The May sales charts are out from Diamond, and Marvel still leads, with three issues of Secret Empire hitting the Top 10 and issue #1 topping the chart. Marvel widened the gap with DC by a few percentage points in both dollars and units.
Guardians of the Galaxy tie in titles, and the “Origins” Wonder Woman collection by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott, also made the charts, showing that movie exposure raises interest in the periodicals when readers can find them.
For DC, the lenticular ‘button” covered issues were a hit.
Rob Liefeld’s original Deadpool graphic novel was the #1 GN. However, while graphic novel sales were up in May (A five week month compared to April’s four weeks) they are still down about 9% for the year.
The drop in GN sales is a pretty universal thing and I still don’t have much of a better explanation than I did last month:
I’m not sure what’s behind the big drop in graphic novels, and people I’ve spoken to aren’t quite sure either. Last year’s April GNs included the smash Wonder Woman Earth One, and Deadpool collections were selling briskly after the movie became a phenomenon, so I’m sure that had something to do with it. Marvel’s first Star Wars trades were also big sellers. In general, I’m guessing that maybe the lackluster periodicals of 2016 are now being collected into lackluster trades? Since Diamond never released it’s year end numbers (BOO DIAMOND) we’ll never be able to make a direct comparison.
I continue to hear that the NY Times dropping its comics bestseller lists had has a negative effect on graphic novel sales across the board. While some people are equally skeptical of this theory, no one has come up with anything that’s more plausible.
Total comics and GN sales are up for the year in units, but down a bit in dollars. We’re not seeing a huge rebound here but it’s not a disaster either, despite Marvel’s seeming slide in periodicals. So just call it…middling. Middling May.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS |
38.05% |
39.91% |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
27.93% |
30.88% |
IMAGE COMICS |
10.25% |
11.83% |
IDW PUBLISHING |
4.65% |
3.78% |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
3.05% |
2.21% |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
2.10% |
1.74% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
1.72% |
1.85% |
TITAN COMICS |
1.18% |
0.99% |
VIZ MEDIA |
1.12% |
0.39% |
ONI PRESS INC. |
0.89% |
0.59% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
9.06% |
5.83% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
MAY 2017 VS. APRIL 2017 |
||
COMICS |
16.49% |
17.36% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
17.13% |
19.52% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
16.69% |
17.53% |
TOYS |
52.15% |
52.94% |
MAY 2017 VS. MAY 2016 |
||
COMICS |
10.58% |
16.74% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
3.54% |
13.65% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
8.31% |
16.49% |
TOYS |
40.46% |
29.34% |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 |
||
COMICS |
0.11% |
8.89% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-9.23% |
-8.72% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-2.92% |
7.35% |
TOYS |
1.14% |
1.10% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
PUBLISHER |
COMICS SHIPPED |
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED |
MAGAZINES SHIPPED |
TOTAL SHIPPED |
MARVEL COMICS |
99 |
43 |
0 |
142 |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
82 |
34 |
0 |
116 |
IMAGE COMICS |
71 |
14 |
1 |
86 |
IDW PUBLISHING |
59 |
15 |
0 |
74 |
BOOM ENTERTAINMENT |
26 |
10 |
0 |
36 |
TITAN COMICS |
22 |
7 |
4 |
33 |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
20 |
12 |
0 |
32 |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
23 |
7 |
0 |
30 |
ONI PRESS INC. |
6 |
4 |
0 |
10 |
VIZ MEDIA |
0 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
119 |
203 |
28 |
350 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
SECRET EMPIRE #1 |
$4.99 |
MAR170901-M | MAR |
2 |
VENOM #150 |
$5.99 |
MAR171008-M | MAR |
3 |
BATMAN #22 LENTICULAR EDITION |
$3.99 |
NOV169207 | DC |
4 |
THE FLASH #22 LENTICULAR EDITION |
$3.99 |
NOV169210 | DC |
5 |
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: MISSION BREAKOUT #1 |
$4.99 |
MAR171072-M | MAR |
6 |
SECRET EMPIRE #2 |
$4.99 |
MAR170910-M | MAR |
7 |
BATMAN #23 |
$2.99 |
MAR170274-M | DC |
8 |
SECRET EMPIRE #3 |
$3.99 |
MAR170915-M | MAR |
9 |
ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 |
$3.99 |
MAR170937-M | MAR |
10 |
THE WALKING DEAD #167 (MR) |
$2.99 |
