Media Release -- The dawn of the new DC Universe and the launch of DC Comics' "New 52" began with Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's Justice League #1, August's best-selling comic book to comics specialty retailers — and the best-selling comic in 2011 to date — according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics continued as the leading publisher in overall sales, taking 37.44% of the market in dollars and 42.47% of the market in units sold for the month.
August's sales overall increased over July's, with comics up 9% and graphic novels up 24%, and on the year-to-year comparison, comics sales increased 15% over the previous August while graphic novel sales were up 31%. Merchandise (Non-Print) sales increased by 23% over the previous month, with the collectibles category as the stand-out, increasing by over 180% over July's sales.
Dark Horse Comics returned to Joss Whedon's fan-favorite Serenity universe in August with Serenity: Better Days and Other Stories, a collection of mini-series and specials in an omnibus hardcover, giving the Oregon-based publisher the month's best-selling graphic novel.
DC Comics' Flashpoint mini-series saw The Flash trapped in a dark, alternate universe and led into the relaunch of the DC Universe. DC Direct's Flashpoint Series 1 Action Figures, which recreated some the characters from the series, including the armored Wonder Woman and the alternate Batman, was August's top-selling Toy product to comics retailers.
David Petersen's acclaimed Mouse Guard series, a medieval fantasy set in a world of heroic mice, served as the basis for Archaia Studios' award-winning Mouse Guard Role-Playing Game, which was the best-selling Games product to comics retailers in August.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 37.34% | 42.47% |
| DC COMICS | 30.72% | 34.84% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 5.78% | 3.79% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 4.79% | 3.74% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 4.67% | 4.64% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.23% | 2.24% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.24% | 1.21% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 1.14% | 0.53% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD | 1.11% | 0.25% |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 0.88% | 1.04% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 10.11% | 5.25% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| AUGUST 2011 VS. JULY 2011 | ||
| COMICS | 9.00% | 7.33% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 24.18% | 13.26% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 13.74% | 7.79% |
| AUGUST 2011 VS. AUGUST 2010 | ||
| COMICS | 15.14% | 17.55% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 31.17% | 20.17% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 20.15% | 17.76% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -4.60% | -3.65% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -2.35% | -7.61% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -3.87% | -3.99% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 | $3.99 | JUL110187 | DC |
| 2 | FLASHPOINT #5 | $3.99 | JUN110178 | DC |
| 3 | FEAR ITSELF #5 | $3.99 | JUN110581 | MAR |
| 4 | FLASHPOINT #4 | $3.99 | JUN110175 | DC |
| 5 | ULTIMATE COMICS FALLOUT #4 | $3.99 | JUN110611 | MAR |
| 6 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #667 | $3.99 | JUN110622 | MAR |
| 7 | AVENGERS #16 | $3.99 | JUN110586 | MAR |
| 8 | WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS AFTERMATH #2 | $3.99 | JUN110168 | DC |
| 9 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #668 | $3.99 | JUN110624 | MAR |
| 10 | NEW AVENGERS #15 | $3.99 | JUN110598 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SERENITY: BETTER DAYS & OTHER STORIES HC | $19.99 | MAY110013 | DAR |
| 2 | STAR WARS ADVENTURES: CHEWBACCA AND THE SLAVERS OF THE SHADOWLAND TP | $7.99 | MAY110021 | DAR |
| 3 | WE 3 DELUXE EDITION HC (MR) | $24.99 | FEB110270 | DC |
| 4 | B.P.R.D. HELL ON EARTH VOLUME 1: NEW WORLD | $19.99 | APR110034 | DAR |
| 5 | BATMAN: MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES TP | $17.99 | MAY110240 | DC |
| 6 | FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN VOLUME 1 HC | $19.99 | JUN110738-M | MAR |
| 7 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 14: NO WAY OUT TP | $14.99 | APR110444 | IMA |
| 8 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
| 9 | BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD TP | $29.99 | MAY110241 | DC |
| 10 | INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOLUME 6: STARK RESILIENT BOOK 2 TP | $15.99 | JUN110755 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | FLASHPOINT SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | APR110261 | DC |
| 2 | BATMAN INCORPORATED ACTION FIGURES | DEC100316 | DC |
| 3 | MARVEL SELECT: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER ACTION FIGURE | MAR111680 | DST |
| 4 | COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: HAWKGIRL STATUE | DEC100329 | DC |
| 5 | MARVEL SELECT: RED SKULL ACTION FIGURE | MAR111682 | DST |
| 6 | HARLEY QUINN 1/4-SCALE STATUE | OCT100346 | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN BLACK AND WHITE STATUE: DAVID FINCH | DEC100325 | DC |
| 8 | MARVEL X TOKIDOKI FRENZIES | APR111735 | TOK |
| 9 | MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE | MAR101468 | DST |
| 10 | MARVEL UNIVERSE ACTION FIGURES | APR111758 | KEN |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MOUSE GUARD ROLEPLAYING GAME BOXED SET | OCT100772 | ARA |
| 2 | CAPCOM: STREET FIGHTER HEROCLIX | JUN112180 | NEC |
| 3 | EPIC GAMES: GEARS OF WAR HEROCLIX | JUN112182 | NEC |
| 4 | CAPCOM: STREET FIGHTER HEROCLIX STARTER 6-PACK | JUN112181 | NEC |
| 5 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 5DS GOLD SERIES 4 PYRAMIDS EDITION | JUN112159 | KON |
| 6 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG 2012 CORE SET EVENT DECK | MAY112066 | WIZ |
| 7 | YU-GI-OH! TCG HIDDEN ARSENAL SPECIAL EDITION BOOSTER PACKS | JUN112160 | KON |
| 8 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 2011 DAWN OF XYZ STARTER | JUN112158 | KON |
| 9 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG 2012 CORE SET BOOSTERS | MAY112065 | WIZ |
| 10 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT TCG: TWILIGHT DRAGONS BOOSTER PACKS | APR112045 | CRY |
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.
