(CBR) After teasing the number last week in USA Today, Image Comics officially announced “The Walking Dead” #115 – the 10th-anniversary issue that kicks off the storyline “All Out War” – immediately sold out on the distributor level its day of release, shipping more than 352,000 copies to the direct market. That makes the issue the top comic of the year to date in specialty shops, beating the estimated 308,000 copies sold in February by “Justice League of America” #1.
The landmark 100th issue of the series, by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn, was the top-selling comic in the direct market in 2012, setting set a new record for highest orders for a comic in a single month with an estimated 366,000 copies.
“The Walking Dead” #115 was released with 10 interconnecting covers by Adlard, which featured significant moments from the past decade of the series. The second printing, featuring a gatefold cover by Adlard (below), will be released Nov. 6.
“Ten years in and “The Walking Dead” never fails to surprise me. I wanted our 10th anniversary to be a big event but I never could have anticipated this,” Kirkman said in a statement. “The level of support we continue to get from retailers and readers is astounding. I only hope we can somehow top if for the 20th anniversary.”
For the duration of the “All Out War” storyline, “The Walking Dead” will be released on a biweekly schedule.