EDITOR’S NOTE: Interesting Stats. Not surprised to see Marvel and DC dominating the top publishers, since monthly releases between the two of them average 160+ books every month. (I pity the comic shop owners that have to represent all this on their store shelves — doesn’t leave much room for the other companies.) Keep in mind that quantity doesn’t equal quality. Marvel edges out DC by just 6% of the dollar share and 4% of the market share. DC is gaining.
Even more telling is the list of Top 10 books of 2017, with a 50/50 draw between the two publishers. I”ve only read 3 of the Top 10 books on the list, so I’m not judging whether or not these books are deserving. I’m surprised that Doomsday Clock #2 outsold copies of Issue #1, and that Doomsday Clock #1 didn’t even make the Top 10. That breaks the trend of declining sales # following the debut issue of titles.
I’m especially interested in those graphic novel and trade paperback sales, where Image kicks butt based on the strength of SAGA and WALKING DEAD.
· Marvel Legacy #1 Bestselling Comic Book of the Year; Marvel Comics Top Comic Book Publisher of the Year
· DC Comics Ranked #2 Publisher; Finishes with 5 of the Top 10 Comic Books
· Image Comics named #3 publisher; Dominates Graphic Novels Chart with 8 out of the Top 10 Titles
(HUNT VALLEY, MD) — (January 12, 2018) — Marvel Comics returned to the essence of its core characters in 2017 with the publication of Marvel Legacy #1, the best-selling comic book published in 2017, based on total unit sales to comic book specialty retailers, according to Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop-culture merchandise.
Written by Jason Aaron and featuring an all-star line-up of artists led by Esad Ribic and wrapped in a cover by Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, Marvel Legacy #1 successfully captured fans' attention and launched a new direction for the Marvel publishing line.
Marvel Comics finished the year as the comic book specialty market’s top publisher, leading in both Dollar and Unit Market Shares, with a 36.36% Dollar Market Share and a 38.30% Unit Market Share. Marvel Comics had five of the year's top ten comics; in addition to Marvel Legacy #1, Peter Parker: Spectacular Spider-Man #1, Secret Empire #0, Secret Empire #1, and Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey #1 were among the top ten.
DC Entertainment was the comic book specialty market’s number two publisher in 2017 with a 30.07% Dollar Market Share and a 33.93% Unit Market Share. DC Entertainment’s top comic book, Dark Nights: Metal #1, the first chapter in the publisher's epic crossover by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and Jonathan Glapion, charted at #2 for the year. Overall, DC had five titles in the top ten comics for the year, including subsequent issues #2-4 of Dark Nights: Metal, as well as Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Doomsday Clock #2 as the eighth best-selling comic book for 2017.
Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' award-winning science fiction epic, Saga from Image Comics once again dominated the top ten graphic novels chart and solidified Image Comics as the year's third largest comic book publisher, with a 9.80% Dollar Market Share and a 10.12% Unit Market Share. Image Comics took eight of the top ten graphic novel spots, with Saga Volume 7 as the best-selling graphic novel for 2017. Saga Volumes 1 and 4 also placed in the top ten, along with Paper Girls Volume 1 (#4), Monstress Volume 1 (#6), and Seven to Eternity Volume 1 (#10). The best-selling comic book for the year from Image was Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard's The Walking Dead #146 at #82.
IDW Publishing was the comic book specialty market’s fourth largest publisher, propelled by its licensed titles from Hasbro, Disney, and Lucasfilm. The company’s Dollar Market Share was 4.54% for the year. Star Wars Adventures #1, a kid-friendly title based on the iconic film franchise, was IDW's top-selling comic book, landing at #381 for the year.
Dark Horse Comics' creator-owned titles helped the company to be the fifth-ranked publisher in the comic book specialty market in 2017 with a 3.12% Dollar Market Share. Dark Horse’s top comic book for the year was Neil Gaiman's American Gods: Shadows #1, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel by P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton, at #292.
2017 TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
|
MARVEL COMICS |
36.36% |
38.30% |
|
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
30.07% |
33.93% |
|
IMAGE COMICS |
9.80% |
10.12% |
|
IDW PUBLISHING |
4.54% |
3.66% |
|
DARK HORSE COMICS |
3.12% |
2.25% |
|
BOOM! STUDIOS |
2.10% |
1.85% |
|
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
1.90% |
2.04% |
|
TITAN COMICS |
1.15% |
0.97% |
|
VIZ MEDIA |
1.15% |
0.41% |
|
ONI PRESS |
1.00% |
0.64% |
|
OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
8.81% |
5.83% |
2017 TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
|
QTY RANK |
RETAIL RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
1 |
MARVEL LEGACY #1 |
$5.99 |
JUL170990-M |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
2 |
2 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL #1 |
$4.99 |
JUN170233-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
4 |
PETER PARKER: SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1 |
$4.99 |
APR170970-M |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
|
4 |
19 |
SECRET EMPIRE #0 |
$4.99 |
FEB170758-M |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
5 |
10 |
SECRET EMPIRE #1 |
$4.99 |
MAR170901-M |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
6 |
14 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL #3 |
$3.99 |
JUL170304-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
7 |
15 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL #2 |
$3.99 |
JUL170300-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
8 |
6 |
DOOMSDAY: CLOCK #2 |
$4.99 |
OCT170204-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
9 |
16 |
DARK NIGHTS: METAL #4 |
$3.99 |
SEP170248-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
10 |
5 |
PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY #1 |
$4.99 |
OCT170824-M |
MARVEL COMICS |
2017 TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
|
QTY RANK |
RETAIL RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
1 |
SAGA VOLUME 7 TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
JAN170850 |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
2 |
14 |
SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) |
$9.99 |
AUG120491 |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
3 |
6 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 27: WHISPERER WAR TP |
$14.99 |
AUG168569 |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
4 |
24 |
PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 1 TP |
$9.99 |
JAN160645 |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
5 |
4 |
BATMAN VOLUME 1: I AM GOTHAM TP |
$16.99 |
OCT160291-M |
DC ENTERTAINMENT |
|
6 |
28 |
MONSTRESS VOLUME 1 TP (MR) |
$9.99 |
APR160803-M |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
7 |
3 |
RICK AND MORTY VOLUME 1 TP |
$19.99 |
JUL151482-M |
ONI PRESS |
|
8 |
5 |
THE WALKING DEAD: HERE'S NEGAN HC (MR) |
$19.99 |
JUL170766-M |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
9 |
12 |
SAGA VOLUME 8 TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
OCT170715 |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
10 |
38 |
SEVEN TO ETERNITY VOLUME 1 TP |
$9.99 |
DEC160767-M |
IMAGE COMICS |
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the 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 2017, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. The category tables in this press release are ranked by units sold by Diamond to its accounts for the comic books and graphic novels categories.
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