May 2026 Comic Book Sales Rankings

It is time to check out the May 2026 comic book sales rankings. Things are getting murkier in terms of actual unit numbers. So, we must settle for going to ICv2 for their Top 200 sales rankings. It is not as good as actual unit numbers, but we must work with what we get.

Keep in mind that the Top 200 sales rankings are unit and dollar sales rankings based on sales tracked at point-of-sale by the ComicHub and Comic Shop Assistant POS systems at stores selling American comics around the world. During the period for which these reports were generated, there were over 225 stores using the two systems. As this is a small, non-random sample of over 3,000 stores selling American comics worldwide, these rankings may not be typical for all stores but do represent a variety of locations and store emphases.

We all know that these ICv2 sales charts are not the most ideal manner of tracking sales. However, as long as publishers hide their sales statistics, this is the best that we have to go by. You can see that these sales charts provide a rough indication of the market, as titles that are canceled tend to correspond with low sales rankings in these ComicHub and Comic Shop Assistant charts. I wish we had better data to analyze, but we have to make do with whatever data we have these days.

The data for the May 2026 comic book sales rankings was collected based on a five-week month, from May 3 to May 30, 2025.

You can go over to ICv2 and check out the Top 50 for May 2026 for free, or opt for a pro membership (It is well worth the money) and get the Top 200 for May 2026 and then come back here for a detailed analysis of the May 2026 comic book sales rankings!

May 2026 Comic Book Sales Rankings

The Battle for the Top 10

DC Comics placed seven comics in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were up from the four comics that DC Comics had in the Top 10 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as DC Comics had four comics in the Top 10 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had one comic in the Top 10 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had four comics in the Top 10 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had two comics in the Top 10 in May 2022.

Good lord. DC Comics completely dominated the Top 10 in May 2026. This was a massive rebound from April 2026 and continues DC Comics’ excellent 2026 sales trend. DC Comics has gone from being a total embarrassment in the Top 10 back in 2024 to now bullying Marvel Comics in the elite tier of the sales chart. That is an impressive turnaround.

Five of DC Comics’ seven issues in the Top 10 came from the Absolute Universe. The other two issues came from Batman. That means Bruce Wayne and the Absolute Universe continue to do all of the heavy lifting for DC Comics in the Top 10. This is a great short-term result. However, it is still a narrow foundation. DC Comics is riding the Absolute Universe rocket ship as hard as possible. That is smart. But, eventually, DC Comics needs more non-Absolute Universe titles to join the party.

Marvel Comics placed two comics in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were down from the five comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 10 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had five comics in the Top 10 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had eight comics in the Top 10 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had six comics in the Top 10 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had seven comics in the Top 10 in May 2022.

This was another ugly Top 10 performance for Marvel Comics. April 2026 looked like Marvel Comics might have finally found some high-end momentum again. Nope. May 2026 sent Marvel Comics right back into the dirt.

The two Marvel Comics issues in the Top 10 came from Daredevil and Amazing Spider-Man. That is not a bad duo to have in the Top 10. The problem is that Marvel Comics used to flood the Top 10 with a much wider range of franchises. In May 2022, Marvel Comics had seven comics in the Top 10. In May 2024, Marvel Comics had eight comics in the Top 10. Now? Just two. That is a grotesque collapse.

Marvel Comics’ Top 10 sales power has been gutted. Peter Parker is still doing his job. Daredevil is off to a strong start. But the rest of Marvel Comics’ line is not generating elite sales heat. This is not a one-month problem. This is a trend.

Dynamite Entertainment placed one comic in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were up from zero comics that Dynamite Entertainment had in the Top 10 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 10 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 10 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 10 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 10 in May 2022.

Ben 10 #1 debuted at the number 7 spot. That is an outstanding debut for Dynamite Entertainment. Dynamite continues to do a strong job mining licensed properties and turning them into actual sales success. Getting a title into the Top 10 is a huge win for any non-Big Two publisher.

Ben 10 is ripe for a powerful nostalgia-fueled push. The Ben 10 cartoon aired from 2005 to 2008. The kids aged 6-10 back then are now 24 to 28. That is an age group that now has careers and money and is ready to spend that money on a nostalgia-powered Ben 10 comic.

Ben 10 #1 also provides us with an interesting data point. ICv2 reported that Dynamite Entertainment revealed that initial preorders for Ben 10 #1 were 82,000 units. Dynamite Entertainment then stated that reorders added 10,000 to that number, and a second printing added 20,000 more units.

The number we want to focus on is the 82,000 units. That represents the maximum number of units that Ben 10 could have sold in the May 2026 sales chart. Of course, we know the ICv2 sales chart only includes actual units sold to consumers and not the preorder numbers. So, it is possible that Ben 10 sold fewer than 82,000 units in May 2026. However, let’s assume that Ben 10 actually sold every single preorder issue in May 2026.

This is a helpful guide to the health of the comic book market in 2026. We stopped getting estimated unit sales from the Comichron in 2019. The fact that the comic book at the number 7 spot only sold 82,000 units is not great. This is weaker than what we used to see Top 10 titles selling before 2018. By comparison, the title at the number 7 spot in May 2018 sold 101,566 units.

Image Comics placed zero comics in the Top 10. Month-over-month sales were down from the one comic that Image Comics had in the Top 10 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Image Comics had one comic in the Top 10 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Image Comics had one comic in the Top 10 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat from three years ago, as Image Comics had zero comics in the Top 10 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Image Comics had one comic in the Top 10 in May 2022.

Image Comics came close with Invincible Universe Battle Beast #9 at the number 11 spot (the same ranking it took in April 2026), but close does not count. Still, there is no shame in that performance. Battle Beast continues to be a monster seller for Image Comics, even if it just missed the Top 10 this month.

The big takeaway from the Top 10 is simple: DC Comics is currently the king of the elite sales tier. Marvel Comics has lost its old stranglehold on the Top 10, and the collapse compared to 2022–2024 remains shocking. Dynamite Entertainment crashing the party with Ben 10 #1 is the fun surprise of the month.

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 80,000 to 50,000 unit range.

Marvel Comics placed eleven comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were up from the ten comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 25 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had fourteen comics in the Top 25 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had seventeen comics in the Top 25 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had sixteen comics in the Top 25 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had seventeen comics in the Top 25 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics managed to rebound slightly from April 2026 and score a tie with DC Comics in the Battle for the Top 25. However, this is still not the type of result that Marvel Comics should be bragging about. The month-over-month increase is nice, but the historical comparisons remain ugly.

Marvel Comics used to dominate the Top 25. Now, Marvel Comics is simply fighting DC Comics to a draw. That is a major change in the marketplace. The House of Ideas still has enough franchise muscle to stay competitive, but the days of Marvel Comics effortlessly flooding the Top 25 are long gone.

Four of Marvel Comics’ eleven issues in the Top 25 came from the Spider-Man franchise. Three of Marvel Comics’ eleven issues came from the Ultimate Universe. Two of Marvel Comics’ eleven issues came from the X-Men franchise. The remaining four issues came from Daredevil and Captain America.

This is still the advantage Marvel Comics has over DC Comics. Marvel Comics has more franchise diversity in the Top 25. The problem is that the numbers are still down compared to every prior May in our comparison range. Marvel Comics is winning in diversity but losing badly in historical strength.

DC Comics placed eleven comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were down from the twelve comics that DC Comics had in the Top 25 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as DC Comics had ten comics in the Top 25 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had six comics in the Top 25 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had seven comics in the Top 25 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had six comics in the Top 25 in May 2022.

DC Comics slipped slightly compared to April 2026, but this was still another strong Top 25 performance. The year-over-year and multi-year comparisons are all positive. That is the big story for DC Comics. The publisher has clearly built a much stronger Top 25 presence than it had in 2024, 2023, and 2022.

Seven of DC Comics’ eleven issues in the Top 25 came from the Absolute Universe. Three of DC Comics’ eleven issues came from the Batman franchise. One came from DC X Sonic the Hedgehog Metal Legion #1.

The Absolute Universe and Bruce Wayne continue to be the entire engine for DC Comics in the Top 25, as they accounted for nine of DC Comics’ eleven issues in the Top 25. This is both impressive and concerning. On the impressive side, the Absolute Universe is a sales monster. Seven comics in the Top 25 is ridiculous. That is a franchise firing on all cylinders.

On the concerning side, DC Comics remains dangerously dependent on the Absolute Universe. Without the Absolute Universe, DC Comics would have just four comics in the Top 25. That is not terrible, but it is a much different story. DC Comics has found a winning formula. Now it needs to prove that this winning formula can expand beyond a single alternate-universe line and beyond Bruce Wayne.

Image Comics placed two comics in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were down from the three comics that Image Comics had in the Top 25 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Image Comics had one comic in the Top 25 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Image Comics had two comics in the Top 25 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat from three years ago, as Image Comics had two comics in the Top 25 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Image Comics had zero comics in the Top 25 in May 2022.

This was another good showing for Image Comics. Invincible Universe Battle Beast #9 took the number 11 spot, and Transformers #32 took the number 16 spot. That is a strong one-two punch.

The best news for Image Comics is that this is not just the Hasbro franchise doing all of the work. Transformers remains Image’s most reliable licensed weapon, but Invincible Universe Battle Beast continues to be a legitimate sales monster. Image Comics needs this kind of variety if it wants to avoid being overly dependent on the Hasbro franchise.

Dynamite Entertainment placed one comic in the Top 25. Month-over-month sales were up from the zero comics that Dynamite Entertainment had in the Top 25 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 25 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 25 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 25 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 25 in May 2022.

The Battle for the Top 25 ended in a dead heat between Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Marvel Comics has the broader franchise mix. DC Comics has the Absolute Universe buzzsaw. Image Comics remains a strong third-place player with Battle Beast and Transformers. Dynamite Entertainment crashing the Top 25 with Ben 10 #1 is the big wild card that gives this section some extra spice.

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 placed twenty-four comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were up from the twenty-three comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had twenty-eight comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had thirty-one comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had thirty comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had twenty-nine comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics won the Battle for the Top 50. The good news is that Marvel Comics improved slightly compared to April 2026. The bad news is that Marvel Comics remains down compared to every single May in our historical comparison range. That continues to be the real story.

Marvel Comics can still win this part of the sales chart because it has so many franchises that can generate Top 50 sales. That is the big advantage Marvel Comics has over DC Comics. Marvel Comics is not dependent on just one line or one character family. The problem is that the overall strength of those franchises is clearly not what it used to be.

Seven of Marvel Comics’ twenty-four issues in the Top 50 came from the X-Men franchise. Five of Marvel Comics’ twenty-four issues came from the Spider-Man franchise. Three of Marvel Comics’ twenty-four issues came from the Ultimate Universe. Three of Marvel Comics’ twenty-four issues came from the Avengers franchise. Three of Marvel Comics’ twenty-four issues came from the Fantastic Four franchise. The remaining four issues came from Daredevil, Moon Knight, and Punisher.

That is a healthy franchise spread. However, the raw numbers are still down. Marvel Comics had thirty-one comics in the Top 50 in May 2024. It had thirty comics in the Top 50 in May 2023. Now Marvel Comics has twenty-four. That is not a small decline. That is a major erosion of chart strength.

DC Comics placed nineteen comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were flat from the nineteen comics that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as DC Comics had nineteen comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had fourteen comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had thirteen comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had sixteen comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

DC Comics did not beat Marvel Comics in the Battle for the Top 50, but this was still a good showing. The month-over-month numbers were flat. The year-over-year numbers were flat. The multi-year comparisons were positive compared to May 2024, May 2023, and May 2022.

That matters. DC Comics is clearly in a much healthier place than it was two or three years ago. The problem is that DC Comics still does not have the franchise diversity that Marvel Comics enjoys.

Eight of DC Comics’ nineteen issues in the Top 50 came from the Absolute Universe. Five of DC Comics’ nineteen issues came from the Batman franchise. Two of DC Comics’ nineteen issues came from the Superman franchise. The remaining four came from DC X Sonic the Hedgehog, Lobo, Fury of Firestorm, Deathstroke, and Zatanna.

The Absolute Universe and the Batman franchise remain the engine. There is no way around that. But DC Comics still needs more regular DCU titles to become consistent Top 50 sellers.

Image Comics placed six comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were down from the seven comics that Image Comics had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Image Comics had two comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Image Comics had six comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Image Comics had three comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Image Comics had five comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Image Comics dipped slightly from April 2026, but this was still a strong Top 50 performance. Six comics in the Top 50 is a quality showing for Image Comics. More importantly, Image Comics continues to show real variety near the top of the chart.

Image Comics got Top 50 performances from the Hasbro franchise, Invincible, Spawn, and several original titles. This is exactly what Image Comics needs. The Hasbro franchise is still important, but it is no longer the only thing carrying Image Comics.

Dynamite Entertainment placed one comic in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were up from the zero comics that Dynamite Entertainment had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

IDW Publishing placed zero comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were down from the one comic that IDW Publishing had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as IDW Publishing had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 50 in May 2022.

This was a bad Top 50 performance for IDW Publishing. IDW Publishing really needs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to be a consistent Top 50 performer.

The Battle for the Top 50 tells the same story we have seen all year. Marvel Comics still has the best franchise depth, but the historical decline remains ugly. DC Comics is much healthier than it was in prior years, but it is still heavily dependent on the Absolute Universe and the Batman franchise. Image Comics continues to look surprisingly strong. Dynamite Entertainment gets the wild-card win with Ben 10 #1. IDW Publishing remains stuck outside the Top 50 unless TMNT catches fire.

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 placed thirty-five comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up from the thirty-four comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had thirty-nine comics in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had forty-seven comics in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had forty-four comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had forty-three comics in the Top 75 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics won the Battle for the Top 75, but this is another one of those wins that comes with a giant asterisk. Yes, Marvel Comics improved slightly over April 2026. Yes, Marvel Comics beat DC Comics in this range. But the historical comparisons remain awful.

Marvel Comics had forty-seven comics in the Top 75 in May 2024. Now Marvel Comics has thirty-five. That is a twelve-comic decline in just two years. That is not a minor cooling-off period. That is a real collapse in chart depth.

Marvel Comics still has enough franchise muscle to win this range. Spider-Man, X-Men, the Ultimate Universe, the Avengers franchise, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Punisher, Star Wars, and Godzilla all helped Marvel Comics maintain the top spot. But this is no longer the overwhelming Marvel Comics dominance that we used to see.

DC Comics placed twenty-seven comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were down from the twenty-nine comics that DC Comics had in the Top 75 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as DC Comics had twenty-seven comics in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had nineteen comics in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had nineteen comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had eighteen comics in the Top 75 in May 2022.

DC Comics dipped compared to April 2026, but this was still a strong Top 75 showing. The year-over-year number was flat, and the multi-year comparisons are all positive. That continues to be the key difference between Marvel Comics and DC Comics right now.

Marvel Comics is winning some of these battles while trending down historically. DC Comics is losing some of these battles while trending up historically. That is why DC Comics’ 2026 performance continues to feel healthier than Marvel Comics’ 2026 performance.

