It is time to check out the June 2023 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.
ICv2 has respectfully asked that we not publish their sales rankings here on our website. So, you can check out the Top 50 for June 2023 for free or opt for a pro membership and get the Top 200 for June 2023 over on ICv2 and then come back here for a detailed analysis of the June 2023 sales rankings!
June 2023 Top 200 Single Issue Comic Rankings
The Battle for the Top 10
Marvel Comics body-slammed all other publishers by placing seven comics in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were up over the six comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 10 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the six comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 10 in June 2022.
Once again, it is the Spider-Man franchise, X-Men franchise, and Daredevil franchise all combining to drive Marvel Comics’ Top 10 success. Daredevil #12 dropped from the number 9 spot to the number 10 spot. I may not be digging this version of Daredevil, but obviously, I am in the minority. Daredevil continues to enjoy massive fan support and is a dominant Top 10 title. It is good that Marvel Comics did not need to rely on just the Spider-Man franchise to power its Top 10 success.
DC Comics placed a pathetic two comics in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were down from the four comics that DC Comics had in the Top 10 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the four comics that DC Comics had in the Top 10 in June 2022.
The only two DC Comcis in the Top 10 were Batman #136 at the number 3 spot and Wonder Woman #800 at the number 6 spot. Batman was no surprise. Bruce Wayne is always lurking around the top of the sales rankings. But, Wonder Woman?! Wow! What a delightful surprise. Slapping an epic #800 on the cover made this issue irresistible for collectors and speculators.
All snark aside, this impressive sales ranking shows that readers do love Wonder Woman. All DC Comics has to do is focus on Diana Prince and place a talented writer on the title and deliver a story that fans want to read. Wonder Woman can sell. Based on Tom King’s past and his unimpressive teaser story in Wonder Woman #800, I am unsure if King is the correct writer to get that job done. We shall see soon enough.
The larger issue is how alarming DC Comics’ performance in the Top 10 is at this point in their grand Dawn of DC initiative and they are already doing worse in the Top 10 than last month and worse than they were a year ago. This is a terrible start.
Image Comics pulled off the biggest surprise of the month by not just placing a title in the Top 10, but by snagging the number 2 spot! That is amazing! Void Rivals #1 beat Batman, a debut issue of Marvel’s big event in Ultimate Invasion, and a debut issue of Incredible Hulk. That is beyond impressive! Behold the power of the Transformers and GI Joe. I am sure Hasbro has to be delighted by this sales number.
Void Rivals #1 was the launch of Skybound’s Energon Universe which will feature the Transformers and GI Joe co-existing in the same universe. I thought that fans would be pumped up and excited that IDW finally lost these two Hasbro properties. It has been a long time since we have gotten a good Transformers or GI Joe comic. But, damn! I did not expect fans to push Void Rivals #1 all the way to the number 2 spot! It will be interesting to see if Skybound can capitalize on this excitement over a new beginning for Transformers and GI Joe. The next several months will be fascinating.
Month-over-month sales were up over the zero titles that Image Comics had in the Top 10 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up from the zero comics that Image Comics had in the Top 10 in June 2022.
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.
Marvel Comics crushed all competitors by placing seventeen comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were flat as Marvel Comics also had seventeen comics in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up over the fifteen comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 25 in June 2022.
Fantastic Four #8 dropped from the number 13 spot to the number 20 spot. However, it is amazing that Fantastic Four is still a strong Top 25 seller! It looks like Marvel Comics got it right with this latest incarnation of Marvel’s First Family. Ryan North deserves a ton of credit for making the Fantastic Four such a great-selling title every month. I do love seeing the Fantastic Four having so much success.
DC Comics placed a meager six comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were down from seven comics that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the nine comics that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in June 2022. Again, this is an awful sign for DC Comics. For them to be this far into Dawn of DC and to actually be performing worse in the Top 25 than they were a month ago and a year ago is awful.
The Flash #800 rocked up the sales rankings all the way to the number 13 spot. It looks like slapping an epic #800 on the Flash is equally irresistible for collectors and speculators as it was with Wonder Woman. No, this type of sales success will not continue next month. For DC Comics’ sake, hopefully, some of the readers who hopped on for The Flash #800 will stay over the long haul and this title will see some increased reader support.
Titans #2 dropped from the number 6 spot down to the number 15 spot. That is not actually that bad of a drop between the debut issue and the second issue of a new Titans title. Given the relative lack of success on their other titles, DC Comics desperately needs Titans to remain a consistent Top 25 seller. The next few months will tell if that is a realistic expectation or not. I think it is probably more realistic to hope for Titans to remain a Top 50 seller every month.
Nightwing #105 popped up from the number 42 spot up to the number 23 spot. Dick Grayson’s title has been on a roller coaster of late as it fluctuates between the bottom of the Top 50 and the bottom of the Top 25.
Dark Knights of Steel #11 took the number 25 spot. It looks like this limit series has a good chance of concluding in the Top 25 next month. This is a rare win for DC Comics these days.
Image Comics placed two comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were up over the one comic that Image Comics had in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the one comic that Image Comics had in the Top 25 in June 2022.
And look who snagged the number 24 spot! Battle Chasers! Hell, yeah! Joe Madureira is back, baby! It is like the 1990s all over again! I am shocked that fans flocked to Battle Chasers #10 in such large numbers! This really warmed my heart to see Madureira getting much love from the fans.
Battle Chasers #1-4 was released in 1998. Battle Chasers #5-8 was released in 1999-2001. Battle Chasers #9 was released in 2011. Yeah, it has been a long wait! But how sweet this moment is!
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.
Marvel Comics continued its decimation of the competition by placing thirty-three comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were flat as Marvel Comics also had thirty-three comics in the Top 50 in May 2023. However, year-over-year numbers were up over the twenty-eight comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Moon Knight #24 dropped from the number 17 spot out of the Top 25 and down to the number 27 spot. This is a far cry from two months ago when Moon Knight #22 was in the number 11 spot. This will be worth keeping an eye on over the next few months to see if Moon Knight is finally beginning to run out of steam or not.
Doctor Strange #4 shot back up the sales rankings from the number 73 spot up to the number 41 spot. I am sure Marvel Comics would be fine with Doctor Strange remaining a consistent Top 50 seller. That would be far better than Dr. Strange has historically performed.
DC Comics came in a distant second place with just eleven comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were down sharply from the fifteen comics that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the fifteen comics that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in June 2022.
This has to be incredibly disconcerting for DC Comics. DC Comics have bet big with the Dawn of DC initiative and to be this far down from where they were just a month ago shows how these Dawn of DC titles are not connecting with readers. It is even more distressing to see how DC Comics is performing much worse than a year ago, too. If Dawn of DC fails then I am not sure what DC Comics can do to try and salvage the wreckage that is the DCU. DC Comics continues to pay for the sins that started all the way back with the birth of the New 52.
