Top 10

1 (=), 151,568 (-8,161) : Batman - Ah, Death of the Family. Batman isn't being knocked out of first any time soon.

2 (=), 115,074 (+1,980) : Justice League - With Throne of Atlantis starting, the Justice League are getting a boost of their own. Note: The second book in the Top 10 to feature Batman or one of his Bat-mates dealing with his Joker problem. Let's see how long this trend continues, shall we?

3 (+3), 106,395 (+31,835) : Detective Comics - Last month, I implied that this title wasn't likely to see much of the DotF sales money. I was hilariously wrong. Note: The third book in the top 10 to feature Batman.

4 (+1), 89,878 (+14,335) : Batman and Robin - DotF title no. 3 featured Robin vs. The Clown Prince of Crime (who isn't really a clown.) Death of the Family = licence to print money. Note: Fourth book in the top 10 to feature Batman.

5 (+8), 75,947 (+22,283) : Aquaman - And we're back with Throne of Atlantis. I have to say, I didn't realise it would be that popular. Note: Fifth book in the Top 10 to feature Batman.

6 (-2), 75,341 (-2,127) : Batgirl - Good news: Gail Simone is staying, all that fracas was just DC waiting for the next plot to come in. (Translation: Holy damn, those nerds really do love them some Gail Simone. So we're just going to quietly rehire her and forget this ever happened.) Bad news: I think this title may have hit its DotF sales ceiling. No no. 3 for Batgirl unfortunately. But Gail's staying! Note: This may not feature Batman in person, but it's the Batman/Joker event featuring a member of the Bat-family. So, 6th book with Batman or Batman-related event.

7 (+8), 74,407 (+23,687) : Nightwing - Yay, my favourite DC character made it into the top 10. Another normally middling 10th-20th title getting the Joker-bump into the top 10. Note: 7th book in top 10 with Batman or Batman-related event.

8 (-5), 74,363 (-4,136) : Green Lantern - Finally! A book that, to my knowledge, has absolutely nothing to do with Batman, his Bat-Family, or his deranged not-clown stalker. If it turns out Batman is joining the Lanterns on their wacky space adventures, then I guess he's in every title in the top 10 this month. Maybe Wolverine Publicity isn't the right name for it...

9 (+13), 68,707 (+28,962) - Teen Titans - One day, Scott Snyder (writer of Batman) called Scott Lobdell (writer of Teen Titans) and asked if he would like them to be involved in a storyline that doesn't involve mysterious teen-kidnapping corporations, Hunger Games, Superdouche or Wonder-Girl's ex-boyfriend. I don't know what Lobdell said, but the readers sure seem to like the idea.

10 (+13), 64,103 (+26,393) - Red Hood and the Outlaws - And to round out the top 10, another middling bat-title skyrocketed to the moon by Death of the Family. Oh, to think of those poor other books who don't have any connection to Batman.

Bottom 10

52 (=), 8,941 (-772) - G.I. Combat - Farewell G. I. Combat, we hardly knew ye. But your sales figures were just mind-bogglingly awful. If they had re-tooled this book as Bat-Squad, a squadron of elite soldiers personally trained by the Bat, they probably could have looked forward to a 20-30 issue run. Maybe next time...

51 (=), 10,923 (-708) - Grifter - For the sake of everyone involved, let us join together to wish that Grifter doesn't end up joining the proud legion of New 52 titles with below 10,000 sales in the next month finale. You had a good run Grifter; 16 issues is a respectable innings. And Team 7 hasn't been cancelled yet...

50 (=), 11,744) (-764) - Blue Beetle - Well, on the plus side, I heard that Blue Beetle's going to have some kind of role on Threshold, so Jaime Reyes' fans don't need to be too upset. Unless I'm wrong. Which I very well might be.

49 (=), 11,997 (-865) - The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men - Technically hasn't been canceled yet. Which is surprising, I wouldn't be expecting good news when the May solicits come out. Speaking of titles that didn't get good news...

48 (=), 12,561 (-976) - DC Universe Presents - A book which I technically liked the idea of, but just not enough to actually purchase the thing. That kind of book I suppose. A book which I did end up buying, but apparently nobody else did...

47 (=), 12,846 (-820) - I, Vampire - Noooooooo, not I, Vampire! I curse your sudden yet inevitable cancellation! And inevitable it was, have you seen the sales figures lately? Ouch.

46 (=), 13,528 (-924) -Deathstroke - You know what? I'm just going to blame the sales on this one on Rob Liefield. I also blame Rob Liefield for my lack of success in life, and lack of a boyfriend. Damn you Rob Liefield! Deathstroke is not cancelled yet, and considering the plummeting fortunes of Team 7 and Sword of Sorcery, will probably make it past 20 issues. However, I wouldn't put money down on Slade making it much further.

45 (=), 13,564 (-1,162) - The Savage Hawkman - If they're lucky, this book is going to survive long enough to bolster their sales by snaring readers looking for 'that new Wolverine book, Savage something'. I don't know who would actually make that mistake, but a currently uncancelled-title has to have some kind of hope, right?

44 (-3), 13,752 (-2,520) - Sword of Sorcery - I amend my earlier statement; an uncancelled title may have some hope, unless they're Sword of Sorcery. Seriously, even the people that like this book are now just waiting for the inevitable cancellation, upon which they can pick up the trade paperback or whatever you call it. Smooth move switching Christy Marx (writer) over to a DC title with a future at the expense of some other writer, nobody even noticed the whole 'firing writers by solicitation' thing.

43 (+1), 14,005 (-761) - Legion Lost - Good job making it to issue 16 guys, whoever you are. I'm sorry you had to be involved in the Young Justice family, which unless you're called the Teen Titans, means almost certain sales death.

Titles of Note

11 (-4), 61,298 (-3,043) - Action Comics - Superman has a major crossover event going on and is, you know, Superman, but he still can't crack the top 10 this month outside of Justice League. Poor Supes.

42 (+1), 14,674 (-1,293) - Batwing - While still staying afloat... ok, not afloat, but an acceptable level below sea water, Batwing could still be cancelled via the 'tarnishing the otherwise profitable name clause', aka the 'Justice League International clause'. It's not easy when you're a bat-title who is too far away geographically to play in the reindeer games (otherwise known as lucrative crossovers).

22 (-13), 35,020 (-28,633) - Catwoman - DotF tie-in only lasted one issue... oh well, easy come, easy go.

38 (+2), 15,705 (-739) - Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. - Dear DC. I will find a way to fly to America and leave a flaming bag of feces at your front door for cancelling this title. There will be vengeance!

32 (=), 21,040 (-1,441) - The Phantom Stranger - Numbers aren't looking great, but with the Trinity War coming up and with the Phantom Stranger somehow involved (maybe), this new title should be able to hold on for a little while longer.

13 (-5), 57,132 (-6,559) - Suicide Squad - It may be almost over, and they may be being leapfrogged by other bat-titles more central to DotF, but damn if Suicide Squad wasn't going to try and milk this last moment in the sun. And nobody will ever be able to take away the months they sold more than Superman, Flash and Wonder Woman.

40 (-3), 15,381 (-2,178) - Team 7 - Unlike Phantom Stranger, Team 7 does not look like they'll be able to hang on for a little while longer. While a cool book, this title is just about as screwed as Sword of Sorcery. And Sword of Sorcery is pretty damn screwed right now.