Scott Snyder and Jock’s The Batman Who Laughs #1 was the best-selling periodical in December in comics shops, according to the statistics just released by Diamond Comics.
Paper Girls Vol 5 was the best-selling graphic novel.
Marvel led DC by their traditional wide margin but DC had 7 out of the top periodicals, most of them Batman, sure, but Shazam #1 also charted.
December 2018 sales overall were wayyyyy down from December 2017, especially in graphic novels. which has a massive 25% drop in dollars and a SHOCKING 1/3rd in units. Considering that it was the holiday season this is troubling. The lack of a “must have” new title is showing here, I think..
Diamond also issued a correction for the year showing that comics and GN sales were actually DOWN for the year, a fact that should bear its own headline.
Update: You can read Comichron commentary here. According to John Jackson Miller it was the smallest ship month in a while, hence the year over year drops.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS |
38.57% |
44.09% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT |
31.51% |
30.75% |
| IMAGE COMICS |
8.73% |
9.06% |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
4.10% |
3.66% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
2.98% |
2.38% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
2.82% |
2.37% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
2.11% |
2.10% |
| VIZ MEDIA |
1.03% |
0.38% |
| TITAN COMICS |
0.82% |
0.59% |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC |
0.71% |
0.78% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
6.62% |
3.85% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
DECEMBER 2018 VS. NOVEMBER 2018 |
||
| COMICS |
-3.53% |
-3.58% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-17.46% |
-17.18% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-7.35% |
-4.55% |
| TOYS |
-58.05% |
-53.99% |
|
DECEMBER 2018 VS. DECEMBER 2017 |
||
| COMICS |
9.29% |
-0.42% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-26.35% |
-35.98% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-2.26% |
-3.72% |
| TOYS |
-44.01% |
-47.06% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
YEAR 2018 VS. YEAR 2017 |
||
| COMICS |
2.04% |
-5.67% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-8.22% |
-9.71% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-1.08% |
-5.98% |
| TOYS |
-6.39% |
-6.48% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
|
PUBLISHER |
COMICS SHIPPED |
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED |
MAGAZINES SHIPPED |
TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS |
90 |
38 |
0 |
128 |
| DC COMICS |
52 |
37 |
1 |
90 |
| IMAGE COMICS |
52 |
10 |
0 |
62 |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
32 |
10 |
0 |
42 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
24 |
16 |
0 |
40 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
21 |
11 |
0 |
32 |
| VIZ MEDIA LLC |
0 |
23 |
0 |
23 |
| TITAN COMICS |
8 |
7 |
2 |
17 |
| DYNAMITE |
13 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC |
5 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
101 |
113 |
9 |
223 |
| TOTAL |
398 |
268 |
12 |
678 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1 |
$4.99 |
OCT180464-M | DC |
|
2 |
BATMAN: DAMNED #2 (MR) |
$6.99 |
SEP180424-M | DC |
|
3 |
DOOMSDAY CLOCK #8 |
$4.99 |
SEP180426-M | DC |
|
4 |
BATMAN #60 |
$3.99 |
OCT180483-M | DC |
|
5 |
BATMAN #61 |
$3.99 |
OCT180485-M | DC |
|
6 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11 |
$3.99 |
OCT180921-M | MAR |
|
7 |
FANTASTIC FOUR #5 |
$7.99 |
OCT180766-M | MAR |
|
8 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #12 |
$3.99 |
OCT180925-M | MAR |
|
9 |
BATMAN ANNUAL #3 |
$4.99 |
OCT180487 | DC |
|
10 |
SHAZAM #1 |
$4.99 |
SEP180436-M | DC |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1 |
$4.99 |
OCT180464-M | DC |
|
2 |
BATMAN: DAMNED #2 (MR) |
$6.99 |
SEP180424-M | DC |
|
3 |
DOOMSDAY CLOCK #8 |
$4.99 |
SEP180426-M | DC |
|
4 |
FANTASTIC FOUR #5 |
$7.99 |
OCT180766-M | MAR |
|
5 |
BATMAN #60 |
$3.99 |
OCT180483-M | DC |
|
6 |
BATMAN #61 |
$3.99 |
OCT180485-M | DC |
|
7 |
BATMAN ANNUAL #3 |
$4.99 |
OCT180487 | DC |
|
8 |
SHAZAM #1 |
$4.99 |
SEP180436-M | DC |
|
9 |
INFINITY WARS #6 |
$5.99 |
OCT180866-M | MAR |
|
10 |
FANTASTIC FOUR WEDDING SPECIAL #1 |
$4.99 |
OCT180778-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 5 TP |
$14.99 |
OCT180099 | IMA |
|
2 |
BATMAN VOLUME 8: COLD DAYS TP |
$16.99 |
SEP180545 | DC |
|
3 |
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER: IMBALANCE PART ONE TP |
$10.99 |
JUN180347 | DAR |
|
4 |
SABAN’S POWER RANGERS: SOUL DRAGON ORIGINAL GN |
$19.99 |