Shazam #2 dropped like a rock from the number 16 spot down to the number 42 spot. I was worried about this happening. Despite my love for Mark Waid and Dan Mora’s incredible work on Shazam #1, I knew that this was a franchise that has always struggled to sell well. I was hoping fans would also fall in love with what Waid and Mora delivered in the debut issue and that this version of Shazam might buck the trend. Welp. That looks like that is not going to happen and that Waid and Mora’s Shazam is going to suffer the same fate as so many Shazam titles before them. This sucks.
Image Comics took third place with four comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were up over the one comic that Image Comics had in the Top 50 in May 2023. However, year-over-year numbers were flat as Image Comics also had four comics in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Gunslinger Spawn #21 cracked the Top 50 by taking the number 49 spot. This also makes Gunslinger Spawn the highest-ranked Spawn title for this month. This is a fun title so I am glad to see it in the Top 50.
IDW Publishing took fourth place with two titles. Seriously, IDW Publishing would be belly up in a polluted river without the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Month-over-month numbers were up as IDW Publishing had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the zero comics that IDW Publishing had in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vs. Street Fighter #1 debuted at the number 34 spot. That is a pretty strong number for an IDW Publishing title. I adore both of these franchises so I absolutely picked up this issue.
The other Turtles title in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Last Ronin Lost Years #4 took the number 46 spot. The undying power of the Turtles!
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.
Marvel Comics continued to stomp on the other publishers by placing forty-eight comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up from the forty-six comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up from the forty-five comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Guardians of the Galaxy #3 plummeted from the number 34 spot out of the Top 50 and down to the number 57 spot. Wow. Talk about a spectacular fall! It was just a couple of months ago that Guardians of the Galaxy #1 debuted at the number 4 spot! At this rate, it looks like Guardians of the Galaxy will be out of the Top 75 by next month and possibly out of the Top 100 in a few months. Again, there is no correlation between success in the movies and success in the comic book market.
This stunning fall in the sales rankings does not surprise me at all. I have not been impressed by anything that Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have done for Marvel Comics. Evidently, many readers feel the same as me with this title.
DC Comics took second place with just nineteen comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were down from the twenty-one comics that DC Comics had in the Top 75 in May 2023. However, year-over-year numbers were up slightly from the eighteen comics that DC Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
The trend continues of DC Comics doing worse in June 2023 than they did in May 2023. This is a bad sign for all of these new Dawn of DC titles hitting the market.
Image Comics took third with six comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up slightly from the five comics that Image Comics had in the Top 75 in May 2023. However, year-over-year numbers were down from the seven comics that Image Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
IDW Publishing stayed in fourth place with its two comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up from the one comic that IDW Publishing had in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the zero comics that IDW Publishing had in June 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.
Marvel Comics cruised to an easy first-place finish by placing fifty-eight comics in the Top 100. Still, month-over-month sales were down from the sixty-one comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as Marvel Comics also had fifty-eight comics in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Danny Ketch Ghost Rider #2 dropped from the number 59 spot down to the number 81 spot. Ouch. My poor beloved 1990s Ghost Rider! It looks like Danny Ketch will be out of the Top 100 next month.
Ghost Rider #15 completely cratered falling from the number 50 spot all the way down to the number 91 spot. This is a far cry from two months ago when Ghost Rider #13 took the number 30 spot. What a dramatic and sudden fall in the sales rankings for a title that had been selling very well. I did not see this dramatic fall coming at all. It will be interesting to see if Ghost Rider can rebound or if this title has finally lost its sales mojo and continues its fall out of the Top 100.
DC Comics came in a distant second place by placing twenty-five comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were down sharply from the thirty comics that DC Comics had in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also down from the twenty-seven comics in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Peacemaker Tries Hard #2 dropped like a rock from the number 41 spot all the way out of the Top 75 and down to the number 77 spot. This was no surprise given the poor debut number Peacemaker had last month. Again, success in TV shows and movies means nothing when it comes to the comic book market.
Image Comics took third place with twelve comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were up massively from the five comics that Image Comics had in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up from the ten comics that Image Comics had in the Top 100 in June 2022.
IDW Publishing took fourth place with three titles in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were slightly up over the two comics that IDW Publishing had in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were also up over the zero comics that IDW Publishing had in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Titan Comics and Boom! Studios tied for fifth place with one comic apiece in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were flat for Boom! Studios as they also had one title in the Top 100 in May 2023. However, year-over-year numbers were down from the four titles that Boom! Studios had in the Top 100 in June 2022.
The Tom Taylor Award For The Writer With The Most Titles In The Top 50
Numerous writers had two issues in the Top 50 in June 2023.
Steve Orlando had two titles with X-Men Before the Fall Mutant First Strike #1 and Scarlet Witch Annual #1.
Dan Slott had two titles in Edge of Spider-Verse #3 and Spider-Man #9
Gerry Duggan had two titles with X-Men #23 and Invincible Iron Man #7.
Joshua Williamson had two titles in Flash #800 and Superman #5.
Chip Zdarsky had two titles in Batman #136 and Daredevil #12 with both in the Top 10.
All right, now let’s look at the writers who had three issues in the Top 50.
Zeb Wells had three titles with Amazing Spider-Man #26, Amazing Spider-Man #27, and Amazing Spider-Man #28 in the Top 50. That is impressive, but not as impressive as the other writers since Wells did it with the same title.
Al Ewing had three issues from two different franchises in Venom #20, Venom #21, and X- Men Red #12 in the Top 50. That is impressive, but several writers did even better.
Several writers had three issues from three different franchises in the Top 50.
Mark Waid had three issues with Flash #800, Batman Superman World’s Finest #16, and Shazam #2 in the Top 50.
Jed MacKay had three titles in Avengers #2, Moon Knight #24, and Doctor Strange #4 in the Top 50.
As incredible as Waid and MacKay were in June 2023, there was one writer who did even better! Tom Taylor had four titles in Titans #2, Nightwing #105, Dark Knights of Steel #11, and Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #4.
Therefore, the winner of the Tom Taylor Award for June 2023 is…Tom Taylor! Again! This is the fourth month in a row! This dude is never going to let any other writer ever win this award!
Battle of the Franchises
The Spider-Man franchise took first place with two titles in the Top 10, six titles in the Top 25, and eleven titles in the Top 50. Eleven comics in the Top 50!! Good lord! The Spider-Man franchise completely Godzilla stomped every other franchise. It just is not even competitive at this moment.
The X-Men franchise came in a very distant second place with one title in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50.
The Avengers franchise took third place with two titles in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50. It should be pointed out that The Avengers franchise actually beat the X-Men franchise in the Top 10 and in the Top 25. The distance between these two franchises is narrowing.
The Star Wars franchise took fourth place with zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50. The Star Wars franchise and the Avengers franchise did tie for the number of titles in the Top 50. But, the Avengers franchise crushed the Star Wars franchise in the Top 10 and the Top 25. This is why the Avengers franchise received the third-place finish.
The Batman franchise took fifth place with one title in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. This has to be distressing to DC Comics who has long placed all their eggs in the Batman basket. Batman fatigue is a very real thing and it is impacting every title except the flagship Batman title starring Bruce Wayne.
