It is time to check out the November 2022 single-issue comic book sales rankings. Things are getting murkier in terms of actual unit numbers. So, we will have to settle with going to ICv2 for their Top 200 sales rankings. It is not as good as actual unit numbers, but we have to work with what we get.
Keep in mind, that the Top 200 single-issue comic sales charts are based on orders tracked by the ComicHub system at local comic book shops selling American comics. This includes over 3,000 stores selling American comics worldwide. As always, it is important to remember that these rankings are also not actual sales. These rankings only represent the number of units ordered by local comic shops.
November 2022 Top 200 Single-Issue Comic Rankings
The Battle for the Top 10
- Batman #129 (DC Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #13 (Marvel Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
- Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Deadpool #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Spider-Man #2 (Marvel Comics)
- Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #6 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
- Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Hulk #10 (Marvel Comics)
The battle for the Top 10 was much tighter in October 2022. Marvel Comics still won the fight with six titles in the Top 10. This was down from the seven titles in the Top 10 in October 2022. Marvel Comics’ success was largely due to Spider-Man. Holy crap! Peter, don’t hurt them! Peter Parker had two titles in the Top 3 and three titles in the Top 7. That is insane. I cannot remember another time when a single character dominated the top of the chart like this.
It is incredible that Spider-Man #2 only dropped from the number 1 spot to the number 7 spot. That is a wonderful job of a new title retaining readers. Again, this new direction for Peter Parker is most definitely not for me at all. But, the consumers clearly disagree with me and seem to be quite excited about this new direction.
I was so happy to see Fantastic Four #1 cracking into the Top 5 by taking the number five spot. Ryan North did an incredible job relaunching the First Family of Marvel. I really hope that this new Fantastic Four title enjoys excellent sales success going forward. This title is definitely worth your money. Both Kevin and I have sung praises about this issue.
Deadpool #1 had an excellent debut taking the number 6 spot. I have never liked Deadpool. But, sales are not about my personal tastes. Sales are about what the consumers enjoy and you guys definitely love Deadpool!
I am glad to see Hulk #10 clocking in at the number 10 spot. I have enjoyed Hulk and love that it has remained such a strong seller.
DC Comics lost the Battle for the Top 10 by a closer margin. DC Comics put four titles in the Top 10. This was better than the three titles DC Comics in the Top 10 in October 2022. Naturally, two of DC Comics’ four titles were Batman titles. It is worth noting that Bruce Wayne reclaimed the number one spot that he had a stranglehold on until September 2022.
Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 had an impressive debut coming in at the number 4 spot. I know that I am in the extreme minority with this title. I just have no interest in the Joker anymore. But, most of you guys cannot get enough of seeing Bruce and Joker together. I am sure this title will continue to do quite well.
The Battle for the Top 25
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 11-25 range typically sell in the 65,000 to 50,000 unit range.
- Batman One Bad Day Mr Freeze #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- A.X.E. Judgment Day Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Daredevil #5 (Marvel Comics)
- Wildcats #1 (DC Comics)
- Batman Vs Robin #3 (Of 5) (DC Comics)
- Gold Goblin #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- New Golden Age #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Something Is Killing The Children #26 (BOOM! Studios)
- Moon Knight #17 (Marvel Comics)
- I Hate Fairyland #1 (Mature) (Image Comics)
- Star Wars Yoda #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Venom #13 (Marvel Comics)
- Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #2 (DC Comics)
- Nightwing #98 (DC Comics)
- Dark Knights of Steel #8 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
The Battle for the Top 25 turned out to be an uncharacteristically close battle! It is like DC Comics finally got tired of having sand kicked in their faces so they went and took steroids and came back to pummel Marvel.
In the end, Marvel Comics barely won the battle for the Top 25 by placing twelve titles in the Top 25. This was way down from the twenty titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 25 in October 2022.
Daredevil continues to be a strong seller for Marvel Comics as Daredevil #5 took the number 13 spot. I know Kevin loves this title as he has raved about it in his reviews. I have remained unexcited about Electra being stripped of her own unique identity. But, I am obviously in the minority because Daredevil is a hit with the consumer. Marvel is definitely smiling that they continually create one hit franchise after another.
Speaking of creating hit franchises, Moon Knight #17 took the number 19 spot. What a fantastic job by Marvel making Moon Knight a legit Top 25 comic almost two years into this title. Impressive.
DC Comics put up a respectable fight and came in second place with eleven titles in the Top 25. This was way up from the five titles that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in October 2022. Of course, seven of DC Comics’ eleven titles came from the Batman franchise.
Wildcats #1 had a wonderful debut coming in at the number 14 spot. I have never cared for the Wildcats, but there was clearly a huge portion of the market that was excited about this title. DC Comics needs a few more franchises to take off for them. Perhaps Wildcats will blossom into a popular title.
New Golden Age #1 exceeded my expectations by taking the number 17 spot. I am surprised by this but happy. It is cool to see that there is a good percentage of the market interested in what DC Comics has in store for us post-Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Image Comics and Boom Studios tied for third place with one title apiece in the Top 25.
The Battle for the Top 50
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 26-50 range typically sell in the 49,000 to 30,000 unit range.