AUG181366 | BOO |
|
5 |
STAR WARS VOLUME 9: HOPE DIES TP |
$19.99 |
SEP180996 | MAR |
|
6 |
THE FLASH VOLUME 8: FLASH WAR TP |
$16.99 |
SEP180570 | DC |
|
7 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOLUME 16 GN |
$9.99 |
OCT182065 | VIZ |
|
8 |
THOR VOLUME 1: GOD OF THUNDER REBORN TP |
$17.99 |
SEP181005 | MAR |
|
9 |
VENOM: FIRST HOST TP |
$15.99 |
SEP181007 | MAR |
|
10 |
BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOL. 8: ON THE OUTSIDE TP |
$16.99 |
SEP180548 | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 5 TP |
$14.99 |
OCT180099 | IMA |
|
2 |
BATMAN: THE GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 6 HC |
$125.00 |
MAY180571 | DC |
|
3 |
FANTASTIC FOUR BY WAID & WIERINGO OMNIBUS HC |
$100.00 |
JUN180968 | MAR |
|
4 |
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 20 HC |
$75.00 |
JUN180962-M | MAR |
|
5 |
JEPH LOEB & TIM SALE: YELLOW, BLUE, GRAY & WHITE OMNIBUS HC |
$100.00 |
JUN180964 | MAR |
|
6 |
BATMAN VOLUME 8: COLD DAYS TP |
$16.99 |
SEP180545 | DC |
|
7 |
SABAN’S POWER RANGERS: SOUL DRAGON ORIGINAL GN |
$19.99 |
AUG181366 | BOO |
|
8 |
MARVEL UNIVERSE BY JOHN BYRNE OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC |
$125.00 |
JUN180960 | MAR |
|
9 |
BEFORE WATCHMEN OMNIBUS HC |
$125.00 |
JUN180573 | DC |
|
10 |
WONDER WOMAN DIANA PRINCE: CELEBRATING THE 60S OMNIBUS HC |
$125.00 |
MAY180594 | DC |
TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
DOCTOR WHO: TARDIS TYPE-40 INSTRUCTION MANUAL HC |
$19.99 |
MAY188247 | BBC |
|
2 |
DOCTOR WHO: COMBAT MAGICKS HC |
$10.99 |
APR188135 | BBC |
|
3 |
MONSTER HUNTER ILLUSTRATIONS 2 HC |
$54.99 |
OCT182056 | UDO |
|
4 |
LULU IS A RHINOCEROS |
$16.99 |
FEB188267 | WIC |
|
5 |
DC SUPER HEROES: SUPER HEROES SAY PLEASE BOARD BOOK |
$10.99 |
JUL181774 | DOW |
|
6 |
DRAGON QUEST ILLUSTRATIONS HC (30TH ANNIVERSARY) |
$34.99 |
OCT182063 | VIZ |
|
7 |
OVERSTREET PRICE GUIDE TO STAR WARS COLLECTIBLES SC |
$30.00 |
SEP181814 | GEM |
|
8 |
SWORD ART ONLINE NOVEL VOLUME 15 SC |
$14.00 |
OCT182104 | YEN |
|
9 |
OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOLUME 48 SC |
$29.95 |
APR181580 | GEM |
|
10 |
FINAL FANTASY: ULTIMANIA ARCHIVE VOLUME 2 HC |
$39.99 |
JUL180505 | DAR |
TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
GHOSTBUSTERS SELECT SERIES 9 ACTION FIGURES | JUL182490 | DST |
|
2 |
ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL PX DEFENDERS DOCTOR STRANGE AF | AUG178702 | MEZ |
|
3 |
PACIFIC RIM 2 SELECT AF SERIES 3 ASST | JUL182498 | DST |
|
4 |
ONE-12 COLLECTIVE DC CATWOMAN AF | JAN189082 | MEZ |
|
5 |
DC ARTISTS ALLEY FLASH BY UMINGA VINYL FIG | JUN180600 | DC |
|
6 |
ONE-12 COLLECTIVE MARVEL DOCTOR STRANGE AF | APR178082 | MEZ |
|
7 |
DC ARTISTS ALLEY BATGIRL BY MURASE VINYL FIG | JUN180598 | DC |
|
8 |
MARVEL GALLERY ANT-MAN & THE WASP MOVIE WASP PVC FIGURE | JUL182500 | DST |
|
9 |
X-MEN LEGENDS ARCHANGEL 6IN AF CS | JUN188419 | HAS |
|
10 |
DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS BATMAN & CATWOMAN STATUE | MAY180613 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
CRITICAL ROLE: TAL’DOREI CAMPAIGN SETTING HC | JUN173357 | GRE |
|
2 |
PATHFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK | JUN091729 | PAI |
|
3 |
TOME OF BEASTS HC | JUN168476 | PAI |
|
4 |
STARFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK HC | JUN173371 | PAI |
|
5 |
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS RPG: CORE RULEBOOK GIFT SET | SEP182834 | WIZ |
|
6 |
STARFINDER RPG: ARMORY HC | MAY182931 | PAI |
|
7 |
PATHFINDER RPG FLIP TILES: URBAN STARTER SET | OCT182919 | PAI |
|
8 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA: THE CARD GAME | JUL183082 | SHI |
|
9 |
STARFINDER RPG: PACT WORLDS HC | JAN182863 | PAI |
|
10 |
PATHFINDER FLIP-MAT BASIC (NEW EDITION) | MAR138328 | PAI |
Note that Monday’s +0.6% reported for the year is ALSO correct. It’s based on a larger data set and later information. The monthly tabulations still have all the returnability penalties baked in, and don’t include a variety of items (including DC Nation #0, itself worth a quarter-million dollars).
It appears the Marvel is trying to pummel the other companies with an over abundance of product. I’ve seen them do this in the past.
This is also a very poor time of year to do this as sales are generally down during the beginning of the year. But judging from the Diamond catalogs, Marvel will continue to lead in dollars and units thru the entire first quarter( Jan/Feb/Mar ).
I do not see how this helps the direct market retailers, having to put out more cash to support this marketing plan at a time when sales are slower.
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