Sales of comics and graphic novels to comic stores finished 2019 strong, according to numbers released by Diamond Comic Distributors, up 9.2% vs December 2018.  In a reversal of recent trends, graphic novels led the way with 15.77% growth, while comics were up 7.08%.  As previously revealed, for the year, sales of comics were up 4.33% and graphic novels were down 2.01%, for an overall growth rate of 2.54% (see "DC Has Top Comic, Graphic Novel of 2019").

Marvel Comics' market share lead over DC Comics was smaller than was typical in 2019, only about four share points.

Comic Store Market Share (Dollar & Unit Share) – December 2019

Publisher                            Dollar Share         Unit Share
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Marvel Comics                    37.89%                   45.60%
DC Comics                           33.55%                   31.35%
Image Comics                       5.91%                      5.93%
IDW Publishing                     4.34%                      3.51%
BOOM! Studios                     4.03%                      3.66%
Dark Horse Comics              2.67%                      1.87%
Dynamite Entertainment    2.56%                      2.51%
VIZ Media                               1.00%                      0.38%
Titan Comics                          0.57%                      0.51%
Random House                     0.48%                      0.13%
Other Non-Top 10                7.00%                      4.54%

DC Comics had the top comic in units with the final issue of Doomsday Clock, and three of the top four.

Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – December 2019
  1.  Doomsday Clock #12 (DC Comics)
  2.  X-Men #3 (Marvel Comics)
  3.  Batman: Last Knight on Earth #3 (DC Comics)
  4.  Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 (DC Comics)
  5.  Venom #21 (Marvel Comics)
  6.  Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1 (DC Comics)
  7.  Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality #1 (Marvel Comics)
  8.  Incoming #1 (Marvel Comics)
  9.  Amazing Spider-Man #35 (Marvel Comics)
10.  Superman #18 (DC Comics)

DC Comics also had the top comic in dollars invoiced in December, but Marvel’s Incoming moved up to #2 behind its $9.99 cover price.  IDW Publishing placed on the chart with their milestone #100 issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – December 2019
  1.  Doomsday Clock #12 (DC Comics)
  2.  Incoming #1 (Marvel Comics)
  3.  Batman: Last Knight on Earth #3 (DC Comics)
  4.  Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 (DC Comics)
  5.  Harley Quinn: Villain of the Year #1 (DC Comics)
  6.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #100 (IDW Publishing)
  7.  Harleen #3 (DC Comics)
  8.  X-Men #3 (Marvel Comics)
  9.  Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality #1 (Marvel Comics)
10.  Venom #21 (Marvel Comics)

Marvel Comics had the best-selling graphic novel by units with its $60 House of X/Powers of X hardcover volume.  Overall, Marvel had four titles on the Top 10, DC had three titles, and Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics and Dynamite Entertainment all had one each.

Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – December 2019
  1.  House of X/Powers of X HC (Marvel Comics)
  2.  Batman TP Vol 11: The Fall and the Fallen (DC Comics)
  3.  Watchmen TP (DC Comics)
  4.  Silver Surfer Black Treasury Edition TP (Marvel Comics)
  5.  Black Hammer Vol. 4: Age of Doom Part II TP (Dark Horse Comics)
  6.  The Boys Omnibus Vol. 6 TP (Dynamite Entertainment)
  7.  Green Lantern Vol. 1: Intergalactic Lawman TP (DC Comics)
  8.  Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky Vol 02: No Devils Only God TP (Marvel Comics)
  9.  My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies TP (Image Comics)
10.  Star Wars Doctor Aphra Vol. 6: Unspeakable Rebel Superweap TP (Marvel Comics)

The House of X/Powers of X HC, from Marvel, was also the top graphic novel by dollars.  Marvel placed four books on the chart while DC had five titles and Dynamite Entertainment had one.

Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – December 2019
  1.  House of X/Powers of X HC (Marvel Comics)
  2.  Annihilation Omnibus HC (Marvel Comics)
  3.  Y: The Last Man Omnibus HC (DC Comics)
  4.  Injustice: Gods Among Us Omnibus Vol. 01 HC (DC Comics)
  5.  Absolute Dark Knight III: The Master Race HC (DC Comics)
  6.  Animal Man by Jeff Lemire Omnibus HC (DC Comics)
  7.  Silver Surfer Black Treasury Edition TP (Marvel Comics)
  8.  MMW Fantastic Four Vol. 21 HC (Marvel Comics)
  9.  Watchmen TP (DC Comics)
10.  The Boys Omnibus Vol. 6 TP (Dynamite Entertainment)

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during December, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--December 2019."

For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during December, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual-- December 2019."

For links to all previous Top 500/300 Comic and Top 500/300 Graphic Novel articles, see "ICv2 Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."