goldenboy
03-12-2009, 03:56 PM
This is interesting. The NY Times is going to now be tracking "graphic books" in addition to regular book sales.
Introducing The New York Times Graphic Books Best Seller Lists
By George Gene Gustines
Comics have finally joined the mainstream. Anticipation for the live-action film version of “Watchmen,” the dark and violent superhero opus that saw its birth in comic books and arrives in theaters on Friday, has built to a nationwide boil. And today The Times introduces three separate lists of the best-selling graphic books in the country: hardcover, softcover, and manga. We’ll update those lists weekly in this space, and offer a few observations along the way.
Here’s the first: Notwithstanding Terry & the Pirates, Green Lantern, and a trippy ecological romance called “Beanworld,” there is going to be a lot of Alan Moore on these lists for the first couple of months. Moore is the author of the “Watchmen” series, first published in 1986 (and collected into a 12-issue edition that is No. 3 on our hardcover list). On the softcover side, he is comfortably seated at No. 1 for “Watchmen” and No. 7 for “The Courtyard,” about an F.B.I. agent investigating gruesome murders.
The complete lists appear after the jump, as does an explanation of how they were assembled. See you next week!
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Hardcover)
1. Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2 by James Robinson and Tony Harris. (DC Comics, $49.99.) Jack Knight, the son of the 1940’s Starman, meets his disco era namesake and his father’s colleague, the golden age Sandman.
2. Eerie Archives, Vol. 1 by various. (Dark Horse, $49.95.) The gruesome magazine, following in the steps of its cousin Creepy, gets the hardcover collection treatment.
3. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $39.99, $75.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. Batman: R.I.P. by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. (DC Comics, $24.99.) Thomas Wayne, the father of the caped crusader, is cast in a sinister light.
5. Walking Dead, Vol. 4 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. (Image Comics, $29.99.) The gripping story of the human survivors in a world overrun by zombies continues.
6. Beanworld, Book 1 by Larry Marder. (Dark Horse, $19.95.) The fantasy series, about a world of bean characters, gets the deluxe reprint treatment.
7. Mighty Avengers Assemble by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. (Marvel Comics, $34.99.) The first adventures of a new team of heroes gets an oversized collection.
8. Incredible Hercules: Love and War by Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry. (Marvel Comics, $19.99.) The demigod finds himself in Atlantis – just in time for a war.
9. Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. (DC Comics, $17.99.) This critically acclaimed story from 1988 offers a possible origin for the Joker.
10. Complete Terry and the Pirates: Volume 6 by Milton Caniff. (IDW Publishing, $49.99.) The final volume of the series collects strips from 1945 and 1946.
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Softcover)
1. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $19.99.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
2. Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers by Christopher Yost and Takeshi Miyazawa. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The two teams combat the shapeshifting Skrulls.
3. Secret Invasion: Black Panther by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The Skrulls attack the hero’s homeland of Wakanda and come to regret it.
4. Captain America, Vol. 3 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Bucky Barnes, former sidekick to the Captain, tries to fill his patriotic boots.
5. Tales of the Green Lantern Corps, Vol. 1 by various. (DC Comics, $19.99.) Get to know Green Lantern’s interstellar brotherhood in this collection of stories.
6. Showcase: Superman Family, Vol. 3 by various. (DC Comics, $16.99.) Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane cause a lot of mischief in this black and white collection of stories.
7. The Courtyard by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows. (Avatar Press, $7.99.) An F.B.I. agent investigates seemingly unconnected murders.
8. X-Men: Legacy – Sins of the Father by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Charles Xavier, the founder of the X-Men, looks back at his past.
9. Uncanny X-Men: End of History, Vol. 1 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The mutant heroes fight the Fury, an enemy of Captain Britain.
10. Superman: Camelot Falls, Vol. 2 by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco. (DC Comics, $12.99.) Is the man of steel doing humanity more harm than good?
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Manga)
1. Naruto, Vol. 38 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) The continuing adventures of the Naruto Uzumaki, young ninja in training.
2. Naruto, Vol. 40 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
3. Naruto, Vol. 39 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
4. Naruto, Vol. 41 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
5. MPD-Psycho, Vol. 8 by Eiji Otsuka (Dark Horse, $12.95.) A police detective suffering from multiple personality disorder tracks down a serial killer.
6. Naruto, Vol. 37 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
7. Naruto, Vol. 35 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
8. Naruto, Vol. 36 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
9. Naruto, Vol. 34 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
10. Eden, Vol. 11 by Hiroki Endo. (Dark Horse, $12.95.) Elijah lives in a not too distant future where humanity is threatened by a virus.
