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Diamond Announces Top Products for October 2014

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (November 7, 2014) — Weapon-bearing zombies offer a new threat to the survivors of the apocalypse in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #132 from Image Comics, the best-selling comic book of October 2014 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was October's top publisher with a 34.82% dollar market share and a 36.35% unit market share. DC Entertainment was second with a 27.53% dollar share and 31.00% unit share. Image Comics was third with a 9.77% dollar share and a 12.28% unit share. IDW Publishing's dollar share in October was fourth at 5.18% and Dark Horse Comics was fifth at 4.74%.

Marvel Comics had seven titles among October's top ten best-selling comics, led by Death of Wolverine #4 at #2. DC Entertainment placed two titles in the top ten, with Batman #35 as the publisher's top book at #6.

The first arc of G. Willow Wilson's acclaimed Ms. Marvel was collected in October in Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal, and the book from Marvel Comics was the month's best-selling graphic novel and one of the publisher's four books in the top ten. DC Entertainment also had four titles in the top ten, led by Batman Volume 4: Zero Year: Secret City at #3. Rounding out the top ten with two titles was Image Comics with Jonathan Hickman's East of West Volume 3: There Is No Us leading the way at #4.

Neil Gaiman and Lorenzo Mattotti joined forces for a reimagination of a classic fairy tale in Toon Graphic's Hansel & Gretel, the best-selling book in October. Also returning to the top ten was Dark Horse Comics' Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia at #2.

DC Collectibles released a new version of a fan-favorite in October with the Batman Black & White: Harley Quinn by Bruce Timm Statue (Second Edition), the month's best-selling toy product and one of their seven items in the top ten. Also among the top ten was Diamond Select Toys; their Marvel Select: Deadpool Action Figure ranked #6 for the month.

USApoly's Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, a custom edition of the venerable board game based on Robert Kirkman's best-selling Image comic book, was October's best-selling game product.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 34.82%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 27.53%
IMAGE COMICS 9.77%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.18%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.74%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.60%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.39%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 1.19%
AVATAR PRESS INC 1.18%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.17%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 9.43%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 36.35%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.00%
IMAGE COMICS 12.28%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.94%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.25%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.26%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.00%
AVATAR PRESS INC 1.25%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 1.20%
TITAN 1.05%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.43%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
DC ENTERTAINMENT 109 34 1 144
MARVEL COMICS 94 45 1 140
IMAGE COMICS 72 17 0 89
DARK HORSE COMICS 38 34 0 72
IDW PUBLISHING 47 25 0 72
BOOM! STUDIOS 38 9 0 47
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 38 9 0 47
ARCHIE COMICS 16 5 0 21
AVATAR PRESS 17 2 1 20
TITAN COMICS 9 4 5 18
OTHER NON-TOP10 112 190 48 350

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
OCTOBER 2014 VS. SEPTEMBER 2014
COMICS 6.30% 9.64%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 21.30% 25.98%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 10.45% 10.69%
OCTOBER 2014 VS. OCTOBER 2013
COMICS 10.84% 10.14%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 12.90% 6.28%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 11.46% 9.85%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2013
COMICS 3.64% -0.66%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 5.31% 5.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 4.15% -0.22%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD #132 (MR) $2.99 AUG140566-M IMA
2 DEATH OF WOLVERINE #4 $4.99 JUN140603-M MAR
3 THOR #1 $3.99 AUG140777-M MAR
4 DEATH OF WOLVERINE #3 $4.99 JUN140602-M MAR
5 AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #1 $4.99 AUG140718-M MAR
6 BATMAN #35 $4.99 AUG140268-M DC
7 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #7 $3.99 AUG140795-M MAR
8 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #8 $3.99 AUG140800-M MAR
9 HARLEY QUINN ANNUAL #1 $5.99 AUG140294-M DC
10 AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #2 $3.99 AUG140728-M MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MS. MARVEL VOLUME 1: NO NORMAL TP $15.99 JUN140725 MAR
2 HAWKEYE VOLUME 3: L.A. WOMAN TP $15.99 MAY140930 MAR
3 BATMAN VOL. 4: ZERO YEAR: SECRET CITY TP (N52) $16.99 JUL140237 DC
4 EAST OF WEST VOLUME 3: THERE IS NO US TP $14.99 JUL140478 IMA
5 BATMAN VOL. 5: ZERO YEAR: DARK CITY HC (N52) $24.99 JUN140264 DC
6 SOUTHERN BASTARDS VOL. 1: HERE WAS A MAN TP (MR) $9.99 JUL140517 IMA
7 HARLEY QUINN VOLUME 1: HOT IN THE CITY HC $24.99 JUN140279 DC
8 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 1: THE PARKER LUCK TP $17.99 JUL140726 MAR
9 MOON KNIGHT VOLUME 1: FROM THE DEAD HC $17.99 JUL140728 MAR
10 BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY BOOK & JOKER MASK SET $39.99 MAY140361 DC

