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January 1998 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops

Estimated Comics Preordered by North American Comics Shops
Based on Reports from Diamond Comic Distributors


#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

Covers and issue links on this page lead to current eBay listings. This site may be compensated if you make a purchase.

Light publisher offerings led to one of the weakest months to that point in the Direct Market era. But one of the top books of the month didn't come out in January anyway: Darkness #11, with its eleven covers, shipped the last week of December and was one of the top-sellers for many stores in January.

The four re-rebooted "Heroes Return" titles, Avengers, Iron Man, Fantastic Four , and Captain America, all remained in six figures with their second issues. But there were only nine releases above 100,000 copies as opposed to 15 in the previous January.

Chaos resurrected Lady Death with a new series; its first issue landed in 30th place as the top debut with nearly 52,000 copies preordered.

DC edged out Marvel for the dollar market share lead.

Diamond did release dollar rankings; these will be added at a later date.

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

—John Jackson Miller


This list includes all items on Diamond's Top 300 chart.
Items marked (resolicitation) were offered in an earlier month but never shipped; disregard any previously reported figure, as earlier orders were canceled when the books were resolicited.
Distributor charts are regional commodity reports, not measures of a work's total reach. Read our FAQ.
Title links below lead to current listings for the issues on eBay. As an eBay Partner, this site may be compensated if you make a purchase.


