Diamond announces Top Products for January 2013Media Release -- Otto Octavius begins his new life as Spider-Man in the body of his old enemy Peter Parker in Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman's Superior Spider-Man #1, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in January 2013, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was January's leading publisher with a 34.82% market share in retail dollars and a 40.23% market share in units. DC Entertainment was second with a 31.61% share in dollars and a 35.41% share in units.

The cub Therese sets off on an epic adventure in Bill Willingham's Fables Volume 18: Cubs in Toyland from DC Entertainment's Vertigo imprint, giving the publisher the best-selling graphic novel for January.

Diamond announces Top Products for January 2013Dark Horse Comics' The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, a thorough history of the fan-favorite video game series from Nintendo, sold out its initial print run on its way to becoming January's best-selling prose book to comic retailers. In addition, the book was a strong seller through Diamond Book Distributors and topped the book market sales charts at Amazon and Bookscan.

Based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's best-selling video game, the Batman: Arkham City -- Harley Quinn Statue from DC Collectibles was the best-selling toy product to comic book specialty retailers in January.

WizKids/NECA's Marvel HeroClix: The Amazing Spider-Man, an expansion for the fan-favorite miniature games, was January's best-selling games product to comic book specialty retailers.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLAR SHARE UNIT SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 34.82% 40.23%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.61% 35.41%
IMAGE COMICS 8.19% 7.45%
IDW PUBLISHING 6.30% 3.92%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.55% 3.62%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.20% 2.13%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.45% 1.55%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS 1.22% 0.26%
AVATAR PRESS 0.87% 0.73%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT 0.86% 0.93%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.92% 3.76%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
JANUARY 2013 VS. DECEMBER 2012
COMICS -4.44% -3.34%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 21.64% 16.63%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 3.01% -2.03%
JANUARY 2013 VS. JANUARY 2012
COMICS 22.32% 19.86%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 37.89% 30.73%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 27.16% 20.65%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 $3.99 NOV120633 MAR
2 BATMAN #16 $3.99 NOV120190 DC
3 JUSTICE LEAGUE #16 $3.99 NOV120161 DC
4 NEW AVENGERS #1 $3.99 NOV120625 MAR
5 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #2 $3.99 NOV120641 MAR
6 SAVAGE WOLVERINE #1 $3.99 NOV120643 MAR
7 UNCANNY AVENGERS #3 $3.99 OCT120587 MAR
8 DETECTIVE COMICS #16 $3.99 NOV120202 DC
9 AVENGERS #3 $3.99 NOV120663 MAR
10 UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 $3.99 NOV120620 MAR


TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 FABLES VOLUME 18: CUBS IN TOYLAND TP (MR) $16.99 OCT120296 DC
2 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP $9.99 AUG120491 IMA
3 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
4 SILVER SURFER BY STAN LEE AND MOEBIUS $7.99 NOV120729 MAR
5 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHIND US $14.99 SEP088204 IMA
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE VOL. 2: THE VILLAIN'S JOURNEY HC $24.99 SEP120233 DC
7 JUSTICE LEAGUE VOL. 1: ORIGIN TP $16.99 OCT120252 DC
8 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 3: SAFETY BEHIND BARS $14.99 NOV082245 IMA
9 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 17: SOMETHING TO FEAR $14.99 SEP120449 IMA
10 ANIMAL MAN VOL. 2: ANIMAL VS. MAN TP $16.99 OCT120251 DC

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC $34.99 SEP120055 DAR
2 FRANK CHO: WOMEN BOOK 2 HC (MR) $24.99 SEP120438 IMA
3 NEIL GAIMAN: CHU'S DAY HC $17.99 OCT121382 HAR
4 DC SUPER HEROES: THE DARK KNIGHT: THE JOKER VIRUS TP $5.95 OCT121338 CAP
5 DC SUPER HEROES: THE DARK KNIGHT: CAT COMMANDER TP $5.95 OCT121336 CAP
6 BEHIND THE SOFA: CELEBRITY MEMORIES OF DOCTOR WHO HC $24.99 JUL121374 DIA
7 DC SUPER HEROES: THE DARK KNIGHT: THE SCARECROW'S FLOCK OF FEAR TP $5.95 OCT121337 CAP
8 DC SUPER HEROES: BATMAN: FIVE RIDDLES FOR ROBIN TP $4.95 NOV121443 CAP
9 DC SUPER HEROES: BATMAN: FUN HOUSE OF EVIL $4.95 NOV121444 CAP
10 DC SUPER HEROES: THE DARK KNIGHT: KILLER CROC OF DOOM TP $5.95 OCT121339 CAP

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY -- HARLEY QUINN STATUE OCT120311 DC
2 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY PLAY ARTS ~KAI~: CATWOMAN JUN128138 SQU
3 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY PLAY ARTS ~KAI~: BATMAN JUN128137 SQU
4 DEADPOOL ACTION STATUE JUL121853 BOW
5 STAR TREK: USS ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-B SHIP AUG121760 DST
6 THE DARK KNIGHT: BATMAN HD MASTERPIECE AUG128067 ENT
7 DC COMICS: HUNTRESS BISHOUJO STATUE AUG121880 KOT
8 DC COMICS: SUPERMAN "THE NEW 52" ARTFX+ STATUE AUG121878 KOT
9 DOCTOR WHO TITANS MINI-FIGURES AUG121925 TIT
10 THE DARK KNIGHT: THE JOKER HD MASTERPIECE AUG128068 ENT

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL HEROCLIX AMAZING SPIDER-MAN NOV122066 NEC
2 DC HEROCLIX: BATMAN BOOSTER BRICK AUG122142 NEC
3 PATHFINDER BATTLES: SHATTERED STAR BOOSTER BRICK NOV122069 NEC
4 STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX SERIES II OCT128372 NEC
5 DC HEROCLIX: BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM SEP122103 NEC
6 THE WALKING DEAD COMIC BOARD GAME JUL112185 ALL
7 STAR WARS LCG CORE SET NOV122044 FAN
8 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RETURN TO RAVNICA BOOSTERS AUG122136 WIZ
9 STAR TREK TACTICS HEROCLIX SERIES II STARTER SET OCT128373 NEC
10 MARVEL HEROCLIX: WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN JUL128140 NEC

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