Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this afternoon. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (-). Watchmen
2 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
6 (+3). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
7 (-1). Watchmen (hardcover)
8 (-). V for Vendetta
9 (+4). Batman: The Killing Joke
10 (+31). Star Trek: Countdown *
11 (+12). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
12 (-2). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
13 (+6). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
14 (+34). From Hell
15 (-8). Batman: R.I.P.
16 (+1). Batman: Year One
17 (-6). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
18 (-6). The Joker
19 (+5). The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2
20 (+20). The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2
21 (N). The Complete Peanuts 1971-1972 *
22 (-7). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
23 (-9). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
24 (+6). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
25 (-7). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
26 (-10). Naruto, Volume 38
27 (+18). The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll's House
28 (-7). Naruto, Volume 39
29 (N). Blueberry Girl *
30 (-10). Naruto, Volume 40
31 (+1). Vampire Knight, Vol. 6 *
32 (-5). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
33 (-5). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
34 (N). The Arrival
35 (-9). Naruto, Volume 41
36 (N). Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 21: War of the Symbiotes
37 (N). Bone: One Volume Edition
38 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
39 (+11). The Adventures of Johnny Bunko (Kindle edition)
40 (N). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
41 (-4). Secret Invasion
42 (+2). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
43 (N). What It Is
44 (-9). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
45 (N). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
46 (-13). Time of Your Life (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8, Vol. 4) *
47 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
48 (-19). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes) (v. 1, 2, 3)
49 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
50 (N). All Star Superman, Vol. 1


Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.


Commentary:

* Watchmen continues its domination, with the trade paperback staying at #1 on the graphic novel charts and moving up to #2 on the overall Amazon bestsellers list. Also of note is that the more expensive Absolute Edition edged up past the regular hardcover.

* The Watchmen Halo Effect also continues, with many Alan Moore properties remaining high on the list, and the two volumes of LXG taking sizable leaps up the chart.

* Scott Pilgrim Watch: While the latest volume slips again, earlier volumes percolate back up onto the chart near the end.

* All Naruto volumes slip this week; there seem to be a core set of Naruto fans who buy the books when they first come out.

* A huge jump on the chart for Star Trek: Countdown, the prequel comic to the upcoming Trek reimagining. Ain't It Cool News has been touting it as important and good, and providing copious links to purchasing it on Amazon.

* The highest debut of the week belongs to the second hardcover compilation of James Robinson's Starman. Kind of surprising for a book which I would not have thought would have much mainstream appeal, but then the 37% discount is rather sizable on a $50 book. (I also see that this book has made the top of the New York Times' new hardcover Graphic Books Best Seller List.)

Master Disguise Kit

Bizarro is brought to you today by impractically large beaches.

I haven't been thrilled with all my cartoons from this particular week, but I really like this one. It isn't for everyone and won't end up on a best-selling T-shirt (come to think of it, none of my cartoons have ever been best-selling T-shirts) but it has that certain combo of dry surreal humor and social commentary that I find amusing.

If you don't live in a celebrity soaked environment like NY or LA, you may not know that virtually ALL celebrities who do not want to be noticed in public wear sunglasses and a ball cap. I'm not criticizing, just observing. For all I know there is a Screen Actors Guild bylaw about this that I am unaware of.

I suppose it makes sense in the context of our current fashion mores. If you want to cover the part of your body that most people will recognize, which for celebrities other than J-Lo is the face, you'll need either a brimmed hat or a veil. Veils attract a lot of attention, the opposite of what you're trying to do, and brimmed hats other than ball caps are not common enough in our society to go unnoticed.

Sunglasses hide the eyes, so that's an obvious choice.

I do wonder why more celebs don't opt for a false mustache, however. That can really change your look and, if it is obviously a fake, makes other people uncomfortable and less likely to stare. Wax lips do the same thing. People would either think, that person is wearing wax lips, eek, look away, or that poor person has shiny, plastic-looking deformed lips, I shouldn't stare. This option would work for just about any celebrity other than Angelina Jolie.

Nose glasses are a classic disguise but people now associate those with humor so you'd likely get one of those overly-friendly goobers on a chartered casino trip start kidding around with you. Then your cover is blown and you have to listen to their yammering about how much they enjoyed Tony Orlando in Branson last month. I get this from time to time from people who just think I'm wearing nose glasses. Welcome to my hell.

Shameless Friend Promotion: JimO Interview at The Pulse

Pal Jim Ottaviani has once again been interviewed about his forthcoming book T-Minus: The Race to the Moon, this time by Jen Cantino over at The Pulse: "Ottaviani's Race to the Moon."