Marvel Comics and DC Comics Debut Issues
1-10
Ultimate Invasion #1 (Marvel Comics)
Incredible Hulk #1 (Marvel Comics)
Loki #1 (Marvel Comics)
11-25
Black Panther #1 (Marvel Comics)
Deadpool: Badder Blood #1 (Marvel Comics)
26-50
Star Wars Return of the Jedi the Empire #1 (Marvel Comics)
Spider-Man: India #1 (Marvel Comics)
X-Men Before the Fall Mutant First Strike #1 (Marvel Comics)
Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 #1 (Marvel Comics)
X-Men Before The Fall Heralds of Apocalypse #1 (Marvel Comics)
51-75
Captain America Cold War Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
Carnage Reigns Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
Steelworks #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
76-100
Joker Uncovered #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
Marvels Voices Pride #1 (2023) (Marvel Comics)
101-200
DC Pride 2023 #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
Static Team-Up Anansi #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
New Talent Showcase The Milestone Initiative #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
DC Pride Through the Years #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
As usual, we will address most of these issues in their franchise sections below.
Big Events
Ultimate Invasion #1 (Marvel Comics)
X-Men Before the Fall Mutant First Strike #1 (Marvel Comics)
X-Men Before The Fall Heralds of Apocalypse #1 (Marvel Comics)
63 Captain America Cold War Omega #1 (Marvel Comics)
Ultimate Invasion #1 had a nice debut taking the number 4 spot. However, normally, the debut of a big event title snags the number 1 spot in the sales rankings. In this case, Marvel Comics’ newest big event by a huge name writer in Jonathan Hickman lost out to Amazing Spider-Man #27, Void Rivals #1, and Batman #136. The fact that an Image Comics title beat out a big event debut from Hickman has to be a bit disappointing to Marvel Comics. Also, losing out to a regular issue of Batman is also a bit discouraging.
However, the number 4 spot debut for Ultimate Invasion #1 clearly indicates strong reader interest and this big event has an excellent chance of remaining in the Top 10 and certainly concluding its four-issue run within the Top 25.
The Before the Fall X-Men issues turned in very ordinary performances. 36 X-Men Before the Fall Mutant First Strike #1 failed to make the Top 25 and came in at the number 36 spot. This is rather average.
X-Men Before The Fall Heralds of Apocalypse #1 did even worse by failing to make the Top 50 by coming in at the number 51 spot. However, it is fair to point out that X-Men Before The Fall Heralds of Apocalypse #1 did ship in the final week of June 2023.
Captain America Cold War Omega #1 also failed to make the Top 50 and came in at the number 63 spot. This is a disappointing number. Marvel Comics continues to have a tough time selling the dual-Captain America universe to readers.
Star Wars Franchise
14 Star Wars #35
28 Star Wars Return of the Jedi the Empire #1
38 Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 #1
39 Star Wars: Darth Vader #35
45 Star Wars: Yoda #8
68 Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #3
73 Star Wars Bounty Hunters #35
99 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #33
139 Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #2 (Resolicitation)
146 Star Wars Sana Starros #5
147 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #32 (Resolicitation)
164 Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #1 (Resolicitation)
178 Star Wars #34 (Resolicitation)
196 Star Wars the High Republic #10 (Resolicitation)
The Star Wars franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50. This was better than May 2023 when the Star Wars franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also up as the Star Wars franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Star Wars #35 popped up from the number 24 spot to the number 14 spot. This classic original trilogy tile remains the gold standard of the Star Wars comics.
Star Wars Return of the Jedi The Empire #1 had a disappointing debut failing to make the Top 25 and taking the number 28 spot. This indicates that this title is probably destined to be out of the Top 50 by the third issue.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 #1 had a terrible debut coming in at the number 38 spot. Wow, Disney really has managed to kill what was once a white-hot franchise. The last season of The Mandalorian certainly turned away viewers and seems to have had an impact in blunting the interest of comic book readers, too. This looks to be a title that should also be outside of the Top 50 by the third issue.
Star Wars Sana Starros #5 concluded its five-issue mini-series by barely making the Top 150 by taking the number 146. This mini-series was a sales failure. Of course, that should not be a surprise to anyone as this was a title written by a YA novelist. We all can see this coming from a mile away except for the Marvel Comics editors.
With the conclusion of Star Wars Sana Starros, this means that Doctor Aphra should resume the mantle of the lowest-selling Star Wars comic. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #33 took the number 99 spot. I don’t think that Doctor Aphra will be able to pass Star Wars Bounty Hunters in order to get out of the basement of the Star Wars franchise.
Spider-Man Franchise
1 Amazing Spider-Man #27
7 Edge of Spider-Verse #3
12 Amazing Spider-Man #26 (Resolicitation)
16 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7
18 Amazing Spider-Man #28
22 Spider-Man #9
29 Extreme Venomverse #3
31 Venom #20
35 Spider-Man: India #1
43 Carnage #14
47 Venom #21
54 Red Goblin #5
56 Amazing Spider-Man #121 Facsimile Edition
60 Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #4
61 Venom: Lethal Protector II #4
65 Carnage Reigns Omega #1
83 Cult of Carnage Misery #2
101 Hallows’ Eve #4
102 Amazing Spider-Man #122 Facsimile Edition
103 Edge of Spider-Verse #2 (Resolicitation)
104 Extreme Venomverse #2 (Resolicitation)
109 Spider-Man #8 (Resolicitation)
113 Silk #2
127 Carnage #13 (Resolicitation)
131 Edge of Spider-Verse #1 (Resolicitation)
133 Spider-Man 2099 Dark Genesis #5 (Resolicitation)
153 Extreme Venomverse #1 (Resolicitation)
167 Venom: Lethal Protector II #3 (Resolicitation)
176 Silk #1 (Resolicitation)
190 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6 (Resolicitation)
195 Spider-Man 2099 Dark Genesis #4 (Resolicitation)
The Spider-Man franchise had two titles in the Top 10, six titles in the Top 25, and eleven titles in the Top 50. This was worse than May 2023 when the Spider-Man franchise had four titles in the Top 10, nine titles in the Top 25, and thirteen titles in the Top 50. However, year-over-year numbers were up substantially as the Spider-Man franchise had two titles in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Amazing Spider-Man #27 dominated the sales ranking by taking the coveted #1 spot. This title remains white hot as readers simply cannot get enough of Amazing Spider-Man these days. It is going to be interesting to see how long Amazing Spider-Man can keep up this impressive run in the sales rankings. At this point, there is nothing other than the flagship Batman title that has a chance of dethroning Amazing Spider-Man.
Amazing Spider-Man #28 shipped in the last week of June 2023 and still managed to score the number 18 spot. That is ridiculous. Usually, when a title ships two issues in a month, the second issue is far down in the sales rankings. Marvel Comics can seemingly do no wrong right now with the Spider-Man franchise.
