Media Release -- Blackest Night #8, the concluding issue of DC Comics' cosmic crossover event, joined its seven preceding issues as the number one comic book atop the sales charts in its month of release, giving the publisher the best-selling comic book in March 2010, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Coming in second for the month was Marvel Comics' Siege #3, the latest chapter of their Avengers crossover and the culmination of long-running story arcs, which helped Marvel Comics take the top publisher spot in March with the company leading in both the Unit Market and Dollar Shares categories, for a 47.12% Unit Market Share and a 41.94% Dollar Share for the month.
Kick-Ass, the creator-owned book from Marvel Comics' Icon imprint by creators Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., and soon to be a motion picture from Lionsgate and director Matthew Vaughn (Stardust), was the best-selling graphic novel to comic book specialty shops in March.
Medicom's line of figures based on Tim Burton's new film gave the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers with the Alice In Wonderland: Mad Hatter RAH (Real Action Hero) Figure, featuring a design based on Johnny Depp's performance from the film. The latest expansion of Pokémon USA's long-running card game, Pokémon TCG: Heartgold and Soulsilver Booster Packs, gave the publisher the best-selling game product to specialty retailers for the month.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | UNIT SHARE | DOLLAR SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 47.12% | 41.94% |
| DC COMICS | 29.92% | 27.25% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 3.61% | 4.02% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.33% | 4.76% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 3.08% | 3.40% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 3.01% | 3.22% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.84% | 1.98% |
| ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT | 0.93% | 0.90% |
| ARCHIE COMICS | 0.81% | 0.67% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0.71% | 1.48% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 5.65% | 10.39% |
TOP 10 COMICS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BLACKEST NIGHT #8 | $3.99 | JAN100231-M | DC |
| 2 | SIEGE #3 | $3.99 | JAN100502-M | MAR |
| 3 | GREEN LANTERN #52 | $2.99 | JAN100234-M | DC |
| 4 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 | $2.99 | JAN100238-M | DC |
| 5 | GREEN LANTERN CORPS #46 | $3.99 | JAN100236-M | DC |
| 6 | NEW AVENGERS #63 | $3.99 | JAN100508 | MAR |
| 7 | DARK AVENGERS #15 | $3.99 | JAN100507 | MAR |
| 8 | ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #1 | $3.99 | JAN100547-M | MAR |
| 9 | UNCANNY X-MEN #522 | $3.99 | JAN100613-M | MAR |
| 10 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #623 | $2.99 | JAN100552-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | KICK-ASS PREMIERE HC | $24.99 | DEC090575-M | MAR |
| 2 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 6: RETREAT TP | $15.99 | NOV090048 | DAR |
| 3 | THE BOYS VOLUME 6: SELF-PRESERVATION SOCIETY TP | $19.99 | JAN100870 | DE |
| 4 | HELLBOY VOLUME 9: WILD HUNT TP | $19.99 | NOV090045 | DAR |
| 5 | HAUNT VOLUME 1 TP | $9.99 | JAN100416 | IMA |
| 6 | NORTHLANDERS VOLUME 3: BLOOD IN THE SNOW TP | $14.99 | DEC090278 | DC |
| 7 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN PREMIERE HC | $24.99 | JAN100652-M | MAR |
| 8 | PLANETARY VOLUME 4 HC | $24.99 | NOV090207 | DC |
| 9 | THE ARCHIE WEDDING: ARCHIE IN… WILL YOU MARRY ME? TP | $14.95 | JAN100726 | ARC |
| 10 | TWILIGHT: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL VOLUME 1 HC | $19.99 | DEC098276 | YEN |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | ALICE IN WONDERLAND: MAD HATTER R.A.H. FIGURE | JUL098259 | MED |
| 2 | BATMAN VS. KILLER CROC STATUE | AUG090268 | DC |
| 3 | MARVEL SELECT: SPIDER-MAN ACTION FIGURE | JUL091428 | DST |
| 4 | PLANET HULK STATUE | JUL091506 | BOW |
| 5 | CATWOMAN CLASSIC 1/6-SCALE DELUXE FIGURE | AUG090258 | DC |
| 6 | DC DYNAMICS: AQUAMAN STATUE | AUG090259 | DC |
| 7 | BUCKY (MODERN CAPTAIN AMERICA) STATUE | JUL091502 | BOW |
| 8 | CAPTAIN AMERICA MINI-BUST | SEP091405 | BOW |
| 9 | CABLE STATUE | OCT091558 | BOW |
| 10 | FINAL FANTASY XIII PLAY ARTS ~KAI~ LIGHTNING FIGURE | OCT091607 | SQU |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | POKEMON TCG: HEARTGOLD & SOULSILVER BOOSTER PACKS | JAN101677 | POK |
| 2 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 5DS ABSOLUTE POWERFORCE BOXES | JAN101663 | KON |
| 3 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG WORLDWAKE BOOSTER PACKS | DEC091562 | WIZ |
| 4 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYER'S HANDBOOK 3 | JAN101700 | WIZ |
| 5 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG 2010 CORE SET BOOSTER PACKS | MAY091798 | WIZ |
| 6 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG ZENDIKAR BOOSTER PACKS | AUG091778 | WIZ |
| 7 | POKEMON TCG HEARTGOLD & SOULSILVER THEME DECKS | JAN101678 | POK |
| 8 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 5DS 2010 DUELIST PACK TINS | JAN101660 | KON |
| 9 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: PHYREXIA VS COALITION DUEL DECKS | FEB101690 | WIZ |
| 10 | WARHAMMER 40,00 DARK HERESY RPG: ASCENSION | FEB101648 | FAN |
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—the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, Diamond is based in Baltimore, MD, and services more than 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
