Unit ShareMedia Release -- A hero fell as Peter Parker made the ultimate sacrifice to save his family and friends from the Green Goblin in Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Ultimate Spider-Man #160 from Marvel Comics, June's best-selling comic book to comics specialty retailers according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was also the leading publisher of comic books and graphic novels in June, with a 39.32% share of total dollars and a 43.04% share of total units sold. In total, June's printed material sales increased over May, with Comics improving by 18.31% and Graphic Novels by 17.67%. Sales fell slightly from the same month last year, with Comics down 4.62% and Graphic Novels down 8.15%. Sales for the second quarter also improved over the first quarter, with Comics up 8.41% and Graphic Novels up 13.75%. Total merchandise sales in June increased by 104% over May, led by Apparel (up 238%) and Toys (up 135%).

Dollar ShareHelping to fuel the increase in print sales was June's top-selling Graphic Novel, Image Comics' The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out, the latest volume of Robert Kirkman's best-selling zombie story that was adapted by AMC and Frank Darabont for television last year. Dark Horse Comics also had a strong June, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Volume 8: Last Gleaming as the month's number two graphic novel.

In June, DC Direct released the JLA Classic Icons Series 1 Action Figures, a series of dynamic figures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics retailers for the month. June was a strong month for Toy sales overall, with sales in that category increasing by over 135% over May's sales.

In anticipation of the theatrical release of Captain America: The First Avenger, WizKids/NECA released the Marvel HeroClix: Captain America Expansion, bringing the star-spangled Avenger to the popular miniatures game, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Games product to comics retailers in June. Total sales on Games product fell slightly in June over May's sales with a 2.66% decline.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLAR SHARE UNIT SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 39.32% 43.04%
DC COMICS 28.03% 33.17%
IMAGE COMICS 5.85% 5.30%
DARK HORSE COMICS 5.28% 3.21%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.76% 3.22%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 3.49% 3.30%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.95% 1.62%
VIZ MEDIA 1.36% 0.58%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT 0.95% 1.03%
ARCHIE COMICS 0.79% 1.00%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 9.22% 4.52%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
JUNE 2011 VS. MAY 2011
COMICS 18.31% 20.26%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 16.45% 10.63%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 17.67% 19.37%
JUNE 2011 VS. JUNE 2010
COMICS -4.62% -1.43%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -8.15% -13.86%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -5.85% -2.63%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010
COMICS -7.78% -7.47%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -5.97% -10.63%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -7.19% -7.74%
SECOND QUARTER 2011 VS. FIRST QUARTER 2011
COMICS 8.41% 6.90%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 13.75% 14.41%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 10.14% 7.50%
SECOND QUARTER 2011 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2010
COMICS -7.04% -6.92%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -4.82% -8.20%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -6.31% -7.03%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #160 $3.99 APR110569-M MAR
2 FEAR ITSELF #3 $3.99 APR110534-M MAR
3 FLASHPOINT #2 $3.99 APR110101-M DC
4 AVENGERS #14 $3.99 APR110539 MAR
5 FF #5 $2.99 APR110612-M MAR
6 NEW AVENGERS #13 $3.99 APR110574 MAR
7 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #663 $3.99 APR110595 MAR
8 BATMAN INCORPORATED #7 $2.99 MAR110294-M DC
9 BATMAN AND ROBIN #24 $2.99 APR110159-M DC
10 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #664 $3.99 APR110597 MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 14: NO WAY OUT TP $14.99 APR110444 IMA
2 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 8: LAST GLEAMING TP $16.99 FEB110018 DAR
3 NARUTO VOLUME 51 TP $9.99 MAR111299 VIZ
4 GREEN LANTERN: BRIGHTEST DAY HC $22.99 FEB110200 DC
5 BATWOMAN VOLUME 1: ELEGY TP $17.99 MAR110341 DC
6 SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 3: ANIMAL ARMIES TP $14.99 MAR110392 DC
7 THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
8 ARKHAM ASYLUM: MADNESS TP $14.99 MAR110344 DC
9 X-MEN: SECOND COMING TP $34.99 APR110694 MAR
10 THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER: THE LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA HC $24.99 APR110707 MAR

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 JLA CLASSIC ICONS SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES OCT100348 DC
2 BRIGHTEST DAY SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES AUG100284 DC
3 MARVEL SELECT: BEST OF SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES JAN111644 DST
4 WORLD OF WARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 3 ACTION FIGURES MAR100366 DC
5 MARVEL SELECT: GAMBIT ACTION FIGURES OCT101482 DST
6 WONDER WOMAN #600 STATUE OCT100341 DC
7 COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: WONDER WOMAN ARMORED STATUE SEP100334 DC
8 WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3: HARLEY QUINN BUST SEP100332 DC
9 M.O.D.O.K. PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE STATUE SEP108144 BOW
10 MARVEL SELECT: JUGGERNAUT ACTION FIGURE JUN101512 DST

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA EXPANSION APR112105 NEC
2 YU-GI-OH! TCG: 5DS CROW DUELIST PACK APR112069 KON
3 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: COMMANDER MULTI-PLAYER GAME SET APR112102 WIZ
4 GODZILLA: KAIJU WARS BOARD GAME MAR112025 TOY
5 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA EVENT DECKS MAR112032 WIZ
6 STAR TREK EXPEDITIONS BOARD GAME FEB111880 NEC
7 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA BOOSTER PACKS MAR112030 WIZ
8 REDAKAI TCG HOBBY STRUCTURED DECKS APR112084 SPI
9 DC HEROCLIX: GREEN LANTERN 2011 FAST FORCES 6-PACK MAR112034 NEC
10 REDAKAI TCG HOBBY GOLD PACKS APR112083 SPI

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.