Walking Dead #115 (Cover A)Media Release -- Robert Kirkman's best-selling zombie series The Walking Dead celebrates ten years of publication with The Walking Dead #115 from Image Comics, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in October 2013, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

October's top publisher in retail dollars was DC Entertainment, taking 31.02% of the market compared to Marvel Comics' 30.47%, thanks to books such as The Sandman: Overture #1 and Batman #24. The month's top publisher in units was Marvel with 33.63% of the market, compared to DC's 33.15%, thanks to the Avengers: Endless Wartime graphic novel and Infinity #4 and #5. Notably, Image Comics took over 10% of the unit share in October.

Sales in the comic book specialty market were up slightly over September sales; comics sales increased by 0.30% in October, while graphic novels sales were up 16.57%. Year-to-date, comics sales are up by 12.42% over 2012.

October's best-selling graphic novel, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman Volume 3: Death of the Family from DC Entertainment, saw the Joker attempt to psychologically break Batman and his allies. The companion volume, The Joker: Death of the Family, ranked #3 for the month. Also of note, Mike Mignola's original graphic novel, Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, from Dark Horse Comics charted for the month at #6.

Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga explore the backstory of one of The Walking Dead's most memorable characters in the final novel of a trilogy, The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor, from St. Martin's Press and the best-selling prose book in the comics specialty market in October. At number two for the month, Dark Horse Comics' The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia continued its run amongst the top ten best-selling books.

Five characters from AMC's hit series The Walking Dead are recreated as action figures from Image Comics and McFarlane Toys for The Walking Dead Series 4 Action Figures, the best-selling toy product for October.

With new rules designed to simulate the zombie apocalypse and locations and tokens based on the comic book series from Image Comics, USAopoly's Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition was the best-selling game product in October to the direct market.

Among other major publishers, IDW Publishing's My Little Pony Volume 1: The Magic Begins, the first collected volume of stories based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, was their top graphic novel for the month at #11 on the trade paperbacks sales chart.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLAR SHARE UNIT SHARE
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.02% 33.15%
MARVEL COMICS 30.47% 33.63%
IMAGE COMICS 9.26% 10.85%
IDW PUBLISHING 6.27% 4.96%
DARK HORSE COMICS 5.36% 4.70%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.47% 2.54%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.84% 1.78%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.40% 0.32%
ARCHIE COMICS 1.01% 1.24%
AVATAR PRESS 1.01% 0.90%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 9.88% 5.94%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
DC ENTERTAINMENT 100 29 0 129
MARVEL COMICS 78 35 0 113
IDW PUBLISHING 48 29 0 77
IMAGE COMICS 59 17 0 76
DARK HORSE COMICS 38 18 0 56
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 40 2 0 42
BOOM ENTERTAINMENT 25 3 0 28
VIZ MEDIA 0 25 0 25
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 16 6 0 22
RANDOM HOUSE 0 21 1 22
OTHER 111 157 36 304

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
OCTOBER 2013 VS. SEPTEMBER 2013
COMICS 0.30% -0.57%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 16.57% 16.62%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 4.68% 0.55%
OCTOBER 2013 VS. OCTOBER 2012
COMICS 11.90% 8.69%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -4.65% 0.05%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 6.36% 7.98%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2013 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2012
COMICS 12.42% 9.46%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 4.69% 3.25%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 9.95% 8.96%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD #115 (MR) 2.99 AUG130518-M IMA
2 BATMAN #24 6.99 AUG130235-M DC
3 INFINITY #4 3.99 AUG130735-M MAR
4 FOREVER EVIL #2 3.99 AUG130159-M DC
5 INFINITY #5 3.99 AUG130740-M MAR
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE #24 3.99 AUG130172-M DC
7 SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #1 3.99 AUG130187-M DC
8 THE SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1 (MR) [*] 4.99 AUG130325-M DC
9 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #20 3.99 AUG130787-M MAR
10 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #19 3.99 AUG130784-M MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN HC VOL 03 DEATH OF THE FAMILY $24.99 MAY130216 DC
2 AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME HC $24.99 JUN130674 MAR
3 THE JOKER: DEATH OF THE FAMILY HC $29.99 JUN130256 DC
4 BATMAN: THE COURT OF OWLS BOOK & MASK SET $24.99 MAY130220 DC
5 AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER VOL. 6: THE SEARCH PART 3 $10.99 JUN130051 DAR
6 HELLBOY: MIDNIGHT CIRCUS HC $14.99 JUN130031 DAR
7 BATMAN VOLUME 2: THE CITY OF OWLS TP $16.99 JUL130235 DC
8 LAZARUS VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG130621 IMA
9 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA
10 SAGA VOLUME 2 TP (MR) $14.99 APR130443 IMA

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD: THE FALL OF THE GOVERNOR HC $24.99 JUL131515 ST.
2 LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC $34.99 SEP120055 DAR
3 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND SON HC $14.95 FEB121318 CHR
4 STAR WARS: VADER'S LITTLE PRINCESS HC $14.95 FEB131315 CHR
5 DC COMICS GUIDE TO CREATING COMICS SC $24.99 AUG131609 RAN
6 CAPCOM 30TH-ANNIVERSARY CHARACTER ENCYCLOPEDIA $16.99 AUG131666 DK
7 THE ART OF CHARLIE ADLARD HC (MR) $39.99 AUG130532 IMA
8 MY LITTLE PONY: MINI PONY COLLECTOR'S GUIDE $19.00 AUG131583 HAC
9 THE SECRET HISTORY OF MARVEL COMICS: THE KIRBY EMPIRE HC $39.99 AUG131307 FAN
10 WORLD OF WARCRAFT TRIBUTE SC $44.99 JUL131300 UDO

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD SERIES 4 ACTION FIGURES FEB138479-M TMP
2 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY: BATMAN VS. BANE 2-PACK JUN130320 DC
3 WOLVERINE LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES MAR138356 HAS
4 THE WALKING DEAD: MERLE & DARYL DIXON 2-PACK FEB138485 TMP
5 BATMAN VS. KILLER CROC STATUE (2ND EDITION) MAY130282 DC
6 DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS: THE JOKER ACTION FIGURE MAY130285 DC
7 DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: POISON IVY STATUE MAY130275 DC
8 DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: WONDER WOMAN STATUE MAR130316 DC
9 DC COMICS COVER GIRLS: SUPERGIRL STATUE MAY130276 DC
10 DC COMICS COVER GIRLS: BATWOMAN STATUE JUN130314 DC

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION OCT128266 USA
2 RISK: THE WALKING DEAD SUVIVAL EDITION OCT128267 USA
3 RISK LEGACY JUN118204 HAS
4 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: THEROS BOOSTER PACKS JUN132398 WZK
5 MARVEL HEROCLIX: THOR: THE DARK WORLD JUL138260 NEC
6 STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX SERIES III JUL138333 NEC
7 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: THEROS FAT PACK JUN132400 WZK
8 MARVEL HEROCLIX: THOR: THE DARK WORLD MOVIE STARTER SET JUL138261 NEC
9 PATHFINDER BATTLES: LEGENDS OF GOLARION BOOSTER BRICK JUL138263 NEC
10 YU-GI-OH! TCG: LEGENDARY COLLECTION: JOEY'S WORLD MAY138406 KON

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

Data for Diamond's sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.

Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.

Please note that comics marked with an asterisk have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

The count of new titles shipped includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.