What is phenomenal is that the resolicitation for Amazing Spider-Man #26 almost cracked the Top 10 by taking the number 12 spot. That is insane. To see a resolicitated issue score this high in the sales rankings is lunacy. Right now it is Peter Parker’s world and we are all just living in it.
Edge of Spider-Verse #3 took the number seven spot in the sales rankings. Readers love the Spider-Verse! There is little doubt about it. I can take or leave the Spider-Verse, but there is no denying that the Spider-Verse is a hot commodity and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Marvel Comics is certain to keep milking this cash cow for as long as they can.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 bobbed up from the number 19 spot to the number 16 spot. This is a great sign for the latest Miles Morales title. Historically, Marvel Comics restarts Miles’ title and it gets a temporary bump and then slides back out of the Top 75 to its natural place in the sales rankings. This has not happened with this current restart of Miles’ title. This new Miles title is holding strong at the bottom half of the Top 25. Marvel Comics may have finally found the formula to success with this latest Miles Morales title.
Spider-Man #9 dropped from the number 14 spot to the number 22 spot. Still, that is a good sales ranking for Peter Parker’s secondary title. This title should have no problem remaining in the Top 25.
Extreme Venomverse #3 bounced back up from the number 33 spot to the number 29 spot. It looks like Marvel Comics’ attempt to replicate the Spider-Verse with the Venomverse is not having the same amount of success. However, if the Extreme Venomverse title can remain in the range of the high 20s and low 30s then I am sure Marvel Comics will be satisfied.
Venom #20 dropped from the number 29 spot to the number 31 spot. This is a far cry from the number 6 spot that Venom #18 took in April 2023. Venom #21 came in at the number 47 spot. That is actually not that bad for a title that shipped two new issues in the same month. Normally, there is an ever larger gap between the first and second new issue of a month for the same title.
Venom is a title that Marvel Comics would like to see in the Top 25 each and every month. The next few months will be interesting to see if a clear pattern emerges for this title.
Venom: Lethal Protector II #4 rocketed up the sales rankings from the number 115 spot to the number 61 spot. That is due to Venom: Lethal Protector II #3 shipping in the final week of May 2023.
Spider-Man: India #1 debuted at the number 35 spot. It has to be viewed as a disappointment whenever a new Spider-Man franchise title debuts outside of the Top 25. Even Hallow’s Eve #1 scored a Top 10 debut and that title completely cratered in the sales rankings after the first issue. I would imagine that Spider-Man: India drops out of the Top 50 by the second or third issue. This title is another case of success in movies that does not translate into success in the comic book market.
Carnage #14 bounced up from the number 84 spot to the number 43 spot. The big reason for that increase is that Carnage #13 shipped in the final week of May 2023. Carnage usually is a Top 50 title barring scheduling issues.
Carnage Reigns Omega #1 took the number 65 spot. This is far below the number 27 ranking of Carnage Reigns Alpha in May 2023. However, it must be noted that Carnage Reigns Omega #1 did ship in the final week of June 2023.
Cult of Carnage Misery #2 plummeted from the number 26 spot all the way out of the Top 75 and down to the number 83 spot. I predicted last month that this title would slide out of the Top 50. In reality, Cult of Carnage Misery dropped even more than I anticipated. This is no surprise. Sabir Pirzada is not a mainstream superhero comic book writer by trade. Pirzada is another TV writer that Marvel Comics loves to shove into their comic books. It rarely leads to success in the sales charts. I know it must surprise Marvel’s editors, but writing superhero comic books is actually hard.
Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #4 bounced back up from the number 77 to the number 60 spot. This title remains the best-selling title from Emily Kim. This leads us to the next title in Silk.
Silk #2 crashed from the number 22 spot all the way out of the Top 100 and down to the number 113 spot. That is a brutal drop. Now, Silk #2 did ship in the final week of June 2023. But, that is still a horrendous drop. I feel bad for Kim because I enjoyed her Tiger Division comic but it was a total sales disaster. I was hoping Silk would be a different story. At this point, it looks like this five-issue mini-series is going to conclude outside of the Top 100.
Hallows’ Eve #4 continued its freefall in the sales rankings as it dropped from the number 86 spot to the number 101 spot. This is an astounding fall for a comic that debuted at the number 3 spot just three months ago! Clearly, Erica Shultz has not been able to retain readers with her story. This five-issue mini-series is almost a lock to conclude outside of the Top 100.
X-Men Franchise
9 X-Men #23
17 Deadpool: Badder Blood #1
19 Immortal X-Men #12
32 Wolverine #34
36 X-Men Before the Fall Mutant First Strike #1
40 X-Men Red #12
51 X-Men Before The Fall Heralds of Apocalypse #1
62 X-Force #41
75 Rogue & Gambit #4
95 X-23: Deadly Regenesis #4
98 Deadpool #8
126 New Mutants Lethal Legion #4
129 Storm #2
135 Bishop War College #5
136 Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5
138 Deadpool #7 (Resolicitation)
163 Storm #1 (Resolicitation)
173 X-Men #22 (Resolicitation)
186 The X-Cellent #4
The X-Men franchise had one title in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50. This was better in the Top 10 but flat in the Top 25 and Top 50 when the X-Men franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 50 and down in the Top 25 as the X-Men franchise had one title in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
X-Men #23 rose from the number 11 spot to the number 9 spot. This title has been incredibly consistent on a month-to-month basis and shows no signs of slowing down.
X-Men Red #12 slid down from the number 33 spot to the number 40 spot. This is also the second consecutive month of X-Men Red sliding down the sales rankings. X-Men Red #10 had the number 20 spot in the rankings. I acknowledge that this title is not trending in the right direction. But, like with Wolverine, I am not going to panic about this title just yet. Let’s see what happens over the next couple of months first.
Rob Liefeld is back! It is like the 1990s all over again! Back when American superhero comics used to actually post big sales numbers! Liefeld’s Deadpool: Badder Blood #1 debuted at the number 17 spot. That is a solid debut. I am sure Marvel Comics was hoping that this title would score a Top 15 debut ranking. But, number 17 is not embarrassing. The big question is what is powering this debut number? Is interest in Deadpool: Badder Blood fueled by speculators and collectors? Or is there actual interest in Liefeld’s work by a large percentage of current readers? We shall find out!
Deadpool #8 rose from the number 103 spot to the number 98 spot. Deadpool #8 did ship in the final week of June 2023. However, this title just seems to struggle no matter when it ships in the month. It will be interesting to chart the sales success between the two Deadpool titles going forward.
Wolverine #34 slid down from the number 25 spot to the number 32 spot. This is the second straight month that Wolverine has slid down in the sales rankings. I am not worried at all about this title. It has been a consistent Top 25 seller. It will take more than one month outside of the Top 25 to get me to worry.
X-Force #41 slid down from the number 57 spot to the number 62 spot. This is perfectly normal for X-Force. This title has consistently lurked in the high 50s and low 60s for quite some time now. This is the happy space in the sales rankings for X-Force.
