Diamond released their January sales charts today and it was pretty much business as usual: Mavel led, Batman was #1 in both periodicals and Gns, and Marvel’s rollout of new #1s continue to chart.
Figures were WAY up from December, mostly because January was a five week month.
Marvel and DC pretty much split the periodicals, but Marvel had many titles on the top 10 for graphic novels, something they don’t always have. Either a sign that Image didn’t have a block bster in th emonth or that MArvel is upping its game?
Captqain Marvel trades had an especially strong showing, sugesting that Marvel is way out ahead of the movie this time.
John Jackson Miller has more informative analysis and I’ll quote it with his permission:
The $44.9 million that retailers spent on comics, graphic novels, and magazines in January is more than $5 million more than last January, which also had five shipping weeks; that’s an increase of 14%. It even beat out the $43.75 million spent in January 2015, the month of the release of million-copy seller Star Wars #1. Retailers bought 7.04 million comic books in January 2019, 300,000 more copies than the previous January. That’s around the range for the first month of the year for several of the healthier years this decade, though some of those Januaries reached the 7 million mark with one fewer shipping week.
As mentioned, December’s sales were artificially low because Diamond did not have a full release week during Christmas Week: rather, a handful of select titles had been shipped to stores the Friday before, street-dated for the 26th. While those comics weren’t invoiced until Jan. 9, it does appear that the expected dollar value was figured into the December charts, because those Christmas-week releases have normal dollar rankings. It does appear that significant business that otherwise would have transpired in December occured in January instead; graphic novel shipments were up dramatically, 43% over December dollars and 12% over the previous January’s.
If we’re looking for a measure that wipes out the holiday factor, consider the sales when December and January are considered a single nine-week unit: $82.55 million, up 6% over the same two months a year earlier. Comics unit sales were 13.25 million copies, up 310,000 copies over December 2017/January 2018.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS |
39.24% |
41.29% |
DC |
29.70% |
33.39% |
IMAGE COMICS |
7.56% |
7.77% |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
3.95% |
2.97% |
IDW PUBLISHING |
3.65% |
3.32% |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
2.32% |
2.23% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
2.13% |
1.83% |
VIZ MEDIA |
1.55% |
0.61% |
TITAN COMICS |
0.80% |
0.60% |
ARCHIE COMICS |
0.78% |
0.77% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
8.31% |
5.20% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
JANUARY 2019 VS. DECEMBER 2018 |
||
COMICS |
11.93% |
13.49% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
42.79% |
40.93% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
19.47% |
15.18% |
TOYS |
154.01% |
234.27% |
JANUARY 2019 VS. JANUARY 2018 |
||
COMICS |
15.32% |
5.03% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS |
11.98% |
2.36% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN |
14.33% |
4.82% |
TOYS |
34.53% |
57.58% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
PUBLISHER |
COMICS SHIPPED |
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED |
MAGAZINES SHIPPED |
TOTAL SHIPPED |
MARVEL COMICS |
102 |
40 |
0 |
142 |
DC |
87 |
31 |
0 |
118 |
IMAGE COMICS |
57 |
10 |
0 |
67 |
IDW PUBLISHING |
39 |
17 |
0 |
56 |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
27 |
19 |
0 |
46 |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
25 |
11 |
0 |
36 |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
19 |
6 |
0 |
25 |
VIZ MEDIA |
0 |
25 |
0 |
25 |
TITAN COMICS |
10 |
9 |
0 |
19 |
ARCHIE COMICS |
13 |
5 |
0 |
18 |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
136 |
186 |
37 |
359 |
TOTAL |
515 |
359 |
37 |
911 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2 |
$4.99 |
NOV180414-M | DC |
2 |
CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180783-M | MAR |
3 |
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180771-M | MAR |
4 |
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180740-M | MAR |
5 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 |
$3.99 |
NOV180903-M | MAR |
6 |
BATMAN #62 |
$3.99 |
NOV180402-M | DC |
7 |
BATMAN #63 |
$3.99 |
NOV180404-M | DC |
8 |
HEROES IN CRISIS #4 |
$3.99 |
NOV180457-M | DC |
9 |
HEROES IN CRISIS #5 |
$3.99 |
NOV180459-M | DC |
10 |
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180793-M | MAR |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180783-M | MAR |
2 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2 |
$4.99 |
NOV180414-M | DC |
3 |
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180771-M | MAR |
4 |
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180740-M | MAR |
5 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 |
