Media Release -- Bruce Wayne's return to the present, his reassumption of the mantle of Batman, and his plans for a global war on crime gave DC Comics November's best-selling comic book, the Batman: The Return one-shot from the superstar creative team of writer Grant Morrison and artist David Finch.
Marvel Comics was November's leading publisher in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares based on total sales of comics, graphic novels, and magazines to comic book specialty stores, with a dollar share of 34.45% and a unit share of 39.81% in November.
Overall comic and graphic novel sales in November declined by 6.64% from November and declined 8.28% compared to one year ago, but graphic novel sales were up 14.84% over November 2009. Compared to the same period in 2009, year-to-date comic book and graphic novel sales have declined 5.66%.
Graphic novels were strong in November, led by Robert Kirkman's acclaimed zombie epic The Walking Dead from Image Comics. Now a hit television series on AMC, the latest collection, The Walking Dead Volume 13: Too Far Gone, gave Image Comics the best-selling graphic novel in November.
The Joker's best sidekick Harley Quinn, brought to life by designer Adam Hughes and sculptor Jack Mathews for DC Direct's Cover Girls of the DCU: Harley Quinn Statue, gave the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers for the month.
Konami's best-selling Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game continued as November with the publisher's Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Starstrike Blast Expansion was the best-selling games product to comics specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK AND GRAPHIC NOVEL PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 34.45% | 39.81% |
| DC COMICS | 33.08% | 37.10% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 5.68% | 4.32% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 5.30% | 3.81% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 4.16% | 3.37% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 4.00% | 3.54% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 1.94% | 1.78% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 1.12% | 0.59% |
| ONI PRESS | 0.70% | 0.25% |
| AVATAR PRESS | 0.63% | 0.36% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 8.94% | 5.08% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| NOVEMBER 2010 VS. OCTOBER 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -6.34% | -3.59% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -9.30% | 0.46% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -6.64% | -2.23% |
| NOVEMBER 2010 VS. NOVEMBER 2009 | ||
| COMICS | -10.20% | -4.86% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 14.84% | 11.70% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -8.28% | 0.24% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2009 | ||
| COMICS | -5.79% | -4.64% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -4.35% | -3.22% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.66% | -4.18% |
TOP 10 COMICS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN: THE RETURN | $4.99 | AUG100143-M | DC |
| 2 | BATMAN, INCORPORATED #1 | $3.99 | SEP100156-M | DC |
| 3 | AVENGERS #7 | $3.99 | SEP100579-M | MAR |
| 4 | BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #6 | $3.99 | JUL100144-M | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #16 | $3.99 | JUL100146-M | DC |
| 6 | BRIGHTEST DAY #13 | $2.99 | SEP100192-M | DC |
| 7 | BRIGHTEST DAY #14 | $2.99 | SEP100194-M | DC |
| 8 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 | $3.99 | SEP100569-M | MAR |
| 9 | GREEN LANTERN #59 | $2.99 | AUG100117-M | DC |
| 10 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #17 | $2.99 | SEP100166-M | DC |
TOP 10 TRADE PAPERBACKS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 13: TOO FAR GONE TP | $14.99 | SEP100413 | IMA |
| 2 | SERENITY: SHEPHERD'S TALE HC | $14.99 | JUL100030 | DAR |
| 3 | SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE HC | $19.99 | JUN100127 | DC |
| 4 | THE BOYS VOLUME 7: THE INNOCENTS TP | $19.99 | SEP100958 | DE |
| 5 | BATMAN AND ROBIN DELUXE VOLUME 2: BATMAN VS. ROBIN HC | $24.99 | JUL100190 | DC |
| 6 | CHEW VOLUME 3: JUST DESSERTS TP | $12.99 | SEP100449 | IMA |
| 7 | EX MACHINA VOLUME 10: TERM LIMITS TP | $14.99 | AUG100241 | DC |
| 8 | SIEGE TP | $19.99 | AUG100700 | MAR |
| 9 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
| 10 | GREEN LANTERN: AGENT ORANGE TP | $14.99 | AUG100204 | DC |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: HARLEY QUINN STATUE | NOV090257 | DC |
| 2 | DCU ORIGINS SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURE 2-PACKS | FEB100292 | DC |
| 3 | WHITE QUEEN MODERN DIAMOND EDITION PX STATUE | OCT098174 | BOW |
| 4 | JLA CLASSIFIED CLASSIC SERIES 3 ACTION FIGURES | MAR100330 | DC |
| 5 | DC DYNAMICS: SUPERMAN STATUE | DEC090317 | DC |
| 6 | WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3: POWER GIRL BUST | MAR100356 | DC |
| 7 | BETTIE PAGE, GIRL OF DREAMS BY DAVE STEVENS STATUE | APR100080 | DAR |
| 8 | STAR WARS: CLONE TROOPER BUST BANK | JAN101422 | DST |
| 9 | DR. DOOM CLASSIC STATUE | JUL101691 | BOW |
| 10 | LYNDA CARTER AS WONDER WOMAN BUST | JAN100378 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: STARSTRIKE BLAST BOOSTERS | SEP101712 | KON |
| 2 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SCARS OF MIRRODIN BOOSTERS | AUG101862 | WIZ |
| 3 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: WEB OF SPIDER-MAN BOOSTER PACK | JUN101864 | NEC |
| 4 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: FIRE LIGHTNING PREMIUM DECK | AUG108027 | WIZ |
| 5 | POKEMON TCG: HEARTSONG TRIUMPHANT BOOSTERS | JUL108215 | POK |
| 6 | DC HEROCLIX: ARKHAM ASYLUM BOOSTER PACK | AUG085406 | ALL |
| 7 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 2010 COLLECTIBLE TIN WAVE 2 | SEP101711 | KON |
| 8 | DC HEROCLIX: BRIGHTEST DAY ACTION PACK | JUL101923 | NEC |
| 9 | DUST TACTICS MINIATURES BOARD GAME | SEP101697 | FAN |
| 10 | TALISMAN SACRED POOL EXPANSION | SEP101700 | FAN |
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 — 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 3,500 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