Rogue & Gambit #4 continues its crash in the sales rankings as it fell from the number 51 spot down to the number 75 spot. Keep in mind that Rogue & Gambit #1 snapped a debut at the number 12 spot. This is another title experiencing a shocking fall in the rankings as Stephanie Phillips quickly chased readers off of this title. I predicted that this five-issue mini-series would finish outside of the Top 75 and that looks like a fairly likely result.
X-23: Deadly Regenesis #4 bounced up from the number 150 spot to the number 95 spot. This is because X-23: Deadly Regenesis #3 shipped in the final week of May 2023. This is another title where Erica Shultz seems to be having a tough time getting readers interested in her story. The big question is if this five-issue mini-series can conclude in the Top 100 next month. At any rate, we have yet another Marvel Comics mini-series that is a sales failure.
New Mutants Lethal Legion #4 rose from the number 166 spot to the number 126 spot. I predicted that this five-issue mini-series was going to conclude outside of the Top 150. That may still happen. We shall just have to wait and see. Either way, New Mutants Lethal Legion has been another mini-series that has been a sales bust for Marvel Comics.
Storm #2 fell like a dead duck from the number 45 spot all the way out of the Top 100 and down to the number 129 spot. Good lord! I did not see this specular of a fall coming at all! I predicted that Storm would conclude its five-issue mini-series inside the Top 100. Obviously, I was completely wrong. Last month I was stunned that Storm #1 debuted outside of the Top 25. I did not expect that. This month I am stunned at the monstrous drop out of the Top 100 for just the second issue. Clearly, I overestimated the public’s interest in this title.
Bishop War College #5 bounced up from the number 193 spot to the number 135 spot. I am glad to see Bishop trending upward for its final issue. I thought this mini-series was doomed to conclude unranked. At any rate, Bishop War College is yet another Marvel mini-series that was a total sales failure.
Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5 rose up from the number 198 spot to the number 136 spot. This is due to Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #4 shipping in the final week of May 2023. Like I said last month, even if issue #4 had shipped earlier in May 2023 there was still no way it was going to be in the Top 100. The sales ranking in June 2023 proves that point as this title struggled just to make it into the Top 150. I think we have found the spot in the sales chart where we can expect this title to hit each month
Avengers Franchise
5 Incredible Hulk #1
8 Loki #1
11 Black Panther #1
21 Avengers #2
50 Invincible Iron Man #7
53 Thor #35
63 Captain America Cold War Omega #1
71 Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #13
72 Captain Marvel #50
78 She-Hulk #14
120 Thor #34 (Resolicitation)
124 Avengers #1 (Resolicitation)
155 Captain America Symbol of Truth #14
158 Avengers: Beyond #4
200 Iron Man #1 Facsimile Edition
The Avengers franchise had two titles in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and five titles in the Top 50. This was better than May 2023 when the Avengers franchise had one title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also up as the Avengers franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Incredible Hulk #1 debuted at the number 5 spot. This was a smashing success for the Hulk’s newest title. The question is if Phillip Kennedy Johnson can keep this a white hot title like the Hulk has been in the past. There is no doubt that the Hulk has big fan support. It will be interesting to see what Johnson does on this title going forward.
Loki #1 debuted at the number 8 spot. This is another fine debut for Marvel Comics. I have no idea how Loki is going to perform in the next few months. Dan Watters is the writer for Loki and I am simply not familiar with him at all. Watters has written several titles that I do not read like Lucifer and House of Whispers. It will be interesting to see if readers get hooked by Watters’ story or not.
Black Panther #1 debuted at the number 11 spot. I am not at all surprised. Black Panther is a character that will always garner large interest from speculators and collectors. The real question is if a Sociology Professor is able to create a story that hooks a large percentage of the readers to come back for more. We shall see over the next few months!
Avengers #2 fell from the number 3 spot down to the number 21 spot. Ouch! That is definitely a bigger drop than Marvel Comics wanted to see for the Avengers. Next month is going to be a big one for this franchise. Marvel Comics really needs Avengers to not drop out of the Top 25 by just the third issue.
Invincible Iron Man #7 bounced up from the number 57 spot to the number 50. This is the second straight month that Invincible Iron Man has climbed up in the sales rankings. Go figure. This title has been a total miss for me. But, credit is due for Gerry Duggan getting this title headed in the right direction in the sales chart.
Thor #35 dropped from the number 44 spot to the number 53 spot. This is the second straight month that Thor has fallen in the rankings. However, it should be noted that Thor #35 did ship in the final week of May 2023. Regardless, it is clear that Thor has cooled off once Donny Cates left this title.
Captain America Sentinel of Liberty #13 climbed up from the number 92 spot to the number 71 spot. Steve Rogers continues to easily outsell Sam Wilson. Speaking of the Falcon…
Captain America Symbol of Truth #14 rose up from the number 158 spot to the number 155 spot. I know that Marvel Comics clearly thinks having two Captain Americas operating at the same time is genius. But, I still do not see how this direction is helping the franchise at all.
Captain Marvel #50 clocked in at the number 72 spot. Hey! Kelly Thompson barely managed to sneak into the Top 75 for the big conclusion of her run on Captain Marvel! This is the last issue of this volume of Captain Marvel as this title is slated to get re-started with a brand new #1 issue for the zillionth time for Carol Danvers.
She-Hulk #14 fell from the number 51 spot to the number 78 spot. This is the second consecutive month that She-Hulk has fallen in the sales rankings. This is also the first time that She-Hulk has failed to make the Top 75. We may be at the point where She-Hulk is beginning to cool off.
Batman Franchise
3 Batman #136
23 Nightwing #105
25 Dark Knights of Steel #11 (Of 12)
37 Batman Superman World’s Finest #16
52 Detective Comics #1073
55 Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #2 (Of 6)
66 Joker The Man Who Stopped Laughing #9
74 Batman The Brave And The Bold #2
84 Joker Uncovered #1 (One-Shot)
85 Catwoman #56
88 Detective Comics #1072 (Resolicitation)
111 Riddler Year One #5 (Of 6)
116 Harley Quinn #31
125 Batman Incorporated #9
137 Batgirls #19
144 Multiversity Harley Screws Up The DCU #4 (Of 6)
154 Batman #135 (Resolicitation)
172 Nightwing #104 (Resolicitation)
185 Tim Drake Robin #10
194 Batman The Adventures Continue Season Three #6 (Of 8)
Unranked: The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #9
The Batman franchise had one title in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. This was worse than May 2023 when the Batman franchise had two titles in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and seven titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also down by a wide margin as the Batman franchise had three titles in the Top 10, seven titles in the Top 25, and ten titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Batman #136 scored the number 2 spot. The flagship Batman title starring Bruce Wayne continues to be the gold standard of the Batman franchise and nothing comes close to it. 154 The resolicitation for Batman #135 snagged the number 154 spot. This highlights the current difference between Amazing Spider-Man and Batman as the resolicitation for Amazing Spider-Man #26 snagged the number 12 spot.
Nightwing #105 bounced back up from the number 42 spot to the number 23 spot. Tom Taylor continues to do a fine job making Nightwing an important title for DC Comics. It also appears that Nightwing has found its new status quo somewhere in the 20s to the 40s in the sales rankings.
