Media Release -- DC Entertainment had February's top selling comic book with Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's Justice League #6 and, for the second month in a row, the publisher swept the month's top ten best-selling comics, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
With storylines in their core Avengers and X-Men titles building towards this summer's Avengers Vs. X-Men event, Marvel Comics was the top publisher in February 2012 in both Retail Dollar and Unit market shares.
The strong sales from the two publishers helped drive sales in February with comics up 10.84% and graphic novel sales up 11.45% over January's sales for an overall increase in the print categories of 11.03% over the previous month. Compared to February 2011, the month's sales were up 22.26% for comics and 15.65% for graphic novels for an overall increase of 20.11% as compared to the previous year.
The collected edition of DC Entertainment's Batman: Gates of Gotham, from fan-favorite Batman writer Scott Snyder and co-writer Kyle Higgins, which explored the secret history of Gotham City, was the best-selling graphic novel to comics retailers in February.
Spider-Man's iconic villain the Green Goblin mounts his rocket sled and takes a pumpkin bomb in hand for Diamond Select Toys' Marvel Select: Green Goblin Action Figure, the best-selling Toy product sold to comics specialty retailers in February.
Hasbro's Risk Legacy, which reimagined the classic board game Risk as a persistent multi-game experience, returned to the top of the sales charts in February as the month's best-selling Games product to comics specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS | 35.92% | 38.61% |
DC ENTERTAINMENT | 29.47% | 35.26% |
IDW PUBLISHING | 6.66% | 5.62% |
IMAGE COMICS | 5.53% | 4.88% |
DARK HORSE COMICS | 4.98% | 4.06% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 4.20% | 3.82% |
BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.61% | 1.40% |
VIZ MEDIA | 1.10% | 0.49% |
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD | 1.08% | 0.25% |
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 1.03% | 1.11% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 8.43% | 4.50% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
DOLLARS | UNITS | |
FEBRUARY 2012 VS. JANUARY 2012 | ||
COMICS | 10.84% | 8.36% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | 11.45% | 11.07% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | 11.03% | 8.55% |
FEBRUARY 2012 VS. FEBRUARY 2011 | ||
COMICS | 22.26% | 19.63% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | 15.65% | 11.24% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | 20.11% | 18.97% |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 | ||
COMICS | 26.71% | 25.94% |
GRAPHIC NOVELS | 16.93% | 9.90% |
TOTAL COMICS/GN | 23.49% | 24.61% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #6 | $3.99 | DEC110188 | DC |
2 | BATMAN #6 | $2.99 | DEC110217 | DC |
3 | ACTION COMICS #6 | $3.99 | DEC110209 | DC |
4 | DETECTIVE COMICS #6 | $2.99 | DEC110222 | DC |
5 | GREEN LANTERN #6 | $2.99 | DEC110239 | DC |
6 | BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #6 | $2.99 | DEC110224 | DC |
7 | SUPERMAN #6 | $2.99 | DEC110213 | DC |
8 | FLASH #6 | $2.99 | DEC110197 | DC |
9 | AQUAMAN #6 | $2.99 | DEC110193 | DC |
10 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #6 [*] | $2.99 | DEC110227 | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | BATMAN: GATES OF GOTHAM TP | $14.99 | NOV110194 | DC |
2 | FANTASTIC FOUR SEASON ONE PREMIERE HC | $24.99 | NOV110658 | MAR |
3 | UNCANNY X-FORCE: VOL. 2 DEATHLOK NATION TP | $15.99 | DEC110743 | MAR |
4 | AMERICAN VAMPIRE VOLUME 3 HC (MR) | $24.99 | OCT110282 | DC |
5 | BATMAN: TIME AND THE BATMAN TP | $14.99 | NOV110198 | DC |
6 | BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR HC | $29.99 | JUL110249 | DC |
7 | BATMAN VS. BANE TP | $12.99 | NOV110193 | DC |
8 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 15 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT110502 | IMA |
9 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
10 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES VOL. 1 TP | $17.99 | DEC110372 | IDW |
TOP 10 TOYS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | MARVEL SELECT: GREEN GOBLIN FIGURE | SEP111606 | DST |
2 | MARVEL SELECT: COLOSSUS FIGURE | JUL111768 | DST |
3 | DC X BISHOUJO: POISON IVY STATUE | AUG111852 | KOT |
4 | MARVEL X BISHOUJO: MYSTIQUE STATUE | AUG111849 | KOT |
5 | CATWOMAN 1/4-SCALE MUSEUM QUALITY STATUE | NOV110250 | DC |
6 | DC HEROES WAVE 20 NEKRON ACTION FIGURES | JUL118133 | MAT |
7 | WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN STATUE | JUL111879 | BOW |
8 | BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE BY SERGIO ARAGONES | NOV110246 | DC |
9 | GIANT MAN STATUE | JUN111898 | BOW |
10 | MARVEL UNIVERSE 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | DEC111695 | KEN |
TOP 10 GAMES
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | RISK LEGACY | JUN118204 | KEN |
2 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: DARK ASCENSION BOOSTERS | NOV111878 | WIZ |
3 | STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX | OCT118150 | NEC |
4 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: DARK ASCENSION FAT PACK | NOV111880 | WIZ |
5 | DOCTOR WHO ACTION BOARD GAME | OCT101791 | IMM |
6 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: INCREDIBLE HULK BOOSTER BRICK | OCT112063 | NEC |
7 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: DARK ASCENSION INTRO DECKS | NOV111881 | WIZ |
8 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA BOOSTER PACK | APR112103 | NEC |
9 | STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX STARTER SET | OCT118151 | NEC |
10 | MAGIC THE GATHERING: TCG INNISTRAD BOOSTERS | AUG112115 | WIZ |
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.
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.
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.