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Diamond Announces Top Products for January 2019

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (February 22, 2019) — The battle between Batman and his malevolent counterpart from the Dark Multiverse intensifies in Scott Snyder and Jock's The Batman Who Laughs #2 from DC, the best-selling comic book of January 2019 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

DC had five titles in the top ten overall including Tom King and Mitch Gerads' Batman #62 at #6, King and Mikel Janin's Batman #63 at #7, King and Clay Mann's Heroes in Crisis #4 at #8, and King and Mann's Heroes in Crisis #5 at #9. Marvel Comics also had five titles in the top; Kelly Thompson and Carmen Nunez Carnero's Captain Marvel #1 led off at #2, followed by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw's Guardians of the Galaxy #1 ranked #3, Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar's Conan the Barbarian #1 at #4, Nick Spencer and Chris Bachalo's Amazing Spider-Man #14 at #5, and Tom Taylor and Juann Cabal's Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 at #10. Among the premier publishers, Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #187 was Image Comics' top book at #30; BOOM! Studios' Buffy the Vampire Slayer #1, a present day reimagining of Joss Whedon's cult television series, was their best-selling book for January at #70; Dark Horse Comics' Stranger Things #4, based on the Netflix television series, ranked #85; Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons #4, the final issue of IDW Publishing's crossover event, ranked #98; and Dynamite Entertainment's Elvira: The Shape of Elvira #1 ranked #174.

Marvel Comics was January's top publisher, leading in both the dollar share (39.24%) and unit share (41.29%) categories. DC was second, with a dollar share of 29.70% and unit share of 33.39%. Image Comics was third, with a 7.56% dollar share and a 7.77% unit share. Dark Horse Comics was fourth with a 3.95% dollar share and a 2.97% unit share, followed by IDW Publishing with a 3.75% dollar share and a 3.32% unit share, then BOOM! Studios with a 2.32% dollar share and a 2.23% unit share, and Dynamite Entertainment with a 2.13% dollar share and a 1.83% unit share.

The collected edition of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Dark Nights: Metal from DC topped the graphic novel chart in January. Also in the top ten from DC were Dark Days: Road to Metal at #8 and Sean Murphy's Batman: White Knight at #9. Marvel Comics had five titles in the top ten, led by Jim Starlin, George Perez, and Ron Lim's The Infinity Gauntlet at #2, followed by The Life of Captain Marvel at #3, Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith Volume 4 at #4, Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die at #5, and Spider-Geddon: Edge of Spider-Geddon at #10. Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston's Black Hammer Volume 3: Age of Doom Part 1 from Dark Horse Comics ranked #6. Image Comic was also in the top ten; Rob Guillory's Farmhand Volume 1 ranked #7.

Wicked Cow Studios' Lulu Is a Rhinoceros, a picture book for young readers about a dog who wants to be a rhinoceros by Jason Flom and Sophie Corrigan, was January's best-selling book. Gemstone's Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 48 returned to the charts at #5.

Funko's POP! Power Rangers: Lord Drakkon Vinyl Figure, a PREVIEWS exclusive figure, was January's best-selling toy product. Also in the top ten from Funko was the PREVIEWS Exclusive POP! DC Heroes: The Batman Who Laughs Vinyl Figure at #5. Diamond Select Toys had two products in the top ten, led by the Marvel Select: Avengers Infinity War: Iron-Spider Action Figure at #6. Also in the top ten, DC Collectibles' Harley Quinn: Pink White & Black Valentine by Stanley "Artgerm" Lau Variant Statue ranked #10.

January's best-selling game product, Green Ronin Publishing's Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, a sourcebook for the Critical Role role-playing game, topped the sales charts for a second month in a row. Paizo Publishing had a strong month with six products in the top ten, led by the Starfinder RPG Core Rulebook at #2. Also in the top ten, Dynamite Entertainment's Red Sonja Tarot Card Set ranked #10.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 39.24%
DC 29.70%
IMAGE COMICS 7.56%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.95%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.65%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.32%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.13%
VIZ MEDIA 1.55%
TITAN COMICS 0.80%
ARCHIE COMICS 0.78%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.31%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 41.29%
DC 33.39%
IMAGE COMICS 7.77%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.32%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.97%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.23%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.83%
ARCHIE COMICS 0.77%
VIZ MEDIA 0.61%
TITAN COMICS 0.60%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.20%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
JANUARY 2019 VS. DECEMBER 2018
COMICS 11.93% 13.49%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 42.79% 40.93%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 19.47% 15.18%
TOYS 154.01% 234.27%
JANUARY 2019 VS. JANUARY 2018
COMICS 15.32% 5.03%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 11.98% 2.36%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 14.33% 4.82%
TOYS 34.53% 57.58%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS
SHIPPED
GRAPHIC NOVELS
SHIPPED
MAGAZINES
SHIPPED
TOTAL
SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS 102 40 0 142
DC 87 31 0 118
IMAGE COMICS 57 10 0 67
IDW PUBLISHING 39 17 0 56
DARK HORSE COMICS 27 19 0 46
BOOM! STUDIOS 25 11 0 36
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 19 6 0 25
VIZ MEDIA 0 25 0 25
TITAN COMICS 10 9 0 19
ARCHIE COMICS 13 5 0 18
OTHER NON-TOP 10 136 186 37 359
TOTAL 515 359 37 911

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2 $4.99 NOV180414-M DC
2 CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 $4.99 NOV180783-M MAR
3 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 $4.99 NOV180771-M MAR
4 CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 $4.99 NOV180740-M MAR
5 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 $3.99 NOV180903-M MAR
6 BATMAN #62 $3.99 NOV180402-M DC
7 BATMAN #63 $3.99 NOV180404-M DC
8 HEROES IN CRISIS #4 $3.99 NOV180457-M DC
9 HEROES IN CRISIS #5 $3.99 NOV180459-M DC
10 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1 $4.99 NOV180793-M MAR

