The April 2019 Diamond Comic Distributor stats are out, and they make rather interesting reading. As well as Marvel Comics getting a 50% unit share, Immortal Hulk #16 had higher orders than Batman #68 and #69. Since the New 52 reboot/relaunch, the twice-monthly Batman comic book has been the old reliable at DC Comics, constantly topping the charts, only beaten by the occasional first issue launch, event comics mini-series like Secret Empire, Metal or The Batman Who Laughs. For a regular issue of an ongoing series to top Batman is unheard of. Until Immortal Hulk.

Eisner nominated for this year, Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett and Paul Mounts has received praise across the industry since its launch, reinventing the comic as a horror title, while incorporating the inconsistent and widely varied history of the character over the decades, by rewriting the mythology for itself as well as the current state of the Marvel universe, while moving it on, into a gripping, surprising and drop dead gorgeous comic book. Bleeding Cool has been repeatedly praising the series for all of these achievements. The series has been putting on sales, as past issues continue to sell out and go to further printings. The first and second issues are currently on their fifth printings, as speculators chase after new issues.

Now, a couple of things. Immortal Hulk #16 had a 1:25 tiered cover (above) that proved very popular and may have driven stores to up their orders on the title Batman has had a bit of a post-non-marriage slump and the current Knightmares storyline has not proved that popular, issue-by-issue at least. And now Batman dives headling into its much anticipated City Of Bane storyline with Tom King and Tony S Daniel as part of DC's Year Of The Villain.

But it's an extraordinary achievement in this day and age. Immortal Hulk #17 is out this coming Wednesday. I wonder what it will outsell?

IMMORTAL HULK #16 BENNETT VAR

(W) Al Ewing (A/CA) Joe Bennett

• Once upon a time, Rick Jones was the Hulk's best friend. Now Rick Jones is dead…and gone.

• To learn why, Bruce Banner will have to face roaming gamma experiments, an assassin out for his blood…

• …and the one thing that can cage the IMMORTAL HULK.

Rated T+In Shops: Apr 03, 2019 SRP: $3.99 IMMORTAL HULK #17

(W) Al Ewing (A) Joe Bennett (CA) Alex Ross

• Bruce Banner is trapped inside Shadow Base Site A – powerless and hunted by their top assassin.

• He can't run forever. He can't change form. He can't survive…without THE IMMORTAL HULK.

• But not the one you think.

Rated T+In Shops: May 15, 2019

SRP: $3.99