Diamond just released its January figures and Marvel had a pretty thorough market share dominance, 41.05% dollar share and a 45.64% unit share to DC’s 24.18% dollar share and a 27.05% unit share. Periodical sales were down a bit from December but graphic novels were way up. Perhaps in the most chipper news, January 2015 was way up over January 2014, up 12.27% in dollars and 9.86% in units overall. Last year people were wondering if the whole thing was crashing but it was more of a sag.
All four Saga trades were in the top ten for the month if you’re wondering where the graphic novel boost came from. Thank you BKV and Fiona Staples.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 41.05% | 45.64% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 24.18% | 27.06% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 9.21% | 8.91% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 5.78% | 4.52% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 4.01% | 3.03% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.41% | 2.22% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.26% | 2.28% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 1.46% | 0.32% |
| AVATAR PRESS | 1.08% | 0.81% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0.95% | 0.39% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 7.61% | 4.82% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 79 | 33 | 0 | 112 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 86 | 23 | 0 | 109 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 50 | 26 | 0 | 76 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 54 | 14 | 0 | 68 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 28 | 19 | 0 | 47 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 34 | 6 | 0 | 40 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 31 | 6 | 0 | 37 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 0 | 0 | 19 | 19 |
| AVATAR PRESS | 10 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 78 | 115 | 28 | 221 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| JANUARY 2015 VS. DECEMBER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -2.69% | -2.59% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 9.12% | 10.49% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 0.77% | -1.66% |
| JANUARY 2015 VS. JANUARY 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 10.27% | 9.65% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 16.83% | 12.33% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 12.27% | 9.86% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | STAR WARS #1 | $4.99 | NOV140709-M | MAR |
| 2 | BATMAN #38 | $3.99 | NOV140245-M | DC |
| 3 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #12 | $3.99 | OCT140832-M | MAR |
| 4 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13 | $3.99 | NOV140764-M | MAR |
| 5 | UNCANNY AVENGERS #1 | $3.99 | NOV140703-M | MAR |
| 6 | WOLVERINES #1 | $3.99 | NOV140736-M | MAR |
| 7 | ANT-MAN #1 | $4.99 | NOV140725-M | MAR |
| 8 | THOR #4 | $3.99 | NOV140781-M | MAR |
| 9 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #38 | $3.99 | NOV140180-M | DC |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD #136 (MR) | $2.99 | NOV140696 | IMA |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DEATH OF WOLVERINE HC | $24.99 | OCT140914-M | MAR |
| 2 | OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA VOLUME 1 TP | $9.99 | OCT140637 | IMA |
| 3 | SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140644 | IMA |
| 4 | BLACK SCIENCE VOLUME 2: WELCOME TO NOWHERE TP | $14.99 | OCT140615 | IMA |
| 5 | SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG120491 | IMA |
| 6 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 2: SPIDER-VERSE PRELUDE TP | $17.99 | OCT140932 | MAR |
| 7 | SAGA VOLUME 3 TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN140556 | IMA |
| 8 | SAGA VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $14.99 | APR130443 | IMA |
| 9 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP (MR) | $14.99 | NOV128157 | IMA |
| 10 | DEADPOOL: THE ONES WITH DEADPOOL TP | $15.99 | NOV140877 | MAR |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC SUPER HEROES: BATMAN: THE ORIGIN STORY TP | $4.95 | NOV141826 | CAP |
| 2 | DC SUPER HEROES: WONDER WOMAN: THE ORIGIN STORY | $4.95 | NOV141829 | CAP |
| 3 | DC SUPER HEROES: SUPERMAN: THE ORIGIN STORY TP | $4.95 | NOV141827 | CAP |
| 4 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 5 | DC SUPER HEROES: GREEN LANTERN: THE ORIGIN STORY TP | $4.95 | NOV141828 | CAP |
