Diamond Comic Distributors has released August’s sales results and it was a mixed month for comic publishers as DC Comics has taken the top three spots for individuals comics led by Batman and their summer/fall event, Dark Nights!

The industry rebounded a little compared to the previous month seeing increases across the board. Comics, graphic novels, and toys all saw gains over the month with double digital gains for comics/graphic novels and toys seeing a massive increase in dollars. Compared to August 2016, August 2017 was down almost 26% in both dollars and units. August 2016 was driven by DC’s “Rebirth” when the top 11 comics all saw six figure printings. Graphic novels were down too and toys also saw a dip comparatively.

When it comes to year to date, comics, graphic novels, and toys are down across the board, but then again we’re comparing apples to oranges with the lack of the “Rebirth” launch driving the market.

Marvel Comics was August’s top publisher with a 35.01% dollar share (down 1.88 from the previous month) and a 39.52% unit share (down 0.01). DC Entertainment was second in August with a 28.18% dollar share (up 1.24) and a 31.09% unit share (down 0.06). In third was Image Comics with a 10.06% dollar share (down 1.41) and a 9.23% unit share (down 0.50). In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.81% dollar share (up 0.98) and a 3.69% unit share, (up 0.43) followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 3.16% dollar share (down 0.24) and a 2.18% unit share (down 0.37).

DC Entertainment had three titles among the top ten, taking the top three spots. Marvel Comics had seven titles in the top ten, led by Secret Empire which had three spots, “Generations” issues took two, and Star Wars took two. That means in the top ten there were just 5 different comic titles.

The Walking Dead #170 was Image Comics’ top book for August at #11. P. Craig Russell and Bo Hampton’s Neil Gaiman’s American Gods: Shadows #6 was Dark Horse Comics’ top book #105. Finally, IDW Publishing’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #73 was their top book at #158.

When it comes to graphic novels and trade paperbacks, Image Comics took the top spot with the third volume of Paper Girls. In total, Image had five titles in the top ten. DC Entertainment had three titles in the top ten. Marvel Comics had two titles among the top ten.

Hellboy: An Assortment of Horrors, a new prose anthology featuring stories of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and published by Dark Horse Comics, was August’s best-selling book.  Also charting for Dark Horse in August, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Big Bads and Monsters Adult Coloring Book ranked #9.  IDW Publishing’s Cinegeek ranked #3. BOOM! Studios’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Adult Coloring Book ranked #5. Gemstone Publishing’s The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 47 ranked #8 in its second month of release.

Based on the best-selling game for the Nintendo Wii U and the Nintendo Switch, Good Smile’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Link Nendoroid DX was August’s best-selling toy product. DC Collectibles had two products in the top ten: the Batman Black & White Statue by Norm Breyfogle at #2 and the DC Cover Girls: Zatanna Statue at #5. Diamond Select Toys had three products among the top ten: the Marvel Select: Lady Deadpool Action Figure at #4, the Marvel Premium Collection: Thanos Statue at #6, and the Marvel Gallery: Luke Cage (Netflix) PVC Figure at #10.

Thor and the gods of Asgard join WizKids/NECA’s HeroClix miniatures game with the Marvel HeroClix: The Mighty Thor Booster Brick, August’s best-selling gaming product. From the premier publishers, IDW Games’ Machi Koro Card Game ranked #6.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER	DOLLAR SHARE	UNIT SHARE
MARVEL COMICS	35.01%	39.52%
DC ENTERTAINMENT	28.18%	31.09%
IMAGE COMICS	10.06%	9.23%
IDW PUBLISHING	4.81%	3.69%
DARK HORSE COMICS	3.16%	2.18%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	2.50%	3.58%
BOOM! STUDIOS	2.19%	1.88%
TITAN COMICS	1.48%	1.25%
VIZ MEDIA	1.42%	0.52%
ONI PRESS INC.	1.28%	0.82%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	9.91%	6.23%

 COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

	DOLLARS	UNITS
AUGUST 2017 VS. JULY 2017
COMICS	9.56%	9.30%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	18.34%	20.46%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	12.16%	10.12%
TOYS	52.54%	32.90%
AUGUST 2017 VS. AUGUST 2016
COMICS	-25.72%	-25.91%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-6.89%	-10.02%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-20.71%	-24.84%
TOYS	-33.47%	-42.90%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016
COMICS	-9.94%	-6.23%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-11.68%	-12.77%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-10.47%	-6.76%
TOYS	-10.99%	-16.38%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER	COMICS SHIPPED	GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED	MAGAZINES SHIPPED	TOTAL SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS	106	40	1	147
DC ENTERTAINMENT	78	29	1	108
IMAGE COMICS	62	18	0	80
IDW PUBLISHING	56	22	0	78
DARK HORSE COMICS	20	16	0	36
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	30	6	0	36
BOOM ENTERTAINMENT	25	10	0	35
TITAN COMICS	20	13	1	34
VIZ MEDIA	0	26	0	26
ONI PRESS INC.	8	7	0	15
OTHER NON-TOP 10	119	182	32	333

