Diamond Announces February Top Sellers. DC Gains Ground.
Diamond Comic Distributors has released its initial information for sales in February. The top selling comic for the month was DC Comics‘ Dark Knight III: The Master Race #3 while Image Comics found success with The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 3 which was at the top for trade paperbacks and graphic novels.
Marvel Comics continued to be the top publisher with a 42.19% dollar share and a 40.78% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month’s number two publisher with a 29.01% dollar share and a 26.00% unit share. January’s number three publisher was Image Comics with a 10.13% dollar share and a 9.18% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.14% dollar share and a 4.78% unit share. Dark Horse Comics placed fifth for the month with a 2.59% dollar share and a 3.07% unit share.
Compared to January in the top five publishers Marvel and Image lost ground while DC and IDW gained. Dark Horse remained relatively the same. Both dollar and unit share dropped for Marvel. The dollar share decreased 3.6 percentage points for a 18.11% decrease and unit share decreased 5.98 percentage points for a 12.41% decrease compared to the previous month. Image saw their dollar share decrease by 0.49 percentage points and 5.07% and unit share decrease 0.86 percentage points for a 7.83% decrease. DC on the other hand saw their dollar share increase 3.84 percentage points for 17.33% and units increase by 4.99 percentage points and 20.77%. IDW saw dollar share increase 0.67 percentage points for 16.30% and unit share increased 0.66 percentage points for a 18.97% increase.
Marvel shipped fewer items decreasing their titles shipped by 19, Image decreased theirs shipped by 3, while DC increased theirs by 9 and IDW increased theirs by 11.
Marvel Comics had seven of February’s top ten best-selling titles, led by Star Wars #16 at #2, last month they had 8. DC Entertainment had three titles in the top ten where in the previous month they had 1. Image Comics’ best-selling book in February was The Walking Dead #151 at #13. The penultimate issue of Fight Club, Fight Club 2 #9, was Dark Horse Comics’ top book at #63. IDW Publishing’s Back to the Future #5 was their top book at #102. February’s best-selling non-premier comic book was Oni Press’ Invader Zim #7 at #90.
The Wicked and the Divine Volume 3: Commercial Suicide from Image Comics was the best-selling graphic novel of February and one of the publisher’s four titles among the month’s top ten. Marvel Comics had two titles in the top ten. BOOM! Studios had one in the top ten. Rounding out the top ten, DC Entertainment had three titles.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 40.78% | 42.19% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 26.00% | 29.01% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 9.18% | 10.13% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 4.78% | 4.14% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.07% | 2.59% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.12% | 1.94% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.09% | 1.68% |
| ONI PRESS INC. | 1.04% | 0.85% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0.94% | 0.38% |
| TITAN COMICS | 0.92% | 0.82% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 9.09% | 6.29% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 80 | 32 | 0 | 112 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 78 | 28 | 1 | 107 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 53 | 13 | 0 | 66 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 41 | 22 | 0 | 63 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 27 | 16 | 0 | 43 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 23 | 13 | 0 | 36 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 20 | 6 | 0 | 26 |
| TITAN COMICS | 14 | 6 | 1 | 21 |
| ONI PRESS | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 142 | 134 | 31 | 307 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| FEBRUARY 2016 VS. JANUARY 2016 | ||
| COMICS | 0.14% | -5.26% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -0.63% | 8.21% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -0.10% | -4.24% |
