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Marvel's 10% Free Overship Really Increased January 2017 Marketshare – But It's Not The Whole Story

The Diamond stats for January 2017 are out, covering the direct market in North America…

In November, Marvel Comics was top publisher with a 38.08% dollar share and a 39.46% unit share. In December, Marvel slipped on the amount of dollars, though increased unit share with a 36.73% dollar share and a 40.50% unit share, as a direct result of specific sending out of extra copies of comics, for free, to bulk up a retailers order and get counted on the unit share chart – but not the dollar share chart. And in January, they sent out an extra 10% of all their superhero comics, and discounted retailers who ordered big on certain specific titles. Which saw Marvel get a massive 42.62% unit share for January 2017 and a lift of dollar share up to 37.09%, despite their standard comics costing $3.99 to DC Comics' $2.99.

In comparison, DC Entertainment had a 28.93% dollar share and a 31.33% unit share, compared to December's 26.17% dollar share and a 31.30% unit share. Basically making more money from the same sales. But their DC Rebirth returnability having mostly left the system at least lets you know their sales to stores are based on actual orders – and their standard comic is only $2.99. For now.

It is also worth noting that Marvel published many more titles than DC in January.

However the reason USAvengers #1 topped the Top Ten is less likely to be the 10% overship, or the generous discount for high orders, rather it would have been the the fifty-odd state state-specific variant covers that helped launch the title. And seem to have worked!

There should also be celebration for The Walking Dead, ramping up sales without discounts, returnability or promotions. Just by being the Walking Dead. Shame their 25 cent quarter-of-a-million order issue from February won't be counted by Diamond's stats..

 

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 37.09%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 28.93%
IMAGE COMICS 9.82%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.25%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.04%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.09%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.65%
TITAN COMICS 1.24%
VIZ MEDIA 1.15%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.82%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.92%
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 42.62%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.33%
IMAGE COMICS 9.36%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.45%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.91%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.91%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.47%
TITAN COMICS 1.10%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.81%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.47%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 4.57%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
JANUARY 2017 VS. DECEMBER 2016
COMICS -7.50% -7.84%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -18.85% -28.03%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -11.00% -9.49%
TOYS -38.37% -39.98%
JANUARY 2017 VS. JANUARY 2016
COMICS 0.36% 7.21%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -11.88% -8.61%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -3.41% 6.01%
TOYS -15.43% -2.28%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS 97 33 0 130
DC ENTERTAINMENT 86 26 0 112
IMAGE COMICS 44 16 0 60
IDW PUBLISHING 41 17 0 58
DARK HORSE COMICS 27 16 0 43
BOOM ENTERTAINMENT 26 7 0 33
TITAN COMICS 24 0 4 28
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 16 6 0 22
VIZ MEDIA 0 21 0 21
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 9 3 0 12
OTHER 87 96 27 210

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 U.S.AVENGERS #1 $3.99 OCT160723-M MAR
2 BATMAN #14 $2.99 NOV160208-M DC
3 BATMAN #15 $2.99 NOV160210-M DC
4 JUSTICE LEAGUE/POWER RANGERS #1 $3.99 NOV160283-M DC
5 THE WALKING DEAD #162 (MR) $2.99 NOV160652-M IMA
6 ALL-STAR BATMAN #6 $4.99 NOV160195-M DC
7 JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #3 $3.99 NOV160163-M DC
8 MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1 $4.99 NOV160745-M MAR
9 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #23 $3.99 NOV160827-M MAR
10 JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 $2.99 NOV160179-M DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN VOLUME 1: I AM GOTHAM TP $16.99 OCT160291-M DC
2 KILL OR BE KILLED VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 NOV160670-M IMA
3 THE FLASH VOL. 1: LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE TP $17.99 OCT160292 DC
4 SUPERMAN VOL. 1: SON OF SUPERMAN TP $16.99 OCT160297 DC
5 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE VOL. 1: THE EXTINCTION MACHINE TP $16.99 OCT160295 DC
7 PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 1 TP $9.99 JAN160645 IMA
8 STAR WARS: HAN SOLO TP $16.99 SEP161136 MAR
9 GREEN ARROW VOL. 1: THE LIFE & DEATH OF OLIVER QUEEN TP $16.99 OCT160293 DC
10 THE BLACK MONDAY MURDERS VOLUME 1: ALL HAIL GOD MAMMON TP (MR) $19.99 NOV160656-M IMA

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: BATGIRL AT SUPER HERO HIGH HC $13.99 OCT162171 RAN
2 STAR WARS: I AM A STORMTROOPER LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 OCT162204 RAN
3 DOCTOR STRANGE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 OCT162172 RAN
4 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: ROCKET TO RESCUE LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $4.99 OCT162173 RAN
5 DC SUPER FRIENDS: WONDER WOMAN LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK $9.99 OCT162170 RAN
6 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 113 SC $14.95 OCT162199 SAN
7 DC SUPER FRIENDS: COLD CAPER SC $4.99 OCT162168 RAN
8 9 MARVEL SUPER HERO TALES LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK HC $12.99 OCT162174 RAN
9 I AM JIM HENSON HC $14.99 NOV162128 PUT
10 SECRET HERO SOCIETY VOLUME 2: FORT SOLITUDE HC $12.99 OCT162175 SCH

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MARVEL SELECT: DOCTOR STRANGE MOVIE ACTION FIGURE JUN162396 DST
2 MARVEL UNIVERSE: THANOS FINE ART STATUE JUN162696 KOT
3 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN SPIDER-MAN ARTFX+ STATUE JUL162983 KOT
4 MARVEL: DEADPOOL 1/4-SCALE ACTION FIGURE MAY168389 NEC
5 MARVEL GALLERY: SPIDER-MAN PVC FIGURE SEP162538 DST
6 BATMAN V SUPERMAN: WONDER WOMAN MAF EX FIGURE NOV158387 MED
7 MARVEL SELECT: CABLE ACTION FIGURE OCT142189 DST
8 POP! DC HEROES: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: SUPERMAN FIGURE JUL162707 FUN
9 DC COMICS: WONDER GIRL BISHOUJO STATUE JUL162984 KOT
10 GHOSTBUSTERS SELECT ACTION FIGURES SERIES 4 SEP162532 DST

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 4D CITYSCAPE: BATMAN: GOTHAM CITY PUZZLE JUN168000 4D
2 4D CITYSCAPE: LORD OF THE RINGS: MIDDLE-EARTH PUZZLE JUN168003 4D
3 MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AETHER REVOLT BOOSTER PACKS NOV162988 WIZ
4 4D CITYSCAPE: GAME OF THRONES: ESSOS PUZZLE JUN168001 4D
5 4D CITYSCAPE: THE HOBBIT: MIDDLE-EARTH PUZZLE JUN168002 4D
6 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SHADOWS OF THE PAST BOARD GAME APR160482 IDW
7 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES HEROCLIX: SHREDDER'S RETURN SEP168871 NEC
8 RICK AND MORTY: TOTAL RICKALL CARD GAME AUG168447 CRY
9 MACHI KORO: BRIGHT LIGHTS BIG CITY CARD GAME SEP160613 IDW
10 MEGA MAN BOARD GAME NOV162976 JAS

 

Dollar Market Shares for January 2017

Dollar Market Share – January 2017

Unit Market Shares for January 2017

Unit Market Share – January 2017

 


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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