Comics and graphic novel sales were down 6.11% in Q4 vs. Q4 2015, behind a comic sales decline of 8.92% and a graphic novel increase of 1.53%.
That brings the year, which had been running ahead of 2015, down to roughly flat, with total comics and graphic novel sales up .3% vs. 2015. Comics were down .11%, and graphic novels were up 1.24%.
Marvel maintained its #1 position in the market share chart, but the spread narrowed, with only a 7% share difference between Marvel and DC.
December 2016 Comic Channel Market Share
36.73% Marvel Comics
29.47% DC Comics
8.81% Image Comics
5.49% IDW Publishing
3.17% Dark Horse Comics
2.40% BOOM! Studios
1.99% Dynamite Entertainment
1.16% Titan Comics
1.10% Valiant Entertainment LLC
1.09% VIZ Media
DC had a strong month at the top of the comics chart, with the #1 title, and four of the top five.
Top 10 Comics – December 2016
- Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad #1
- Inhumans vs. X-Men #1
- Dark Knight III: The Master Race #7
- Batman #12
- Batman #13
- Civil War II #8
- Star Wars #26
- Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1
- Hulk #1
- All-Star Batman #5
The benefit comic for those affected by the Orlando shootings was the #1 graphic novel in December, behind strong support in comic stores and a solid PR push (see "'Late Night' Push for 'Love Is Love'").
Top 10 Graphic Novels – December 2016
- Love Is Love
- Batman Vol. 9: Bloom
- Descender Vol. 3: Singularities
- Wolverine: Old Man Logan
- I Hate Fairyland Vol. 2: Fluff My Life
- Invincible Iron Man Vol. 1: Reboot
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 1: Black Squadron
- Doctor Strange Vol. 1: Way of Weird
- Batman Vol. 10: Epilogue
- Black Science Vol. 5: True Atonement
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 -- December 2016."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during November, see "Top 300 Comics Actual -- November 2016."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during November, see "Top 300 Graphic Novels -- November 2016."
For our index to our reports on the top comic and graphic novel preorders for January 2000 through December 2016, see "ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."