While 2017 is still looking to be a down year, for comics sales, statistics for October sales just released by Diamond Comics distributors show that sales stabilized a bit. Graphic novels even showed a 2% increase over the same month last year, which was a huge month as John Jackson Miller notes.
Marvel shipped fewer titles, as part of the “compacting” strategy of Legacy. But DC has 7 of the top 10 books, and closed the gap with Marvel to 6% in dollars and a mere 3% in units.
Dark Nights: Metal was the #1 periodical but the whole “Variant Batman” strategy appears to have cleaned up. People like Batman, huh. Also people like Negan, as Here’s Negan! the Walking Dead spinoff was the #1 GN.
Comparative figures are still pretty blah, though, as mentioned, the rate of decline year over year slowed. A good holiday season would lessen the sting of the decline quite a bit.
Miller points out that October 2016 was a massive month:
But while beating last October seemed unlikely, I noted that trajectory mattered — and while Diamond today reported that orders for comics, graphic novels, and magazines were down 11% versus last October, they were up 5% over September 2017, a month which also had four shipping weeks. The month’s top seller was Dark Nights: Metal #3, with six other Batman releases making the Top 10; three Marvel Legacy issues rounded out the top 10, including the second-place Thor #700.
Comichron calculates that retailers ordered $45.58 million in print material at full retail, $2 million more than September and almost tying the total from this August, which had an extra shipping week. While both were down versus last October, Marvel and DC sold retailers more dollars worth of merchandise this October than they did in September — and Image continued to outpace the market, beating its year-ago total by 8% and climbing to an 11.46% market share.
So not out of the woods but not yet in freefall.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS |
36.38% |
38.63% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT |
30.58% |
35.48% |
| IMAGE COMICS |
11.46% |
9.84% |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
4.33% |
3.31% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
2.82% |
1.74% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
1.99% |
1.96% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
1.96% |
1.81% |
| ONI PRESS INC. |
1.08% |
0.76% |
| TITAN COMICS |
1.02% |
0.85% |
| ARCHIE COMICS |
0.68% |
0.57% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
7.70% |
5.05% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
|
OCTOBER 2017 VS. SEPTEMBER 2017 |
||
| COMICS |
2.84% |
-1.10% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
9.60% |
0.08% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
4.74% |
-1.02% |
| TOYS |
-3.64% |
-7.22% |
|
OCTOBER 2017 VS. OCTOBER 2016 |
||
| COMICS |
-15.74% |
-21.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
2.37% |
-8.02% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-11.12% |
-20.27% |
| TOYS |
-16.10% |
-12.91% |
|
YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 |
||
| COMICS |
-9.93% |
-7.89% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-10.55% |
-12.76% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-10.12% |
-8.27% |
| TOYS |
-11.82% |
-17.78% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
|
PUBLISHER |
COMICS SHIPPED |
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED |
MAGAZINES SHIPPED |
TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS |
81 |
41 |
0 |
122 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT |
79 |
39 |
1 |
119 |
| IMAGE COMICS |
67 |
22 |
0 |
89 |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
41 |
36 |
0 |
77 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
29 |
7 |
0 |
36 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
15 |
18 |
0 |
33 |
| TITAN COMICS |
21 |
8 |
3 |
32 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
24 |
6 |
0 |
30 |
| ONI PRESS |
12 |
4 |
0 |
16 |
| ARCHIE COMICS |
11 |
4 |
0 |
15 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
104 |
160 |
24 |
288 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL #3 |
$3.99 |
JUL170304-M | DC |
|
2 |
THE MIGHTY THOR #700 |
$5.99 |
AUG170848-M | MAR |
|
3 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #789 |
$3.99 |
AUG170779-M | MAR |
|
4 |
BATMAN #32 |
$2.99 |
AUG170197-M | DC |
|
5 |
BATMAN #33 |
$2.99 |
AUG170199-M | DC |
|
6 |
THE DESPICABLE DEADPOOL #287 |
$3.99 |
AUG170830-M | MAR |
|
7 |
BATMAN: THE DROWNED #1 |
$3.99 |
JUL170311-M | DC |
|
8 |
BATMAN: THE DAWNBREAKER #1 |
$3.99 |
JUL170310-M | DC |
|
9 |
BATMAN: THE MERCILESS #1 |
$3.99 |
JUL170312-M | DC |
|
10 |
BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #1 |
$3.99 |
AUG170269-M | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE WALKING DEAD: HERE’S NEGAN HC (MR) |
$19.99 |
JUL170766-M | IMA |
|
2 |
BATMAN/THE FLASH: THE BUTTON DELUXE EDITION HC |
$19.99 |
JUN170380-M | DC |
|
3 |
SEVEN TO ETERNITY VOLUME 2 TP (MR) |
$16.99 |
AUG170728 | IMA |
|
4 |
