BN.com Top 1000 Titles Graphic Novels and Comics 12.25.2009

BN.com Top 1000 Titles Graphic Novels and Comics Friday 25 December 2009
(reviewed at 12:01 AM)


Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 196
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $11.16
Member price: $10.04


The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 258
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58


Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 304
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 314
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 403
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88


Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Barry Marx (Editor)
Paperback - REV
ISBN-13: 9780930289232
Sales Rank: 462
Pub. Date: April 1995
List price: $19.99
Online price: $12.99
Member price: $11.69


Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 481
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


Cyanide and Happiness by Kris Wilson, Matt Melvin, Rob Denbleyker, Dave Mcelfatric
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780061914799
Sales Rank: 491
Pub. Date: January 2010
List price: $13.99
Online price: $10.49
Member price: $9.44


Logicomix : An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos (Illustrator) , Annie Di Donna (Illustrator)
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 704
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41


The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover - 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 730
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75


On the Money: The Economy in Cartoons, 1925-2009 by The New Yorker, Gladwell, Malcolm
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740784903
Sales Rank: 940
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $24.99
Online price: $16.24
Member price: $14.61


In Odd We Trust by Dean Koontz, Queenie Chan (Illustrator)
Paperback - Graphic Novel
ISBN-13: 9780345499660
Sales Rank: 957
Pub. Date: June 2008
List price: $10.95
Online price: $8.76
Member price: $7.88


The Fine Print:
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.) I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:
http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

From the Archives: Chic Young's All New Blondie #211

Blondie, Volume 7, No. 211, December 1974

Cover by Paul Fung, Jr. (Wow... quite a biography! His NCS biography can be read here.)

In the feature story, "Blondie: Heritage of a Super-Bumstead", Dagwood suffers from a jumpy stomach. To calm it down, he creates one of his signature sandwiches.

The ingredients, as disclosed in the story: relish, mustard, pickles, olives, catsup, horseradish, sardines, peanut butter, cheese, beans, onions, and mayonnaise.

Dagwood eats only half the sandwich. Alexander's friends disturb Dagwood's nap, and Dag erupts in fury! Dagwood demolishes a tree, notices that he's damaged the front door, and quickly realizes that his sandwich has granted him super powers! He retrieves the other half of the sandwich from the refrigerator, but before he can analyze the contents, Blondie drags him away to fix the front door!

While Dagwood repairs the front door, Daisy and her pups devour every last bit of sandwich, causing Dagwood to start from scratch. (It is not shown if the dogs develop super powers.) Will Dagwood rediscover the source of his powers?

The editors tease further adventures, and according to the Grand Comics Database, a second story was printed in the very next issue. (This is quite unusual for a licensed comicbook. Usually, the editors would wait for sales figures and reader letters before deciding to continue a particular story. Perhaps the writer and artist had this written as a two-parter, and the editors decided to split it over two issues to maximize sales.)

Blondie #214 showcases the five-page "Tonic... With A Real Kick" featuring "Super-Dagwood". Since the series ended shortly thereafter, I suspect they do not exist. (Although I know many fanboys are salivating over the idea of "Super Blondie"...) John Byrne did work at Charlton during that time, and could revive the idea. (Dagwood and Blondie make a cameo in Fantastic Four #276, when Reed and Sue move to suburban Connecticut.)

(Hey... I just noticed... those big black eyes, the strange feathered hair... Dagwood looks like an extraterrestrial alien!)

From the Archives: Star Trek #7, March 1970

Ah... one of my favorite "bad" comics!

Star Trek #7, published by Western Publishing Company in March 1970. The issue has been collected in Star Trek: The Key Collection, Volume 1, published by Checker Book Publishing Group, LLC. Apparently there are known credits for this story, but I will be charitable and respect their anonymity.

"The Voodoo Planet", a twenty-six page story, involves the Starship Enterprise discovering an exact replica of Earth.

Here we see the Enterprise, as it approaches the planet on Page Two. Note the exhaust from the nacelles. This error is repeated later on the same page, and two pages later, as the ship travels over Paris on Page Four. (Perspective is badly drawn. Either the Enterprise is smaller than the Eiffel Tower, or the Enterprise is far in the distance, and the colorist could not use the limited palette to create a sfumato effect.)

Panels on later pages show the exhaust from the nacelles without color (unlikely to be contrails, as the ship would have no exhaust to create them). Only one panel shows the Enterprise without exhaust. Every other panel uses the exhaust, with speed lines, even though the speed lines would have been sufficient to denote movement.

So, Kirk and Spock beam down to what they think is Paris, only to find it deserted. There, they find a copy of the Eiffel Tower, several feet shorter, and constructed COMPLETELY out of papier-mâché. (Shouldn't they have used plaster of Paris?) Before Spock can theorize how a large 100+ foot tall Eiffel Tower constructed out of glue and paper could support its own weight without collapsing, an mysterious "laser beam-ray" strikes the tower, causing it to collapse. Kirk and Spock flee, barely escaping as the Tower crashes into the papier-mâché buildings which surround the Tower. (Although Google Maps shows that there are few buildings near the Tower, I will ignore this error, as this is a Voodoo Planet, and verisimilitude is not required to achieve the desired effect.)

Soon, news arrives from Earth via "relayed galaxy radio photograph". Not video, PHOTOGRAPH. In the 23rd century. Relayed across light years of distance almost instantaneously. The news? The Eiffel Tower has collapsed in Paris, at "exactly 12:40 P.M."!

Spock glances at his wristwatch chronograph (I guess classic design never changes), and deduces "That was precisely the outer-galaxy time here that the papier-mâché tower toppled on us!" Doctor McCoy conjectures, "Could it be some sort of weird, deep space voodoo I wonder?"

As the Enterprise flies over "Rome", the laser beam appears again, demolishing the Colosseum of Rome! The Enterprise triangulates the source of the laser beam, and rockets (literally, there's exhaust from the nacelles) to a nearby planet. The ship hides in a debris field of space trash and Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down for reconnaissance. (No redshirts.) There they find a primitive voodoo tribe (although the natives are only throwing spears at human targets, not actual effigies). The natives are subdued with hand to hand combat (the sound of the phasers would have been too noisy, but fisticuffs aren't?), and the control room of the laser fortress is entered. Before our heroes can subdue the villain, a small button is pressed and... the Sphinx is destroyed!

Kirk and Spock are subdued by voodoo dolls (action figures!) manipulated by the natives, the pain too excruciating to allow Spock or Kirk using their phasers on the natives! The villain? The nefarious Count Dressler! Leader of a small kingdom on Earth, Dressler was "the only fanatic in power who sought to produce hydrogen bombs when all Earth was negotiating to ban them!" (Kirk) (Wait... they still had H-bombs on Earth? After a nuclear holocaust? And independent countries? What was the United Federation of Planets doing all this time?)

Escaping in a ROCKET ship, Dressler lands on a planet "hostile to Earth's ways". (No, not Qo'noS.) Dressler mastered the natives, stole their secrets, and became their leader. (Wait... why didn't the natives just make a voodoo doll of Dressler?) Dressler, in typical supervillain fashion, then demonstrates his voodoo technique in front of Kirk and Spock. Instantly, the Tower of Pisa is toppled! While Dressler gloats, McCoy rescues Kirk and Spock, fisticuffs subdue the natives, and, without firing phasers, our heroes retreat back to the Enterprise.

There, they once again experience extreme voodoo pain (but not death) but with McCoy's pain killers, they can concentrate enough to research a solution. (My solution? Use the ship's phaser and level the laser fortress, killing the villain and a few natives, while preventing thousands of deaths on Earth.) Spock then discovers that a similar technique was used by a Vulcan clan known as "pain casters". Spock synthesizes the Vulcan herbs, and Kirk and Spock undergo the voodoo rite.

Free of the pain of the action figures, Kirk and Spock (again, no red-shirted security) subdue Dressler, and transport him back to the Enterprise. Kirk then decides, without any sort of trial or rule of law, with no regard to the destruction of priceless landmarks and human suffering, to exile Dressler to an unpopulated planet. (Hey... you don't suppose George W. Bush read this comic, do you?)

So... Spock discovers an incredible weapon which can be used across vast distances... and it is never heard of again. (Although, perhaps the Tantalus Field used a similar technology.)

From the Archives: Walter Lantz Andy Panda #4 (reprint)

This comic book is copyright 1959, 1958, 1957 by Walter Lantz Productions, Inc.

Here's one of my favorite stories from my childhood collection of comics. (Comics I collected before becoming a serious collector in 1984.) These comics are dog-eared, creased, sometimes coverless. But flipping through the covers to find the comics I wanted to blog about, I could recall many of the stories. Dennis the Menace, Richie Rich, Super Goof and other Disney comics,l Sad Sack... good stuff!

The following is one of my favorites, even though the character is not well known, especially in the Midwest, where cartoon shorts were non-existent, and I did not see a Woody Woodpecker cartoon until 1985 (in Austria!). Andy Panda is a Mickey-Mouse-type character. His friend is Charlie Chicken, who causes most of the trouble.

In the following nine-page story, Andy has a mice problem. Charlie plots numerous schemes, all of which fail miserably. As you will see in the story, Charlie finally succeeds...miserably!

The moral of the story?

Build a better mousetrap, and the mice will beat a path to your door!

From the Archives: Electronic Games

Cracked open a box, and found video tapes and old video game magazines.

The videos I'll watch later in bed, but here's a sample from the magazines:

Electronic Games (ISSN 0730-6687), published by Resse Publishing Company, Inc.

The issue: July 1982, Volume One, Number Five. Cover price: $2.95, full color throughout.

Here's the cover, which is why I picked it.

And the Table of Contents, with masthead.

Let's see... there's a two-page profile of Alan Miller, one of the original programmers of the Atari 2600, and a founding member of Activision. A four-page article discusses the early history of penny arcades and amusements.

"Strategy Session" discusses how to win at K. C. Munchkin (Odyssey), Adventure (Atari), and Match Racer (Gebelli Software). Old school gamers (such as myself) will remember that Atari/Namco sued Odyssey for copyright and trademark infringement, one of the first lawsuits involving videogames.

This is followed by the cover story, "The Coming of... TRON". Six pages of production stills, with the article discussing the movie and the various merchandise game tie-ins.

"Insert Coin Here" covers "Kickman" (Midway), "Space Duel" (Atari), Mouse Trap (Exidy), Zaxxon (Sega-Gremlin), Barracuda (Coinex), and Alpine Ski (Taito).

"The Player's Guide to Summer Sports Videogames offers eight pages of sports games.

"Games Library", reviews videogame guides, while "Arcade America" profiles the Westworld arcade located in Westwood Village, California. "Passport to Adventure" reviews "The Prisoner", based on the television show and designed for the Apple ][. "Mini-Arcade Gallery" profiles programmable stand-alone games. (The ancestors of today's PSP and GameBoy.) The best known games featured were Coleco's Total Control 4, which used cartridges containing the game screen, and Milton Bradley's Microvision.

Four pages then discuss displaying videogames on projection screens, such as the Sony KP-5000. "Programmable Parade" reviews Space Fortress (Astrovision), Trickshot (Imagic), Galactic Invasion (Astrovision), Boxing (Intellivision), and Haunted House (Atari). "Coin-Op Classroom" discusses Atari's Tempest. "Computer Playland" reviews Mousattack (On-Line), Crossfire (On-Line), Hockey (Gamma Software), Sammy the Sea-Serpent (PDI), David's Midgnight Magic (Broderbund), and Ceiling Zero (Turnkey Software).

"Stand Alone Scene" reviews Parker Brothers' Reflex, Coleco's Quiz Wiz Challenger, and Mattel's World Championship Baseball. Mattel's game is a pricey $65 (in 1982), but seems quite worthwhile, as it allows players to create a roster, and is housed in a chic case.

Here's the rankings presented on page 12.

From the Archives: Walt Kelly in Life Magazine

Below is a scan from a photocopy from a bound volume of Life Magazine.

The article, which appeared in the May 12, 1952, issue of Life Magazine, profiles Walt Kelly and his popular comic strip, Pogo. Running from page 12 to 14 of that issue, it includes a stunning one-and-one-half page drawing of the swamp, populated with many of the swamp denizens, all in dialogue!

Here's a sample, roughly half the page, scanned from the photocopy. Click for detail!

Here's the cover of the issue, readily available for purchase online. Comic strip fans will also be interested in the cover from March 31 of the same year, showing Li'l Abner being married to Daisy Mae.





