December comic sales to comic stores were up solidly, if unspectacularly; comics and graphic novels combined were up 2.83%, with a 6.67% increase in comics trumping a 5.41% decline in graphic novels, according to sell-in information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors.  That brought the fourth quarter to a 7.78% increase overall, from a very similar 7.56% increase in graphic novels and 7.89% increase in comics.

As previously reported, comics and graphic novel sales were up 4.39% for the year (see "Image Dominates Top GNs, Marvel the Top Comics").

Marvel and DC’s shares were a bit closer than what’s been typical recently (32.07% for Marvel vs. 31.76% for DC), but the bigger surprise was Dark Horse, which slipped in the wake of losing the Star Wars license to Lucasfilm sister company Marvel (Marvel’s first Star Wars book launched last week - see "'Star Wars' #1 Launch Party).

Image Comics' share approached, but did not breach, double digits, after hitting a 10.62% share last month (see "Image Share Hits Double Digits").

December 2014 Comic Store Market Share

32.07%  Marvel Comics
31.75%  DC Entertainment
  9.89%  Image Comics
  6.10%  IDW Publishing
  3.47%  Dark Horse Comics
  2.66%  BOOM! Studios
  2.58%  Dynamite Entertainment
  1.22%  Eaglemoss Publications
  0.88%  Archie Comics
  0.86%  Avatar Press

DC had two Batman titles in the top five, but those were its only comics in the Top 10; the rest were Marvels.

Top 10 Comics--December 2014

  1. Batman #37
  2. Amazing Spider-Man #11
  3. S.H.I.E.L.D. #1
  4. Batman Annual #3
  5. Thor #3
  6. Justice League #37
  7. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1
  8. Avengers and X-Men:  Axis #7
  9. Avengers and X-Men:  Axis #9
  10. Avengers and X-Men:  Axis #8


The latest Saga collection was the #1 graphic novel in comic stores in December, one of five Image titles in the Top 10.  Marvel’s Agent Carter story, prepping for the premiere of the TV show this month (see "New 'Agent Carter' Clip"), took the #2 spot.


Top 10 Graphic Novels--December 2014

  1. Saga Vol. 4
  2. Captain America--Peggy Carter: Agent of SHIELD
  3. Just the Tips HC
  4. The Manhattan Projects Vol. 5
  5. Sunstone Vol. 1
  6. Superman Unchained Deluxe Ed. HC
  7. Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga Vol. 1
  8. New 52: Futures End Vol. 1
  9. Nightwing Vol. 5
  10. The Walking Dead Vol. 1

For an overview and analysis of comic sales in December, see "Only Two December Comics Above 100,000."
 
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 2014."
 
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 2014."
 
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 2014."
 
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 Actual--November 2014."
 
For an overview and analysis of the best-selling comics and graphic novels in November, see "'Spider-Verse' X-Over Starts Strong."  For an analysis of the dollar trends in November, see "Image Share Hits Double Digits."
 
For our index to our reports on the top comic and graphic novel preorders for January 2000 through December 2014, see "ICv2's Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."