Brightest Day #0 (Variant Cover Edition)Media Release -- In the wake of the DC Universe's Blackest Night, a new dawn arrives in the form of Brightest Day #0, ushering in a new age of heroism with this prelude issue to the 26-part biweekly series and giving DC Comics the best-selling comic book in April 2010, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.

Marvel Comics took the top publisher spot in April with the company leading in both the Unit Market and Dollar Shares categories, for a 45.02% Unit Market Share and a 39.35% Dollar Share for the month.

With its sales driven by Lionsgate's just-released film adaptation, Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.'s, Kick-Ass was the best-selling graphic novel to comic shops in April, putting this Marvel Comics' title atop the chart for the second month in a row.

DC Direct brought the heroes and villains of their best-selling comic book mini-series Blackest Night to life, and the Blackest Night Series 4 Action Figures, featuring characters such as Star Sapphire Wonder Woman or Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, gave DC Comics the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers in April. NECA/WizKids' latest expansion for the HeroClix miniatures game, the DC HeroClix: The Brave and the Bold Expansion, gave the publisher the best-selling game product to specialty retailers for the month.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER UNIT SHARE DOLLAR SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 45.02% 39.35%
DC COMICS 32.69% 30.39%
IMAGE COMICS 4.26% 3.96%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.82% 4.88%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.41% 3.92%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.38% 2.33%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.39% 1.58%
VIZ MEDIA 0.73% 1.56%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT 0.65% 0.64%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.62% 0.52%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.04% 10.88% 

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BRIGHTEST DAY #0 $3.99 FEB100116-M DC
2 THE FLASH #1 $3.99 FEB100123-M DC
3 GREEN LANTERN #53 $2.99 FEB100118-M DC
4 BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 $2.99 FEB100130-M DC
5 NEW AVENGERS #64 $3.99 FEB100428 MAR
6 UNCANNY X-MEN #523 $2.99 FEB100555-M MAR
7 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 $3.99 FEB100519-M MAR
8 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47 $3.99 FEB100121-M DC
9 ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1 $3.99 FEB100473-M MAR
10 THOR #609 $2.99 FEB100433-M MAR 

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 KICK-ASS PREMIERE HC (MR) $24.99 DEC090575 MAR
2 BATMAN AND ROBIN DELUXE VOL. 1: BATMAN REBORN HC $24.99 DEC090201 DC
3 THE FLASH: REBIRTH HC $19.99 DEC090206 DC
4 B.P.R.D. VOLUME 12: WAR ON FROGS GN $17.99 JAN100191 DAR
5 ULTIMATE COMICS WOLVERINE VS. HULK TP $19.99 FEB100621 MAR
6 CROSSED VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $24.99 FEB100697 AVA
7 WITCHFINDER: IN THE SERVICE OF ANGELS VOLUME 1 TP $17.99 DEC090046 DAR
8 BENNY AND PENNY: THE BIG NO NO HC $12.95 FEB094433 RAW
9 STAR WARS: INVASION VOLUME 1: REFUGEES TP $18.99 JAN100192 DAR
10 MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 TP $16.99 FEB100619 MAR 

TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BLACKEST NIGHT SERIES 4 ACTION FIGURES SEP090248 DC
2 WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3: BATGIRL BUST SEP090247 DC
3 AVENGERS REBORN: THOR FINE ART STATUE NOV091334 KOT
4 JSA SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES JUN090292 DC
5 MARVEL VILLAINS: VENOM FINE ART STATUE OCT091583 KOT
6 AME-COMI: ROBIN VINYL FIGURE JUL090326 DC
7 AME-COMI: BATMAN VINYL STATUE JUL090325 DC
8 THE SIMPSONS SERIES 1 MINI-FIGURES FEB101432 BEA
9 STAR TREK: CLASSIC CAPTAIN'S CHAIR REPLICA JAN094948 DST
10 MARVEL SELECT: IRON MAN 2 ACTION FIGURE NOV091231 DST

 

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DC HEROCLIX: BRAVE & BOLD BOOSTER PACK JAN101703 NEC
2 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RISE OF THE ELDRAZI BOOSTERS FEB101691 WIZ
3 DC HEROCLIX: BRAVE & BOLD RETAILER KIT JAN101704 NEC
4 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RISE OF THE ELDRAZI FAT PACKS FEB101693 WIZ
5 STAR WARS CMG: MASTERS OF THE FORCE BOOSTER PACKS FEB101696 WIZ
6 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RISE OF THE ELDRAZI INTRO DECKS FEB101692 WIZ
7 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: WORLDWAKE BOOSTERS DEC091562 WIZ
8 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ZENDIKAR BOOSTERS AUG091778 WIZ
9 WARHAMMER 40,000: THE HORUS HERESY BOARD GAME FEB101643 FAN
10 MYSTERY EXPRESS BOARD GAME FEB101640 DAY

 

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 dollars sales are calculated based upon orders 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.

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS — the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.