Diamond Announces Top Products for August 2015
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (September 11, 2015) —The secrets behind the creation of Battleworld are revealed in Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic's Secret Wars #5 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book in August 2015 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was August's top publisher with a 36.67% dollar share and a 40.13% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month's number two publisher with a 25.39% dollar share and a 26.95% unit share. August's number three publisher was Image Comics with a 9.98% dollar share and a 10.41% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.90% dollar share and a 4.26% unit share. Dark Horse Comics placed fifth for the month with a 4.09% dollar share and a 3.63% unit share.
In August, Marvel Comics had seven titles among the top ten best-selling comics, including Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca's Darth Vader #8 and Dan Slott and Adam Kubert's Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #3 at #5. DC Entertainment had two titles maintain their top ten positions — Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #43 at #3 and Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok's Justice League #43 at #8. Also in the top ten was Image Comics with Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #145 at #7 for the month. Outside the top ten, August's best-selling non-premier comic book was Oni Press' Invader Zim #2, based on the fan-favorite animated series, which ranked #43 overall.
Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 24: Life and Death from Image Comics was the best-selling graphic novel for August and one of the publisher's five volumes in the top ten. DC Entertainment had two titles in the top ten, led by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition at #2. Marvel Comics placed three titles in the top ten, with Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's Civil War at #4.
IDW Publishing's Frank Miller's Daredevil Artifact Edition, a recreation of Miller's classic Daredevil artwork, was August's best-selling book. Also among the top ten were two books from Dark Horse Comics; Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia ranked #2 and Avatar: The Last Airbender Poster Collection ranked #7.
DC Entertainment's Batman Black & White: Batgirl by Babs Tarr, a statue that recreates the new look of Batgirl, was August's best-selling toy and one of the manufacturer's three products in the top ten. Also in the top ten was Diamond Select Toys with five products; the Marvel Select: Avengers Age of Ultron: Black Widow Action Figure was their best-selling product at #3.
The Marvel HeroClix: Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD Booster Brick, an expansion for WizKids/NECA's collectible miniatures game, was August's best-selling game product. Also in the top ten was Diamond Select Toys' Back to the Future Monopoly, a custom edition of the board game based on the beloved film series, ranked #2.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
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NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 72 | 33 | 0 | 105 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 70 | 26 | 1 | 97 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 61 | 16 | 0 | 77 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 39 | 18 | 0 | 57 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 32 | 13 | 0 | 45 |
| BOOM ENTERTAINMENT | 31 | 8 | 0 | 39 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 19 | 8 | 0 | 27 |
| TITAN COMICS | 11 | 6 | 1 | 18 |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 11 | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 9 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 81 | 145 | 46 | 272 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| AUGUST 2015 VS. JULY 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -18.24% | -15.79% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -10.71% | -20.19% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -15.89% | -16.20% |
