The decline in sales of comics and graphic novels to comic stores (according to numbers released by Diamond Comic Distributors) slowed somewhat in September, with sales of both categories combined declining 6.07% vs. the same month a year ago.  Sales of graphic novels declined by a double digit 13.14%, while sales of periodical comics declined 2.98% vs. the year ago period. That seems practically bullish compared to the 20.71% decline in August and the 19.31% decline in July (see "Ouch!  Comic Sales Down Over 20% in August").

Year-to-date sales to comic stores are down 10.00%, with graphic novel sales down 11.83% and comic sales down 9.20%.

Marvel had a fairly typical 7.76% market share lead over #2 DC Comics, with Image Comics dropping below 10%.

September 2017 Comic Store Market Share
37.97%                   Marvel Comics
30.21%                   DC Entertainment
  9.55%                  Image Comics
  5.30%                  IDW Publishing
  2.44%                  Dark Horse Comics
  1.99%                  BOOM! Studios
  1.94%                  Dynamite Entertainment
  1.40%                  VIZ Media
  1.16%                  Titan Comics
  1.10%                  Oni Press

Marvel Legacy #1, the first issue of the new initiative that Marvel hopes will begin a sales turnaround (see "Launch Party for 'Marvel Legacy' #1"), was the top book in September.

Top 10 Comics – September 2017

1. Marvel Legacy #1 (Marvel Comics)
2. Dark Nights:  Metal #2 (DC Comics)
3. Venomverse #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. Batman #30 (DC Comics)
5. Batman #31 (DC Comics)
6. Harley Quinn 25th-Anniversary Special #1 (DC Comics)
7. The Walking Dead #171 (Image Comics)
8. Batman: The Red Death #1 (DC Comics)
9. Batman: The Murder Machine #1 (DC Comics)
10. Action Comics #987 Lenticular Editio (DC Comics)

Top 10 Graphic Novels – September 2017

1. The Walking Dead Vol. 28 (Image Comics)
2. Batman: The Dark Knight III:  Master Race HC (DC Comics)
3. Star Wars: Darth Maul (Marvel Comics)
4. East of West Vol. 7 (Image Comics)
5. DC Superhero Girls Vol. 4 (DC Comics)
6. Sex Criminals Vol. 4 (Image Comics)
7. All-Star Batman Vol. 1 (DC Comics)
8. Royal City Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
9. Harley Quinn Vol. 3 (DC Comics)
10. Wolverine: Old Man Logan Vol. 5 (Marvel Comics)

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

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

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

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

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