MAR170791 | IMA |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
DEADPOOL: BAD BLOOD OGN HC |
$24.99 |
DEC161086-M | MAR |
2 |
BITCH PLANET VOLUME 2: PRESIDENT BITCH TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
MAY160684-M | IMA |
3 |
SAGA VOLUME 7 TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
JAN170850 | IMA |
4 |
WONDER WOMAN VOLUME 2: YEAR ONE TP |
$16.99 |
FEB170298 | DC |
5 |
MOONSHINE VOLUME 1 TP (MR) |
$9.99 |
FEB170696-M | IMA |
6 |
THE FLASH VOLUME 2: THE SPEED OF DARKNESS TP |
$14.99 |
FEB170294 | DC |
7 |
CHAMPIONS VOLUME 1: CHANGE THE WORLD TP |
$15.99 |
FEB170982 | MAR |
8 |
BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOLUME 2: VICTIM SYNDICATE |
$16.99 |
FEB170293 | DC |
9 |
THE UNWORTHY THOR TP |
$15.99 |
FEB170983 | MAR |
10 |
DOOM PATROL VOLUME 1: BRICK BY BRICK TP (MR) |
$16.99 |
FEB170287 | DC |
TOP 10 BOOKS
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
HE-MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: A CHARACTER GUIDE AND WORLD COMPENDIUM HC |
$49.99 |
JAN170145 | DAR |
2 |
HARRY POTTER: TALKING SORTING HAT & STICKER BOOK |
$12.95 |
FEB172232 | HAC |
3 |
THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 117 SC |
$14.95 |
FEB172238 | SAN |
4 |
NEIL GAIMAN COLORING BOOK |
$15.99 |
FEB172228 | HAR |
5 |
WONDER WOMAN: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE AMAZON WARRIOR HC |
$24.99 |
APR172263 | DK |
6 |
THE ART AND MAKING OF WONDER WOMAN HC |
$39.95 |
MAR172111 | RAN |
7 |
SPECTACULAR SISTERHOOD OF SUPERWOMEN HC |
$24.95 |
MAR172334 | RAN |
8 |
THE ART AND MAKING OF ALIEN: COVENANT HC |
$39.95 |
FEB171976 | RAN |
9 |
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OFFICIAL PIZZA COOKBOOK HC |
$24.99 |
MAR172348 | POC |
10 |
NIGHT NIGHT GROOT PICTURE BOOK |
$12.99 |
FEB172210 | HAC |
TOP 10 TOYS
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
POWER RANGERS LEGACY: DRAGONZORD | FEB142135 | BAN |
2 |
WONDER WOMAN MOVIE: WONDER WOMAN ON HORSEBACK DELUXE STATUE | NOV160368 | DC |
3 |
FINAL FANTASY VII: VINCENT VALENTINE STATIC ARTS GALLERY | AUG168855 | SQU |
4 |
DARK SOULS II DXF V1: BEARER OF THE CURSE FIGURE | AUG168152 | BAN |
5 |
MARVEL UNIVERSE VARIANT PLAY ARTS KAI: DEADPOOL FIGURE | OCT168088 | SQU |
6 |
MARVEL NOW! SUPER DEADPOOL ARTFX STATUE | OCT162924 | KOT |
7 |
POP! DC HEROES: DARK KNIGHT RETURNS CARRIE KELLY VINYL FIGURE | OCT158905 | FUN |
8 |
POWER RANGERS LEGACY: DRAGON DAGGER | FEB142136 | BAN |
9 |
GOTHAM CITY GARAGE: WONDER WOMAN STATUE | DEC160416 | DC |
10 |
DCTV: SUPERGIRL ACTION FIGURE | NOV160373 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS/DEFENDERS WAR BOOSTER BRICK | JAN173249 | NEC |
2 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AMONKHET BOOSTER PACKS | DEC168751 | WIZ |
3 |
PATHFINDER ROLEPLAYING GAME BEGINNER BOX NEW EDITON | SEP138188 | PAI |
4 |
DC COMICS HEROCLIX: WONDER WOMAN | JAN173247 | NEC |
5 |
YU-GI-OH! MAXIMUM CRISIS | MAR173362 | KON |
6 |
MONOPOLY DRAGON BALL Z EDITION | MAR173383 | USA |
7 |
MIRACULOUS THROWDOWN CARD GAME | JUN161009 | ACT |
8 |
MACHI KORO CARD GAME | MAY142831 | IDW |
9 |
ESCAPE FROM 100 MILLION BC BOARD GAME | AUG160552 | IDW |
10 |
AMC’S THE WALKING DEAD MONOPOLY | APR173290 | USA |
The ten-point spread between graphic novel units and dollars — which obtains again in the May figures — is really the telling point, I think. The graphic novels that are selling — and they are up for the year in units now — are down in dollars, and that comes from books either being cheaper to start with or being deep-discounted when they’re sold to retailers.
We know a LOT of the latter has been going on; it might even be enough to be the decisive factor. It also could be why retailers have reported to me better conditions than our figures suggest. The Diamond percentage changes reflect wholesale trends, not retail ones.
I’ll take a closer look at that in the Monday report. My preliminary report is here, in the meantime: http://blog.comichron.com/2017/06/comics-orders-rebound-in-five-week-may.html
So DC really had the Top 2 books again?
Plus Marvel had 17 more books than DC and 9 more trades? …. Yeah I wonder why their % is greater.
Why is Secret Empire 1 and 2 $5 and 3 $4? More pages?
“Why is Secret Empire 1 and 2 $5 and 3 $4? More pages?”
Because issue #1 was published by Marvel and Hydra published issue #3.
Hail Hydra!
Secret Empire has been terrific. Really enjoyed Unworthy Thor on the trade side of things.
Azzarello and Risso’s MOONSHINE is a great book. I wish DC would reprint their JONNY DOUBLE mini-series.
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