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2005 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops

Estimated Comics Shipped to North American Comics Shops
Based on Reports from Diamond Comic Distributors

OVERALL North American Dollar Sales for
Diamond's Comics, Graphic Novels, and Magazines for the year

around $352.33 Million

(up 7% year-over-year)

 

#1 Most Ordered Issue
#1
#2 Most Ordered Issue
#2
#3 Most Ordered Issue
#3
#4 Most Ordered Issue
#4
#5 Most Ordered Issue
#5

2005 opened slowly with a weak January, but February saw massive increases. March saw the beginning of DC's Countdown to Infinite Crisis with a top-selling issue priced at $1.

In AprilStar Wars Episode III helped Dark Horse to one of its higher market shares across history.  May brought another successful Green Lantern relaunch. June was the biggest month of the year in overall sales, thanks to two issues of Marvel's event comic, House of M.

In July, Frank Miller and Jim Lee's All Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder led the charts with gargantuan numbers (for the early 2000s, anyway); after Justice #1 led in August, another All-Star issue would top September's list.

But the real market movement happened in the fall. DC's Infinite Crisis #1 approached orders of a quarter million copies in its first month, October, and with sales continuing strong through November and December the series helped 2005 close out with increases in all categories.

The final rankings for all comics and trade paperbacks during the year appear below. Diamond Comic Distributors reported these issues without indexes, so no sales estimates are calculated. You can find the first-month sales for these issues in the monthly charts; click one of the months at the bottom or use the search tool at the top of the page to find the specific issue. But note that those monthly numbers do not include reorders for the entire year; the rankings below do take the entire year's sales into account.

Click to skip to the Top Graphic Novels for the year.

—John Jackson Miller


This list includes all items on Diamond's end-of-year chart.
If you don't see a book, Diamond released no data for it.
Distributor charts are regional commodity reports, not measures of a work's total reach. Read our FAQ.
The links lead to current listings for each item on eBay. You can also find the books at your comics shop.



UnitsDollarsComic-book TitleIssuePricePublisher
13All Star Batman & Robin1$2.99DC
24House of M1$2.99Marvel
31Infinite Crisis1$3.99DC
4142DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis1$1.00DC
52Infinite Crisis2$3.99DC
67Justice1$2.99DC
75Infinite Crisis3$3.99DC
88All Star Batman & Robin2$2.99DC
96Green Lantern1$3.50DC
109House of M2$2.99Marvel
1129New Avengers5$2.25Marvel
1231New Avengers6$2.25Marvel
1310Supergirl1$2.99DC
1411All Star Batman & Robin3$2.99DC
1534New Avengers7$2.25Marvel
1612All Star Superman1$2.99DC
1713House of M4$2.99Marvel
1838New Avengers4$2.25Marvel
1914All Star Superman10$2.99Marvel
2026New Avengers8$2.50Marvel
2115House of M3$2.99Marvel
2241New Avengers2$2.25Marvel
2317Astonishing X-Men8$2.99Marvel
2418Ultimate Iron Man1$2.99Marvel
2549New Avengers3$2.25Marvel
2632New Avengers9$2.50Marvel
2736New Avengers10$2.50Marvel
2819House of M5$2.99Marvel
2920House of M6$2.99Marvel
3021Astonishing X-Men12$.99Marvel
3122House of M7$2.99Marvel
3223Astonishing X-Men9$2.99Marvel
3324House of M8$2.99Marvel
3450New Avengers11$2.50Marvel
3516Justice2$3.50DC
3655New Avengers12$2.50Marvel
3727Astonishing X-Men11$2.99Marvel
3858New Avengers13$2.50Marvel
3959OMAC Project1$2.50DC
4065New Avengers14$2.50Marvel
4135Green Lantern Rebirth4$2.95DC
4233Green Lantern2$2.99DC
4339Superman/Batman17$2.95DC
4437X-Men Phoenix Endsong1$2.99Marvel
4576Villains United1$2.50DC
4644Green Lantern Rebirth5$2.95DC
4740Superman/Batman19$2.99DC
4842Green Lantern6$2.99DC
4943Ultimates 22$2.99Marvel
5048Superman/Batman18$2.95DC
5145Supergirl2$2.99DC
5246Superman215$2.99DC
5347Superman/Batman20$2.99DC
5425Justice 3$3.50DC
5552Superman/Batman21$2.99DC
5653Green Lantern3$2.99DC
5785OMAC Project2$2.50DC
5856Ultimates 23$2.99Marvel
59107Wolverine26$2.25Marvel
6057Ultimates 24$2.99Marvel
6192JLA119$2.50DC
6261Ultimates 25$2.99Marvel
6362X-Men Phoenix Endsong2$2.99Marvel
6463Ultimates 26$2.99Marvel
6595Villains United2$2.50DC
6664Superman/Batman22$2.99DC
6797OMAC Project3$2.50DC
6899OMAC Project4$2.50DC
69124Wolverine27$2.25Marvel
7067Superman/Batman23$2.99DC
7168Ghost Rider1$2.99Marvel
72100Superman214$2.50DC
7369Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man1$2.99Marvel
7470Supergirl3$2.99DC
75101Superman213$2.50DC
7671Spider-Man House of M2$2.99Marvel
7772Ultimates 28$2.99Marvel
7873Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk2$2.99Marvel
7974Green Lantern5$2.99DC
80108OMAC Project6$2.50DC
8177Ultimates 29$2.99Marvel
8228Decimation House of M Day After0$3.99Marvel
83113OMAC Project6$2.50DC
8478X-Men Age of Apocalypse1$2.99Marvel
85115JLA115$2.50DC
86118Wolnder Woman219$2.50DC
8730Secret War4$3.99Marvel
8880Young Avengers1$2.99Marvel
8982Ultimate9$2.99Marvel
90120Wolverine36$2.50Marvel
9183Ultimate Iron Man2$2.99Marvel
92125Uncanny X-Men462$2.50Marvel
93126JLA116$2.50DC
94127Villains United3$2.50DC
9586Green Lantern5$2.99DC
96128Amazing Spider-Man525$2.50Marvel
97129Uncanny X-Men461$2.50Marvel
98160Ultimate X-Men54$2.25Marvel
99130JLA118$2.50DC
10087Ultimate Secret1$2.99Marvel




