Diamond has released their November basic data dump, and no sales rebound in sight, with overall sales down 8.28 percent from a year ago and down 6.64 percent from November. However, graphic novel sales surged 14.84 percent since last year, driven by sales of THE WALKING DEAD trade collections. John Jackson Miller already has his preliminary analysis up. Diamond has recently started releasing much more information on comparative sales — I’m told this is because the partial figures they were releasing were giving rise to inaccurate projections by such folks as Miller. We have a lot more data to go on on how the market changes from year over year; let’s be judicious in how we analyze it.
Overall, the comics market is down 5.66 percent YTD in dollars and -4.18 percent in units from 2009. While that isn’t a great number, considering the economy, it could be worse.
Bruce Wayne’s return to the present, his reassumption of the mantle of Batman, and his plans for a global war on crime gave DC Comics November’s best-selling comic book, the Batman: The Return one-shot from the superstar creative team of writer Grant Morrison and artist David Finch.
Marvel Comics was November’s leading publisher in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares based on total sales of comics, graphic novels, and magazines to comic book specialty stores, with a dollar share of 34.45% and a unit share of 39.81% in October.
Overall comic and graphic novel sales in November declined by 6.64% from October and declined 8.28% compared to one year ago, but graphic novel sales were up 14.84% over November 2009. Compared to the same period in 2009, year-to-date comic book and graphic novel sales have declined 5.66%.
Graphic novels were strong in November, led by Robert Kirkman’s acclaimed zombie epic The Walking Dead from Image Comics. Now a hit television series on AMC, the latest collection, The Walking Dead Volume 13: Too Far Gone, gave Image Comics the best-selling graphic novel in November.
The Joker’s best sidekick Harley Quinn, brought to life by designer Adam Hughes and sculptor Jack Mathews for DC Direct’s Cover Girls of the DCU: Harley Quinn Statue, gave the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers for the month.
Konami’s best-selling Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game in November as the publisher’s Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Starstrike Blast Expansion was the best-selling games product to comics specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
|
MARVEL COMICS |
34.45% |
39.81% |
|
DC COMICS |
33.08% |
37.10% |
|
IMAGE COMICS |
5.68% |
4.32% |
|
DARK HORSE COMICS |
5.30% |
3.81% |
|
IDW PUBLISHING |
4.16% |
3.37% |
|
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
4.00% |
3.54% |
|
BOOM! STUDIOS |
1.94% |
1.78% |
|
VIZ MEDIA |
1.12% |
0.59% |
|
ONI PRESS |
0.70% |
0.25% |
|
AVATAR PRESS |
0.63% |
0.36% |
|
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
8.94% |
5.08% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
NOVEMBER 2010 VS. OCTOBER 2010 |
||
|
COMICS |
-6.34% |
-3.59% |
|
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-9.30% |
0.46% |
|
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-6.64% |
-2.23% |
|
NOVEMBER 2010 VS. NOVEMBER 2009 |
||
|
COMICS |
-10.20% |
-4.86% |
|
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
14.84% |
11.70% |
|
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-8.28% |
0.24% |
|
YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2009 |
||
|
COMICS |
-5.79% |
-4.64% |
|
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-4.35% |
-3.22% |
|
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-5.66% |
-4.18% |
TOP 10 COMICS
|
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
|
1 |
BATMAN: THE RETURN |
$4.99 |
AUG100143-M |
DC |
|
2 |
BATMAN, INCORPORATED #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP100156-M |
DC |
|
3 |
AVENGERS #7 |
$3.99 |
SEP100579-M |
MAR |
|
4 |
BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #6 |
$3.99 |
JUL100144-M |
DC |
|
5 |
BATMAN AND ROBIN #16 |
$3.99 |
JUL100146-M |
DC |
|
6 |
BRIGHTEST DAY #13 |
$2.99 |
SEP100192-M |
DC |
|
7 |
BRIGHTEST DAY #14 |
$2.99 |
SEP100194-M |
DC |
|
8 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 |
$3.99 |
SEP100569-M |
MAR |
|
9 |
GREEN LANTERN #59 |
$2.99 |
AUG100117-M |
DC |
|
10 |
BATMAN AND ROBIN #17 |
$2.99 |
SEP100166-M |
DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 13: TOO FAR GONE TP |
$14.99 |
SEP100413 |
IMA |
|
2 |
SERENITY: SHEPHERD’S TALE HC |
$14.99 |
JUL100030 |
DAR |
|
3 |
SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE HC |
$19.99 |
JUN100127 |
DC |
|
4 |
THE BOYS VOLUME 7: THE INNOCENTS TP |
$19.99 |
SEP100958 |
DE |
|
5 |
BATMAN AND ROBIN DELUXE VOLUME 2: BATMAN VS. ROBIN HC |
$24.99 |
JUL100190 |
DC |
|
6 |
CHEW VOLUME 3: JUST DESSERTS TP |
$12.99 |
SEP100449 |
IMA |
|
7 |
EX MACHINA VOLUME 10: TERM LIMITS TP |
$14.99 |
AUG100241 |
DC |
|
8 |
SIEGE TP |
$19.99 |
AUG100700 |
MAR |
|
9 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP |
$9.99 |
JUL068351 |
IMA |
|
10 |
GREEN LANTERN: AGENT ORANGE TP |
$14.99 |
AUG100204 |
DC |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
Preliminary figures show a good outing by DC in November where they nearly tied Marvel for market unit shares and dominated the top 10 titles. Maybe the shake up is bearing fruit?
When wa the last time DC was even this close to tying Marvel? Inquiring minds want to know!
I wonder if DC is rethinking their pricing plan for January.
brandon: “I wonder if DC is rethinking their pricing plan for January.”
They announced the january price limit at NYComiCon in early october. Maybe what we’re seeing here are the first signs of support towards DC’s commitment.
Or maybe people just love Batman and Green Lantern.
I think more a love of Green Lantern and Batman,as 4 of DC’s top ten titles were priced at $3.99 or higher.
Also not impressed with very much that Marvel is doing with their titles as of late. Too many books at $3.99 that I don’t feel the need to own.
@Pascal
It’s likely the final orders to Diamond for November took place prior to DC’s announcement.
Thats a great result from DC. Both in terms of how close they are to Marvel in share, plus the way they’ve dominated the top 10.
One question though, is that 3rd spot for Superman: Earth One first month sales? Because the way they were hyping it, I thought it’d at least be number 1.
One question though, is that 3rd spot for Superman: Earth One first month sales?
Second month sales. It was the number one graphic novel in October. See here.
That’s a great showing by DC, hopefully the momentum will carry over when the price change happens in January. DC has been doing their best to make it a fight over the past year for number 1 in the market and it seems to be paying off. It’s going to be interesting to see how the next few months shape up because things could get even closer in the coming year between both companies.
I’ll state it now, this is a one time blip for DC. Look how many Batman related tie-in shipped during the month. The end of ROBW, all the Road Home tie-ins, The Return was a one-shot, and a double ship of Batman & Robin….
Now, if DC could copy this production schedule every month, I’d think they could overtake Marvel, but it looks like they blew their whole wad in November, and still came up short.
Thanks for that Allyn.
I guess the hype was warranted. 1st and 3rd are great results.