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Marvel Marketshare Lead Over DC Reduced in September 2018, Though Wolverine Beats Crisis, Doomsday and Damned

The Return of Wolverine #1 was the most ordered comic of September 2018, in the North American direct market of comic stores. But then, it did have a tonne of variant covers, with every Wolverine costume conceivable getting its own, with plenty of retailer exclusive covers to boot. As ever this chart only records orders by stores in North America, not sales to customers.

It beat out the launch of DC's big event book Heroes In Crisis #1, with the latest issue of Doomsday Clock #7

And it also helped – but wasn't solely responsible for – Marvel's ten-eleven point marketshare lead over DC Comics in September

Marvel Marketshare Lead Over DC Reduced in September 2018, Though Wolverine Beats Crisis, Doomsday and Damned

Marvel Comics had a 39.86% dollar share and a 43.24% unit share compares to DC's 29.06% dollar share and a 32.76% unit share.

However this was down on August for Marvel, financially, when they had a 40.87% dollar share and a 43.12% unit share. It may be down to Fantastic Four #1. And probably thanks to Batman Damned and Heroes In Crisis, DC's marketshare was up slightly from 27.51% dollar share and 31.02% unit share.

Image Comics, was the main benefactor, returning to its more usual 10.13% dollar share and a 8.74% unit share, which has been knocked back for the last few months after Saga went on a break. Though the ninth Saga collection hitting the top of the graphic novel chart probably helped.

Marvel Marketshare Lead Over DC Reduced in September 2018, Though Wolverine Beats Crisis, Doomsday and Damned

Outside of the top ten below, The Walking Dead #183 ranked #19; Dark Horse Comics' Stranger Things #1 ranked #20; BOOM! Studios' Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #31 ranked #111; IDW Publishing's Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons #2, a co-publication with Oni Press, ranked #118; and Dynamite Entertainment's Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #1 ranked #129.

And while 2018 is still down on 2017, the gap between the years-so-far narrows with every month, at least as far as revenue is concerned. Comics/graphic novels up to September 2018 is only 0.55% down in revenue raised than 2017 at this point. If the recovery continues, then 2018 will be a small increase in dollars spent on 2017. This quarter compared with the third quarter of 2017 is up 5.81% in terms of comics/graphic novels sales. But it has a lot to make up for.

And while September sales are a drop on August sales, August was a five-week month compared to September's four. Basically, it's good news – just.

It may also be worth noting that Batman: Damned performed rather well for a mature readers title, and that was before anyone knew about – added extras. It is reported to have sold over 110,000 to the direct market and at $6.99, beating out Batman #55 and Heroes In Crisis #1 into second place in terms of dollars raised for DC Comics. And, if eBay is anything to go by, a lot more dollars raised for certain comic book retailers.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER

DOLLAR

SHARE

UNIT

SHARE

MARVEL COMICS

39.86%

43.24%

DC ENTERTAINMENT

29.06%

32.76%

IMAGE COMICS

10.13%

8.74%

DARK HORSE COMICS

3.62%

2.91%

IDW PUBLISHING

3.14%

2.84%

BOOM! STUDIOS

2.12%

1.65%

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

1.55%

1.38%

VIZ MEDIA

1.11%

0.43%

ONI PRESS

0.99%

0.69%

TITAN COMICS

0.80%

0.47%

OTHER NON-TOP 10

7.63%

4.88%

 COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS

UNITS

SEPTEMBER 2018 VS. AUGUST 2018

COMICS

-4.51%

-0.16%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

-7.07%

-3.86%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

-5.30%

-0.48%

TOYS

-29.36%

-9.02%

SEPTEMBER 2018 VS. SEPTEMBER 2017

COMICS

0.75%

-6.58%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

11.74%

15.36%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

3.84%

-5.09%

TOYS

-1.58%

11.95%

THIRD QUARTER 2018 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2018

COMICS

0.23%

-0.05%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

0.83%

1.89%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

0.40%

0.10%

TOYS

41.66%

28.44%

THIRD QUARTER 2018 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2017

COMICS

7.44%

-0.82%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

1.95%

3.85%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

5.81%

-0.47%

TOYS

9.23%

6.96%

YEAR-TO-DATE 2018 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2017

COMICS

1.25%

-6.78%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

-4.80%

-6.37%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

-0.55%

-6.75%

TOYS

-4.74%

-6.11%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER

COMICS SHIPPED

GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED

MAGAZINES SHIPPED

TOTAL

SHIPPED

MARVEL COMICS

99

44

0

143

DC ENTERTAINMENT

66

35

0

101

IMAGE COMICS

66

27

0

93

DARK HORSE COMICS

25

21

0

46

IDW PUBLISHING

29

10

0

39

BOOM! STUDIOS

25

10

0

35

TITAN COMICS

11

7

3

21

VIZ MEDIA

0

21

0

21

ONI PRESS

9

7

0

16

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

12

3

0

15

OTHER NON-TOP 10

135

202

14

351

TOTAL

477

387

17

881

 

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

PRICE

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

RETURN OF WOLVERINE #1

$4.99

JUL180952-M MAR

2

HEROES IN CRISIS #1

$3.99

JUL180592-M DC

3

DOOMSDAY CLOCK #7

$4.99

JUL180604-M DC

4

BATMAN #55

$3.99

JUL180626-M DC

5

BATMAN: DAMNED #1 (MR)

$6.99

JUL180597-M DC

6

BATMAN #54

$3.99

JUL180624-M DC

7

THANOS LEGACY #1

$4.99

JUL180975-M MAR

8

FANTASTIC FOUR #2

$3.99

JUL180969-M MAR

9

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #6

$3.99

JUL181041-M MAR

10

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #5

$3.99

JUL181038-M MAR

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

PRICE

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

RETURN OF WOLVERINE #1

$4.99

JUL180952-M MAR

2

BATMAN: DAMNED #1 (MR)

