Media Release -- X-Men Wolverine and Archangel join forces and recruit a new covert strike team when longtime foe Apocalypse resurfaces in Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña's new ongoing series, Uncanny X-Force #1, giving Marvel Comics the best-selling comic book in October.
Marvel Comics was the 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 35.70% and a unit share of 40.56% in October.
Overall comic and graphic novel sales in October declined by 9.20% from September, but were up 2.77% over October 2009's sales, with graphic novel sales up a full 13.04% over one year ago. Compared to the same period in 2009, year-to-date comic book and graphic novel sales have declined 4.74%.
Graphic novel sales in October were driven by DC Comics' Superman: Earth One, a reimagining of the classic character for a new generation by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski and artist Shane Davis which garnered the publisher mainstream media notice and earned the publisher the best-selling graphic novel for the month.
DC Direct reissued several of their best-selling Blackest Night action figures for October's Blackest Night Restock Action Figure Assortment, featuring characters taken from DC Comics' best-selling Blackest Night mini-series, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics specialty retailers for the month.
NECA/WizKids' run atop the best-selling Games sales chart continued in October as the DC HeroClix: Brightest Day Action Pack, featuring characters such as Martian Manhunter and Aquaman, was the best-selling games product to comics specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK AND GRAPHIC NOVEL PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR SHARE | UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 35.70% | 40.56% |
| DC COMICS | 31.67% | 35.81% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 5.92% | 4.67% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 5.09% | 4.04% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 4.52% | 3.54% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.44% | 2.71% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.28% | 1.94% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 1.30% | 0.63% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD | 1.05% | 0.28% |
| RANDOM HOUSE | 0.74% | 0.21% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 9.30% | 5.61% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| OCTOBER 2010 VS. SEPTEMBER 2010 | ||
| COMICS | -6.96% | -7.42% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -13.37% | -1.76% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -9.20% | -6.89% |
| OCTOBER 2010 VS. OCTOBER 2009 | ||
| COMICS | -1.70% | -5.26% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 13.04% | 29.05% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 2.77% | -2.70% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2009 | ||
| COMICS | -4.82% | -6.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -4.56% | -5.97% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -4.74% | -6.04% |
TOP 10 COMICS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | UNCANNY X-FORCE #1 | $3.99 | AUG100524-M | MAR |
| 2 | BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #5 | $3.99 | JUN100157-M | DC |
| 3 | BRIGHTEST DAY #11 | $2.99 | AUG100111-M | DC |
| 4 | BRIGHTEST DAY #12 | $2.99 | AUG100113-M | DC |
| 5 | GREEN LANTERN #58 | $2.99 | JUL100114-M | DC |
| 6 | BATMAN AND ROBIN #15 | $2.99 | JUN100155-M | DC |
| 7 | NEW AVENGERS #5 | $3.99 | AUG100566-M | MAR |
| 8 | AVENGERS #6 | $3.99 | AUG100562 | MAR |
| 9 | SECRET AVENGERS #6 | $3.99 | AUG100563-M | MAR |
| 10 | KICK-ASS 2 #1 (MR) | $2.99 | JUN100640-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE HC | $19.99 | JUN100127 | DC |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
| 3 | RICHARD STARK'S PARKER: THE OUTFIT HC | $24.99 | AUG100301 | IDW |
| 4 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 2: MILES BEHIND US TP | $14.99 | SEP088204-M | IMA |
| 5 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 7: TWILIGHT (MR) | $16.99 | JUN100044 | DAR |
| 6 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 3: SAFETY BEHIND BARS TP | $14.99 | NOV082245 | IMA |
| 7 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 4: HEARTS DESIRE TP | $14.99 | SEP088205-M | IMA |
| 8 | HELLBOY VOLUME 11: MASKS AND MONSTERS TP | $17.99 | JUN100038 | DAR |
| 9 | NARUTO VOLUME 49 TP | $9.99 | JUL101178 | VIZ |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 6 HC (MR) | $34.99 | AUG100383 | IMA |
TOP 10 TOYS & STATUES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BLACKEST NIGHT RESTOCK ACTION FIGURES (ASSORTMENT #1) | FEB100302 | DC |
| 2 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES | DEC090336 | DC |
| 3 | BLACK CAT STATUE | MAR101550 | BOW |
| 4 | WHITE QUEEN RETRO STATUE | MAR101553 | BOW |
| 5 | IRON MAN: EXTREMIS ARMOR STATUE | MAY101623 | BOW |
| 6 | DC DYNAMICS: GREEN LANTERN STATUE | FEB100309 | DC |
| 7 | BLACK WIDOW STATUE | FEB108398 | BOW |
| 8 | UNIVERSAL MONSTERS SELECT: THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON ACTION FIGURE | MAR101466 | DST |
| 9 | WHITE QUEEN MODERN STATUE | FEB101498 | BOW |
| 10 | BACK TO THE FUTURE III TIME MACHINE | NOV091220 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC HEROCLIX: BRIGHTEST DAY ACTION PACK | JUL101923 | NEC |
| 2 | MAGIC THE GATERHING TCG: SCARS OF MIRRODIN BOOSTER PACKS | AUG101862 | WIZ |
| 3 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: WEB OF SPIDER-MAN BOOSTER PACK | JUN101864 | NEC |
| 4 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: LEGENDARY COLLECTION PACKS | AUG101827 | KON |
| 5 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: MARIK STRUCTURE DECK | AUG101828 | KON |
| 6 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RISE OF THE ELDRAZI BOOSTER PACKS | FEB101691 | WIZ |
| 7 | GIANT INFLATABLE D20 BLUE | JUL101827 | CRY |
| 8 | GIANT INFLATABLE D20 GREEN | JUL101828 | CRY |
| 9 | SUPER MARIO BROS. CHESS | JUL091739 | USA |
| 10 | D&D ESSENTIALS: DUNGEON MASTER'S KIT | AUG101857 | 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.
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