The Top Ten and other charts are out for May, and as expected Rebirth #1, the one shot ushering in a new age for Dc COmics, was the #1 periodical, with Civil War right behind. You can see all the charts below. The shares gap between Marvel and DC tightened up a bit (and should do even better in June with all the Rebirth titles doing well, according to retailers) but the overall numbers for 2016 are not good, with dollar shares for both comics and GNs down 5.11% and units down 12.72%. If you’re into fractions, that’s an eighth of sales gone in units. Obviously rising cover prices are propping things up more than we’d like to admit. Sales were also down i year to year and month to month.
A new edition of the venerable The Killing Joke was the top GN.
John Jackson Miller has his own analysis of the month and he estimates Rebirth #1 sold about 236,000 copies: a solid number but not life changing. More than a million fewer comics were sold in May 2016 than May 2015. And it’s the blockbuster sales that are declining; lower tier publishers sales remain steady. And there’s a lack of blockbusters he says, as well as other changes in the release pattern that bear watching:
Four comic books posted sales of more than 100,000 copies, down from 10 last year — confirming our Friday view that most of the difference between this May’s and last May’s performance comes from a lack of blockbusters. Last year had the launch ofSecret Wars with over half a million copies sold of #1 and more than 200,000 copies sold of #2 — and the charts also included the last of the Loot Crate-charged titles, Bravest Warriors: Tales from the Holo John #1, which added half a million comics to the unit sales totals. There was alsoConvergence in the mix back then.
May 2016’s top-sellers simply didn’t have the same high volumes. In total, the Top 300 comics sold 6.37 million copies in the month, down 20% from almost exactly 8 million last May — but really, that should be down 15% from 7.5 million, since the Loot Crate copies were never part of the Direct Market. That leaves a deficit of 1.13 million copies, which is almost entirely explained by softer sales in the Top 100.
On the other hand, all comics in 140th through 300th places outsold those in the corresponding rankings on the list from last year; this month’s 300th place title sold 4,986 copies, which is a very respectable number. (Click to see the sales of 300th-place titles across time.)
So why are the midlist and low-end entries doing better? One reason is that they’re more likely to be Marvel titles this year as opposed to last year. Marvel placed 102 titles in the Top 300 this May; last May, there were only 81. There are fewer comics coming from the middle-tier publishers this year, so if Marvel is taking those spots on the list, its generally higher volumes would have an impact. To be clear, we’re describing the relative performance of titles at the same rank on the charts, not the performance of specific ongoing titles over time. But it is another example of the shape of the comics sales chart evolving. Depth continues, even if the bestsellers aren’t reaching the same heights.
All in all, the sales slump that everyone has been predicting is now well established for 2016.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 39.64% | 44.80% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 26.45% | 26.34% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 8.38% | 7.95% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 5.70% | 4.99% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.25% | 2.31% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.51% | 2.34% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 1.66% | 1.51% |
| TITAN COMICS | 1.39% | 1.48% |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 1.09% | 1.25% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 0.98% | 0.89% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 8.95% | 6.13% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 102 | 34 | 0 | 136 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 74 | 28 | 0 | 102 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 50 | 23 | 0 | 73 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 43 | 22 | 0 | 65 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 20 | 24 | 0 | 44 |
| BOOM ENTERTAINMENT | 24 | 12 | 0 | 36 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 19 | 6 | 0 | 25 |
| TITAN COMICS | 16 | 3 | 4 | 23 |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 111 | 114 | 19 | 244 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| MAY 2016 VS. APRIL 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -6.54% | -4.15% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -6.31% | -11.10% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -6.46% | -4.77% |