DC Comics’ Top 75 success was powered by the Absolute Universe, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Justice League Unlimited, Zatanna, Deathstroke, Firestorm, Lobo, and the DC/Sonic crossover. The Absolute Universe remains the main engine, but DC Comics did get a decent amount of help from the regular DCU in this range.

Image Comics placed eight comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were down from the nine comics that Image Comics had in the Top 75 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Image Comics had five comics in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Image Comics had eight comics in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Image Comics had five comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Image Comics had seven comics in the Top 75 in May 2022.

Image Comics took a slight step back from April 2026, but eight comics in the Top 75 is still a good result. Image Comics continues to be one of the more interesting publishers in the market right now because the success is not coming from just one source.

Invincible Universe Battle Beast, Transformers, She Spawn, Odin, If Destruction Be Our Lot, D’Orc, Exquisite Corpses, and G.I. JOE all made the Top 75. That is an excellent mix of licensed comics, franchise comics, and creator-owned material.

Image Comics is not a true threat to Marvel Comics or DC Comics. But Image Comics is doing far better than just hanging around the margins. This is a real Top 75 presence.

BOOM! Studios placed two comics in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up from the one comic that BOOM! Studios had in the Top 75 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as BOOM! Studios had one comic in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as BOOM! Studios had one comic in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as BOOM! Studios had zero comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat from four years ago, as BOOM! Studios had two comics in the Top 75 in May 2022.

This was a solid Top 75 showing for BOOM! Studios. Fall of the House of Slaughter #1 debuted at the number 66 spot, while Something is Killing the Children #47 took the number 71 spot.

BOOM! Studios continues to rely on the Slaughterverse for their best sales results. That is fine because Something is Killing the Children remains the publisher’s most reliable weapon. However, BOOM! Studios still needs more non-Slaughterverse hits if it wants to become a larger player in the Top 75.

IDW Publishing placed 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 April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as IDW Publishing had two comics in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat from three years ago, as IDW Publishing had two comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 75 in May 2022.

As usual, the two comic books from IDW Publishing in the Top 75 were from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise and from the Godzilla franchise.

Dynamite Entertainment placed one comic in the Top 75. Month-over-month sales were up from zero comics that Dynamite Entertainment had in the Top 75 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 75 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 75 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 75 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 75 in May 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 placed forty-three comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were up from the forty-one comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had fifty comics in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had sixty-one comics in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had fifty-eight comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had fifty-six comics in the Top 100 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics won the Battle for the Top 100, but, once again, this is a win with an ugly historical trend line attached to it. Marvel Comics improved compared to April 2026. That is good news. However, Marvel Comics is still down badly compared to every prior May in our comparison range.

Marvel Comics had sixty-one comics in the Top 100 in May 2024. Now, Marvel Comics has forty-three. That is an eighteen-comic drop in just two years. That is brutal. Marvel Comics still has enough volume and franchise depth to win the Top 100, but the publisher is nowhere near the dominant force it was just a couple of years ago.

Marvel Comics’ middle-card titles have been hollowed out. The publisher can still get titles into the Top 100, but the days of Marvel Comics overwhelming the chart through sheer depth are gone.

DC Comics placed thirty-nine comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were down from the forty-two comics that DC Comics had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as DC Comics had thirty-nine comics in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had twenty-five comics in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had twenty-eight comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had thirty comics in the Top 100 in May 2022.

DC Comics dipped compared to April 2026, but the larger picture remains strong. The year-over-year number was flat, and the multi-year comparisons remain excellent. DC Comics has made enormous gains compared to May 2024, May 2023, and May 2022.

Image Comics placed thirteen comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were down from the fourteen comics that Image Comics had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Image Comics had eight comics in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Image Comics had ten comics in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Image Comics had six comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat from four years ago, as Image Comics had thirteen comics in the Top 100 in May 2022.

Image Comics took a small step back compared to April 2026, but this was still an excellent Top 100 showing. Thirteen comics in the Top 100 is a strong number for Image Comics. More importantly, Image Comics continues to show real variety.

BOOM! Studios placed two comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were flat from the two comics that BOOM! Studios had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as BOOM! Studios had one comic in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as BOOM! Studios had two comics in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as BOOM! Studios had zero comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat from four years ago, as BOOM! Studios had two comics in the Top 100 in May 2022.

IDW Publishing placed two comics in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were up from the one comic that IDW Publishing had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as IDW Publishing had two comics in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat from three years ago, as IDW Publishing had two comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as IDW Publishing had one comic in the Top 100 in May 2022.

Dynamite Entertainment placed one comic in the Top 100. Month-over-month sales were up from the zero comics that Dynamite Entertainment had in the Top 100 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were up, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 100 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 100 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 100 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Dynamite Entertainment had zero comics in the Top 100 in May 2022.

The Joshua Williamson Award For The Writer With The Most Titles In The Top 50

There were two writers with two issues from the same title in the Top 50.

Robert Kirkman had two issues from different titles with Invincible Universe Battle Beast #9 at the number 11 spot and Transformers #32 at the number 16 spot.

Jed MacKay had two issues from different titles with X-Men #29 at the number 22 spot and Marc Spector: Moon Knight #4 at the number 31 spot.

Chip Zdarsky had two issues from different titles with Captain America #11 at the number 24 spot and Wolverine Weapons of Armageddon #4 at the number 49 spot.

One writer had three issues in the Top 50.

Joe Kelly had three issues in the Top 50 with Amazing Spider-Man #28 at the number 8 spot, Amazing Spider-Man #29 at the number 14 spot, and Amazing Spider-Man / Venom Death Spiral – Body Count #1 at the number 17 spot.

However, one writer had four issues in the Top 50.

Deniz Camp had four issues in the Top 50 with Absolute Martian Manhunter #11 at the number 6 spot, Ultimate Endgame #4 at the number 13 spot, Ultimate Impact Reborn #1 at the number 25 spot, and Ultimates #24 at the number 44 spot.

Camp is the luckiest writer in the universe. Camp has the good fortune of getting to write comics from both the Ultimate Universe and the Absolute Universe. That is ridiculous. Not many writers are lucky enough to get two white-hot and insanely popular franchises to help power their sales success.

Therefore, the winner of the Joshua Williamson Award for May 2026 is…Deniz Camp!

Big Events

Death Spiral

17 Amazing Spider-Man / Venom Death Spiral – Body Count #1 (Death Spiral)

105 Amazing Spider-Man #27 (Death Spiral) (Resolicitation)

Death Spiral had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50. This was worse than April 2026, when Death Spiral had two comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50.

Amazing Spider-Man / Venom Death Spiral – Body Count #1 took the number 17 spot. That is a solid Top 25 debut. It is not close to the monster-level heat that Amazing Spider-Man delivered in April, but it still shows that Death Spiral has enough juice to move a tie-in one-shot into the upper tier of the chart.

The Reign of the Superboys

46 Superman #38 (The Reign of the Superboys)

77 Action Comics #1098 (The Reign of the Superboys)

80 Supergirl #13 (The Reign of the Superboys)

94 Superman Unlimited #13 (The Reign of the Superboys)

176 Superman #37 (The Reign of the Superboys) (Resolicitation)

The Reign of the Superboys had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when The Reign of the Superboys had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

The Reign of the Superboys continues to be a useful Superman franchise maintenance event rather than a true sales monster. This event is helping the Superman titles. It is not turning them into elite sellers.

The Reign of the Superboys did its job in April by moving Superman, Supergirl, Action Comics, and Superman Unlimited in the right direction. But April already showed the ceiling: one Top 50 comic, zero Top 25 comics, and zero Top 10 comics. May 2026 confirms that ceiling. This is a stabilizing event, not a breakout event.

Hasbro Franchise

16 Transformers #32

54 G.I. JOE #22

86 Energon Universe Special 2026 (One-Shot)

111 Void Rivals #30

116 G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #328

Unranked: G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #14 Hama Files Edition

The Hasbro franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50. This was worse in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and worse in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Hasbro franchise had one comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were worse in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and worse in the Top 50, as the Hasbro franchise had one comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were worse from two years ago, as the Hasbro franchise had one comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Transformers #32 fell from the number 10 spot to the number 16 spot. That ended Transformers’ one-month return to the Top 10. This is still a strong ranking, but it also shows that Transformers is no longer the monster it was back in 2024. This title can still punch into the Top 10 from time to time, but its regular home is now closer to the Top 15 than the Top 5.

G.I. JOE #22 fell from the number 34 spot to the number 54 spot. That is a bad drop. G.I. JOE had been a reliable Top 50 seller for Image Comics. Falling outside of the Top 50 is a warning sign that this title may be cooling off even more than expected. Image Comics has still done better with the G.I. JOE license than IDW Publishing ever did, but the momentum is clearly sliding.

Energon Universe Special 2026 #1 debuted at the number 86 spot. That is a disappointing debut for a special tied to the broader Energon Universe. This is the kind of comic that should have had more juice if the overall Hasbro franchise were still white-hot. Instead, this special landed in the back half of the Top 100. That is not a disaster, but it is not exactly a flex, either.

Void Rivals #30 fell from the number 77 spot to the number 111 spot. Woof. This title is now back in the Dead Titles Walking category. Void Rivals has completely lost the sales heat it had earlier in its run. At this point, Void Rivals is no longer a meaningful sales driver for the Hasbro franchise. It is just a supporting player that is struggling to stay out of the danger zone.

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #328 fell from the number 109 spot to the number 116 spot. This title continues to live in the same neighborhood every month. Larry Hama’s G.I. JOE has a loyal audience, but that audience is clearly small. This is a Dead Titles Walking title that survives because of nostalgia and a dedicated niche readership, not because it has broad marketplace strength.

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #14 Hama Files Edition was unranked again. Nobody should be surprised by that. This is a reprint product aimed at a tiny slice of an already niche audience.

The Hasbro franchise is clearly no longer the powerhouse it was in 2024. Transformers is still strong. Everything else is either slipping, stuck in the Dead Titles Walking range, or failing to chart. Image Comics still has valuable licensed brands here, but the easy money phase is over. The Hasbro franchise now looks like Transformers and a whole bunch of supporting acts trying not to fall off the stage.

Spawn Franchise

27 She Spawn #1 (Of 5)

90 Spawn #375

142 Spawn: The Dark Ages #6 (Of 6)

179 Gunslinger Spawn #54

Unranked: King Spawn #55

The Spawn franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50. This was better in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Spawn franchise had zero comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were better, as the Spawn franchise had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as the Spawn franchise had one comic in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as the Spawn franchise had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as the Spawn franchise had two comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

She Spawn #1 had a strong debut at the number 27 spot. That is a good result for Image Comics and the Spawn franchise. Gail Simone gave this five-issue mini-series some name-value juice, and the result was the best Spawn franchise sales ranking of the month. I do not have much faith in Simone as a writer, so I am not willing to lock this title in as a Top 50 seller for this entire mini-series. We shall see.

Spawn #375 fell from the number 73 spot to the number 90 spot. That is not great for the core Spawn title, but it is also not a disaster. This is the same ranking that Spawn #373 took in April 2026.

Spawn: The Dark Ages #6 climbed from the number 193 spot to the number 142 spot. This six-issue mini-series concluded deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. That is not the way you want a limited series to finish. Spawn: The Dark Ages started as a niche product inside an already niche franchise ecosystem, and it ended exactly where you would expect: buried in the back half of the Top 200.

Gunslinger Spawn #54 took the number 179 spot. That is brutal. Gunslinger Spawn used to be one of the stronger Spawn Universe spin-offs. Now it is barely hanging inside the Top 200.

King Spawn #55 fell from the number 200 spot and went unranked. That is another bad sign for the Spawn franchise.

Ghost Machine Titles

83 Geiger #23

163 Hyde Street #12

Unranked: Ghost Machine The Official Guidebook #2

Unranked: Hornsby & Halo #0

Unranked: Rocketfellers #0

Unranked: Redcoat #19

Ghost Machine had zero comics in the Top 50. This was flat compared to April 2026, when Ghost Machine had zero comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as Ghost Machine had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Ghost Machine had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Geiger #23 climbed from the number 107 spot to the number 83 spot. This title is impressively consistent, but that consistency is happening outside of the Top 75. Geiger remains the most reliable Ghost Machine title in the sales rankings, but it is not a breakout hit.

Hyde Street #12 fell from the number 124 spot to the number 163 spot. This title is now deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Hyde Street had some initial interest, but it is clearly not holding enough readers to stay competitive in the Top 100.

Ghost Machine: The Official Guidebook #2 was unranked. That is not surprising. Ghost Machine is not hot enough to make a guidebook chart.

Hornsby & Halo #0 was unranked. That is a weak showing for a zero issue, but not shocking. Zero issues can be tricky sales products, and Ghost Machine has not built enough broad market heat to guarantee sales success for a #0 issue.

Rocketfellers #0 was unranked. This is another bad sign for Ghost Machine. The Rocketfellers has been unranked for forever, and even a new zero issue could not get readers to care enough to push it into the Top 200.

Redcoat #19 was unranked. That is ugly. Redcoat had more buzz when Ghost Machine launched, but it has clearly cooled off hard. A title from Geoff Johns and Bryan Hitch should not be missing the Top 200 this quickly unless the readership simply is not sticking around.

Ghost Machine is in a rough spot. Geiger is stable but not strong. Hyde Street is sliding badly. Everything else failed to chart. This line launched with plenty of hype, but the sales chart is telling a much colder story. Ghost Machine is not dead, but it is absolutely not delivering the kind of rankings you would expect from all the marketing muscle and big-name creators attached to it.

Godzilla Franchise

73 Godzilla vs. America Texas (IDW Publishing)

88 Godzilla Infinity Roar #4 (Marvel Comics)

172 Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #10 (IDW Publishing)

Unranked: Godzilla Here There Be Dragons II Sons of Giants #1 (IDW Publishing)

Unranked: Godzilla Escape the Deadzone #9 (IDW Publishing)

Godzilla had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50. This was worse compared to April 2026, when Godzilla had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Godzilla vs. America Texas debuted at the number 73 spot. That is an okay debut for an IDW Publishing Godzilla one-shot. But it is not great.

Godzilla Infinity Roar #4 dipped from the number 85 spot to the number 88 spot. I would expect this five-issue mini-series to be selling better than this. However, it looks like it at least has a chance to conclude within the Top 100 next month.

Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #10 climbed back into the Top 200 and took the number 172 spot. This title continues to underperform. The good news is that at least it did not go unranked for a second straight month. IDW keeps trying with the Kai-Sei Era, but the rankings continue to show that this is not catching fire with the broader comic shop audience.

Godzilla Here There Be Dragons II Sons of Giants #1 was unranked. That is an awful debut for a new Godzilla mini-series. A #1 issue tied to a recognizable franchise should be able to crack the Top 200. Failing to do so right out of the gate is ugly.

Godzilla Escape the Deadzone #9 was unranked. This title has been a non-factor for a while. At this point, it is clear that Escape the Deadzone has no meaningful sales traction.

The Godzilla franchise had a rough month. IDW Publishing got a decent Top 75 debut from Godzilla vs. America Texas, but everything else was weak. Marvel’s Godzilla Infinity Roar continued to slide. IDW’s Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) remained stuck near the bottom of the Top 200. The other IDW Godzilla titles failed to chart entirely.