Dark Knights of Steel #11 snuck into the Top 25 by taking the number 25 spot. It looks like Tom Taylor’s twelve-issue mini-series should finish in the Top 25 with the final issue. All in all, DC Comics has to be thrilled with the sales success of this limited series. Now that this limited series is done, DC Comics needs to make sure that Taylor’s plate remains full as he continues to be the main driver of sales for DC Comics.
Batman Superman World’s Finest #16 continues to hold firm by only dropping one spot from the number 36 spot to the number 37 spot. It appears that Batman Superman World’s Finest has found its happy place in the sales rankings. The past three issues have taken the number 35 spot, 36 spot, and 37 spot. That is incredibly consistent. I adore this title and think it is one of DC Comics’ better reads. I certainly wish it was a consistent Top 25 title. But, I am okay with this title at least being a dependable seller in the 30-39 range every month.
Detective Comics #1073 bounced up from the number 74 spot to the number 52 spot. I am sure that DC Comics would like to see Detective Comics be a Top 50 seller every month. That is still a possibility since Detective Comics #1073 did ship in the last week of June 2023.
Batman The Brave And The Bold #2 crashed from the number 21 spot down to the number 74 spot. That is an alarming drop for a Batman title. However, it should be noted that this issue did ship in the last week of June 2023. So, let’s see how this title does over the next couple of months before passing judgment.
Batman Incorporated #9 bounced up from the number 129 spot to the number 125 spot. It seems like this title has stabilized and found its natural spot in the sales rankings for now.
Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #2 dropped from the number 32 spot to the number 55 spot. That is not a huge drop, but I am sure DC Comics is disappointed with this title selling outside of the Top 50 in just the second issue.
Joker Uncovered #1 is a one-shot that took the number 84 spot. That is a rather disappointing showing for the popular Batman villain.
Riddler Year One #5 took the number 111 spot. This issue did ship in the final week of June 2023. However, it will still take some good fortune for this mini-series to conclude its six-issue story inside of the Top 100.
Catwoman #56 bounced up from the number 116 spot to the number 85 spot. This is not unusual to see for Catwoman as this title often will fluctuate into the bottom of the Top 100 and then back out of the Top 100 the next month.
Harley Quinn continues to be a mess. Harley Quinn #31 climbed up from the number 123 spot to the number 116 spot. Multiversity Harley Screws Up The DCU #4 dropped from the number 142 spot to the number 144 spot. It will be tough for this six-issue mini-series to conclude in the Top 150. DC Comics seriously needs to address Harley Quinn. There is no reason for this character to be performing this awfully every month.
Tim Drake Robin #10 came in at the number 185. And with this issue, DC Comics mercifully puts Tim Drake Robin out of its mystery. This title was a complete failure for DC Comics in every respect.
Superman Franchise
33 Superman #5
37 Batman Superman World’s Finest #16
48 Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #4 (Of 6)
59 Action Comics #1056
67 Superman Lost #4 (Of 10)
69 Steelworks #1 (Of 6)
100 Superboy The Man of Tomorrow #3 (Of 6)
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 worse than May 2023 when the Superman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were up as the Superman franchise had zero titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and one title in the Top 50 in June 2022.
This has to be an alarming trend for DC Comics as we are only a few months into the big Dawn of DC restart for the Superman franchise and the month-to-month numbers continue to trend downward. At least the Superman franchise is doing better than it was a year ago. Who knows for how long that will last?
Superman #5 dropped from the number 20 spot out of the Top 25 and down to the number 33 spot. This title has been slowly but steadily dropping in the rankings ever since Superman #1 debuted at the number 5 spot. DC Comics cannot afford for Superman to drop out of the Top 50. Right now, I am not feeling bullish on this title remaining a consistent Top 50 seller. The next few months are going to be interesting.
Action Comics #1056 dropped from the number 54 spot to the number 59 spot. Yes, Action Comics #1056 did ship in the final week of June 2023. But, we are now two months in a row with Action Comics outside of the Top 50 very early in its new Dan of DC direction. If DC Comics wants to be competitive with Marvel Comics then they need their two Superman titles to be selling in the Top 50 every month.
Superman Lost #4 bobbed up from the number 78 spot to the number 67 spot. Hey, a bit of good news for the Superman franchise! I do not expect this title to crawl back into the Top 50, but I am sure DC Comics would at least like to see it remain in the Top 75.
Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #4 held steady at the number 48 spot. This is the exact same spot that this title had in May 2023. It is not an impressive sales number, but at least it is consistent. DC Comics has a chance of seeing this six-issue mini-series conclude in the Top 50. That would be a win.
Steelworks #1 had a massively disappointing debut failing to even make the Top 50 and coming in at the number 69 spot. That is awful. Given such a terrible debut, I would imagine that Steelworks will quickly drop out of the Top 75 and possibly get close to the bottom of the Top 100 by just the second issue. Again, nobody should be surprised by this poor debut. DC Comics decided to hire an actor to write this tile rather than a writer skilled and trained at crafting mainstream superhero comic books.
Superboy The Man of Tomorrow #3 rose up from the number 104 spot to the number 100 spot. This is a terrible sales number, but at least Conner climbed up the rankings rather than the opposite. The poor performance of this mini-series is no surprise. I do not know many Conner Kent fans who are in love with this “new” direction for Conner’s character.
Justice League Franchise
6 Wonder Woman #800
13 The Flash #800
64 Green Arrow #3 (Of 6)
198 Green Arrow #2 (Of 6) (Resolicitation)
199 Green Lantern #1 (Resolicitation)
Unranked: DC/RWBY #5
The Justice League franchise had two titles in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and two titles in the Top 50. This was better than May 2023 when the Justice League franchise had one title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and two titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were up as the Justice League franchise had one title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and two titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Green Arrow #3 dropped from the number 40 spot down to the number 64 spot. This is a far cry from the number 19 spot that Green Arrow snagged in its debut. Again, we see these Dawn of DC titles just collapsing right out of the gate. Having said that, Green Arrow #3 did release in the final week of June 2023. So, there is a good chance that this title can pop back into the Top 50 next month.
Mantle Swap Titles
10 Daredevil #12 (Marvel Comics)
16 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 (Marvel Comics)
35 Spider-Man: India #1 (Marvel Comics)
48 Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #4 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
72 Captain Marvel #50 (Marvel Comics)
152 Black Adam #12 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
155 Captain America Symbol of Truth #14 (Marvel Comics)
190 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
There was one mantle swap title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10 and Top 25 but better in the Top 50 in May 2023 when there was one mantle swap title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50.
Black Adam #12 concluded this limited series at the number 152 spot. DC Comics totally missed the target with this mini-series.