- Immortal X-Men #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Detective Comics #1066 (DC Comics)
- Star Wars Mandalorian #5 (Marvel Comics)
- Secret Invasion #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars Hidden Empire #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- X-Men Red #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars Revelations #1 (Marvel Comics)
- X-Men #17 (Marvel Comics)
- Wolverine #27 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars #29 (Marvel Comics)
- Punisher #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #12 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Superman World’s Finest #9 (DC Comics)
- DCeased War of The Undead Gods #4 (Of 8) (DC Comics)
- Poison Ivy #6 (DC Comics)
- Nice House On The Lake #11 (Of 12) (Mature) (DC Comics)
- Star Wars High Republic #2 (Marvel Comics)
- Predator #4 (Marvel Comics)
- Spider-Man Lost Hunt #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Justice Society of America #1 (DC Comics)
- Ghost Rider #8 (Marvel Comics)
- She-Hulk #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Tiger Division #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- She-Hulk #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Blade Vampire Nation #1 (Marvel Comics)
The Battle for the Top 50 is where things got ugly. The Battle for the Top 25 was like the first half of a college football game where the small school puts up a valiant effort against a top-ranked team who is sleepwalking. The Top 50 was the second half of such a game where the top-ranked team finally woke up and blows out the small school.
Marvel Comics dominated all other publishers by placing thirty-one titles in the Top 50. This was down from the thirty-four titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in October 2022.
Punisher #7 took the number 36 spot. Punisher seems to have found its happy place between the 35 spot and the 45 spot. This is another title that is a total miss for me. But, I have to give it credit. The fact that Punisher is remaining a Top 50 title is a good sign for Marvel Comics.
Ghost Rider #8 clocked in at the number 46 spot. This is down from the number 22 spot in October 2022. I hope that Ghost Rider is able to bounce back up the sales rankings next month or at least remain a steady Top 50 title. I really enjoy this title.
DC Comics took a beating and limped to second place with seventeen titles in the Top 50. This was up from the fourteen titles that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in October 2022. To no surprise, ten of DC Comics’ seventeen titles came from the Batman franchise.
Poison Ivy #6 came in at the number 40 spot. This title is more proof that my tastes do not always coincide with what sells well. I just do not think Poison Ivy is that good of a read. But, facts are facts. Poison Ivy remains a popular title and has remained a consistent Top 50 title. I really did not think that this would happen. Congrats to DC Comics.
Image Comics and Boom Studios had one title apiece in the Top 50.
The Battle for the Top 75
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 51-75 range typically sell in the 29,000 to 25,000 unit range.
- Avengers #62 (Marvel Comics)
- Gunslinger Spawn #14 (Image Comics)
- Doctor Strange Fall Sunrise #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
- King Spawn #16 (Image Comics)
- DC Vs Vampires #11 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
- Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Dark Crisis The Dark Army #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Spawn #335 (1992) (Image Comics)
- Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Superman Son of Kal-El #17 (Kal-El Returns) (DC Comics)
- A.X.E. Judgment Day #6 (Of 6) (Marvel Comics)
- Avengers Assemble Alpha #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Vanish #3 (Image Comics)
- Marauders #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Eight Billion Genies #6 (Of 8) (Image Comics)
- Gambit #5 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Midnight Suns #3 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Superman Kal-El Returns Special #1 (One-Shot) (Dark Crisis) (DC Comics)
- Catwoman #49 (DC Comics)
- Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- DC Vs Vampires All-Out War #5 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
- Avengers Forever #10 (Marvel Comics)
- Sabretooth & the Exiles #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Action Comics #1049 (Kal-El Returns) (DC Comics)
The beating continued as Marvel Comics dominated the battle for the Top 75 by placing forty-three titles in the Top 75. This was down from the fifty-one titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in October 2022.
DC Comics put twenty-five titles in the Top 75. This was up from the eighteen titles that DC Comics had in October 2022. Twelve of DC Comics’ twenty-five titles came from the Batman franchise.
Image Comics had six titles in the Top 75. This was up from the four titles that Image Comics had in the Top 75 in October 2022.
Boom Studios had one title in the Top 75. This was up from the zero titles that Boom Studios had in the Top 75 in October 2022.
The Battle for the Top 100
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 76-100 range typically sell in the 24,000 to 18,000 unit range.
- Gotham City Year One #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
- Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #6 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Incorporated #2 (DC Comics)
- Legion of X #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Punchline The Gotham Game #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
- Star Wars Bounty Hunters #28 (Marvel Comics)
- X-Force #34 (Marvel Comics)
- The Walking Dead Deluxe #50 (Image Comics)
- Demon Wars Shield of Justice #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Alien #3 (Marvel Comics)
- Murderworld Avengers #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars Darth Vader #29 (Marvel Comics)
- Wonder Woman #793 (Kal-El Returns Tie-In) (DC Comics)
- Behold Behemoth #1 (Of 5) (BOOM! Studios)
- Iron Man #25 (Marvel Comics)
- Once Upon A Time At End of World #1 (BOOM! Studios)
- Black Panther #11 (Marvel Comics)
- Savage Avengers #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Human Target #9 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
- The Flash #788 (DC Comics)
- Detective Comics 2022 Annual #1 (DC Comics)
- Star Wars Han Solo & Chewbacca #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Quick Stops #1 (Of 4) (Dark Horse Comics)
- Batman Beyond The White Knight #6 (Of 8) (DC Comics)
- Captain America Winter Soldier Special #1 (Marvel Comics)
The battle for the Top 100 concluded with Marvel Comics taking first place by placing fifty-six titles in the Top 100. This was down from the sixty-two titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 100 in October 2022.