Godzilla is a massive pop culture brand, but these comic book rankings do not reflect that. Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing are both publishing Godzilla comics, and neither publisher is turning the franchise into a consistent Top 50 player. That is a problem.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Franchise

67 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #18

166 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder #8

Unranked: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #37

Unranked: TMNT: Journeys #9

Unranked: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50. This was worse than April 2026, when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but worse in the Top 50, as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2025. The franchise’s best performer in May 2025 was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II–Re-Evolution #5 at the number 73 spot.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but worse in the Top 50 from two years ago, as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, Top 25, and Top 50 from three years ago, as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but worse in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #18 fell from the number 39 spot to the number 67 spot. That is a bad drop for the flagship TMNT title. April 2026 looked like IDW Publishing had finally gotten the main Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title back into the Top 50 when Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #17 climbed from the number 73 spot to the number 39 spot. But that rebound did not last.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder #8 fell from the number 142 spot to the number 166 spot. That is ugly. This spin-off was already deep in the Dead Titles Walking category in April 2026, and it only got worse in May. Shredder may be one of the franchise’s most recognizable characters, but that name recognition is not producing meaningful sales strength.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #37 was unranked. This title has been unranked forever. Same story, different month. This book has no meaningful Top 200 traction.

TMNT: Journeys #9 was unranked. This title has been unranked since its start. This title continues to be a complete non-factor in the sales rankings.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 was unranked for the third straight month. IDW Publishing keeps putting out TMNT satellite books, and the market keeps ignoring them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remains IDW Publishing’s most important franchise, but May 2026 was not a good month. The flagship title fell out of the Top 50. The Shredder spin-off slid even deeper into the Dead Titles Walking category. Every other TMNT title failed to make the Top 200.

This is the same old IDW problem. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a valuable license, but IDW Publishing still cannot build real depth around it. The flagship title is the only TMNT comic that matters in the rankings, and even that book is not a reliable Top 50 seller right now. That is a poor use of one of the stronger licensed properties in comics.

Star Trek Franchise

Unranked: Star Trek: Celebrations 2026

Unranked: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy–Lost Contact #2

Unranked: Star Trek: The Last Starship #7

Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50. This was flat compared to April 2026, when Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat from three years ago, as Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat from four years ago, as Star Trek had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy–Lost Contact #2 for the second consecutive month.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #7 was unranked for the seventh straight month.

Star Trek: Celebrations 2026 had a brutal debut, failing to make the Top 200 and going unranked. There was no reader interest in this Pride Month one-shot issue.

The Star Trek franchise remains a dumpster fire in the sales rankings. IDW Publishing has valuable licensed properties, but it cannot get Star Trek to generate even a pulse. The franchise is dead weight in the single-issue market.

Star Wars Franchise

59 Star Wars Shadow of Maul #3 (Marvel Comics)

65 Star Wars Rogue One – Cassian Andor #1 (Marvel Comics)

157 Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – Echoes of the Empire #2 (Marvel Comics)

Unranked: Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories–The Bad Batch: Rogue Agents #3 (Dark Horse Comics)

Unranked: Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders #2 (Dark Horse Comics)

Unranked: Star Wars Insider #237 (Titan Comics)

The Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50. This was worse compared to April 2026, when the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as the Star Wars franchise had one comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as the Star Wars franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Star Wars Shadow of Maul #3 fell from the number 37 spot to the number 59 spot. This title has officially fallen out of the Top 50 after just three issues. Star Wars Shadow of Maul #1 debuted at the number 24 spot in March 2026, and then Star Wars Shadow of Maul #2 dropped to the number 37 spot in April 2026. Now, issue #3 is down to number 59. That is not a catastrophic collapse, but it is a steady decline. Even Darth Maul cannot keep a Star Wars title safely in the Top 50 anymore.

Star Wars Rogue One – Cassian Andor #1 debuted at the number 65 spot. That is an unimpressive debut for this one-shot issue. This one-shot issue stars a character from one of the better-received Disney Star Wars projects, and it still could not crack the Top 50. This tells you how much the Star Wars brand has been weakened in the direct market.

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – Echoes of the Empire #2 plummeted from the number 72 spot to the number 157 spot. Woof. I said last month, this five-issue mini-series seemed destined for the Dead Titles Walking category with the second issue. Well, here we are. This title is already dead on arrival. Readers clearly were not interested in a comic designed to pump up interest in Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge land.

Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories–The Bad Batch: Rogue Agents #3 was unranked for the third consecutive issue.

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders #2 was unranked for the second straight issue.

I hope Dark Horse Comics is not paying any meaningful money for the Star Wars license. Because if they are, they have to be losing money on that licensing deal at this point.

The Star Wars franchise continues to be a dead franchise. Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics are both publishing Star Wars comics, and neither publisher is generating real sales heat from the license. Shadow of Maul is the best performer, and even that title is already outside the Top 50 by issue #3. That is pathetic for what was once one of the biggest pop culture franchises on the planet.

Spider-Man Franchise

8 Amazing Spider-Man #28

14 Amazing Spider-Man #29

15 Marvel / DC – Spider-Man / Superman #1 (One-Shot) (Marvel Comics) (Resolicitation)

17 Amazing Spider-Man / Venom Death Spiral – Body Count #1 (Death Spiral)

21 Spectacular Spider-Man Brand New Day #1

42 DC Marvel – Superman / Spider-Man #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

45 Black Cat #10

57 Knull #5

58 Venom #258

105 Amazing Spider-Man #27 (Death Spiral) (Resolicitation)

109 All-New Spider-Gwen The Ghost-Spider #10

119 Astonishing Miles Morales Spider-Man The Art Of Thwip #1

122 Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Versity #2

The Spider-Man franchise had one comic in the Top 10, five comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50. This was worse in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and worse in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Spider-Man franchise had five comics in the Top 10, five comics in the Top 25, and eight comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as the Spider-Man franchise had three comics in the Top 10, six comics in the Top 25, and eleven comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as the Spider-Man franchise had four comics in the Top 10, six comics in the Top 25, and eight comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as the Spider-Man franchise had four comics in the Top 10, nine comics in the Top 25, and thirteen comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down in the Top 10, up in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the Spider-Man franchise had two comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

The Spider-Man franchise cooled off hard from its monster April 2026 performance. April was the Death Spiral-fueled explosion. May is the hangover. The franchise still delivered a solid five comics in the Top 25 and seven comics in the Top 50, but the loss of Top 10 power is noticeable.

As is usual, Peter Parker had to carry the Spider-Man franchise on his broad shoulders. All five Spider-Man franchise comics in the Top 25 starred Peter Parker. Six of the seven Spider-Man franchise comics in the Top 50 starred Peter Parker. This franchise has been unable to get much sales traction outside of the main man himself.

Let’s start with el jefe himself: Peter Parker.

Amazing Spider-Man #28 dipped from the number 7 spot to the number 8 spot. That is still an excellent ranking. Peter Parker remains Marvel Comics’ most reliable sales weapon. Amazing Spider-Man #29 then dropped to the number 14 spot. Again, that is still a strong Top 25 ranking for a second issue shipped in the same month.

Spectacular Spider-Man Brand New Day #1 had a strong debut at the number 21 spot. That is a solid debut for this five-issue mini-series from Dan Slott. This mini-series has a chance to conclude in the Top 50 or Top 75.

Amazing Spider-Man / Venom Death Spiral – Body Count #1 debuted at the number 17 spot. That is a solid debut for a Death Spiral one-shot.

Let’s slide over to the Venomverse.

Venom #258 dropped from the number 27 spot to the number 58 spot. That is ugly. Death Spiral gave Venom a nice boost in April, but the title immediately fell right back out of the Top 50 in May. This is exactly the problem with Venom right now. Marvel Comics can juice the title with a crossover, but it cannot make the book a consistent Top 50 seller.

Knull #5 climbed from the number 60 spot to the number 57 spot. That is a small move, but a positive one. Knull avoided falling out of the Top 75 or worse with its final issue. This mini-series had an uneven sales run, but at least it managed to conclude just outside the Top 50.

Let’s zip over to the knock-off Spider-Men of the Spider-Man franchise.

Astonishing Miles Morales Spider-Man The Art Of Thwip #1 had a bad debut at the number 119 spot. This is a Spider-Man franchise one-shot starring Miles Morales, and it could not even crack the Top 100. This collection of the Astonishing Miles Morales: Spider-Man Infinity Comic from 2025 had little consumer interest.

Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Versity #2 fell like a dead duck from the number 46 spot to the number 122 spot. Woof. That is brutal. Spider-Versity #1 already had a soft debut for a Spider-Man franchise title, and issue #2 completely fell off the table. This title is dead on arrival.

This was no surprise for several reasons. First, Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Versity stars characters like Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Silk, Araña, Spider-Boy, and Spider-Girl. That is a misfit collection of characters who have always gotten terrible sales numbers.

On top of that, Marvel Comics hired Jordan Morris to write this mini-series. Morris is a television screenwriter, podcaster, and actor. Nothing about his resume indicates he is a good hire to write a mainstream superhero comic book. These types of hires rarely work out for Marvel Comics. That trend continues here.

Let’s wrap up with the ladies of the Spider-Man franchise.

Black Cat #10 dipped from the number 44 spot to the number 45 spot. That is basically holding steady. Black Cat continues to be one of the more pleasant surprises in the Spider-Man franchise. This title is not a sales monster, but it is showing far more stability than many other Marvel titles.

All-New Spider-Gwen The Ghost-Spider #10 climbed from the number 166 spot to the number 109 spot. This title is still in the Dead Titles Walking category. A jump from terrible to merely bad is still bad. Stephanie Phillips keeps her history of consistently delivering dead titles walking.

The Spider-Man franchise remains Marvel Comics’ biggest gun. But May 2026 also shows how much this franchise depends on Peter Parker and event juice. Amazing Spider-Man is still strong. Black Cat is stable. Everything else is much shakier. Marvel Comics still has a powerhouse in Peter Parker, but this is no longer the absurdly dominant franchise that was Godzilla-stomping the sales chart in 2023 and 2024.

X-Men Franchise

18 Uncanny X-Men #28

22 X-Men #29

39 Cyclops #4

47 Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1

48 Magik & Colossus #4

49 Wolverine Weapons of Armageddon #4

50 Wolverine #20

52 X-Men United #3

55 Wade Wilson Deadpool #4

60 X-Men #30

74 Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #4

78 Rogue #5

99 Uncanny X-Men #27 (Resolicitation)

102 Inglorious X-Force #5

110 Psylocke Ninja #5

125 Moonstar #3

139 Generation X-23 #4

162 Wolverine Weapons of Armageddon #3 (Resolicitation)

197 DC Marvel – Batman / Deadpool #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

The X-Men franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, worse in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the X-Men franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as the X-Men franchise had one comic in the Top 10, five comics in the Top 25, and eleven comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as the X-Men franchise had three comics in the Top 10, eight comics in the Top 25, and eleven comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, down in the Top 25, and up in the Top 50 from three years ago, as the X-Men franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and six comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the X-Men franchise had one comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and nine comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

The X-Men franchise remains a volume play rather than an elite sales force. Marvel Comics shoved a ton of X-books into the Top 200 again, but there was zero Top 10 power and only two Top 25 comics. That is not good enough for a franchise that used to be one of Marvel Comics’ safest sources of high-end sales heat.

Let’s kick things off with the team titles.

Uncanny X-Men #28 climbed from the number 41 spot to the number 18 spot. That is a good rebound for Gail Simone’s title. However, this is still a title that has lost its old Top 10 power. A rebound into the Top 25 is nice, but Uncanny X-Men should be able to live in the Top 10 if the franchise were truly healthy.

X-Men #29 climbed from the number 37 spot to the number 22 spot. X-Men #30 then dropped to the number 60 spot. Shipping two issues in one month is always going to create some drop-off, but falling from number 22 to number 60 is ugly.

X-Men United #3 dropped from the number 22 spot to the number 52 spot. That is a bad drop. Keep in mind that X-Men United #1 debuted at the number 11 spot in March 2026.

This quick collapse in the rankings is no surprise. Marvel Comics hired Eve Ewing and Evan Narcisse to write this comic. Neither Ewing nor Narcisse has ever had any sales success in the past. Neither is a mainstream superhero comic book writer. Ewing is a sociology professor, and Narcisse is a video game industry journalist. Why Marvel Comics editors continue to give Ewing and Narcisse jobs writing mainstream superhero comics is mystifying. I cannot figure out the criteria that Marvel Comics editorial uses to hire writers for their mainstream superhero comic books.

Inglorious X-Force #5 fell from the number 81 spot to the number 102 spot. This title is back in the Dead Titles Walking category. Inglorious X-Force has never looked like a hit, and this ranking confirms it. This title has been a low-end seller almost from the jump. Tim Seeley has not been able to get anyone excited about this new team title.

Let’s check out the one duo title.

Magik & Colossus #4 ticked up from the number 49 spot to the number 48 spot. That is basically holding steady. This title is not a monster seller, but it did manage to stay in the Top 50 for another month. That is better than I expected after its ugly second-issue drop.

Let’s hop over to the dudes of the X-Men franchise.

Wolverine #20 climbed from the number 57 spot to the number 50 spot. That is a small climb back into the Top 50, but let’s not get carried away. Wolverine’s flagship solo title should not be fighting for the final spot in the Top 50. Logan should be a Top 25 seller every single month. Saladin Ahmed’s Wolverine continues to be a sales disappointment

Wolverine Weapons of Armageddon #4 climbed from the number 65 spot to the number 49 spot. That is a nice rebound and allowed this four-issue mini-series to conclude in the Top 50. This mini-series had a weird sales pattern, but at least it ended on a positive note.

Wade Wilson Deadpool #4 climbed from the number 58 spot to the number 55 spot. That is basically flat. This title debuted at number 13 and has now settled outside the Top 50 with just the fourth issue. That is disappointing. Deadpool should have more sales power than this.

Cyclops #4 ticked up from the number 40 spot to the number 39 spot. This is a pleasant surprise. Cyclops has shown more stability than I expected. I was skeptical that this title would have much sales success, given that Alex Paknadel is the writer and his history of zero sales success. But, credit where it is due: Paknadel has managed to get this title to hold its ground in the Top 50. I did not see that coming.

Let’s wrap up with the ladies of the X-Men franchise.

Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1 debuted at the number 47 spot. That is a solid debut, but not a spectacular one for this one-shot issue. This is also the highest I have seen a Gene Luen Yang penned issue in the sales rankings.

Rogue #5 fell from the number 59 spot to the number 78 spot. With this issue, this five-issue mini-series has concluded. Rogue ended with a disappointing thud by concluding outside of the Top 75. Rogue is a popular character and should have concluded safely inside the Top 50.

I was concerned that this might happen since Erica Schultz was the writer for this mini-series, and she has never enjoyed sales success in the past. I would love to see Marvel Comics give Rogue another title and pair her with a better writer. I think such a title could be a strong seller.

Psylocke Ninja #5 fell from the number 69 spot to the number 110 spot. This five-issue mini-series concluded in the Dead Titles Walking category. That is an ugly finish for a title that debuted at the number 15 spot. What a shocking fall in the sales rankings.