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 $4.99 NOV180783-M MAR
2 THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #2 $4.99 NOV180414-M DC
3 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 $4.99 NOV180771-M MAR
4 CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 $4.99 NOV180740-M MAR
5 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 $3.99 NOV180903-M MAR
6 FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1 $4.99 NOV180793-M MAR
7 YOUNG JUSTICE #1 $4.99 NOV180376-M DC
8 BATMAN #62 $3.99 NOV180402-M DC
9 BATMAN #63 $3.99 NOV180404-M DC
10 HEROES IN CRISIS #4 $3.99 NOV180457-M DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DARK NIGHTS: METAL TP $19.99 OCT180569 DC
2 THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP $24.99 JUL110745 MAR
3 THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL TP $15.99 OCT181018-M MAR
4 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD OF THE SITH VOLUME 4: FORTRESS VADER TP $19.99 OCT181014 MAR
5 COSMIC GHOST RIDER: BABY THANOS MUST DIE TP $15.99 NOV181028 MAR
6 BLACK HAMMER VOL. 3: AGE OF DOOM PART I TP $19.99 SEP180278 DAR
7 FARMHAND VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $12.99 OCT180065 IMA
8 DARK DAYS: THE ROAD TO METAL TP $19.99 OCT180568 DC
9 BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT TP $19.99 JUL180733 DC
10 SPIDER-GEDDON: EDGE OF SPIDER-GEDDON TP $15.99 OCT181015 MAR

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 CONAN THE BARBARIAN OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC $125.00 JUL181158-M MAR
2 THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP $24.99 JUL110745 MAR
3 DARK NIGHTS: METAL TP $19.99 OCT180569 DC
4 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: UNCANNY X-MEN VOL. 11 HC $100.00 JUL181165-M MAR
5 HOUSE OF MYSTERY: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC $99.99 JUN180578 DC
6 INFINITY TP $49.99 JUN140730 MAR
7 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: MARVEL TEAM-UP VOL. 4 HC $75.00 JUL181163-M MAR
8 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD OF THE SITH VOLUME 4: FORTRESS VADER TP $19.99 OCT181014 MAR
9 BLACK HAMMER VOL. 3: AGE OF DOOM PART I TP $19.99 SEP180278 DAR
10 SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC $125.00 JUL181167 MAR

TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 LULU IS A RHINOCEROS $16.99 FEB188267 WIC
2 BLOODBORNE OFFICIAL ARTWORKS SC $44.99 MAR172148 UDO
3 CAPTAIN MARVEL LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 NOV181804 RAN
4 A FRIEND LIKE PIKACHU: POKEMON LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 NOV181802 RAN
5 OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 48 SC $29.95 APR181580-M GEM
6 FAST ENOUGH: BESSIE STRINGFIELD’S FIRST RIDE HC $17.99 NOV181857 LIO
7 OVERLORD LIGHT NOVEL VOLUME 9 HC $20.00 NOV182175 HAC
8 STAR TREK: I AM MR SPOCK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 NOV181801 RAN
9 STAR TREK: I AM CAPTAIN KIRK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 NOV181800 RAN
10 DC SUPER VILLAINS ORIGINS: THE JOKER TP $4.95 DEC182051 CAP

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 POP! POWER RANGERS: LORD DRAKKON VINYL FIGURE JUN188596 FUN
2 OVERWATCH: MEI FLOATING SNOWBALL REPLICA JUL189227 BLI
3 OVERWATCH: GENJI SWORD REPLICA JUL189228 BLI
4 INFINITY WAR: THANOS ARTFX+ STATUE MAR188569 KOT
5 POP! DC HEROES: THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS VINYL FIGURE JUN188595 FUN
6 MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS INFINITY WAR: IRON-SPIDER FIGURE JAN188710 DST
7 ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: THOR RAGNAROK: GLADIATOR HULK OCT178172 MEZ
8 AQUAMAN MOVIE GALLERY: AQUAMAN PVC FIGURE AUG182575 DST
9 PERSONA 5: JOKER FIGMA JUN178415 GOO
10 HARLEY QUINN: PINK WHITE BLACK VALENTINE BY LAU VARIANT STATUE JUL180806 DC

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 CRITICAL ROLE: TAL’DOREI CAMPAIGN SETTING HC JUN173357 GRE
2 STARFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK HC JUN173371 PAI
3 PATHFINDER RPG: ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN POCKET EDITION NOV182880 PAI
4 PATHFINDER RPG: ULTIMATE INTRIGUE POCKET EDITION NOV182881 PAI
5 PATHFINDER RPG CORE RULEBOOK JUN091729 PAI
6 GLOOMHAVEN 2017 EDITION MAR188530 ALL
7 STARFINDER RPG: ARMORY HC MAY182931 PAI
8 STARFINDER RPG: ALIEN ARCHIVE 2 HC AUG183177 PAI
9 MY HERO ACADEMIA CARD GAME JUL183082 SHI
10 RED SONJA TAROT CARD SET JUN181151 DYN

 

Dollar Market Shares for January 2019
Dollar Market Share – January 2019
Unit Market Shares for January 2019
Unit Market Share – January 2019

 

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world.  Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty retailers may be included as well.

Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. Please note that comics marked with an asterisk (*) have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

The New Titles Count Chart includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.

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ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing thousands of specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

© 2019 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.

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