You’ve seen a lot of stories about how comics shops were down five figures in sales in 2017. Now Diamond has released their December and yearend numbers, and they confirm: periodicals were down 10.4% in 2017, graphic novels were down 9.38% for a total decline of 10.09% in the comics market.
Diamond noted that its their fourth largest year ever, so these sales still way up from a decade ago but it’s a significant decline.
Last year Diamond never released its year-end numbers. I’m guessing they wish they had because 2016 was an up year and 2017 is…not.
While this stat will rule the headlines, December 2017 was a horrible month in general, compared to last December. Total sales were down 14.57% in dollars but a staggering 23.23% in units. That’s nearly a quarter drop. The holiday season is traditionally a huge time for shops and this is just awful.
Even graphic novels were down more than 20% from November! That’s very alarming.
And before you ask, it was a four week month to a four week month.
UPDATE: perpetually optimistic John Jackson Miller has his take here with some projections for the year-end market share.
HOWEVER DC did have a great month, with a rare win over Marvel with Doomsday Clock #2 the top selling periodical and six of the top 10. But Legacy has clearly cooled off and the new thing at Marvel can’t come fast enough.
Saga ruled the graphic novels. That a new volume of this steady seller was not enough to overcome a 20% drop in GN sales shows that whatever the best sellers of last year were, nothing has come along to replace them.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
DC ENTERTAINMENT | 34.54% | 37.65% |
MARVEL COMICS | 33.80% | 38.81% |
IMAGE COMICS | 8.69% | 7.20% |
IDW PUBLISHING | 3.92% | 2.92% |
DARK HORSE COMICS | 2.69% | 2.06% |
BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.28% | 1.98% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.08% | 1.84% |
ONI PRESS | 1.00% | 0.52% |
VIZ MEDIA | 0.96% | 0.35% |
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 0.96% | 1.08% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 9.08% | 5.59% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
DOLLARS | UNITS | |
DECEMBER 2017 VS. NOVEMBER 2017 | ||
COMICS | -16.13% | -14.05% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | -21.95% | -10.88% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | -18.11% | -13.77% |
TOYS | -33.23% | -30.05% |
DECEMBER 2017 VS. DECEMBER 2016 | ||
COMICS | -16.54% | -24.11% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | -10.17% | -13.37% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | -14.57% | -23.23% |
TOYS | -27.60% | -37.11% |
FOURTH QUARTER 2017 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2017 | ||
COMICS | -2.41% | -5.19% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | 8.49% | 7.61% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | 0.82% | -4.24% |
TOYS | 9.14% | 2.15% |
FOURTH QUARTER 2017 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2016 | ||
COMICS | -13.90% | -19.53% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | -1.77% | -7.71% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | -10.37% | -18.66% |
TOYS | -15.67% | -24.40% |
YEAR 2017 VS. YEAR 2016 | ||
COMICS | -10.40% | -9.69% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | -9.38% | -11.86% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | -10.09% | -9.86% |
TOYS | -12.55% | -19.90% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
MARVEL COMICS | 85 | 43 | 0 | 128 |
DC ENTERTAINMENT | 80 | 38 | 1 | 119 |
IDW PUBLISHING | 35 | 32 | 0 | 67 |
IMAGE COMICS | 55 | 10 | 0 | 65 |
BOOM! STUDIOS | 24 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
DARK HORSE COMICS | 19 | 9 | 0 | 28 |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 21 | 5 | 0 | 26 |
VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
ONI PRESS | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 118 | 164 | 27 | 309 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | DOOMSDAY CLOCK #2 | $4.99 | OCT170204-M | DC |
2 | DARK NIGHTS: METAL #4 | $3.99 | SEP170248-M | DC |
3 | PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY #1 | $4.99 | OCT170824-M | MAR |
4 | BATMAN #36 | $2.99 | OCT170225-M | DC |
5 | BATMAN #37 | $2.99 | OCT170227-M | DC |
6 | BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #3 | $3.99 | OCT170238-M | DC |
7 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN/VENOM: VENOM INC. ALPHA #1 | $4.99 | OCT170876-M | MAR |
8 | MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #1 | $3.99 | OCT170834-M | MAR |
9 | HAWKMAN FOUND #1 | $3.99 | SEP170253-M | DC |
10 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #792 | $3.99 | OCT170879-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | SAGA VOLUME 8 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT170715 | IMA |