Whenever a title can pop a Top 15 debut shows that the character is popular and there is large reader interest in that character. However, when that same title crashes and burns in spectacular fashion, that indicates that the writer failed to engage the readership. This title lost a ton of readers after the debut issue. Tim Seeley continues to struggle to find any sales success.

Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #4 ticked up from the number 76 spot to the number 74 spot. That is technically an improvement, but it is nothing to celebrate. This title debuted at the number 35 spot in February 2026. Four issues later, it is barely hanging inside the Top 75. Marvel Comics’ cancel-and-relaunch trick with the same writer continues to produce predictable results.

Moonstar #3 fell from the number 86 spot to the number 125 spot. This title is now deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Ashley Allen has flamed out on this title.

Generation X-23 #4 fell from the number 107 spot to the number 139 spot. This title is dead. Generation X-23 #1 debuted at the number 38 spot. Three issues later, it is at number 139. That is a brutal collapse.

Again, there was reader interest in this title given its debut number. However, Jody Houser is the writer and has a horrendously awful sales history. Few writers can get a comic out of the Top 200 and unranked as quickly as Houser. Everyone outside of Marvel Comics editorial saw this coming from a mile away.

The X-Men franchise remains bloated and underpowered. Marvel Comics is still getting plenty of X-books into the Top 200. But the franchise has no Top 10 heat, only two Top 25 comics, and far too many titles sliding into the Dead Titles Walking category. The X-Men used to be one of Marvel Comics’ most reliable sales engines. Right now, it looks like Marvel Comics is flooding the market with X-books just to maintain the illusion of strength.

Much of the X-Men franchise’s sales problems are directly the fault of the editors and their questionable hiring decisions for the writers of these various X-Men franchise titles.

Avengers Franchise

24 Captain America #11

37 Iron Man #5

56 Mortal Thor #10

61 Infernal Hulk #7

96 JLA / Avengers Facsimile Edition #1

117 Captain Marvel Dark Past #2

133 Captain America #10 (Resolicitation)

140 Sentry #3

186 Wiccan & Hulkling Raid of Ultron #1

191 Wonder Man #3

The Avengers franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and worse in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Avengers franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50, as the Avengers franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as the Avengers franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from three years ago, as the Avengers franchise had one comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as the Avengers franchise had two comics in the Top 10, five comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

The Avengers franchise continues to be a major disappointment. This is one of Marvel Comics’ biggest franchise brands, and it had zero Top 10 comics and just one Top 25 comic in May 2026. That is not good enough. Not even close.

There were no core Avengers team titles in the Top 200 this month, so let’s start with the dudes of the Avengers franchise.

Captain America #11 climbed from the number 55 spot to the number 24 spot. That is an excellent rebound. Chip Zdarsky finally got Captain America back into the Top 25. This is the type of result Marvel Comics needs from this title every month. Captain America should not be wandering around the number 55 spot as it did in April 2026.

Iron Man #5 fell from the number 25 spot to the number 37 spot. That is disappointing. Iron Man #4 had finally shoved Mr. Emma Frost back into the Top 25 in April 2026, but the title immediately slipped back into the 26-50 range in May 2026. Joshua Williamson is still keeping Iron Man respectable, but this title is not yet a consistent Top 25 seller. Marvel Comics has done so much damage to Tony Stark over the years that even a strong writer like Williamson cannot magically fix the brand overnight.

Infernal Hulk #7 fell from the number 32 spot to the number 61 spot. That is an ugly drop. Infernal Hulk #6 had a nice rebound in April 2026 and made it look like this title might stabilize inside the Top 50. Nope. Issue #7 immediately crashed out of the Top 50. Marvel Comics’ cancel-and-relaunch-with-the-same-writer playbook continues to deliver the same tired results.

Mortal Thor #10 climbed from the number 61 spot to the number 56 spot. That is technically an improvement, but let’s not pretend this is good. A Thor title should not be celebrating a climb to number 56. This title is still outside the Top 50 and remains a disappointment. Thor used to be a sales monster.

Sentry #3 fell from the number 93 spot to the number 140 spot. Brutal. Sentry #1 debuted at the number 75 spot. Sentry #2 fell to the number 93 spot. Now, Sentry #3 is buried at number 140. This four-issue mini-series is a sales dud. There is no other way to spin it.

Wonder Man #3 fell from the number 183 spot to the number 191 spot. This title is dead. Wonder Man #1 had an awful debut at the number 114 spot. Wonder Man #2 dropped to number 183. Wonder Man #3 is now barely clinging to the Top 200. Gerry Duggan has done nothing to get readers interested in this mini-series. Marvel Comics can keep pretending there is meaningful synergy between Disney+ shows and comic book sales, but the sales chart keeps laughing in their face.

Let’s check out the sole duo title.

Wiccan & Hulkling Raid of Ultron #1 had an abysmal debut at the number 186 spot. That is awful. This one-shot barely made the Top 200. This is another example of Marvel Comics editorial green-lighting a comic that has no audience.

Let’s wrap up with the sole lady of the Avengers franchise.

Captain Marvel Dark Past #2 fell from the number 77 spot to the number 117 spot. Carol Danvers continues to be one of Marvel Comics’ most reliable sales failures. Captain Marvel Dark Past #1 already had a weak debut, and issue #2 immediately dropped into the Dead Titles Walking category.

Marvel Comics tried switching things up with the writer of this title by placing Paul Jenkins on this title. However, the results were the same. Carol’s character has been so badly damaged over the past decade that readers simply do not have much interest in a comic starring her character. At least Marvel Comics had enough sense to make this a mini-series instead of pretending Carol can carry another ongoing title.

The Avengers franchise is in a bad place. Captain America rebounded nicely, and Iron Man remains respectable under Joshua Williamson. After that? It gets ugly fast. Hulk and Thor are not Top 50 sellers this month. Captain Marvel, Sentry, Wonder Man, and Wiccan & Hulkling are all Dead Titles Walking material.

Fantastic Four Franchise

29 Fantastic Four #10

33 Fantastic Four #11

35 Doomquest #1

169 Planet of the Apes vs. Fantastic Four #4

184 Doom 2099 Rage Of Doom #1 (Resolicitation)

The Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50. This was better compared to April 2026, when the Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were better in the Top 50, as the Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but up in the Top 50 from two years ago, as the Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but up in the Top 50 from three years ago, as the Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the Fantastic Four franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Fantastic Four #10 climbed from the number 47 spot to the number 29 spot. That is a good rebound for the flagship title.

Fantastic Four #11 then took the number 33 spot. That is a solid number for a second issue of the same title shipping in the same month. That is good news for Marvel Comics.

Doomquest #1 debuted at the number 35 spot. That is a decent, but not great, debut for this ten-issue mini-series from Ryan North. Doctor Doom remains one of Marvel’s best villains, and Doom-related projects usually have enough name value to get some initial interest. Still, a number 35 debut means this title is probably headed outside the Top 50 with the next issue unless Marvel Comics can generate some serious buzz.

Planet of the Apes vs. Fantastic Four #4 fell from the number 120 spot to the number 169 spot. Ouch. This four-issue mini-series concluded deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Planet of the Apes Vs. Fantastic Four #1 debuted at the number 72 spot, issue #2 crashed to the number 154 spot, issue #3 climbed to the number 120 spot, and now issue #4 ended at number 169. This crossover was a sales dud. Josh Trujillo continues his record of having no sales success.

The Ultimate Universe

13 Ultimate Endgame #4

25 Ultimate Impact Reborn #1

44 Ultimates #24

107 Ultimates #23 (Resolicitation)

154 Ultimate Endgame #1 (Resolicitation)

The Ultimate Universe had zero comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, better in the Top 25, and better in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Ultimate Universe had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as the Ultimate Universe had two comics in the Top 10, four comics in the Top 25, and five comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down in the Top 10 and Top 25, but flat in the Top 50 from two years ago, as the Ultimate Universe had two comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Ultimate Endgame #4 climbed from the number 25 spot to the number 13 spot. That is an excellent rebound for this event. Ultimate Endgame remains the strongest sales weapon in the Ultimate Universe right now. It is not generating Top 10 heat this month, but a number 13 ranking is still a strong result.

Ultimate Impact Reborn #1 had a solid debut at the number 25 spot. That is a good launch number, but not a great one. A new Ultimate Universe #1 issue landing at the very bottom of the Top 25 shows that the Ultimate brand still has pull, but it is no longer automatic elite-tier magic.

Ultimates #24 climbed from the number 48 spot to the number 44 spot. That is a small improvement, but this title is still a long way from its peak. Ultimates used to be a consistent Top 10 weapon. Now it is fighting to remain in the Top 50. That is a major cooling-off.

The Ultimate Universe is still one of Marvel Comics’ better sales engines, but May 2026 shows a clear contraction. This line no longer looks like the white-hot sales juggernaut that was embarrassing the rest of Marvel Comics.

Batman Franchise

3 Batman #9

9 Batman #163 (Batman Hush 2 #6)

12 Barbara Gordon Breakout #1

43 Batwoman #3

69 Nightwing #138

70 Batman Superman World’s Finest #51

75 Sirens Love Hurts #4 (Of 4) (Mature)

76 Detective Comics #1109

79 Batman Wonder Woman Truth #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation)

82 Batgirl #19

84 Batman/Static Beyond #6 (Of 6)

85 Poison Ivy #44

132 Catwoman #87

135 Batman #8 (Resolicitation)

165 Batman The Dark Knight Returns #4 Facsimile Edition (Of 4)

167 Batman #244 Facsimile Edition

171 Harley Quinn #62

193 Detective Comics #1108 (Resolicitation)

197 DC Marvel – Batman / Deadpool #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation)

Unranked: Detective Comics #578 Facsimile Edition

The Batman franchise had two comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50. This was better in the Top 10, better in the Top 25, but worse in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Batman franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and five comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were up in the Top 10 and Top 25, but flat in the Top 50, as the Batman franchise had one comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as the Batman franchise had one comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50 from three years ago, as the Batman franchise had two comics in the Top 10, three comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, down in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the Batman franchise had two comics in the Top 10, five comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

This was a good month for the Batman franchise at the very top of the chart. Bruce Wayne returned to the Top 10 with a vengeance. However, the broader Batman franchise depth is still not what it used to be. The franchise is stronger than it was in May 2024, but it remains well below the Top 50 power it had back in 2023 and 2022.

Let’s start with the Bruce Wayne titles.

Batman #9 climbed from the number 12 spot to the number 3 spot. That is an excellent rebound. Matt Fraction’s Batman continues to be a monster seller. Bruce Wayne remains DC Comics’ safest bet outside of the Absolute Universe.

Batman #163 (Batman Hush 2 #6) dipped from the number 6 spot to the number 9 spot. That is another strong Top 10 result, especially considering that Batman #162 (Batman Hush 2 #5) shipped way back in November 2025. Impressive.

Detective Comics #1109 fell from the number 45 spot to the number 76 spot. That is a rough drop. Detective Comics finally got back into the Top 50 in April 2026, and then immediately fell right back out in May 2026. This title should not be fighting to stay in the Top 75. Tom Taylor has struggled to generate strong reader interest in this title.

Batman Superman World’s Finest #51 fell from the number 55 spot to the number 70 spot. This title continues to live outside of the Top 50. That is disappointing. Batman and Superman together should be a stronger sales draw than this.

Batman/Static Beyond #6 climbed from the number 191 spot to the number 84 spot. That is a nice rebound for the final issue of this six-issue mini-series. Still, this title was never a real sales success. The Batman branding helped, but not enough to make this a strong performer.

Let’s check out the Bat-boy title.

Nightwing #138 fell from the number 47 spot to the number 69 spot. That ended Nightwing’s one-month return to the Top 50. Dick Grayson remains DC Comics’ best non-Bruce Wayne Batman franchise asset, but this title cannot seem to become a reliable Top 50 seller. That is a problem.

Let’s conclude with the ladies of the Batman franchise.

Barbara Gordon Breakout #1 had a strong debut at the number 12 spot. That is a great number for a Batgirl-related launch. This is the kind of result DC Comics needs from the Batman family. The question is whether this title can hold its audience or if it will follow the usual pattern of female-led Batman franchise titles sliding hard after the first issue.

I am not confident in this new ongoing title. Barbara Gordon is an interesting character in that she has an excellent pedigree and a solid fanbase. However, she has never been a strong seller.

Further compounding the issue is that Mariko Tamaki is the writer on this issue. Tamaki is a performance artist and graphic artist. She is not what anyone would consider a mainstream superhero comic book writer. And that is why Tamaki has never had any sales success for DC Comics.

I do not believe that Barbara Gordon’s character is strong enough to fireman carry Tamaki to any real sales success. It is a shame that DC Comics did not pair a character as great as Barbara with a legit mainstream superhero comic writer.

Batwoman #3 fell from the number 21 spot to the number 43 spot. This is not a good sign. Batwoman is still in the Top 50, and that is better than I expected. However, it looks like this title is doomed to fall out of the Top 50 by the next issue. Clearly, Greg Rucka pulling the Renee Montoya version of The Question onto this title did nothing to generate reader interest in this issue.

Sirens Love Hurts #4 fell from the number 56 spot to the number 75 spot. This four-issue mini-series concluded right at the edge of the Top 75.

Batgirl #19 climbed from the number 171 spot to the number 82 spot. That is a massive rebound. Of course, the prior issue crashed into the Dead Titles Walking category, so this is less a victory lap and more a recovery from disaster. Still, while Batgirl is still not selling well, at least it avoided the Dead Titles Walking category this month.

Poison Ivy #44 climbed from the number 149 spot to the number 85 spot. That is a strong rebound. Poison Ivy has always bounced around the rankings, but this is one of the better results we have seen from this title in a while.

Catwoman #87 fell from the number 102 spot to the number 132 spot. Catwoman remains a permanent Dead Titles Walking resident. It is stunning how badly DC Comics continues to fumble one of the most recognizable female characters in the Batman franchise. At some point, DC Comics is going to have to replace Torunn Grønbekk with an actual mainstream superhero comic book writer.

Harley Quinn #62 fell from the number 95 spot to the number 171 spot. That is ugly. Harley Quinn continues to have huge mainstream awareness and terrible direct-market comic book sales. DC Comics has never figured out how to turn Harley’s pop culture popularity into consistent comic shop success. That is mostly due to bad editorial decisions with her character and the hiring of some truly terrible and unqualified writers.

The Batman franchise is still incredibly important to DC Comics. Bruce Wayne is elite. Barbara Gordon Breakout #1 gave the franchise a nice new launch. Batwoman is hanging around the Top 50. But the rest of the line is shaky. Nightwing cannot stay in the Top 50. Detective Comics and Batman Superman World’s Finest are underperforming. Catwoman and Harley Quinn remain disasters. DC Comics still lives and dies by Bruce Wayne, but even the Batman franchise has plenty of weak spots under the surface.

