(BALTIMORE, MD) — (February 12, 2009) — Marvel Comics’ Amazing Spider-Man #583, featuring the titular character's first meeting with President Barack Obama, was the best-selling comic book title for January 2009 based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
The special, oversized issue has seen an unprecedented five printings, with each cover depicting Spider-Man and President Obama against differing backdrops ranging from the American flag to the Lincoln Memorial, along with a short story of Spider-Man's quick thinking helping the 44th President of the United States during the historic Inauguration.
Marvel Comics also took the top publisher spot in January, leading both Unit Market and Retail Dollar Shares, with a 45.86% Unit Market Share, and a 42.82% Retail Dollar Market Share.
The top-selling graphic novel for January was Image Comics’ The Walking Dead Volume 9: Here We Remain TP, the latest volume in Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's best-selling post-zombie apocalypse series.
DC Direct took all ten spots on the Top 10 toy chart, with Superman Vs. Darkseid Statue, designed by Walter O'Neal and sculpted by Ray Villafane as the best-selling Toy product for January. David Petersen's best-selling comic Mouse Guard inspired the Mouse Guard RPG HC from Archaia Studios Press, the best-selling Game product to comic book specialty shops.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
Unit
Market Share |
Retail Dollar Market Share |
|
MARVEL COMICS |
45.86% | 42.82% |
DC COMICS |
33.45% | 31.24% |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
4.55% | 5.22% |
IDEA & DESIGN WORKS |
3.10% | 3.00% |
IMAGE COMICS |
3.05% | 4.19% |
DYNAMIC ENTERTAINMENT – DYNAMIC FORCES |
1.88% | 1.75% |
WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT |
1.10% | 1.35% |
AVATAR PRESS |
0.86% | 0.88% |
VIZ MEDIA |
0.81% | 1.52% |
TOKYOPOP | 0.39% | 0.90% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
4.94% | 7.14% |
TOP 10 COMICS
Quantity Rank | Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #583 |
$3.99 | NOV082358-M | Marvel Comics |
2 | DARK AVENGERS #1 (DARK REIGN) |
$3.99 | NOV082323-M | Marvel Comics |
3 | FINAL CRISIS #6 | $3.99 | SEP080099-M | DC Comics |
4 | FINAL CRISIS #7 | $3.99 | NOV080123 | DC Comics |
5 | NEW AVENGERS #49 (DARK REIGN) |
$3.99 | NOV082331 | Marvel Comics |
6 | CAPTAIN AMERICA #46 | $2.99 | NOV082366-M | Marvel Comics |
7 | BATMAN #685 | $2.99 | NOV080139 | DC Comics |
8 | ASTONISHING X-MEN #28 |
$2.99 | NOV082409 | Marvel Comics |
9 | JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #29 |
$2.99 | NOV080167 | DC Comics |
10 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #21 |
$2.99 | OCT080037-M | Dark Horse Comics |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
Quantity Rank | Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | WALKING DEAD TP VOL 09: HERE WE REMAIN (MR) |
$14.99 | NOV082242 | Image Comics |
2 | WATCHMEN TP | $19.99 | FEB058406 | DC Comics |
3 | SECRET INVASION TP | $29.99 | NOV082460 | Marvel Comics |
4 | ULTIMATE SPIDER MAN TP VOL 21: WAR OF THE SYMBIOTES |
$15.99 | NOV082467 | Marvel Comics |
5 | JUSTICE TP VOL 03 | $14.99 | OCT080172 | DC Comics |
6 | HOUSE OF MYSTERY TP VOL 01: ROOM AND BOREDOM (MR) |
$9.99 | OCT080222 | DC Comics |
7 | STAR WARS VECTOR TP VOL 01: CHAPTERS 1 & 2 |
$17.95 | SEP080078 | Dark Horse Comics |
8 | BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS TP |
$14.99 | SEP080167 | DC Comics |
9 | JOKER HC | $19.99 | JUL080124 | DC Comics |
10 | CRIMINAL TP VOL 04: BAD NIGHT (MR) |
$14.99 | NOV082430 | Marvel Comics |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
TOP 10 GAMES
Retail Rank | Description | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | MOUSE GUARD RPG HC | JUN083656 | Archaia Studios |
2 | DC HEROCLIX ARKHAM ASYLUM BOOSTER PACK |
AUG085406 | Wizkids |
3 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SHARDS OF ALARA BOOSTER DISPLAY |
MAY088379 | Wizards of the Coast |
4 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: OPEN GRAVE SECRETS OF THE UNDEAD |
NOV085131 | Wizards of the Coast |
5 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RAVNICA DISSENSION BOOSTER DISPLAY |
MAR064281 | Wizards of the coast |
6 | TICKET TO RIDE BOARD GAME |
MAR043750 | Days of Wonder |
7 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SAVIORS OF KAMIGAWA THEME DECK DISPLAY |
APR054402 | Wizards of the Coast |
8 | STAR WARS POCKETMODEL TCG: THE FORCE UNLEASHED COLLECTORS TIN |
JUL085374 | Wizkids |
9 | STAR WARS CMG: LEGACY OF THE FORCE BOOSTER PACK |
JAN084898 | Wizkids |
10 | MARVEL VS TCG: COMING OF GALACTUS GS DECK DISPLAY |
JUN078283 | The Upper Deck Company |
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.
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