2005 Graphic Novel Sales to Comics Shops

Estimated Graphic Novels and Trade Paperbacks Shipped to North American Comics Shops Based on Reports from Diamond Comic Distributors

This list includes all items on Diamond's Top Graphic Novel charts. If you don't see a book, Diamond released no data for it.

The links lead to title details on Amazon (paid links). You can also find the books at your comics shop.

Frank Miller's Sin City volumes, repackaged and released by Dark Horse, dominated the top sellers list in a strong year for graphic novels. The Top 100 titles for each month were up 12% in dollars.


UnitsDollarsTrade Paperback titlePricePublisher
11Sin City Vol. 1 Hard Goodbye$17.00Dark Horse
25Identity Crisis HC$24.99DC
37Sin City Vol. 2 Dame to Kill For$17.00Dark Horse
49Sin City Vol. 3 Big Fat Kill$17.00Dark Horse
54Sin City Vol. 4 That Yellow Bastard$19.00Dark Horse
621Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of Sith$12.95Dark Horse
722Batman Hush$12.95DC
823Batman Hush$12.95DC
931Sin City Vol. 5 Family Values$12.00Dark Horse
1048Walking Dead Vol. 1 Days Gone Bye$9.95Image
1127Walking Dead Vol. 3 Safety Behind Bars$12.95Image
1218Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1 Gifted$14.99Marvel
1319Sin City Vol. 6 Booze Booze Broads Bullets$15.00Dark Horse
1432Superman/Batman Vol. 1 Public Enemies$12.99DC
1512Watchmen$19.99DC
1624Y The Last Man Vol. 5 Ring of the Truth$14.99DC
1734Walking Dead Vol. 2 Miles Behind Us$12.95Image
186Sin City Vol. 7 Hell & Back$28.00Dark Horse
1928Avengers Disassembled$15.99Marvel
2015Batman Year 1 Deluxe Ed. HC$19.99DC
2116Superman/Batman Vol. 2 Supergirl HC$19.95DC
2243We 3 $12.99DC
2374Ex Machina Vol. 1 First Hundred Days$9.95DC
248X-Men Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic 1$29.99Marvel
2536Fables Vol. 5 $14.99DC
2652Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 12 Superstars$12.99Marvel
2740Batman Dark Knight Returns$14.95DC
28128Ultimate X-Me Vol. 10 Cry Wolf$8.99Marvel
29415Vertigo First Taste$4.99DC
3042OMAC Project$14.99DC
3145Kingdom Come$14.95DC
3239Ultimates 2 Vol. 1 Gods & Monsters$15.99Marvel
3362Ultimate Galactus Vol. 1 Nightmare$12.99Marvel
3414Top Ten Forty Niners HC$24.99DC
3564Y The Last Man Vol 1 Unmanned$12.95DC
3650Astonishing X-Men Vol. 2 Dangerous$14.99Marvel
3771Y The Last Man Vol. 6 Girl of Girl$12.99DC
3830Marvel 1602$19.99Marvel
3913Wizard Best of Basic Training Deluxe$29.99Wizard
40140Showcase Presents Superman Vol. 1$9.99DC
41145Showcase Presents Green Lantern Vol. 1$9.99DC
42243Battle of the Planets Vol. 1 Trial by Fire$7.99Image
4378Walking Dead Vol. 4 Hearts Desire$12.99Image
