It is time to check out the December 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.
December 2022 Top 200 Single-Issue Comic Rankings
The Battle for the Top 10
- Batman Spawn #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Miles Morales Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman #130 (DC Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #15 (Marvel Comics)
- Dark Web #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #7 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
- Gargoyles #1 (Dynamite Ent.)
- Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #2 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
- Daredevil #6 (Marvel Comics)
- Thor #29 (Marvel Comics)
It was a close battle for the Top 10 for the second month in a row! Marvel Comics narrowly took first place with five titles in the Top 10. This was down from the six titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 10 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had eight titles in the Top 10 in December 2021.
Holy crap! Look at Miles Morales with an RKO out of nowhere to snag the number 2 spot in the sales rankings! This is exactly why Marvel Comics constantly cancels poor-selling titles and restarts them with a new #1 issue. It always results in a massive sales bump. Now, these poor-selling titles usually regress back down to the lower half of the sales chart once again, but at least Marvel Comics gets a temporary sales boost and some extra money. After the titles start selling poorly again Marvel Comics will cancel them again and give them a brand new #1 issue and the cycle starts all over again.
Of course, there is always the chance that Miles Morales Spider-Man actually retains readers rather than sinking back down to the lower half of the sales chart. Normally, Miles Morales lurks in the number 100-140 range in the sales rankings. It will be interesting to see if this latest restarting of Miles’ title is able to attract and retain more readers than prior efforts.
Marvel Comics continues to pull from a diverse selection of franchises to power their Top 10 success. This continues to be Marvel Comics’ big edge over DC Comics. I have to point out that Daredevil #6 came in at the number 9 spot. It is impressive that Daredevil is still a Top 10 title at this point. I did not think this would happen. There is no doubt that this current Daredevil has plenty of appeal to a large percentage of comic book readers.
DC Comics took second place with four titles in the Top 10. Naturally, three of the four DC Comics titles were from the Batman franchise. All three Batman titles starred Bruce Wayne. This was the same as the four titles that DC Comics had in the Top 10 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were up as DC Comics had only one title in the Top 10 in December 2021.
We all knew that Batman Spawn #1 was going to utterly dominate the Top 10. This is a powerhouse combination that always prints money. It is also impressive that Bruce Wayne slotted two titles in the Top 3. Bruce Wayne remains the only character capable of going head-to-head with Peter Parker on a consistent basis these days.
Dynamite Entertainment managed to sneak into the Top 10 with Gargoyles #1. What a huge win for Dynamite Entertainment. It is a rare day that you see Dynamite Entertainment in the Top 10. I am not surprised that Gargoyles #1 had such a massive debut. Gargoyles is a wonderful franchise that has a loyal following. I hope that this title continues to do well. Of course, I am sure that Marvel Comics is pissed that Mama Disney did not give this gem of a franchise to them instead of licensing it away to a competitor.
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.
- Spider-Man #3 (Marvel Comics)
- Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel Comics)
- Immortal X-Men #9 (Marvel Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #16 (Marvel Comics)
- Invincible Iron Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #3 (DC Comics)
- Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- BRZRKR #11 (Of 12) (Mature) (BOOM! Studios)
- X-Men Annual #1 (Marvel Comics)
- Poison Ivy #7 (DC Comics)
- Dark Web X-Men #1 (Of 3) (Marvel Comics)
- Ghost Rider #9 (Marvel Comics)
- Nightwing #99 (DC Comics)
- Deadpool #2 (Marvel Comics)
- Thanos Death Notes #1 (Marvel Comics)
Marvel Comics put sixteen titles in the Top 25. 12 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics placed seventeen titles in the top 25 in December 2021.
I am thrilled to see that Fantastic Four #2 came in at the number 12 spot. That is not that much of a drop from the title’s debut last month at the number 5 spot. I hope this is a sign that readers love what Ryan North is delivering on this title. North is doing an excellent job and I hope that readers continue to reward such an excellent effort on Fantastic Four.
Ghost Rider #9 scored the number 22 spot. It is awesome that we are closing in on a year of Ghost Rider remaining a constant Top 25 title. Marvel Comics has to be thrilled that a long-dormant franchise has become such a strong seller. The ability to revitalize older franchises in a manner that appeals to readers is important for Marvel Comics’ continues success. Johnny Blaze for the win.
DC Comics put seven titles in the Top 25. Six of DC Comics’ seven titles were from the Batman franchise. This is down from the eleven titles that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in November 2022. However, year-over-year numbers were up from the seven titles that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in December 2021.
Again, it is obvious that DC Comics is too reliant on the Batman franchise to power its Top 25 success. If DC Comics is to have any hope of beating Marvel Comics in the Top 25 battle then it must revitalize some of its other franchises in a manner that readers will find interesting and compelling. Otherwise, DC Comics is going to devolve into just being Batman Publishing and eternally being in second place.
Dynamite Entertainment and Boom Studios had one title a piece 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.
