(BALTIMORE, MD) — (July 15, 2011) — A hero fell as Peter Parker made the ultimate sacrifice to save his family and friends from the Green Goblin in Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Ultimate Spider-Man #160 from Marvel Comics, June's best-selling comic book to comics specialty retailers according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was also the leading publisher of comic books and graphic novels in June, with a 39.32% share of total dollars and a 43.04% share of total units sold. In total, printed material sales in June (a 5-week month) increased over May (a 4-week month), with Comics improving by 18.31% and Graphic Novels by 17.67%. Sales for the second quarter also improved over the first quarter, with Comics up 8.41% and Graphic Novels up 13.75%. Total merchandise sales in June increased by 104% over May, led by Apparel (up 238%) and Toys (up 135%).
Helping to fuel the increase in print sales was June's top-selling Graphic Novel, Image Comics' The Walking Dead Volume 14: Now Way Out, the latest volume of Robert Kirkman's best-selling zombie story that was adapted by AMC and Frank Darabont for television last year. Dark Horse Comics also had a strong June, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Volume 8: Last Gleaming as the month's number two graphic novel.
In June, DC Direct released the JLA Classic Icons Series 1 Action Figures, a series of dynamic figures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics retailers for the month.
In anticipation of the theatrical release of Captain America: The First Avenger, WizKids/NECA released the Marvel HeroClix: Captain America Expansion, bringing the star-spangled Avenger to the popular miniatures game, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Games product to comics retailers in June.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER |
RETAIL MARKET SHARE |
UNIT MARKET SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 39.32% | 43.04% |
| DC COMICS | 28.03% | 33.17% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 5.85% | 5.30% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 5.28% | 3.21% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 3.76% | 3.22% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 3.49% | 3.30% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.95% | 1.62% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 1.36% | 0.58% |
| ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC | 0.95% | 1.03% |
| ARCHIE COMICS | 0.79% | 1.00% |
| FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS | 0.67% | 0.12% |
| AVATAR PRESS INC | 0.63% | 0.47% |
| RANDOM HOUSE | 0.57% | 0.16% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 0.48% | 0.15% |
| YEN PRESS | 0.43% | 0.13% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD | 0.43% | 0.11% |
| HUMANOIDS INC | 0.33% | 0.04% |
| ASPEN MLT INC | 0.33% | 0.50% |
| TOKYOPOP | 0.27% | 0.15% |
| TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS | 0.26% | 0.07% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 20 | 4.82% | 2.62% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| JUNE 2011 VS. MAY 2011 | ||
| COMICS | 18.31% | 20.26% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 16.45% | 10.63% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 17.67% | 19.37% |
| JUNE 2011 VS. JUNE 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -4.62% | -1.43% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -8.15% | -13.86% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.85% | -2.63% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -7.78% | -7.47% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -5.97% | -10.63% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -7.19% | -7.74% |
| SECOND QUARTER 2011 VERSUS FIRST QUARTER 2011 | ||
| COMICS | 8.41% | 6.90% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 13.75% | 14.41% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 10.14% | 7.50% |
| SECOND QUARTER 2011 VERSUS SECOND QUARTER 2011 | ||
| COMICS | -7.04% | -6.92% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -4.82% | -8.20% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -6.31% | -7.03% |
| FIRST HALF 2011 VERSUS SECOND HALF 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -10.05% | -6.51% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -12.49% | -16.31% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -10.87% | -7.41% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #160 | $3.99 | APR110569-M | MAR |
| 2 | FEAR ITSELF #3 | $3.99 | APR110534-M | MAR |
| 3 | FLASHPOINT #2 | $3.99 | APR110101-M | DC |
| 4 | AVENGERS #14 | $3.99 | APR110539 | MAR |
| 5 | FF #5 | $2.99 | APR110612-M | MAR |
| 6 | NEW AVENGERS #13 | $3.99 | APR110574 | MAR |
| 7 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #663 | $3.99 | APR110595 | MAR |
| 8 | BATMAN INCORPORATED #7 | $2.99 | MAR110294-M | DC |
| 9 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #24 | $2.99 | APR110159-M | DC |
| 10 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #664 | $3.99 | APR110597 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHICS NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 14: NO WAY OUT TP | $14.99 | APR110444 | IMA |
| 2 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 8: LAST GLEAMING TP | $16.99 | FEB110018 | DAR |
| 3 | NARUTO VOLUME 51 TP | $9.99 | MAR111299 | VIZ |
| 4 | GREEN LANTERN: BRIGHTEST DAY HC | $22.99 | FEB110200 | DC |
| 5 | BATWOMAN VOLUME 1: ELEGY TP | $17.99 | MAR110341 | DC |
| 6 | SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 3: ANIMAL ARMIES TP | $14.99 | MAR110392 | DC |
| 7 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
| 8 | ARKHAM ASYLUM: MADNESS TP | $14.99 | MAR110344 | DC |
| 9 | X-MEN: SECOND COMING TP | $34.99 | APR110694 | MAR |
| 10 | THE DARKTOWER: THE GUNSLINGER: THE LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA HC | $24.99 | APR110707 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | JLA CLASSIC ICONS SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | OCT100348 | DC |
| 2 | BRIGHTEST DAY SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | AUG100284 | DC |
| 3 | MARVEL SELECT: BEST OF SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES | JAN111644 | DST |
| 4 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 3 ACTION FIGURES | MAR100366 | DC |
| 5 | MARVEL SELECT: GAMBIT ACTION FIGURES | OCT101482 | DST |
| 6 | WONDER WOMAN #600 STATUE | OCT100341 | DC |
| 7 | COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: WONDER WOMAN ARMORED STATUE | SEP100334 | DC |
| 8 | WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3: HARLEY QUINN BUST | SEP100332 | DC |
| 9 | M.O.D.O.K. PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE STATUE | SEP108144 | BOW |
| 10 | MARVEL SELECT: JUGGERNAUT ACTION FIGURE | JUN101512 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA EXPANSION | APR112105 | NEC |
| 2 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: 5DS CROW DUELIST PACK | APR112069 | KON |
| 3 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: COMMANDER MULTI-PLAYER GAME SET | APR112102 | WIZ |
| 4 | GODZILLA: KAIJU WARS BOARD GAME | MAR112025 | TOY |
| 5 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA EVENT DECKS | MAR112032 | WIZ |
| 6 | STAR TREK EXPEDITIONS BOARD GAME | FEB111880 | NEC |
| 7 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA BOOSTER PACKS | MAR112030 | WIZ |
| 8 | REDAKAI TCG HOBBY STRUCTURED DECKS | APR112084 | SPI |
| 9 | DC HEROCLIX: GREEN LANTERN 2011 FAST FORCES 6-PACK | MAR112034 | NEC |
| 10 | REDAKAI TCG HOBBY GOLD PACKS | APR112083 | SPI |
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Dollar Market Share – June 2011 |
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Unit Market Share– June 2011 |
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 in North America and 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.
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