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Diamond Announces Top Products for September 2017

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (October 6, 2017) — While an ancient secret is uncovered in South Africa, the Avengers battle Frost Giants in a secret government facility and an adamantium statue in Canada breaks open in Marvel Comics' Marvel Legacy #1, the launch of the publisher's new direction by Jason Aaron, Esad Ribic, and an all-star line-up of artists, and the best-selling comic book of September 2017 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was September's top publisher with a 37.97% dollar share and a 38.13% unit share. DC Entertainment was second with a 30.21% dollar share and a 36.68% unit share. In third was Image Comics with a 9.55% dollar share and a 8.81% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.30% dollar share and a 3.67% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 2.44% dollar share and a 1.70% unit share.

Marvel Comics had two titles in the top ten; in addition to Marvel Legacy #1, Cullen Bunn and Iban Coello's Venomverse #1 ranked #3. DC Entertainment had seven titles in September's top ten, led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Dark Nights: Metal #2. Also in the top ten from DC, Tom King and Clay Mann's Batman #30 ranked #4; King and Mikel Janin's Batman #31 ranked #5; the Harley Quinn 25th-Anniversary Special from an all-star roster of writers and artists ranked #6; Joshua Williamson and Carmine Di Giandomenico's Batman: The Red Death #1, a Metal tie-in, ranked #8; Frank Tieri and Ricardo Federici's Batman: The Murder Machine #1, another Metal tie-in, ranked #9; and the lenticular edition of Dan Jurgens and Viktor Bogdanovic's Action Comics #987, the first chapter in "The Oz Effect," ranked #10. Also in the top ten, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead #171 from Image Comics ranked #7. Among the premier publishers, Star Wars Adventures #1 was IDW Publishing's top book at #33, while Neil Gaiman's American Gods: Shadows #7 was Dark Horse Comics' top-ranked book at #115.

Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead Volume 28 was September's best-selling graphic novel. Image Comics had four titles total among the top ten including East of West Volume 7 at #3, Sex Criminals Volume 4: Fourgy at #6, and Royal City Volume 1: Next of Kin at #8. DC Entertainment also had four titles in the top ten: Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert, and Klaus Janson's Batman: The Dark Knight III: Master Race at #2; DC Super Hero Girls Volume 4: Fast Times at Super Hero High at #5; All-Star Batman Volume 1: My Own Worst Enemy at #7; and Harley Quinn Volume 3: Red Meat at #9. Marvel Comics rounded out the top ten with two titles: Star Wars: Darth Maul at #3 and Wolverine: Old Man Logan Volume 5: Past Lives at #10.

BOOM! Studios' Mouse Guard Alphabet Book, written by Mouse Guard creator David Peterson and painted by Serena Malyon, was September's best-selling book. Dark Horse Comics had two titles in the top ten: The Art of Rick and Morty at #2 and the Star Trek: The Original Series Adult Coloring Book Volume 2 at #10. Random House had four DC Super Hero Girls titles in the top ten: Finders Keepers at #3, Harley Quinn Brain Squeezers at #4, Showdown in Space at #5, and Power Play at #6.

Batman and Harley Quinn tangle above the rooftops of Gotham City in DC Collectibles' Batman Vs. Harley Quinn Battle Statue, designed by Alejandro Pereira and the best-selling toy product of September. In total, DC Collectibles had six products in the top ten including the DC Bombshells: Harley Quinn Deluxe Statue at #2, the Batman Animated: GCPD Rogues Gallery Figure 5-Pack Boxed Set at #5, the DC Designer Series: Wonder Woman by Frank Cho Statue at #6, the DC Icons: Robin & Superboy Action Figure 2-Pack at #8, and the DC Icons: Supergirl Action Figure at #10. Diamond Select Toys had two products among the top ten: the Marvel Gallery: Black Panther PVC Figure at #3 and the Marvel Gallery: Netflix: The Punisher PVC Figure at #7.

WizKids' WizKids HeroClix: Undead, a horror-themed miniatures game, was September's best-selling game product. Also among the top ten were two products from IDW Games: Outpost Siberia Gard Game at #6 and Seikatsu Game at #7.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 37.97%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 30.21%
IMAGE COMICS 9.55%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.30%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.44%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.99%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.94%
VIZ MEDIA 1.40%
TITAN COMICS 1.16%
ONI PRESS 1.10%
OTHER NON-TOP 20 7.94%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 38.13%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 36.68%
IMAGE COMICS 8.81%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.67%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.91%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.77%
DARK HORSE COMICS 1.70%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.93%
TITAN COMICS 0.85%
AFTERSHOCK COMICS 0.75%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 4.80%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
SEPTEMBER 2017 VS. AUGUST 2017
COMICS -0.44% 1.26%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -14.41% -15.46%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -4.81% -0.08%
TOYS -18.35% -15.27%
SEPTEMBER 2017 VS. SEPTEMBER 2016
COMICS -2.98% -5.49%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -13.14% -16.98%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -6.07% -6.37%
TOYS -13.86% -30.78%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016
COMICS -9.20% -6.15%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -11.83% -13.22%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -10.00% -6.71%
TOYS -11.33% -18.24%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS 88 42 0 130
DC ENTERTAINMENT 77 34 0 111
IMAGE COMICS 58 25 0 83
IDW PUBLISHING 40 21 0 61
VIZ MEDIA 0 43 0 43
BOOM! STUDIOS 28 10 0 38
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 29 7 0 36
TITAN COMICS 19 10 3 32
DARK HORSE COMICS 16 13 0 29
ONI PRESS 8 6 0 14
OTHER NON-TOP 10 123 154 17 294
TOTAL 486 365 20 871