- X-Men Red #9 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Superman World’s Finest #10 (DC Comics)
- Avengers #63 (Marvel Comics)
- Action Comics #1050 (DC Comics)
- Star Wars Mandalorian #6 (Marvel Comics)
- Dark Crisis Big Bang #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Timeless 2022 #1 (Marvel Comics)
- X-Treme X-Men #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Predator #5 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Vs Robin #4 (Of 5) (DC Comics)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 (Of 5) (BOOM! Studios)
- Star Wars Hidden Empire #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Punisher #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Something Is Killing The Children #27 (BOOM! Studios)
- Dceased War of The Undead Gods #5 (Of 8) (DC Comics)
- Dark Crisis War Zone #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Superman Son of Kal-El #18 (Kal-El Returns) (DC Comics)
- Catwoman #50 (DC Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Marvel Comics)
- Vanish #4 (Image Comics)
- Venom #14 (Marvel Comics)
- Spawn #336 (1992) (Image Comics)
- X-Force #35 (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Beyond The White Knight #7 (Of 8) (DC Comics)
- Detective Comics #1067 (DC Comics)
Marvel Comics put twenty-seven titles in the Top 50. This is down from the thirty-one titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down from the twenty-eight titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in December 2021.
DC Comics put seventeen titles in the Top 50. Eleven of DC Comics’ seventeen titles were from the Batman franchise. This is the same as the seventeen titles that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were slightly up over the sixteen titles that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in December 2021.
Boom Studios had three titles in the Top 50. Image Comics had two titles in the Top 50. Dynamite Entertainment had one title 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.
- Wolverine #28 (Marvel Comics)
- Danger Street #1 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
- Monica Rambeau Photon #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Gold Goblin #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Moon Knight #18 (Marvel Comics)
- Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #7 (Marvel Comics)
- Gunslinger Spawn #15 (Image Comics)
- Nocterra Special Val (One-Shot) (Image Comics)
- Spider-Man Lost Hunt #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Wildcats #2 (DC Comics)
- I Hate Fairyland #2 (Image Comics)
- Marauders #9 (Marvel Comics)
- She-Hulk #9 (Marvel Comics)
- Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- New Mutants #32 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars High Republic Blade #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
- DC Vs Vampires #12 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
- Dark Web X-Men #2 (Of 3) (Marvel Comics)
- Alien #4 (Marvel Comics)
- Strange #9 (Marvel Comics)
- Wonder Woman #794 (DC Comics)
- X-Treme X-Men #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Nice House On The Lake #12 (Of 12) (Mature) (DC Comics)
- Grim #6 (BOOM! Studios)
- Gotham City Year One #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
Marvel Comics put forty-two titles in the Top 75. This is down slightly from the forty-three titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down from the forty-six titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in December 2021.
DC Comics put twenty-three titles in the Top 75. Twelve of DC Comics’ twenty-three titles were from the Batman franchise. This was down from the twenty-five titles that DC Comics had in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were up slightly from the twenty-two titles that DC Comics had in the Top 75 in December 2021.
Image Comics had five titles in the Top 75. Boom Studios had four titles in the Top 75. Dynamite Entertainment had one title in the Top 75.
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.
- Star Wars Yoda #2 (Marvel Comics)
- DC Vs Vampires All-Out War #6 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
- Avengers Forever #12 (Marvel Comics)
- Night Club #1 (Of 6) (Mature) (Image Comics)
- Do A Powerbomb #7 (Of 7) (Image Comics)
- Secret Invasion #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Harley Quinn #25 (DC Comics)
- Book of Slaughter #1 (BOOM! Studios)
- Legion of X #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars Darth Vader #29 (Marvel Comics)
- Savage Avengers #8 (Marvel Comics)
- Riddler Year One #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
- Captain Marvel #44 (Marvel Comics)
- Spawn Scorched #13 (Image Comics)
- Midnight Suns #4 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
- Black Panther #12 (Marvel Comics)
- Junkyard Joe #3 (Image Comics)
- Star Wars High Republic #3 (Marvel Comics)
- Dark Web Ms Marvel #1 (Of 2) (Marvel Comics)
- Strange Academy Finals #3 (Marvel Comics)
- Star Wars Bounty Hunters #29 (Marvel Comics)
- Harley Quinn Uncovered #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
- Little Monsters #8 (Image Comics)
- The Walking Dead Deluxe #52 (Image Comics)
Marvel Comics put fifty-six titles in the Top 100. This tied the fifty-six titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 100 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were flat as Marvel Comics had fifty-six titles in the Top 100 in December 2021. That is remarkable consistency.
DC Comics put twenty-seven titles in the Top 100. Fifteen of DC Comics’ twenty-seven titles were from the Batman franchise. This means that a whopping 55% of DC Comics’ titles in the Top 100 were from the Batman franchise.
DC Comics was down from the thirty-three titles it had in the Top 100 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the thirty-one titles that DC Comics had in the Top 100 in December 2021.
Image Comics had eleven titles in the Top 100. Boom Studios had five titles in the Top 100. Dynamite Entertainment had one title in the Top 100.
