PRESS RELEASE –
Diamond Comic Distributors proudly announces the winners of the 2016 Diamond Gem Awards, selected by comic book specialty retailers and celebrated within the comic book industry as an important award honoring sales success.
DC Entertainment took home Comic Book Publisher of the Year (Over 4% Market Share) in 2016. Retailers recognized DC with the most Gem Awards—six—including the shared Backlist Publisher of the Year award with Image Comics; Comic Book of the Year (Under $3.00) with DC Universe: Rebirth #1; Comic Book of the Year (Over $3.00) with All Star Batman #1; Original Graphic Novel of the Year with Dark Night: A True Batman Story; and Best All-Ages Original/Reprint Graphic Novel with DC Super Hero Girls TP Volume 1: Finals Crisis.
Marvel Comics earned five Gem Awards, including Top Dollar Market Share Publisher of the Year, Top Dollar Comic Book of the Year for Civil War II #1, Best New Comic Book Series with Spider-Man/Deadpool; Licensed TP or HC of the Year with Star Wars TP: Vader Down; and Best Free Comic Book Day Book with FCBD 2016 Civil War II #0.
Image Comics received four Gem Awards, taking home the shared Backlist Publisher of the Year with DC; Indie Graphic Novel of the Year with Head Lopper TP Volume 1; Reprint TP or HC of the Year for Saga TP Volume 6, and Magazine of the Year for Image+ #1.
Retailers also recognized BOOM! Studios with four Gem Awards, including Comic Book Publisher of the Year (Under 4% Market Share) and VIZ Media with two Gem Awards, including Manga Publisher of the Year, among others.
A panel of Diamond product specialists selected the nominees for the Diamond Gem Awards based on each entry’s overall impact on the industry, while comics and related merchandise were chosen on the merits of their sales performance and quality from 2016. Members of the most critical segment that serves the comic book-buying public—comic book specialty retailers across the United States and worldwide—then selected the winners.
2016 Diamond Gem Award Suppliers of the Year
- 2016 Top Dollar Comic Book Publisher of the Year: Marvel Comics
- 2016 Comic Book Publisher of the Year Over 4%: DC Entertainment
- 2016 Comic Book Publisher of the year Under 4%: BOOM! Studios
- 2016 Backlist Publisher of the year: DC Entertainment and Image Comics (tie)
- 2016 Manga Publisher of the Year: Viz Media
- 2016 Game Manufacturer of the Year: WizKids/NECA
- 2016 Toy Manufacturer of the Year: Funko
2016 Diamond Gem Award Products of the Year
- 2016 Comic Book of the Year Under $3.00: DC Universe: Rebirth #1, DC Entertainment
- 2016 Comic Book of the Year Over $3.00: All Star Batman #1, DC Entertainment
- 2016 Top Dollar Comic Book of the Year: Civil War II #1, Marvel Comics
- 2016 Best New Comic Book Series: Spider-Man/Deadpool, Marvel Comics
- 2016 Best All-Ages Comics: Lumberjanes, BOOM! Studios
- 2016 Licensed Comic Book of the Year: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #1, BOOM! Studios
- 2016 Licensed TP/HC of the Year: Star Wars TP: Vader Down, Marvel Comics
- 2016 Original GN of the Year: Dark Night: A True Batman Story HC, DC Comics from DC Entertainment
- 2016 Reprint TP/HC of the Year: Saga TP Volume 6, Image Comics
- 2016 Best All-Ages Original/Reprint GN: DC Super Hero Girls TP Volume 1: Finals Crisis, DC Entertainment
- 2016 Indie GN of the Year: Head Lopper TP Volume 1, Image Comics
- 2016 Manga TP of the Year: One Punch Man GN Volume 4, VIZ Media
- 2016 Anthology of the Year: Aliens 30th Anniversary Original Comics Series HC – Dark Horse Comics
- 2016 Magazine of the Year: Image+ #1, Image Comics
- 2016 Trade Book of the Year: Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Tales HC, BOOM! Studios
- 2016 Best Free Comic Book Day Book: FCBD 2016 Civil War II #0, Marvel Comics
- 2016 Game Product of the Year: DC HeroClix Batman: Arkham Quick Start, WizKids/NECA
- 2016 Toy Product of the Year: Batman Animated: Mad Love Joker & Harley Quinn 2 Pack Action Figure, DC Collectibles from DC Entertainment
- 2016 Toy Line of the Year: Funko POP! Figures, Funko
- 2016 Collectable Statue of the Year: Suicide Squad: Harley Quinn Statue, DC Collectibles from DC Entertainment
Congratulations are in order for the award winners, and next year, we’ll see if Major Spoilers makes it on this list (hint: no we won’t).
