The man who Laughs #3 was the top selling periodical in February according to Diamond’s just released statistics. Comics and GN sales overall were up 4.87% from this time last year, a welcome stat.
Yet overall February was way down from January. And my fellow chart watcher John Jackson Miller notes that DC’s reduced line kicked in. Both DC and Image released a third fewer comics than they did last February meaning it had the fewest new comics released in any month since Diamond started reported new release totals in July 2013, Miller says..
Miller also noted that “St. Martin’s Press made it into the market share Top 10, something not likely to happen when the traditional comics publishers are releasing at normal levels.”
How then are numbers up?
But those two publishers’ total sales were only off by around 15%, suggesting the comics they did release performed better. Indeed, February’s average comic book sold 14,830 copies to retailers versus 14,038 last February, an increase of 6%. Eight of the last twelve months, average copies per issue have increased year-over-year — which is usually one of the goals behind trimming lines back. March looks to be stronger for DC with Detective #1000, so we’ll see how much more fine-tuning of release levels takes place.
More analysis later.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS |
40.20% |
44.48% |
DC |
28.69% |
30.64% |
IMAGE COMICS |
9.49% |
9.30% |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
3.25% |
2.58% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
2.58% |
2.35% |
IDW PUBLISHING |
2.55% |
2.20% |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
2.38% |
2.26% |
VIZ MEDIA |
1.78% |
0.67% |
ST. MARTINS PRESS |
0.60% |
0.16% |
ONI PRESS INC. |
0.56% |
0.39% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
7.91% |
4.96% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
FEBRUARY 2019 VS. JANUARY 2019 |
||
COMICS |
-21.31% |
-18.10% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-26.09% |
-25.43% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-22.71% |
-18.65% |
TOYS |
-19.93% |
-35.10% |
FEBRUARY 2019 VS. FEBRUARY 2018 |
||
COMICS |
-6.06% |
-8.47% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-3.16% |
-8.47% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-5.27% |
-8.47% |
TOYS |
20.34% |
18.44% |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2019 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2018 |
||
COMICS |
4.82% |
-1.51% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
5.00% |
-2.56% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
4.87% |
-1.59% |
TOYS |
27.83% |
39.44% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
PUBLISHER |
COMICS SHIPPED |
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED |
MAGAZINES SHIPPED |
TOTAL SHIPPED |
MARVEL COMICS |
86 |
40 |
0 |
126 |
DC |
59 |
28 |
1 |
88 |
IMAGE COMICS |
47 |
19 |
0 |
66 |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
24 |
13 |
0 |
37 |
IDW PUBLISHING |
22 |
11 |
0 |
33 |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
21 |
10 |
0 |
31 |
VIZ MEDIA |
0 |
27 |
0 |
27 |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
20 |
1 |
0 |
21 |
SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT |
0 |
21 |
0 |
21 |
ONI PRESS |
4 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
106 |
131 |
22 |
259 |
TOTAL |
389 |
304 |
23 |
716 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #3 |
$4.99 |
DEC180539-M | DC |
2 |
BATMAN #64 |
$3.99 |
DEC180510-M | DC |
3 |
BATMAN #65 |
$3.99 |
DEC180515-M | DC |
4 |
VENOM #11 |
$3.99 |
DEC180962-M | MAR |
5 |
HEROES IN CRISIS #6 |
$3.99 |
DEC180521-M | DC |
6 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #15 |
$3.99 |
DEC180951-M | MAR |
7 |
UNCANNY X-MEN #12 |
$3.99 |
DEC180906-M | MAR |
8 |
THE FLASH #64 |
$3.99 |
DEC180512-M | DC |
9 |
UNCANNY X-MEN #11 |
$7.99 |
DEC180896-M | MAR |
10 |
AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #1 |
$4.99 |
DEC180831-M | MAR |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #3 |
$4.99 |
DEC180539-M | DC |
2 |
UNCANNY X-MEN #11 |
$7.99 |
DEC180896-M | MAR |
3 |
BATMAN #64 |
$3.99 |
DEC180510-M | DC |
4 |
BATMAN #65 |
$3.99 |
DEC180515-M | DC |
5 |
VENOM #11 |
$3.99 |
DEC180962-M | MAR |
6 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16 |
$4.99 |
DEC180953-M | MAR |
