How’s that market looking? Well, DIAMOND COMICS has released the AUGUST SALES information.
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (September 6, 2014) — Batman hunts a killer lurking in the shadows of Gotham City in Scott Snyder and Matteo Scalera’s Batman #34 from DC Entertainment, the best-selling comic book of August 2014 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics had five titles among August’s top ten best-selling comics, led by Amazing Spider-Man #5 at #2. DC Entertainment placed four titles in the top ten. Image Comics had one title, The Walking Dead #130 at #6.
Marvel Comics was August’s top publisher with a 34.27% dollar market share and a 35.85% unit market share. DC Entertainment was second with a 28.71% dollar share and 32.56% unit share. Image Comics was third with a 8.83% dollar share and a 10.97% unit share. IDW Publishing’s dollar share in August was fourth at 5.43% and Dark Horse Comics was fifth at 4.73%.
Jim Starlin returns to his signature character Thanos in the original graphic novel, Thanos: The Infinity Revelation from Marvel Comics, August’s best-selling graphic novel and one of the publisher’s three books among the top ten. DC Entertainment had four titles in the top led, led by Fables Volume 20: Camelot at #2. Additionally, all three volumes of Image Comics’ Saga placed among the top ten.
The second volume of Jeffrey Brown’s young readers Star Wars series, Star Wars: Jedi Academy: The Return of the Padawan from Chronicle Books was August’s best-selling book. Also in the top ten were IDW Publishing’s Dave Gibbons: The Watchmen Artifact Edition at #2, Dark Horse Comics’ Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia at #3, and Gemstone’s The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 44 remained in the top ten at #4.
The X-Men and their foes, including Wolverine and Magneto, were sculpted in the 6-inch scale for Hasbro’s X-Men Legends Action Figures, August’s best-selling toy product. DC Collectibles had eight of top ten toy products for the month, led by the Batman: Arkham Asylum: Harley Quinn Statue at #2. Diamond Select Toys’ best-selling product for August was the Godzilla 1989 Vinyl Bust Bank at #17.
The cosmic heroes of Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy comic book are featured in NECA/WizKids’ Marvel Heroclix: Guardians of the Galaxy Booster Brick, August’s best-selling game product, and one of the manufacturer’s five titles in the top ten.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 34.27% | 35.85% |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 28.71% | 32.56% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 8.83% | 10.97% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 5.43% | 4.67% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 4.73% | 4.03% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.59% | 2.40% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.32% | 2.14% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 1.65% | 0.43% |
| RANDOM HOUSE | 1.14% | 0.38% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 1.04% | 0.42% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 9.28% | 6.17% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 85 | 22 | 1 | 108 |
| MARVEL COMICS | 78 | 29 | 0 | 107 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 63 | 5 | 0 | 68 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 42 | 17 | 0 | 59 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 36 | 18 | 0 | 54 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 25 | 12 | 0 | 37 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 23 | 9 | 0 | 32 |
| RANDOM HOUSE | 1 | 27 | 0 | 28 |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 0 | 0 | 25 | 25 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 98 | 117 | 21 | 236 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| AUGUST 2014 VS. JULY 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -23.77% | -22.73% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -22.06% | -20.96% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -23.26% | -22.60% |
| AUGUST 2014 VS. AUGUST 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 7.30% | 4.20% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 8.31% | 9.95% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 7.60% | 4.63% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 2.40% | -2.32% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 3.81% | 5.79% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 2.84% | -1.69% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN #34 | $3.99 | JUN140215-M | DC |
| 2 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #5 | $3.99 | JUN140613-M | MAR |
