Comichron FAQ: Where did comics numbering come from?
A look at why comic books are numbered unlike most American magazines
My thanks to Bradley Glynn, who chased down the current numbering statuses of titles not easily found in today's fractured distribution scene.
Also check out my essay on where comics numbering came from to begin with: www.comichron.com/faq/comicsnu...
24.12.2025 16:55 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Publishers continued to use double-numbering in order to get the sales benefits from restarts while also retaining a (sometimes tenuous) claim to continuous publication to help market anniversary issues. We list these "can't commit" legacy titles separately in their own section.
24.12.2025 16:55 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
The highest-numbered series at the end of 2025, DETECTIVE COMICS at #1104 was exactly 250 issues behind record-holder FOUR-COLOR #1354, a title that skipped many issues. Detective's numbering routed through a restart but all issues appeared and the higher number's the only one it uses.
24.12.2025 16:55 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Holiday reading: In 2006, I wrote a Comics Buyer's Guide column coining the term "legacy numbering" and indexing how comics numbering had changed at five-year intervals since 1935. My piece has now been updated through the end of 2025. Find the history at www.comichron.com/faq/legacynu...
24.12.2025 16:55 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 1 π 1
While this concludes exactly 29 years of my real-time archiving of Diamond's monthly and weekly reports, I have many of its months from the early 1990s and before yet to publish; a lot more pre-2000 data from other sources is also coming from Comichron in the future. Stay tuned!
19.09.2025 01:06 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
The range and volume in the charts had greatly declined, but they were continuing; after our account on Diamond's retailer site was deleted in July, staffers kindly provided the charts to us directly β up until the last round of cuts. So we're calling this archive complete, at least for Comichron.
19.09.2025 01:06 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Comichron: April 2022 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops
Estimated comic book and graphic novel sales to North American comic shops
Weekly reorder rankings had been added to Comichron in late 2017 as a supplement to Diamond's monthly sales charts; the weekly charts were the earliest to return after Diamond's pandemic shutdown.
Diamond's monthly charts ended with the April 2022 chart:
bit.ly/Apr22Comics
19.09.2025 01:06 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Eight years of Diamond reorder reports on Comichron came to an end last week with @keenspot.bsky.social's
MARK SPEARS MONSTERS #6 leading reorders and BOOK OF NOSFERATU #1 from Ablaze as the top advance reordered comic book.
Reorders: bit.ly/Sep25Comics
19.09.2025 01:06 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 1
BOOK OF NOSFERATU #1 from Ablaze was the top advance-reordered series launch last week from Diamond. The publisher took multiple spots on the chart last week.
Reorders: bit.ly/Aug25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Sep25Comics
26.08.2025 15:59 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
The TRAVELING TO MARS hardcover from Ablaze was Diamond's top advance-reordered title last week.
Reorders: bit.ly/Aug25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Sep25Comics
13.08.2025 22:33 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
MARK SPEARS' MONSTERS issues lead most of Diamond's reorder charts these days. Top reordered hardcover last week was JON SABLE from @comicmix.bsky.social, with SPAWN OF VENUS from @fantagraphics.bsky.social the top advance hardcover.
Reorders: bit.ly/Aug25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Sep25Comics
07.08.2025 02:11 β π 3 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #319 from Kenzer was last week's top reordered publication at Diamond; @battlequestcomics.bsky.social's TRIDENT OF AURELIA: CORAZON #4 was the top advance-reordered comic book.
Reorders: bit.ly/Jul25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Aug25Comics
22.07.2025 16:21 β π 1 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
Don and Maggie Thompson's editorial in the wake of Jim Shooter's 1987 departure from Marvel provides a good analysis both of the accomplishments and the controversies from his tenure. With Maggie's blessing, I've posted it here:
www.facebook.com/share/p/1E7J...
01.07.2025 02:10 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Meanwhile, Diamond's forward-looking advance-reorder chart, which was dominated for much of the year by Boom β and then Dynamite, and lately Keenspot β was led last week by ZOO JITSU FIGHTERS #3 from Icon Heroes.
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Jul25Comics
25.06.2025 17:05 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Diamond continues to release reorder charts, and they've been a journey through the changes at the firm. Its top reordered comic book from last week was ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #18 (which is among Diamondβs last Marvel releases).
Reorders: bit.ly/Jun25Comics
25.06.2025 17:04 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Diamond's charts these days are usually led by Mark Spears's MONSTERS for Keenspot or @dynamitecomicshq.bsky.social's Vampirella; last week's advance reorders combined both, via a cover crossover.