DC Comics put thirty-three titles in the Top 100. This was up from the twenty-eight titles that DC Comics had in the Top 100 in October 2022. Seventeen of DC Comics’ thirty-three titles were from the Batman franchise.
Image Comics came in third place with seven titles in the Top 100. This is slightly better than the six titles that Image Comics had in the Top 100 in October 2022.
Boom Studios had three titles in the Top 100. This was better than the one title that Boom Studios had in the Top 100 in October 2022. Dark Horse Comics had one title in the Top 100. This was the same as what Dark Horse Comics did in October 2022.
Marvel Comics and DC Comics Debut Issues
4 Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
5 Fantastic Four #1 (Marvel Comics)
6 Deadpool #1 (Marvel Comics)
9 Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
11 Batman One Bad Day Mr Freeze #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
12 A.X.E. Judgment Day Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
14 Wildcats #1 (DC Comics)
16 Gold Goblin #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
17 New Golden Age #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
21 Star Wars Yoda #1 (Marvel Comics)
29 Secret Invasion #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
30 Star Wars Hidden Empire #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
32 Star Wars Revelations #1 (Marvel Comics)
44 Spider-Man Lost Hunt #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
45 Justice Society of America #1 (DC Comics)
48 Tiger Division #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
50 Blade Vampire Nation #1 (Marvel Comics)
53 Doctor Strange Fall Sunrise #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
56 Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
57 Dark Crisis The Dark Army #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
62 Avengers Assemble Alpha #1 (Marvel Comics)
69 Superman Kal-El Returns Special #1 (One-Shot) (Dark Crisis) (DC Comics)
71 Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
74 Sabretooth & the Exiles #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
84 Demon Wars Shield of Justice #1 (Marvel Comics)
86 Murderworld Avengers #1 (Marvel Comics)
100 Captain America Winter Soldier Special #1 (Marvel Comics)
106 Black Panther Unconquered #1 (Marvel Comics)
111 Riddler Year One #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
114 Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
116 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
183 Guardians of The Galaxy Cosmic Rewind #1 (Marvel Comics)
190 Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot) (DC Comics)
Unranked: DC’s Grifter Got Run Over By A Reindeer #1 (One Shot) (DC Comics)
As usual, we will address most of these debut issues in the different franchise sections later in this article. However, there were several new comics from DC Comics and Marvel Comics that I wanted to address here.
Justice Society of America #1 had a disappointing debut coming in at the number 45 spot. Ouch. DC Comics has to be disappointed with this. This title is the re-introduction of the real JSA from before the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. This title is also written by a huge name in Geoff Johns. I love the JSA and I have always liked Johns. I was expecting this title to do much better than this debut. This is just awful and depressing. I was really hoping that there would be an audience for a new Justice Society of America title. I guess not.
Stargirl The Lost Children #1 had a terrible debut failing to even crack into the Top 100. Stargirl The Lost Children #1 came in at the number 114 spot. This is another Geoff Johns title. It has to be alarming to DC Comics when they roll out two titles by their biggest name writer and both titles failed to do much in the sales rankings. While I was surprised by the Justice Society of America’s poor performance, I am not at all surprised by Stargirl’s crash and burn in the sales rankings. I know that Stargirl is Johns’s pet character, but Stargirl has never sold well or attracted a larger readership. Having said that, I still thought this new Stargirl title would have cracked the Top 75 in her debut.
Blue Beetle Graduation Day #1 also failed to crack into the Top 100 as it came in at the number 116 spot. This is another hideous debut for DC Comics. Again, I am not surprised by Jaime Reyes bombing with his new title. Jamie is another character that has never caught on with the public or enjoyed much reader support.
Secret Invasion #1 had a solid debut coming in at the number 29 spot. That was a bit higher than I anticipated. I like Ryan North as a writer. But, I had to pass on this title due to my reflexive nature to avoid anything associated with Brendis’ Secret Invasion. Maybe if Marvel Comics had gone with a different title I might have been tempted to try this issue just because North is the writer.
Tiger Division #1 debuted at the number 48 spot. This was a much better debut number than I was expecting for this title full of new no-name characters! I thought Emily Kim and Creees Lee did a great job with this issue. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Tiger Division #1. This is a really fun title. I hope people give it a try.
Blade Vampire Nation #1 is a one-shot issue that came in at the number 50 spot. This is another disappointing debut. Blade is a popular character. I know I was excited when I initially heard that Blade would be getting a new title. However, that excitement quickly dissipated when I learned that Mark Russell would be the writer. I have never been impressed with Russell’s writing. This sucks. Blade deserves better than this.
Doctor Strange Fall Sunrise #1 debuted at the number 43 spot. Honestly, I was surprised that this issue debuted even that high. Tradd Moore is definitely an acquired taste. Readers are either going to love or hate his style of art and stories. There is not going to be much middle ground.