| 3 | ORIGINAL SIN #7 | $3.99 | JUN140605-M | MAR |
| 4 | MULTIVERSITY #1 | $4.99 | JUN140145-M | DC |
| 5 | SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #32 | $4.99 | JUN140643-M | MAR |
| 6 | THE WALKING DEAD #130 (MR) | $2.99 | JUN140586 | IMA |
| 7 | HARLEY QUINN #9 | $2.99 | JUN140228-M | DC |
| 8 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.4 | $3.99 | JUN140645-M | MAR |
| 9 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #18 | $3.99 | JUN140622-M | MAR |
| 10 | BATMAN ETERNAL #18 | $2.99 | JUN140207 | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THANOS: THE INFINITY REVELATION OGN HC | $24.99 | APR140765 | MAR |
| 2 | FABLES VOLUME 20: CAMELOT TP (MR) | $19.99 | MAY140403 | DC |
| 3 | DEADPOOL VS. CARNAGE TP | $16.99 | MAY140932 | MAR |
| 4 | TRILLIUM TP (MR) | $16.99 | MAY140407 | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN: EARTH-ONE TP | $12.99 | MAY140376 | DC |
| 6 | GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 1: COSMIC AVENGERS TP | $19.99 | JAN140800 | MAR |
| 7 | SAGA VOLUME 3 TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN140556 | IMA |
| 8 | WATCHMEN HC | $39.99 | JUL080172 | DC |
| 9 | SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG120491 | IMA |
| 10 | SAGA VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $14.99 | APR130443 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | STAR WARS: JEDI ACADEMY VOLUME 2: RETURN OF THE PADAWAN HC | $12.99 | MAY141839 | SCH |
| 2 | DAVE GIBBONS: WATCHMEN ARTIFACT EDITION HC | $75.00 | APR140347 | IDW |
| 3 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 4 | THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 44 SC | $29.95 | APR141239-M | GEM |
| 5 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 86 SC | $14.95 | JUN141674 | SAN |
| 6 | DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 76 SC | $14.95 | MAY141830 | SAN |
| 7 | JIM HENSON’S THE STORYTELLER HC | $19.99 | JUN140971 | BOO |
| 8 | THE BOUNTY HUNTER CODE: REVELATIONS OF BOBA FETT HC | $19.95 | JUN141675 | CHR |
| 9 | SWORD ART ONLINE VOLUME 2: AINCRAD SC | $13.00 | JUN141575 | HAC |
| 10 | THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: BATTLE OF THE SUPER-HEROES SC | $3.95 | JUN141629 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | X-MEN LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | MAR148025 | HAS |
| 2 | BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM: HARLEY QUINN STATUE | FEB140310 | DC |
| 3 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: STARGIRL STATUE | FEB140309 | DC |
| 4 | DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: RED HOOD ACTION FIGURE | FEB140306 | DC |
| 5 | DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: EARTH-2 BATMAN ACTION FIGURE | MAR140310 | DC |
| 6 | DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: STARFIRE ACTION FIGURE | FEB140307 | DC |
| 7 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES CLASSIC COLLECTOR FIGURES | MAY142439 | PLA |
| 8 | DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: ARSENAL ACTION FIGURE | FEB140308 | DC |
| 9 | DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: EARTH-2 SUPERMAN ACTION FIGURE | MAR140308 | DC |
| 10 | ARKHAM ASYLUM: THE JOKER/HARLEY QUINN/BATMAN/THE SCARECROW ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK | MAR140312 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY COMIC BOOSTER BRICK | JUN142657 | NEC |
| 2 | DC HEROCLIX: WAR OF LIGHT BOOSTER BRICK WAVE 2 | MAY142842 | NEC |
| 3 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 4 | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MINIATURES SET ONE | APR142391 | NEC |
| 5 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY COMIC BOOSTERS | JUN142656 | NEC |
| 6 | RISK LEGACY | JUN118204 | HAS |
| 7 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: INHUMANS FAST FORCES PACK | JUN142659 | NEC |
| 8 | MUNCHKIN ADVENTURE TIME | JUN142638 | PSI |
| 9 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MONOPOLY | APR142388 | USA |
| 10 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: 2015 CORE SET INTRO DECKS | JUN142652 | WIZ |
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty stores may be included as well.
Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. Please note that comics marked with an asterisk (*) have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.
The New Titles Count Chart includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.
***
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing thousands of specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
© 2014 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