UnitsDollarsComic-book TitleIssuePricePublisherEst. units
1-Uncanny X-Men353$1.99Marvel154,418
2-X-Men73$1.99Marvel148,639
3-Avengers2$1.99Marvel138,884
4-Spawn70$1.95Image138,051
5-Iron Man2$1.99Marvel129,906
6-Fantastic Four3$1.99Marvel121,664
7-Wolverine122$1.99Marvel116,702
8-JLA16$1.95DC108,920
9-Captain America3$1.99Marvel108,292
10-Witchblade20$2.50Image97,147
11-Darkness12$2.50Image94,587
12-Curse of Spawn17$1.95Image86,315
13-Generation X36$1.99Marvel83,688
14-JLA Year One3$1.95DC80,239
15-X-Force75$2.99Marvel78,962
16-X-Men Unlimited18$2.99Marvel76,959
17-X-Man36$1.99Marvel74,807
18-JLA Paradise Lost3$1.95DC74,276
19-X-Factor143$1.99Marvel74,250
20-Cable52$1.99Marvel72,278
21-Amazing Spider-Man432$1.99Marvel68,175
22-Incredible Hulk462$1.99Marvel67,761
23-Ascension4$2.50Image67,240
24-Spider-Man89$1.99Marvel61,997
25-Spectacular Spider-Man255$1.99Marvel60,883
26-Sensational Spider-Man25$2.99Marvel60,342
27-Excalibur118$1.99Marvel57,613
28-Superman133$1.95DC54,700
29-Action Comics742$1.95DC52,554
30-Lady Death1$2.95Chaos51,921
31-Superman Man of Steel77$1.95DC51,875
32-Creech3$2.50Image51,650
33-Batman552$1.95DC51,098
34-Thunderbolts12$2.99Marvel50,015
35-Alpha Flight8$1.99Marvel49,315
36-Superman The Man of Tomorrow10$1.95DC47,899
37-Green Lantern96$1.95DC47,450
38-Deadpool14$1.99Marvel47,087
39-Flash135$1.95DC46,847
40-Astro City0.5$2.50Image46,560
41-Detective Comics719$1.95DC46,121
42-Unlimited Access4$2.99Marvel44,057
43-Preacher35$2.50DC43,791
44-Batman Bane of the Demon1$1.95DC43,607
45-Bishop Xavier Security Enforcer3$2.50Marvel43,265
46-Nightwing18$1.95DC42,733
47-Tenth5$2.50Image40,577
48-Batman Legends of the Dark Knight104$1.95DC40,551
49-Green Lantern/Sentinel Heart/Darkness1$1.95DC39,253
50-Wildcore3$2.50Image38,988
51-Preacher Special One Mans War $4.95DC38,870
52-Supergirl19$1.95DC38,737
53-Star Wars Crimson Empire2$2.95Dark Horse38,487
54-Wonder Woman131$1.95DC38,109
55-Batman Shadow of the Bat72$1.95DC38,012
56-Legends of the DC Universe2$1.95DC37,858
57-Xena Warrior Princess3$2.95Topps37,787
58-Voodoo3$2.50Image37,470
59-X-Files38$2.95Topps36,806
60-Catwoman55$1.95DC36,540
61-Gen 13 Bootleg15$2.50Image36,361
62-Darkchylde Swimsuit Illustrated1$2.95Image36,320
63-Robin51$1.95DC35,620
64-Xena Warrior Princess Xena/Dragons Teeth2*$2.95Topps35,329
65-Ka Zar11$1.99Marvel33,852
66-Babylon 5 In Valens Name1$2.50DC33,740
67-What If?106$1.99Marvel33,592
68-Green Arrow130$2.50DC33,500
69-Scarlet Crush1$2.50Awesome32,202
70-Starman40$2.25DC31,982
71-Maverick7$1.99Marvel31,711
72-Wildcats45$2.50Image31,487
73-Heroes For Hire9$1.99Marvel31,415
74-Coven5$2.50Awesome30,919
75-Neil Gaiman/Charles Vess Stardust4$5.95DC30,613
76-Mage The Hero Defined7$2.50Image30,367
77-Wonder Woman Secret Files1$4.95DC30,122
78-Elektra16$1.99Marvel30,020
79-Teen Titans18$1.95DC29,836
80-Arcanum8$2.50Image29,100
81-Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron Family Ties1$2.95Dark Horse28,804
82-DV815$2.50Image28,753
83-Silver Surfer137$1.99Marvel28,727
84-Werewolf By Night2$2.99Marvel28,564
85-X-Men Manga1$2.99Marvel28,548
86-Aquaman42$1.95DC28,145
87-Azrael39$1.95DC27,991