Legacy Character Titles
7 Edge of Spider-Verse #3 (Marvel Comics)
13 The Flash #800 (DC Comics)
15 Titans #2 (DC Comics)
23 Nightwing #105 (DC Comics)
54 Red Goblin #5 (Marvel Comics)
60 Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #4 (Marvel Comics)
81 Danny Ketch Ghost Rider #2 (Marvel Comics)
95 X-23: Deadly Regenesis #4 (Marvel Comics)
100 Superboy The Man of Tomorrow #3 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
121 Titans #1 (Resolicitation) (DC Comics)
126 New Mutants Lethal Legion #4 (Marvel Comics)
131 Edge of Spider-Verse #1 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
137 Batgirls #19 (DC Comics)
172 Nightwing #104 (Resolicitation) (DC Comics)
177 Bloodline Daughter of Blade #5 (Marvel Comics)
185 Tim Drake Robin #10 (DC Comics)
There was one legacy character title in the Top 10, four titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10 and Top 50, but better in the Top 25 than in May 2023 when there was one legacy character title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50.
The gold standard of legacy characters continues to be Dick Grayson. No legacy character sells as well every single month. It just is not even close.
Bloodline Daughter of Blad appears to have failed to catch on with readers the same way that her father did. I predicted that this title would fall out of the Top 150 this month and then out of the Top 175 by July 2023. I was wrong as Bloodline Daughter of Blade #5 dropped out of the Top 175 this month by taking the number 177 spot. The new goal for this title is to just avoid being unranked.
Female Lead Titles
6 Wonder Woman #800 (DC Comics)
30 Poison Ivy #13 (DC Comics)
44 Scarlet Witch Annual #1 (Marvel Comics)
60 Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #4 (Marvel Comics)
72 Captain Marvel #50 (Marvel Comics)
78 She-Hulk #14 (Marvel Comics)
80 Power Girl Special #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation) (DC Comics)
83 Cult of Carnage Misery #2 (Marvel Comics)
85 Catwoman #56 (DC Comics)
95 X-23: Deadly Regenesis #4 (Marvel Comics)
99 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #33 (Marvel Comics)
101 Hallows’ Eve #4 (Marvel Comics)
113 Silk #2 (Marvel Comics)
116 Harley Quinn #31 (DC Comics)
119 Daredevil & Echo #2 (Marvel Comics)
129 Storm #2 (Marvel Comics)
136 Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5 (Marvel Comics)
137 Batgirls #19 (DC Comics)
144 Multiversity Harley Screws Up The DCU #4 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
146 Star Wars Sana Starros #5 (Marvel Comics)
147 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #32 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
150 Hellcat #4 (Marvel Comics)
163 Storm #1 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
176 Silk #1 (Resolicitation)(Marvel Comics)
177 Bloodline Daughter of Blade #5 (Marvel Comics)
188 Waller Vs Wildstorm #2 (Of 4) (DC Comics)
There was one female lead title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was better in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and worse in the Top 50 than in May 2023 when there were zero female lead titles in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and six titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 50 and worse in the Top 25 as there was one female lead title in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50 in June 2022. It is a bad sign that the year-over-year numbers are flat. While Marvel Comics has done better in this category, neither Marvel Comics nor DC Comics has discovered the winning formula for success.
Marvel placed zero female lead titles in the Top 25. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had one female lead title in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as Marvel Comics had one female lead title in the Top 25 in June 2022.
DC Comics had one female lead title in the Top 25. Month-over-month numbers were up as DC Comics had zero female lead titles in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as DC Comics also had one female lead title in the Top 25 in June 2022.
Marvel placed one female lead title in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had four female lead titles in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
DC Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were flat as DC Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as DC Comics had one female lead title in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Marvel placed three female lead titles in the Top 75. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had six female lead titles in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had four female lead titles in the Top 75 in June 2022.
DC Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 75. Month-over-month numbers were flat as DC Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as DC Comics had one female lead title in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Marvel placed seven female lead titles in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had eight female lead titles in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as Marvel Comics had five female lead titles in the Top 100 in June 2022.
DC Comics had four female lead titles in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were up as DC Comics had three female lead titles in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as DC Comics had two female lead titles in the Top 100 in June 2022.
DC Comics beat Marvel Comics 2-1 in the Top 50. Wow. How about that? Normally, Marvel Comics pounds DC Comics into the ground in the battle. However, this “win” by DC Comics is not because DC Comics suddenly did so much better in this category. It is more the case of Marvel Comics having an awful month. Marvel Comics beat DC Comics 7-4 in the Top 100. This was better than in May 2023 when Marvel Comics beat DC Comics 8-3 in the Top 100.
Daredevil & Echo #2 crashed and burned falling from the number 79 spot all the way out of the Top 100 and down to the number 119 spot. This was predictable given the weak debut number this title had in May 2023. Again, this cannot be a surprise to anyone other than a Marvel editor. This title is being written by a rapper rather than an actual comic book writer skilled at writing mainstream superhero comic books. This seems to be a lesson that Marvel Comics and DC Comics will never learn. It will be a challenge for this six-issue mini-series to conclude in the Top 150.
Minority Lead Titles
11 Black Panther #1 (Marvel Comics)
16 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 (Marvel Comics)
35 Spider-Man: India #1 (Marvel Comics)
69 Steelworks #1 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
99 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #33 (Marvel Comics)
108 Spirit World #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
113 Silk #2 (Marvel Comics)
119 Daredevil & Echo #2 (Marvel Comics)
129 Storm #2 (Marvel Comics)
133 Spider-Man 2099 Dark Genesis #5 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
135 Bishop War College #5 (Marvel Comics)
141 Static Team-Up Anansi #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
145 New Talent Showcase The Milestone Initiative #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics)
146 Star Wars Sana Starros #5 (Marvel Comics)
147 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #32 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
152 Black Adam #12 (Of 12) (DC Comics)
155 Captain America Symbol of Truth #14 (Marvel Comics)
159 Vigil #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
168 Cyborg #2 (Of 6) (DC Comics)
176 Silk #1 (Resolicitation)(Marvel Comics)
177 Bloodline Daughter of Blade #5 (Marvel Comics)
188 Waller Vs Wildstorm #2 (Of 4) (DC Comics)
190 Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
195 Spider-Man 2099 Dark Genesis #4 (Resolicitation) (Marvel Comics)
Unranked: City Boy #2 (DC Comics)
There were zero minority lead titles in the Top 10, two titles in the Top 25, and three titles in the Top 50. This was worse than in May 2023 when there were zero minority lead titles in the Top 10, three titles in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50. Year-over-year numbers were also down as there was one minority lead title in the Top 10, one title in the Top 25, and four titles in the Top 50 in June 2022. The sales are grim in this category as both the month-over-month and the year-over-year numbers were down. Marvel Comics and DC Comics have a ton of work to do to find success in this category.
The diversity in this category continues to be the same. There were thirteen titles starring Black lead characters. There were six titles starring Asian lead characters. There was just one title starring a Hispanic lead character. The largest minority group in the United States is still strangely underrepresented in Marvel and DC comic books.
Marvel placed two minority lead titles in the Top 25. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had three minority lead titles in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were up as Marvel Comics had one minority lead title in the Top 25 in June 2022.
