link to Book One, and then this link to the (illustrated, but not comic) text interstitials that have been at least as engaging as the original comic.

Are you hooked yet?

And now, Rob Balder and Co. (there is an artist change, from book one to book two — Jamie Noguchi is being replaced by Xin Ye — Jamie is moving on [moving back?] to other projects; though Xin Ye was identified and selected [I’m assuming] because she was also a fan and an active member on their forums — and so yes, it’s a change but not a revolution) after a short hiatus, are storming back into another volume of Erfworld comics. Book Two, Page One just posted on their homepage

I’m tempted to post an image on the main page to further encourage folks to go, and read, but I’ll hide it as a comment to this post for those of you who might want to read the original without the (minor) spoiler.

Spike wants your money.

Not so specific, I know — a lot of people want our money. Sometimes we even give it to them, in exchange for goods and services.

To get into gritty details: She would like you to pledge money for a great project (so you don’t have to pay right now, just promise to pay later). And you can pledge as little as a dollar.

You didn’t realize it at first, but you likely already know Spike (How many of you read Templar, AZ?) and this project is a book, a comic, that bridges two topics near and dear to my heart: sequential art in the service of non-fiction narratives, and getting by on a meager salary.

Here, I’ll let Spike explain it herself:

UPDATE: Spike has said on her blog that if when they go over the $6000 goal, that just means more money up-front for the artist, Diana Nock, and a larger print run (plus other possible upgrades, like better paper and cover stock). So Keep Giving!

Links:
Poorcraft Project Page @ Kickstarter

Templar, AZ — read it online or buy the books

discovered via Make