Media Release -- (BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 11, 2009) — The latest chapter in the ongoing Dark Reign saga, New Avengers #53, gave Marvel Comics the best-selling comic book title for May 2009, based upon total unit sales to comic book specialty shops, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
Marvel Comics took the top publisher spot in May, leading both Unit Market and Dollar Shares, with a 45.17% United Market Share and a 39.05% Dollar Share for the month.
The top-selling graphic novel for May was Top Shelf Productions’ League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III: Century #1: 1910, the long-awaited continuation of Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's pulp fiction series.
The Hot Toys: The Dark Knight 1/6-Scale Joker collector figure from DC Direct was the best-selling Toy product for May. Wizard of the Coast's new Magic the Gathering TCG: Alara Reborn Booster Pack, the latest expansion for the game, was the best-selling Game product for the second month in a row to comic book specialty shops.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
Publisher | Unit Market Share | Dollar Share |
MARVEL COMICS |
45.17% | 39.05% |
DC COMICS |
30.34% | 26.18% |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
4.31% | 6.09% |
IDW PUBLISHING |
3.78% | 4.43% |
IMAGE COMICS |
3.26% | 4.61% |
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
2.15% | 1.96% |
BOOM! STUDIOS |
1.10% | 1.08% |
VIZ MEDIA |
1.08% | 2.15% |
WIZARD ENTERTAINMENT |
0.80% | 0.91% |
AVATAR PRESS INC |
0.69% | 0.96% |
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
7.31% | 12.57% |
TOP 10 COMICS
Quantity Rank | Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | NEW AVENGERS #53 | $3.99 | MAR092535-M | MARVEL COMICS |
2 | BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL #3 (OF 3) |
$3.99 | MAR090132-M | DC COMICS |
3 | WOLVERINE #72 | $2.99 | FEB092578 | MARVEL COMICS |
4 | FLASH REBIRTH #2 (OF 6) |
$2.99 | MAR090151-M | DC COMICS |
5 | WOLVERINE #73 | $2.99 | MAR092604-M | MARVEL COMICS |
6 | GREEN LANTERN #41 | $2.99 | FEB090180-M | DC COMICS |
7 | UNCANNY X-MEN #510 | $2.99 | MAR092595-M | MARVEL COMICS |
8 | HULK #12 | $3.99 | MAR092567-M | MARVEL COMICS |
9 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #595 |
$2.99 | MAR092529-M | MARVEL COMICS |
10 | CAPTAIN AMERICA #50 | $3.99 | MAR092559 | MARVEL COMICS |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
Quantity Rank |
Description | Price | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN III: CENTURY #1: 1910 (MR) |
$7.95 | FEB094465 | TOP SHELF |
2 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOL. 4: TIME OF YOUR LIFE TP |
$15.95 | JAN090114 | DARK HORSE COMICS |
3 | ULTIMATES 3: WHO KILLED THE SCARLET WITCH? TP |
$19.99 | FEB092633-M | MARVEL COMICS |
4 | INVINCIBLE VOL. 10: WHO'S THE BOSS TP |
$16.99 | DEC082242 | IMAGE COMICS |
5 | STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS VOL. 3: WIND RAIDERS OF TALORAAN TP |
$7.95 | JAN090145 | DARK HORSE COMICS |
6 | STAR TREK: COUNTDOWN TP |
$17.99 | FEB094340 | IDW |
7 | BATMAN: THE RESURRECTION OF RA'S AL-GHUL TP |
$19.99 | FEB090202 | DC COMICS |
8 | SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON VOL. 1 HC |
$24.99 | JAN090239 | DC COMICS |
9 | BATMAN: MAD LOVE AND OTHER STORIES HC |
$19.99 | JAN090225 | DC COMICS |
10 | BERSERK VOL. 29 TP (MR) |
$13.95 | JAN090139 | DARK HORSE COMICS |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
Dollar Rank | Description | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | HOT TOYS: THE DARK KNIGHT 1/6-SCALE JOKER |
SEP080240 | DC DIRECT |
2 | HOT TOYS: THE DARK KNIGHT 1/6-SCALE BANK ROBBER JOKER |
OCT080243 | DC DIRECT |
3 | HOT TOYS: THE DARK KNIGHT 1/6-SCALE BATMAN |
SEP080242 | DC DIRECT |
4 | STAR WARS: CRIMSON EMPIRE CRUCIBLE PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE ACTION FIGURE PACK |
JAN088285 | KENNER |
5 | BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: BRUCE TIMM |
OCT080246 | DC DIRECT |
6 | HEROES OF THE DCU: BATMAN BUST |
OCT080244 | DC DIRECT |
7 | BATMAN MINI-NEON SIGN (US VERSION) |
OCT080263 | DC DIRECT |
8 | SGT. ROCK 1/6-SCALE DELUXE COLLECTOR FIGURE |
SEP080254 | DC DIRECT |
9 | KINGDOM HEARTS PLAY ARTS: CLOUD ACTION FIGURE |
NOV084947 | SQUARE ENIX |
10 | FALCON STATUE | DEC084768 | BOWEN DESIGNS |
TOP 10 GAMES
Dollar Rank | Description | Item Code | Vendor |
1 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ALARA REBORN BOOSTERS |
FEB095257 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
2 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT CMG: SPOILS OF WAR BOOSTERS |
FEB095237 | THE UPPER DECK COMPANY |
3 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT TCG: ARENA GRAND MELEE BOOSTERS |
MAR095059 | THE UPPER DECK COMPANY |
4 | POKEMON TCG: PLATINUM RISING RIVALS BOOSTERS |
MAR095054 | POKEMON USA |
5 | YU-GI-OH TCG: RAGING BATTLE BOOSTERS |
JAN098194 | KONAMI |
6 | AGE OF CONAN BOARD GAME |
FEB095183 | FANTASY FLIGHT |
7 | SMALL WORLD | FEB095181 | DAYS OF WONDER |
8 | SUPER SCRABBLE DELUXE EDITION |
JAN095201 | WINNING MOVES |
9 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ALARA REBORN INTRO DECKS |
FEB095259 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
10 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 4TH EDITION: MONSTER MANUAL 2 |
MAR095071 | WIZARDS OF THE COAST |
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.
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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.