Media Release -- Spider-Man faces one of his greatest challenges — the emergence of spider-powers like his in a million New Yorkers — in the prelude to the "Spider-Island" storyline in Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli's Amazing Spider-Man #666 from Marvel Comics, July's best-selling comic book to comics and specialty retailers according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was also the leading publisher of comic books and graphic novels in July, with a 39.43% share of total dollars and a 43.59% share of total units sold. July, a four week shipping month, saw a decline in sales from June (a five-week shipping month) for both comics (down 5.25%) and graphic novels (down 8.94%). Year-to-date, sales in the printed categories are down 7% from 2010's sales. Sales in the merchandise categories also declined over June's sales (down 19%), but Games sales increased from June by 207%.
July's best-selling graphic novel was Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III: Century #2: 1969 from Top Shelf Productions, the latest chapter in the adventures of their Victorian-era heroes, bringing them into the turbulent 1960s.
The inmates have taken over the asylum in Ubisoft's best-selling video game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and DC Direct's Batman: Arkham Asylum Series 2 Action Figures, recreating characters such as Bane and Poison Ivy as they appeared in the game, was the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers in the month of July.
For the second month in a row, WizKids/NECA's Marvel HeroClix: Captain America Expansion was the month's top-selling Games product to comics retailers, its sales boosted by gamer interest due to Marvel Studios' Captain America: The First Avenger film.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 39.43% | 43.59% |
| DC COMICS | 30.55% | 34.76% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 5.32% | 3.76% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 4.50% | 4.52% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.69% | 2.74% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.83% | 2.58% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.57% | 1.36% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD | 1.00% | 0.23% |
| TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS | 0.97% | 0.36% |
| VIZ LLC | 0.94% | 0.40% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 9.21% | 5.70% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| JULY 2011 VS. JUNE 2011 | ||
| COMICS | -5.26% | -4.59% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -16.12% | -13.27% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -8.94% | -5.33% |
| JULY 2011 VS. JULY 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -4.27% | -0.52% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -10.10% | -13.19% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -6.17% | -1.64% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -7.26% | -6.46% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -6.58% | -11.01% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -7.04% | -6.85% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #666 | $3.99 | MAY110632 | MAR |
| 2 | CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 | $3.99 | MAY110617 | MAR |
| 3 | FEAR ITSELF #4 | $3.99 | MAY110572 | MAR |
| 4 | FLASHPOINT #3 | $3.99 | MAY110162 | DC |
| 5 | GREEN LANTERN #67 | $2.99 | APR110095 | DC |
| 6 | DAREDEVIL #1 | $3.99 | MAY110660 | MAR |
| 7 | BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #3 | $2.99 | DEC100194 | DC |
| 8 | AVENGERS #15 | $3.99 | MAY110584 | MAR |
| 9 | WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH #1 | $3.99 | MAY110156 | DC |
| 10 | GREEN LANTERN CORPS #61 | $2.99 | APR110097 | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN III: CENTURY #2: 1969 (MR) | $9.95 | MAY111195 | TOP |
| 2 | CONAN THE BARBARIAN: MASK OF ACHERON | $6.99 | MAY110024 | DAR |
| 3 | KICK-ASS TP (MR) | $19.99 | APR110670 | MAR |
| 4 | BLACKEST NIGHT TP | $19.99 | APR110192 | DC |
| 5 | BLACKEST NIGHT: GREEN LANTERN TP | $19.99 | APR110193 | DC |
| 6 | JACK OF FABLES VOLUME 9: THE END TP (MR) | $17.99 | APR110245 | DC |
| 7 | STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS VOLUME 6: THE STARCRUSHER TRAP GN | $7.99 | MAR110017 | DAR |
| 8 | BLACKEST NIGHT: GREEN LANTERN CORPS TP | $19.99 | APR110194 | DC |
| 9 | NORTHLANDERS VOLUME 5: METAL TP (MR) | $17.99 | APR110247 | DC |
| 10 | INCOGNITO VOLUME 2: BAD INFLUENCES TP (MR) | $17.99 | APR110669 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES | JUL100270 | DC |
| 2 | BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | JUN100288 | DC |
| 3 | BRIGHTEST DAY SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES | SEP100324 | DC |
| 4 | BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE ACTION FIGURES | NOV100289 | DC |
| 5 | DC HEROES WAVE 17 "ANTIMONITOR SERIES" FIGURES | MAR111723 | MAT |
| 6 | GREEN LANTERN 1/4-SCALE POWER BATTERY & RING PROP | OCT100343 | DC |
| 7 | DC X BISHOUJO: SUPERGIRL STATUE | FEB111684 | KOT |
| 8 | GREEN LANTERN MOVIE: POWER BATTERY PROP REPLICA | MAR110404 | DC |
| 9 | THE PUNISHER CLASSIC STATUE | DEC101524 | BOW |
| 10 | BATMAN: BLACK & WHITE – BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM STATUE | APR110280 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA EXPANSION | APR112103 | NEC |
| 2 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2012 CORE SET BOOSTERS | MAY112065 | WIZ |
| 3 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: THE HAMMER OF THOR FAST FORCES 6- PACKS | MAY112071 | NEC |
| 4 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2012 CORE SET FAT PACKS | MAY112067 | WIZ |
| 5 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 5DS GOLD SERIES 4 PYRAMIDS EDITION | JUN112159 | KON |
| 6 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2012 CORE SET INTRO DECKS | MAY112068 | WIZ |
| 7 | MOUSE GUARD RPG HC | APR098450 | ARA |
| 8 | ARKHAM HORROR: MISKATONIC HORROR EXPANSION | APR112049 | FAN |
| 9 | DOCTOR WHO FAMILY BOARD GAME | OCT101792 | DIA |
| 10 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA BOOSTERS | MAR112030 | 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 (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.
