Diamond Comic Distributors has released the initial market share information for comics that shipped in October 2017. While Marvel shipped the most comics, DC brought seven titles to the top ten.
Marvel Comics was October’s top publisher with a 36.38% dollar share and a 38.63% unit share. DC Entertainment was second with a 30.58% dollar share and a 35.48% unit share. In third was Image Comics with an 11.46% dollar share and a 9.84% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.33% dollar share and a 3.31% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 2.82% dollar share and a 1.74% unit share.
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
|---|---|---|
| MARVEL COMICS | 36.38% | 38.63% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 30.58% | 35.48% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 11.46% | 9.84% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 4.33% | 3.31% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 2.82% | 1.74% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 1.99% | 1.96% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.96% | 1.81% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 1.08% | 0.76% |
| TITAN COMICS | 1.02% | 0.85% |
| ARCHIE COMICS | 0.68% | 0.57% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 7.70% | 5.05% |
Both Marvel and DC had a slight slip in the Dollar Share and Unit Share compared to September 2017, while Image Comics had a surprising increase in Dollar Share (up from 9.55%), and in Unit Share (up from 8.81%). This may be due in part to The Walking Dead: Here’s Negan, a hardcover collection of the strips that originally appeared in IMAGE+ magazine.
And though overall comic sales in the direct market continue to remain down, the comparative sales data indicate the decline is starting to pull out. This is really important as we move toward the end of November and into the holiday shopping season when trade paperbacks, and other collected editions should be heavy sellers.
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| OCTOBER 2017 VS. SEPTEMBER 2017 | ||
| COMICS | 2.84% | -1.10% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 9.60% | 0.08% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 4.74% | -1.02% |
| TOYS | -3.64% | -7.22% |
| OCTOBER 2017 VS. OCTOBER 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -15.74% | -21.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 2.37% | -8.02% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -11.12% | -20.27% |
| TOYS | -16.10% | -12.91% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -9.93% | -7.89% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -10.55% | -12.76% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -10.12% | -8.27% |
| TOYS | -11.82% | -17.78% |
It is also important to point out that this information focuses on the direct market only (comic book shops). At this time, we do not have market share data for comics shipped to newsstands, grocery stores, book stores, or the digital comic market.
Major Spoilers will share the top 300 comics in the direct market on Monday, but until then, here is a breakdown of the top ten individual issues and top ten collected trades.
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | PUBLISHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DARK NIGHTS: METAL #3 | $3.99 | DC |
| 2 | THE MIGHTY THOR #700 | $5.99 | MAR |
| 3 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #789 | $3.99 | MAR |
| 4 | BATMAN #32 | $2.99 | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN #33 | $2.99 | DC |
| 6 | THE DESPICABLE DEADPOOL #287 | $3.99 | MAR |
| 7 | BATMAN: THE DROWNED #1 | $3.99 | DC |
| 8 | BATMAN: THE DAWNBREAKER #1 | $3.99 | DC |
| 9 | BATMAN: THE MERCILESS #1 | $3.99 | DC |
| 10 | BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #1 | $3.99 | DC |
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | VENDOR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD: HERE'S NEGAN HC (MR) | $19.99 | IMA |
| 2 | BATMAN/THE FLASH: THE BUTTON DELUXE EDITION HC | $19.99 | DC |
| 3 | SEVEN TO ETERNITY VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $16.99 | IMA |
| 4 | RAT QUEENS VOLUME 4: HIGH FANTASIES TP (MR) | $14.99 | IMA |
| 5 | SUPER SONS VOLUME 1: WHEN I GROW UP TP | $12.99 | DC |
| 6 | I HATE FAIRYLAND VOLUME 3: GOOD GIRL TP (MR) | $16.99 | IMA |
| 7 | REDNECK TP VOL 01 DEEP IN THE HEART (MR) | $16.99 | IMA |
| 8 | STAR WARS: THE SCREAMING CITADEL TP | $17.99 | MAR |
| 9 | BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOLUME 3: LEAGUE TP | $19.99 | DC |
| 10 | LOW VOL. 4: OUTER ASPECTS OF INNER ATTITUDES TP (MR) | $16.99 | IMA |
Is there anything in the initial data that stands out to you? Use the comment section below to share your thoughts, insights and reactions.