Debut Issues
1 Batman Spawn #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
2 Miles Morales Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
5 Dark Web #1 (Marvel Comics)
7 Gargoyles #1 (Dynamite Ent.)
15 Invincible Iron Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
17 Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
21 Dark Web X-Men #1 (Of 3) (Marvel Comics)
25 Thanos Death Notes #1 (Marvel Comics)
31 Dark Crisis Big Bang #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
32 Timeless 2022 #1 (Marvel Comics)
33 X-Treme X-Men #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
36 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 (Of 5) (BOOM! Studios)
41 Dark Crisis War Zone #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
52 Danger Street #1 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
53 Monica Rambeau Photon #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
66 Star Wars High Republic Blade #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
82 Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
95 Dark Web Ms Marvel #1 (Of 2) (Marvel Comics)
98 Harley Quinn Uncovered #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
116 Murderworld Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
128 Tales From Earth-6 A Celebration of Stan Lee #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
141 Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 Facsimile Edition (Marvel Comics)
151 John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
153 Origins of Marvel Comics Marvel Tales #1 (Marvel Comics)
171 Savage She-Hulk #1 Facsimile Edition (Marvel Comics)
180 Sandman Universe Dead Boy Detectives #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
Thanos Death Notes #1 debuted at the number 25 spot. Wow. Readers cannot get enough of the big purple puss. I had zero interest in this title because I am still totally burned out on Thanos’ character. However, obviously, most readers disagree with me. I did not think that a one-shot issue with several random short stories about Thanos would sell this well. I was obviously wrong. There clearly remains a strong interest in Thanos’ character.
Timeless 2022 #1 debuted at the number 32 spot. This one-shot centers on Kang the Conquerer and sets the foundation for the new direction of the 616 Universe. This debut is probably lower than what Marvel Comics was hoping to see. I would think that Marvel Comics wanted to see their new big bad for Phase Five of the MCU do better than the number 32 spot.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 had an awesome debut at the number 36 spot. This is a great number for a Boom Studios comic. I am thrilled to see that this title had such strong fan support. I adore both the Power Rangers franchise and the TMNT franchise so I am openly rooting for this title to sell well.
Danger Street #1 debuted at the number 52 spot. This is a new twelve-issue limited series from Tom King. Danger Street stars a weird collection of characters including Starman, Metamorpho, Warlord, Manhunter, Lady Copy, the Green Team, and the Creeper.
Tom King has become a divisive writer who is an acquired taste. And this is a weird collection of characters. Honestly, I think the debut at the number 52 spot is actually better than I was expecting for this title. Personally, I love this cast of characters. However, I understand that I am in the clear minority when it comes to my love for obscure DC Comics characters.
Big Events
5 Dark Web #1 (Marvel Comics)
6 Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #7 (Of 7) (DC Comics)
21 Dark Web X-Men #1 (Of 3) (Marvel Comics)
31 Dark Crisis Big Bang #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
41 Dark Crisis War Zone #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
68 Dark Web X-Men #2 (Of 3) (Marvel Comics)
Dark Web #1 had a strong debut taking the number 5 spot. I have absolutely no interest in this big event at all. But, obviously, readers disagree with me and were all over this new big event. Marvel Comics surely are happy with this debut number. What is really impressive is that Dark Web #1 beat Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. That had to put a smile on Marvel Comics’ face.
The Dark Web tie-in issues also sold quite well. I know there is a big gap between Dark Web X-Men #1 and Dark Web X-Men #2, but that always happens when a title puts out two issues in the same month. I am sure that Dark Web X-Men #2 will have good resolicitation numbers next month.
DC Comics’ big event concluded with Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #7 by taking the number 6 spot. Yes, finishing in the Top 10 is fantastic. However, DC Comics has to be embarrassed that the big dramatic conclusion to their big event got beaten by Dark Web #1.
Having said that, the Dark Crisis tie-in issue sold extremely well. There were two Dark Crisis tie-in issues and both finished well inside of the Top 50. That is wonderful for DC Comics.
Star Wars Franchise
30 Star Wars Mandalorian #6
37 Star Wars Hidden Empire #2 (Of 5)
66 Star Wars High Republic Blade #1 (Of 4)
76 Star Wars Yoda #2
86 Star Wars Darth Vader #29 (Resolicitation)
94 Star Wars High Republic #3
97 Star Wars Bounty Hunters #29
117 Star Wars Yoda #1 (Resolicitation)
143 Star Wars Han Solo & Chewbacca #8
165 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #27
168 Star Wars Revelations #1 (Resolicitation)
Star Wars had zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and two titles in the Top 50. This was much worse than in November 2022 when Star Wars had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the four Star Wars titles in the Top 50 in December 2021.
The direction of the Star Wars franchise has to be concerning for Marvel Comics. The sales rankings keep declining every month. The star of the Star Wars franchise continues to be Star Wars Mandalorian. It seems like Star Wars Mandalorian is beginning to find its natural place in the sales rankings. I think this title remains in the lower half of the Top 50 for the foreseeable future.
Star Wars Hidden Empire #2 took the number 37 spot. This is actually pretty good since Star Wars Hidden Empire debuted last month at the number 30 spot. This is a tiny drop between the first and second issues. This is definitely a good sign for this mini-series.
Star Wars High Republic Blade #1 had a disappointing debut coming in at the number 66 spot. There is a good chance this mini-series concludes well outside of the Top 100. This does not surprise me as all High Republic titles have sold poorly.