4455Ulimate Spider-Man Vol. 13 Hobgoblin$15.99Marvel
4590Twisted Toyfare Theater Vol. 5 $12.99Wizards
4635V for Vendetta$19.99DC
4737Sandman Vol. 1 Preludes & Nocturnes$19.95DC
48167Ultimate X-Men Vol. 11 Most Dangerous Game$9.99Marvel
4968Batman War Games Act One$14.95DC
5094Superman/Batman Vol. 2 Supergirl HC$12.99DC
5169Wolverine End$14.99Marvel
52178FullMetal Alchemist Vol. 1$9.99Viz
53179Fruits Basket Vol. 7$9.99TokyoPop
5498Ultimates Vol. 1$12.99Marvel
5541Batman Long Halloween$19.95DC
56191Samurai Executioner$9.95Dark Horse
57103Y The Last Man Vol. 1 Cyles$12.95DC
58384Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures Vol. 3$6.95Dark Horse
5958Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck$16.99Gemstone
60108Ultimate Fantastic 4 Vol. 3 N-Zone$12.99Marvel
61310Runaways Vol. 3 Good Die Young Digest$7.99Marvel
6275100 Bullets Vol. 8 Hard Way$14.99DC
6353Star Wars Visionairies$17.95Dark Horse
64113Day of Vengeance$12.99DC
65122Villains United$12.99DC
6620Crisis on Infinite Earths$29.99DC
67223Tokyo Knights $9.99Image
68126Y The Last Man Vol. 3 One Small Step$12.95DC
69224Teen Titans Beast Boys and Girls$9.99DC
7091Planetary Vol. 3 Leaving 20th Century$14.99DC
7149Superman/Batman Vol. 3 Absolute Power HC$19.99DC
72238Fruits Basket Vol. 10$9.99TokyoPop
7367Ultimates Vol. 2 Homeland Security$17.99Marvel
74253Fruits Basket Vol. 9$9.99TokyoPop
7554New Avengers Vol. 1 Breakout$19.99Marvel
76104Batman War Games Act Two$14.99DC
77106Preacher Vol. 1 Gone to Texas $14.99DC
78148Ex Machina Vol. 2 Tag$12.99DC
79109Batman Chronicles Vol. 1$14.99DC
8057Johnny the Homicidal Maniac Director's Cut$19.95SLG
81274Fruits Basket Vol. 8$9.99TokyoPop
8260DC New Froniter Vol. 2$19.99DC
8338Ghost in the Shell 2 Vol. 1 Man Machine Interface$24.95Dark Horse
84282Teen Titans Vol. 4 Future is Now$9.99DC
85417Naruto Vol. 6$7.95Viz
86121Fables Vol. 6 Homelands$14.99DC
8729X-Men Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic 2$29.99Marvel
88165No Honot$12.99Image
89295Battle of the Planets Vol. 1 Trial by Fire Digest$9.99Image
9066Sandman Vol. 2 Dolls House$19.99DC
91749Vertigo First Offenses$4.99DC
92517Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures Vol. 4$6.95Dark Horse
93177Ultimate X-Men Vol. 12 Hard Lessons$12.99Marvel
94309Fruits Basket Vol. 11$9.99TokyoPop
95314Dead Boy Detectives Digest$9.99DC
96182Twisted Toyfare Theater Vol. 6$12.99Wizard
97183Rann Thanagar War$12.99DC
98137Invincible Vol. 5 Head of the Class$14.95Image
9944Superman for Tomorrow Vol. 1 HC$24.99DC
10010Absolute Batman Hush Oversized HC$49.99DC


My analyses of preorders from Diamond Comic Distributors for individual months can be found here: