For the third month in a row in March, only one comic title sold more than 100,000 copies, according to ICv2’s estimates of comic sales based on indexes released by Diamond Comic Distributors. Until this January, there had been multiple titles selling over 100,000 every month since DC’s "New 52" kicked off in September of 2011. The sales on individual titles confirm the relative weakness evidenced by the comics dollar trends for the first quarter (see "Comics Down--Three Is a Trend").
The only launches in the Top 10, Daredevil #1 and Silver Surfer #1, sold around 76,000 and 65,000, respectively.
The news was better on the graphic novel charts, where the latest The Walking Dead tradepaperback, Vol. 20, sold slightly more than Vol. 19 in the first month, and Saga Vol. 3 also killed it, with over 21,000 sold. The Walking Dead Vol. 1 came in at #14, with over 3400 copies sold, representing 3400 customers new to the franchise who are also potential customers for the remaining 19 volumes with more to come, a positive sign that reassures us as to the future of the franchise.
For an analysis of the dollar trends in March, see "Comics Down--Three Is a Trend."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during March, see "Top 300 Comics Actual--March 2014."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during March, see "Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual--March 2014."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during February, see "Top 300 Comics Actual--February 2014."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during February, see "Top 300 Graphic Novels Actual--February 2014."
For an overview and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in Februay, see "Comic Sales Get 'Deep Freeze' in February." For an analysis of the dollar trends in February, see "Comics Down Second Consecutive Month."
For our index to our reports on the top comic and graphic novel preorders for January 2000 through March 2014, see "ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."
Graphic Novels Stronger
Posted by ICv2 on April 8, 2014 @ 2:03 am CT