Big Events
8 Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #6 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
12 A.X.E. Judgment Day Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
56 Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
57 Dark Crisis The Dark Army #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
61 A.X.E. Judgment Day #6 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
69 Superman Kal-El Returns Special #1 (One-Shot) (Dark Crisis) (DC Comics)
102 Dark Crisis Young Justice #6 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
135 I Am Batman #15 (Dark Crisis)
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths continues to be a fantastic seller as issue #6 grabbed the number 8 spot. DC Comics has to be thrilled that their big event has been in the Top 10 with every single issue. Sure, this is a far cry from big event issues in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s when big event titles routinely finished in the Top 2 every month. But, still, in this present market, a big event that scores in the Top 10 with each issue is undoubtedly a success.
The Dark Crisis tie-in issues had mixed results in November 2022. Of course, the Dark Crisis tie-in issue with Batman scored the highest sales ranking. Still, DC Comics managed to put three Dark Crisis tie-in issues in the Top 75. Only Dark Crisis Young Justice #6 and I Am Batman #15 failed to make it into the Top 100.
Star Wars Franchise
21 Star Wars Yoda #1
28 Star Wars Mandalorian #5
30 Star Wars Hidden Empire #1 (Of 5)
32 Star Wars Revelations #1
35 Star Wars #29
42 Star Wars High Republic #2
81 Star Wars Bounty Hunters #28
87 Star Wars Darth Vader #29
97 Star Wars Han Solo & Chewbacca #7
113 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #26
157 Star Wars High Republic #1 (Resolicitation)
167 Star Wars Darth Vader #28 (Resolicitation)
168 Star Wars Visions #1 (Resolicitation)
184 Star Wars High Republic Adventures #1 (Of 8) (Dark Horse Comics)
November 2022 was not as good for the Star Wars franchise as October 2022 was. Star Wars had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50. This was worse than October 2022 in the top 10 and Top 25 but better once you expand to the Top 50. In October 2022, Star Wars had two titles in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50.
Star Wars Yoda #1 debuted at the number 21 spot. Given some of the debut numbers of other Star Wars titles, I was actually expecting a higher debut number than that. It will be interesting to see what size readership Star Wars Yoda is able to retain.
Star Wars Hidden Empire #1 debuted at the number 30 spot. This was a solid debut and this mini-series might hold enough readers to finish its story in the Top 50.
Star Wars Revelations #1 debuted at the number 32 spot. This is a hodgepodge of an issue touching on numerous aspects of the Star Wars universe so it came in at around the spot I was expecting.
Star Wars Mandalorian #5 dipped from the number 9 spot in October 2022 down to the number 28 spot. It is way too early to say if this is a momentary hiccup are a part of a larger trend.
The main Star Wars title has stabilized itself and continues to clock in at the 30-39 range each month.
Star Wars High Republic #2 dropped like a rock from the number 11 spot down to the number 42 spot. This does not surprise me since nothing connected to the High Republic has been a good seller.
Star Wars Doctor Aphra remains the lowest-selling Star Wars comic.
Spider-Man Franchise
2 Amazing Spider-Man #13
3 Amazing Spider-Man #14
7 Spider-Man #2
16 Gold Goblin #1 (Of 5)
22 Venom #13
37 Amazing Spider-Man #12 (Resolicitation)
44 Spider-Man Lost Hunt #1 (Of 5)
59 Spider-Man #1 (Resolicitation)
67 Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2 (Of 5)
101 Venom #12 (Resolicitation)
147 Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 (Of 5) (Resolicitation)
159 Amazing Spider-Man #11 (Resolicitation)
189 Amazing Spider-Man #1 Facsimile Edition (Resolicitation)
190 Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 (Of 4)
The Spider-Man franchise had three titles in the Top 10, five titles in the Top 25, and seven titles in the Top 50. This was better/worse than October 2022 when the Spider-Man franchise had three titles in the Top 10, six titles in the Top 25, and nine titles in the Top 50. Having said that, the Spider-Man franchise is still the strongest Marvel Comics franchise and it had a great November 2022.
Peter Parker remains the gold standard and it is not even close. In October 2022, Peter impressed by placing two titles in the Top 10. Well, Peter outdid himself in November 2022 by placing three titles in the Top 7. Crazy. It doesn’t matter that I am not a fan of this current direction for Peter Parker, because it is clearly wildly popular.
Gold Goblin #1 debuted at the number 16 spot. This is a fantastic debut and higher than I was expecting. Again, this title is not for me, but it is obvious that a huge percentage of consumers were interested in Gold Goblin.
Venom just keeps chugging along. This title is a constant Top 25 every single month.
Spider-Man Lost Hunt #1 had an average debut coming in at the number 44 spot. I have a feeling that this title Is going to end up dropping out the of Top 75 before this mini-series concludes.
Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2 shed a ton of readers as it plummeted from the number 14 spot down to the number 67 spot. This mini-series is going to be lucky to finish up in the Top 100.
Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 is a really cute all-ages title. However, it had a disastrous debut coming in at the number 190 spot. It looks like this title will be outside of the Top 200 by just its second issue.
X-Men Franchise
6 Deadpool #1
26 Immortal X-Men #8
31 X-Men Red #8
33 X-Men #17
34 Wolverine #27
64 Marauders #8
66 Gambit #5 (Of 5)
74 Sabretooth & the Exiles #1 (Of 5)
79 Legion of X #7
82 X-Force #34
117 New Mutants #98 Facsimile Edition (New Printing)
120 Wolverine #26 (Resolicitation)
126 X-Terminators #3 (Of 5)
134 X-Men Legends #4
143 X-Men #16 (Resolicitation)
182 New Mutants #31
The X-Men franchise had one title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50. This was worse than in October 2022 when the X-Men franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50.
