The market share gap between Marvel and DC was less than 1% in November, as DC took 8 of the top 10 comic slots for the month.  Sales for the month continued weak, although DC’s strong month appeared to be responsible for a reduction in the year-over-year declines. 

Comics and graphic novel sales were down 5.8% in November vs. the previous year period, with periodical comics declining 9.45% and graphic novel sales up 2.21%. 

The year-to-date decline improved to less than 10% with the inclusion of November’s sales, with nearly identical declines for comics and graphic novels.  Comic sales are down 9.89% for the first 11 months of the year, and graphic novel sales were down 9.32%.  Overall comics and graphic novel sales are down 9.72% in 2016 vs. the year ago period.

November 2017 Comic Store Market Share

34.29%                        Marvel Comics
33.71%                        DC Entertainment     
  8.07%                        Image Comics
  4.04%                        IDW Publishing           
  2.20%                        Dynamite Entertainment     
  2.08%                        Dark Horse Comics   
  2.06%                        BOOM! Studios         
  1.34%                        VIZ Media       
  1.31%                        Titan Comics 
  1.23%                        Oni Press       
  9.68%                        Other Non-Top 10      

DC took the top two slots with Doomsday Clock titles; the rest of DC’s 8 titles in the top 10 were all Batman titles. 

Top 10 Comics – November 2017

  1. Doomsday Clock #1
  2. Doomsday Clock #1 Lenticular Edition
  3. The Batman Who Laughs #1
  4. Batman Lost #1
  5. Batman #35
  6. Batman #34
  7. Batman: The Devastator #1
  8. Captain America #695
  9. Batman Annual #2
  10. Star Wars #38

Marvel did better on the graphic novel charts, taking the #1 slot with a Star Wars title and #2 with Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe… Again.  The heat on Rick and Morty was visible, with Oni’s first graphic novel volume taking the #5 slot, a high position for an Oni title. 

Top 10 Graphic Novels –November 2017

  1. Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 1: Imperial Machine
  2. Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe… Again
  3. The Flash Vol. 4: Running Scared
  4. Wonder Woman Vol. 4: Godwatch
  5. Rick and Morty Volume 1
  6. Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation
  7. Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Captain Phasma
  8. Superman Volume 4: Black Dawn
  9. Star Wars: Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir
  10. Justice League Vol. 4: Endless

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

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 2017."

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

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