| FEBRUARY 2016 VS. FEBRUARY 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -6.73% | -14.62% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 12.00% | 18.12% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -1.69% | -12.54% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -5.32% | -9.52% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 1.13% | 2.92% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -3.43% | -8.63% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #3 | $5.99 | NOV150155-M | DC |
| 2 | STAR WARS #16 | $3.99 | DEC150866-M | MAR |
| 3 | BATMAN #49 | $3.99 | DEC150271-M | DC |
| 4 | SPIDER-MAN #1 | $3.99 | DEC150723-M | MAR |
| 5 | DEADPOOL: THE MERCS FOR MONEY #1 | $3.99 | DEC150741-M | MAR |
| 6 | DEADPOOL #7 | $9.99 | DEC150853-M | MAR |
| 7 | DARTH VADER #16 | $3.99 | NOV150919 | MAR |
| 8 | POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #1 | $3.99 | DEC150732-M | MAR |
| 9 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #7 | $3.99 | DEC150809-M | MAR |
| 10 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #48 | $3.99 | NOV150171-M | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WICKED & THE DIVINE VOLUME 3 TP (MR) | $14.99 | NOV150702 | IMA |
| 2 | STAR WARS: CHEWBACCA TP | $16.99 | NOV150951 | MAR |
| 3 | LUMBERJANES VOLUME 3 TP | $14.99 | NOV151165 | BOO |
| 4 | BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS TP | $19.99 | NOV150279-M | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN: HARLEY AND IVY DELUXE EDITION HC | $24.99 | OCT150255 | DC |
| 6 | SUNSTONE VOLUME 4 OGN SC (MR) | $14.99 | OCT150579 | IMA |
| 7 | NEW SUICIDE SQUAD VOLUME 2: MONSTERS TP | $14.99 | NOV150280 | DC |
| 8 | THE FADE-OUT VOLUME 3 TP (MR) | $12.99 | DEC150644 | IMA |
| 9 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE TP | $15.99 | FEB150860 | MAR |
| 10 | SAGA VOLUME 5 TP (MR) | $14.99 | JUL150565 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN CHARACTER ENCYCLOPEDIA HC | $16.99 | JAN161900 | DK |
| 2 | THE ELTINGVILLE CLUB HC | $19.99 | OCT150048 | DAR |
| 3 | DOCTOR WHO COLORING BOOK | $14.99 | DEC151808 | PUT |
| 4 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 103 SC | $14.95 | NOV151874 | SAN |
| 5 | WONDER WOMAN: AMAZON WARRIOR SC | $5.99 | DEC151804 | SCH |
| 6 | BATMAN & ROBIN ADVENTURES: THE JOKER’S MAGIC MAYHEM TP | $5.95 | DEC151798 | CAP |
| 7 | BATMAN TALKING BUST & ILLUSTRATED BOOK KIT | $12.95 | OCT151888 | RUN |
| 8 | BATMAN & ROBIN ADVENTURES: TWO-FACE FACE OFF TP | $5.95 | DEC151795 | CAP |
| 9 | BATMAN & ROBIN ADVENTURES: THE SCARECROW’S NIGHTMARE MAZE TP | $5.95 | DEC151797 | CAP |
| 10 | BATMAN & ROBIN ADVENTURES: CLAYFACE’S SLIME SPREE TP | $5.95 | DEC151796 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | GHOSTBUSTERS SELECT SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | MAY152168 | DST |
| 2 | MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURES | MAR101468 | DST |
| 3 | MOVIE REALIZATION STAR WARS: SAMURAI DARTH VADER “DEATH STAR” ACTION FIGURE | AUG158041 | BLU |
| 4 | ALIENS WARRIOR COOKIE JAR | AUG152314 | DST |
| 5 | THE FLASH STATUE PAPERWEIGHT | AUG152807 | ICO |
| 6 | STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS: FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER ARTFX+ STATUE 2-PACK | NOV152451 | KOT |
| 7 | MARVEL NOW: MAGNETO ARTFX+ STATUE | AUG152630 | KOT |
| 8 | STREET FIGHTER: POISON BISHOUJO STATUE | MAY158417 | KOT |
| 9 | DC COMICS SUPER HEROES: WONDER WOMAN BUST | JUL150356 | DC |
| 10 | BATMAN 1966: BATMOBILE WITH ACTION FIGURE | JUN158643 | MAT |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC HEROCLIX: WORLDS FINEST BOOSTER BRICK | DEC152576 | NEC |
| 2 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: OATH OF THE GATEWATCH BOOSTERS | NOV158284 | WIZ |
| 3 | DC HEROCLIX: DAWN OF JUSTICE | DEC152574 | NEC |
| 4 | CTHULHU MONOPOLY | JAN162797 | USA |
| 5 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DICE MASTERS: FAERUN UNDER SIEGE | DEC152567 | NEC |
| 6 | DC HEROCLIX: WORLDS FINEST FAST FORCES 6-PACK | DEC152578 | NEC |
| 7 | DC HEROCLIX: DAWN OF JUSTICE FAST FORCES 6-PACK | DEC152575 | NEC |
| 8 | STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS CHESS GAME | OCT158185 | HAS |
| 9 | CTHULHU YAHTZEE | JAN162798 | USA |
| 10 | STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS MONOPOLY | OCT158186 | HAS |