Thank goodness for Deadpool #1 or else November 2022 would have been really ugly for the X-Men franchise. The big four titles in Immortal X-Men, X-Men Red, X-Men, and Wolverine all slid back by 6-14 spots compared to October 2022. While that is not the direction the X-Men franchise wants to trend it is also no big deal. It is a small deviation that will probably correct itself in the next month.
The more general concern would be that the X-Men franchise is no longer a consistent Top 10 or Top 25 seller. This is the first time in a long time. I had a feeling that the farther we got from the Hickman lead X-Men the more the sales would naturally decline. At this point, there is no doubt that the Spider-Man franchise has easily pulled away from the X-Men franchise as the strongest Marvel Comics franchise.
Secondary titles like Marauders and Legion of X continue to fail to get into the Top 50. On the positive side, Gambit finished its mini-series inside of the Top 75. That is pretty good and better than I was expecting.
Sabertooth & the Exiles #1 barely debuted in the Top 75 by taking the number 74 spot. This is an impressive debut and it looks like this mini-series will conclude outside of the Top 100.
X-Terminators continues to plummet as issue #3 came in at the number 126 spot. Leah Williams’ story starring X-23, Jubilee, Boom-Boom, and Dazzler has failed to catch on with readers.
Avengers Franchise
10 Hulk #10
47 She-Hulk #7
49 She-Hulk #8
51 Avengers #62
62 Avengers Assemble Alpha #1
71 Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1 (Of 5)
73 Avengers Forever #10
77 Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #6
90 Iron Man #25
92 Black Panther #11
93 Savage Avengers #7
100 Captain America Winter Soldier Special #1
106 Black Panther Unconquered #1
107 Avengers Forever #11
124 Captain Marvel #43
137 All-Out Avengers #3
146 Thor #28 (Resolicitation)
155 Thunderbolts #4 (Of 5)
186 Captain America Symbol of Truth #7
The Avengers franchise had one title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was slightly better than October 2022 when the Avengers franchise had one title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and two titles in the Top 50.
The Hulk remains a vibrant title as it continues to be a Top 10 title each month. If you still have not tried this title then you really should. It is a good read.
She-Hulk is the next best-selling title in this category. Thank god for the gamma-powered cousins! She-Hulk is trending downward a bit, but it still placed two titles in the Top 50. Hopefully, She-Hulk continues to remain in the Top 50.
I hope readers give this She-Hulk title a chance. Please don’t let the horrendous Disney+ She-Hulk TV show turn you off from this comic book. She-Hulk has been a great read. As a long-time She-Hulk fan, I have enjoyed Rainbow Rowell’s work on this title.
Not everything was gold for the Hulk titles, though. Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #1 had a poor debut coming in at the #71 spot. This was not a huge surprise. Personally, I am over the whole Planet Hulk concept and it appears that many other readers are as well.
Avengers continues to lurk outside of the Top 50. The next creative team on Avengers is going to have their work cut out for them.
All-Out Avengers #3 dropped like a dead duck from the number 71 position in October 2022 down to the number 137 spot. This title looks to be a total bust with the consumer.
Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #7 fell out of the Top 75 as it landed at the number 77 spot. This is a title that desperately needs a new writer. Having said that, this title continues to perform better than I expected given the quality of the story.
Captain America Winter Soldier Special #1 was a disaster as it barely made the Top 100 coming in at the number 100 spot. I was not a fan of Bucky’s silly man-bun and meh new costume. I was also not a fan of Bucky’s character being regressed back into being a villain. Based on this sales number, it looks like plenty of other readers are not impressed with this new look and direction for Bucky.
Captain America Symbol of Truth #7 keeps cratering in the sales chart as it fell down to the number 186 spot. This was just a bad idea and it obviously is not popular with the consumer. This title is going to continue to struggle in the coming months.
Batman Franchise
1 Batman #129
4 Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 (Of 7)
11 Batman One Bad Day Mr Freeze #1 (One-Shot)
15 Batman Vs Robin #3 (Of 5)
23 Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #2
24 Nightwing #98
25 Dark Knights of Steel #8 (Of 12)
27 Detective Comics #1066
38 Batman Superman World’s Finest #9
56 Dark Crisis Worlds Without A Justice League Batman #1 (One-Shot)
70 Catwoman #49
76 Gotham City Year One #2 (Of 6)
78 Batman Incorporated #2
80 Punchline The Gotham Game #2 (Of 6)
96 Detective Comics 2022 Annual #1
99 Batman Beyond The White Knight #6 (Of 8) (Resolicitation)
103 Nightwing 2022 Annual #1
110 Harley Quinn #24
111 Riddler Year One #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
115 Detective Comics #1065 (Resolicitation)
119 Detective Comics #38 Facsimile Edition (2022)
135 I Am Batman #15 (Dark Crisis)
139 Batgirls #12
142 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #2 (Of 6)
144 Punchline The Gotham Game #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
148 Tim Drake Robin #3
152 Batman #128 (Resolicitation)
154 Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #2 (Of 6)
165 Batman Urban Legends #21
172 Sword of Azrael #4 (Of 6)
174 Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
179 Batman Fortress #7 (Of 8)
193 Batman One Bad Day Penguin #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation)
194 Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 (Resolicitation)
198 Flashpoint Beyond #6 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #2
Unranked: Batgirls 2022 Annual #1
Unranked: Batman: The Audio Adventures #3
Unranked: Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #2
The Batman franchise had two titles in the Top 10, seven titles in the Top 25, and nine titles in the Top 50. This was the same at the Top 10, better at the Top 25, and worse at the Top 50 than in October 2022. In October 2022 the Batman franchise had two titles in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and eleven titles in the Top 50.
Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 had a fantastic debut coming in at the number 4 spot. I had no interest at all in this title due to me being burned out on the Joker. But, obviously, I am in the clear minority as many readers were pumped for this issue.
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #2 dropped from the number 10 spot to the number 23 spot. That is not that bad of a drop between the debut issue and the second issue. I find this title to be a poorly written and uninteresting read. But, again, I am in the minority as Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing is quite popular and selling very well.
Nightwing #98 posted an incredible result taking the number 24 spot. That is a wonderful result for Nightwing as this title usually lurks around the 40-60 range. This was a really fun read that featured Dick Grayson meeting Nite-Mite, Dick’s version of Bat-Mite. Maybe Nite-Mite is what fueled this sales spike.
Catwoman #49 also had a fantastic month as it rose up from the number 112 spot all the way up to the number 70 spot. That is impressive. Catwoman #49 prominently featured Punchline on the cover and kicked off the crossover between Catwoman and Punchline. Maybe Punchline is a bigger draw than I thought she was. It certainly appears that this massive sales boost would be the result of Punchline being heavily featured in this issue.
Batman Incorporated #2 dropped from the number 57 spot to the number 78 spot. That is not that bad of a drop between a first and second issue of a new title. It will be interesting if Batman Incorporated is able to find its footing in the sale chart or if it continues to decline. I actually find Batman Incorporated to be a rather intriguing title. I am going to be sticking around for a while to see where Ed Brisson takes this title.
Punchline The Gotham Game #2 dropped from the number 64 spot to the number 80 spot. Again, this is not a bad drop at all between a first and second issue. It looks like Punchline may become a consistent Top 100 title during the entirety of this mini-series.
Not even a Dark Crisis tie-in issue could drag I Am Batman #15 into the Top 100 as it only climbed to the number 135 spot. I have a feeling that DC Comics is going to end up canceling this title in 2023.
Harley Quinn continues to underperform for a character as excellent as she is. Harley Quinn #24 came in at the number 110 spot. This title seems doomed to always finish outside of the Top 100. DC Comics needs to get around to addressing the state of this title.
Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #2 dropped down from the terrible debut at the number 113 spot down to the number 142 spot. There does not seem to be much consumer demand for this title. I would expect this title to possibly slide out of the Top 175 with the third issue. It is going to be tough for this mini-series to finish being ranked in the Top 200.
Tim Drake #3 came in at the number 148 spot. This title continues to be massively unpopular. I have a feeling that it will be struggling to even stay in the Top 200 by the fourth or fifth issue. DC Comics editorial has really made a total mess with Tim Drake’s character.
GCPD: The Blue Wall #2 was unranked. What a massive embarrassment for DC Comics. Not everything associated with the Batman franchise is gold.
Superman Franchise
38 Batman Superman World’s Finest #9
60 Superman Son of Kal-El #17 (Kal-El Returns)
69 Superman Kal-El Returns Special #1 (One-Shot) (Dark Crisis)
75 Action Comics #1049 (Kal-El Returns)
132 Superman #75 Special Edition
176 Action Comics #1048 (Kal-El Returns) (Resolicitation)
The Superman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50. This was the same as what the Superman franchise did in October 2022.
Batman Superman World’s Finest continues to be the best-selling comic book that stars Superman. I do not see this changing anytime soon.
It looks like the Kal-El Returns story helped give Superman Son of Kaleidoscope-El #17 a small sales bump up from the number 74 spot to the number 60 spot. However, this title still remains well outside of the Top 50 which has to be a concern for DC Comics given the attention being given to the Kal-El Returns story.
Action Comics #1049 got a massive sales boost from the Kal-El Returns story as it rocketed up from the number 100 spot to the number 75 spot. I cannot remember the last time Action Comics cracked the Top 75. This should definitely make DC Comics happy.
Wonder Woman Franchise
88 Wonder Woman #793 (Kal-El Returns Tie-In)
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot)
The Wonder Woman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and zero titles in the Top 50. This is the same as what the Wonder Woman franchise did in October 2022.
The power of Kal-El continues as the Kal-El Returns story gave Wonder Woman #793 a huge sales boost from the number 128 spot up to the number 88 spot. That is incredibly impressive. Again, DC Comics has to be feeling good about the power of the Kal-El Returns story.
Nubia and the Justice League Special #1 failed to rank in the Top 200. This is no surprise. Nubia’s last title failed to rank in the Top 200. Evidently, not even the Justice League banner can get readers interested in Nubia’s character.
Justice League Franchise
95 The Flash #788
Unranked: The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #3
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot)
The Justice League franchise remains in a state of hibernation. Let’s see how things go as the Green Lantern titles start rolling out.