While trying to find online images from the internet, I found the following at the Life archives on Google. It seems Walt Kelly was visiting Harvard University to stump for presidential candidate Pogo Possum at New Lecture Hall.

The historic "I Go Pogo" candidacy was created not by Walt Kelly, but by the editors of the Harvard Crimson newspaper. (This might be open to interpretation. It is possible that Kelly started the promotion to increase newspaper and book sales.) The newspaper endorsed not Adlai Stevenson or Dwight D. Eisenhower, but Pogo Possum.

The idea snowballed, and soon Kelly was invited to speak at the University. His arrival was late, and a waiting crowd of 200 people swelled to 1600, causing traffic jams. Eventually, Cambridge police, simmering under town-gown prejudices, instigated crowd control, beating participants and arresting 28 students. The "Pogo Riot" thus entered the history books.

More Artwork From the Archives

Another piece of artwork... maybe First or Second Grade?

Colored tissue paper glued on paper. I like the colors.

More From the Archives

Here's a project from Seventh Grade art class.

I think the assignment was to fill a sheet of graph paper with various designs, and then the art teacher could choose some for enlargement or something. Or maybe she just wanted us to fill the paper, and then graded the designs. The paper was cheap construction paper...pulpy but practical. The drawing was in pencil, and the teacher made selections with a red marker. (The dots on the paper were the ones she liked.) The graph paper was not cut exactly, so the far left squares were only about three-quarters of the regular square. I filled them in anyway. Readers will notice that stencils were used on some of the squares. I had a six-inch plastic ruler from some cereal box. The ends were keyed so that rulers could be attached end to end.

I enjoyed art class in the Seventh and Eighth Grades. I had to give that up to concentrate on my college prep classes... I probably should have continued studying art.

A Treasure From The Archives

I'm back home for the holidays, and spent a few hours today rearranging my vast collection of comics, toys, and other miscellany. I guess you could say I'm celebrating Christmas early, as I open boxes sealed years ago, rediscover stuff I didn't know I had, and enjoy the stuff I knew I had but didn't know where it was.

Here's a nice surprise from 1989, from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.



That "Army fairy" (don't ask, don't tell?) is "Grogan". And, NO, he's not kicking Wellington" (the dog) in the balls. I've watched A LOT of Warner Brothers cartoons, but do not recognize and can find no information on Grogan. Or Wellington. Or that kinda cute "Red" located above the Three Bops.

Many years ago, I attended a "Space Jam" panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, and the director (producer? writer?) stated that every Warner Brothers cartoon character had a cameo in the movie. Not too hard to do, when the bleachers can be filled with characters.

The artwork is a bit off model (Hippity Hopper looks like Jimmy Durante). Also, there are some characters which I do not believe have ever been in a theatrical short (Petunia's nephew, Cicero? Honey
Bunny?)

No Coal Black, (WB's "Song of the South), although Inki and Baby Owl are shown. No Michigan J. Frog, no Pete Puma. Perhaps those cartoons are not part of the package offered here. Perhaps MJF was working as the WB spokesperson, and was not available. Perhaps Pete Puma was considered derogatory. (But then why Slowpoke Rodriguez?)

Here's the key to the entire poster.

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics 12.20.2009

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics Sunday 20 December 2009

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 26
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53


Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 77
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88


Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 136
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 144
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58


The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 147
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 198
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32


Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
Hardcover - Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 224
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40


The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover - 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 280
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75


Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years by Charles Schulz
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 321
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50


Kiss Kompendium
(Not appropriate for children) by Gene Simmons
(Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9780061728198
Sales Rank: 425
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $48.75
Member price: $43.87


The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
(Reprint) by Max Brooks
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
Sales Rank: 542
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $17.00
Online price: $11.05
Member price: $9.94


Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 602
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41

Watchmen (REV) by Alan Moore
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780930289232
Sales Rank: 746
Pub. Date: April 1995
List price: $19.99
Online price: $12.99
Member price: $11.69


Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780316114882
Sales Rank: 791
Pub. Date: September 2005
Also Available in eBook
List price: $14.99
Online price: $11.99
Member price: $10.79


Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 878
Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15


Bloom County Complete Library, Volume 1 by Berkeley Breathed, Berkeley Breathed (Artist)
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9781600105319
Sales Rank: 930
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $39.99
Online price: $25.99
Member price: $23.39


The Fine Print:

While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.) I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9