The Diamond Sales Charts for February are in!
Comic sales were down again, for February, but Trades and Graphic Novels did well enough to take off some the sting. Marvel dominated the comic charts with top 10 with 7 titles, DC taking the other 3 to round it out. Image and DC scored highest on the trades with 4 and 3 titles, respectively. Marvel had 2, and Boom scored the number 3 slot (behind Wicked + Divine, and Star Wars: Chewbacca) with Lumberjanes Vol 3.
For the full standings, here’s Diamond’s press release for February.
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (March 4, 2016) — Batman and Carrie Kelley journey to the Fortress of Solitude to free Superman as the renegade priest Quar and his fanatic Kandorian followers make their demands of Earth’s leaders in Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert, and Klaus Janson’s Dark Knight III: The Master Race #3 from DC Entertainment, the best-selling comic book of February 2016 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was February’s 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.
Marvel Comics had seven of February’s top ten best-selling titles, led by Jason Aaron and Leinil Francis Yu’s Star Wars #16 at #2. Also in the top ten were Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli’s Spider-Man #1 at #4, Cullen Bunn and Salva Espin’s Deadpool: The Mercs for Money #1 at #5. DC Entertainment had three titles in the top ten; in addition to Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s “Superheavy” storyline continued in Batman #49 at #2. Image Comics’ best-selling book in February was Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #151 at #13. The penultimate issue of Chuck Palahniuk’s sequel to 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.
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvine’s 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, led by Gerry Duggan and Phil Noto’s Star Wars: Chewbacca at #2. BOOM! Studios’ Lumberjanes Volume 3 ranked #3 for the month. Rounding out the top ten, DC Entertainment had three titles, led by Frank Miller’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns at #4.
DK Publishing’s The Batman Character Encyclopedia was February’s best-selling book. Also in the top ten was Dark Horse Comics’ The Eltingville Club at #2.
Diamond Select Toys’ Ghostbusters Select Series 1 Action Figures were February’s best-selling toy product and one of the manufacturer’s three products among the top ten. DC Collectibles had one product in the top ten, the DC Comics Super Heroes: Wonder Woman Bust at #9.
WizKids/NECA’s DC HeroClix: Worlds Finest Booster Brick was February’s best-selling games product.
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 |
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 retailers 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.
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