Batman The Dark Knight #1 (Sketch Variant Cover Edition)Media Release -- David Finch, the artist of November's top-selling comic book, Batman: The Return, continued his run atop the comic book sales charts as his new series from DC Comics, Batman: The Dark Knight, debuted as December's best-selling comic book, according to Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop-culture merchandise.

In a rare event, the top publisher for the month was split in December; DC Comics was the top publisher in the Dollar Share of the market, while rival Marvel Comics was the month's top publisher in terms of Unit Share.

Fables TPB Vol. 14 WitchesComic book sales for December rebounded from November, increasing by 2.58%, and Graphic Novel sales increased by 5.76% over the previous month. December's Graphic Novel sales were also up an astounding 26.74% over December 2009. For the quarter, overall comic and graphic novel sales declined 0.16% over the third quarter of 2010 and were up 1.74% as compared to the fourth quarter of 2009.

Bill Willingham's Fables, the series that explores the characters of myth and fairy tales as they interact with the real world, saw its latest collected edition, Fables Volume 14: Witches, published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, top December's Graphic Novel sales chart.

The heroes and villains of DC Comics' crossover Blackest Night, including Green Lantern Hal Jordan and the Blue Lantern Flash, were brought to life as the Blackest Night Series 6 Action Figures, the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers in December.

In December, NECA/WizKids celebrated the diamond jubilee of DC Comics with their DC HeroClix: 75th-Anniversary Expansion series, featuring characters drawn from the rich history of the comics publisher, which was the best-selling Games product to comics specialty retailers for the month.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLAR SHARE UNIT SHARE
DC COMICS 33.07% 36.99%
MARVEL COMICS 32.28% 38.90%
DARK HORSE COMICS 5.77% 4.49%
IMAGE COMICS 5.22% 3.44%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.15% 3.38%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.75% 2.33%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.95% 1.79%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS 1.47% 0.34%
VIZ MEDIA 1.33% 0.66%
AVATAR PRESS 1.04% 1.02%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 10.97% 6.65%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
DECEMBER 2010 VS. NOVEMBER 2010
COMICS 2.58% 2.89%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 5.76% 2.05%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 3.67% 2.81%
DECEMBER 2010 VS. DECEMBER 2009
COMICS -7.45% -10.68%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 26.74% 26.24%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 2.20% -8.11%
FOURTH QUARTER 2010 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2010
COMICS -1.89% -4.39%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 3.35% 6.24%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -0.16% -3.45%
FOURTH QUARTER 2010 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2009
COMICS -4.72% -8.72%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 16.96% 23.27%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 1.74% -6.36%
YEAR 2010 VS. YEAR 2009
COMICS -4.65% -5.91%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -1.02% -1.52%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -3.48% -5.54%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1 $3.99 SEP100159-M DC
2 GREEN LANTERN #60 $2.99 SEP100200-M DC
3 BRIGHTEST DAY #15 $2.99 OCT100206-M DC
4 BRIGHTEST DAY #16 $2.99 OCT100208-M DC
5 GREEN LANTERN #61 $2.99 OCT100214-M DC
6 BATMAN, INCORPORATED #2 $3.99 OCT100172-M DC
7 BATMAN AND ROBIN #18 $2.99 OCT100180-M DC
8 NEW AVENGERS #7 $3.99 OCT100572-M MAR
9 AVENGERS #8 $3.99 OCT100570 MAR
10 BATMAN #705 $2.99 OCT100176 DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 FABLES VOLUME 14: WITCHES TP (MR) $17.99 SEP100304 DC
2 SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE HC $19.99 JUN100127 DC
3 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
4 BRIGHTEST DAY VOLUME 1 HC $29.99 AUG100197 DC
5 PLANETARY BOOK 4: SPACETIME ARCHAEOLOGY $17.99 SEP100285 DC
6 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 13: TOO FAR GONE TP $14.99 SEP100413 IMA
7 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHIND US TP $14.99 SEP088204-M IMA
8 SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 2: IN CAPTIVITY TP $12.99 SEP100317 DC
9 STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS VOLUME 6: THE DEADLY HANDS OF SHON-JU TP $7.99 AUG100017 DAR
10 SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN DELUXE HC $29.99 AUG100209 DC

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BLACKEST NIGHT SERIES 6 ACTION FIGURES APR100310 DC
2 MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE MAR101468 DST
3 SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES MAR100346 DC
4 SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI STATUE APR100300 DC
5 DC HEROES WAVE 15 "VALIDUS SERIES" ACTION FIGURES FEB108038 MAT
6 BLACKEST NIGHT: SINESTRO CORPS MONGUL DELUXE ACTION FIGURE JAN100379 DC
7 WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3 CATWOMAN BUST JAN100396 DC
8 MARVEL SELECT MAGNETO AF APR101444 DST
9 MARVEL UNIVERSE AF ASST 201101 OCT101522 KEN
10 KITTY PRYDE STATUE JUN101614 BOW

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DC HEROCLIX: 75TH-ANNIVERSARY BOOSTER PACKS SEP101745 NEC
2 DC HEROCLIX: 75TH ANNIVERSARY ORGANIZED PLAY KIT SEP101746 NEC
3 MARVEL HEROCLIX: THE WEB OF SPIDER-MAN BOOSTER PACKS JUN101864 NEC
4 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SCARS OF MIRRODIN BOOSTER PACKS AUG101862 WIZ
5 WORLD OF WARCRAFT TCG: WORLDBREAKER BOOSTER PACKS SEP101692 CRY
6 CIVILIZATION BOARD GAME OCT101776 FAN
7 RESIDENT EVIL DECK BUILDING GAME OCT101752 BAN
8 SETTLERS OF CATAN 15TH-ANNIVERSARY WOOD EDITION NOV101696 MAY
9 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4TH-EDITION DUNGEON MASTER TOKEN SET JUN101805 GAL
10 YU-GI-OH! TCG HIDDEN ARSENAL #3 AUG108194 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 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 (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.