$3.99 |
NOV180903-M | MAR |
6 |
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180793-M | MAR |
7 |
YOUNG JUSTICE #1 |
$4.99 |
NOV180376-M | DC |
8 |
BATMAN #62 |
$3.99 |
NOV180402-M | DC |
9 |
BATMAN #63 |
$3.99 |
NOV180404-M | DC |
10 |
HEROES IN CRISIS #4 |
$3.99 |
NOV180457-M | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL TP |
$19.99 |
OCT180569 | DC |
2 |
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP |
$24.99 |
JUL110745 | MAR |
3 |
THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL TP |
$15.99 |
OCT181018-M | MAR |
4 |
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD OF THE SITH VOLUME 4: FORTRESS VADER TP |
$19.99 |
OCT181014 | MAR |
5 |
COSMIC GHOST RIDER: BABY THANOS MUST DIE TP |
$15.99 |
NOV181028 | MAR |
6 |
BLACK HAMMER VOL. 3: AGE OF DOOM PART I TP |
$19.99 |
SEP180278 | DAR |
7 |
FARMHAND VOLUME 1 TP (MR) |
$12.99 |
OCT180065 | IMA |
8 |
DARK DAYS: THE ROAD TO METAL TP |
$19.99 |
OCT180568 | DC |
9 |
BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT TP |
$19.99 |
JUL180733 | DC |
10 |
SPIDER-GEDDON: EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON TP |
$15.99 |
OCT181015 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
CONAN THE BARBARIAN OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC |
$125.00 |
JUL181158-M | MAR |
2 |
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP |
$24.99 |
JUL110745 | MAR |
3 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL TP |
$19.99 |
OCT180569 | DC |
4 |
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: UNCANNY X-MEN VOL. 11 HC |
$100.00 |
JUL181165-M | MAR |
5 |
HOUSE OF MYSTERY: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC |
$99.99 |
JUN180578 | DC |
6 |
INFINITY TP |
$49.99 |
JUN140730 | MAR |
7 |
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: MARVEL TEAM-UP VOL. 4 HC |
$75.00 |
JUL181163-M | MAR |
8 |
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD OF THE SITH VOLUME 4: FORTRESS VADER TP |
$19.99 |
OCT181014 | MAR |
9 |
BLACK HAMMER VOL. 3: AGE OF DOOM PART I TP |
$19.99 |
SEP180278 | DAR |
10 |
SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC |
$125.00 |
JUL181167 | MAR |
TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
LULU IS A RHINOCEROS |
$16.99 |
FEB188267 | WIC |
2 |
BLOODBORNE OFFICIAL ARTWORKS SC |
$44.99 |
MAR172148 | UDO |
3 |
CAPTAIN MARVEL LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK |
$4.99 |
NOV181804 | RAN |
4 |
A FRIEND LIKE PIKACHU: POKEMON LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK |
$4.99 |
NOV181802 | RAN |
5 |
OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 48 SC |
$29.95 |
APR181580-M | GEM |
6 |
FAST ENOUGH: BESSIE STRINGFIELD’S FIRST RIDE HC |
$17.99 |
NOV181857 | LIO |
7 |
OVERLORD LIGHT NOVEL VOLUME 9 HC |
$20.00 |
NOV182175 | HAC |
8 |
STAR TREK: I AM MR SPOCK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK |
$4.99 |
NOV181801 | RAN |
9 |
STAR TREK: I AM CAPTAIN KIRK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK |
$4.99 |
NOV181800 | RAN |
10 |
DC SUPER VILLAINS ORIGINS: THE JOKER TP |
$4.95 |
DEC182051 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
POP! POWER RANGERS: LORD DRAKKON VINYL FIGURE | JUN188596 | FUN |
2 |
OVERWATCH: MEI FLOATING SNOWBALL REPLICA | JUL189227 | BLI |
3 |
OVERWATCH: GENJI SWORD REPLICA | JUL189228 | BLI |
4 |
INFINITY WAR: THANOS ARTFX+ STATUE | MAR188569 | KOT |
5 |
POP! DC HEROES: THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS VINYL FIGURE | JUN188595 | FUN |
6 |
MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS INFINITY WAR: IRON-SPIDER FIGURE | JAN188710 | DST |
7 |
ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: THOR RAGNAROK: GLADIATOR HULK | OCT178172 | MEZ |
8 |
AQUAMAN MOVIE GALLERY: AQUAMAN PVC FIGURE | AUG182575 | DST |
9 |
PERSONA 5: JOKER FIGMA | JUN178415 | GOO |
10 |
HARLEY QUINN: PINK WHITE BLACK VALENTINE BY LAU VARIANT STATUE | JUL180806 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
1 |
CRITICAL ROLE: TAL’DOREI CAMPAIGN SETTING HC | JUN173357 | GRE |
2 |
STARFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK HC | JUN173371 | PAI |
3 |
PATHFINDER RPG: ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN POCKET EDITION | NOV182880 | PAI |
4 |
PATHFINDER RPG: ULTIMATE INTRIGUE POCKET EDITION | NOV182881 | PAI |
5 |
PATHFINDER RPG CORE RULEBOOK | JUN091729 | PAI |
6 |
GLOOMHAVEN 2017 EDITION | MAR188530 | ALL |
7 |
STARFINDER RPG: ARMORY HC | MAY182931 | PAI |
8 |
STARFINDER RPG: ALIEN ARCHIVE 2 HC | AUG183177 | PAI |
9 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA CARD GAME | JUL183082 | SHI |
10 |
RED SONJA TAROT CARD SET | JUN181151 | DYN |
Comichron’s full post is at https://blog.comichron.com/2019/02/january-comics-sales-start-2019-strong.html
Batman who laughs all the way to the bank? (Christ, that’s bad, but I went there anyway
You really need to proofread your article. There are quite a few spelling errors. Also, if your headline is about The Batman who Laughs, why is your initial picture of a Marvel property?
Comments are closed.