Yawn. Batman and Saga led the comics and graphic nvoels charts for Decembers 2014, as they so often do, according to just released stats from Diamond. Batman #37 was the best selling comics periodical, while Saga Vol. 4 led the GNs. Marvel and DC actually split the top publisher shares, with Marvel leading in dollars and DC in units. Image hovered around 10% in both units and dollars, with another strong month.
And after 2014’s slow start things picked up a lot: comics sales were up 4.03% over 2013, graphic novel were up 5.18% and the second half of 2014 was up sharply from the first half: 19.34% in comics and 10.54% in graphic novels.
While Saga’s strong showing is no surprise in GNs, maybe it is a little that the #2 GN was Captain America: Peggy Carter: Agent of SHIELD which reprinted a bunch of her appearances from the Golden Age on. That a TV tie-in should do well isn’t such a surprise, but in the past that hasn’t always worked for Marvel and of course, it’s yet another female led title doing well.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 32.07% | 34.10% |
| DC COMICS | 31.76% | 36.17% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 9.89% | 10.40% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 6.10% | 4.17% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.47% | 2.95% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.66% | 2.82% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.58% | 2.26% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 1.22% | 0.22% |
| ARCHIE COMICS | 0.88% | 0.91% |
| AVATAR PRESS | 0.86% | 0.74% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 8.50% | 5.25% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| DC COMICS | 102 | 36 | 1 | 139 |
| MARVEL COMICS | 77 | 24 | 0 | 101 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 52 | 18 | 0 | 70 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 44 | 24 | 0 | 68 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 42 | 6 | 0 | 48 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 30 | 12 | 0 | 42 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 33 | 3 | 0 | 36 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT | 15 | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| HACHETTE BOOK GROUP USA | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| OTHER | 94 | 81 | 31 | 206 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| DECEMBER 2014 VS. NOVEMBER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 1.77% | 0.31% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -18.50% | -21.51% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.14% | -1.64% |
| DECEMBER 2014 VS. DECEMBER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 6.67% | 4.50% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -5.41% | -8.39% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 2.83% | 3.46% |
| CALENDAR YEAR 2014 VS. CALENDAR YEAR 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 4.03% | 0.25% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 5.18% | 5.28% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 4.39% | 0.64% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2014 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -2.90% | -1.57% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 6.31% | 4.02% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -0.20% | -1.16% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2014 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 7.89% | 7.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 7.56% | 6.13% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 7.78% | 6.98% |
| SECOND-HALF 2014 VS. FIRST-HALF 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 19.34% | 18.58% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 10.54% | 4.26% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 16.53% | 17.36% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN #37 | $3.99 | OCT140293-M | DC |
| 2 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11 | $3.99 | OCT140829-M | MAR |
| 3 | S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 | $4.99 | OCT140813-M | MAR |
| 4 | BATMAN ANNUAL #3 | $4.99 | OCT140297 | DC |
| 5 | THOR #3 | $3.99 | OCT140862-M | MAR |
| 6 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #37 | $3.99 | OCT140223-M | DC |
| 7 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 | $4.99 | OCT140824-M | MAR |
| 8 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #7 | $3.99 | OCT140781-M | MAR |
| 9 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #9 | $4.99 | OCT140787-M | MAR |
| 10 | AVENGERS AND X-MEN: AXIS #8 | $3.99 | OCT140784-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140644 | IMA |
| 2 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: PEGGY CARTER: AGENT OF SHIELD | $7.99 | OCT140823 | MAR |
| 3 | JUST THE TIPS HC (MR) | $12.99 | SEP140590 | IMA |
| 4 | THE MANHATTAN PROJECTS VOL. 5: THE COLD WAR TP | $14.99 | SEP140630 | IMA |
| 5 | SUNSTONE VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140613 | IMA |
| 6 | SUPERMAN UNCHAINED DELUXE EDITION HC | $29.99 | AUG140334 | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN: THE JIRO KUWATA BATMANGA VOLUME 1 TP | $14.99 | SEP140283 | DC |
| 8 | NEW 52: FUTURES END VOLUME 1 TP (N52) | $39.99 | SEP140303 | DC |
| 9 | NIGHTWING VOLME 5: SETTING SON TP (N52) | $16.99 | SEP140309 | DC |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $14.99 | NOV128157 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DREAM LOGIC HC | $34.99 | AUG140029 | DAR |
| 2 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 89 SC | $14.95 | SEP141909 | SAN |
| 3 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 90 SC | $14.95 | OCT141853 | SAN |