7 |
HEROES IN CRISIS #6 |
$3.99 |
DEC180521-M | DC |
8 |
RETURN OF WOLVERINE #5 |
$4.99 |
NOV180950-M | MAR |
9 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #15 |
$3.99 |
DEC180951-M | MAR |
10 |
UNCANNY X-MEN #12 |
$3.99 |
DEC180906-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
MISTER MIRACLE TP (MR) |
$24.99 |
OCT180598 | DC |
2 |
SPIDER-GEDDON TP |
$24.99 |
NOV181026 | MAR |
3 |
INFINITY WARS TP |
$34.99 |
NOV181024 | MAR |
4 |
IMMORTAL HULK VOLUME 2: GREEN DOOR TP |
$15.99 |
NOV181036 | MAR |
5 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOLUME 17 GN |
$9.99 |
DEC182240 | VIZ |
6 |
DEADPOOL: SECRET AGENT DEADPOOL TP |
$14.99 |
NOV180967 | MAR |
7 |
MAN-EATERS VOLUME 1 TP |
$12.99 |
DEC180123 | IMA |
8 |
INFINITY GAUNTLET: DELUXE EDITION TP |
$34.99 |
AUG181075 | MAR |
9 |
CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL. 1: WINTER IN AMERICA TP |
$17.99 |
NOV181022 | MAR |
10 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY NICK SPENCER VOL. 2 TP |
$15.99 |
NOV181033 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
MISTER MIRACLE TP (MR) |
$24.99 |
OCT180598 | DC |
2 |
HE MAN & THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE OMNIBUS HC |
$150.00 |
JUL180761 | DC |
3 |
CAPTAIN MARVEL/MS. MARVEL: A HERO IS BORN OMNIBUS HC |
$100.00 |
AUG181069-M | MAR |
4 |
VENOMNIBUS HC VOL 02 |
$125.00 |
AUG181071 | MAR |
5 |
INFINITY WARS TP |
$34.99 |
NOV181024 | MAR |
6 |
INFINITY GAUNTLET: DELUXE EDITION TP |
$34.99 |
AUG181075 | MAR |
7 |
SPIDER-GEDDON TP |
$24.99 |
NOV181026 | MAR |
8 |
STAR WARS BY JASON AARON OMNIBUS HC |
$125.00 |
SEP180997 | MAR |
9 |
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: LUKE CAGE POWER MAN VOL. 3 |
$75.00 |
AUG181073-M | MAR |
10 |
WONDER WOMAN BY PHIL JIMINEZ OMNIBUS HC |
$75.00 |
AUG180663 | DC |
TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
DOCTOR WHO: SCRATCHMAN HC |
$23.99 |
DEC181681 | BBC |
2 |
ALAN MOORE: WRITING FOR COMICS GN (MR) |
$5.95 |
STAR18707 | AVA |
3 |
FAST ENOUGH: BESSIE STRINGFIELD’S FIRST RIDE HC |
$17.99 |
NOV181857 | LIO |
4 |
JIM HENSON’S LABYRINTH: A DISCOVERY ADVENTURE HC |
$14.99 |
OCT181271 | BOO |
5 |
MARVEL SUPERHERO ADVENTURES: MIGHTY MARVELS SC |
$4.99 |
DEC181953 | MAR |
6 |
COMICS JOURNAL #303 |
$14.99 |
NOV181771 | FAN |
7 |
WORLD OF READING: THIS IS CAPT MARVEL SC |
$4.99 |
DEC181955 | MAR |
8 |
GRIMM FAIRY TALES ADULT COLORING BOOK VOLUME 1 |
$12.99 |
OCT151871 | ZEN |
9 |
BLOODBORNE OFFICIAL ARTWORKS SC |
$44.99 |
MAR172148 | UDO |
10 |
MARVEL: POWERS OF A GIRL HC |
$16.99 |
DEC181952 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
POP! DC HEROES: THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS VINYL FIGURE | JUN188595 | FUN |
2 |
ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: IRON MAN STEALTH ARMOR FIGURE | JUN178877 | MEZ |
3 |
OVERWATCH: WIDOWMAKER FIGMA | JAN188448 | GOO |
4 |
FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN PLAY ARTS KAI: CLOUD STRIFE & FENRIR FIGURE | MAY188937 | SQU |
5 |
MARVEL GALLERY: SQUIRREL GIRL COMIC PVC FIGURE | AUG182582 | DIA |
6 |
DC DESIGNER SERIES: NIGHTWING & BATGIRL BY RYAN SOOK STATUE | JUL180809 | DC |
7 |
OVERWATCH: JUNKRAT “CLASSIC SKIN” NENDOROID | MAY189432 | GOO |
8 |
DC ESSENTIALS: NIGHTWING FIGURE | AUG180673 | DC |
9 |
DC ESSENTIALS: SHAZAM & BLACK ADAM ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK | JUN180604 | DC |
10 |
DC ESSENTIALS: HARLEY QUINN FIGURE | AUG180675 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA CARD GAME | JUL183082 | SHI |
2 |
MARVEL HEROCLIX: EARTH X BOOSTER BRICK | JUL188756 | NEC |
3 |
PATHFINDER PAWNS BESTIARY BOX | FEB168541 | PAI |
4 |
TOME OF BEASTS HC | JUN168476 | PAI |
5 |
WORLD OF LAZARUS: MODERN AGE RPG CAMPAIGN SETTING HC | MAR182717 | GRE |
6 |
STARFINDER PAWNS: ALIEN ARCHIVE 2 PAWN BOX | DEC183290 | PAI |
7 |
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: CRASH COURSE BOARDGAME | MAY180772 | IDW |
8 |
INVADER ZIM: DOOMSDAY DICE GAME | AUG180835 | IDW |
9 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RAVNICA ALLEGIANCE BOOSTER PACKS | AUG183195 | WIZ |
10 |
STARFINDER ADVENTURE PATH: FIRE STARTERS PART 1 | DEC183289 | PAI |
The full Comichron analysis is at https://blog.comichron.com/2019/03/february-sales-dip-on-lean-new-comics.html
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