$6.99

JUL180597-M DC

3

DOOMSDAY CLOCK #7

$4.99

JUL180604-M DC

4

HEROES IN CRISIS #1

$3.99

JUL180592-M DC

5

THANOS LEGACY #1

$4.99

JUL180975-M MAR

6

BATMAN #55

$3.99

JUL180626-M DC

7

SPIDER-GEDDON #0

$4.99

JUL180991-M MAR

8

BATMAN #54

$3.99

JUL180624-M DC

9

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #6

$3.99

JUL181041-M MAR

10

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1

$4.99

JUL181035-M MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

PRICE

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

SAGA VOLUME 9 TP (MR)

$14.99

JUL180297 IMA

2

THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 30: NEW WORLD ORDER TP (MR)

$16.99

JUL180335 IMA

3

MONSTRESS VOLUME 3 TP (MR)

$16.99

JUL180261-M IMA

4

OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI VOL. 1 TP (MR)

$9.99

JUL180159 IMA

5

BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM HC

$17.99

JUN180572 DC

6

FRANKLIN RICHARDS: A FANTASTIC YEAR #1

$7.99

JUL180973 MAR

7

DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: THE SEARCH FOR ATLANTIS TP

$9.99

JUN180439 DC

8

DESCENDER VOLUME 6: WAR MACHINE TP

$16.99

JUL180209 IMA

9

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOLUME 3: BURNING SEAS TP

$19.99

JUN180982 MAR

10

ACTION COMICS #1000: THE DELUXE EDITION HC

$19.99

JUN180558 DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

PRICE

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

SAGA VOLUME 9 TP (MR)

$14.99

JUL180297 IMA

2

THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 30: NEW WORLD ORDER TP (MR)

$16.99

JUL180335 IMA

3

MONSTRESS VOLUME 3 TP (MR)

$16.99

JUL180261-M IMA

4

BATMAN BY JEPH LOEB AND TIM SALE OMNIBUS HC

$125.00

MAR180338 DC

5

SPIDER-MAN VS. VENOM OMNIBUS HC

$125.00

MAR180976 MAR

6

ABSOLUTE BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE HC

$49.99

JAN180393 DC

7

EARTH X TRILOGY OMNIBUS ALPHA HC

$125.00

MAR180975 MAR

8

BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM HC

$17.99

JUN180572 DC

9

DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE TP

$24.99

JUN180575 DC

10

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: KILLRAVEN VOLUME 1 HC

$100.00

MAR180981-M MAR

TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

PRICE

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

OVERLORD LIGHT NOVEL VOLUME 8 HC

$20.00

JUL182378 YEN

2

DISNEY/PIXAR: THE INCREDIBLES LIITLE GOLDEN BOOK

$4.99

JUL181942 GOL

3

BLACK PANTHER: WARRIORS OF WAKANDA LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK

$4.99

JUL181940 GOL

4

JIM HENSON'S LABYRINTH: SHORTCUTS HC

$24.99

MAY181211 BOO

5

GRIMM FAIRY TALES ADULT COLORING BOOK 1

$12.99

OCT151871 ZEN

6

DC SUPER FRIENDS: AQUAMAN LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK HC

$4.99

JUL181941 GOL

7

OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOLUME 48 SC

$29.95

APR181580-M GEM

8

GRIMM FAIRY TALES ADULT COLORING BOOK" THE LITTLE MERMAID

$12.99

JUN182128 ZEN

9

DOG MAN VOLUME 5: LORD OF THE FLEAS GN

$9.99

JUN181814 GRA

10

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK

$4.99

JUL181943 GOL

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

MARVEL GALLERY: AVENGERS INFINITY WAR: THANOS PVC FIGURE APR182161 DST

2

MARVEL GALLERY: AVENGERS INFINITY WAR: CAPTAIN AMERICA PVC FIGURE APR182158 DST

3

DEADPOOL LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES JUL178752 HAS

4

MARVEL SELECT: BEAST COMIC ACTION FIGURE MAR182431 DST

5

AVENGERS LEGENDS GEAR: INFINITY GAUNTLET JUL178729 HAS

6

DC TV THE FLASH SEASON 3 ACTION FIGURE AUG170365 DC

7

FINAL FANTASY: BAHAMUT CREATURES BRING ARTS FIGURE DEC178373 SQU

8

DC CORE: BATMAN PVC STATUE MAR180390 DC

9

DC DESIGNER SERIES: THE JOKER BY BRIAN BOLLAND MINI STATUE MAR180389 DC

10

MARVEL PREMIERE: VENOM STATUE JUL172797 DST

 

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK

DESCRIPTION

ITEM CODE

VENDOR

1

CREATURE CODEX HC JUL183073 PAI

2

STARFINDER RPG: ARMORY HC MAY182931 PAI

3

PATHFINDER FLIP-MAT: BASIC TERRAIN MULTI-PACK JUN132387 PAI

4

THE TOME OF BEASTS HC JUN168476 PAI

5

STARFINDER ADVENTURE PATH: THE AEON THRONE PART 1 JUN182907 PAI

6

PATHFINDER FLIP TILES: FOREST STARTER SET JUN182906 PAI

7

MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: COMMANDER 2018 APR182621 ALL

8

STARFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK HC JUN173371 PAI

9

PATHFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK JUN091729 PAI

10

MODERN AGE RPG: BASIC RULEBOOK HC MAR182714 GRE

 

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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