Mantle Swap Titles
13 Daredevil #5 (Marvel Comics)
60 Superman Son of Kal-El #17 (Kal-El Returns) (DC Comics)
116 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
123 Strange #8 (Marvel Comics)
124 Captain Marvel #43 (Marvel Comics)
130 New Champion of Shazam #3 (Of 4) (DC Comics)
133 Black Adam #6 (DC Comics)
135 I Am Batman #15 (Dark Crisis) (DC Comics)
186 Captain America Symbol of Truth #7 (Marvel Comics)
188 Daredevil #4 (Resolicitation)
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #2 (DC Comics)
Unranked: Genis-Vell Captain Marvel #5 (Marvel Comics)
Outside of Daredevil #5, there were zero mantle swap titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and zero titles in the Top 50. This was the same as it was in October 2022.
Outside of Daredevil #5 and Superman Son go Kal-El #17, all the rest of the mantle swap titles were either outside of the Top 100 or unranked. This is actually a positive occurrence. This should lead Marvel Comics and DC Comics into realizing that this type of title has little appeal to their consumers. Hopefully, it will spur Marvel Comics and DC Comics to be more creative and innovative in their attempts to either reinvest in older C-list and D-list characters in an attempt to build them into A-list and B-list characters or to simply put more effort into creating compelling new characters.
I have to admit that it is painful to see Genis-Vell ending up outside of the Top 200. Ouch. I must have been the only person to read this comic.
Legacy Character Titles
24 Nightwing #98 (DC Comics)
45 Justice Society of America #1 (DC Comics)
80 Punchline The Gotham Game #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
95 The Flash #788 (DC Comics)
114 Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
117 New Mutants #98 Facsimile Edition (New Printing) (Marvel Comics)
139 Batgirls #12 (DC Comics)
144 Punchline The Gotham Game #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
148 Tim Drake Robin #3 (DC Comics)
173 Titans United Bloodpact #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
182 New Mutants #31 (Marvel Comics)
Unranked: Batgirls 2022 Annual #1 (DC Comics)
Unranked: Multiversity: Teen Justice #6 (DC Comics)
Unranked: Young Justice: Targets #5 (DC Comics)
There were zero legacy character titles in the Top 10, one legacy character title in the Top 25, and two legacy character titles in the Top 50. This was better than October 2022 when there were zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50.
Dick Grayson continues to be the undisputed champion of legacy characters. It would be nice to see DC Comics examining why they have been so successful in elevating Dick Grayson’s character while completely failing to elevate any other legacy characters.
It absolutely crushes me to see Titans United Bloodpact #3 selling like crap and sitting down at the number 173 spot. I have enjoyed this title and I love all of the characters in this comic. It sucks that DC Comics cannot get more consumers interested in the Titans.
The Top Female Lead Titles
40 Poison Ivy #6 (DC Comics)
47 She-Hulk #7 (Marvel Comics)
49 She-Hulk #8 (Marvel Comics)
70 Catwoman #49 (DC Comics)
80 Punchline The Gotham Game #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
88 Wonder Woman #793 (Kal-El Returns Tie-In) (DC Comics)
110 Harley Quinn #24 (DC Comics)
113 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #26 (Marvel Comics)
114 Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
123 Strange #8 (Marvel Comics)
124 Captain Marvel #43 (Marvel Comics)
130 New Champion of Shazam #3 (Of 4) (DC Comics)
139 Batgirls #12 (DC Comics)
142 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
144 Punchline The Gotham Game #1 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #2
Unranked: Batgirls 2022 Annual #1
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot)
There are zero female lead titles in the Top 10, zero in the Top 25, and three in the Top 50. This was better than October 2022 when there were zero female lead titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50.
Thank the comic book gods for She-Hulk! Jen single-handedly carried the female lead title category in November 2022. Jen placed two titles in the Top 50. This is fantastic. Now, it is a little concerning to see She-Hulk lower in the sales charts than we have for the prior six issues. But, She-Hulk is still a sales success and I do not expect this title to drop out of the Top 50. If you still have not tried She-Hulk then you should certainly do so. This has been a fun read.
Poison Ivy continues to defy my expectations by taking the number 40 spot and being the highest-selling female lead title. I definitely do not think that Poison Ivy is the best female lead title on the market. But, obviously, many readers disagree with me as Poison Ivy continues to lead this category every month.
It should be noted that Catwoman #49 had an exceptional month as it shot up the rankings to the number 70 spot. While that is not a great sales ranking in itself, it is a fantastic sales ranking compared to where Catwoman normally sits which is well outside of the Top 100.
I know that Catwoman #49 kicked off the big Catwoman/Punchline crossover. Perhaps Punchline is popular enough to have boosted the sales numbers for Catwoman. Either way, this is a positive sign for Catwoman. It will be important for the creative team to try and retain as many new readers as possible who hoped onto Catwoman for the big crossover with Punchline.
All in all, these sales rankings should be unacceptable for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. There are some wonderful female lead characters and they should be doing better than what we see in this chart.
