For the first half of 2019, comics and graphic novel sales were down 0.49% vs. the first half of 2018, with a 0.21% increase in comic sales unable to offset the 2.25% decline in graphic novel sales.
Higher cover prices were clearly masking worse news for both the month and first half, based on unit sale changes reported by Diamond Comic Distributors. Comics and graphic novel unit sales were down 5.27% in June, with comics down 4.63% and graphic novels down 13.13%. For the first half of the year, comics and graphic novel unit sales were down 5.19%, with graphic novels down 7.19% and comics down 5.03%.
Marvel Comics had a massive share lead over #2 publisher DC Comics, behind a title count for Marvel that is now twice as large as DC’s (147 to 71). Marvel’s share lead was over 16% based on dollars, and over 22% based on units.
Comic Store Market Share (Dollar & Unit Share) – June 2019
Publisher Dollar Share Unit Share
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Marvel Comics 43.38% 48.93%
DC Comics 26.71% 26.44%
Image Comics 7.58% 8.01%
Dark Horse Comics 3.23% 2.16%
IDW Publishing 3.08% 2.83%
BOOM! Studios 2.43% 2.31%
Dynamite Entertainment 2.15% 2.02%
VIZ Media 1.61% 0.59%
Oni Press 0.74% 0.53%
Archie Comics 0.57% 0.60%
Other Non-Top 10 8.52% 5.59%
Marvel had the top titles in unit sales to comic stores in June, and had four titles in the top ten, vs. five from DC. The big mover in June was the final issue of The Walking Dead, which was the #8 title in units sold.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – June 2019
1. Black Cat #1 (Marvel Comics)
2. DCeased #2 (DC Comics)
3. Silver Surfer: Black #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. Batman: Damned #3 (DC Comics)
5. The Batman Who Laughs #6 (DC Comics)
6. Amazing Spider-Man #24 (Marvel Comics)
7. The Immortal Hulk #19 (Marvel Comics)
8. The Walking Dead #192 (Image Comics)
9. Batman #73 (DC Comics)
10. Batman #72 (DC Comics)
Up-priced issues Superman: Year One #1 and War of the Realms #6 moved into the top ten dollar books chart for June.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – June 2019
1. Black Cat #1 (Marvel Comics)
2. Batman: Damned #3 (DC Comics)
3. Superman: Year One #1 (DC Comics)
4. DCeased #2 (DC Comics)
5. Silver Surfer: Black #1 (Marvel Comics)
6. The Batman Who Laughs #6 (DC Comics)
7. War of the Realms #6 (Marvel Comics)
8. The Immortal Hulk #19 (Marvel Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #24 (Marvel Comics)
10. The Walking Dead #192 (Image Comics)
There was an eclectic mix of titles in the top 10 graphic novels by units in June, with an Image title, Die Vol. 1 as the top title, and two Tokyopop Disney titles, an Action lab volume, and a manga title also in the Top 10.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – June 2019
1. Die Vol. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker TP (Image Comics)
2. Detective Comics #1000 Deluxe Edition HC (DC Comics)
3. DC Poster Portfolio: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau TP (DC Comics)
4. DC Super Hero Girls: Search for Atlantis TP (DC Comics)
5. Disney Descendants: Evie's Wicked Runway Vol. 2 TP (Tokyopop)
6. Disney Descendants: Evie's Wicked Runway Vol. 1 TP (Tokyopop)
7. Teen Titans: Raven TP (DC Ink)
8. Batman/The Flash: The Button TP (DC Comics)
9. Miraculous Tales: Ladybug and Cat Noir Season 2 Vol. 4 TP (Action Lab)
10. My Hero Academia Vol. 19 GN (VIZ Media)
Six of the top 10 graphic novels by dollars were at least $49.99, showing the importance of price in generating sales in the category.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – June 2019
1. Blackest Night Omnibus: 10th-Anniversary Edition HC (DC Comics)
2. DC Poster Portfolio: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau TP (DC Comics)
3. Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (DC Comics)
4. Detective Comics #1000 Deluxe Edition HC (DC Comics)
5. Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 7 HC (DC Comics)
6. Disney Descendants: Evie's Wicked Runway Vol. 2 TP (Tokyopop)
7. Marvel Masterworks: Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 2 HC (Marvel Comics)
8. Berserk Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 HC (Dark Horse Comics)
9. Die Vol. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker TP (Image Comics)
10. Hulk by Loeb & McGuinness Omnibus HC (Marvel Comics)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during June, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--June 2019."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during June, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual--June 2019."
For links to all previous Top 300 Comic and Top 300 Graphic Novel articles, see "ICv2 Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."