Here at The Beat we’re committed to getting as much good data as we can, and that includes sales charts. The lack of reliable sales charts has been a real problem for the comics industry for a few years now, and a solution is far from imminent.

In the meantime, we’ve reached out to a number of different sources to at least start getting some kind of regular metric charts out there. First up: GlobalComix, a digital platform for both comics from established publishers and self-published work. They’ll be providing us with their Top Ten most popular comics as ranked by their popularity algorithm, which take into account engagement (e.g. comments, likes, adds to library) in addition to views.

We’ll drill down a bit more on the methodology as we get going on this. GlobalComix has also provided some spotlight information on some of the books that are “bubbling under” as it might be put.

(And do YOU have a sales chart of some kind you’d like spotlighted here at the Beat? Reach out!)

And here we go!

 
1 Invincible Compendium 01_invincible-compendium
2 Love, inks, and museum links 02_love-inks-and-museum-links
3 Entwined 03_entwined
4 Red Light 04_red-light-1
5 No Strings 05_no-strings
6 Transformers 06_transformers
7 The Boys 07_the-boys-1
8 Rook: Exodus 08_rook-exodus
9 Something is Killing the Children 09_something-is-killing-the-children-volumes
10 Scott Pilgrim Color Collection 10_scott-pilgrim-color-collection

As you can see, this is what I would consider a “healthy” list – a solid mix of established classics – Invincible, The Boys, Scott Pilgrim – recent breakouts – SIKTC, Transformers – and popular webtoons – Love, inks, and museum links, Entwined, Red Light and No Strings.

And there’s even a new breakout hot title on the list: Rook Exodus from Geoff John’s Ghost Machine imprint Image Comics, written by Johns with art by Jason Fabok that was released on April 3 (In case you are wondering, currently Marvel and DC are not carried on GlobalComix.)

So almost like….things were normal.

And now the bubbling under:

1. Love Me: A Romance Story, 33 pages – Published by Mad Cave Studios, (cc/ @chrisfernandez)

New York City, sometime in the far future, where robots like JoJo have taken over the tasks humans no longer want to perform…like driving a taxi. JoJo is pretty happy with his lot in life but feels as though something is missing…then he meets Gilda and it’s love at first sight. But the course of true love is a bumpy one and JoJo is going to find that out firsthand when he discovers that Gilda is entangled with the mafia that runs his beloved city, and they’re very much against this potential union for their own reasons. Watch out, JoJo!

Story and Art by Buddy Beaudoin, Francesca Perillo, Lorenzo Scaramella, Stefano Cardoselli

 

2. Working Class Wizards, 76 pages – Published by Band of Bards Comics, (cc/ @BandofBards)

Monsters, Wizards, Barbarians, and Heavy Metal set in Chicago of 1976! A heavy metal guitarist in 1970s Chicago hasn’t made the big time with his songs of magic, wizards & elves. Let’s see how he does with the real thing. High stakes action & adventure set to the tune of classic heavy metal and the best of pulp sci-fi/fantasy.

Story and Art by Band of Bards Comics