Diamond Announces Top Products for December 2014
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (January 16, 2015) — The Joker's "Endgame" ramps up in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #37 from DC Comics, December 2014's best-selling comic book according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
December 2014 saw a rare split between the month's top publisher in units shipped and dollars invoiced, with Marvel Comics taking the top honors in the month's dollar share (32.07% to DC Comics' 31.76%) while DC took the top spot in units (36.17% to Marvel's 34.10%). Marvel Comics had seven of the month's top ten comics, led by Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel's Amazing Spider-Man #11 at #2, and DC Comics took the other three spots. Image Comics had a strong December as the month's number three with a 9.89% dollar share and 10.40% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 6.10% dollar share and a 4.17% unit share. Dark Horse Comics was fifth with a 3.47% dollar share and a 2.95% unit share.
On the year, comics sales increased by 4.03% over 2013 and graphic novel sales increased by 5.18%. The second half of 2014 saw an increase of 19.34% in comics and 10.54% in graphic novels over the first six months of the year.
The newest collection in Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' acclaimed and award-winning sci-fi epic, Image Comics' Saga Volume 4, was December's best-selling graphic novel. In total, Image had five titles among the top ten. DC Comics had four titles, led by Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's Superman Unchained Deluxe at #6, and Marvel Comics one, Captain America: Peggy Carter: Agent of SHIELD at #2.
Dark Horse Comics' Dream Logic, the career-spanning artbook by Kabuki creator David Mack, was the best-selling book in December 2014. Also among the top ten books for the month from Dark Horse was Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia at #10.
The DC Comics Bombshells: Holiday Harley Quinn from DC Collectibles, based on the pin-up-style artwork of Ant Lucia, was the best-selling toy product in December and one of the manufacturer's six products among the top ten. Diamond Select Toys' top product in December was the Marvel Select: Venom Action Figure.
USAopoly's Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, a special edition of the venerable board game with a custom board based on the best-selling Image Comics series by Robert Kirkman, was December's best-selling game product.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
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NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| DC COMICS | 102 | 36 | 1 | 139 |
| MARVEL COMICS | 77 | 24 | 0 | 101 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 52 | 18 | 0 | 70 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 44 | 24 | 0 | 68 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 42 | 6 | 0 | 48 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 30 | 12 | 0 | 42 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 33 | 3 | 0 | 36 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT | 15 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| HACHETTE BOOK GROUP USA | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| OTHER | 94 | 81 | 31 | 206 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| DECEMBER 2014 VS. NOVEMBER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 1.77% | 0.31% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -18.50% | -21.51% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.14% | -1.64% |
| DECEMBER 2014 VS. DECEMBER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 6.67% | 4.50% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -5.41% | -8.39% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 2.83% | 3.46% |
| CALENDAR YEAR 2014 VS. CALENDAR YEAR 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 4.03% | 0.25% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 5.18% | 5.28% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 4.39% | 0.64% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2014 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -2.90% | -1.57% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 6.31% | 4.02% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -0.20% | -1.16% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2014 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 7.89% | 7.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 7.56% | 6.13% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 7.78% | 6.98% |
| SECOND-HALF 2014 VS. FIRST-HALF 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 19.34% | 18.58% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 10.54% | 4.26% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 16.53% | 17.36% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN #37 | $3.99 | OCT140293-M | DC |
| 2 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11 | $3.99 | OCT140829-M | MAR |
| 3 | S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 | $4.99 | OCT140813-M | MAR |
| 4 | BATMAN ANNUAL #3 | $4.99 | OCT140297 | DC |
| 5 | THOR #3 | $3.99 | OCT140862-M | MAR |
| 6 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #37 | $3.99 | OCT140223-M | DC |
| 7 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 | $4.99 | OCT140824-M | MAR |
| 8 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #7 | $3.99 | OCT140781-M | MAR |
| 9 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #9 | $4.99 | OCT140787-M | MAR |
| 10 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #8 | $3.99 | OCT140784-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140644 | IMA |
| 2 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: PEGGY CARTER: AGENT OF SHIELD | $7.99 | OCT140823 | MAR |
| 3 | JUST THE TIPS HC (MR) | $12.99 | SEP140590 | IMA |
| 4 | THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS VOL. 5: THE COLD WAR TP | $14.99 | SEP140630 | IMA |
| 5 | SUNSTONE VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140613 | IMA |
| 6 | SUPERMAN UNCHAINED DELUXE EDITION HC | $29.99 | AUG140334 | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN: THE JIRO KUWATA BATMANGA VOLUME 1 TP | $14.99 | SEP140283 | DC |
| 8 | NEW 52: FUTURES END VOLUME 1 TP (N52) | $39.99 | SEP140303 | DC |
| 9 | NIGHTWING VOLME 5: SETTING SON TP (N52) | $16.99 | SEP140309 | DC |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $14.99 | NOV128157 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DREAM LOGIC HC | $34.99 | AUG140029 | DAR |
| 2 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 89 SC | $14.95 | SEP141909 | SAN |
| 3 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 90 SC | $14.95 | OCT141853 | SAN |
| 4 | DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 78 SC | $14.95 | SEP141908 | SAN |
| 5 | DOCTOR WHO VISUAL DICTIONARY: UPDATED EXPANDED HC | $25.00 | OCT141845 | DK |
| 6 | STAR TREK: SHIPS OF THE LINE: REVISED & UPDATED HC | $30.00 | SEP141911 | POC |
| 7 | DOCTOR WHO: 12 DOCTORS 12 STORIES SLIPCASE EDITIOIN | $24.99 | JUN148309 | PEN |
| 8 | SWORD ART ONLINE VOLUME 3: FAIRY DANCE | $13.00 | OCT141784 | HAC |
| 9 | CATS OF TANGLEWOOD FOREST SC | $8.00 | OCT141850 | HAC |
| 10 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: HOLIDAY HARLEY QUINN STATUE | JUL140302 | DC |
| 2 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: ZATANNA STATUE | JUN140324 | DC |
| 3 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES 2: CAPULLO DELUXE BATMAN THRASHER ACTION FIGURE | MAY140428 | DC |
| 4 | LEGEND OF ZELA: WIND WAKER LINK NENDOROID | MAY142613 | GOO |
| 5 | BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK | JUL140295 | DC |
| 6 | BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE BY MICHAEL TURNER | JUN140319 | DC |
| 7 | METROID: OTHER M: SAMUS ARAN FIGMA ACTION FIGURE | JUN132073 | GOO |
| 8 | MARVEL SELECT: VENOM ACTION FIGURE | AUG121762 | DIA |
| 9 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES 3: ZERO YEAR BATMAN ACTION FIGURE | AUG140379 | DC |
| 10 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY PLATINUM LEGENDS ACTION FIGURES | MAY142325 | HAS |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 2 | MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG COMBAT HANDBOOK HC | FEB142547 | SCH |
| 3 | MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK HC | FEB142548 | SCH |
| 4 | LEGEND OF ZELDA MONOPOLY | JUL142617 | USA |
| 5 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS UNCANNY X-MEN | AUG142843 | NEC |
| 6 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES RETRO MONOPOLY | OCT142798 | USA |
| 7 | FIREFLY CLUE | OCT142797 | USA |
| 8 | THE WALKING DEAD: YAHTZEE COLLECTOR'S EDITION | OCT142799 | USA |
| 9 | DC DECK BUILDING GAME 3: FOREVER EVIL | JUN142618 | CRY |
| 10 | DOCTOR WHO: DALEK YAHTZEE COLLECTOR'S EDITION | OCT142796 | USA |
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Dollar Market Share – December 2014 |
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Unit Market Share– December 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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