2 | BATMAN VOL. 4: THE WAR OF JOKES & RIDDLES TP | $19.99 | SEP170400 | DC |
3 | STAR WARS VOL. 6: OUT AMONG THE STARS TP | $19.99 | AUG171044 | MAR |
4 | BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOL. 4: DEUS EX MACHINA TP | $16.99 | SEP170399 | DC |
5 | BLACK HAMMER VOL. 2: THE EVENT TP | $19.99 | AUG170013 | DAR |
6 | JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD TP | $24.99 | SEP170405 | DC |
7 | SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER TP (MR) | $16.99 | SEP170681-M | IMA |
8 | DEADLY CLASS VOLUME 6 TP (MR) | $16.99 | AUG170634 | IMA |
9 | VENOMVERSE TP | $15.99 | OCT171003 | MAR |
10 | RICK AND MORTY VOLUME 6 TP (MR) | $19.99 | SEP171801 | ONI |
TOP 10 BOOKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | TERRY MOORE 25TH-ANNIVERSARY SKETCHBOOK | $16.99 | OCT171030 | ABS |
2 | OVERWATCH ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1 HC | $19.99 | JUN170080 | DAR |
3 | LITTLE BOOK OF SPIDER-MAN FLEXICOVER | $9.99 | AUG172292 | TAS |
4 | LITTLE BOOK OF AVENGERS FLEXICOVER | $9.99 | AUG172289 | TAS |
5 | LITTLE BOOK OF CAPTAIN AMERICA FLEXICOVER | $9.99 | AUG172290 | TAS |
6 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 124 SC | $14.95 | SEP172221 | SAN |
7 | LITTLE BOOK OF FANTASTIC FOUR FLEXICOVER | $9.99 | AUG172291 | TAS |
8 | ROBOTECH VISUAL ARCHIVE: MACROSS SAGA HC | $44.99 | JUN172052 | UDO |
9 | DOCTOR WHO: T IS FOR TARDIS HC | $9.99 | SEP168058 | PEN |
10 | THE ART OF STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI HC | $40.00 | OCT172093 | ABR |
TOP 10 TOYS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | OVERWATCH: MEI “CLASSIC SKIN” NENDOROID | FEB178956 | GOO |
2 | MARVEL GALLERY: THOR RAGNAROK: THE HULK PVC FIGURE | AUG172642 | DST |
3 | MARVEL SELECT: SPIDER-GWEN FIGURE | MAY172533 | DST |
4 | DBZ: GOKU SUPER KAMEHAME-HA PREMIUM COLOR FIGURE | JAN178994 | BAN |
5 | ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: DC COMICS: BLACK ADAM FIGURE | AUG168741 | MEZ |
6 | ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: DC COMICS: SUPERMAN RED SON FIGURE | AUG168743 | MEZ |
7 | BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS: BORUTO FIGURE | MAY178021 | BAN |
8 | DRAGONBALL Z SCULTURES: TRUNKS SHINING FIGURE | JAN178996 | BAN |
9 | DRAGONBALL SUPER DRAGON STARS ACTION FIGURES | DEC168933 | BAN |
10 | MARVEL GALLERY: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2: DRAX & BABY GROOT PVC FIGURE | MAY172524 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | STAR TREK HEROCLIX: AWAY TEAM: ORIGINAL SERIES BOOSTER BRICK | JUL173390 | NEC |
2 | VALERIAN ALPHA MISSIONS BOARD GAME | APR178031 | ULT |
3 | BACK TO THE FUTURE MONOPOLY | JUL152198 | DST |
4 | DC HEROCLIX: HARLEY QUINN AND THE GOTHAM GIRLS BOOSTER BRICK | JUN173406 | NEC |
5 | STARFINDER RPG CORE RULEBOOK HC | JUN173371 | PAI |
6 | TMNT: SHADOWS OF THE PAST BOARD GAME | APR160482 | IDW |
7 | MOUSE GUARD ROLEPLAYING GAME BOXED SET (2ND EDITION) | FEB151158 | BOO |
8 | DOCTOR WHO: TIME OF THE DALEKS BOARD GAME | JUL173367 | GAL |
9 | STAR TREK HEROCLIX: AWAY TEAM: ORIGINAL SERIES STARTER SET | JUL173391 | NEC |
10 | YU-GI-OH!: CIRCUIT BREAK SPECIAL EDITION | OCT172955 | KON |
Maybe its not really a publisher/content problem. The economy sucks unless you’re already rich. The costs of living in most metropolitan area is just ridiculous now. Stuff like comics is the first thing to get cut from your budget when you’re trying to stay above water.
How on Earth did they get a product with ‘Hawkman’ in the title into the top 10? There ought to be a Nobel Prize for that achievement.
Hawkman’s led reorders for the last two weeks — and was a top advance reorder book back in October. I’ve started archiving the reorder lists related to the monthly reports; December’s is here (at least until it’s replaced by the final orders on Monday): http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomicssales/2017/2017-12.html
(And I would like to e-mail my new sobriquet to the 1990s, and select publishing executives aggrieved that my reports were anything but optimistic!)
It makes me feel less bad about out 8.5% and 4.5% drops at my two stores!
-B
“The new thing at Marvel can’t come fast enough..” It has in the form of Cebulski who has already started taking steps to clean up the mess Alonso and Breevory oversaw for the past few years.
“The economy sucks unless you’re already rich. The costs of living in most metropolitan area is just ridiculous now. Stuff like comics is the first thing to get cut from your budget when you’re trying to stay above water.”
This might have been the case a few years ago, but at least around my parts (midwest) this most certainly is not the case any longer nor have I heard it being the case in other parts of the country.
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