Star Wars Yoda #2 completely cratered as it fell from the number 21 spot all the way down to the number 76 spot. This does surprise me. Yoda is an insanely popular character. Evidently, the story on this title did not appeal at all to readers.
Star Wars High Republic #3 continues its free fall in the sales rankings as it went from the number 42 spot down to the number 94 spot. It looks like Star Wars High Republic is going to fall out of the Top 100 by just its fourth issue. Again, this is no surprise. The High Republic’s direction has simply not been appealing to readers.
Star Wars Doctor Aphra #27 came in at the number 165 spot. This title is always the worst-selling Star Wars title. This sales ranking is lower than usual for this tile which normally is found in the 110-140 range.
Spider-Man Franchise
2 Miles Morales Spider-Man #1
4 Amazing Spider-Man #15
5 Dark Web #1
11 Spider-Man #3
14 Amazing Spider-Man #16
17 Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 (Of 5)
44 Amazing Spider-Man #14 (Resolicitation)
46 Venom #14
103 Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 (Of 5)
106 Carnage #8
116 Murderworld Spider-Man #1
141 Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1 Facsimile Edition
156 Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 (Of 4) (Resolicitation)
166 Amazing Spider-Man #13 (Resolicitation)
198 Spider-Man #2 (Resolicitation)
The Spider-Man franchise had three titles in the Top 10, six titles in the Top 25, and eight titles in the Top 50. This was better than in November 2022 when the Spider-Man franchise had three titles in the Top 10, five titles in the Top 25, and seven titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the seven titles that the Spider-Man franchise had in the Top 50 in December 2021.
We already talked about the monster debut of Miles Morales Spider-Man #1. Let’s look at the debut of the other new Spider-Man franchise title. Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 debuted at the number 17 spot. This is a great start for this five-issue mini-series. I love both ladies so I was glad to see this title having such a good debut. Mary Jane & Black Cat should remain a solid seller for the entire mini-series.
Amazing Spider-Man continues to be an astounding seller. This title rolled out two issues in December 2022. Normally, when one title has two issues in the same month the second issue usually comes in much farther down in the sales rankings. Not so with Amazing Spider-Man. Issue #15 took the number 4 spot and issue number 6 took the number 14 spot. That is not much of a gap and is a phenomenal result. Peter Parker just can’t lose these days.
Spider-Man #3 came in at number 11. This title continues to be a really fun read as Peter Parker once again deals with the Spider-Verse and its crazy cast of characters. Dan Scott and Mark Bagley are doing a fantastic job making this tile a blast to read. Readers clearly like what we have been getting on this title.
X-Men Franchise
13 Immortal X-Men #9
19 X-Men Annual #1
21 Dark Web X-Men #1 (Of 3)
24 Deadpool #2
26 X-Men Red #9
33 X-Treme X-Men #1 (Of 5)
48 X-Force #35
51 Wolverine #28
62 Marauders #9
65 New Mutants #32
68 Dark Web X-Men #2 (Of 3)
72 X-Treme X-Men #2 (Of 5)
85 Legion of X #8
102 Sabretooth & the Exiles #2 (Of 5)
107 X-Terminators #4 (Of 5)
115 X-Men #17
133 New Mutants #33
182 X-Terminators #3 (Of 5) (Resolicitation)
The X-Men franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and seven titles in the Top 50. This was worse than the one title in the Top 10 in November 2022 but better than the one title in the Top 25 and five titles in the Top 50 that the X-Men franchise had in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down from the one title in the Top 10 but up from the two titles in the Top 25, and the same as the seven titles in the Top 50 that the X-Men franchise had in December 2021.
The X-Men franchise has definitely taken a clear second place to the Spider-Man franchise as Marvel Comics’ premier franchise. Immortal X-Men continues to retain the crown as the best-selling X-Men franchise title. I do not see this changing anytime soon.
Deadpool #2 dropped from the number 6 spot down to the number 24 spot. This title looks to be out of the Top 25 by the next issue. It will be interesting to see if Deadpool can stabilize itself and remain a consistent Top 50 going forward.
X-Treme X-Men #1 debuted at the number 22 spot. The second issue of this mini-series also came out in December 2022 and took the number 72 spot. I loved X-Treme X-Men. Chris Claremont and Salvador Larocca are a wonderful creative team. I liked the original X-Treme X-Men and enjoyed this new mini-series. I won’t lie, I am bummed to see that many readers passed on this title. Clearly, the audience for X-Treme X-Men is smaller than what I was expecting.
Wolverine #28 came in at the number 51 spot which is unusually low for this title. Normally, Wolverine clocks in around numbers 20-40. I know Marvel does not want to see Wolverine devolve into a title that does not always make the Top 50 every month. I do think Wolverine will rebound in the next month.
Marauders #9 came in at the number 62 spot. It appears that Marauders has found its place in the sales rankings as it bobs between the numbers 60-70 spot each month. This is honestly higher than I would have expected for a title that I do not think is particularly well-written. But, clearly, enough readers are out there to keep the Marauders in the Top 75 each month so far.
Sabretooth & the Exiles #2 dropped from number 74 down to number 102. This mini-series looks like it will finish up outside of the Top 100. The question is if this title can remain in the Top 150 before its conclusion.
