Comic and graphic novel sales to North American comic stores declined 3.41% in January vs. the year ago period, according to information released today by Diamond Comic Distributors.  Comic sales actually rose 0.36% over January 2016, but graphic novel sales declined 11.88% over the same period a year ago.

Comic sales declined 7.5% from sales in December 2016, while graphic novels were down 18.85% from December.

Marvel’s market share lead slipped a point, while DC made a 2.76% gain over last month.

January 2017 Comic Channel Market Share

37.09%                 Marvel Comics
28.93%                 DC Entertainment
 9.82%                  Image Comics
 5.25%                  IDW Publishing
 4.04%                  Dark Horse Comics
 2.09%                  BOOM! Studios
 1.65%                  Dynamite Entertainment
 1.24%                  Titan Comics
 1.15%                  VIZ Media
 0.82%                  Valiant Entertainment
 7.92%                  Other Non-Top 10

Marvel’s U.S. Avengers #1 tops the Top 10 Comics chart, followed by two Batman titles.  The latest Walking Dead title was the only outlier not from the Top 2.

Top 10 Comics – January 2017

  1. U.S. Avengers #1
  2. Batman #14
  3. Batman #15
  4. Justice League / Power Rangers #1
  5. The Walking Dead #162
  6. All-Star Batman #6
  7. Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad #3
  8. Monsters Unleashed #1
  9. Amazing Spider-Man #23
  10. Justice League #12

DC’s Batman Volume 1: I am Gotham was the bestselling graphic novel in January. Saga Vol 1 and Paper Girls Vol 1 both made returns to the chart.

Top 10 Graphic Novels – January 2017

  1. Batman Volume 1: I am Gotham TP
  2. Kill or Be Killed: Volume 1 TP
  3. The Flash Vol. 1: Lightning Strikes Twice TP
  4. Superman Vol 1: Son of Superman TP
  5. Saga Volume 1 TP
  6. Justice League Vol. 1: The Extinction machine TP
  7. Paper Girls Volume 1 TP
  8. Star Wars: Han Solo TP
  9. Green Arrow Vol. 1: The Live & Death of Oliver Queen TP
  10. The Black Monday Murders Volume 1: All Hail God Mammon TP

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during January, see "Top 300 Comics Actual--January 2017."

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during January see "Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual--January 2017.”

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during December, see "Top 300 Comics Actual--December 2016."

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during December, see "Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual--December 2016.”