Superman Franchise

15 Marvel / DC – Spider-Man / Superman #1 (One-Shot) (Marvel Comics) (Resolicitation)

42 DC Marvel – Superman / Spider-Man #1 (One-Shot) (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

46 Superman #38 (The Reign of the Superboys)

70 Batman Superman World’s Finest #51

77 Action Comics #1098 (The Reign of the Superboys)

80 Supergirl #13 (The Reign of the Superboys)

94 Superman Unlimited #13 (The Reign of the Superboys)

103 Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 (Of 6)

131 Adventures of Superman Book of El #8 (Of 12)

176 Superman #37 (The Reign of the Superboys) (Resolicitation)

The Superman franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50. This was better in the Top 25 and Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Superman franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but better in the Top 50, as the Superman franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, up in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 from two years ago, as the Superman franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down in the Top 10, but up in the Top 25 and Top 50 from three years ago, as the Superman franchise had one comic in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as the Superman franchise had zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

This was a better month for the Superman franchise, but the results are still not as strong as they should be. Superman had three comics in the Top 50, but two of them were resolicitations from the Marvel/DC crossover. The actual core Superman titles are still struggling to generate real high-end sales heat.

Superman #38 fell from the number 28 spot to the number 46 spot. That is not good. Yes, Superman stayed in the Top 50, but barely. The Reign of the Superboys event helped get Superman into the Top 50 last month, but the boost is already fading. The main Superman title should not be fighting to hang on at the bottom of the Top 50.

Action Comics #1098 fell from the number 66 spot to the number 77 spot. That ended Action Comics’ one-month stay in the Top 75. This title remains a problem. Action Comics is one of DC Comics’ flagship titles. It should not be struggling this badly, even with an event tie-in.

Supergirl #13 fell from the number 63 spot to the number 80 spot. The Reign of the Superboys gave Supergirl a small bump in April, but that momentum did not last. Supergirl is already back outside the Top 75.

Sophie Campbell continues to struggle to generate large reader interest in Supergirl despite Supergirl being a popular character. This is no surprise since Campbell has never had any sales success and is largely known for getting atrocious sales numbers on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which led to IDW Publishing losing the license for that property.

Superman Unlimited #13 fell from the number 74 spot to the number 94 spot. Yikes. DC Comics clearly wanted Superman Unlimited to be a major pillar of the Superman franchise, but the sales chart continues to disagree. Even with The Reign of the Superboys branding, this title is sliding toward the Dead Titles Walking category.

Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 debuted at the number 103 spot. That is a brutal debut for this six-issue mini-series. A new Superman mini-series should not debut outside the Top 100. This is an embarrassing debut for DC Comics. A Superman mini-series should never be dead on arrival. Clearly, there was limited reader interest in this Elseworlds tale from Kenny Porter.

Adventures of Superman Book of El #8 dropped from the number 117 spot to the number 131 spot. This twelve-issue mini-series remains buried in the Dead Titles Walking category. Book of El has never been a strong seller, and issue #8 continues the downward trend.

The Superman franchise had a better month on paper because of the Marvel/DC crossover resolicitations and Superman #38 hanging onto the Top 50. But the core line is still weak. Superman, Action Comics, Supergirl, Superman Unlimited, Superman Father of Tomorrow, and Adventures of Superman Book of El are not producing the kind of rankings DC Comics needs from this franchise. The Superman franchise remains one of DC Comics’ biggest missed opportunities in the current market.

Justice League Franchise

23 DC X Sonic the Hedgehog Metal Legion #1 (Of 5)

26 Lobo #3

32 Fury of Firestorm #2 (Of 6)

38 Zatanna #2 (2026)

62 Wonder Woman #33

63 Zatanna #1 (2026) (Resolicitation)

64 Justice League Unlimited #19

79 Batman Wonder Woman Truth #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation)

89 JSA #19

93 Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Guy Gardner #1 (One-Shot)

96 JLA / Avengers Facsimile Edition #1

104 Emperor Aquaman #17

112 The Flash #33

113 Green Lantern Corps #16

121 Green Lantern #35

182 Lobo #2 (Resolicitation)

The Justice League franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and four comics in the Top 50. This was worse in the Top 10, Top 25, and Top 50 compared to April 2026, when the Justice League franchise had one comic in the Top 10, four comics in the Top 25, and six comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as the Justice League franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down in the Top 25, but up in the Top 50 from two years ago, as the Justice League franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but up in the Top 50 from three years ago, as the Justice League franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but up in the Top 50 from four years ago, as the Justice League franchise had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

The Justice League franchise cooled off hard after a strong April 2026. April gave DC Comics Zatanna #1 in the Top 10, Lobo #2 and Fury of Firestorm #1 in the Top 25, and Wonder Woman #32 barely inside the Top 50. May 2026 saw all of that launch heat fade fast. That is the danger of relying on #1 issues and second-issue holds. Eventually, the books have to stand on their own.

Let’s start with the team titles.

DC X Sonic the Hedgehog Metal Legion #1 had a strong debut at the number 23 spot. That is a good debut for a crossover mini-series. Sonic clearly gives DC Comics some extra sales juice here, and landing inside the Top 25 is a nice win. This is the type of licensed crossover that can grab attention beyond the normal DC audience.

Justice League Unlimited #19 fell from the number 38 spot to the number 64 spot. Ouch. Justice League Unlimited should not be outside the Top 50. This is the core Justice League title. DC Comics needs this book to be a consistent Top 25 title, not something drifting around the number 64 spot.

JSA #19 returned to the Top 200 at the number 89 spot after JSA #18 went unranked in April 2026.

Let’s hop over to the dudes of the Justice League franchise.

Lobo #3 fell from the number 12 spot to the number 26 spot. That is a disappointing drop after Lobo #2 had an excellent hold in April 2026. This title is still selling well, but falling out of the Top 25 by issue #3 is not the direction DC Comics wanted. Lobo may still be a winner, but the Main Man is already losing some launch heat.

Fury of Firestorm #2 fell from the number 15 spot to the number 32 spot. That is not a horrendous second-issue drop. Firestorm is still in the Top 50, and that is a good result for this character. I would have loved to see this title hang around the Top 25, but a number 32 ranking is still a positive sign. DC Comics may have something here if this mini-series can avoid a sales collapse with issue #3.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Guy Gardner #1 debuted at the number 93 spot. That is a terrible debut number for this one-shot issue from Gerry Duggan. Guy Gardner has had some extra pop culture visibility lately, and this still could not crack the Top 75. A Green Lantern Corps one-shot starring Guy should have done better than this.

Emperor Aquaman #17 fell from the number 88 spot to the number 104 spot. That puts Aquaman back into the Dead Titles Walking category. This title continues to struggle no matter what DC Comics does with it. Aquaman remains one of DC Comics’ harder sells in the direct market.

The Flash #33 fell from the number 82 spot to the number 112 spot. Brutal. The Flash is back in the Dead Titles Walking category. This title should never be selling this poorly. DC Comics has tried event tie-ins, writer changes, and different story directions, and none of it has turned The Flash into a healthy seller. At some point, DC Comics just needs to bring back Barry Allen as The Flash. No Flash character has ever had the same sales power as Barry Allen.

Green Lantern Corps #16 fell from the number 103 spot to the number 113 spot. This title remains a sales dud. There is no excuse for a Green Lantern Corps title starring Guy Gardner and John Stewart to be trapped in the Dead Titles Walking category. DC Comics has to make a writer change here.

Green Lantern #35 fell from the number 87 spot to the number 121 spot. Woof. The main Green Lantern title is back deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. This is ridiculous. Green Lantern should be one of DC Comics’ strongest non-Batman, non-Superman franchises. Instead, it is barely staying relevant in the Top 200.

Let’s conclude with the ladies of the Justice League franchise.

Zatanna #2 fell from the number 9 spot to the number 38 spot. That is a steep drop, but it still kept Zatanna inside the Top 50. This is the real test for the title. Zatanna #1 had a fantastic Top 10 debut. Zatanna #2 losing thirty spots is not ideal, but a Top 50 ranking is still solid. Now we will see if issue #3 can hold the line or if this title is heading for the usual cliff dive.

Wonder Woman #33 fell from the number 50 spot to the number 62 spot. That ended Wonder Woman’s one-month return to the Top 50. This title continues to be more inconsistent than it should be. Wonder Woman should not need a perfect storm just to barely crack the Top 50.

The Justice League franchise took a clear step backward in May 2026. Lobo fell out of the Top 25. Firestorm stayed in the Top 50 but lost launch heat. Zatanna remained in the Top 50 but dropped hard from her debut. Justice League Unlimited fell out of the Top 50. Wonder Woman fell out of the Top 50. The Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Green Lantern Corps all landed in the Dead Titles Walking category. DC Comics has struggled to figure out how to handle what should be a strong-selling franchise.

The Absolute Universe

1 Absolute Batman #20

2 Absolute Green Arrow #1 (Of 6)

4 Absolute Superman #19

6 Absolute Martian Manhunter #11

10 Absolute Wonder Woman #20

19 Absolute Green Lantern #14

20 Absolute Flash #15

40 Absolute Batman #19 (Resolicitation)

72 Absolute Wonder Woman #19 (Resolicitation)

127 Absolute Batman #18 (Resolicitation)

137 Absolute Flash #14 (Resolicitation)

152 Absolute Batman #15 (Resolicitation)

158 Absolute Batman #17 (Resolicitation)

170 Absolute Batman #16 (Resolicitation)

173 Absolute Batman Annual 2025 #1 (One-Shot) (Resolicitation)

192 Absolute Superman #18 (Resolicitation)

The Absolute Universe had five comics in the Top 10, seven comics in the Top 25, and eight comics in the Top 50. This was better compared to April 2026, when the Absolute Universe had two comics in the Top 10, four comics in the Top 25, and five comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were better in the Top 10 and Top 25, but flat in the Top 50, as the Absolute Universe had four comics in the Top 10, six comics in the Top 25, and eight comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

The Absolute Universe came roaring back in May 2026. April 2026 made it look like the Absolute Universe might finally be cooling off a bit. Nope. May 2026 slammed that door shut. Five comics in the Top 10 and seven comics in the Top 25 is insane. DC Comics continues to ride this franchise like a stolen horse.

Absolute Batman #20 climbed from the number 2 spot to the number 1 spot. Twenty issues in, and Absolute Batman is still taking the overall number 1 ranking. That is ridiculous. Bruce Wayne remains the engine that powers the entire Absolute Universe.

Absolute Green Arrow #1 had an incredible debut at the number 2 spot. That is a monster launch for this six-issue limited series from Pornsak Pichetshote. A character in Green Arrow that never gets elite sales problems? Not an issue. A no-name writer in Pichetshote? No problem.

The Absolute Universe can take any writer and any character and strap it to its back and launch it into the stratosphere. It is amazing. The Absolute Universe is unrivaled in its brand power. This is exactly why DC Comics keeps expanding this line.

To be fair, Absolute Green Arrow #1 was buoyed by six open order covers, three reprint covers, one incentive cover, and a mind-melting thirty-two retailer-exclusive covers. Sweet baby Jesus. I don’t think I have ever seen that many retailer-exclusive covers before!

Absolute Superman #19 climbed from the number 22 spot to the number 4 spot. That is a fantastic rebound.

Absolute Martian Manhunter #11 climbed from the number 16 spot to the number 6 spot. That is another excellent result. Martian Manhunter has never been a consistent sales monster in the regular DCU, but the Absolute Universe has turned him into a Top 10 player. That is wild.

Absolute Wonder Woman #20 fell from the number 4 spot to the number 10 spot. Absolute Wonder Woman remains a major sales success for DC Comics.

Absolute Green Lantern #14 dipped from the number 18 spot to the number 19 spot. That is basically holding steady. Absolute Green Lantern remains one of the “weakest” of the main Absolute Universe titles, which is hilarious since it is still a Top 25 seller.

Absolute Flash #15 dipped from the number 19 spot to the number 20 spot. Again, that is basically holding steady. You know that a franchise is white hot when its lowest-selling title is still taking the number 20 spot in the rankings! Insane.

The resolicitation power of the Absolute Universe continues to be absurd. Absolute Batman placed six resolicited issues in the Top 200. Absolute Wonder Woman had one resolicited issue. Absolute Flash had one resolicited issue. Absolute Superman had one resolicited issue. That is nine resolicited Absolute Universe comics in the Top 200. That kind of backlist strength is just stupid.

Most publishers would kill to have one resolicited comic sneak into the Top 200. Absolute Batman alone had six. This is why Absolute Batman is the crown jewel of the entire line.

The Absolute Universe remains DC Comics’ biggest weapon by a mile. Yes, DC Comics had some encouraging regular DCU results in May 2026. But the Absolute Universe is still the reason DC Comics is punching Marvel Comics in the mouth at the top of the sales chart. Every single Absolute Universe title is delivering strong numbers.

This line is no longer just hot. It is the backbone of DC Comics’ entire sales strategy.

Supernatural Comics

66 Fall of the House of Slaughter #1 (BOOM! Studios)

71 Something is Killing the Children #47 (BOOM! Studios)

81 Swamp Thing 1989 #2 (Of 4) (Mature) (DC Comics)

100 Sorcerer Supreme #6 (Marvel Comics)

106 Doctor Strange #6 (Marvel Comics)

120 Swamp Thing 1989 #1 (Of 4) (Mature) (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

129 Universal Monsters: The Phantom of the Opera #4 (Of 4) (Image Comics)

155 Supernatural #7 (Dynamite Entertainment)

156 Super Creepshow #3 (Of 5) (Mature) (Image Comics)

183 Archie x Army of Darkness #4 (Dynamite Entertainment)

194 Witchblade #21 (Mature) (Image Comics)

198 Darkness #5 (2025) (Image Comics)

200 Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood #1 (IDW Publishing)

Fall of the House of Slaughter #1 debuted at the number 66 spot. That is a solid debut for a Slaughterverse title, but not a great one. BOOM! Studios is still getting mileage out of this franchise, but the glory days of this property being a guaranteed Top 25 weapon are long gone.

Something is Killing the Children #47 fell from the number 61 spot to the number 71 spot. That is not a huge drop, but it keeps this title outside the Top 50. Something is Killing the Children remains BOOM! Studios’ most reliable monthly seller, but it is no longer operating as an elite direct-market monster.

Swamp Thing 1989 #2 fell from the number 43 spot to the number 81 spot. Woof. That is a bad second-issue drop. The debut issue barely made the Top 50 in April 2026, and issue #2 immediately crashed out of the Top 75.

Sorcerer Supreme #6 fell from the number 75 spot to the number 100 spot. This title is now sitting right on the edge of the Dead Titles Walking category. That is no surprise. Steve Orlando’s prior Scarlet Witch titles were all Dead Titles Walking. This current title should join the others by next month.

Clearly, giving Doctor Strange’s mantle as Sorcerer Supreme to Scarlet Witch failed to generate much interest from the consumer. At some point, Marvel Comics editors are going to have to try something different with Scarlet Witch.

Doctor Strange #6 climbed from the number 160 spot to the number 106 spot. That is a nice rebound, but let’s not get carried away. Doctor Strange is still in the Dead Titles Walking category. This title has been a mess in the sales rankings. A climb from awful to merely bad is still disappointing.

Universal Monsters: The Phantom of the Opera #4 fell from the number 92 spot to the number 129 spot. Brutal. This four-issue mini-series concluded deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Universal Monsters remains a cool brand, but these comics are not holding a large audience.

