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Diamond Announces Top Products For September 2012

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (October 5, 2012) — The Avengers and the X-Men join forces to defeat the Phoenix-possessed Cyclops and Emma Frost and a legendary character falls in the battle in Avengers Vs. X-Men #11 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in September 2012, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

DC Entertainment was September’s leading publisher in both Retail Dollars and Unit Market Share, leading Marvel Comics 34.41% to 31.04% in dollars and 41.10% to 33.65% in units.

Following Thanos' appearance in the Avengers film, Marvel Comics reprinted Jim Starlin and Ron Lim's 1990 mini-series The Thanos Quest, and the collected edition of this prequel to The Infinity Gauntlet was September's best-selling graphic novel to retailers.

The latest series of Hasbro's Marvel Legends Action Figures, featuring dynamic 6-inch sculpts of characters including Deadpool, Mystique, and the Punisher, was September's best-selling toy product to comic book specialty retailers.

The rage of the Incredible Hulk comes to the HeroClix campaign with the Marvel HeroClix: Incredible Hulk Booster Brick from WizKids/NECA, the best-selling games product to comic book specialty retailers in September.

PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
DC COMICS 36.41%
MARVEL COMICS 31.04%
IDW PUBLISHING 6.36%
IMAGE COMICS 6.09%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.49%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.97%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.40%
AVATAR PRESS INC 1.11%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.96%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 0.92%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.25%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
DC COMICS 41.10%
MARVEL COMICS 33.65%
IMAGE COMICS 5.56%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.82%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.69%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.97%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.50%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 1.00%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.98%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.87%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 3.88%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
SEPTEMBER 2012 VS. AUGUST 2012
COMICS -11.89% -9.62%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -14.31% -15.83%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -12.69% -10.17%
SEPTEMBER 2012 VS. SEPTEMBER 2011
COMICS -4.42% -8.72%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 14.43% 20.18%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 1.02% -6.85%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011
COMICS 17.12% 14.26%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 14.16% 13.60%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 16.16% 14.21%
THIRD QUARTER 2012 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2012
COMICS 2.36% 0.41%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 1.46% 8.75%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 2.07% 1.06%
THIRD QUARTER 2012 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2011
COMICS 11.50% 6.06%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 15.37% 21.21%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 12.71% 14.21%

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #11 $3.99 JUL120528-M MAR
2 BATMAN #0 $3.99 JUL120154-M DC 
3 JUSTICE LEAGUE #0 $3.99 JUL120123-M DC 
4 GREEN LANTERN #0 $2.99 JUL120173-M DC 
5 DETECTIVE COMICS #0 $3.99 JUL120159-M DC 
6 ACTION COMICS #0 $3.99 JUL120142-M DC 
7 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #0 $2.99 JUL120162-M DC 
8 BATMAN AND ROBIN #0 $2.99 JUL120164 DC 
9 EARTH 2 #0 $2.99 JUL120135-M DC 
10 BATMAN INCORPORATED #0 $2.99 JUL120150-M DC 

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THANOS QUEST #1 $7.99 JUL120553 MAR
2 JUDAS COIN HC $22.99 MAY120270 DC 
3 WALKING DEAD HC VOL 08 (MR) $34.99 JUL120438 IMA
4 AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 03 PROMISE PART 3 $10.99 MAY120011 DAR
5 AQUAMAN HC VOL 01 THE TRENCH $22.99 MAY120278 DC 
6 TOWER CHRONICLES GN VOL 01 GEISTHAWK $7.99 JUL121137 LEG
7 MANHATTAN PROJECTS TP VOL 01 SCIENCE BAD $14.99 JUN120470 IMA
8 THIEF OF THIEVES TP VOL 01 $14.99 JUL120437 IMA
9 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY TP $16.99 JUN120243 DC 
10 BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW ED VOL 03 KNIGHTSEND $29.99 JUN120242 DC 

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL LEGENDS 6-IN AF ASST 201203 JUL121808 HAS
2 ARKHAM ASYLUM DELUXE TITAN JOKER AF JUL120272 DC 
3 BATMAN ARTFX STATUE BLACK COSTUME VER FEB121622 KOT
4 JUSTICE LEAGUE FLASH ACTION FIGURE MAY120340 DC 
5 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE JOKER STATUE BRIAN BOLLAND JUN120309 DC 
6 MARVEL SELECT ULTRON AF MAR121603 DST
7 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SER 3 BATMAN AF JUN120298 DC 
8 BATMAN ARKHAM CITY SER 3 RAS AL GHUL AF JUN120301 DC 
9 BATMAN 1/4 SCALE MUSEUM QUALITY STATUE VER 2 JUN120308 DC 
10 JUSTICE LEAGUE PARADEMON ACTION FIGURE MAY120342 DC 

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL HEROCLIX INCREDIBLE HULK BOOSTER BRICK OCT112063 NEC
2 DC HEROCLIX 10TH ANNIVERSARY 24 CT DISPLAY MAY122157 NEC
3 MARVEL HEROCLIX 10TH ANNIVERSARY 24 CT DISPLAY MAY122158 NEC
4 YU GI OH TCG RETURN OF THE DUELIST BOOSTER DIS APR128387 KON
5 THE WALKING DEAD TV BOARD GAME JUL112137 CRY
6 STREET FIGHTER MONOPOLY APR121976 USA
7 MARVEL HEROIC RPG CIVIL WAR EVENT BOOK PREMIUM JAN122072 MAR
8 RISK LEGACY JUN118204 HAS
9 MTG TCG 2013 CORE SET BOOSTER DIS APR121977 WIZ
10 MTG TCG AVACYN RESTORED BOOSTER DIS FEB121827 WIZ
Dollar Market Shares for September 2012
Dollar Market Share – September 2012
Unit Market Shares for September 2012
Unit Market Share– September 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.

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.

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