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Marvel Maintains Marketshare Lead in December 2018, But DC Takes the Top Five

A massive drop in graphic novels ordered from this December to the last, along with a slight drop in comics orders almost pushed 2018 into a negative year when it came to growth, though 2018 managed to top 2017 by six-tenths of one percent.

In August, Marvel Comics had a 40.87% dollar share and a 43.12% unit share of the North American direct market. In September, the dollars were down with a 39.86% dollar share and a 43.24% unit share. In October, a massive drop by five and a half points to a 34.22% dollar share and a 37.89% unit share. November saw them recover with a 40.80% dollar share and a 43.75% unit share. with five to six points up.

And for December, Marvel dropped back two points on the dollars but gained on the copies sold, with a 38.57% dollar share but gained a third of a point with 44.09% unit share

Meanwhile, in August, DC Comics had a 27.51% dollar share and a 31.02% unit share. In September, that built to 29.06% dollar share and a 32.76% unit share. In October, that jumped to 30.48% dollar share and a 32.99% unit share. They'd gained a few points, with Image Comics and others getting the rest. But in November, they slipped under the psychologically important 30% mark, with 26.74% dollar share and a 29.51% unit share.

But for December, put their heads back over that mark, with DC Entertainment was second, with a five-point jump on money earned 31.51% dollar share and point-and-a-quarter on copies sold, a 30.75% unit share.

Image Comics maintained their market share from the November, an 8.57% dollar share and an 8.5% unit share, with 8.73% in dollars and 9.06% in units for December. They continue to be a distance from their more usual accomplishment of 10% through much of 2018.

Marvel Maintains Marketshare Lead in December 2018, But DC Takes the Top Five

Scott Snyder and Jock's The Batman Who Laughs #1 topped the charts in November, with seven DC titles in the top ten, with Marvel's highest, Amazing Spider-Man #11 at #6. The Walking Dead #186 was Image Comics' top book in December at #18. BOOM! Studios' Firefly #2, based on Joss Whedon's television series, was their best-selling comic at #60. Marvel Action: Avengers #1 was IDW Publishing's top book at #86. Dark Horse Comics' Hellboy Winter Special 2018 ranked #112. Dynamite Entertainment's John Wick #4 was their top book at #145.

 IDW Publishing was at 4.10% in dollars and 3.55% in units, BOOM! Studios with 2.98% in dollars and 2.38% in units, Dark Horse Comics with 2.82% in dollars and 2.37% in units, and Dynamite Entertainment with 2.11% in dollars and 2.10% in units.

Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Paper Girls Volume 5 from Image Comics was December's best-selling graphic novel. BBC Books' Doctor Who: TARDIS Type-40 Instruction Manual, a technical manual that explores the Doctor's time and space vessel, was the best-selling book in December. Diamond Select Toys' Ghostbusters Series 9 Action Figures, featuring characters from the late 1980s animated television series The Real Ghostbusters, was December's best-selling toy product and one of three products from the manufacturer in the top ten. Green Ronin Publishing's Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, a sourcebook for the Critical Role role-playing game, was December's best-selling game product. Paizo had a strong month, with seven products in the top ten, led by the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook at #2.

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%

YEAR 2018 VS. YEAR 2017

COMICS

3.30%

-5.67%

GRAPHIC NOVELS

-6.60%

-9.71%

TOTAL COMICS/GN

0.60%

-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


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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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