| 6 | LEGEND OF KORRA: ART OF ANIMATED SERIES BOOK 3: CHANGE HC | $34.99 | SEP140051 | DAR |
| 7 | IN SEARCH OF LOST DRAGONS HC | $34.99 | AUG141289 | DE |
| 8 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 91 SC | $14.95 | NOV141854 | SAN |
| 9 | BATMAN: YOU CHOOSE STORIES: THE JOKER’S DOZEN | $6.95 | NOV141832 | CAP |
| 10 | BATMAN: YOU CHOOSE STORIES: THE SEED BANK HEIST | $6.95 | NOV141830 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD: LINK FIGMA | JUN132070 | GOO |
| 2 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: ELECTRONIC DANCING BABY GROOT | SEP148110 | KID |
| 3 | DC COMICS: WONDER WOMAN ARTFX STATUE | JUL142220 | KOT |
| 4 | THE WALKING DEAD SERIES 6 ACTION FIGURES | APR148174 | TMP |
| 5 | POP! GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: DANCING GROOT VINYL FIGURE | JUL148256 | FUN |
| 6 | BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS PLAY ARTS KAI: THE JOKER | JUL148208 | SQU |
| 7 | BATMAN “BLACK COSTUME” ARTFX STATUE | FEB121622 | KOT |
| 8 | MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE | MAR101468 | DST |
| 9 | BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS PLAY ARTS KAI: ROBIN | JUL148207 | SQU |
| 10 | MARVEL SPIDER-MAN 8-INCH RETRO ACTION FIGURE | MAY142225 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 2 | JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK MONOPOLY | DEC142209 | DST |
| 3 | YU-GI-OH! HEROCLIX SERIES TWO | JUN142660 | NEC |
| 4 | STAR WARS: IMPERIAL ASSAULT BOARD GAME | NOV142729 | FAN |
| 5 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS: UNCANNY X-MEN SET-UP BOX | AUG142843 | NEC |
| 6 | YU-GI-OH! DICE MASTERS SERIES ONE | NOV142759 | NEC |
| 7 | ADVENTURE TIME CARD WARS PACK 1: FINN VS. JAKE | APR148197 | CRY |
| 8 | X-FILES: THE BOARD GAME | MAY142832 | IDW |
| 9 | MARVEL DICE MASTERS: AVENGERS VS. X-MEN BOOSTER PACKS | NOV132536 | NEC |
| 10 | YU-GI-OH! DICE MASTERS SERIES ONE STARTER SET | NOV142761 | NEC |
While DC is gradually losing share regardless, it’s all about Star Wars this month. The dust will settle and after these number ones are done, it’ll go back to previous levels. DC will have to have a success with Convergence though, to keep the hole they’re in from getting deeper. Looks like both the big two are going for a summer relaunch of their lines. May the strongest survive.
V. Wiley, have you looked at the sales numbers for the last few years?
Unit sales for Marvel:
2011: 40.93%
2012: 37.59%
2013: 36.97%
2014: 36.78%
Unit sales for DC:
2011: 36.77%
2012: 36.75%
2013: 33.35%
2014: 32.47%
DC isn’t digging themselves down anymore than Marvel. In fact, going back to 2002, Marvel has been under 40% unit market share 4 times, and of those, 3 were the last 3 years. On the contrary, DC:s share for 2014 was above average for the last 12 years. But Marvel being below 40% 3 years running? They should panic, that is an extreme historical low.
Wow… TOP 10 BOOKS
CAP = Capstone, a childrens book publisher. (See: Super Pets)
What’s amazing, is that comics shops are ordering these titles!
Those “origin” titles are 48 pages, $4.95, and aimed at the beginning reader. (Minimal text, spot illustrations on each page.)
So, Marvel and DC… why can’t you do this in comic book form?
Hey… when they show a pie chart based on percentages, how big is the pie?
What’s the total dollar amount by month?
(If that doesn’t exist, can someone run numbers based on the Top 300?)
Kim – they are making more and more money, and this list doesn’t factor in digital or worldwide sales. Marvel is fine.
Wonder how that whole ‘million copies sold’ thing is going on Star Wars #1. True? Not true?
Well, it’s a documented fact that they sold over a million to retailers. So true.
Chris, interesting that there WERE a million sold. Now, the tricky thing is, did a million copies get sold to end customers. I am just finding it hard to fathom the intense demand for this comic, and I’ve seen all the Star Wars movies many times. Okay, the early ones more often, ha ha.
@Kim–Yay for actual stats! I don’t think Marvel needs to panic just based on that stat. Their overall sales may be up even if their market share is down slightly.
@Torsten–When they make a pie chart based on percentages, the whole pie is 100%. Duh. ;-)
@Al–An anecdote related to your point: I have a friend who is not a regular comic reader who bought EVERY variant cover for Star Wars #1. So, there don’t have to be a million people who want the comic if they can sell 10+ copies to a single reader.
Comments are closed.