Winners Revealed - Wizard Magazine Top 10 Hottest Comics (20 Years of Data)

[RedGiant]

I've posted a few Wizard Top 10 Hottest Comic threads over the past couple months - well I've compiled all the data and below is a summary of the "winners" - but first, a little bit about the data:

Looked at the Top 10 Comics as published each month by Wizard Magazine, issues 0-235 plus 2000 (September 1991 - March 2011 - that's 20 years of data). In total there were 2170 data elements - i.e. 217 top 10 lists; some issues didn't publish a list (mainly near the end of the run) while others had special lists that were not included in my data (such as top 10 of the year).

While I can't guarantee this data is 100% accurate, as there may be a data entry error here or there, I can say with certainty it is very close to 100% accurate.

 

It cost me a decent chunk of change to buy all the mags (as I started with next to none) plus a ton of time to put this together. So if you would like to donate a few bucks to my cause, please donate to diestler@hotmail.com - or if you would like to look at the entire "master spreadsheet" please donate $10 or more and send me your email address - I will send a XLS file.

 

Now on to the results:

 

First up, publishers:

Winner - Marvel with 887 issues

DC - 549

Image - 312

Valiant - 78

Other - 344

Yes, I realize as a percentage of books published each month this isn't fair, but I'm just publishing total results here.

 

Number of times an issue was in the top 10:

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 26 months in a row

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 25 times

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 25 times

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 21 times

JLA 1 - 21 times

 

Number of times a book held the #1 spot:

Winner (tie) - Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - JLA 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - Witchblade 1 - 7 times

Captain America (5th) 25 - 6 times

Superman (2nd) 204 - 6 times

 

Total points (10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, etc):

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 215 points

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 177 points

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 166 points

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 161 points

JLA 1 - 159 points

 

Did the results end up as you'd expected? I'm guessing many of you would have thought there would have been a lot more Valiant books represented... I know I did.

 

Why would I put together such a list? Statistics interest me, I love numbers. Plus I always gravitated toward the top 10 list each month growing up. Most of the books I couldn't afford at the time, now most of these have been forgotten about and can be acquired for next to nothing. Makes you wonder what Walking Dead 1 will be going for in 10 or 20 years.

[ss5rmp]

nice good memories with wizard top 10s

[Cyclops]

Thanks for the write-up. All hail Witchblade #1

 

 

 

 

 

[Prince Namor]

Kind of embarrassing.

[Gatsby77]

Interesting, particularly given how that issue of JLA has fallen value and how reviled Morrison has been of late.

 

I think the lack of Valiant stems from the line only really being hot for a two year period (30 issues out of 200+) and that the mag did a good job of rotating through the top Valiant keys (Harbinger 1 one month, Magnus 12 or Solar 10 the next).

 

Also, I'd wager that Wizard itself reached the apex of its popularity in its first 30 issues, so that's the period (McSpidey to Ghost Rider; Valiant to Image) most engrained in our minds.

 

All I know is it was a blast to be collecting in 1990-1993, and Wizard was an integral part of it.

[Anfield Fox]

I've posted a few Wizard Top 10 Hottest Comic threads over the past couple months - well I've compiled all the data and below is a summary of the "winners" - but first, a little bit about the data:

Looked at the Top 10 Comics as published each month by Wizard Magazine, issues 0-235 plus 2000 (September 1991 - March 2011 - that's 20 years of data). In total there were 2170 data elements - i.e. 217 top 10 lists; some issues didn't publish a list (mainly near the end of the run) while others had special lists that were not included in my data (such as top 10 of the year).

While I can't guarantee this data is 100% accurate, as there may be a data entry error here or there, I can say with certainty it is very close to 100% accurate.

 

It cost me a decent chunk of change to buy all the mags (as I started with next to none) plus a ton of time to put this together. So if you would like to donate a few bucks to my cause, please donate to diestler@hotmail.com - or if you would like to look at the entire "master spreadsheet" please donate $10 or more and send me your email address - I will send a XLS file.

 

Now on to the results:

 

First up, publishers:

Winner - Marvel with 887 issues

DC - 549

Image - 312

Valiant - 78

Other - 344

Yes, I realize as a percentage of books published each month this isn't fair, but I'm just publishing total results here.

 

Number of times an issue was in the top 10:

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 26 months in a row

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 25 times

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 25 times

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 21 times

JLA 1 - 21 times

 

Number of times a book held the #1 spot:

Winner (tie) - Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - JLA 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - Witchblade 1 - 7 times

Captain America (5th) 25 - 6 times

Superman (2nd) 204 - 6 times

 

Total points (10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, etc):

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 215 points

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 177 points

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 166 points

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 161 points

JLA 1 - 159 points

 

Did the results end up as you'd expected? I'm guessing many of you would have thought there would have been a lot more Valiant books represented... I know I did.

 

Why would I put together such a list? Statistics interest me, I love numbers. Plus I always gravitated toward the top 10 list each month growing up. Most of the books I couldn't afford at the time, now most of these have been forgotten about and can be acquired for next to nothing. Makes you wonder what Walking Dead 1 will be going for in 10 or 20 years.

 

Good work. I used to get really proud when i would have a few books from the top 10 list

 

Funny how all of that can be picked up for a few bucks now. Still Gen 13 #1 and Witchblade #1 were/are great books.

[Comicdey]

I've posted a few Wizard Top 10 Hottest Comic threads over the past couple months - well I've compiled all the data and below is a summary of the "winners" - but first, a little bit about the data:

Looked at the Top 10 Comics as published each month by Wizard Magazine, issues 0-235 plus 2000 (September 1991 - March 2011 - that's 20 years of data). In total there were 2170 data elements - i.e. 217 top 10 lists; some issues didn't publish a list (mainly near the end of the run) while others had special lists that were not included in my data (such as top 10 of the year).

While I can't guarantee this data is 100% accurate, as there may be a data entry error here or there, I can say with certainty it is very close to 100% accurate.

 

It cost me a decent chunk of change to buy all the mags (as I started with next to none) plus a ton of time to put this together. So if you would like to donate a few bucks to my cause, please donate to diestler@hotmail.com - or if you would like to look at the entire "master spreadsheet" please donate $10 or more and send me your email address - I will send a XLS file.

 

Now on to the results:

 

First up, publishers:

Winner - Marvel with 887 issues

DC - 549

Image - 312

Valiant - 78

Other - 344

Yes, I realize as a percentage of books published each month this isn't fair, but I'm just publishing total results here.

 

Number of times an issue was in the top 10:

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 26 months in a row

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 25 times

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 25 times

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 21 times

JLA 1 - 21 times

 

Number of times a book held the #1 spot:

Winner (tie) - Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - JLA 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - Witchblade 1 - 7 times

Captain America (5th) 25 - 6 times

Superman (2nd) 204 - 6 times

 

Total points (10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, etc):

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 215 points

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 177 points

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 166 points

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 161 points

JLA 1 - 159 points

 

Did the results end up as you'd expected? I'm guessing many of you would have thought there would have been a lot more Valiant books represented... I know I did.

 

Why would I put together such a list? Statistics interest me, I love numbers. Plus I always gravitated toward the top 10 list each month growing up. Most of the books I couldn't afford at the time, now most of these have been forgotten about and can be acquired for next to nothing. Makes you wonder what Walking Dead 1 will be going for in 10 or 20 years.

 

Good work. I used to get really proud when i would have a few books from the top 10 list

 

Funny how all of that can be picked up for a few bucks now. Still Gen 13 #1 and Witchblade #1 were/are great books.

 

 

And that's the key message to collectors. What was hot in the end may not. Dollars thrown at the hot new item will be burned and gone a decade or two or three later. Not many new books stand the test of collector time. Smoke em if you've got em. Read em if you need. And put a little money in the precious metals if you plan to retire. Gold and Silver..…Age that is. Although a bit of coin definately won't hurt with inflation waiting to bite us. Soon

[ComicConnoisseur]

Kind of embarrassing.

