Diamond Announces Top Products for October 2013
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (November 8, 2013) — Robert Kirkman's best-selling zombie series The Walking Dead celebrates ten years of publication with The Walking Dead #115 from Image Comics, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in October 2013, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
October's top publisher in retail dollars was DC Entertainment, taking 31.02% of the market compared to Marvel Comics' 30.47%, thanks to books such as The Sandman: Overture #1 and Batman #24. The month's top publisher in units was Marvel with 33.63% of the market, compared to DC's 33.15%, thanks to the Avengers: Endless Wartime graphic novel and Infinity #4 and #5. Notably, Image Comics took over 10% of the unit share in October.
Sales in the comic book specialty market were up slightly over September sales; comics sales increased by 0.30% in October, while graphic novels sales were up 16.57%. Year-to-date, comics sales are up by 12.42% over 2012.
October's best-selling graphic novel, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman Volume 3: Death of the Family from DC Entertainment, saw the Joker attempt to psychologically break Batman and his allies. The companion volume, The Joker: Death of the Family, ranked #3 for the month. Also of note, Mike Mignola's original graphic novel, Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, from Dark Horse Comics charted for the month at #6.
Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga explore the backstory of one of The Walking Dead's most memorable characters in the final novel of a trilogy, The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor, from St. Martin's Press and the best-selling prose book in the comics specialty market in October. At number two for the month, Dark Horse Comics' The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia continued its run amongst the top ten best-selling books.
Five characters from AMC's hit series The Walking Dead are recreated as action figures from Image Comics and McFarlane Toys for The Walking Dead Series 4 Action Figures, the best-selling toy product for October.
With new rules designed to simulate the zombie apocalypse and locations and tokens based on the comic book series from Image Comics, USAopoly's Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition was the best-selling game product in October to the direct market.
Among other major publishers, IDW Publishing's My Little Pony Volume 1: The Magic Begins, the first collected volume of stories based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, was their top graphic novel for the month at #11 on the trade paperbacks sales chart.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
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NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 100 | 29 | 0 | 129 |
| MARVEL COMICS | 78 | 35 | 0 | 113 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 48 | 29 | 0 | 77 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 59 | 17 | 0 | 76 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 38 | 18 | 0 | 56 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 40 | 2 | 0 | 42 |
| BOOM ENTERTAINMENT | 25 | 3 | 0 | 28 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 16 | 6 | 0 | 22 |
| RANDOM HOUSE | 0 | 21 | 1 | 22 |
| OTHER | 111 | 157 | 36 | 304 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| OCTOBER 2013 VS. SEPTEMBER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 0.30% | -0.57% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 16.57% | 16.62% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 4.68% | 0.55% |
| OCTOBER 2013 VS. OCTOBER 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 11.90% | 8.69% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -4.65% | 0.05% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 6.36% | 7.98% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2013 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 12.42% | 9.46% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 4.69% | 3.25% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 9.95% | 8.96% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD #115 (MR) | 2.99 | AUG130518-M | IMA |
| 2 | BATMAN #24 | 6.99 | AUG130235-M | DC |
| 3 | INFINITY #4 | 3.99 | AUG130735-M | MAR |
| 4 | FOREVER EVIL #2 | 3.99 | AUG130159-M | DC |
| 5 | INFINITY #5 | 3.99 | AUG130740-M | MAR |
| 6 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #24 | 3.99 | AUG130172-M | DC |
| 7 | SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #1 | 3.99 | AUG130187-M | DC |
| 8 | THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1 (MR) [*] | 4.99 | AUG130325-M | DC |
| 9 | SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #20 | 3.99 | AUG130787-M | MAR |
| 10 | SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #19 | 3.99 | AUG130784-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN HC VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY | $24.99 | MAY130216 | DC |
| 2 | AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME HC | $24.99 | JUN130674 | MAR |
| 3 | THE JOKER: DEATH OF THE FAMILY HC | $29.99 | JUN130256 | DC |
| 4 | BATMAN: THE COURT OF OWLS BOOK & MASK SET | $24.99 | MAY130220 | DC |
| 5 | AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER VOL. 6: THE SEARCH PART 3 | $10.99 | JUN130051 | DAR |
| 6 | HELLBOY: MIDNIGHT CIRCUS HC | $14.99 | JUN130031 | DAR |
| 7 | BATMAN VOLUME 2: THE CITY OFOWLSTP | $16.99 | JUL130235 | DC |
| 8 | LAZARUS VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG130621 | IMA |
| 9 | SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG120491 | IMA |
| 10 | SAGA VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $14.99 | APR130443 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD: THE FALL OF THE GOVERNOR HC | $24.99 | JUL131515 | ST. |
| 2 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 3 | STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND SON HC | $14.95 | FEB121318 | CHR |
| 4 | STAR WARS: VADER'S LITTLE PRINCESS HC | $14.95 | FEB131315 | CHR |
| 5 | DC COMICS GUIDE TO CREATING COMICS SC | $24.99 | AUG131609 | RAN |
| 6 | CAPCOM 30TH-ANNIVERSARY CHARACTER ENCYCLOPEDIA | $16.99 | AUG131666 | DK |
| 7 | THE ART OF CHARLIE ADLARD HC (MR) | $39.99 | AUG130532 | IMA |
| 8 | MY LITTLE PONY: MINI PONY COLLECTOR'S GUIDE | $19.00 | AUG131583 | HAC |
| 9 | THE SECRET HISTORY OF MARVEL COMICS: THE KIRBY EMPIRE HC | $39.99 | AUG131307 | FAN |
| 10 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT TRIBUTE SC | $44.99 | JUL131300 | UDO |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD SERIES 4 ACTION FIGURES | FEB138479-M | TMP |
| 2 | BATMAN:ARKHAMCITY: BATMAN VS. BANE 2-PACK | JUN130320 | DC |
| 3 | WOLVERINE LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | MAR138356 | HAS |
| 4 | THE WALKING DEAD: MERLE & DARYLDIXON2-PACK | FEB138485 | TMP |
| 5 | BATMAN VS. KILLER CROC STATUE (2ND EDITION) | MAY130282 | DC |
| 6 | DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS: THE JOKER ACTION FIGURE | MAY130285 | DC |
| 7 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: POISON IVY STATUE | MAY130275 | DC |
| 8 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: WONDER WOMAN STATUE | MAR130316 | DC |
| 9 | DC COMICS COVER GIRLS: SUPERGIRL STATUE | MAY130276 | DC |
| 10 | DC COMICS COVER GIRLS: BATWOMAN STATUE | JUN130314 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 2 | RISK: THE WALKING DEAD SUVIVAL EDITION | OCT128267 | USA |
| 3 | RISK LEGACY | JUN118204 | HAS |
| 4 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: THEROS BOOSTER PACKS | JUN132398 | WZK |
| 5 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: THOR: THE DARK WORLD | JUL138260 | NEC |
| 6 | STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX SERIES III | JUL138333 | NEC |
| 7 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: THEROS FAT PACK | JUN132400 | WZK |
| 8 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: THOR: THE DARK WORLD MOVIE STARTER SET | JUL138261 | NEC |
| 9 | PATHFINDER BATTLES: LEGENDS OF GOLARION BOOSTER BRICK | JUL138263 | NEC |
| 10 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: LEGENDARY COLLECTION: JOEY'S WORLD | MAY138406 | KON |
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Dollar Market Share – October 2013 |
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Unit Market Share– October 2013 |
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 dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines 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.
The count of new titles shipped 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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