88-Quicksilver5$1.99Marvel27,920
89-Daredevil373$1.99Marvel27,092
90-X-Files Ground Zero3$2.95Topps26,443
91-Chase2$2.50DC26,014
92-Hitman24$2.25DC25,626
93-Shi The Series6$2.95Crusade25,544
94-Power of Shazam36$1.95DC25,048
95-Bone31$2.95Cartoon24,854
96-Shi Heaven & Earth4$2.95Crusade24,849
97-Marvel Team Up7$1.99Marvel24,782
98-Superboy49$1.95DC24,665
99-Legion of Super Heroes102$2.25DC24,491
100-Moon Knight3$2.50Marvel24,236
101-Savage Dragon45$2.50Image24,021
102-Dreaming22$2.50DC23,970
103-Chix1$2.50Image23,904
104-Legionnaires58$2.25DC23,766
105-Wetworks36$2.50Image23,520
106-Chronos1$2.50DC23,250
107-Impulse35$1.95DC23,132
108-DV8 Annual1$2.95Image23,030
109-Vampirella3$2.95Harris22,636
110-Batman Adventures Lost Years3$1.95DC22,468
111-Books of Magic46$2.50DC22,406
112-Conan The Barbarian/Lord of the Spiders1$2.50Marvel22,335
113-Journey Into Mystery518$1.99Marvel21,941
114-Kents8$2.50DC21,916
115-Fighting American Rules of the Game2$2.50Awesome21,885
116-Legends of the Legion2$2.25DC21,430
117-Sergio Aragones Groo1$2.95Dark Horse21,282
118-Strangers In Paradise Vol. III12$2.75Abstract20,761
119-Martha Washington Saves The World2$2.95Dark Horse20,342
120-Star Trek The Untold Voyages1$2.50Marvel20,204
121-Resurrection Man11$2.50DC19,903
122-Judgement Day Aftermath1$3.50Awesome19,714
123-Star Trek Voyager Splash Down1$1.99Marvel19,637
124-Man-Thing4$2.99Marvel19,412
125-Jack Kirbys Fourth World13$1.95DC18,937
126-Satana3$2.99Marvel18,804
127-Star Trek Unlimited8$2.99Marvel18,625
128-Evil Ernie Destroyer5$2.95Chaos18,278
129-Ghost Rider94$1.99Marvel17,986
130-Adventures In The DC Universe12$1.95DC17,767
131-Phantom Guard4$2.50Image17,639
132-Star Trek Early Voyages14$1.99Marvel17,455
133-Star Trek Starfleet Academy16$1.99Marvel17,450
134-Hellblazer123$2.25DC17,399
135-Sharky1$2.50Image17,200
136-Superman Adventures17$1.95DC16,719
137-House of Secrets17$2.50DC16,515
138-Lobo49$2.25DC16,469
139-Aliens Kidnapped2$2.50Dark Horse15,820
140-Superboy & The Ravers Final Issue19$1.95DC15,743
141-Sandman Mystery Theatre60$2.50DC15,718
142-Blade Crescent City Blues $3.50Marvel15,002
143-Transmetropolitan7$2.50DC14,808
144-Predator Nemesis2$2.95Dark Horse14,619
145-Pantha2$3.50Harris14,512
146-Sovereign Seven32$2.25DC14,430
147-Creeper4$2.50DC14,364
148-Ghost33$2.95Dark Horse14,169
149-Tick Big Blue Destiny3$3.50New England13,291
150-Oh My Goddess Ninja Master1$2.95Dark Horse13,265
151-Young Heroes In Love10$1.95DC13,245
152-Ticks Big Romantic Adv1$2.95New England13,142
153-Paul Chadwicks Concrete Strange Armor2$2.95Dark Horse13,132
154-Terminal City Aerial Graffiti5$2.50DC12,953
155-Spider-Man Manga6$2.99Marvel12,918
156-Spider-Man Manga7$2.99Marvel12,897
157-Steel48$2.50DC12,815
158-Gunsmith Cats Goldie Vs Misty3$2.95Dark Horse12,596
159-Major Bummer8$2.50DC12,478
160-Hawk & Dove5$2.50DC12,309
161-Oni Double Feature1$2.95Oni12,059
162-Crow Waking Nightmares (Res)2$2.95Kitchen Sink12,049
163-Kabuki Dreams$4.95Image11,998
164-Harbinger Acts of God $3.95Acclaim11,609
165-2020 Visions11$2.25DC11,471
166-Ash Quesada Palmiotti Cover3$2.95Event11,426
167-Darque Passages2$2.50Acclaim11,395
