The Walking Dead #115 Is 2013's Top-Selling Comic Book

Diamond Comics Distributors have released their year-end sales estimates and once again, a special issue of Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead was the top single-issue comic book of the year. The Walking Dead #115, the much-hyped launching point for the "All-Out War" storyline, outsold all other comics in 2013 in the direct market, Diamond reported today. The issue, as well as the rest of "All-Out War," remains in print now, as Image Comics are keeping the whole story available to fans and retailers throughout the rest of the storyline Fans who decry relaunches like the New 52 and Marvel NOW! in favor of traditional numbering may be disappointed to see that, of the top ten comics of 2013, only one of them--The Walking Dead--is a triple-digit issue number. Numbers two through nine are #1 issues (Justice League of America, Superman Unchained, Guardians of the Galaxy, Superior Spider-Man, Infinity, X-Men, Age of Ultron and Uncanny X-Men), with Superman Unchained #2 rounding out the year's top ten sellers. The Walking Dead, which has dominated graphic novel sales charts for some time, took a back seat to its Image Comics stablemate Saga for the number one slot this year--but various volumes of Kirkman and Adlard's zombie drama took the #2, 4, 5, 6 and 10 spots. Saga Volume 2 came in at #3, and the only Big Two titles represented in the list were Hawkeye Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon and a pair of Batman graphic novels, which filled in the 7, 8 and 9 spots respectively. Overall, Marvel Comics took the year in marketshare by about 3% on both the dollar share and unit share side from DC Comics. Image Comics came in at third, with IDW Publishing and Dark Horse Comics rounding out the top five.