Avengers Franchise
10 Thor #29
15 Invincible Iron Man #1
28 Avengers #63
53 Monica Rambeau Photon #1 (Of 5)
56 Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #7
63 She-Hulk #9
64 Planet Hulk Worldbreaker #2 (Of 5)
78 Avengers Forever #12
87 Savage Avengers #8
89 Captain Marvel #44
92 Black Panther #12
118 Avengers Assemble Alpha #1 (Resolicitation)
148 Captain America Symbol of Truth #8
171 Savage She-Hulk #1 Facsimile Edition
173 All-Out Avengers #4
187 Thunderbolts #5 (Of 5)
The Avengers franchise had one title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was the same as in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down as the Avengers franchise had three titles in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50 in December 2021.
Invincible Iron Man #1 debuted at the number 15 spot. That is actually a good debut number for a title that has not sold well in forever. Personally, I was not impressed with Gerry Duggan’s recycled Demon in the Bottle story. I will be interested to see how many readers were intrigued with what Duggan had to offer and how many readers jump off this title before the second issue.
Avengers #63 let up the sales charts and took the number 28 spot. This is as high as we have seen Avengers in a very long time. It appears that Jason Aaron’s final story arc is starting to pull in more readers.
I placed Monica in the Avengers Franchise section because she was the leader of the Avengers at one point. Monica Rambeau Photon #1 debuted at the number 53 spot. That is an awful debut number. I am afraid that Monica Rambeau Photon is going to quickly drop out of the Top 75 with the next issue. It is going to be a struggle for this title to stay in the Top 100 for the entire duration of this five-issue mini-series.
I have to say that this is really disappointing. Marvel Comics did exactly what I have been asking them to do. They put a real author in Al Ewing on this title rather than some random YA novelist or TV writer or university professor. Marvel Comics also undertook the tough work of reinventing an older D-list character rather than delivering a lame mantle-swap character. And what was the result? A disappointing debut number. C’mon, people. Marvel Comics should be rewarded for what they did with this new Monica Rambeau title. It is really disheartening to see readers not rewarding Marvel Comics for this.
Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #7 came in at the number 56 spot. It seems like Steve Rogers’ title has stabilized in that 50-75 range. I have yet to be impressed with a single issue of this title so I am surprised it is still selling this well. It must be a testament to the popularity of Steve Rogers’ character because the writing on this title is pedestrian at best. Or maybe it is just me and most readers really are enjoying this story. Either way, Marvel Comics still probably want this title to be a consistent Top 50 title, but they will settle for a consistent Top 75 seller.
On the other hand, Sam Wilson’s title continues to be a sales dud. Captain America Symbol of Truth #8 barely made the Top 150 by taking the number 148 spot. I know that Marvel Comics likes matching their comics with the MCU, but it is clear that most readers are not impressed with this secondary Captain America title.
She-Hulk #9 came in at the number 63 spot. This is the lowest sales ranking for this She-Hulk title and the first time an issue has finished outside of the Top 50. Hopefully, this is just an aberration and She-Hulk returns to the Top 50 next month. I like this title so I am disappointed to see it sliding out of the Top 50.
All-Out Avengers #4 took the number 173 spot. It looks like very few readers are interested in this Avengers title. It is on its way to dropping out of the Top 200 altogether before this five-issue mini-series concludes.
Thunderbolts #5 came in at the number 187 spot. With this, Thunderbolts manages to stay in the Top 200 by the final issue of this mini-series. I was not sure that was going to happen. This version of the Thunderbolts presented us with a roster consisting of Hawkeye, America Chavez, Victor Alvarez, Gutsen Glory, Persuasion, Eegro, and Monica Rambeau. Not a lot of names many fans are going to recognize. Clearly, this collection of characters appealed to a very small percentage of readers.
Batman Franchise
1 Batman Spawn #1 (One-Shot)
3 Batman #130
8 Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #2 (Of 7)
16 Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #3
20 Poison Ivy #7
23 Nightwing #99
27 Batman Superman World’s Finest #10
35 Batman vs Robin #4 (Of 5)
43 Catwoman #50
49 Batman Beyond The White Knight #7 (Of 8)
50 Detective Comics #1067
75 Gotham City Year One #3 (Of 6)
83 Harley Quinn #25
88 Riddler Year One #2 (Of 6)
98 Harley Quinn Uncovered #1 (One-Shot)
113 Batman Incorporated #3
114 Batgirls #13
127 Punchline The Gotham Game #3 (Of 6)
129 Detective Comics 2022 Annual #1 (Resolicitation)
145 Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 (Resolicitation)
146 Sword of Azrael #5 (Of 6)
152 I Am Batman #16
157 Batman #131
159 Batman Urban Legends #22
162 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #3 (Of 6)
163 Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #1 (Of 7) (Resolicitation)
175 Detective Comics #1066 (Resolicitation)
177 Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #3 (Of 6)
183 Batman #129 (Resolicitation)
188 Tim Drake Robin #4
The Batman franchise had three titles in the Top 10, six titles in the Top 25, and eleven titles in the Top 50. This made the Batman franchise the best-selling franchise in December 2022. This was better than in November 2022 when the Batman franchise had two titles in the Top 10, seven titles in the Top 25, and nine titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were down from the fourteen titles that the Batman franchise had in the Top 50 in December 2021.