Rankings reflect sales of graphic novels, for the week ending February 28, at many thousands of venues where a wide range of books are sold nationwide. These include hundreds of independent book retailers (statistically weighted to represent all such outlets); national, regional and local chains; online and multimedia entertainment retailers; university, gift, supermarket, discount department stores and newsstands. In addition, these rankings also include unit sales reported by retailers nationwide that specialize in graphic novels and comic books.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/introducing-the-new-york-%20times-graphic-books-best-seller-lists/
Introducing The New York Times Graphic Books Best Seller Lists
By George Gene Gustines
Comics have finally joined the mainstream. Anticipation for the live-action film version of “Watchmen,” the dark and violent superhero opus that saw its birth in comic books and arrives in theaters on Friday, has built to a nationwide boil. And today The Times introduces three separate lists of the best-selling graphic books in the country: hardcover, softcover, and manga. We’ll update those lists weekly in this space, and offer a few observations along the way.
Here’s the first: Notwithstanding Terry & the Pirates, Green Lantern, and a trippy ecological romance called “Beanworld,” there is going to be a lot of Alan Moore on these lists for the first couple of months. Moore is the author of the “Watchmen” series, first published in 1986 (and collected into a 12-issue edition that is No. 3 on our hardcover list). On the softcover side, he is comfortably seated at No. 1 for “Watchmen” and No. 7 for “The Courtyard,” about an F.B.I. agent investigating gruesome murders.
The complete lists appear after the jump, as does an explanation of how they were assembled. See you next week!
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Hardcover)
1. Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2 by James Robinson and Tony Harris. (DC Comics, $49.99.) Jack Knight, the son of the 1940’s Starman, meets his disco era namesake and his father’s colleague, the golden age Sandman.
2. Eerie Archives, Vol. 1 by various. (Dark Horse, $49.95.) The gruesome magazine, following in the steps of its cousin Creepy, gets the hardcover collection treatment.
3. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $39.99, $75.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. Batman: R.I.P. by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. (DC Comics, $24.99.) Thomas Wayne, the father of the caped crusader, is cast in a sinister light.
5. Walking Dead, Vol. 4 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. (Image Comics, $29.99.) The gripping story of the human survivors in a world overrun by zombies continues.
6. Beanworld, Book 1 by Larry Marder. (Dark Horse, $19.95.) The fantasy series, about a world of bean characters, gets the deluxe reprint treatment.
7. Mighty Avengers Assemble by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. (Marvel Comics, $34.99.) The first adventures of a new team of heroes gets an oversized collection.
8. Incredible Hercules: Love and War by Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry. (Marvel Comics, $19.99.) The demigod finds himself in Atlantis – just in time for a war.
9. Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. (DC Comics, $17.99.) This critically acclaimed story from 1988 offers a possible origin for the Joker.
10. Complete Terry and the Pirates: Volume 6 by Milton Caniff. (IDW Publishing, $49.99.) The final volume of the series collects strips from 1945 and 1946.
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Softcover)
1. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $19.99.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
2. Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers by Christopher Yost and Takeshi Miyazawa. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The two teams combat the shapeshifting Skrulls.
3. Secret Invasion: Black Panther by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The Skrulls attack the hero’s homeland of Wakanda and come to regret it.
4. Captain America, Vol. 3 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Bucky Barnes, former sidekick to the Captain, tries to fill his patriotic boots.
5. Tales of the Green Lantern Corps, Vol. 1 by various. (DC Comics, $19.99.) Get to know Green Lantern’s interstellar brotherhood in this collection of stories.
6. Showcase: Superman Family, Vol. 3 by various. (DC Comics, $16.99.) Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane cause a lot of mischief in this black and white collection of stories.
7. The Courtyard by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows. (Avatar Press, $7.99.) An F.B.I. agent investigates seemingly unconnected murders.
8. X-Men: Legacy – Sins of the Father by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Charles Xavier, the founder of the X-Men, looks back at his past.
9. Uncanny X-Men: End of History, Vol. 1 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The mutant heroes fight the Fury, an enemy of Captain Britain.
10. Superman: Camelot Falls, Vol. 2 by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco. (DC Comics, $12.99.) Is the man of steel doing humanity more harm than good?
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Manga)
1. Naruto, Vol. 38 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) The continuing adventures of the Naruto Uzumaki, young ninja in training.
2. Naruto, Vol. 40 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
3. Naruto, Vol. 39 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
4. Naruto, Vol. 41 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
5. MPD-Psycho, Vol. 8 by Eiji Otsuka (Dark Horse, $12.95.) A police detective suffering from multiple personality disorder tracks down a serial killer.
6. Naruto, Vol. 37 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
7. Naruto, Vol. 35 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
8. Naruto, Vol. 36 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
9. Naruto, Vol. 34 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
10. Eden, Vol. 11 by Hiroki Endo. (Dark Horse, $12.95.) Elijah lives in a not too distant future where humanity is threatened by a virus.
Rankings reflect sales of graphic novels, for the week ending February 28, at many thousands of venues where a wide range of books are sold nationwide. These include hundreds of independent book retailers (statistically weighted to represent all such outlets); national, regional and local chains; online and multimedia entertainment retailers; university, gift, supermarket, discount department stores and newsstands. In addition, these rankings also include unit sales reported by retailers nationwide that specialize in graphic novels and comic books.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/introducing-the-new-york-%20times-graphic-books-best-seller-lists/