Comics and graphic novel sales were up 8.38% in October vs. October 2017, with comics up 9.66% and graphic novels up 5.3%. That's with an extra week in October 2018, which was a five-week month vs. a four-week October in 2017. With those growth numbers, it's likely that the year-over-year comparison would have been negative with two four-week months. The comparison will reverse out in November, which has four weeks in 2018 and had five in 2017.
Year-to-date comics and graphic novel sales were up 0.38% at the end of October, with comics up 2.13% and graphic novels lagging, down 3.76% for the period.
Marvel’s share lead of less than 4% was down from what has been around a 10% lead in recent months.
October 2018 Comic Store Market Share (Dollar Share)
34.22% Marvel Comics
30.48% DC Entertainment
12.62% Image Comics
4.03% IDW Publishing
3.32% Dark Horse Comics
2.37% Dynamite Entertainment
1.86% BOOM! Studios
1.34% VIZ Media
0.87% Titan Comics
0.78% Random House
8.11% Other Non-Top 10
DC Comics had the #1 title and four of the top ten comics by units shipped in October in what looks to be a fairly weak field. Image Comics' 15th Anniversary Edition of The Walking Dead #1 was the #2 title for the month.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – October 2018
1. Batman #56 (DC Comics)
2. The Walking Dead #1 15th-Anniversary Edition (Image Comics)
3. Spider-Geddon #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. Batman #57 (DC Comics)
5. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1 (Marvel Comics)
6. Heroes in Crisis #2 (DC Comics)
7. Venom #7 (Marvel Comics)
8. Justice League #10 (DC Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #7 (Marvel Comics)
10. Amazing Spider-Man #8 (Marvel Comics)
The cover prices of the top ten comics by dollars are all $3.99 except for Heroes in Crisis #2 at $4.99, an unusually low-priced group. Marvel Comics' six titles in the top 10 were all from the Spider-Man family, a rare show of strength for Marvel's flagship character.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – October 2018
1. Batman #56 (DC Comics)
2. Spider-Geddon #1 (Marvel Comics)
3. Venom #7 (Marvel Comics)
4. Batman #57 (DC Comics)
5. Venom Annual #1
6. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #1 (Marvel Comics)
7. Heroes in Crisis #2 (DC Comics)
8. Amazing Spider-Man #7 (Marvel Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #8 (Marvel Comics)
10. Justice League #10 (DC Comics)
DC Comics' first Black Label collection, Batman: White Knight, was the top graphic novel by units in comic stores in October, while Image Comics had half of the top ten graphic novel titles for the month.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – October 2018
1. Batman: White Knight TP (DC Comics)
2. Wonder Woman Earth One Volume 2 HC (DC Comics)
3. My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies HC (Image Comics)
4. Batman Volume 7: The Wedding TP (DC Comics)
5. Gideon Falls Volume 1: Black Barn TP (Image Comics)
6. Isola Volume 1 TP (Image Comics)
7. The Wicked & The Divine Volume 7 TP (Image Comics)
8. Death or Glory Volume 1 TP (Image Comics)
9. Avengers by Jason Aaron Volime 1: Final Host TP (Marvel Comics)
10. Batman & The Justice League Manga Volume 1 TP (DC Comics)
The top ten graphic novels by dollars were evenly split between DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics at three apiece, with one non-graphic novel, Pantheon Books' Marvelocity Alex Ross art book, at #10.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – October 2018
1. Wonder Woman Earth One Volume 2 HC (DC Comics)
2. Batman: White Knight TP (DC Comics)
3. My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies HC (Image Comics)
4. Amazing Spider-Man by Michelinie & McFarlane Omnibus HC (Marvel Comics)
5. The Walking Dead Compendium 15th Annv Box Set (Image Comics)
6. Batman Volume 7: The Wedding TP (DC Comics)
7. The Wicked & The Divine Volume 7 TP (Image Comics)
8. X-Men: Grand Design: Second Genesis TP (Marvel Comics)
9. Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Volume 1 HC (Marvel Comics)
10. Marvelocity: The Marvel Comic Art of Alex Ross HC (Pantheon Books)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during October, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--October 2018."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during October, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual--October 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."