168-Ranma 1/2 Part Six14$2.95Viz11,134
169-Blade of the Immortal Dreamsong7$2.95Dark Horse11,093
170-Michael Moorcocks Multiverse5$2.50DC10,920
171-X-O Manowar16$2.50Acclaim10,884
172-Poison Elves31$2.50Sirius10,562
173-Elfquest20$4.95Warp10,480
174-Scud Tales From The Vending Machine $2.50Fireman10,398
175-Cerebus226$2.25Aardvark-Vanaheim10,322
176-Quantum & Woody12$2.50Acclaim10,036
177-Maxx 3D Edition1$4.95Image9,959
178-Warrior Nun Areala4$2.95Antarctic9,949
179-Red Rocket 75$3.95Dark Horse9,836
180-Satanika9$2.95Verotik9,571
181-Warrior Nun Frenzy1$2.95Antarctic9,330
182-Essential Vertigo The Sandman20$1.95DC9,080
183-Zombieworld Dead End1$2.95Dark Horse8,993
184-Trinity Angels11$2.50Acclaim8,968
185-Challengers of the Unknown14$2.25DC8,942
186-Kelley Jones The Hammer4$2.95Dark Horse8,865
187-Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan/The Moon Men2$2.95Dark Horse8,845
188-Usagi Yojimbo17$2.95Dark Horse8,656
189-Sonic The Hedgehog57$1.75Archie8,201
190-Ash Finch Batt Cover3$2.95Event8,196
191-Drakuun The Revenge of Gustav6$2.95Dark Horse7,971
192-Battle Angel Alita Part Eight8$2.95Viz7,803
193-Magnus Robot Fighter13$2.50Acclaim7,736
194-Wingbird Akuma She$3.95Verotik7,675
195-Doctor Tomorrow9$2.50Acclaim7,583
196-Inu Yasha A Feudal Fairy Tale10$3.25Viz7,537
197-Shadowman15$2.50Acclaim7,409
198-Bloodshot11$2.50Acclaim7,373
199-Pinky and The Brain21$1.95DC7,353
200-Robotech6$2.95Antarctic7,353
201-Painkiller Jane Leonardi Palmiotti Cover8$2.95Event7,266
202-Lost3$2.95Chaos7,210
203-New Bondage Fairies15$2.95Fantagraphics7,164
204-Troublemakers14$2.50Acclaim7,052
205-Marvel Adventures12$1.50Marvel6,970
206-Halle The Hooters Girl1$2.95Cabbage6,873
207-Sabrina The Teenage Witch12$1.75Archie6,857
208-Neon Genesis Evangelion5$2.95Viz6,745
209-Knuckles11$1.75Archie6,571
210-Wetworks 3-D1$4.95Image6,510
211-No Need For Tenchi Part Four2$2.95Viz6,392
212-Legend of Lemnear1$2.95CPM6,372
213-Painkiller Jane Nelson Cover8$2.95Event6,290
214-Scooby-Doo8$1.95DC6,162
215-Legend of Mother Sarah City of Angels (Res)3$3.95Dark Horse6,055
216-Egon1$2.95Dark Horse6,030
217-Essential Vertigo Swamp Thing17$2.25DC5,927
218-Animaniacs35$1.95DC5,861
219-Donald Duck Adventures49$1.95Gladstone5,825
220-Uncle Scrooge309$1.95Gladstone5,820
221-Shut Up and Die1$2.95Image5,769
222-Tales From The Crypt23$2.50Gemstone5,754
223-Xero11$1.95DC5,631
224-Roswell Little Green Man5$2.95Bongo5,503
225-Uncle Scrooge Adventures55$1.95Gladstone5,493
226-Exiled1$2.75Exiled5,473
227-Piracy1$2.50Gemstone5,263
228-Archie470$1.75Archie5,227
229-Man Called A X6$2.50DC5,217
230-Maison Ikkoku Part Seven7$3.25Viz5,212
231-Ms Fortune1$2.95Image5,207
232-Cutie Honey2$2.95Ironcat5,151
233-Dark Horse Presents128$2.95Dark Horse5,105
234-Silver Cross2$2.95Antarctic5,094
235-Badger9$2.95Image4,997
236-Two Faces of Tomorrow6$3.95Dark Horse4,972
237-Neon Genesis Evangelion Collectors Ed5$2.95Viz4,972
238-Looney Tunes38$1.95DC4,962
239-Mobile Police Patlabor Part Two1$2.95Viz4,895
240-Deity5$2.95Hyperwerks4,880
241-Scare Tactics Final Issue12$2.25DC4,859
242-Tzu The Reaper4$2.95Murim4,808
