Diamond Comic Distributors have announced the Top 500 Best-Selling Comics of 2015 sold through comic shops, including those in the UK, a year that saw Star Wars return to Marvel Comics in a big way in 2015 as Jason Aaron and John Cassaday‘s Star Wars #1 was the best-selling comic book of the year (reprinted several times despite a high initial print run), and one of Marvel’s seven titles in the top ten for the year.

British creators who should be celebrating the Top 500 include Kieron Gillen with Darth Vader #1 charting at Number Seven, drawn by Salvador Larroca and  Dan Abnett for DC’s Guardians of Infinity #1, drawn by Jason Latour is in at Number 60.

Marvel’s Karnak #1 by Warren Ellis, drawn by Gerardo Zaffino, enters the chart at Number 232 and Marvel Zombies #1 by Simon Spurrier, drawn by Kev Walker at Number 327. Grant Morrison‘s Multiversity Mastermen #1 is in there, too at Number 335.

The Walking Dead (#145) by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (and others) strolls into the chart at Number 133, one of the highest-ranking independent titles, with several issues in the Top 500; and Mark Millar and Sean Murphy‘s Chrononauts #1 is in at Number 284.

Despite the extent of their range and the successful expansion of their Doctor Who line, there’s no Titan Comics title in the Top 500, but given Marvel and DC’s continued dominance of the chart, you won’t be surprised to hear that very few independent publishers feature either, although the indies fare a little better in the Top 500 Graphic Novels list, also released by Diamond. It’s perhaps little wonder some independent publishers, such as Markosia, no longer use Diamond as a distributor, given this weighting in favour of the “Top Two” US publishers.

Also among the annual Top Ten for the first time was IDW Publishing with Orphan Black #1, based on the acclaimed BBC America series, at Number Four.

• View the full Top 500 Comics distributed by Diamond here: PREVIEWSworld – Top 500 Best-Selling Comics of 2015

What was your top comic of 2015? Why not let us know below?

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Star Wars, US Comics

Tags: Comics By Country, DC Comics, Diamond Comic Distributors, downthetubes News, Fear The Walking Dead, Grant Morrison, IDW, Image Comics, Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, Karnak, Mark Millar, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics, Salvador Larroca, Sean Murphy, Simon Spurrier, The Walking Dead, Warren Ellis