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Diamond Announces Top Products For May 2012

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 8, 2012) — The battle between Marvel Comics' top teams reaches the surface of the moon in the publisher's Avengers Vs. X-Men #4, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in May 2012, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was May's leading publisher in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 35.32% and 38.64% respectively. DC Entertainment, which had seven of the month's top ten best-selling comics, was second in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 32.73% and 36.72% respectively.

Sales overall continued to be strong for the year, with comics sales up nearly 21% over the first five months of 2011 and graphic novel sales up nearly 13% for the same period.

Earth's greatest heroes joined forces to defeat an invasion by Darkseid and his Parademons in Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's Justice League Volume 1: Origin, and this hardcover collection of the first six issues of DC Comics' best-selling Justice League series from DC Comics was the top selling graphic novel in May.

Based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's best-selling video game Batman: Arkham City, DC Collectibles' Batman: Arkham City Series 2 Action Figures were the best-selling toy product to specialty retailers in May.

WizKids/NECA's latest Magic the Gathering expansion, Avacyn Restored, had a strong debut in May with the expansion's booster packs topping the games sales charts and the Fat Pack, Intro Decks, and Event Decks all placing in the top ten.

PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 35.32%
DC COMICS 32.73%
IMAGE COMICS 7.19%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.80%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.75%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.55%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.60%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS 1.08%
VIZ MEDIA 0.86%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.85%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.27%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 38.64%
DC COMICS 36.72%
IMAGE COMICS 6.70%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.04%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.48%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.63%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.60%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.73%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.71%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.64%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 4.13%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
MAY 2012 VS. APRIL 2012
COMICS 20.60% 20.93%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 31.65% 22.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 24.11% 21.02%
MAY 2012 VS. MAY 2011
COMICS 45.12% 44.24%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 41.14% 24.98%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 43.76% 42.46%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011
COMICS 21.77% 20.89%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 16.22% 12.77%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 19.95% 20.21%

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #4 $3.99 MAR120534 MAR
2 AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #3 $3.99 MAR120530 MAR
3 BATMAN #9 $3.99 MAR120184 DC
4 JUSTICE LEAGUE #9 $3.99 MAR120159 DC
5 BATMAN ANNUAL #1 $4.99 MAR120188 DC
6 AVX VS #2 $3.99 MAR120528 MAR
7 BATMAN INCORPORATED #1 $2.99 MAR120149 DC
8 DETECTIVE COMICS #9 $3.99 MAR120189 DC
9 ACTION COMICS #9 $3.99 MAR120176 DC
10 GREEN LANTERN #9 $2.99 MAR120204 DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 JUSTICE LEAGUE VOLUME 1: ORIGIN HC $24.99 JAN120299 DC
2 BATMAN VOLUME 1: THE COURT OF OWLS HC $24.99 JAN120300 DC
3 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
4 BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN DELUXE EDITION HC $24.99 JAN120285 DC
5 ANIMAL MAN VOLUME 1: THE HUNT TP $14.99 FEB120247 DC
6 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 4: HEARTS DESIRE TP $14.99 SEP088205 IMA
7 KICK-ASS 2 PREMIERE HC (MR) $24.99 MAR120637 MAR
8 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHIND US TP $14.99 SEP088204 IMA
9 WATCHMEN HC $39.99 JUL080172 DC
10 GREEN LANTERN VOLUME 1: SINESTRO HC $22.99 JAN120301 DC

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES JAN120380 DC
2 MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS MOVIE HULK ACTION FIGURE DEC111596 DST
3 MASS EFFECT 3 SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES NOV118167 BIG
4 MASS EFFECT 3 SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES NOV118166 BIG
5 COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: RAVEN STATUE FEB120307 DC
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE MAR128193 DC
7 THE WALKING DEAD SERIES 1: RICK/MICHONNE PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK AUG118185 TMP
8 MARVEL X BISHOUJO: ELEKTRA STATUE JUN111918 KOT
9 STORM STATUE OCT111743 BOW
10 METAL GEAR SOLID PLAY ARTS KAI: SOLID SNAKE FIGURE JAN121896 SQU

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED BOOSTER PACKS FEB121827 WIZ
2 MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS BOOSTER BRICK FEB121832 NEC
3 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED FAT PACKS FEB121829 WIZ
4 MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA BOOSTER PACK APR112103 NEC
5 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED INTRO DECKS FEB121830 WIZ
6 THE BIG BANG THEORY PARTY GAME MAR121853 CRY
7 YU-GI-OH! TCG: GALACTIC OVERLORD BOOSTER PACKS JAN128149 KON
8 MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE MARQUEE PACKS MAR121893 NEC
9 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED EVENT DECKS FEB121828 WIZ
10 MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE BOOSTER PACKS JAN122087 NEC

 

Dollar Market Shares for May 2012

Dollar Market Share – May 2012

Unit Market Shares for May 2012

Unit Market Share– May 2012

 

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

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located inNorth Americaand around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.

Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.

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ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

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