243-Betty & Veronica122$1.75Archie4,783
244-Eat-Man6$2.95Viz4,757
245-Luftwaffe 19468$2.95Antarctic4,721
246-Secret Plot4$2.95Fantagraphics4,711
247-La Cosa Nostroid7$2.95Fireman4,629
248-Big Bang Comics17$2.95Image4,522
249-Betty60$1.75Archie4,497
250-Hong On The Range (Res)2$2.50Image4,486
251-Cheryl Blossom11$1.75Archie4,456
252-Razor Switchblade Symphony $3.95London Night4,440
253-Starchild Mythopolis3$2.95Image4,425
254-Star Kid $2.95Dark Horse4,415
255-Hypersonic3$2.95Dark Horse4,410
256-Warlock 51$2.50Sirius4,405
257-Berlin (Res)4$2.50Black Eye4,405
258-God of Sex22$3.50Fantagraphics4,374
259-Strangers In Paradise Vol. II Gold Logo Ed6$2.75Abstract4,374
260-Return of Lum Part Four6$2.95Viz4,323
261-Betty & Veronica Double Digest71$2.95Archie4,277
262-Unbound1$2.95Image4,256
263-Veronica74$1.75Archie4,190
264-Cartoon Ntwk Presents8$1.95DC4,149
265-Chirality11$2.95CPM4,139
266-New Vampire Miyu5$2.95Ironcat4,103
267-Creed Use Your Delusion1$3.00Avatar4,073
268-Foot Soldiers3$2.95Image3,975
269-Arizona Wild At Heart1$3.00London Night3,929
270-Panic5$2.50Gemstone3,889
271-Midnight Panther10$2.95CPM3,848
272-Coven 13 (Res)2$2.50No Mercy3,843
273-Replacement God & Other Stories5$2.95Image3,771
274-Hellina Hellborn2$2.95Lightning3,725
275-Black Mist1*$2.95Caliber3,725
276-Flintstones and The Jetsons8$1.95DC3,720
277-Nights Into Dreams3$1.75Archie3,699
278-Frank (Res)2$3.95Fantagraphics3,689
279-Hepcats6$2.95Antarctic3,679
280-Archie & Friends28$1.75Archie3,653
281-Jughead Double Digest50$2.95Archie3,653
282-Milk3$2.95Radio3,638
283-Jughead103$1.75Archie3,613
284-Pandora Razor Devil Inside1$3.00Avatar3,592
285-Archie Digest154$1.95Archie3,592
286-Betty & Veronica Digest94$1.95Archie3,577
287-Gross Point9$2.50DC3,572
288-Full Metal Fiction7$3.95London Night3,562
289-Reality Check (Res)8$2.95Sirius3,531
290-Akiko22$2.50Sirius3,464
291-Joe Psycho & Moo Frog Color Special1$2.95Goblin3,429
292-Ultimate Strike13$3.00London Night3,372
293-Archie Annual Digest69$1.95Archie3,342
294-Art of Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 2$3.95Radio3,270
295-Horseman (Res)3$2.95Kevlar3,153
296-Brian Lumleys Necroscope2$2.95Caliber3,143
297-Grease Monkey1$2.95Image3,107
298-Laugh Digest140$1.95Archie3,020
299-Ogenki Clinic5$3.50Ironcat2,892
300-JLA Wildcats$5.95DC2,877


January 1998 Graphic Novel Sales to Comics Shops

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

This list includes all items on Diamond's chart. 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.

Diamond's graphic novel list wasn't exactly that, containing a few oversized comics and a magazine.



UnitsDollarsTrade Paperback titlePricePublisherEst. units
13Divine Right Collected Edition #1$5.95Imagen/a
24Swamp Thing Roots$7.95DCn/a
38Overstreet Comic Book Price Update #1$2.95Gemstonen/a
424Lady Death Fan Edition #1$7.50Chaosn/a
55What's Michael Michael's Mambo$5.95Dark Horsen/a
613Poison Elves Vol. 4$4.95Siriusn/a
72Wonder Woman Archives Vol. 1$49.95DCn/a
816Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #622$6.95Gladstonen/a
918Superman Transformed$12.95DCn/a
1014Transmetropolitan Back/Street$7.95DCn/a