Observations on Feb. 2014 Diamond Comics Chart - Increases

Obviously the general trend for a comic book series single issue sales is down. Absent other factors a fall of about 1-3% per issue is expected after the big initial second and third issue drops.  Sometimes you do get other circumstances, and there's an increase. I tend to view an increase of under 3% as statistical noise, unless it can be sustained for several months in a row, which is rare.  Here are the entries on Diamond's February 2014 Comics chart which had increases of over 3% from the previously charting issue.

DEATH SENTENCE #5 (TIT) : 3093 copies - +26%
WORLDS FINEST #20 (DC) : 25585 copies - +22%
SAVAGE DRAGON #193 (IMA) : 4979 copies - +20%
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27 .NOW (MAR) : 86405 copies - +19%
GREEN ARROW #28 (DC) : 26725 copies - +12%
THOR GOD OF THUNDER #19 .NOW (MAR) : 42034 copies - +10%
GHOSTBUSTERS #13 (IDW) : 6355 copies - +10%
CAPTAIN AMERICA #16 .NOW (MAR) : 36534 copies - +9%
BLACK SCIENCE #4 (IMA) : 25713 copies - +9%
GOD IS DEAD #6 (AVA) : 12852 copies - +8%
HAWKEYE #15 (MAR) : 39546 copies - +7%
SUPERGIRL #28 (DC) : 23567 copies - +7%
ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #0 ARCHER (VAL) : 8671 copies - +7%
X-MEN #10 .NOW (MAR) : 52486 copies - +6%
CRYPTOZOIC MAN #4 (DE) : 11291 copies - +6%
X-O MANOWAR #22 (VAL) : 9808 copies - +5%
NOVA #13 .NOW (MAR) : 26147 copies - +4%
GHOSTED #7 (IMA) : 6403 copies - +4%

DEATH SENTENCE #5 (TIT) : 3093 copies - +26%

Not sure why this one saw a big increase at #5 of a 6-issue series, but at this level of sales a relatively small number of copies (641) shows up as a big percentage. If the book is getting good word-of-mouth that might be seen in the upcoming collection.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #27 .NOW (MAR) : 86405 copies - +19%

THOR GOD OF THUNDER #19 .NOW (MAR) : 42034 copies - +10%

CAPTAIN AMERICA #16 .NOW (MAR) : 36534 copies - +9%

X-MEN #10 .NOW (MAR) : 52486 copies - +6%

NOVA #13 .NOW (MAR) : 26147 copies - +4%

Marvel's ".Now" branding for (theoretically) good starting points sees some modest increases, mostly explainable by various ordering incentives. Most of the increases tend to be wiped out by the next issue.

HAWKEYE #15 (MAR) : 39546 copies - +7%

Marvel's only other significant rise of the month is an odd special case. HAWKEYE is running late and shipped issues out of order, so #16 came before #15.  If you flip them, you'd pretty much get your standard decline.

WORLDS FINEST #20 (DC) : 25585 copies - +22%
GREEN ARROW #28 (DC) : 26725 copies - +12%

SUPERGIRL #28 (DC) : 23567 copies - +7%

DC's three substantial increases for the month.  WORLDS' FINEST and SUPERGIRL both benefit from crossovers with better selling books. GREEN ARROW rises on the strength of a charity blank variant cover. Both styles of increases are generally fully reversed by the next regular issue.

SAVAGE DRAGON #193 (IMA) : 4979 copies - +20%

That's compared to #191, since the book's sales don't always make the chart before the recent increase to releasing the Top 400. This issue is billed as a jumping on point and features a variant cover inked by Todd McFarlane, which still carries some weight, if only a fraction of the weight it carried two decades ago.

GHOSTBUSTERS #13 (IDW) : 6355 copies - +10%

Again, small absolute increases at this level have a large relative effect. This issue does starts a new storyline which will no doubt change the Ghostbusters forever. PS, RIP Harold Ramis.

BLACK SCIENCE #4 (IMA) : 25713 copies - +9%
GOD IS DEAD #6 (AVA) : 12852 copies - +8%
CRYPTOZOIC MAN #4 (DE) : 11291 copies - +6%

GHOSTED #7 (IMA) : 6403 copies - +4%

These seem to be books which are getting good word-of-mouth, which might see steady or even increasing sales, and will likely be seen in sales of their collections.

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #0 ARCHER (VAL) : 8671 copies - +7%
X-O MANOWAR #22 (VAL) : 9808 copies - +5%

I kind of tend to ignore short-term movement in the Valiant line. Their overall trend is always down, regardless of individual blips.