Walking Dead 100Diamond released its preliminary year-end data for 2012 today, and it wasn’t a big surprise. THE WALKING DEAD #100 was the top-selling comic of the year, and the first WALKING DEAD trade topped the GN charts. Marvel was the top publisher over DC.

Sales were up for the year; even graphic novels, which had lagged at times because of the Borders debacle, ended up in double-digit points over 2011. Comics sales overall were up nearly 15%—a healthy growth margin that reflects all the good things we’e been talking about.

Aside from The THE WALKING DEAD, all the top ten books were Avengers and/or X-Men related. In the graphic novel charts, THE WALKING DEAD ruled the roost, with Days Gone Bye coming in at #1 for the third year in a row. Two Batman volumes snuck in—Earth One and Court of Owls—and the top 10 was rounded off by a book by perennial best seller mainstay Alan Moore, the LOEG Century #3 2009.

“2012 was a terrific year for comic books and graphic novels,” remarked Diamond CEO Steve Geppi. “Our publishers did a tremendous job of creating compelling storylines that comic book fans wanted to see — from Marvel’s Avengers vs. X-Men followed by its Marvel NOW! titles later in the year to DC’s powerful New 52 ongoing titles. Add in Dark Horse Comics’ horror line-up, IDW’s My Little Pony and Image Comics’ creator-driven hits and it was quite a year. In addition, I would like to mention what a wonderful job comic shop retailers did in 2012, by continuing to establish a great environment that readers and fans want to come and visit.”

Dollar share Unit share

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 34.06%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.94%
IMAGE COMICS 7.31%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.57%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.81%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 3.11%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.53%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.15%
VIZ MEDIA 0.93%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.89%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.70%
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 37.59%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 36.75%
IMAGE COMICS 6.60%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.36%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.80%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 3.00%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.53%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.74%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.73%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.69%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 4.22%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
YEAR 2012 VS. YEAR 2011
COMICS 14.94% 11.41%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 14.26% 13.66%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 14.72% 11.58%

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 WALKING DEAD #100 (MR) $3.99 JUN128066-M IMA
2 UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 $3.99 AUG120550-M MAR
3 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #1 $3.99 JAN120629-M MAR
4 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #700 $7.99 OCT120626-M MAR
5 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #2 $3.99 JAN128269-M MAR
6 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #6 $3.99 APR120579-M MAR
7 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #5 $3.99 APR120572-M MAR
8 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #3 $3.99 JAN128271-M MAR
9 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #4 $3.99 JAN128273-M MAR
10 AVENGERS #1 $3.99 SEP120526-M MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 01 DAYS GONE BYE $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
2 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 02 MILES BEHIND US (MR) $14.99 SEP088204-M IMA
3 BATMAN EARTH ONE HC $22.99 MAR120234 DC
4 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 16 A LARGER WORLD (MR) $14.99 APR120487 IMA
5 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 03 SAFETY BEHIND BARS $14.99 NOV082245 IMA
6 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 17 SOMETHING TO FEAR (MR) $14.99 SEP120449 IMA
7 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 04 HEARTS DESIRE $14.99 SEP088205-M IMA
8 BATMAN HC VOL 01 THE COURT OF OWLS (N52) $24.99 JAN120300 DC
9 WALKING DEAD TP VOL 15 WE FIND OURSELVES (MR) $14.99 OCT110502 IMA
10 LOEG III CENTURY #3 2009 (MR) $9.95 APR121232 TOP

1 COMMENT

  1. 2011 numbers are here:
    http://www.diamondcomics.com/Home/1/1/3/597?articleID=116973

    “Annual sales of comic books to the comic book specialty market increased in 2011, up 1.2% for the year, while graphic novel sales dipped 5% from 2010. “Sales of comic books were quite strong in the second half of the year, led by the September launch of DC’s New 52 comic books and that positive trend has continued in the months since,” remarked Diamond President & CEO Steve Geppi. “With a full slate of high profile new projects scheduled for next year, we are optimistic that comic book sales will increase again in 2012.””

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