According to ICv2′s of Diamond’s numbers, the top selling graphic novel for November was Vertigo’s  Fables Vol. 11. The 12,800 units sold was good for first place but shows a dip from the previous volume. Second place went to Aspen’s Michael Turner Tribute Graphic Novel, “ the only other book with over 10,000 copies sold in by Diamond.”

In terms of revenue, the $99 Absolute Sandman Vol. 4 took the top spot with an estimated 3500 copies sold. The Watchmen hardcover edition was in second place.      

Marvel’s first appearance on the list was in 13th position with Hulk Vol. 1: Red Hulk while  Naruto Vol. 32 took 9th place for best manga.

Here’s a look at the top 25:

Rank         Index                 Title                                                                                         Price       Pub    Est.Qty

1                 12.4                 FABLES TP VOL 11 WAR & PIECES (MR)                        $17.99    DC         12,791
2                 9.74                 MICHAEL TURNER TRIBUTE GN                                      $8.99       ASP      10,047
3                 8.97                 BTVS SEASON 8 TP VOL 03 WOLVES AT THE GATE    $15.95    DAR        9,253
4                 8.95                 HEROES HC VOL 02                                                           $29.99    DC          9,232
5                 7.86                 WATCHMEN HC                                                                     $39.99   DC           8,108
6                 6.45                 JLA AVENGERS TP                                                                $19.99   DC           6,653
7                 5.61                 WATCHMEN TP                                                                     $19.99   DC           5,787
8                 5.34                 JOKER HC                                                                               $19.99   DC           5,508
9                 5.14                 NARUTO TP VOL 32                                                                $7.95    VIZ           5,302
10              4.38                 FRUITS BASKET GN VOL 21 (Of 23)                                     $9.99   TKP         4,518
11              4.3                   FREAKANGELS TP VOL 01 (MR)                                          $19.99   AVA         4,435
12              4.27                 BPRD TP VOL 09 1946                                                           $17.95   DAR       4,405
13              3.86                 HULK PREM HC VOL 01 RED HULK                                   $24.99   MAR       3,982
14              3.48                COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS TP VOL 04                      $19.99   DC          3,590
15              3.48                ULTIMATE X-MEN ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP VOL 02   $24.99   MAR       3,590
16              3.45                ABSOLUTE SANDMAN HC VOL 04 (MR)                              $99.00   DC         3,559
17              3.36                TWISTED TOYFARE THEATRE TP VOL 09                          $12.99    WIZ       3,466
18              3.35                 FABLES COVERS BY JAMES JEAN HC (MR)                      $39.99   DC         3,456
19              3.27                 BERSERK TP VOL 26                                                              $13.95   DAR       3,373
20              3.19                 WALKING DEAD HC VOL 04 (MR)                                         $29.99    IMA        3,291
21              3.18                 ULTIMATE HULK VS IRON MAN TP ULTIMATE HUMAN   $15.99    MAR      3,280
22              3.05                 STAR WARS REBELLION TP VOL 03 SMALL VICTORIES $12.95  DAR      3,146
23              3                       X-MEN POPTOPIA TP                                                               $15.95    MAR      3,095
24              2.92                 CHRONICLES O/CONAN TP VOL 16                                     $16.95   DAR      3,012
25              2.88                 BATMAN GOTHAM UNDERGROUND TP                              $19.99    DC       2,971

Dynamite Entertainment provided us with preview pages to two titles hitting shops tomorrow:

First up, just in time for the season, is the Asmy of Darkness: Ash’s Christmas Horror one-Shot. The story is from Elliot R. Serrano with art by Davie Simons and color from Ivan Nunes and Rael Sidharta. The 50-50 covers are from Simons and Nick Bradshaw.

The solicitation copy reads:

Everyone loves the holidays, right? Wrong! If you’ve ever worked S-Mart retail in December, you know it’s a special hell filled with something even worse than Deadites… dumbass holiday shoppers. And when the Necronomicon gets a hold of some classic holiday entertainment, it sends Ash through a voyage of twisted Christmas visions that beat him senseless and initiate something deeper in Ash. "It’s a blunderful life" for everyone’s favorite big chinned Chosen One and this year he’s going to face something tougher than the Deadite Santas and zombie elves. He’ll find a piece of his soul that was swallowed long ago…

Note: 40 pages (32 pages of story and art)

(more…)

Liev Schreiber spoke with Moviehole about next May’s X-Men Origins : Wolverine, in which he plays Sabretooth.