Batman & The Joker The Deadly Duo #2 dropped from the number 4 spot to the number 8 spot. That is a tiny drop and incredibly impressive. What a sales beast. This is another reminder that I am in the extreme minority with my having no interest in the Joker.
Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #3 jumped up from the number 23 spot to the number 16 spot. This title has been a smash hit for DC Comics. Again, I think this title is a terrible read as Matthew Rosenberg’s story is a complete miss with me. But, once again, I am in the minority as many readers just love this title! The Joker continues to be an ATM machine for DC Comics.
Poison Ivy #7 took the number 20 spot. Incredible! This title just keeps selling well! This is another title that I think is as dull as drywall, but readers just love it. Kudos to DC Comics. I thought Poison Ivy was going to maybe be a consistent Top 75 title. I obviously underestimated Poison Ivy’s popularity as she remains a wonderful selling title each and every month.
Nightwing #99 continues to see a sales surge due to the events in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths as Nightwing #99 took the number 23 spot. This is a title that normally is in the 40-50 range that has now made the Top 25 two months in a row. I am sure DC Comics hopes these newer readers stay on this title for the long haul. Dick Grayson remains the class of all of the legacy and derivative Batman characters and it is not even close.
Catwoman #50 experiences another sales bump as it rises up to the number 43 spot. This is incredible! It was just two months ago when Catwoman #48 was down at the number 112 spot which was where we normally see this title. To go from the number 112 spot to the number 70 spot and then to the number 43 spot is very impressive! Having both Batman and Punchline appear in Catwoman has led to an increase in readership. It will be interesting to see if Catwoman can retain these newer readers once this current story arc concludes.
Harley Quinn remains in the dumps. 83 Harley Quinn #25 came in at the number 83 spot. Harley Quinn Uncovered #1 came in at the number 98 spot. Harley Quinn the Animated Series Legion of Bats #3 barely made the Top 175 by coming in at the number 162 spot.
DC Comics has a real problem on its hands with a once stellar selling character in Harley Quinn. Obviously, the current offerings are simply not appealing to many readers. It would be nice to see Harley Quinn return to form in 2023.
Batman Incorporated #3 dropped from the number 78 spot down to the number 113 spot. This title has had quite a drop in the sales rankings since it debuted at the number 57 spot.
Batgirls #13 clocked in at the number 114 spot. This is the general area where we always find this title each month.
Punchline The Gotham Game #3 dropped from the number 80 spot down to the number 127 spot. I really am surprised by this freefall in the sales rankings. I thought Punchline was more popular than this. Perhaps Punchline is popular and it is just that Tini Howard and Blake Howard’s story has been a total miss with readers.
I Am Batman #16 continues to struggle as it came in at the number 152 spot. This title appears to have no hope of ever attracting readers in any real amount. It will be interesting to see if DC Comics is just willing to continue to subsidize this title with the success of the Batman franchise titles in the Top 50.
Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #3 came in at the number 17 7spot. This title has crashed down through the sales rankings over its first three issues. This mini-series is a tie-in prequel to the video game Gotham Knights that was released on October 21, 2022. Clearly, there is no connection at all between the popularity of a video game and comic book sales.
Tim Drake Robin #4 barely made the Top 200 by coming in at the number 188 spot. This has to be embarrassing for DC Comics. I tried this title but it is just awful. DC Comics has made a real mess of a character who used to have quite a large and loyal fanbase. I am not sure what DC Comics does from here if this title ends up being out of the Top 200 and unranked by the fifth issue.
I did notice that Batman #131 snuck into the December 2022 sales rankings! This is odd since Batman #131 has a January 3, 2023 release date. But, here it is!
Superman Franchise
27 Batman Superman World’s Finest #10
29 Action Comics #1050
42 Superman Son of Kal-El #18 (Kal-El Returns)
126 Superman Kal-El Returns Special #1 (One-Shot) (Dark Crisis)
The Superman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was better than November 2022 when the Superman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, zero titles in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers are also up over the zero titles in the Top 50 that the Superman franchise had in December 2021.
Behold the power of Clark Kent! Kal-El Returns single-handedly pulled both Action Comics and Superman Son of Kal-El to sales numbers that we have not seen in a long time.
As usual, Batman Superman World’s Finest is the best-selling title starring Superman. However, in December 2022, it was actually a close call for the best-selling Superman title. This is because Action Comics rocketed up the sales charts.
Action Comics #1050 grabbed the number 29 spot. This is phenomenal. Action Comics normally stays in the numbers 100-150 range every month. However, last month Action Comics shot up to the number 75 spot and then launched even higher In December 2022.
Seeing Action Comics in the Top 30 is amazing. This is exactly what the Superman franchise needed. Sometimes all DC Comics needs to do is not be stupid and get out of its own way. Clark Kent is Superman. It is just not that complicated. Give the fans what they want and you will get rewarded. I hope that readers continue to support Action Comics going forward. I know I am excited about this new direction.
Kal-El also pulled Superman Son of Kal-El #18 up to the number 42 spot. It looks like DC Comics has a nice success story on its hands with the Kal-El Returns story. Let’s just hope that DC Comics capitalizes on this momentum.
