Avengers vs. X-Men #6 (of 12)Media Release -- Five X-Men with the power of the Phoenix have begun to reshape the Earth in their image and the Avengers make plans against them in Marvel Comics' Avengers Vs. X-Men #6, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in June 2012, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

June saw a split decision in market share, with Marvel Comics edging DC Entertainment for the top publisher in Retail Dollars 33.77% to 33.03%, while DC Entertainment edged Marvel Comics on Unit Share 38.23% to 37.82%.

Rick Grimes and his band of survivors of the zombie apocalypse continue their quest for safety and civilization in Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 16: A Larger World, the latest collection of the best-selling series from Image Comics and June's best-selling graphic novel.

Comics sales for the first half of 2012 showed an increase of 20.47% over the first half of 2012, and graphic novel sales increased by 13.49% in the same period. Compared to sales in the first quarter of 2012, comics sales increased by 16.79% and graphic novels by 23.91%, continuing the year's upward sales trend.

Based on this summer's new film, the Marvel Select Toys: Amazing Spider-Man Movie Figure from Diamond Select Toys presented Andrew Garfield's cinematic wallcrawler in a detailed sculpt and was June's best-selling Toy product to comics retailers.

WizKids/NECA's DC HeroClix: TDKR Boosters were the best-selling Games product to specialty retailers in June.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLARSHARE UNITSHARE
MARVEL COMICS 33.77% 37.82%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 33.03% 38.23%
IMAGE COMICS 7.36% 6.45%
IDW PUBLISHING 6.22% 4.16%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.51% 3.49%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.82% 2.35%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.25% 1.49%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.21% 0.28%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.84% 0.87%
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS 0.83% 0.32%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.16% 4.55%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS UNITS
JUNE 2012 VS. MAY 2012    
COMICS -6.28% -6.50%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -15.42% -14.72%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -9.35% -7.16%
JUNE 2012 VS. JUNE 2011    
COMICS 14.97% 12.14%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 2.51% -3.66%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 10.74% 10.79%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011(FIRST HALF 2012 VS. FIRST HALF 2011)    
COMICS 20.47% 19.21%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 13.49% 9.53%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 18.16% 18.40%
SECOND QUARTER 2012 VS. FIRST QUARTER 2012    
COMICS 16.79% 14.86%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 23.81% 18.98%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 18.97% 15.18%
SECOND QUARTER 2012 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2011    
COMICS 15.81% 23.34%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 23.33% 11.53%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 18.14% 22.33%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #6 $3.99 APR120575 MAR
2 AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #5 $3.99 APR120569 MAR
3 BATMAN #10 $3.99 APR120193 DC
4 JUSTICE LEAGUE #10 $3.99 APR120161 DC
5 BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #1 (MR) $3.99 APR120137 DC
6 BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN #1 (MR) $3.99 APR120149 DC
7 BEFORE WATCHMEN: SILK SPECTRE #1 (MR) $3.99 APR120143 DC
8 BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #1 (MR) $3.99 APR120155 DC
9 SPIDER-MEN #1 $3.99 APR120603 MAR
10 AVX VS #3 $3.99 APR120567 MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 16: A LARGER WORLD TP (MR) $14.99 APR120487 IMA
2 LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN III: CENTURY #3: 2009 (MR) $9.95 APR121232 TOP
3 WATCHMEN TP $19.99 FEB058406 DC
4 THE BOYS VOLUME 11: OVER THE HILL WITH THE SWORDS OF A THOUSAND MEN TP $19.99 APR121021 DE
5 BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS VOLUME 1: FACES OF DEATH HC $22.99 FEB120245 DC
6 FATALE VOLUME 1: DEATH CHASES ME TP (MR) $14.99 APR120439 IMA
7 BATWOMAN VOLUME 1: HYDROLOGY HC $22.99 FEB120246 DC
8 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP $9.99 JUL068351 IMA
9 DMZ VOLUME 12: THE FIVE NATIONS OF NEWYORK TP (MR) $14.99 MAR120276 DC
10 MORNING GLORIES VOLUME 3: P.E. TP $14.99 APR120451 IMA

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL SELECT: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE FIGURE FEB121518 DST
2 MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS MOVIE: IRON MAN MK VI FIG. MAR121601 DST
3 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY: KILLER CROC DELUXE FIGURE MAR120306 DC
4 MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS MOVIE HAWKEYE FIGURE DEC111598 DST
5 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY: MR. FREEZE DELUXE FIGURE MAR120304 DC
6 MARVEL SELECT: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE:LIZARD FIGURE FEB121520 DST
7 JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE WAVE 2 APR128194 DC
8 THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: BATMAN 1/6-SCALE ICON STATUE MAR120298 DC
9 BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE STATUE: NEW 52 BY JIM LEE FEB120310 DC
10 CAPTAIN AMERICA: CLASSIC AVENGERS FINE ART STATUE NOV111607 KOT

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DC HEROCLIX: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES BOOSTERS APR121981 NEC
2 MARVEL HEROCLIX: CHAOS WAR APR121986 NEC
3 DC HEROCLIX: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES STARTER SET APR121983 NEC
4 MARVEL HEROCLIX: GIANT SIZE X-MEN: UNCANNY X-MEN FAST FORCES 6-PACK MAR121894 NEC
5 MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS BOOSTER BRICK FEB121832 NEC
6 DC HEROCLIX: WAR OF LIGHT FAST FORCES 6-PACK MAR121891 NEC
7 SPIDER-MAN COLLECTOR’S EDITION MONOPOLY MAR121886 USA
8 YU-GI-OH! TCG: GOLD SERIES HAUNTED MINE FEB128275 KON
9 LOCKE & KEY: THE CARD GAME MAR120358 IDW
10 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED BOOSTER PACKS FEB121827 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.

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.