DC Comics had zero minority lead titles in the Top 25. Month-over-month numbers were flat as DC Comics had zero minority lead titles in the Top 25 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as DC Comics also had zero minority lead titles in the Top 25 in June 2022.
Marvel placed three minority lead titles in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had four minority lead titles in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as Marvel Comics had three minority lead titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
DC Comics had zero minority lead titles in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were flat as DC Comics had zero minority lead titles in the Top 50 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were down as DC Comics also had one minority lead title in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Marvel placed three minority lead titles in the Top 75. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had six minority lead titles in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had five minority lead titles in the Top 75 in June 2022.
DC Comics had one minority lead title in the Top 75. Month-over-month numbers were up as DC Comics had zero minority lead titles in the Top 75 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as DC Comics also had one minority lead title in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Marvel placed four minority lead titles in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were down as Marvel Comics had eight minority lead titles in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were down as Marvel Comics had six minority lead titles in the Top 100 in June 2022.
DC Comics had one minority lead title in the Top 100. Month-over-month numbers were down as DC Comics had two minority lead titles in the Top 100 in May 2023. Year-over-year numbers were flat as DC Comics also had one minority lead title in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Marvel Comics annihilated DC Comics 3-1 in the Top 75 and 4-1 in the Top 100. That is closer than it was in May 2023 when Marvel Comics crushed DC Comics 6-0 in the Top 75 and 8-2 in the Top 100. Once again, DC Comics’ better showing was not due to DC Comics doing anything improved at all. In fact, DC Comics actually had fewer titles in the Top 75 and Top 100. This battle was simply closer because Marvel Comics had an atrocious month. Both publishers have lots of work to do in this category, but DC Comics still has much more work than Marvel Comics.
The two Milestone one-shots performed poorly and barely made it into the Top 150. 141 Static Team-Up Anansi #1 took the number 141 spot. New Talent Showcase The Milestone Initiative #1 took the number 145 spot.
How are the DC Comics mini-series that spun out of Lazarus Planet performing? They all look to be massive sales failures. This is not that surprising. Spirit World #2 tumbled out of the Top 100 as it fell from the number 95 spot to the number 108 spot. This trend should continue as this mini-series progresses.
Vigil #2 fell from the number 96 spot all the way down to the number 159 spot. It will be a struggle for this mini-series to conclude in the Top 175.
City Boy #2 dropped from the number 120 spot all the way out of the Top 200 and was unranked. Welp. That was fast. Toob ad. I thought this title was offering a rather unique gimmick to the main character. It looks like this mini-series is going to conclude unranked.
Cyborg #2 plummeted out of the Top 150 as it fell from the number 121 spot down to the number 168 spot. It looks like this title is doomed to be out of the Top 175 by just the third issue. This sucks. I love Cyborg. Unfortunately, DC Comics rolled the dice with an inexperienced writer in Morgan Hampton who was a comic book reviewer. This experiment looks to already be a failure. Hopefully, DC Comics will give Cyborg another chance with a stronger writer who can attract more readers to a wonderful character.
Waller Vs Wildstorm #2 bounced up from being unranked in its debut to the number 188 spot. It is a horrible sales ranking, but it is better than being unranked!
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
100-200
Hallows’ Eve #4
Groot #2
Alien #3
Silk #2
Daredevil & Echo #2
New Mutants Lethal Legion #4
Planet of the Apes #3
Storm #2
Clobberin’ Time #4
Bishop War College #5
Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5
Predator #4
Star Wars Sana Starros #5
Hellcat #4
Captain America Symbol of Truth #14
Avengers: Beyond #4
Warlock: Rebirth #3
Bloodline Daughter of Blade #5
Silver Surfer Ghost Light #5
The X-Cellent #4
Marvel Comics had 20 dead titles walking out of their 75 new titles in May 2023. This means that 27% of Marvel Comics’ new titles in June 2023 were dead titles walking.
This was down from the 30 dead titles walking that Marvel Comics had in May 2023 which comprised 34% of Marvel Comics’ new titles. However, year-over-year numbers were up as Marvel Comics only had 16 dead titles walking in June 2022.
DC Comics
100-200
Superboy The Man of Tomorrow #3 (Of 6)
Spirit World #2 (Of 6)
Riddler Year One #5 (Of 6)
Harley Quinn #31
Wildcats #8
Batman Incorporated #9
Batgirls #19
Static Team-Up Anansi #1 (One-Shot)
Multiversity Harley Screws Up The DCU #4 (Of 6)
New Talent Showcase The Milestone Initiative #1 (One-Shot)
Black Adam #12 (Of 12)
Vigil #2 (Of 6)
Sandman Universe Nightmare Country The Glass House #3 (Of 6)
Cyborg #2 (Of 6)
Tim Drake Robin #10
Waller Vs Wildstorm #2 (Of 4)
DC Pride Through the Years #1 (One-Shot)
Batman The Adventures Continue Season Three #6 (Of 8)
Unranked: City Boy #2
Unranked: DC/RWBY #5
Unranked: Fables #159
Unranked: The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #9
Unranked: Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #122
DC Comics had 23 dead titles walking out of DC Comics’ 46 new titles in June 2023. This means that 50% of the New DC Comics’ titles in June 2023 were dead titles walking.
This was up from the 20 dead titles walking that DC Comics had in May 2023 which comprised 41% of DC Comics’ new titles. Year-over-year numbers were also up as DC Comics had 17 dead titles walking in June 2022. There is simply no good news for DC Comics anywhere to be found here.
The Tini Howard Award For The Writer With The Most Dead Titles Walking
Uh, oh. It is a three-way tie for the Tini Howard Award this month! This has never happened before! Strap in for some crazy tie-breakers.
Evan Narcisse had two Dead Titles Walking in Static Team-Up Anansi #1 and Waller Vs Wildstorm #2.
Ed Brisson had two Dead Titles Walking in Predator #4 and Batman Incorporated #9.
Tini Howard had two Dead Titles Walking in Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5 and Harley Quinn #31.
The first tie-breaker is that the writer with multiple ongoing titles wins out over a writer with multiple titles that are either mini-series or one-shots. Since one of Narcisse’s titles is a one-shot he gets eliminated. That leaves Ed Brisson and Tini Howard both with two ongoing titles. The next tie-breaker is the writer with titles from both Marvel and DC Comics wins out over a writer who only has their titles with one of the two publishers. However, in his case, both Brisson and Howard have titles with both Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
This is crazy! We will not have to go to the next tie-breaker! The writer whose titles have the lowest average sales ranking wins. Batman Incorporated #9 and Predator #4 averaged the number 133 spot. Betsy Braddock Captain Britain #5 and Harley Quinn #31 averaged the number 126. Therefore, Ed Brisson dethrones Tini Howard to win the Tini Howard Award for April 2023! Howard’s undefeated streak finally comes to an end!
All right, that is it for June 2023 Will Marvel Comics continue its domination of the Top 200 in July 2023? We will find out. Until then, everyone stay safe and be good!
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