Supernatural #7 climbed from the number 199 spot to the number 155 spot. That is a good rebound, but this title is still buried in the Dead Titles Walking category. Having said that, this is still higher in the rankings than I would have expected from a comic book based on the Supernatural franchise.

Super Creepshow #3 fell from the number 129 spot to the number 156 spot. This title continues to sink deeper into the danger zone. Horror anthology comics are a tough sell, and Super Creepshow is proving that point every month.

Archie x Army of Darkness #4 fell from the number 164 spot to the number 183 spot. That is ugly. This crossover has not generated any real sales heat. At this point, it is just limping toward the finish line.

Witchblade #21 fell from the number 177 spot to the number 194 spot. This title is barely hanging inside the Top 200. Witchblade still has nostalgia value, but that nostalgia is not translating into meaningful direct-market sales.

Darkness #5 fell from the number 168 spot to the number 198 spot. Yikes. This title is hanging on by its fingernails. We shall see if this title can avoid going unranked next month.

Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood #1 debuted at the number 200 spot. This five-issue mini-series will be unranked with the next issue.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Comics

7 Ben 10 #1 (Dynamite Entertainment)

98 Alien King Killer #2 (Marvel Comics)

123 Savage Sword of Conan #14

136 Predator Bloodshed #4 (Marvel Comics)

144 Thundarr The Barbarian #4 (Dynamite Entertainment)

143 Imperial Guardians #3 (Marvel Comics)

150 Mega Man X #3 (Of 5) (Udon Entertainment)

153 Conan and Dragonero #1 (Of 7) (Titan Comics)

164 Space Ghost #11 (2025) (Dynamite Entertainment)

169 Planet of the Apes Vs. Fantastic Four #4 (Marvel Comics)

177 Conan the Barbarian #31 (Titan Comics)

185 ThunderCats x SilverHawks #2 (Dynamite Entertainment)

189 Silver Surfer Facsimile Edition #3 (Marvel Comics)

Unranked: Mumm-Ra The Ever-Living #2 (Dynamite Entertainment)

Unranked: Blade Runner Tokyo Nexus: To Lose Is To Win #1 (Titan Comics)

Unranked: Cyberpunk 2077 (Dark Horse Comics)

Unranked: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #6 (Dark Horse Comics)

Unranked: Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Jace #3 (Dark Horse Comics)

Unranked: The Witcher: Blood Stone #4 (Dark Horse Comics)

Alien King Killer #2 ticked up from the number 108 spot to the number 98 spot.

Predator Bloodshed #4 climbed from the number 175 spot to the number 136 spot. This five-issue mini-series remains buried in the Dead Titles Walking category.

Imperial Guardians #3 fell from the number 115 spot to the number 143 spot. Welp. I guess my enjoyment of this comic doomed it to keep plummeting in the rankings. This five-issue mini-series is going to struggle to remain ranked by its conclusion.

Thundarr The Barbarian #4 took the number 144 spot. This is not bad. Thundarr debuted at the number 79 spot back in February 2026. This comic, based on an old 1980s cartoon, is doing far better than I anticipated. As a Thundarr fan, I’m psyched to see it still in the Top 200.

Mega Man X #3 fell from the number 105 spot to the number 150 spot. That is a bad drop. This five-issue mini-series is now deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Mega Man has a recognizable video game brand, but the sales rankings show that recognition is not translating into strong direct-market demand.

Space Ghost #11 ticked up from the number 169 spot to the number 164 spot. That is a nice rebound. I continue to be amazed at how well this title is selling, considering it’s based on an old cartoon from the 1960s.

Savage Sword of Conan #14 landed at the number 123 spot. This title continues to be a rock-solid Top 200 seller, which is the best we have seen for a Conan title in a long time. Titan Comics continues to have more success with this franchise than prior publishers.

Conan and Dragonero #1 debuted at the number 153 spot. That is a bad debut. We shall see how long this seven-issue mini-series can hang in the Top 200.

Conan the Barbarian #31 landed at the number 177 spot. Thirty-one issues in, and this title is still landing in the Top 200. Titan Comics continues to blow away what prior publishers were able to do with this licensed property.

ThunderCats x SilverHawks #2 fell from the number 133 spot to the number 185 spot. Again, not too bad for a crossover between two old 1980s toy lines. Especially since SilverHawks are incredibly niche.

Mumm-Ra The Ever-Living #2 was unranked. That is another bad sign for the ThunderCats corner of Dynamite’s line. ThunderCats still has nostalgia value, but Dynamite is not getting consistent Top 200 strength out of the broader franchise this month.

Blade Runner Tokyo Nexus: To Lose Is To Win #1 was unranked. That is an awful debut for a new Blade Runner comic. Blade Runner is a recognizable science-fiction brand, but it clearly lacked sufficient direct-market power to make the Top 200.

Cyberpunk 2077: Chrome #3 was unranked. Cyberpunk 2077 is a recognizable video game brand, but that did not translate into enough comic shop sales to crack the Top 200. Licensed video game comics remain a tough sell.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #6 was unranked. That is ugly for a nostalgia license with significant brand awareness and a new movie in the theaters.

Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Jace #3 was unranked. Magic is a massive brand, but this comic did not benefit from that brand strength in the direct market. That is another weak licensed result.

The Witcher: Blood Stone #4 was unranked. The Witcher is another recognizable entertainment brand that failed to generate sufficient comic-shop demand to chart. Dark Horse had plenty of licensed brand names this month, but almost none of them mattered in the sales rankings.

Street Level Comics

5 Daredevil #2 (Marvel Comics)

31 Marc Spector: Moon Knight #4 (Marvel Comics)

36 Punisher #4 (Marvel Comics)

41 Deathstroke the Terminator #3 (DC Comics)

87 Daredevil #1 (Marvel Comics) (Resolicitation)

92 Alias Red Band #3 (Marvel Comics)

114 Punisher #3 (Marvel Comics) (Resolicitation)

Unranked: Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun #4 (Marvel Comics)

Daredevil #2 dipped from the number 2 spot to the number 5 spot. That is an excellent second-issue hold. Daredevil #1 had a monster debut in April 2026, and Daredevil #2 stayed firmly inside the Top 10. This is exactly what Marvel Comics wanted. Daredevil is one of the few non-Spider-Man, non-Ultimate Universe Marvel titles delivering elite sales power right now.

Could we be seeing Stephanie Phillips have the first sales success of her career? It is possible. Daredevil has been a monster seller for years and is very popular. Matt Murdock might have the popularity to strap Phillips to his back and carry her to success.

It would not be the first time something like this has happened. We saw it recently with Kelly Thompson, who never had sales success before being paired with the white-hot Absolute Universe. You see it regularly with how anyone could be hired to write Batman or Amazing Spider-Man, and those titles will still post incredible sales rankings.

This should be fascinating to watch in the coming months. Marvel Comics certainly needs another weapon to battle the Absolute Universe. A hot Daredevil comic would help in that endeavor.

Marc Spector: Moon Knight #4, climbed from the number 42 spot to the number 31 spot. That is a fantastic rebound. Moon Knight has been a steady performer for Marvel Comics, and this is a strong Top 50 result. This title has not become a consistent Top 25 seller, but a number 31 ranking is still a good showing.

Punisher #4 dipped from the number 35 spot to the number 36 spot. Benjamin Percy’s Punisher title continues to perform better than plenty of Marvel’s more heavily pushed material. Frank Castle with the classic Punisher setup remains a simple formula that readers clearly want.

Deathstroke the Terminator #3 fell from the number 23 spot to the number 41 spot. That is not a bad drop. Deathstroke stayed comfortably inside the Top 50, and that is a solid result for this title. DC Comics has something here. Deathstroke has always had enough cool factor to support a strong street-level action title, and this current series is holding better than plenty of DC’s other regular DCU books.

Alias Red Band #3 fell from the number 67 spot to the number 92 spot. That is not good. This title is still inside the Top 100, but the trend is heading in the wrong direction. Jessica Jones is sliding fast and should be a Dead Title Walking by next month.

Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun #4 was unranked for the third consecutive month. That is brutal. This five-issue mini-series has been a sales disaster. Marvel Comics keeps trying to make this mantle-swap Iron Fist concept work, and the sales rankings keep saying no.

Legacy Character Comics

12 Barbara Gordon Breakout #1 (DC Comics)

69 Nightwing #138 (DC Comics)

80 Supergirl #13 (The Reign of the Superboys) (DC Comics)

82 Batgirl #19 (DC Comics)

97 Titans #35 (DC Comics)

186 Wiccan & Hulkling Raid of Ultron #1 (Marvel Comics)

Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, better in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50, as Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, up in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from two years ago, as Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, up in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from three years ago, as Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, up in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 from four years ago, as Legacy Character Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Titans #35 fell from the number 70 spot to the number 97 spot. This title is now barely avoiding the Dead Titles Walking category. Titans has been unable to build real momentum since the DC K.O. boost wore off.

This is exactly the problem with this category: temporary event bumps do not equal sustainable sales strength.

Legacy Character Comics had one real bright spot with Barbara Gordon Breakout #1. Everything else was either sliding, stuck in the middle of the chart, or buried near the bottom. Nightwing fell out of the Top 50. Supergirl slid back outside the Top 75. Batgirl rebounded but still landed outside the Top 75. Titans is barely hanging inside the Top 100. Wiccan & Hulkling debuted deep in the Dead Titles Walking category.

DC Comics and Marvel Comics both love pushing legacy characters, but the sales rankings keep showing the same thing: readers will support legacy characters when the books feel important, well-executed, and properly positioned. Too often, these titles feel like editorial checklist items rather than must-read comics.

Mantle Swap Comics

58 Venom #258 (Marvel Comics)

82 Batgirl #19 (DC Comics)

112 The Flash #33 (DC Comics)

117 Captain Marvel Dark Past #2 (Marvel Comics)

119 Astonishing Miles Morales Spider-Man The Art Of Thwip #1 (Marvel Comics)

139 Generation X-23 #4 (Marvel Comics)

Unranked: Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun #4 (Marvel Comics)

There were zero mantle swap comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but worse in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when Mantle Swap Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Mantle Swap Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and one comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat from two years ago, as Mantle Swap Comics had zero comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Mantle Swap Comics had one comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Mantle Swap Comics had one comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and five comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Mantle Swap Comics remain a wasteland. Venom fell out of the Top 50. Batgirl rebounded but still landed outside the Top 75. The Flash, Captain Marvel, Miles Morales, and Generation X-23 were all Dead Titles Walking material. Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun failed to chart entirely.

Marvel Comics and DC Comics keep trying to make this category happen, but the sales rankings keep sending the same message back. Too often, these titles feel like editorial mandates rather than must-read comics. May 2026 was another rough reminder of that reality.

Female Lead Comics

10 Absolute Wonder Woman #20 (DC Comics)

12 Barbara Gordon Breakout #1 (DC Comics)

27 She Spawn #1 (Of 5) (Image Comics)

38 Zatanna #2 (2026) (DC Comics)

43 Batwoman #3 (DC Comics)

45 Black Cat #10 (Marvel Comics)

47 Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1 (Marvel Comics)

62 Wonder Woman #33 (DC Comics)

63 Zatanna #1 (2026) (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

72 Absolute Wonder Woman #19 (DC Comics) (Resolicitation)

74 Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #4 (Marvel Comics)

75 Sirens Love Hurts #4 (Of 4) (DC Comics)

78 Rogue #5 (Marvel Comics)

80 Supergirl #13 (The Reign of the Superboys) (DC Comics)

82 Batgirl #19 (DC Comics)

85 Poison Ivy #44 (DC Comics)

92 Alias Red Band #3 (Marvel Comics)

100 Sorcerer Supreme #6 (Marvel Comics)

109 All-New Spider-Gwen The Ghost-Spider #10 (Marvel Comics)

110 Psylocke Ninja #5 (Marvel Comics)

117 Captain Marvel Dark Past #2 (Marvel Comics)

125 Moonstar #3 (Marvel Comics)

132 Catwoman #87 (DC Comics)

139 Generation X-23 #4 (Marvel Comics)

171 Harley Quinn #62 (DC Comics)

188 Sai Dimensional Rivals #5 (Marvel Comics)

194 Witchblade #21 (Mature) (Image Comics)

There was one female lead comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50. This was worse in the Top 10, better in the Top 25, and better in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when there were two female lead comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and six comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50, as there was one female lead comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and nine comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, down in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from two years ago, as there was one female lead comic in the Top 10, four comics in the Top 25, and eight comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 from three years ago, as there were zero female lead comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, and flat in the Top 50 from four years ago, as there was one female lead comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and seven comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Female Lead Comics had plenty of volume in May 2026, but the category remains wildly uneven.

Marvel Comics placed two female lead comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were flat from the two female lead comics that Marvel Comics had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had four female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had five female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had four female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had four female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

DC Comics placed four female lead comics in the Top 50. Month-over-month sales were up from the three female lead comics that DC Comics had in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as DC Comics had four female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as DC Comics had three female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up from three years ago, as DC Comics had two female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as DC Comics had three female lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

DC Comics beat Marvel Comics in the Battle of the Top 25 by a score of 2-0. DC Comics beat Marvel Comics in the Battle of the Top 50 by a score of 4-2. This was not even close. Absolute Wonder Woman, Barbara Gordon, Zatanna, and Batwoman gave DC Comics a clear advantage over Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics only had Black Cat and Jubilee in the Top 50.

Marvel Comics continues to struggle here. Black Cat remains steady, and Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1 got a soft Top 50 debut, but the rest of Marvel’s female-led titles fell outside the Top 50 or into the Dead Titles Walking range. For all the attention Marvel Comics gives its female-led initiatives, the sales results do not match the marketing.

Sai Dimensional Rivals #5 fell from the number 172 spot to the number 188 spot. This five-issue mini-series has now concluded, and was a total sales bust.

The comics in this category had a few clear wins and a lot of weakness. Absolute Wonder Woman remains elite. Barbara Gordon Breakout #1 had an excellent debut. She Spawn #1 and Zatanna #2 gave the category strong new-launch energy. Batwoman #3, Black Cat #10, and Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1 rounded out the Top 50.

But the rest of the category is shaky. Wonder Woman fell out of the Top 50. Storm, Sirens Love Hurts, Rogue, Supergirl, Batgirl, Poison Ivy, Alias, Sorcerer Supreme, Spider-Gwen, Psylocke, Captain Marvel, Moonstar, Catwoman, Generation X-23, Harley Quinn, Sai Dimensional Rivals, and Witchblade all show how hard it remains for female-led comics to maintain strong sales after launch. This category has plenty of volume. However, this category still lacks consistent power beyond Absolute Wonder Woman and a handful of temporary launch bumps.