| AUGUST 2015 VS. AUGUST 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 2.25% | 0.03% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 16.04% | 11.89% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 6.45% | 0.97% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 11.38% | 10.61% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 6.35% | 5.96% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 9.80% | 10.22% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SECRET WARS #5 | $3.99 | MAY150642-M | MAR |
| 2 | STAR WARS #8 | $3.99 | MAY150780-M | MAR |
| 3 | BATMAN #43 | $3.99 | JUN150239-M | DC |
| 4 | DARTH VADER #8 | $3.99 | MAY150786 | MAR |
| 5 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #3 | $3.99 | MAY150716-M | MAR |
| 6 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #4 | $3.99 | JUN150736-M | MAR |
| 7 | THE WALKING DEAD #145 (MR) | $2.99 | JUN150539 | IMA |
| 8 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #43 | $3.99 | JUN150172-M | DC |
| 9 | CIVIL WAR #2 | $3.99 | MAY150690-M | MAR |
| 10 | STAR WARS: LANDO #2 | $3.99 | MAY150774 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 24: LIFE AND DEATH TP (MR) | $14.99 | JUN150590 | IMA |
| 2 | BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL EDITION HC | $17.99 | NOV070226 | DC |
| 3 | BLACK SCIENCE VOL. 3: VANISHING POINT TP (MR) | $14.99 | JUN150521 | IMA |
| 4 | CIVIL WAR TP | $24.99 | JAN072436 | MAR |
| 5 | RETURN OF THE LIVING DEADPOOL TP | $16.99 | MAY150827 | MAR |
| 6 | FABLES VOLUME 22 TP (MR) | $17.99 | APR150316 | DC |
| 7 | CHEW VOLUME 10: BLOOD PUDDIN' TP (MR) | $14.99 | JUN150496 | IMA |
| 8 | UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL VOL. 1: SQUIRREL POWER TP | $15.99 | MAY150824 | MAR |
| 9 | SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG120491 | IMA |
| 10 | SUNSTONE VOLUME 3 GN (MR) | $14.99 | JUN150583 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | FRANK MILLER'S DAREDEVIL ARTIFACT EDITION HC | $75.00 | MAR150343 | IDW |
| 2 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 3 | BATMAN YOU CHOOSE STORIES: TERRIBLE TRIO | $6.95 | JUN151729 | CAP |
| 4 | BATMAN YOU CHOOSE STORIES: SUPER VILLAIN SMACKDOWN | $6.95 | JUN151728 | CAP |
| 5 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 98 | $14.95 | JUN151745 | SAN |
| 6 | THE ART OF MOUSE GUARD 2005-2015 HC | $59.99 | MAY151087 | BOO |
| 7 | AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER: POSTER COLLECTION TP | $24.99 | MAR150041 | DAR |
| 8 | THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 45 SC | $29.95 | APR151522 | GEM |
| 9 | DC SUPER HEROES BATMAN: ATTACK OF THE MAN-BAT SC | $5.95 | JUN151730 | CAP |
| 10 | DC SUPER HEROES SUPERMAN: DARK SIDE OF APOKOLIPS SC | $5.95 | JUN151732 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: BATGIRL BY BABS TARR | FEB150303 | DC |
| 2 | MARVEL COMICS VARIANT PLAY ARTS KAI: IRON MAN FIGURE | DEC148331 | SQU |
| 3 | MARVEL SELECT AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON: BLACK WIDOW FIGURE | FEB152166 | DST |
| 4 | MARVEL SELECT: ZOMBIE SABRETOOTH FIGURE | MAR152070 | DST |
| 5 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: LOIS LANE STATUE | FEB150301 | DC |
| 6 | MARVEL SELECT: ANT-MAN FIGURE | FEB152167 | DST |
| 7 | WOMEN OF DYNAMITE: VAMPIRELLA STATUE | APR151332 | DYN |
| 8 | MARVEL SELECT AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON: THOR FIGURE | JAN152175 | DST |
| 9 | MARVEL SELECT: RED HULK FIGURE | MAR088262 | DST |
| 10 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES BY JAE LEE: BATMAN FIGURE | FEB150297 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD BOOSTER BRICK | MAY152783 | NEC |
| 2 | BACK TO THE FUTURE MONOPOLY | JUL152198 | DST |
| 3 | GAME OF THRONES RISK | JUN152759 | USA |
| 4 | BATMAN: FLUXX CARD GAME | JUN152744 | LOO |
| 5 | STAR WARS X-WING: IMPERIAL RAIDER EXPANSION PACK | FEB152685 | FAN |
| 6 | LEGEND OF ZELDA YAHTZEE COLLECTOR'S EDITION | JUL152936 | USA |
| 7 | GAME OF THRONES MONOPOLY | APR152735 | USA |
| 8 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD FAST FORCES 6-PACK | MAY152785 | NEC |
| 9 | STAR WARS: FORCE AND DESTINY RPG CORE RULEBOOK | APR152724 | FAN |
| 10 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS: AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON FOIL PACKS | MAR152653 | NEC |
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Dollar Market Share – August 2015 |
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Unit Market Share – August 2015 |
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 retailers 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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