The Top Minority Lead Titles
48 Tiger Division #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
50 Blade Vampire Nation #1 (Marvel Comics)
92 Black Panther #11 (Marvel Comics)
106 Black Panther Unconquered #1 (Marvel Comics)
113 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #26 (Marvel Comics)
116 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
133 Black Adam #6 (DC Comics)
135 I Am Batman #15 (Dark Crisis) (DC Comics)
166 Wakanda #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
186 Captain America Symbol of Truth #7 (Marvel Comics)
191 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #5 (Marvel Comics)
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #2 (DC Comics)
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot) (DC Comics)
Unranked: Monkey Prince #8 (DC Comics)
Unranked: Blood Syndicate: Season One #6 (DC Comics)
There were zero minority lead titles in the Top 10, zero in the Top 25, and one in the Top 50. This was better than in October 2022 when there were zero in the Top 10, zero in the Top 25, and zero in the Top 50.
Tiger Division #1 carried the day for this category. Unfortunately, the low debut number probably means that Tiger Division #2 is going to drop out of the Top 50. That is too bad because Tiger Division #1 was an entertaining read.
Blade Vampire Nation #1 debuting at the number 50 spot is disastrous and depressing. Blade is an awesome character! Sadly, Marvel Comics put Mark Russell on this comic and the result was a 32-page comic with only three pages of action, and none of those action pages involved Blade. What the hell? How does any competent writer deliver a Blade comic with zero pages of Blade kicking ass? C’mon, Marvel. It is like you want these comics to fail.
Black Panther continues to sell poorly. This should never be the case. Black Panther is an excellent character. But, Marvel Comics just cannot seem to get this title on track.
Wakanda #1 had a bad debut coming in at the number 66 spot in October 2022. Still, I am surprised that Wakanda #2 crashed all the way down to the number 166 spot. I did not expect this title to drop off a cliff in that fashion.
There is not a lot of good news here. Hopefully, Marvel Comics and DC Comics can learn from their mistakes and try and do much better in this category in 2023.
Dead Titles Walking
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, titles outside of the Top 100 are usually selling under the 18,000 unit sales mark. These are the Marvel Comics and DC Comics titles that are dead titles walking.
Marvel Comics
106 Black Panther Unconquered #1
107 Avengers Forever #11
113 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #26
123 Strange #8
124 Captain Marvel #43
126 X-Terminators #3 (Of 5)
128 Strange Academy Finals #2
134 X-Men Legends #4
137 All-Out Avengers #3
149 Miracleman Silver Age #2
155 Thunderbolts #4 (Of 5)
163 Namor Conquered Shores #2 (Of 5)
166 Wakanda #2 (Of 5)
178 Defenders Beyond #5 (Of 5)
183 Guardians of The Galaxy Cosmic Rewind #1
186 Captain America Symbol of Truth #7
190 Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 (Of 4)
191 Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #5
196 Damage Control #3 (Of 5)
Unranked: Genis-Vell Captain Marvel #5
Unranked: Ultraman: The Mystery of Ultraseven #4
Marvel Comics had twenty-one dead titles walking in November 2022. That is way up from the twelve dead titles walking in October 2022. This means that 27% of the new Marvel Comics titles in November 2022 were dead titles walking. This is up from October 2022 when 14% of Marvel Comics’ titles were dead titles walking.
DC Comics
102 Dark Crisis Young Justice #6 (Of 6)
103 Nightwing 2022 Annual #1
105 DC Horror Presents Sgt Rock Vs The Army of The Dead #3 (Of 6)
110 Harley Quinn #24
114 Stargirl The Lost Children #1 (Of 6)
116 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #1 (Of 6)
130 New Champion of Shazam #3 (Of 4)
133 Black Adam #6
135 I Am Batman #15 (Dark Crisis)
138 Wildstorm 30th Ann. Special #1 (One-Shot)
139 Batgirls #12
142 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
148 Tim Drake Robin #3 (DC Comics)
154 Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
165 Batman Urban Legends #21 (DC Comics)
172 Sword of Azrael #4 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
173 Titans United Bloodpact #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
179 Batman Fortress #7 (Of 8) (DC Comics)
Unranked: The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #3
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #2
Unranked: Batgirls 2022 Annual #1
Unranked: Nubia And The Justice League Special #1 (One Shot)
Unranked: Multiversity: Teen Justice #6
Unranked: Deathstroke Inc. #15
Unranked: Young Justice: Targets #5
Unranked: DC Mech #5
Unranked: Monkey Prince #8
Unranked: Blood Syndicate: Season One #6
Unranked: DC’s Grifter Got Run Over By A Reindeer #1 (One Shot)
Unranked: Batman: The Audio Adventures #3
Unranked: Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #2
Unranked: Looney Tunes #269
DC Comics had a stunning thirty-two dead titles walking. This is up from the twenty-nine dead titles walking that DC Comics had in October 2022. Even more alarming is that a shocking fourteen titles were unranked. This means that in November 2022 49% of the new DC Comics titles were dead titles walking. This is also up from October 2022 when 43% of DC Comics’ titles were dead titles walking.
The fact that half of DC Comics’ new titles in October were in the dead titles walking category is frightening. DC Comics has dug itself into such a massive hole after years of awful editorial decisions. I am unsure if the same editorial staff can pull DC Comics out of this hole in 2023.
All right, that is it for November 2022 Will Marvel Comics continue its domination of the Top 200 in December 2022? We will find out. Until then, everyone stay safe and be good!
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