Media Release -- The rise of the Black Lanterns and their attack on the heroes of the DC Universe propelled DC Comics to the top of the best-selling comics charts in August as Blackest Night #2 descended on comic specialty shops, according to information from Diamond Comic Distributors.
Marvel Comics had the #2 best-selling comic for the month with Captain America: Reborn #2 and took the top publisher spot overall in August, leading both Unit Market and Dollar Shares, with a 43.86% Unit Market Share and a 39.70% Dollar Share for the month.
Image Comics' The Walking Dead Volume 10: What We Become, collecting issues #55-60 of the zombie series from writer Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard, was the best-selling graphic novel for the month of August.
DC Direct had the best-selling Toy for August with the Cover Girls of the DCU: Zatanna Statue, which depicts the Justice League's magician in a design by Adam Hughes and Jack Mathews.
The latest Pokémon expansion, the Pokémon TCG: Platinum Supreme Victors Booster Packs, from Pokémon USA, was the best-selling Games product to comic book specialty shops in August.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER | UNIT MARKET SHARE | DOLLAR SHARE |
MARVEL COMICS | 43.86% | 39.70% |
DC COMICS | 36.04% | 33.16% |
DARK HORSE COMICS | 4.06% | 4.62% |
IMAGE COMICS | 2.94% | 3.86% |
IDW PUBLISHING | 2.83% | 3.34% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 1.89% | 1.93% |
BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.45% | 1.54% |
ARCHIE COMICS | 1.16% | 0.78% |
VIZ MEDIA | 0.72% | 1.53% |
WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT | 0.52% | 0.62% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 4.52% | 8.94% |
TOP 10 COMICS
QUANTITY RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | BLACKEST NIGHT #2 (OF 8) | $3.99 | JUN090122-M | DC |
2 | CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #2 (OF 5) | $3.99 | JUN090439-M | MAR |
3 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #3 | $2.99 | JUN090146-M | DC |
4 | GREEN LANTERN #45 | $2.99 | JUN090131-M | DC |
5 | ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #1 | $3.99 | JUN090468-M | MAR |
6 | DARK AVENGERS #8 | $3.99 | JUN090486-M | MAR |
7 | UNCANNY X-MEN #514 | $3.99 | JUN090483-M | MAR |
8 | NEW AVENGERS #56 | $3.99 | JUN090510-M | MAR |
9 | THE MARVELS PROJECT #1 (OF 8) | $3.99 | JUN090440-M | MAR |
10 | BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #1 (OF 3) | $2.99 | JUN090125-M | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
QUANTITY RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | WALKING DEAD VOLUME 10: WHAT WE BECOME TP | $14.99 | JUN090332 | IMA |
2 | FABLES VOLUME 12: THE DARK AGES TP (MR) | $17.99 | MAY090236 | DC |
3 | IRREDEEMABLE VOLUME 1 TP | $9.99 | JUN090793 | BOO |
4 | INVINCIBLE VOLUME 11: HAPPY DAYS TP | $16.99 | MAY090320 | IMA |
5 | FILTHY RICH HC (MR) | $19.99 | APR090258 | DC |
6 | WARREN ELLIS: FRANKENSTEIN'S WOMB GN (MR) | $6.99 | APR090689 | AVA |
7 | BATMAN: HUSH COMPLETE TP | $24.99 | MAY090178 | DC |
8 | DARK ENTRIES HC (MR) | $19.99 | APR090259 | DC |
9 | THOR BY J MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI VOLUME 2 TP | $19.99 | JUN090638 | MAR |
10 | SILVER SURFER: REQUIEM PREMIERE HC | $19.99 | SEP072272 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
DOLLAR RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: ZATANNA STATUE | JAN090300 | DC |
2 | HOT TOYS: THE DARK KNIGHT 1/6-SCALE BATMOBILE | OCT080242 | DC |
3 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 1 MASTER CASE ASST. | JAN090328 | DC |
4 | MARVEL: ROGUE BISHOUJO STATUE | JAN094989 | KOT |
5 | WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 2: SUPERGIRL BUST | JAN090316 | DC |
6 | HISTORY OF THE DCU SERIES 2 BALANCED CASE ASST. | DEC080262 | DC |
7 | MARVEL LEGENDS 2-PACK FIGURES (ASST. 200901) | JAN098107 | KEN |
8 | GREEN LANTERN MINI-NEON SIGN (US VERSION) | JAN090334 | DC |
9 | GOLDEN AGE FLASH 1/6-SCALE FIGURE | DEC080250 | DC |
10 | GHOSTBUSTERS: STAY-PUFT MARSHMALLOW MAN BANK | MAR094736 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
DOLLAR RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
1 | POKÉMON TCG: PLATINUM SUPREME VICTORS BOOSTER PACKS | JUL091717 | POK |
2 | YU-GI-OH TCG 2009 COLLECTIBLE TIN CASE WAVE 1 | JUN091710 | KON |
3 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CMG: MONSTER MANUAL LEGENDARY EVILS BOOSTER PACKS | JUN091752 | WIZ |
4 | THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS MONOPOLY COLLECTOR'S EDITION | MAY091784 | USA |
5 | STAR WARS CMG: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC BOOSTER PACKS | JUN085274 | WIZ |
6 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2010 CORE SET BOOSTER PACKS | MAY091798 | WIZ |
7 | PATHFINDER RPG CORE RULEBOOK | JUN091729 | PAI |
8 | STAR WARS POCKETMODEL TCG BOOSTERS | APR075219 | WIZ |
9 | MIDDLE-EARTH QUEST BOARD GAME | JUL091689 | FAN |
10 | POKÉMON TCG: PLATINUM SUPREME VICTORS THEME DECKS | JUL091718 | POK |
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 4,000+ accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout 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 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.