"I’ve seen some footage, and I think it’s going to be really very good. I’m really looking forward to people seeing it," he said.

Playing the feral mutant opponent to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was a new kind of acting challenge. ”I found it to be really intense. The character I play is incredibly brutal and feral, has blood lust unlike any other character I’ve ever played, much, much more than Zus. Zus is basically a lover. This guy is a real killer.

”I love Hugh. I mean, Hugh is the reason I did it. We’d been friends for a long time and it’s just so much fun to work with him. To do fight scenes with Hugh was really terrific, because as a dancer, he has that kind of discipline and choreography. And I always studied to be a fight choreographer, and always wanted to be a dancer too, but didn’t quite have the feet for it. But we had some remarkable fight scenes together, and I’m looking forward to people seeing those.”

Schreiber admitted to having grown up a comic book fan and being in a movie based on his hobby was too good to pass up. ”I was a fan of the comic books. I just loved the character of Wolverine,” he admitted. “I always have. That sort of deeply ironic and very urban sensibility in a super-hero was something that I thought was really groundbreaking. And the style of writing was – particularly the very sort of editorial style. I just always loved it. And I think that we were able to capture some of that darkness in this movie, so I’m very proud of it.

”I hope I’m not blowing anyone’s cover here, but I don’t think men really mature intellectually and emotionally beyond 22. Your bodies evolve, but nothing else, really. And so why should I stop wanting to be in a comic book movie?”

Marvel Animation has released episode descriptions for the second season of The Spectacular Spider-Man.

The second season kicks off will premiere on the Canadian network Teletoon at 10:30 a.m.  January 11, 2009. The American fans have to wait until March when the series moves from TheCW4Kids to Disney XD.

14 – Blueprints
It’s early December, and the first snow is falling. PETER PARKER has a long “To Do” list – leading off with talking to GWEN STACY about their surprise first kiss. But before he gets the chance, SPIDER-MAN has a run in with the sorcerer MYSTERIO.

15 – Destructive Testing
Both GWEN STACY and LIZ ALLAN like PETER PARKER. So whom should Pete pursue? Meanwhile, KRAVEN THE HUNTER has come to New York to make SPIDER-MAN his prey!

16 – Reinforcement
As Christmas approaches, the SINISTER SIX reconstitutes with SANDMAN, RHINO, VULTURE, ELECTRO and new members MYSTERIO and KRAVEN. All they want for Christmas is SPIDER-MAN – dead. Meanwhile, PETER PARKER finds his wandering eye prevents him from being with GWEN STACY. He’ll have to learn to focus if he wants to get the girl… and if he wants to stay alive. (more…)

Just in time for last minute gift buying, Dynamite Entertainment releases the second Lone Ranger trade paperback, Lines not Crossed, on Wednesday.  The book collects issues 7-11 of the well regarded interpretation of the classic radio hero.  The stories are from writer Brett Matthews with art by Sergio Cariello and covers from John Cassady.

From the solicitation copy:

The Lone Ranger is an unrelenting tale of the American West. Texas Ranger John Reid seeks revenge for the murders of his family and friends, only to find justice… and that he’s something greater than he ever thought he could be.

In "Lines Not Crossed" and "Downbeat" — the thrilling adventures of The Lone Ranger continue as he and Tonto find themselves caught between frontier justice and a condemned man. As the hangman’s noose draws tighter — and Butch Cavendish ever closer — The Ranger and Tonto must uncover the truth behind a violent shootout… and what course of action to take when the law and their morality fails to p¬rovide clear answers.
  (more…)

Del Rey Manga has announced the acquisition of Hosana Tanaka’s Rappi Rangai, which it will arrive in bookstores under the name Ninja Girls.  Produced in Japan by Kodansha, the ongoing series has five volumes to date out in Japan. 
 
ICv2 describes it as “A young man in Japan’s distant past has an encounter with a beautiful female ninja that helps him discover that he’s the last living descendant of a feudal lord family; a group of beautiful ninjas that will help him regain his throne.”

This will mark Tanaka’s domestic debut.