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL LEGACY #1 $5.99 JUL170990-M MAR
2 DARK NIGHTS: METAL #2 $3.99 JUL170300-M DC
3 VENOMVERSE #1 $4.99 JUL171050-M MAR
4 BATMAN #30 $2.99 JUL170338-M DC
5 BATMAN #31 $2.99 JUL170340-M DC
6 HARLEY QUINN 25TH-ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 $4.99 JUL170413-M DC
7 THE WALKING DEAD #171 (MR) $2.99 JUL170918-M IMA
8 BATMAN: THE RED DEATH #1 $3.99 JUL170308 DC
9 BATMAN: THE MURDER MACHINE #1 $3.99 JUL170309 DC
10 ACTION COMICS #987 LENTICULAR EDITION $3.99 JUL170323 DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 28 TP (MR) $16.99 JUL170919 IMA
2 BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT III: MASTER RACE HC $29.99 JUN170390 DC
3 STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL TP $16.99 MAY170950 MAR
4 EAST OF WEST VOLUME 7 TP (MR) $16.99 APR170796 IMA
5 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS VOL. 4: PAST TIMES AT SUPER HERO HIGH TP $9.99 JUN170333 DC
6 SEX CRIMINALS VOLUME 4: FOURGY TP (MR) $16.99 JUL170876 IMA
7 ALL-STAR BATMAN VOL. 1: MY OWN WORST ENEMY TP $16.99 JUN170378 DC
8 ROYAL CITY VOL. 1: NEXT OF KIN TP $9.99 JUL170757-M IMA
9 HARLEY QUINN VOL. 3: RED MEAT TP $16.99 JUN170383 DC
10 WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN VOL. 5: PAST LIVES TP $17.99 JUL171218 MAR

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MOUSE GUARD ALPHABET BOOK HC $16.99 MAY171234 BOO
2 ART OF RICK & MORTY HC $39.99 MAY170019 DAR
3 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: FINDERS KEEPERS $4.99 JUL172420 RAN
4 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: HARLEY QUINN BRAIN SQUEEZERS $5.99 JUL172421 RAN
5 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: SHOWDOWN IN SPACE $4.99 JUL172423 RAN
6 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: POWER PLAY $9.99 JUL172422 RAN
7 STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE OFFICIAL COLLECTOR EDITION SC $10.99 MAY171880-M TTN
8 POKEMON: LET’S FIND POKEMON SPECIAL EDITION HC $16.99 AUG172181 VIZ
9 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 121 $14.95 JUN172308 SAN
10 STAR TREK ADULT COLORING BOOK VOLUME 2 TP $14.99 MAY170057 DAR

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN VS. HARLEY QUINN BATTLE STATUE MAR170452 DC
2 DC BOMBSHELLS: HARLEY QUINN DELUXE STATUE MAR170453 DC
3 MARVEL GALLERY: BLACK PANTHER PVC FIGURE APR172656 DST
4 DRAGONBALL Z MASTER STARS PIECE MANGA DIMENSIONS: TRUNKS FIG NOV168294 BAN
5 BATMAN ANIMATED: GCPD ROGUES GALLERY FIGURE 5-PACK FEB170344 DC
6 DC DESIGNER SERIES: WONDER WOMAN BY FRANK CHO STATUE MAR170457 DC
7 MARVEL GALLERY: NETFLIX THE PUNISHER PVC FIGURE MAR172720 DST
8 DC ICONS: ROBIN & SUPERBOY ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK MAR170456 DC
9 THOR LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES JUN178405 HAS
10 DC ICONS: SUPERGIRL ACTION FIGURE MAR170455 DC

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 WIZKIDS HEROCLIX: UNDEAD MAR173404 NEC
2 DRAGON BALL SUPER CCG BOOSTER 1 FEB178467 BAN
3 CLUE: LEGEND OF ZELDA BOARD GAME JUL173383 USA
4 YU-GI-OH! TCG: LEGENDARY DUELISTS JUL173370 KON
5 YU-GI-OH! TCG: MEGA TINS JUN173366 KON
6 OUTPOST SIBERIA CARD GAME MAY170588 IDW
7 SEIKATSU GAME JUL170677 IDW
8 WONDER WOMAN 1000-PIECE JIGSAW PUZZLE JUL173357 NMR
9 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ARCHENEMY NICOL BOLAS APR173298 WIZ
10 MARVEL DICE MASTERS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY OCT168614 NEC

 

Dollar Market Shares for September 2017
Dollar Market Share – September 2017
Unit Market Shares for September 2017
Unit Market Share – September 2017

 

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 inNorth Americaand 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 category tables in this press release are ranked by units sold by Diamond to its accounts for the comic books, graphic novels, and books categories and by the dollars invoiced by Diamond for the toys and games categories.

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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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 thousands of specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

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