April's Top 50 Comics & Graphic Novels!

A bank robbery committed by Bruce Wayne poses a mystery that Batman must solve in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #19 from DC Comics, the best-selling comic book to retailers in April.

In total, DC Comics had three of the top ten best-selling comics in April. Also in the top ten were Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis' Justice League #19 at #5 and Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's Batman and Red Robin #19 at #9.

Marvel Comics had five titles in the top ten, led by Jason Aaron and Simone Bianchi's Thanos Rising #1 at #2. Three issues of Brian Michael Bendis' Age of Ultron placed in the top ten; issue #4 ranked #4, issue #5 ranked #6,and issue #6 ranked #7. Finally, Bendis and Steve McNiven's Guardians of the Galaxy #2 ranked #10.

Rounding out the top ten, Mark Millar and Frank Quitely's Jupiter's Legacy #1 from Image Comics ranked #3 for the month.

Among the Premier Publishers, Brian Wood's Star Wars #4 from Dark Horse Comics was that publisher's top book for the month at #40.

Finally, IDW Publishing's top book for April was My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #6 at #65.

Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye, the first volume of the best-selling Image Comics zombie series and the basis for a top-rated television series from AMC, returned to the top of the sales charts in April for the first time since December as the best-selling graphic novel to the direct market for the month.

In total, Image Comics had four titles in the top ten. Jonathan Hickman, Nick Pitarra and Jordie Bellaire's The Manhattan Projects Volume 2 ranked #2. Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson's Happy ranked #3. Finally, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga Volume 1 ranked #4.

DC Comics had five titles in the top ten, led by Sean Murphy's Punk Rock Jesus from their Vertigo imprint at #5. Also in the top ten were Batman: Detective Comics Volume 1: Faces of Death at #6, Batman: Detective Comics Volume 2: Scare Tactics at #7, Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition at #8, and Swamp Thing Volume 2: Family Tree at #9.

Rounding out the top ten, Marvel Comic's Hawkeye Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and David Aja ranked #10.

Among the other premier publishers, Dark Horse Comics' top book in April was Aliens: Inhuman Condition, an original graphic novel by John Layman (Chew) and Sam Kieth (The Maxx), at #26.

Finally, IDW Publishing's top graphic novel for April was Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness, a prequel to the new film Star Trek Into Darkness, at #14.

TOP 50 COMIC BOOKS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in April 2013

TOP 50 GRAPHIC NOVELS
Based on Total Unit Sales of Products Invoiced in April 2013

This information may not be reproduced in any format without the express written 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.