| MAY 2016 VS. MAY 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -14.34% | -17.60% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 4.52% | -3.39% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -9.05% | -16.58% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -9.23% | -14.01% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 4.80% | 3.46% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.11% | -12.72% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1 | $2.99 | APR160273-M | DC |
| 2 | CIVIL WAR II #0 | $4.99 | MAR168949-M | MAR |
| 3 | THE PUNISHER #1 | $3.99 | MAR160728-M | MAR |
| 4 | BATMAN #52 | $3.99 | MAR160223-M | DC |
| 5 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #1 | $4.99 | MAR160721-M | MAR |
| 6 | STAR WARS #19 | $3.99 | MAR160891-M | MAR |
| 7 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 | $5.99 | FEB160134-M | DC |
| 8 | DARTH VADER #20 | $4.99 | MAR160897-M | MAR |
| 9 | BLACK PANTHER #2 | $3.99 | MAR160829-M | MAR |
| 10 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #12 | $3.99 | MAR160781-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL EDITION HC | $17.99 | NOV070226 | DC |
| 2 | DESCENDER VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $14.99 | FEB160680-M | IMA |
| 3 | CIVIL WAR TP | $24.99 | JAN072436 | MAR |
| 4 | BLACK SCIENCE VOLUME 4: GODWORLD TP (MR) | $14.99 | FEB160656 | IMA |
| 5 | WE STAND ON GUARD DELUXE HC (MR) | $24.99 | FEB160645 | IMA |
| 6 | CHEW VOLUME 11: LAST SUPPERS TP (MR) | $14.99 | FEB160669 | IMA |
| 7 | THE JOKER: ENDGAME TP | $24.99 | FEB160224 | DC |
| 8 | STAR WARS: KANAN VOLUME 2: FIRST BLOOD TP | $17.99 | JAN160963 | MAR |
| 9 | SPIDER-GWEN VOLUME 1: GREATER POWER TP | $17.99 | FEB160962 | MAR |
| 10 | SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL: DON’T CALL IT A TEAM UP TP | $34.99 | FEB160956 | MAR |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DOCTOR WHO OFFICIAL ANNUAL 2015 | $12.99 | JAN148356 | PEN |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD ADULT COLORING BOOK (MR) | $14.99 | FEB160615 | IMA |
| 3 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161967 | RAN |
| 4 | COURAGEOUS CAPTAIN AMERICA LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161966 | RAN |
| 5 | APES & BABES SC (MR) | $19.99 | MAR160659 | IMA |
| 6 | SPIDER MAN: TRAPPED BY THE GREEN GOBLIN LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161974 | RAN |
| 7 | SPIDER MAN: HIGH VOLTAGE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161973 | RAN |
| 8 | MIGHTY AVENGERS LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161970 | RAN |
| 9 | THE INCREDIBLE HULK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161968 | RAN |
| 10 | ANT-MAN LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK | $4.99 | MAR161965 | RAN |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC COMICS VARIANT PLAY ARTS KAI: BATMAN TIMELESS SPARTA FIGURE | AUG158823 | SQU |
| 2 | BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: RED HOOD FIGURE | SEP150345 | DC |
| 3 | POP! STAR WARS: RANCOR WITH LUKE & SLAVE OOLA FIGURE 3-PACK | SEP158902 | FUN |
| 4 | STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS: CAPTAIN PHASMA ARTFX+ STATUE | NOV152442 | KOT |
| 5 | FFG DC COMICS COLLECTION: POISON IVY STATUE | DEC158120 | YAM |
| 6 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: CHEETAH STATUE | SEP150344 | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN V SUPERMAN DAWN OF JUSTICE: SUPERMAN STATUE | AUG150304 | DC |
| 8 | FINDING DORY FEATURE FIGURES | JUL158665 | BAN |
| 9 | ALIEN: WARRIOR DRONE ALIEN ARTFX+ STATUE | NOV152445 | KOT |
| 10 | STAR TREK STARSHIPS SET #2: SHUTTLECRAFT | JAN162289 | EAG |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: UNCANNY X-MEN BOOSTER BRICK | MAR162746 | NEC |
| 2 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS: CIVIL WAR | MAR162740 | NEC |
| 3 | MACHI KORO CARD GAME | MAY142831 | IDW |
| 4 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: UNCANNY X-MEN FAST FORCES 6-PACK | MAR162748 | NEC |
| 5 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES DICE MASTERS BOX SET | FEB162984 | NEC |
| 6 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES HEROCLIX | JAN162805 | NEC |
| 7 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS: CIVIL WAR STARTER | MAR162744 | NEC |
| 8 | 3D GAME OF THRONES: KINGS LANDING PUZZLE | JAN168015 | 4D |
| 9 | STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE RPG CORE RULEBOOK | MAR132242 | FAN |
| 10 | STAR WARS: ARMADA BOARD GAME | DEC142545 | FAN |