RAT QUEENS VOLUME 4: HIGH FANTASIES TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
AUG170704 | IMA |
|
5 |
SUPER SONS VOLUME 1: WHEN I GROW UP TP |
$12.99 |
JUL170465 | DC |
|
6 |
I HATE FAIRYLAND VOLUME 3: GOOD GIRL TP (MR) |
$16.99 |
AUG170669 | IMA |
|
7 |
REDNECK TP VOL 01 DEEP IN THE HEART (MR) |
$16.99 |
AUG170579-M | IMA |
|
8 |
STAR WARS: THE SCREAMING CITADEL TP |
$17.99 |
JUL171215 | MAR |
|
9 |
BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOLUME 3: LEAGUE TP |
$19.99 |
JUL170458 | DC |
|
10 |
LOW VOL. 4: OUTER ASPECTS OF INNER ATTITUDES TP (MR) |
$16.99 |
JUN170763 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
OVERWATCH ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1 HC |
$19.99 |
JUN170080 | DAR |
|
2 |
JIM HENSON’S LABYRINTH ADULT COLORING BOOK TP |
$16.99 |
JUN171331 | BOO |
|
3 |
ART OF OVERWATCH HC |
$49.99 |
JUN170078 | DAR |
|
4 |
SERENITY: EVERYTHING’S SHINY ADULT COLORING BOOK TP |
$14.99 |
JUN170101 | DAR |
|
5 |
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S THE FORCE DOTH AWAKEN HC |
$14.95 |
AUG172376 | RAN |
|
6 |
ART OF OVERWATCH LIMITED EDITION HC |
$100.00 |
JUN170079 | DAR |
|
7 |
ART OF THE PULPS: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY HC |
$49.99 |
MAY170545 | IDW |
|
8 |
THE PRINCESS BRIDE: AS YOU WISH MEMORABLE QUOTES TO COLOR TP |
$16.99 |
JUN170544 | IDW |
|
9 |
THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 122 SC |
$14.95 |
JUL172465 | SAN |
|
10 |
DECONSTRUCTING THE INCAL HC |
$24.95 |
AUG171792 | HUM |
TOP 10 TOYS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
OVERWATCH: TRACER “CLASSIC SKIN” NENDOROID | JAN178091 | GOO |
|
2 |
BATMAN ANIMATED: BATCAVE PLAYSET WITH ALFRED FIGURE | APR170463 | DC |
|
3 |
MARVEL SELECT: SPIDER-MAN HOMECOMING ACTION FIGURE | FEB172613 | DST |
|
4 |
MARVEL SELECT: NETFLIX DAREDEVIL ACTION FIGURE | MAY172531 | DST |
|
5 |
DCTV THE FLASH: THE FLASH SEASON 3 ACTION FIGURE | AUG170365 | DC |
|
6 |
BAT SIGNAL PROP | MAY170373 | DC |
|
7 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE MOVIE: WONDER WOMAN STATUE | APR170460 | DC |
|
8 |
POP! MARVEL EMMA FROST DIAMOND FORM VINYL FIGURE | JUL170020 | FUN |
|
9 |
DC ICONS: BATMAN REBIRTH ACTION FIGURE | MAY170378 | DC |
|
10 |
BATMAN BLACK & WHITE: HARLEY QUINN BY AMANDA CONNER STATUE | APR170470 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
RICK AND MORTY: TOTAL RICKALL CARD GAME | AUG168447 | CRY |
|
2 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: IXALAN BOOSTER PACKS | JUN173398 | WIZ |
|
3 |
SCOTT PILGRIM’S PRECIOUS LITTLE CARD GAME | JUN173385 | REN |
|
4 |
MARVEL HEROCLIX: THOR RAGNAROK MOVIE EXPANSION | JUN173414 | NEC |
|
5 |
PATHFINDER BATTLES: MAZE OF DEATH BOOSTER BRICK | JUN173415 | NEC |
|
6 |
YU-GI-OH! TCG: LEGENDARY DRAGON DECKS | AUG173192 | KON |
|
7 |
ATARI: CENTIPEDE GAME | AUG170531 | IDW |
|
8 |
MARVEL DICE MASTERS: X-MEN FIRST CLASS | FEB173226 | NEC |
|
9 |
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS RPG: TOMB OF ANNIHILATION HC | AUG173217 | WIZ |
|
10 |
MAGIC THE GATGHERING TCG: IXALAN BUNDLE PACK | JUN173399 | WIZ |
Good on DC for 7 Top 10 titles!!
I am curious how all the Marvel Legacy Lenticular cover issues went
How the lenticulars went, will not be revealed by these sales figures. That’s just an indication of how many regular comics stores had to order, to be able to order the lenticulars. In order to make up for the loss on the regular editions, most stores will probably order a lenticular amount comparable to the regular amount; an amount not based on actual sell-through, but on marketing pressures from Marvel. Mark them up to at least twice the original price, and if you sell all your lenticulars, you’re home and dry. But how long will it take to sell those lenticulars?
Of course, speculation will also have had an influence on the ordering numbers of variuos Metal issues, but this speculation is instigated by the stores themselves, based on perceived current and anticipated future demand. Therefore ordering numbers on Marvel Legacy lenticulars are not compareable one on one with ordering numbers of regular non-exceed comics.
Even though more copies were ordered of Thor #700, I would bet this comic is still widely available, lenticular or non-lenticular. Now try finding a copy of Batman White Knight #1, or Batman Drowned. Probably not impossible, but I would bet it’s more difficult than getting Thor #700, because most of them are already sold. So, in my book, White Knight #1 ‘went’ way better than Thor #700, because the majority of the supply was actually sold to readers, not just to comic book stores.
Will we get any more month-to-month sales charts, or have they been stealth cancelled, Marvel style?
@Matthew – not sure what’s going on with The Beat, but looks like Dave Carter’s still posting the DC sales columns on his blog: http://yetanothercomicsblog.blogspot.com/2017/10/dc-comics-month-to-month-sales.html?m=1
I’m not the original poster, but I thank you for the link nonetheless, Other George.
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