Minority Lead Comics

19 Absolute Green Lantern #14 (DC Comics)

47 Jubilee Deadly Reunion #1 (Marvel Comics)

74 Storm Earth’s Mightiest Mutant #4 (Marvel Comics)

82 Batgirl #19 (DC Comics)

84 Batman/Static Beyond #6 (Of 6) (DC Comics)

110 Psylocke Ninja #5 (Marvel Comics)

119 Astonishing Miles Morales Spider-Man The Art Of Thwip #1 (Marvel Comics)

125 Moonstar #3 (Marvel Comics)

139 Generation X-23 #4 (Marvel Comics)

188 Sai Dimensional Rivals #5 (Marvel Comics)

Unranked: Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun #4 (Marvel Comics)

There were zero minority lead comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50. This was flat in the Top 10, better in the Top 25, and better in the Top 50 compared to April 2026, when there were zero minority lead comics in the Top 10, zero comics in the Top 25, and zero comics in the Top 50.

Year-over-year numbers were down in the Top 10 and Top 25, but flat in the Top 50, as there was one minority lead comic in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and two comics in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down in the Top 10, flat in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from two years ago, as there was one minority lead comic in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10, down in the Top 25, and down in the Top 50 from three years ago, as there were zero minority lead comics in the Top 10, two comics in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were flat in the Top 10 and Top 25, but down in the Top 50 from four years ago, as there were zero minority lead comics in the Top 10, one comic in the Top 25, and three comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

DC Comics placed one minority lead comic in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were up, as DC Comics had zero minority lead comics in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were flat, as DC Comics had one minority lead comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were up in the Top 50 from two years ago, as DC Comics had zero minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were up in the Top 50 from three years ago, as DC Comics had zero minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were up in the Top 50 from four years ago, as DC Comics had zero minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics placed one minority lead comic in the Top 50. Month-over-month numbers were up, as Marvel Comics had zero minority lead comics in the Top 50 in April 2026.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had one minority lead comic in the Top 50 in May 2025.

Numbers were down in the Top 50 from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had three minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2024.

Numbers were down in the Top 50 from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had three minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2023.

Numbers were down in the Top 50 from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had three minority lead comics in the Top 50 in May 2022.

Marvel Comics and DC Comics battled to a 1-1 draw in the Battle of Minority Lead Comics in the Top 50.

Six out of the ten new minority lead titles this month were dead titles walking, which comprised 60% of the new minority lead titles.

This was slightly better than April 2026, when five out of the eight new minority lead titles were dead titles walking, which comprised 63% of the new minority lead titles.

Minority Lead Comics had one major win: Absolute Green Lantern #14. After that, the category fell apart quickly. Storm, Batgirl, Psylocke, Miles Morales, Moonstar, Generation X-23, Sai Dimensional Rivals, and Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun all show how thin the sales strength is here.

Marvel Comics dominates the volume, but most of that volume is weak. DC Comics has less volume, but Absolute Green Lantern gave DC Comics the best single performer in the category.

At this point, we should address the ill-conceived DC Black Out boycott that flamed out in just five days. Why? Because, like most activists on either side of the political spectrum, these are driven by irrational emotions and not intelligence. This boycott ended because the morons who started it realized they would just be hurting black writers and artists who work for DC Comics. Duh. No shit.

However, what is not ending is a DC So White campaign. There is no doubt that Marvel Comics publishes more minority lead comics than DC Comics. The reason is not that hard to figure out. DC Comics was on the verge of going out of business as Marvel Comics was pummeling them into submission in the sales rankings.

The activists claim that 1,217 days have passed without DC Comics publishing an ongoing DC Universe comic book with a black lead character. This is further qualified as a solo title that is an ongoing title and is set in DC Comics’ mainline continuity. So, now we have gone from not publishing any comics with a black lead character to not punishing a DCU mainline continuity comic that is an ongoing. So, no Absolute Universe comics, no Batman Beyond universe comics, no Elseworlds comics, no Milestone comics, no duo comics where there are co-leads and one is black, and no DC mainline continuity mini-series.

Wow. That is a ton of qualifications. That sure makes the hyperbolic headlines you see look rather misleading. Which, of course, is the point. At any rate, 1,217 days equals three years and three months. This dates back to March 2023. Let’s see what black lead character comics DC Comics has published since March 2023 and how well they have performed in the market.

Currently, DC Comics is publishing Absolute Green Lantern. This title is selling like hotcakes. It has a black lead character. But, the activists won’t count this title because…reasons.

DC Comics published Batman/Static Beyond, which was a six-issue mini-series from November 2025 to May 2026. This was a duo title starring Static and Terry McGinnis.

DC Comics published Mr. Terrific, which was a six-issue limited series from May 2025 to November 2025. This comic sold like crap and was a Dead Title walking right from the start. The first issue debuted at number 130. The second issue took the number 196 spot. The third issue took the number 135 spot. The fourth issue took the number 158 spot. The fifth issue went unranked. The sixth issue took the number 141 spot.

DC Comics published Power Company Recharged #1 in April 2025, which was a sales failure and debuted at the number 186 spot.

DC Comics published DC Power Rise of the Power Company #1 in January 2025, which was another total sales failure and debuted at the number 193 spot.

DC Comics published Black Lightning, which was a five-issue limited series from November 2024 to March 2025. This miniseries was an abysmal sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 95 spot. Issue #2 was unranked. Issue #3 took the number 172 spot. Issue #4 took the number 195 spot. Issue #5 was unranked.

DC Comics published Milestone Universe: The Shadow Cabinet, a four-issue mini-series from November 2024 to February 2025. This was an unmitigated sales disaster. Issue #1 was unranked. Issue #2 was unranked. Issue #3 was unranked. Issue #4 was unranked.

DC Comics published Green Lantern War Journal. Fun fact. DC Comics solicited this title as an ONGOING title. Of course, due to awful sales numbers, it was cancelled with the twelfth issue. Sooo…again, not sure why the activists did not include this title as an ongoing comic and begin their daily countdown from when it ended on August 21, 2024.

Probably because saying it has been 665 days since DC Comics last published an ongoing title starring a black lead character in the DC mainline universe, not including any mini-series set in the DC mainline universe, Absolute Universe Comics, Elseworlds titles, and Milestone titles, doesn’t sound as impressive as saying no black lead comics in 1,217 days and counting.

Green Lantern War Journal ran from September 2023 to August 2024. Issue #1 took the number 59 spot. By just the second issue, this title became a Dead Title Walking and remained one until its conclusion. Issue #2 took the number 109 spot. Issue #3 took the number 160 spot. Issue #4 took the number 137 spot. Issue #5 took the number 126 spot. Issue #6 took the number 108 spot. Issue #7 took the number 169. Issue #8 took the number 134 spot. Issue #9 took the number 139 spot. Issue #10 took the number 188 spot. Issue #11 took the number 142 spot. Issue #12 took the number 148 spot.

Amazons Attack was a six-issue limited series from October 2023 to March 2024. This title was an epic sales failure. This title had four co-leads. Two were black. Issue #1 debuted at the number 167 spot. Issues #2 to 4 were unranked. Issue #5 took the number 192 spot. Issue #6 was unranked.

DC Power 2024 #1 January 2024 was unranked.

Cyborg was a six-issue mini-series from May 2023 to December 2023. This mini-series was a spectacular sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 121 spot. Issue #2 took the number 168 spot. Issue #3 was unranked. Issue #4 was unranked. Issue #5 was unranked. Issue #6 was unranked.

Waller vs. Wildstorm was a four-issue mini-series from March 2023 to December 2023. This mini-series was a sales disaster. Issue #1 was unranked. Issue #2 took the number 188 spot. Issue #3 took the number 187 spot. Issue #4 was unranked.

Steelworks was a six-issue mini-series from June 2023 to November 2023. This mini-series was another dismal sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 69 spot. Issue #2 took the number 147 spot. Issue #3 took the number 171 spot. Issue #4 took the number 154 spot. Issue #5 was unranked. Issue #6 was unranked.

In June 2023, Static Team-Up Anansi #1 took the number 141 spot.

In June 2023, New Talent Showcase The Milestone Initiative #1 debuted at the number 145 spot.

Static Shadows of Dakota was a seven-issue mini-series from April 2023 to January 2024. This title was another complete sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 65 spot. Issue #2 took the number 152 spot. Issues #3-7 were all unranked.

Milestone 30th Anniversary Special #1 shipped in March 2025 and was a sales dud as it debuted at the number 185 spot.

Icon vs. Hardware was a four-issue mini-series from February 2023 to January 2024. This title was a complete sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 166 spot. Issue #2 was unranked. Issue #3 was unranked. Issue #4 was unranked. Issue #5 was unranked.

From the eighteen different titles starring black superheroes in the past 1,217 days, seventeen of them were complete and total sales failures. Those seventeen titles were all permanent dwellers in the Dead Titles Walking category or went unranked.

Given that context, I am unsure why anyone would expect DC Comics to be scrambling to roll out ongoing titles starring black lead superheroes. Every time DC Comics rolled out a comic starring a black superhero, the market smacked them. At some point, DC Comics has to focus on making money and not rolling out titles that consistently die in the sales rankings.

This demand by the activists that DC Comics immediately start cranking out ongoing solo titles for black superheroes makes no financial sense. What would be far more logical and intelligent would be for DC Comics to use some of their newfound success to roll out some more mini-series starring black superheroes to see if they can get one of them to be a sales hit. Whichever one is a hit should immediately be converted into an ongoing title.

For further context, let’s see how many of DC Comics’ black lead titles there were and how they were performing in the sales rankings before this arbitrary March 2023 date the activists are using.

Our sales chart articles go back to December 2021. So we will begin from that point.

In December 2021, Green Lantern #9 took the number 125 spot. Issue #10 took the number 132 spot. Issue #11 took the number 102 spot. Issue #12 took the number 99 spot.

In January 2022, Static Season One #5 took the number 174 spot.

In January 2022, Icon & Rocker Season One #5 took the number 195 spot.

In January 2022, Nubia And The Amazons #4 took the number 193 spot. Issue #5 took the number 150 spot. Issue #6 took the number 146 spot.

Aquamen was a four-issue mini-series that ran from February 2022 to May 2022. This mini-series was an embarrassing sales failure. This was a duo title starring Aquaman and Jackson Hyde. Issue #1 took the number 126 spot. Issue #2 was unranked. Issue #3 took the number 189 spot. Issue number 4 was unranked.

I am Batman was an ongoing title that ran from September 2021 to February 2023 and was a total sales failure. In December 2021, I am Batman #4 took the number 123 spot. I am Batman #5 took the number 84 spot. I am Batman #6 took the number 69 spot. I am Batman #7 took the number 130 spot. Issue #8 took the number 90 spot. Issue #9 took the number 106 spot. Issue #10 took the number 149 spot. Issue #11 took the number 125 spot. Issue #12 took the number 148 spot. Issue #13 took the number 134 spot. Issue #14 took the number 167 spot. Issue #15 took the number 135 spot. Issue #16 took the number 152 spot. Issue #17 took the number 150 spot. Issue #18 took the number 148 spot.

March 2022, Naomi Season 2 was a mini-series from March 2022 to August 2022 that was an embarrassing sales failure. Issue #1 took the number 159 spot. Issue #2 took the number 149 spot. Issue #3 took the number 188 spot. Issue #4 was unranked. Issue #5 was unranked. Issue #6 was unranked.

Earth Prime #1: Batwoman debuted at the number 110 spot in April 2022.

In May 2022, Nubia Coronation Special #1 took the number 95 spot.

Hardware Season One was a five-issue mini-series. In February 2022, Issue #4 was unranked. In May 2022, Issue #5 took the number 162 spot.

Nubia Queen of the Amazons was a four-issue mini-series from June 2022 to September 2022. This mini-series was a total sales failure. Issue #1 debuted at the number 130 spot. Issue #2 took the number 175 spot. Issue #3 took the number 192 spot. Issue #4 was unranked.

Blood Syndicate: Season One was a six-issue mini-series from May 2022 to November 2022. This mini-series was a brutal sales failure. Issues #1 through #6 were all unranked.

In November 2022, Nubia and the Justice League Special #1 was unranked.

In December 2022, John Stewart The Emerald Knight #1, took the number 151 spot.

In February 2023, DC Power A Celebration #1 took the number 128 spot.

The story remains the same. Of the fifteen titles starring black superheroes, all of them were stuck in the Dead Titles Walking category or went unranked. None of them was even close to being a sales hit.

DC Comics had to contract the number of comics that they publish and focus on publishing comics that had a higher chance of success. The result was a contraction in the number of titles and a focus on the Absolute Universe and the Batman franchise. The result has been DC Comics rising from the dead like Lazarus.

There is another large factor at play here, too. The fact remains that comic books starring minority superheroes usually flame out in the sales rankings. Look at all the titles that we listed above. You can go through the four years of sales data that we have here on the Comic Book Revolution and see for yourself that there is no sustained sales success to be found in the Minority Lead Category for DC Comics with their black superhero lead comics outside of Absolute Green Lantern.

Now, you could blame DC Comics for the lack of success in this category because they are hiring the wrong writers for these titles. But the fact is that if DC Comics puts high-powered writers on a black superhero comic book and that writer is not black, then these activists are still going to hammer DC Comics. And if DC Comics places a black writer on one of these comics and it flames out in the sales chart and DC Comics cancels the title, then these activists are going to hammer DC Comics. It is a no-win situation for DC Comics.

The fact is that the biggest reason why DC Comics does not publish many titles in this category is the market itself. The consumers simply do not support these titles in any meaningful and sustained manner. The result is terrible sales numbers. And, I know this may shock the activists, but at the end of the day, DC Comics is still a for-profit company. And they cannot indefinitely support titles that get terrible sales rankings.

I know this is cold comfort for the activists. But trying to bully DC Comics is not going to really help the situation. Somehow, the consumers have to decide to support minority lead comics for DC Comics to have a financial incentive to publish more minority lead comics. It is really not that complicated.

I think the activists are completely wrong that DC Comics has to immediately start rolling out ongoing titles starring black superheroes. I think the path to success is going to be through mini-series starring black superheroes in an effort to find what works with the market and then converting that into ongoing titles.

Now that DC Comics is starting to dominate the market share due to the Absolute Universe’s success, it is time for them to try rolling out a few more minority lead comics. I know DC Comics is still focused on making a profit. But, DC Comics could certainly green-light a series of minority lead mini-series and see how the consumers respond. If any of the mini-series hit, then DC Comics could roll out some ongoing titles for the characters that have sales success.

So, I am not in complete agreement with the activists, and I think they are being disingenuous about the fullness of the problems preventing DC Comics from publishing lots of minority lead comics. And I disagree that DC Comics should hire writers and artists based on the color of their skin. I think DC Comics needs to hire writers and artists based on talent and merit in order to have sales success. The market has clearly shown that in the monthly sales charts.

I also think that the activists are disingenuous about how many black superhero comics DC has been publishing over the past three years. And I also think activists in general are usually tourists who do not care at all about the industry that they are protesting. Often, activists are just in it for self-promotion and to push their agenda. There is no real love or desire to improve the industry they are protesting. These LARPers will make a bunch of noise and present a bunch of misrepresentations without an honest love or care for the industry they are protesting.

This is evident in the bizarre and convoluted phrasing to claim that DC Comics hasn’t published any black superhero comics in the past three years. Also, it is evident in the complete ignorance of the economics of the comic book market. Further, if these activists are real fans of comics and are as large in numbers as they claim, then why aren’t they supporting the comics that DC Comics published in the past three years that totally flamed out in the sales rankings?