Not really.I expected this kind of result. This is why I want comic books aimed at mainstream instead of the niche audience its been aimed at for these past 20 years.

Once digital comics make comics mainstream again it will release comic books from the shackals of its niche audience that controls want kind of comics we have to endure reading.

The new 52 is a prime example of what the niche audience wants with Catwoman being a good representative.

 

[ComicConnoisseur]

I've posted a few Wizard Top 10 Hottest Comic threads over the past couple months - well I've compiled all the data and below is a summary of the "winners" - but first, a little bit about the data:

Looked at the Top 10 Comics as published each month by Wizard Magazine, issues 0-235 plus 2000 (September 1991 - March 2011 - that's 20 years of data). In total there were 2170 data elements - i.e. 217 top 10 lists; some issues didn't publish a list (mainly near the end of the run) while others had special lists that were not included in my data (such as top 10 of the year).

While I can't guarantee this data is 100% accurate, as there may be a data entry error here or there, I can say with certainty it is very close to 100% accurate.

 

It cost me a decent chunk of change to buy all the mags (as I started with next to none) plus a ton of time to put this together. So if you would like to donate a few bucks to my cause, please donate to diestler@hotmail.com - or if you would like to look at the entire "master spreadsheet" please donate $10 or more and send me your email address - I will send a XLS file.

 

Now on to the results:

 

First up, publishers:

Winner - Marvel with 887 issues

DC - 549

Image - 312

Valiant - 78

Other - 344

Yes, I realize as a percentage of books published each month this isn't fair, but I'm just publishing total results here.

 

Number of times an issue was in the top 10:

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 26 months in a row

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 25 times

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 25 times

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 21 times

JLA 1 - 21 times

 

Number of times a book held the #1 spot:

Winner (tie) - Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - JLA 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - Witchblade 1 - 7 times

Captain America (5th) 25 - 6 times

Superman (2nd) 204 - 6 times

 

Total points (10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, etc):

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 215 points

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 177 points

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 166 points

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 161 points

JLA 1 - 159 points

 

Did the results end up as you'd expected? I'm guessing many of you would have thought there would have been a lot more Valiant books represented... I know I did.

 

Why would I put together such a list? Statistics interest me, I love numbers. Plus I always gravitated toward the top 10 list each month growing up. Most of the books I couldn't afford at the time, now most of these have been forgotten about and can be acquired for next to nothing. Makes you wonder what Walking Dead 1 will be going for in 10 or 20 years.

 

Good work. I used to get really proud when i would have a few books from the top 10 list

 

Funny how all of that can be picked up for a few bucks now. Still Gen 13 #1 and Witchblade #1 were/are great books.

 

 

And that's the key message to collectors. What was hot in the end may not. Dollars thrown at the hot new item will be burned and gone a decade or two or three later. Not many new books stand the test of collector time. Smoke em if you've got em. Read em if you need. And put a little money in the precious metals if you plan to retire. Gold and Silver..…Age that is. Although a bit of coin definately won't hurt with inflation waiting to bite us. Soon

Basically

golden age Superman,Batman and Captain America.

silver age Marvel keys

bronze age X-men,MARVEL keys and Neal Adams Batman

copper age TMNT

modern Walking Dead keys

maybe a few others,but

all the rest is pure speculation.

[Speedy-D]

What the heck is Witchblade, Lady Death, Shi or Gen 13?

[Shaven Kev-migration]

Walking Dead will end up like all this stuff...

[mycomicshop]

Kind of embarrassing.

Not really.I expected this kind of result. This is why I want comic books aimed at mainstream instead of the niche audience its been aimed at for these past 20 years.

Once digital comics make comics mainstream again it will release comic books from the shackals of its niche audience that controls want kind of comics we have to endure reading.

