May's Top Comics & Graphic Novels!

The Avengers and the X-Men continued their pursuit of Hope while the Phoenix Force neared Earth in Avengers Vs. X-Men #4, the best-selling comic book to comics retailers in May 2012.

Overall, Marvel Comics had three of the month's top ten books, all of them part of the Avengers Vs. X-Men event. Avengers Vs. X-Men #3 was the month's #2 book, and AVX Vs. #2, the tie-in comic that focuses solely on the fights from Avengers Vs. X-Men, ranked #6.

DC Comics had the other seven books in the top ten, led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #9, part of the "Court of Owls" storyline, at #3. Justice League #9 ranked #4; Batman Annual #1, a tie-in to "Court of Owls," ranked #5; Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham's Batman, Incorporated #1 ranked #7; Detective Comics #9 ranked #8; Action Comics #9 ranked #9; and Green Lantern #9 ranked #10.

Image Comics' The Walking Dead #97, the first of two issues of the Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard zombie series, was the publisher's top-selling comic in May at #28.

Dark Horse Comics' best-selling book for the month continued to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9; the ninth issue ranked #94 for the month.

IDW Publishing's top book in May was Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation² #1. The first part of the long-awaited crossover between these two venerable science-fiction franchises ranked #121.

Earth's heroes joined forces to confront the threat posed by Darkseid in Justice League Volume 1: Origin, the best-selling Geoff Johns and Jim Lee storyline for DC Comics. The collected hardcover edition of the storyline was the best-selling graphic novel to comics retailers in May.

DC Comics had a strong month with graphic novel sales, taking six of the top ten spots. Also in the top ten were Batman Volume 1: The Court of Owls, the story arc by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, at #2; Chip Kidd and Dave Taylor's original graphic novel Batman: Death By Design at #4; Animal Man Volume 1: The Hunt at #5; the hardcover edition of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen at #9; and Green Lantern Volume 1: Sinestro at #10.

Image Comics had three books in the top ten, all from Robert Kirkman's zombie series, The Walking Dead. Volume 1: Days Gone Bye ranked #3, Volume 4: Hearts Desire ranked #6, and Volume 2: Miles Behind Us ranked #8.

Marvel Comics rounded out the top ten with the hardcover edition of Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.'s Kick-Ass 2 at #7.

Among the other Premier Publishers, Dark Horse Comics' top book in May was Avatar: The Last Airbender Volume 2: The Promise, Part 2 at #11, while IDW Publishing's top book was Locke & Key Volume 4: Keys to the Kingdom at #18.

TOP 50 COMIC BOOKS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in May 2012

TOP 50 GRAPHIC NOVELS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in May 2012

This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express permission of Diamond Comic Distributors.

Please note that comics marked with an asterisk have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts – which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts – are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. The account base includes not only brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, but also Internet stores, chain stores, and other specialty stores.

Unit sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, minus any copies that are distributed free of cost.