| 4 | DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 78 SC | $14.95 | SEP141908 | SAN |
| 5 | DOCTOR WHO VISUAL DICTIONARY: UPDATED EXPANDED HC | $25.00 | OCT141845 | DK |
| 6 | STAR TREK: SHIPS OF THE LINE: REVISED & UPDATED HC | $30.00 | SEP141911 | POC |
| 7 | DOCTOR WHO: 12 DOCTORS 12 STORIES SLIPCASE EDITIOIN | $24.99 | JUN148309 | PEN |
| 8 | SWORD ART ONLINE VOLUME 3: FAIRY DANCE | $13.00 | OCT141784 | HAC |
| 9 | CATS OF TANGLEWOOD FOREST SC | $8.00 | OCT141850 | HAC |
| 10 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: HOLIDAY HARLEY QUINN STATUE | JUL140302 | DC |
| 2 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: ZATANNA STATUE | JUN140324 | DC |
| 3 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES 2: CAPULLO DELUXE BATMAN THRASHER ACTION FIGURE | MAY140428 | DC |
| 4 | LEGEND OF ZELA: WIND WAKER LINK NENDOROID | MAY142613 | GOO |
| 5 | BATMAN ARKHAM ORIGINS ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK | JUL140295 | DC |
| 6 | BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE BY MICHAEL TURNER | JUN140319 | DC |
| 7 | METROID: OTHER M: SAMUS ARAN FIGMA ACTION FIGURE | JUN132073 | GOO |
| 8 | MARVEL SELECT: VENOM ACTION FIGURE | AUG121762 | DIA |
| 9 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES 3: ZERO YEAR BATMAN ACTION FIGURE | AUG140379 | DC |
| 10 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY PLATINUM LEGENDS ACTION FIGURES | MAY142325 | HAS |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 2 | MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG COMBAT HANDBOOK HC | FEB142547 | SCH |
| 3 | MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK HC | FEB142548 | SCH |
| 4 | LEGEND OF ZELDA MONOPOLY | JUL142617 | USA |
| 5 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS UNCANNY X-MEN | AUG142843 | NEC |
| 6 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES RETRO MONOPOLY | OCT142798 | USA |
| 7 | FIREFLY CLUE | OCT142797 | USA |
| 8 | THE WALKING DEAD: YAHTZEE COLLECTOR’S EDITION | OCT142799 | USA |
| 9 | DC DECK BUILDING GAME 3: FOREVER EVIL | JUN142618 | CRY |
| 10 | DOCTOR WHO: DALEK YAHTZEE COLLECTOR’S EDITION | OCT142796 | USA |
I thought that the Peggy Carter book was saddle-stapled, not squarebound. So on the stands it will look like a thick 100 page floppy, not a book with a flat spine. (Much like the Starlord reprints Marvel put out last year prior to collecting all of those into a tradepaperback.)
So is Peggy Carter a graphic novel that sells well, or is it a single comic book one-shot that sells not so well?
(This isn’t to say that Peggy Carter didn’t have good sales for this type of reprint, b/c it certainly does… I’m simply wondering why it is that this gets charted in the graphic novel category. Is it b/c Marvel plays fast and loose with their designation of what type of product this is so that they can call it a top seller?)
Captain America Peggy Carter is a $7.99 reprint comic labelled as a GN. Generally speaking, GNs aren’t folded and have staples along the spine. Put it in the comic column and I doubt it made the top 100.
Next on the list: Is “Just the Tips” a graphic novel? I was under the impression that was mostly a reprint of humorous prose advice from the “Sex Criminals” letters columns, perhaps with some illustrations.
PEGGY CARTER has an ISBN number, not an ISSN number or UPC code in Marvel’s system, generally meaning it is classed as a book and theoretically intended to have a greater shelf life. I can’t say that is the rationale behind it being in the charts — Diamond has seemed to use price cutoffs at times, and later, whether something was expected to be stocked more permanently than the monthlies.
Just The Tips would appear to belong with the Books table that Diamond does, but there have been many cases of all-text or mostly-text guidebooks related to specific comics — sometimes quite tangentially — being included in the comics categories.
(The Carter book probably does have a UPC code on back, of course. But Marvel’s online catalog lists the ISBN instead.)
Diamond’s always been a little bit inconsistent on those borderline issues on comics vs. GNs. DC’s line of $8 reprints (branded as DC COMICS PRESENTS and VERTIGO RESURRECTED) came on the comics side, even though they were bound not stapled, which meant a good number of them failed to make the Top 300, while Marvel’s similar reprint format consistently gets put in with the books, despite being stapled.
I think the comics chart is actually correct for both of them (especially since I think both carried advertisements), but honestly prefer they go on the GN chart, since that we’re more likely to get some visibility on their sales. Of course, my preference is actually for Diamond to extend both charts to the Top 400 or Top 500, given the number of books in both formats being published now.
Interesting… CA:PCAoS #1 appears as a non-EAN title in Amazon. But Amazon UK does list the EAN.
EAN: 978-0-7851-9411-8
No data at BN.com. No data in Books In Print for that EAN. No listing in Edelweiss.
Generally speaking, publishers place an EAN on a comic book so that it can be sold via the Book Market.
Gemstone did this with the square-bound Uncles Scrooge and Walt Disney Comics & Stories series.
DC did this with the Dark Knight Strikes Again issues,
The Dark Knight Strikes Again Vol. 1 9781563898709
The Dark Knight Strikes Again Vol. 2 9781563898716
The Dark Knight Strikes Again Vol. 3 9781563898723
Each was 80 pages, $7.95.
And a lesson on semantics… “bound” refers to the form, not the method. You can bind a book with staples (saddle stitch), glue, thread, plastic combs, rings, metal rods, brads, clips…
NISO standard can be read here: http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/download.php/6565/Library%20Binding.pdf
Comments are closed.