The new 52 is a prime example of what the niche audience wants with Catwoman being a good representative.

 

Interesting point!

[asr0462]

What, no Archie?

[RedGiant]

Walking Dead will end up like all this stuff...

Maybe not as badly, but there is no way a 9.8 WD #1 is going to be $2k+ 10 years from now.

[Prince Namor]

Kind of embarrassing.

Not really.I expected this kind of result. This is why I want comic books aimed at mainstream instead of the niche audience its been aimed at for these past 20 years.

Once digital comics make comics mainstream again it will release comic books from the shackals of its niche audience that controls want kind of comics we have to endure reading.

The new 52 is a prime example of what the niche audience wants with Catwoman being a good representative.

 

Interesting point!

 

[comix4fun]

Walking Dead will end up like all this stuff...

 

 

 

Yeah I remember when Lady Death ran for over 100 issues, sold hundreds of thousands of TPBs and spawned TV show that was #1 for 3 straight years.

 

Those were the days.

[ss5rmp]

michael turner art on witchblade

 

if youre going to collect modern stuff, collect what you like not what is hot. if you want to make money in comics invest in the silver age keys.

[Bosco685]

Walking Dead will end up like all this stuff...

 

 

 

Yeah I remember when Lady Death ran for over 100 issues, sold hundreds of thousands of TPBs and spawned TV show that was #1 for 3 straight years.

 

Those were the days.

 

You are so jaded.

 

[vane]

I've posted a few Wizard Top 10 Hottest Comic threads over the past couple months - well I've compiled all the data and below is a summary of the "winners" - but first, a little bit about the data:

Looked at the Top 10 Comics as published each month by Wizard Magazine, issues 0-235 plus 2000 (September 1991 - March 2011 - that's 20 years of data). In total there were 2170 data elements - i.e. 217 top 10 lists; some issues didn't publish a list (mainly near the end of the run) while others had special lists that were not included in my data (such as top 10 of the year).

While I can't guarantee this data is 100% accurate, as there may be a data entry error here or there, I can say with certainty it is very close to 100% accurate.

 

It cost me a decent chunk of change to buy all the mags (as I started with next to none) plus a ton of time to put this together. So if you would like to donate a few bucks to my cause, please donate to diestler@hotmail.com - or if you would like to look at the entire "master spreadsheet" please donate $10 or more and send me your email address - I will send a XLS file.

 

Now on to the results:

 

First up, publishers:

Winner - Marvel with 887 issues

DC - 549

Image - 312

Valiant - 78

Other - 344

Yes, I realize as a percentage of books published each month this isn't fair, but I'm just publishing total results here.

 

Number of times an issue was in the top 10:

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 26 months in a row

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 25 times

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 25 times

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 21 times

JLA 1 - 21 times

 

Number of times a book held the #1 spot:

Winner (tie) - Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - JLA 1 - 7 times

Winner (tie) - Witchblade 1 - 7 times

Captain America (5th) 25 - 6 times

Superman (2nd) 204 - 6 times

 

Total points (10 points for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, etc):

Winner - Witchblade 1 - 215 points

Lady Death (mini) 1 - 177 points

Shi: The Way of the Warrior 1 - 166 points

Gen 13 (Limited) 1 - 161 points

JLA 1 - 159 points

 

Did the results end up as you'd expected? I'm guessing many of you would have thought there would have been a lot more Valiant books represented... I know I did.

 

Why would I put together such a list? Statistics interest me, I love numbers. Plus I always gravitated toward the top 10 list each month growing up. Most of the books I couldn't afford at the time, now most of these have been forgotten about and can be acquired for next to nothing. Makes you wonder what Walking Dead 1 will be going for in 10 or 20 years.

 

 

The magazine "Wizard" was a big part of the comic community. It will be nice the data that diestler collected and put it in some somewhere like the "History of Comics"

[gyro-1]

Thanks for the hard work very interesting