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 HANSEL & GRETEL HC $16.95 JUL141687 RAN
2 LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC $34.99 SEP120055 DAR
3 DOCTOR WHO MAD LIBS $3.99 JUL141663 PUT
4 THE WALKING DEAD BOOK 5: DESCENT HC $25.99 AUG141936 STM
5 PRINCESS MONONOKE: THE FIRST STORY HC $34.99 AUG141763 VIZ
6 UNCANNY X-MEN 100 PROJECT TP $12.99 JUL141291 HER
7 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 88 SC $14.95 AUG141926 SAN
8 NEIL GAIMAN: FORTUNATELY THE MILK SC $5.99 JUL141684 HAR
9 BATMAN: A YEAR-BY-YEAR VISUAL CHRONICLE HC $50.00 JUL141641 DK
10 THE WALKING DEAD NOVEL BOOK 4: THE FALL OF THE GOVERNOR PART 2 SC $14.99 AUG141935 STM

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE: HARLEY QUINN STATUE (SECOND EDITION) MAR140302 DC
2 DC COMICS COVER GIRLS: HARLEY QUINN STATUE (SECOND EDITION) APR140329 DC
3 BATMAN 75TH ANNIVERSARY ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK SET 1 MAY140418 DC
4 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: ZOMBIE BATMAN BY NEAL ADAMS APR140318 DC
5 DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: JUSTICE LEAGUE 7-PACK BOX SET NOV138235 DC
6 MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE MAR101468 DST
7 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: ROCKET RACCOON ARTFX+ STATUE APR142092 KOT
8 DC COMICS ICONS: SUPERMAN 1/6-SCALE STATUE MAR140304 DC
9 ARKHAM ORIGINS: DEATHSTROKE/THE JOKER/COPPERHEAD 3-PACK MAR140311 DC
10 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY: BATMAN ARTFX+ STATUE MAR142128 KOT

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION OCT128266 USA
2 MARVEL DICE MASTERS: UNCANNY X-MEN JUN142654 NEC
3 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: KHANS OF TARKIR BOOSTER PACKS AUG142826 WIZ
4 RISK: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION OCT128267 USA
5 DC HEROCLIX: WAR OF LIGHT: ALTERNATE LANTERNS JUN142653 NEC
6 MARVEL DICE MASTERS: UNCANNY X-MEN STARTER SET JUN142655 NEC
7 ADVENTURE TIME CARD WARS PACK 3: PRINCESS BUBBLEGUM VS. LUMPY SPACE PRINCESS JUN142617 CRY
8 DC HEROCLIX: WAR OF LIGHT BOOSTER BRICK WAVE 2 MAY142842 NEC
9 RISK LEGACY JUN118204 HAS
10 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: KHANS OF TARKIR FAT PACK AUG142828 WIZ
Dollar Market Shares for October 2014

Dollar Market Share – October 2014

Unit Market Shares for October 2014

Unit Market Share – October 2014

 

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world.  Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty stores may be included as well.

Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. Please note that comics marked with an asterisk (*) have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

The New Titles Count Chart includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.

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