Sales of comics and graphic novels to the Direct Market of comic book stores serviced by Diamond Comic Distributors declined 3.26% compared to the previous year in January, according to information released by Diamond. Comic sales were down 6.7%, while graphic novels were up 5.09% to produce the 3.26% net decline.
Market shares were fairly consistent with recent months.
Comic Store Market Share (Dollar & Unit Share) – January 2020
Publisher Dollar Share Unit Share
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Marvel Comics 39.98% 46.67%
DC Comics 29.33% 29.73%
Image Comics 5.60% 5.60%
IDW Publishing 4.05% 3.28%
Dark Horse Comics 3.09% 2.28%
Boom! Studios 3.04% 3.10%
VIZ Media 2.59% 1.04%
Dynamite Entertainment 2.21% 2.08%
Random House 0.76% 0.22%
Titan Comics 0.57% 0.41%
Other Non-Top 10 8.77% 5.59%
DC Comics had the top comic by units shipped with Wonder Woman #750, an up-priced $9.99 anniversary issue. Marvel Comics ad eight of the top ten comics for January.
Top 10 Comics by Units Shipped – January 2020
1. Wonder Woman #750 (DC Comics)
2. Thor #1 (Marvel Comics)
3. Star Wars #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. X-Men #4 (Marvel Comics)
5. X-Men #5 (Marvel Comics)
6. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (Marvel Comics)
7. Batman #86 (DC Comics)
8. Amazing Spider-Man #38 (Marvel Comics)
9. Amazing Spider-Man #37 (Marvel Comics)
10. Star #1 (Marvel Comics)
That premium cover price on Wonder Woman #750 placed it at #1 on the top dollar comics for January as well. Higher-priced issues from DC Comics changed the rankings slightly; three DCs were in the top ten dollar comics.
Top 10 Comics by Dollars Invoiced – January 2020
1. Wonder Woman #750 (DC Comics)
2. Thor #1 (Marvel Comics)
3. Star Wars #1 (Marvel Comics)
4. X-Men #4 (Marvel Comics)
5. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (Marvel Comics)
6. X-Men #5 (Marvel Comics)
7. The Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity #2 (DC Comics)
8. Batman: Curse of the White Knight #6 (DC Comics)
9. Iron Man 2020 #1 (Marvel Comics)
10. Venom: The End #1 (Marvel Comics)
Marvel Comics had the top graphic novel by units shipped in January with its Absolute Carnage collection; the $60 House of X/Powers of X collection placed impressively at #5 in units.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Units Shipped – January 2020
1. Absolute Carnage TP (Marvel Comics)
2. Diana: Princess of the Amazons TP (DC Comics)
3. Watchmen TP (DC Comics)
4. League of Legends: Lux TP (Marvel Comics)
5. House of X/Powers of X HC (Marvel Comics)
6. Stranger Things: Zombie Boys TP (Dark Horse Comics)
7. My Hero Academia Volume 22 GN (VIZ Media)
8. Black Hammer Vol. 4: Age of Doom Part II TP (Dark Horse Comics)
9. Green Lantern: Legacy TP (DC Comics)
10. Wonder Woman: Warbringer TP (DC Comics)
Two $125 omnibi were the top graphic novels by dollars shipped in January; only three volumes in the top ten dollar books were priced at under $50 MSRP.
Top 10 Graphic Novels by Dollars Invoiced – January 2020
1. Incredible Hulk by Peter David Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (Marvel Comics)
2. Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3 HC (Marvel Comics)
3. House of X/Powers of X HC (Marvel Comics)
4. Absolute Carnage TP (Marvel Comics)
5. Daredevil by Bendis & Maleev Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (Marvel Comics)
6. Junji Ito: No Longer Human HC (VIZ Media)
7. Watchmen TP (DC Comics)
8. Batman: Black & White Omnibus HC (DC Comics)
9. Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil Vol. 14 HC (Marvel Comics)
10. Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Maximum Carnage TP (Marvel Comics)
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on comic books shipped during January, see "Top 500 Comics Actual--January 2020."
For our estimates of actual sales by Diamond U.S. from comic specialty stores on graphic novels shipped during January, see "Top 500 Graphic Novels Actual—January| 2020."
For links to all previous Top 500/300 Comic and Top 500/300 Graphic Novel articles, see "ICv2 Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."
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As DC Has Top Comic, Marvel Top Graphic Novel
Posted by Milton Griepp on February 14, 2020 @ 10:00 am CT
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