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	DARK NIGHTS: METAL #1	$4.99	JUN170232-M	DC
2	BATMAN #28	$2.99	JUN170252-M	DC
3	BATMAN #29	$2.99	JUN170254-M	DC
4	SECRET EMPIRE #10	$4.99	JUN170877-M	MAR
5	GENERATIONS: ALL-NEW WOLVERINE/WOLVERINE #1	$4.99	JUN170857-M	MAR
6	SECRET EMPIRE #8	$4.99	JUN170865-M	MAR
7	SECRET EMPIRE #9	$4.99	JUN170871-M	MAR
8	GENERATIONS: THE MIGHTY THOR/UNWORTHY THOR #1	$4.99	JUN170842-M	MAR
9	STAR WARS #34	$3.99	JUN171015-M	MAR
10	STAR WARS #35	$3.99	JUN171018-M	MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 3 TP	$12.99	JUN170777	IMA
2	BATMAN VOLUME 3: I AM BANE TP	$16.99	MAY170321	DC
3	GOD COUNTRY TP (MR)	$16.99	MAY170624-M	IMA
4	KILL OR BE KILLED VOLUME 2 TP (MR)	$16.99	MAY170693-M	IMA
5	WONDER WOMAN VOLUME 3: THE TRUTH TP	$16.99	MAY170328	DC
6	X-MEN GOLD VOLUME 1: BACK TO BASICS TP	$15.99	MAY170943	MAR
7	REBORN HC (MR)	$24.99	FEB170703-M	IMA
8	SUPERMAN VOLUME 3: MULTIPLICITY TP	$16.99	MAY170327	DC
9	OLD GUARD BOOK 1: OPENING FIRE TP (MR)	$16.99	JUN170687-M	IMA
10	X-MEN BLUE VOLUME 1: STRANGEST TP	$15.99	MAY170944	MAR

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	HELLBOY: AN ASSORTMENT OF HORRORS SC NOVEL	$14.99	APR170061	DAR
2	BATMAN & ROBIN ADVENTURES: HARLEY QUINN’S CRAZY CREEPER CAPER TP	$5.95	MAY172127	CAP
3	CINEGEEK HC	$14.99	FEB170487	IDW
4	DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: WELCOME TO SUPER HERO HIGH	$4.99	MAY172134	RAN
5	MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS ADULT COLORING BOOK TP	$16.99	JUN171326	BOO
6	DC SUPER PETS: KRYPTO ORIGIN OF SUPERMAN’S DOG	$4.95	MAY172138	CAP
7	DC SUPER PETS: STREAKY ORIGIN OF SUPERGIRL’S CAT	$4.95	MAY172139	CAP
8	OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOLME 47 SC	$29.95	APR171765-M	GEM
9	BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: BIG BADS & MONSTERS ADULT COLORING BOOK TP	$14.99	MAY170055	DAR
10	DC SUPER PETS: ACE ORIGIN OF BATMAN’S DOG	$4.95	MAY172136	CAP

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD: LINK NENDOROID DX	DEC168626	GOO
2	BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE BY NORM BREYFOGLE	FEB170345	DC
3	DRAGONBALL SUPER DRAGON STARS ACTION FIGURES	DEC168377	BAN
4	MARVEL SELECT: LADY DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE	DEC162578	DST
5	DC COVER GIRLS: ZATANNA STATUE	FEB170343	DC
6	MARVEL PREMIUM COLLECTION: THANOS STATUE	DEC162576	DST
7	ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: DC COMICS: ARSENAL ACTION FIGURE	AUG168742	MEZ
8	MEGA MAN X FULL ARMOR NENDOROID	SEP168170	GOO
9	MARVEL NOW: CARNAGE ARTFX+ STATUE	FEB172861	KOT
10	MARVEL GALLERY: LUKE CAGE NETFLIX PVC FIGURE	JAN172647	DST

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	MARVEL HEROCLIX: THE MIGHTY THOR BOOSTER BRICK	APR173304	NEC
2	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AMONKHET BOOSTER PACKS	DEC168751	WIZ
3	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AETHER REVOLT BUNDLE PACK	NOV162989	WIZ
4	MONOPOLY: STAR WARS 40TH-ANNIVERSARY EDITION	FEB178728	HAS
5	STARFINDER RPG CORE RULEBOOK HC	JUN173371	PAI
6	MACHI KORO CARD GAME	MAY142831	IDW
7	CHOCOBO PLAYING CARDS	NOV168553	SQU
8	MARVEL HEROCLIX: THE MIGHTY THOR STARTER SET	APR173305	NEC
9	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: COMMANDER 2017	JUN173402	WIZ
10	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AMONKHET BUNDLE PACK	DEC168752	WIZ