Overall comics and graphic novel sales were up 9.53% in July compared to the same period in 2017.
The overall increase was not enough to pull year-to-date sales into positive territory; comics and graphic novel sales through July are down 1.93%, with comics up 0.76% and graphic novel sales down 8.26% vs. sales in the first seven months of 2017.
Despite the strong month for DC, Marvel remained #1 by about seven share points, undoubtedly aided by the fact that it shipped almost 30 more titles than DC.
July 2018 Comic Store Market Share (Dollar Share)
39.07% Marvel Comics
31.62% DC Entertainment
8.52% Image Comics
4.52% IDW Publishing
2.82% Dark Horse Comics
1.89% BOOM! Studios
1.74% Dynamite Entertainment
1.20% VIZ Media
0.69% Titan Comics
0.64% Archie Comics
7.29% Other Non-Top 10
DC's "Batrimony" books took three of the Top 10 Unit Sales slots, while Marvel took five slots with first or second issues.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – July 2018
1. Batman #50 (DC Comics)
2. Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
3. Captain America #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. Doomsday Clock #6 (DC Comics)
5. Superman #1 (DC Comics)
6. Catwoman #1 (DC Comics)
7. Amazing Spider-Man #2 (Marvel Comics)
8. Batman #51 (DC Comics)
9. X-23 #1 (Marvel Comics)
10. Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 (Marvel Comics)
The Top Comics by Dollars chart shows almost the same ranking, with some moves due to promotional pricing. Diamond Comic Distributors confirmed to us last month that their dollar sales rankings are done by wholesale dollars, not retail dollars. That means if a publisher offers a promotional discount on its titles, it can move that title down in the dollar sales ranking relative to titles that sell the same retail dollars.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – July 2018
1. Batman #50 (DC Comics)
2. Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Marvel Comics)
3. Captain America #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. Doomsday Clock #6 (DC Comics)
5. Superman #1 (DC Comics)
6. Amazing Spider-Man #2 (Marvel Comics)
7. X-23 #1 (Marvel Comics)
8. Catwoman #1 (DC Comics)
9. Batman #51 (DC Comics)
10. Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 (Marvel Comics)
There was nothing spectacular in the Top 10 Unit Sales chart for graphic novels, with Batman Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar TP (from DC Comics) taking the top spot.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – July 2018
1. Batman Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar TP (DC Comics)
2. The Infinity Gauntlet TP (Marvel Comics)
3. Venomized TP (Marvel Comics)
4. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 3: Remastered TP (Marvel Comics)
5. Marvel Two-In-One Vol. 1: Fate of The Four TP (Marvel Comics)
6. One-Punch Man Volume 14 GN (VIZ Media)
7. Dragon Ball Super Volume 3 GN (VIZ Media)
8. Ms. Marvel Vol. 9: Teenage Wasteland TP (Marvel Comics)
9. Wolverine: Old Man Logan Vol. 7: Scarlet Samurai TP (Marvel Comics)
10. Rocket Raccoon and Groot Complete Collection TP (Marvel Comics)
The relatively weak sales on new graphic novel releases becomes more clear when looking at the Top Dollar chart for graphic novels: seven of the Top 10 Dollar graphic novels were up-price volumes selling for $75 and up MSRP.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – July 2018
1. Avengers By Jonathan Hickman Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (Marvel Comics)
2. Batman By Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (DC Comics)
3. Ex Machina: The Complete Series Omnibus HC (DC Comics)
4. Batman Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar TP (DC Comics)
5. Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus Volume 2 HC (Marvel Comics)
6. Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 10 HC (Marvel Comics)
7. The Infinity Gauntlet TP (Marvel Comics)
8. Doctor Strange: Damnation TP (Marvel Comics)
9. The Flash: The Silver Age Omnibus Volume 3 HC (DC Comics)
10. The Prisoner By Kirby & Kane Artist Edition HC (Titan Comics)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during July, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--July 2018."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during July, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual--July 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."