Comic sales are now actually up .22% year-to-date vs. a year ago, although graphic novels are down a hefty 9.31%, dragging down the combined category 2.67%.
Marvel’s market share was a whopping 16.73% over DC’s, which is ten points more than a typical recent spread or the 2017 full year spread of 6.28% (see "Marvel Takes 2017 Market Share Crown in Comic Stores").
May 2018 Comic Store Market Share (Dollar Share)
42.64% Marvel Comics
25.71% DC Entertainment
10.83% Image Comics
3.65% IDW Publishing
2.54% Dark Horse Comics
1.96% BOOM! Studios
1.64% Dynamite Entertainment
1.12% VIZ Media
1.03% Oni Press
0.84% Valiant Entertainment
8.03% Other Non-Top 10
Marvel dominated the top of the Top Comics chart, with the top two titles and four of the top five.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – May 2018
1. Amazing Spider-Man #800 (Marvel)
2. Venom #1 (Marvel)
3. Doomsday Clock #5 (DC Comics)
4. Avengers #1 (Marvel)
5. Black Panther #1 (Marvel)
6. Batman #47 (DC Comics)
7. Batman #46 (DC Comics)
8. Justice League: No Justice #1 (DC Comics)
9. The Man of Steel #1 (DC Comics)
10. The Walking Dead #179 (Image Comics)
Marvel also dominated the top dollar comics, and we’re guessing that when the numbers are released on Monday, we’ll find that the $9.99 Amazing Spider-Man #800 was a big factor in Marvel’s market share dominance.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – May 2018
1. Amazing Spider-Man #800 (Marvel)
2. Venom #1 (Marvel)
3. Doomsday Clock #5 (DC Comics)
4. Avengers #1 (Marvel)
5. Black Panther #1 (Marvel)
6. Action Comics #1000 (DC Comics)
7. Despicable Deadpool #300 (Marvel)
8. Batman: The White Knight #8 (DC Comics)
9. Invincible Iron Man #600 (Marvel)
10. Justice League: No Justice #1 (DC Comics)
An inexpensive Star Wars: Tag & Bink volume had the top piece sales on the Top Graphic Novels chart in May. Notably, its retail price was $2.00 below the price of the top comic.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – May 2018
1. Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here #1 (Marvel)
2. The Infinity Gauntlet TP (Marvel)
3. Where We Live: Las Vegas Shooting Benefit Anthology TP (Image Comics)
4. Snotgirl Vol. 2: California Screaming TP (Image Comics)
5. Dark Days: The Road to Metal HC (DC Comics)
6. Wonder Woman Vol. 5: Heart of the Amazon TP (DC Comics)
7. Amazing Spider-Man/Venom: Venom, Inc TP (Marvel)
8. Hellboy Omnibus Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction TP (Dark Horse Comics)
9. Black Magick Vol. 2: Awakening II TP (Image Comics)
10. Black Panther: Long Live the King TP (Marvel)
10. Infinity War TP (Marvel)
Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here had two spots on the graphic novel chart when ranked by dollars, while the big dollar books moved up. As we’ve been seeing lately, there were four Marvel omnibi priced at $100 in the top dollar graphic novels chart.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – May 2018
1. The Infinity Gauntlet TP (Marvel)
2. Punisher MAX by Garth Ennis Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (Marvel)
3. Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here #1 (Marvel)
4. Dark Days: The Road to Metal HC (DC Comics)
5. Where We Live: Las Vegas Shooting Benefit Anthology TP (Image Comics)
6. Wolverine Goes to Hell Omnibus HC (Marvel)
7. Infinity War TP (Marvel)
8. Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Team-Up Vol. 3 HC (Marvel)
9. Hellboy Omnibus Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction TP (Dark Horse Comics)
10. Weapon X: The Return Omnibus HC (Marvel)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during May, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--May 2018."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during May, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual--May 2018."
For links to all previous Top 300 Comic and Top 300 Graphic Novel articles, see "ICv2 Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."