Reorders: bit.ly/Jun25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Jul25Comics
11.06.2025 16:20 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
While Diamond's reorder chart last week had other publishers' books (ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #17 led), its advance-reorder chart was almost entirely
@dynamitecomics.bsky.social titles given the distributor's cutoff by Random House.
Reorders: bit.ly/May25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Jun25Comics
28.05.2025 16:32 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
In the last set of reorder charts released by Diamond before its purchase by Ad Populum, SPACE GHOST ANNUAL #1 from Diamond led its weekly advance reorders.
Reorders: bit.ly/May25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Jun25Comics
18.05.2025 15:48 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 1
Diamond's advance reorder charts are now dominated by its last major exclusive publisher; VAMPIRELLA #2 variants took 19 of 25 places on the chart. DEATH OF THE SILVER SURFER #1 was the top series debut.
Reorders: bit.ly/Apr25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/May25Comics
30.04.2025 14:01 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
FANTASTIC FOUR: FULL CIRCLE again led Diamond's reorder chart last week, while ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN INCURSION #1 was the top advance-reordered series launch. SILVERHAWKS #4 led advance reorders overall.
Reorders: bit.ly/Apr25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/May25Comics
23.04.2025 15:15 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Last week projects involving Mark Spears led both of Diamond's reorder charts. His MONSTERS #1 for Keenspot led the reorder charts, while CAPTAIN PLANET #1 with his cover led advance reorders.
Reorders: bit.ly/Mar25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Apr25Comics
02.04.2025 16:18 β π 8 π 3 π¬ 0 π 0
Comichron: Comic Book Circulation Timeline
Helpful dates in comics circulation study
Diamond was founded on Feb. 1, 1982 by Steve Geppi; this ends his 43 years of ownership. Our distribution timeline is here: comichron.com/archives/com...
25.03.2025 19:35 β π 5 π 3 π¬ 0 π 2
Wholesaler, Distributor, Vinyl LP Records, CD, DVD, Blu-ray, Music, Movies, Video Games, Toys, Collectibles, Consumer Electronics, Turntables: Alliance Entertainment
Alliance Entertainment, Worldwide One-stop, Wholesaler and Distributor of Home Entertainment products. We carry the largest selection of Vinyl LP Records, CDβs, DVDβs, Blu-ray, Ultra 4 K, Video Games,...
Alliance Entertainment trades on NASDAQ as AENT, where its market cap today is $200 million. The firm says the Diamond purchase came out of its existing $120 million line of credit which it expects to increase to $160 million.
Its history is related here: aent.com/our-story
25.03.2025 19:34 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 1 π 0
Alliance Entertainment Wins Bid to Acquire Key Assets from Diamond Comic Distributors
Acquisition will add iconic comic and game brands, unlocks cross-selling synergies across mass retail and specialty channels, and strengthens position in...
Alliance Entertainment β no relation (before now) to Alliance Games β announced today it has won its bid to acquire "substantially all" assets from Diamond Comic Distributors. Alliance is a Florida-based distributor of toys, video games, and vinyl records. www.globenewswire.com/news-release...
25.03.2025 14:44 β π 0 π 1 π¬ 1 π 2
In the final full week before Diamond's bankruptcy auction, @dynamitecomicshq.bsky.social's RED SONJA VS. AGE OF DARKNESS #1 was its top advance-reordered publication. SPACE GHOST #11 was its top reordered comic book.
Reorders: bit.ly/Mar25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Apr25Comics
19.03.2025 16:06 β π 2 π 1 π¬ 0 π 0
PREDATOR VS. SPIDER-MAN #1 was the top advance-reordered new series launch from Diamond last week. SPACE GHOST #10 was its top reordered comic book.
Reorders: bit.ly/Mar25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Apr25Comics
12.03.2025 16:46 β π 2 π 0 π¬ 0 π 1
LAST BOY #1 from @boom-studios.com by Dan Panosian and Alessio Avallone was the top advance-reordered new series launch from Diamond last week. SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #7 was the top reordered comic book.
Reorders: bit.ly/Feb25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Mar25Comics
26.02.2025 16:56 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
ULTIMATE WOLVERINE #2 led Diamond's reorders last week; POWER RANGERS PRIME #5 led advance reorders. The advance reorder list includes some titles releasing after Diamond's March 24 bankruptcy auction.
Reorders: bit.ly/Feb25Comics
Advance reorders: bit.ly/Mar25Comics
19.02.2025 16:16 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0