In the end, I definitely do agree with the activists in that DC Comics needs to translate their newfound success into rolling out some new minority lead comics. And not just black superheroes, but Hispanic, Asian, and Native American, too. I get why DC Comics retracted in this category, as they were dying in the sales charts. But it is time to start testing the market again and seeing what minority character can support a successful title in the sales charts and generate sustained consumer interest.

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 Inglorious X-Force #5

106 Doctor Strange #6

109 All-New Spider-Gwen The Ghost-Spider #10

110 Psylocke Ninja #5

117 Captain Marvel Dark Past #2

119 Astonishing Miles Morales Spider-Man The Art Of Thwip #1

122 Amazing Spider-Man Spider-Versity #2

125 Moonstar #3

136 Predator Bloodshed #4

139 Generation X-23 #4

140 Sentry #3

143 Imperial Guardians #3

157 Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – Echoes of the Empire #2

169 Planet of the Apes Vs. Fantastic Four #4

186 Wiccan & Hulkling Raid of Ultron #1

188 Sai Dimensional Rivals #5

191 Wonder Man #3

Unranked: Deadly Hands of K’un-Lun #4

Marvel Comics had eighteen dead titles walking out of fifty-six new titles in May 2026. This means that 32% of Marvel Comics’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

This was up from the twelve dead titles walking that Marvel Comics had in April 2026, which comprised 24% of Marvel Comics’ new titles. The April 2026 article listed Marvel with twelve dead titles walking out of fifty new titles.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as Marvel Comics had nineteen dead titles walking in May 2025.

Numbers were up from two years ago, as Marvel Comics had sixteen dead titles walking in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as Marvel Comics had twenty-one dead titles walking in May 2023.

Numbers were up from four years ago, as Marvel Comics had thirteen dead titles walking in May 2022.

This was a step backward for Marvel Comics after a much cleaner April 2026. Going from twelve dead titles walking to eighteen is not good. The percentage also jumped from 24% to 32%. That is a meaningful worsening, even though Marvel Comics still avoided the total disaster zone it hit in March 2026, when it had thirty-two dead titles walking.

Marvel Comics had 68 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Marvel Comics in first place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Marvel Comics once again wins the volume game. The problem is that volume is not the same thing as health. Marvel Comics had the most comics in the Top 200, but it also had a heavy Dead Titles Walking load. That is the current Marvel Comics problem in a nutshell: plenty of product, plenty of recognizable franchises, and far too much weak-selling material clogging up the back half of the chart.

DC Comics

103 Superman Father of Tomorrow #1 (Of 6)

104 Emperor Aquaman #17

112 The Flash #33

113 Green Lantern Corps #16

121 Green Lantern #35

131 Adventures of Superman Book of El #8 (Of 12)

132 Catwoman #87

147 End of Life #4

171 Harley Quinn #62

175 The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #4 (Of 6)

DC Comics had ten dead titles walking out of fifty-two new titles in May 2026. This means that 19% of DC Comics’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

This was up from the eight dead titles walking that DC Comics had in April 2026, which comprised 15% of DC Comics’ new titles.

Year-over-year numbers were down, as DC Comics had thirteen dead titles walking in May 2025.

Numbers were down from two years ago, as DC Comics had sixteen dead titles walking in May 2024.

Numbers were down from three years ago, as DC Comics had seventeen dead titles walking in May 2023.

Numbers were down from four years ago, as DC Comics had fourteen dead titles walking in May 2022.

DC Comics took a step backward from April 2026, but this is still a far healthier Dead Titles Walking performance than what DC Comics was posting in the bad old days. Ten dead titles walking is not great, but it is nowhere near the disaster-level numbers DC Comics was posting in 2023 and 2024.

End of Life #4 fell from the number 134 spot to the number 147 spot. This title continues to drift downward. It is not a surprise, but it is still another example of DC Comics’ non-superhero material struggling in the rankings.

The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #4 fell from the number 142 spot to the number 175 spot. This title is dead. It is deep in the back end of the Top 200 and clearly has no meaningful sales traction.

DC Comics’ Dead Titles Walking problem is better than Marvel Comics’ problem, but it is still real. The good news is that DC Comics only had ten dead titles walking, and the percentage was under 20%. That is a respectable result. The bad news is that too many of these titles are major-brand books that should be doing better.

The Flash, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Aquaman, Superman side projects, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn should not be living in this section. DC Comics has built an incredible sales engine with the Absolute Universe. Now it needs to fix the regular DCU titles that are still stuck in the mud.

DC Comics had 62 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put DC Comics in second place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Image Comics

111 Void Rivals #30

115 Tigress Island #3 (Of 5)

116 G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #328

124 Invincible Universe Capes #7

129 Universal Monsters: The Phantom of the Opera #4 (Of 4)

130 W0rldtr33 #20

138 Department of Truth #37

141 Lady Mechanika The Mechanical Menagerie #1 (Of 4)

142 Spawn: The Dark Ages #6 (Of 6)

146 Ghost Pepper #11

148 Fireborn #2

149 Red Roots #2

156 Super Creepshow #3 (Of 5)

160 Escape #7

163 Hyde Street #12

179 Gunslinger Spawn #54

180 Feral #23

181 Narco #3 (Of 5)

190 The Walking Dead Deluxe #136

194 Witchblade #21

198 Darkness #5

Unranked: G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero #14 Hama Files Edition

Unranked: Hornsby & Halo #0

Unranked: Rocketfellers #0

Unranked: Blood & Thunder #13

Unranked: Deadly Tales of the Gunslinger Spawn #19

Unranked: Death Fight Forever #4

Unranked: Final Boss #6

Unranked: Forged #10

Unranked: Free Planet #12

Unranked: Ghost Machine The Official Guidebook #2

Unranked: Gunslinger Spawn #55

Unranked: Hyde Street #13

Unranked: In Your Skin #2

Unranked: Kaya #35

Unranked: King Spawn #57

Unranked: Lost Fantasy #10

Unranked: Malevolent #5

Unranked: Monstress #62

Unranked: Redcoat #19

Unranked: Royals #2

Unranked: Savage Dragon #281

Unranked: Spawn: Scorched #53

Unranked: Seasons #11

Unranked: The Thing on the Doorstep #4

Unranked: The Walking Dead Deluxe #137

Image Comics had forty-six dead titles walking out of fifty-nine new titles in May 2026. This means that 78% of Image Comics’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

This was worse than April 2026, when Image Comics had forty-two dead titles walking.

Year-over-year numbers were worse, as Image Comics had fewer dead titles walking in May 2025.

Numbers were worse from two years ago, as Image Comics had fewer dead titles walking in May 2024.

Numbers were worse from three years ago, as Image Comics had fewer dead titles walking in May 2023.

Numbers were worse from four years ago, as Image Comics had fewer dead titles walking in May 2022.

Image Comics had an ugly Dead Titles Walking month. The top of Image’s chart looked good with Invincible Universe Battle Beast, Transformers, She Spawn, Odin, If Destruction Be Our Lot, D’Orc, Exquisite Corpses, and G.I. JOE. But once we get past the Top 100, the floor completely caves in.

The Hasbro franchise is no longer saving Image Comics across the board. The Spawn franchise also looks rough outside of She Spawn #1. Ghost Machine is also a problem. The creator-owned side of Image Comics was also packed with weak performers.

Image Comics had 38 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Image Comics in third place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Image Comics remains firmly behind Marvel Comics and DC Comics in total Top 200 volume. Image Comics has some strong top-end hits, but the publisher’s depth is much shakier than the raw Top 200 total suggests.

Dynamite Entertainment

126 Muppets Noir #3

144 Thundarr The Barbarian #4

155 Supernatural #7

164 Space Ghost #11

168 Red Sonja She-Devil with a Sword #1

183 Archie x Army of Darkness #4

185 ThunderCats x SilverHawks #2

Unranked: Aladdin #1

Unranked: Stitch 626 #1

Unranked: ThunderCats #26

Unranked: SilverHawks #4

Unranked: Mumm-Ra The Ever-Living #2

Unranked: Supernatural Special: Castiel #1

Unranked: Vampirella #2

Unranked: Vampirella: Armageddon #11

Unranked: Disney Villains: Ursula #3

Unranked: Disney Villains: Gaston #1

Unranked: The Lion King #4

Dynamite Entertainment had eighteen dead titles walking out of nineteen new titles in May 2026. This means that 95% of Dynamite Entertainment’s new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

Dynamite Entertainment had 8 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Dynamite Entertainment in fourth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

IDW Publishing

151 Zorro #1

166 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder #8

172 Godzilla (Kai-Sei Era) #10

200 Sleepy Hollow: The Witches of the Western Wood #1

Unranked: Godzilla Here There Be Dragons II Sons of Giants #1

Unranked: Godzilla Escape the Deadzone #9

Unranked: Sonic the Hedgehog #87

Unranked: Star Trek: Celebrations 2026

Unranked: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy–Lost Contact #2

Unranked: Star Trek: The Last Starship #7

Unranked: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #37

Unranked: TMNT: Journeys #9

Unranked: Monster High: Boomuda Triangle #4

Unranked: A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #3

Unranked: The Rocketeer: The Island #3

Unranked: Seven Wives #1

Unranked: Smile for the Camera #3

Unranked: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6

Unranked: The Twilight Zone #7

IDW Publishing had nineteen dead titles walking out of twenty-one new titles in May 2026. This means that 90% of IDW Publishing’s new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

Zorro #1 debuted at the number 151 spot. That is better than I anticipated for this 1919 classic pulp character.

IDW Publishing had 7 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put IDW Publishing in fifth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

That fifth-place ranking is respectable for a smaller publisher, but the underlying numbers are ugly. IDW Publishing had only two comics above the Dead Titles Walking line. The publisher has recognizable brands, but it is not turning enough of them into strong sellers.

BOOM! Studios

145 BRZRKR: Light Draws Breath #1

159 Hello Darkness #21

Unranked: Alice Forever After #4

Unranked: Baby Garfield #3

Unranked: Grim #24

Unranked: Power Rangers Prime #17

Unranked: Red Before Black #7

Unranked: The Center Holds #3

Unranked: The Life and Death of Lucas Dreamwalker #1

Unranked: Neighborhood Watch #2

Unranked: Wynd: The Power of the Blood #9

BOOM! Studios had eleven dead titles walking out of thirteen new titles in May 2026. This means that 85% of BOOM! Studios’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

BRZRKR: Light Draws Breath #1 debuted at the number 145 spot. That is an awful debut for a BRZRKR-branded comic. BRZRKR used to have far more sales heat than this. This is a bad sign for BOOM! Studios’ ability to keep that franchise relevant in the direct market.

BOOM! Studios remains painfully dependent on the Slaughterverse. Fall of the House of Slaughter and Something is Killing the Children were the only BOOM! Studios titles to avoid the Dead Titles Walking category.

BOOM! Studios had 4 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put BOOM! Studios in sixth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Titan Comics

123 Savage Sword of Conan #14

153 Conan and Dragonero #1 (Of 7)

177 Conan the Barbarian #31

Unranked: Blade Runner Tokyo Nexus: To Lose Is To Win #1

Unranked: Dead by Daylight: The Hillbilly #2

Unranked: Diablo: Dawn of Hatred #2

Unranked: Elric The Sleeping Sorceress #2

Unranked: Lenore Ghost Story #1

Unranked: Rafael Garcia Henchman #3

Unranked: Star Wars Insider #237

Titan Comics had ten dead titles walking out of ten new titles in May 2026. This means that 100% of Titan Comics’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

Titan Comics had 3 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Titan Comics in seventh place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Vault Comics

101 Nectar #3

108 Excommunicated #1

Vault Comics had 2 comics in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Vault Comics in eighth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Keenspot Entertainment

128 Mark Spears Monsters #10

Keenspot Entertainment had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Keenspot Entertainment in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Bad Idea

118 Olympus Saga Megalith #1 (Of 4)

Bad Idea Corp had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Bad Idea Corp in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Dark Horse Comics

134 Avatar The Last Airbender–The Kyoshi Warriors #1

Unranked: Young Hellboy: The Thrilling Sky Adventures #1

Unranked: Did You Hear About Mini Green #1

Unranked: Hidden Springs #1

Unranked: American Caper #7

Unranked: Cyberpunk 2077: Chrome #3

Unranked: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #6

Unranked: Groo: The Prophecy #2

Unranked: Megaghost #2

Unranked: Magic: The Gathering: Untold Stories – Jace #3

Unranked: Minor Threats: The Last Devil Left Alive #4

Unranked: Powers 25 #9

Unranked: Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories–The Bad Batch: Rogue Agents #3

Unranked: Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders #2

Unranked: Touched by a Demon #4

Unranked: The Umbrella Academy Plan B #5

Unranked: Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums #4

Unranked: Usagi Yojimbo: Kaito ’84 #3

Unranked: The Witcher: Blood Stone #4

Dark Horse Comics had nineteen dead titles walking out of nineteen new titles in May 2026. This means that 100% of Dark Horse Comics’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

That is a complete wipeout. Dark Horse Comics had one comic make the Top 200, and it still landed deep in the Dead Titles Walking category. Every other May-shipping single issue failed to make the Top 200 entirely.

Dark Horse Comics had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Dark Horse Comics in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

That is a weak placement. Dark Horse Comics used to be a much more important player in the single-issue market. In May 2026, the publisher barely registered. Getting one comic into the Top 200 while eighteen other May-shipping titles went unranked is a terrible performance.

Udon Entertainment

150 Mega Man X #3 (Of 5)

Udon Entertainment had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Udon Entertainment in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Ignition Press

178 Innards #1

Ignition Press had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Ignition Press in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Mad Cave Studios

187 Dog Tag #1 (Of 6)

Unranked: 51 #3

Unranked: Astro Quantum #4

Unranked: Babylon Cove #1

Unranked: Flash Gordon #16

Unranked: Gatchaman #18

Mad Cave Studios had six dead titles walking out of six new titles in May 2026. This means that 100% of Mad Cave Studios’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

Mad Cave Studios had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Mad Cave Studios in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

Oni Press

199 EC Cruel Universe 2 #10 (Of 12)

Unranked: Adventure Time #13

Unranked: Autumn Kingdom: The Wraithbound Queen #4

Oni Press had three dead titles walking out of three new titles in May 2026. This means that 100% of Oni Press’ new titles in May 2026 were dead titles walking.

Oni Press had 1 comic in the Top 200 in May 2026. This put Oni Press in a tie for ninth place for the publisher with the most comics in the Top 200.

The Tini Howard Award For The Writer With The Most Dead Titles Walking

Josh Trujillo was the only writer from Marvel Comics or DC Comics who had two issues in the Dead titles Walking category. Trujillo had Planet of the Apes vs. Fantastic Four #4 at the number 169 spot and Wiccan & Hulking: Raid of Ultron #1 at the number 186 spot.

Therefore, the Tini Howard Award for May 2026 goes to…Josh Trujillo!

All right, that is it for May 2026. Will DC Comics continue its domination of the Top 10 in June 2026? We will find out. Until then, everyone stay safe and be good!

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Tags: Avengers, Batman, Daredevil, Green Lantern, Nightwing, Spider-Man, Superman, X-Men