(BALTIMORE, MD) — (March 13, 2009) — Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #583, now in its fifth printing, continued its remarkable as the best-selling comic book title for February 2009, placing it atop the sales charts for two months running, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Amazing Spider-Man #583 features a cover depicting President Barack Obama and a special back-up story of Spider-Man's unmasking of an imposter who sought to disrupt the historic Inauguration of Obama as the 44th President of the United States.
Marvel Comics also took the top publisher spot in February, leading both Unit and Retail Dollar Market Shares, with a 47.84% Unit Market Share, and a 44.77% Retail Dollar Market Share.
The top-selling graphic novel in February was DC Comics' Watchmen TP, its sales fueled by the just-released feature film from director Zack Snyder.
DC Direct took the top five spots on the Top 10 toy chart, with the Watchmen Movie Action Figure Assortment #2 Balanced Case as the best-selling Toy product for February. Wizard of the Coast's new Magic the Gathering: Conflux Booster Pack Displays were the best-selling Games product in February to comic book specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| Publisher | Unit Market Share | Retail Dollar Share |
| MARVEL COMICS |
47.83% | 44.70% |
| DC COMICS |
28.27% | 26.83% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
4.66% | 5.16% |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
4.43% | 4.93% |
| IMAGE COMICS |
3.95% | 3.71% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
2.28% | 2.07% |
| VIZ MEDIA |
0.89% | 1.85% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD |
0.40% | 1.32% |
| WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT |
0.89% | 1.20% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
0.69% | 0.77% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
5.70% | 7.47% |
TOP 10 COMICS
| Quantity Rank | Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
| 1 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 |
$3.99 | DEC088074-M | MARVEL COMICS |
| 2 | BATMAN #686 | $3.99 | DEC080105-M | DC COMICS |
| 3 | NEW AVENGERS #50 (DARK REIGN) |
$4.99 | DEC082317-M | MARVEL COMICS |
| 4 | THOR #600 | $4.99 | NOV082404-M | MARVEL COMICS |
| 5 | DARK AVENGERS #2 (DARK REIGN) |
$3.99 | DEC082313-M | MARVEL COMICS |
| 6 | HULK #10 | $3.99 | DEC082373-M | MARVEL COMICS |
| 7 | MIGHTY AVENGERS #21 (DARK REIGN) CORRECTED COPY |
$3.99 | NOV088175 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 8 | MIGHTY AVENGERS #22 (DARK REIGN) |
$2.99 | DEC082323 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 9 | UNCANNY X-MEN #506 | $2.99 | DEC082396 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 10 | JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #30 (ORIGINS) |
$2.99 | DEC080132 | DC COMICS |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| Quantity Rank | Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
| 1 | WATCHMEN TP | $19.99 | FEB058406-M | DC COMICS |
| 2 | BATMAN RIP DELUXE EDITION HC |
$24.99 | OCT080163 | DC COMICS |
| 3 | SCOTT PILGRIM VOLUME 5: SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE UNIVERSE GN |
$11.95 | DEC084184 | ONI PRESS |
| 4 | ALL STAR SUPERMAN VOLUME 2 HC |
$19.99 | OCT080162 | DC COMICS |
| 5 | DMZ VOLUME 6: BLOOD IN THE GAME TP (MR) |
$12.99 | NOV080228 | DC COMICS |
| 6 | THE DARKNESS: ACCURSED VOLUME 1 TP |
$4.99 | SEP082279 | IMAGE COMICS |
| 7 | NARUTO VOLUME 34 TP | $7.95 | DEC084318 | VIZ MEDIA |
| 8 | HULK VOLUME 1: RED HULK TP |
$19.99 | DEC082454 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 9 | MINI-MARVELS: SECRET INVASION DIGEST TP |
$9.99 | DEC082439 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 10 | CAPTAIN AMERICA VOLUME 3: THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA TP |
$14.99 | DEC082456 | MARVEL COMICS |
TOP 10 TOYS
| Retail Rank | Description | Item Code | Vendor |
| 1 | WATCHMEN MOVIE ACTION FIGURE ASSORTMENT #2 BALANCED CASE |
JUL080240 | DC DIRECT |
| 2 | JLI SERIES 1 BALANCED MASTER CASE ASSORTMENT |
MAY080293 | DC DIRECT |
| 3 | NEW GODS SERIES 2 BALANCED MASTER CASE ASSORTMENT |
JUL080249 | DC DIRECT |
| 4 | WATCHMEN MOVIE COMEDIAN 1/6-SCALE FIGURE |
JUL080237 | DC DIRECT |
| 5 | JLA TROPHY ROOM: BAT SIGNAL PROP REPLICA |
APR080294 | DC DIRECT |
| 6 | STORM "WHITE COSTUME" STATUE |
NOV084789 | BOWEN DESIGNS |
| 7 | STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES CLOTH RETRO ACTION FIGURE SERIES 7 SULU & GORN ASSORTMENT |
SEP084792 | DIAMOND SELECT TOYS |
| 8 | JEAN GREY "BLACK QUEEN" STATUE |
AUG084977 | BOWEN DESIGNS |
| 9 | WATCHMEN MOVIE COMEDIAN ACTION FIGURE VARIANT |
DEC080234 | DC DIRECT |
| 10 | MARVEL UNIVERSE ACTION FIGURE ASSORTMENT 200901 |
DEC084710 | KENNER |
TOP 10 GAMES
| Retail Rank | Description | Item Code | Vendor |
| 1 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: CONFLUX BOOSTER DISPLAY |
DEC085084 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
| 2 | MARVEL UNIVERSE RPG: GUIDE TO HULK & THE AVENGERS HC |
STAR19968 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 3 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: CONFLUX INTRO DECK DISPLAY |
DEC085086 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
| 4 | MARVEL RECHARGE CCG SERIES 2 BOOSTER DISPLAY |
STAR16075 | MARVEL COMICS |
| 5 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG CONFLUX FAT PACK |
DEC085085 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
| 6 | MUNCHKIN QUEST 2: LOOKING FOR TROUBLE |
NOV085119 | STEVE JACKSON GAMES |
| 7 | MARVEL VS TCG: COMING OF GALACTUS GS DECK DISPLAY |
JUN078283 | THE UPPER DECK COMPANY |
| 8 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: SECRET INVASION BOOSTER PACK |
MAY085179 | WIZKIDS |
| 9 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SHARDS OF ALARA BOOSTER DISPLAY |
MAY088379 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
| 10 | WARHAMMER RPG CAREER COMPENDIUM |
DEC085022 | FANTASY FLIGHT PUBLISHING |
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 4,000+ accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout 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.