Wonder Woman Franchise
71 Wonder Woman #794
160 Wonder Woman Historia The Amazons #3 (Of 3)
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 was the same that the Wonder Woman franchise did in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were down as the Wonder Woman franchise has one tile in the Top 50 in December 2021.
Wonder Woman is a title that normally hangs in the number 110-150 range. However, The Kal-El Returns tie-in issue propelled Wonder Woman #793 to the number 88 spot. Now, in December 2022, Wonder Woman #794 popped up even higher to the number 71 spot. This is fantastic. Now we just need to see if these new readers like what they get on the Wonder Woman title and decide to stay with the title going forward.
Kelly Sue DeConnick’s Wonder Woman Historia The Amazons finally concluded with issue #3 and slumped to the number 160 spot.
Justice League Franchise
101 The Flash #789
104 Justice Society of America #1 (Resolicitation)
124 Stargirl The Lost Children #2 (Of 6)
151 John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1 (One-Shot)
The Justice League franchise continues its state of hibernation. We are still waiting for the additional Green Lantern titles and the new Green Arrow title.
Having said that, we did get John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1 one-shot which came in at the number 151 spot. That is a depressing sales number. I honestly thought that John Stewart would have done much better than this.
Mantle Swap Titles
2 Miles Morales Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
9 Daredevil #6 (Marvel Comics)
42 Superman Son of Kal-El #18 (Kal-El Returns) (DC Comics)
70 Strange #9 (Marvel Comics)
82 Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
89 Captain Marvel #44 (Marvel Comics)
95 Dark Web Ms. Marvel #1 (Of 2) (Marvel Comics)
138 Daredevil #5 (Resolicitation)
148 Captain America Symbol of Truth #8 (Marvel Comics)
152 I Am Batman #16 (DC Comics)
167 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #3
There were two mantle swap titles in the Top 10, two in the Top 25, and three in the Top 50. This was better than the zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50.
Clearly, this category benefitted from Miles Morales getting restarted with a brand new #1 issue and the Kal-El Returns story pulling Superman Son of Kal-El up into the Top 50.
Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 had a terrible debut coming in at the number 82 spot. This is no surprise. Moon Girl is a character that always struggles in the sales rankings. It will be interesting to see if this five-issue mini-series can conclude in the Top 150.
Dark Web Ms. Marvel #1 also had a bad debut barely coming into the Top 100 by taking the number 95 spot. Again, this is no surprise as Ms. Marvel is another character that has never been able to generate much fan interest.
The rest of the titles in this category are selling as poorly as usual as all but four of these titles are outside of the Top 75. I am keeping an eye on Blue Beetle to see if this six-issue mini-series is able to conclude its story within the Top 200 or if it falls into the unranked category.
Legacy Character Titles
23 Nightwing #99 (DC Comics)
65 New Mutants #32 (Marvel Comics)
101 The Flash #789 (DC Comics)
104 Justice Society of America #1 (Resolicitation)
114 Batgirls #13 (DC Comics)
124 Stargirl The Lost Children #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
127 Punchline The Gotham Game #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
133 New Mutants #33 (Marvel Comics)
145 Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 (Resolicitation)
188 Tim Drake Robin #4 (DC Comics)
Young Justice: Targets #6
There were zero legacy character titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50. This was worse than in November 2022 when there were zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50.
This category continues to simply be all about Dick Grayson. There is not much success anywhere else at the moment. I still believe that a Titans title with a good creative team could become a strong seller for DC Comics.
The Top Female Lead Titles
17 Mary Jane & Black Cat #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
20 Poison Ivy #7 (DC Comics)
43 Catwoman #50 (DC Comics)
53 Monica Rambeau Photon #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
63 She-Hulk #9 (Marvel Comics)
70 Strange #9 (Marvel Comics)
71 Wonder Woman #794 (DC Comics)
82 Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
83 Harley Quinn #25 (DC Comics)
89 Captain Marvel #44 (Marvel Comics)
95 Dark Web Ms. Marvel #1 (Of 2) (Marvel Comics)
98 Harley Quinn Uncovered #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
105 The Variants #5 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
114 Batgirls #13 (DC Comics)
124 Stargirl The Lost Children #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
127 Punchline The Gotham Game #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
160 Wonder Woman Historia The Amazons #3 (Of 3) (DC Comics)
162 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
171 Savage She-Hulk #1 Facsimile Edition (Marvel Comics)
GCPD: The Blue Wall #3
There were zero female lead titles in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was better at the top where there were zero titles in the Top 25 in November 2022. However, it was the same overall as November 2022 also had three titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers are up as there were two female lead titles in December 2021.
This category definitely benefited from the new title from the ladies of the Spider-Man franchise. It is tough to beat a comic starring Mary Jane and Black Cat. I hope this mini-series continues to sell well through its conclusion.
This category is also getting hurt by She-Hulk’s sliding down the sales chart. Jen was single-handedly carrying this category for several months.
