Media Release -- The dawn of the Heroic Age in the Marvel Universe and the reestablishment of one of the classic super-hero teams in Avengers #1 from superstar creators Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita, Jr., gave Marvel Comics the top spot on the comics sales chart in May 2010, based on total unit sals to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Marvel Comics took the top publisher spot in May with the company leading in both the Unit Market and Dollar Shares categories, with a 45.52% Unit Market Share and a 40.66% Dollar Share for the month.
As the monthly series winds to its conclusion, Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris' Ex Machina Volume 9: Ring Out the Old from DC Comics' Wildstorm imprint gave DC Comics the best-selling graphic novel in the month of May.
DC Direct's partnership with Hong Kong toymaker Hot Toys produced The Dark Knight: 1/6-Scale Batman (Sonar) MMS DX Figure, based on Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film, and gave the manufacturer the best-selling toy product to comic specialty retailers in May. NECA/WizKids' latest expansion for the HeroClix miniatures game, the DC HeroClix: The Brave and the Bold Expansion, was the top-selling games product to specialty retailers for the second month in a row.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER | UNIT SHARE | DOLLAR SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS | 45.52% | 40.66% |
DC COMICS | 35.10% | 30.95% |
DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.16% | 4.45% |
IMAGE COMICS | 3.14% | 4.26% |
IDW PUBLISHING | 2.95% | 3.79% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.61% | 2.84% |
BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.69% | 1.92% |
VIZ MEDIA | 0.63% | 1.36% |
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 0.45% | 0.41% |
WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT | 0.42% | 0.56% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 4.34% | 8.80% |
TOP 10 COMICS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | AVENGERS #1 | $3.99 | MAR100516-M | MAR |
2 | SIEGE #4 | $3.99 | FEB100421-M | MAR |
3 | BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 | $3.99 | MAR100178-M | DC |
4 | SECRET AVENGERS #1 | $3.99 | MAR100566-M | MAR |
5 | BRIGHTEST DAY #1 | $2.99 | MAR100159-M | DC |
6 | BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #2 | $3.99 | MAR100181-M | DC |
7 | BRIGHTEST DAY #2 | $2.99 | MAR100161-M | DC |
8 | GREEN LANTERN #54 | $2.99 | MAR100163-M | DC |
9 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 | $2.99 | MAR100183-M | DC |
10 | UNCANNY X-MEN #524 | $2.99 | MAR100587-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | EX MACHINA VOLUME 9: RING OUT THE OLD TP (MR) | $14.99 | FEB100231 | DC |
2 | SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 1: OUT OF THE WOODS TP (MR) | $9.99 | FEB100267 | DC |
3 | INVINCIBLE VOLUME 12: STILL STANDING TP | $16.99 | DEC090386 | IMA |
4 | THE WALKING DEAD BOOK 5 HC | $34.99 | NOV090362 | IMA |
5 | SCALPED VOLUME 6: THE GNAWING TP (MR) | $14.99 | FEB100266 | DC |
6 | WEDNESDAY COMICS HC | $49.99 | DEC090221 | DC |
7 | DEADPOOL VOLUME 3: X MARKS THE SPOT TP | $15.99 | FEB100626 | MAR |
8 | HELLSING VOLUME 10 TP | $13.99 | DEC090056 | DAR |
9 | INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOLUME 3: MOST WANTED BK 2 TP | $14.99 | FEB100615 | MAR |
10 | KICK-ASS PREMIERE HC (MR) | $24.99 | DEC090575 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | HOT TOYS THE DARK KNIGHT 1-6 SCALE BATMAN SONAR MMS | OCT090336 | DC |
2 | DC HEROES WAVE 12 FIGURES | JUL098262 | MAT |
3 | MARVEL SELECT IRON MAN 2 ACTION FIGURE | NOV091231 | DST |
4 | AME-COMI WONDER WOMAN (VER. 2) VINYL FIGURE | SEP090259 | DC |
5 | GREEN LANTERN LEGACIES STATUE PART 1: HAL JORDAN | SEP090243 | DC |
6 | DC HEROES WAVE 13 FIGURES | JUL098315 | MAT |
7 | AME-COMI WONDER GIRL VINYL FIGURE | SEP090258 | DC |
8 | MARVEL MINIMATES SERIES 35 FIGURES | DEC091302 | DST |
9 | ALICE IN WONDERLAND: MAD HATTER ULTRA DETAIL FIGURE | JUL098256 | MED |
10 | WOLVERINE: LOGAN BUST | NOV091319 | BOW |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | DC HEROCLIX: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BOOSTER PACKS | JAN101703 | NEC |
2 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RISE OF THE ELDRAZI BOOSTERS | FEB101691 | WIZ |
3 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 5DS: SHINING DARKNESS BOOSTER PACKS | MAR101716 | KON |
4 | NINTENDO MONOPOLY 2010 EDITION | APR101750 | USA |
5 | DC HEROCLIX: ARKHAM ASYLUM BOOSTER PACKS | AUG085406 | WZK |
6 | POKEMON TCG: HEARTSILVER UNLEASHED BOOSTER PACKS | FEB108025 | POK |
7 | ELVIS MONOPOLY 2010 EDITION | APR101747 | USA |
8 | JOHN WAYNE MONOPOLY | MAR101742 | USA |
9 | CTHULHU DICE GAME | JAN101689 | PSI |
10 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS PLAYER'S STRATEGY GUIDE | MAR101748 | 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 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