The September numbers were still below 2016 numbers, as September 2017 was a very weak month, with graphic novel sales down 13.14% vs. 2016, comic sales down 2.98%, and the combined categories down 6.07%.
For Q3, comics were up 7.44% vs. the year-ago period, graphic novels were up 1.95%, and the two categories combined were up 5.81%.
The recently improving trends have not quite overcome the very weak early part of the year; comics and graphic novel sales combined are down .55% for the first nine months of 2018, with comic sales up 1.25% and graphic novels down 4.8% vs. the same period last year.
Market shares showed fairly typical alignment, with Marvel Comics’ share over 10 points greater than DC Comics. Dark Horse Comics pulled ahead of IDW Publishing for September.
September 2018 Comic Store Market Share (Dollar Share)
39.86% Marvel Comics
29.06% DC Entertainment
10.13% Image Comics
3.62% Dark Horse Comics
3.14% IDW Publishing
2.12% BOOM! Studios
1.55% Dynamite Entertainment
1.11% VIZ Media
0.99% Oni Press
0.80% Titan Comics
7.63% Other Non-Top 10
Marvel and DC split the top 10 comics by units shipped, with each placing five issues on the chart.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – September 2018
1. Return of Wolverine #1 (Marvel Comics)
2. Heroes in Crisis #1 (DC Comics)
3. Doomsday Clock #7 (DC Comics)
4. Batman #55 (DC Comics)
5. Batman: Damned #1 (DC Comics)
6. Batman #54 (DC Comics)
7. Thanos Legacy #1 (Marvel Comics)
8. Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #6 (Marvel Comics)
10. Amazing Spider-Man #5 (Marvel Comics)
Some higher-priced comics, notably Batman: Damned #1, placed higher on the dollars chart than on the units chart.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – September 2018
1. Return of Wolverine #1 (Marvel Comics)
2. Batman: Damned #1 (DC Comics)
3. Doomsday Clock #7 (DC Comics)
4. Heroes in Crisis #1 (DC Comics)
5. Thanos Legacy #1 (Marvel Comics)
6. Batman #55 (DC Comics)
7. Spider-Geddon #0 (Marvel Comics)
8. Batman #54 (DC Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #6 (Marvel Comics)
10. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (Marvel Comics)
Image Comics took the top four slots on the graphic novel sales by units chart, with the latest volumes of their strongest franchises, Saga and The Walking Dead, taking the top two positions.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – September 2018
1. Saga Volume 9 TP (Image Comics)
2. The Walking Dead Vol. 30: New World Order TP (Image Comics)
3. Monstress Volume 3 TP (Image Comics)
4. Oblivion Song by Kirkman & De Felici Vol. 1 TP (Image Comics)
5. Batman/Catwoman: The Wedding Album HC (DC Comics)
6. Franklin Richards: A Fantastic Year #1 (Marvel Comics)
7. DC Super Hero Girls: The Search for Atlantis TP (DC Comics)
8. Descender Volume 6: War Machine TP (Image Comics)
9. Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume 3: Burning Seas TP (Marvel Comics)
10. Action Comics #1000: The Deluxe Edition HC (DC Comics)
The differences between the top units volumes and the top dollar volumes are much more apparent on the graphic novel charts, with four massive omnibi priced at $100 or more on the dollar chart.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – September 2018
1. Saga Volume 9 TP (Image Comics)
2. The Walking Dead Vol. 30: New World Order TP (Image Comics)
3. Monstress Volume 3 TP (Image Comics)
4. Batman by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale Omnibus HC (DC Comics)
5. Spider-Man Vs. Venom Omnibus HC (Marvel Comics)
6. Absolute Batman: The Killing Joke HC (DC Comics)
7. Earth X Trilogy Omnibus Alpha HC (Marvel Comics)
8. Batman/Catwoman: The Wedding Album HC (DC Comics)
9. Dark Knight III: The Master Race TP (DC Comics)
10. Marvel Masterworks: Killraven Volume 1 HC (Marvel Comics)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during September, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--September 2018."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during September, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual--September 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."