I know I already talked about Monica Rambeau Photon #1 debuting at the number 53 spot. But, it really warrants a special plea to readers. Readers criticize Marvel Comics for doing lazy mantle swaps all the time. Readers criticize Marvel Comics for hiring writers who are YA novelists, TV writers, journalists, or university professors who have no love or knowledge of the superhero genre. Well, Marvel Comics gave Monica her own unique identity in Photon. Marvel Comics then put a legit superhero writer on the title in Al Ewing.
When Marvel Comics does exactly what we have been asking then it is on us to reward Marvel Comics. I really hope that readers give Monica Rambeau Photon #1 a try. Supporting this title will help Marvel Comics to understand that when they make the right choices they get rewarded for their hard work and effort.
I bought Monica Rambeau Photon #1 and enjoyed it. This was definitely a new reader-friendly issue. Ewing gave the reader a well-balanced story that offered plenty of action along with quality character work. Ewing makes Monica a likable character who is easy to root for. This issue was a solid pure superhero story.
The Top Minority Lead Titles
2 Miles Morales Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
53 Monica Rambeau Photon #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
82 Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur #1 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
92 Black Panther #12 (Marvel Comics)
95 Dark Web Ms Marvel #1 (Of 2) (Marvel Comics)
148 Captain America Symbol of Truth #8 (Marvel Comics)
151 John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
152 I Am Batman #16 (DC Comics)
156 Peter Parker & Miles Morales Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 (Of 4) (Marvel Comics)
167 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
170 Wakanda #3 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
172 Tiger Division #2 (Of 5) (Marvel Comics)
179 Monkey Prince #9 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
GCPD: The Blue Wall #3
Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #6
There was one minority lead title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50. This was better at the top as there were zero minority lead titles in the Top 10 in November 2022 and the same overall as there was one title in the Top 50 in November 2022. Year-over-year numbers were flat as there was one minority lead title in the 50 in December 2021.
I was alarmed by how Tiger Division #2 fell from the number 48 spot all the way down to the number 172. I really enjoyed this title! I thought we got a neat cast of characters and some fun superhero action. I was hoping that readers would continue to support Tiger Division and make it a consistent Top 50 seller.
The rest of the franchises on this list need major help. Black Panther, Sam Wilson, and John Stewart should all be selling much better than what we see here. I would also say that Shang-Chi really needs a rebrand. Shang-Chi is a good character. But, the current version of Shang-Chi is obviously not resonating with readers at all.
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
102 Sabretooth & the Exiles #2 (Of 5)
103 Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 (Of 5)
105 The Variants #5 (Of 5)
106 Carnage #8
107 X-Terminators #4 (Of 5)
116 Murderworld Spider-Man #1 \
133 New Mutants #33
140 Doctor Strange Fall Sunrise #2 (Of 4)
142 Miracleman Silver Age #3
143 Star Wars Han Solo & Chewbacca #8
148 Captain America Symbol of Truth #8
153 Origins of Marvel Comics Marvel Tales #1
164 Strange Academy Finals #2
165 Star Wars Doctor Aphra #27
169 Namor Conquered Shores #3 (Of 5)
170 Wakanda #3 (Of 5)
172 Tiger Division #2 (Of 5)
173 All-Out Avengers #4
187 Thunderbolts #5 (Of 5)
190 Damage Control #5 (Of 5)
Unranked: Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #6
Marvel Comics had twenty-one dead titles walking. This is the same as the twenty-one titles in November 2022. This means that 27% of Marvel Comics’ new titles in December 2022 were dead titles walking. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had twenty-three dead titles walking in December 2021.
DC Comics
101 The Flash #789
113 Batman Incorporated #3
114 Batgirls #13
124 Stargirl The Lost Children #2 (Of 6)
127 Punchline The Gotham Game #3 (Of 6)
128 Tales From Earth-6 A Celebration of Stan Lee #1 (One-Shot)
137 DC Horror Presents Sgt Rock Vs The Army of The Dead #4 (Of 6)
146 Sword of Azrael #5 (Of 6)
149 Titans United Bloodpact #4 (Of 6)
151 John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1 (One-Shot)
152 I Am Batman #16
159 Batman Urban Legends #22
160 Wonder Woman Historia The Amazons #3 (Of 3)
162 Harley Quinn The Animated Series Legion of Bats #3 (Of 6)
167 Blue Beetle Graduation Day #2 (Of 6)
177 Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City #3 (Of 6)
179 Monkey Prince #9 (Of 12)
180 Sandman Universe Dead Boy Detectives #1 (Of 6)
188 Tim Drake Robin #4
Unranked: Young Justice: Targets #6
Unranked: GCPD: The Blue Wall #3
Unranked: Batman: Knightwatch #4
Unranked: Batman: The Audio Adventuers #4
Unranked: DC Mech #6
Unranked: Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #3
Unranked: Scooby-Doo: Where Are You? #199
DC Comics had twenty-six dead titles walking. This was down from the thirty-two dead titles walking that DC Comics had in November 2022. This means that 49% of the new DC Comics titles in December 2022 were dead titles walking. This is the same as in November 2022 when 49% of DC Comics’ new comics were dead titles walking. Year-over-year numbers were down from the thirty-seven dead titles walking that DC Comics had in December 2021.
All right, that is it for December 2022 Will Marvel Comics continue its domination of the Top 200 in January 2023? We will find out. Until then, everyone stay safe and be good!
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