33 Years Later a Forgotten Superhero Team is Still Breaking Comic Book Records With Their Newest Book

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It’s remarkable, but an unexpected comic book team from Image Comics is currently performing incredibly well in sales. The comic book market is very competitive right now, but Image has been seeing a lot of success recently, thanks in part to the Energon Universe and the renewed popularity of the Invincible Universe with the Battle Beast spin-off. However, the sudden success of one particular, previously overlooked team has become a real standout, suggesting an interesting direction for Image Comics in the future.

Image Comics recently revealed its best-selling comics for November, and the results were unexpected. The new series Skinbreaker landed at number 8, while titles from the Energon Universe – Transformers and G.I. Joe – claimed the second, fourth, and fifth positions. The first issue of Spawn: The Dark Ages also performed well, taking third place. However, the top-selling comic of November was Rob Liefeld’s revamped Youngblood, a title he originally brought to Image Comics over thirty years ago.

After Numerous Relaunches, Youngblood Returns to Take the Top Spot

Youngblood is a comic book series about a team of superheroes who officially work for the U.S. government. The team includes heroes with diverse abilities, like the archer Shaft, the powerful Badrock, the versatile Vogue, and the deadly Chapel. When it first came out, Youngblood was notable for being the very first comic published by Image Comics, and it quickly became the best-selling independent comic for a short period. Unfortunately, the series soon faced problems with late releases and a decline in quality, disappointing many fans.

Look, Youngblood is clearly a labor of love for Rob Liefeld, and it’s been rebooted more times than I can count. Before he moved on from Image Comics back in the ’90s, we already saw a second volume and even a spin-off called Team Youngblood. Then, in the early 2000s, there were a lot of attempts to get it going again, with Liefeld bringing in heavy hitters like Alan Moore and Kurt Busiek. Sadly, none of those revivals really stuck – most fizzled out after just one or two issues. But Image and Liefeld? They just kept on trying to make this superhero universe work, no matter what.

The comic book series Youngblood was briefly brought back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but these new versions didn’t last much longer than earlier attempts, each running for only 9 to 11 issues. Despite this, creator Rob Liefeld remained dedicated to the series and announced another relaunch last year, taking on both the writing and art duties himself. Unlike previous revivals, this most recent version of Youngblood seems to be finding the success that has long eluded it.

Is the Sixth Time the Charm for Youngblood?

Considering all the ups and downs this comic series has faced, it’s surprising and great to see it reach number one in sales for November. However, it’s important to note that Youngblood‘s top ranking only applies within Image Comics. Still, ICv2 reports that Youngblood #1 landed in the top 50 comics sold nationally, which is a solid achievement for the series, especially considering its many breaks and revivals over the years. It’s truly remarkable that a comic with such a long and complicated history can return and be so successful.

I’m really curious to see if Youngblood can actually stay popular this time around. It’s tough, because comics rarely stay at the top forever, and the series has had a rough history. The first issue got a mixed reaction, but I think the name recognition still means something to comic fans, and it could still do well. Honestly, it’s hard to predict, but the initial sales are pretty good, and I’m hoping this new run is the one that finally lasts!

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2025-12-11 17:12