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Marvel, DC And Image Can All Take Solace In March 2017's Marketshare Figures From Diamond
Time to look at the figures from March 2017, of comics books ordered by comic stores in North America through the direct market served by Diamond Comic Distributors.
Last month, without line-wide overships or returnability to shift the balance, we saw Marvel and DC a lot closer to level-pegging it, with Marvel ahead but by nothing like the statistical leads they have demonstrated of late.
We already told you that in March, Marvel made more money but DC sold more comics. Here's how it breaks down.
To recap, unit share measures how many comics are sold (or sent for free) to retailers. Retail share measures a share of the money spent by retailers. Overshipping can bump up unit shares and chart placing, discount promotions can lower retail share or chart placing. A higher priced comic can mean a higher retail share. Marvel usually charge the reader $3.99 or $4.99 a comic while DC usually charge $2.99 or $3.99.
Last month saw Marvel slip from having an 11 point lead on DC's unit share in January, to a mere 0.17 point lead in February, 33.64% to 33.47% while Marvel shipped 140 titles compares to DC's 116.
In March, Marvel slipped a further point as DC Comics took the lead with 35.46% unit share compared to Marvel's 34.34%, while Marvel published 131 titles compared to DC's 123.
But Marvel maintained their February 7 point retail share lead at 37.46% to DC's 30.23% to, Marvel on 35.41% to DC's 28.75%.
Though that will have been helped by Amazing Spider-Man #25 topping the charts at $9.99. So as it stands, Marvel makes more money but DC sells more comic books. For now.
While Image Comics' kick from the Walking Dead 25 cent issue has seen it drop back to a 10% share, which is still pretty impressive given all the Marvel and DC shenanigans.
But overall? Comics sales are up this year based on last year. That has to be good…
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
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COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| MARCH 2017 VS. FEBRUARY 2017 | ||
| COMICS | 15.00% | -4.72% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 15.44% | 19.72% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 15.14% | -3.13% |
| TOYS | 34.66% | 55.98% |
| MARCH 2017 VS. MARCH 2016 | ||
| COMICS | 6.02% | 8.93% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -15.36% | -17.47% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -1.68% | 6.21% |
| TOYS | -9.24% | 0.51% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 | ||
| COMICS | 0.70% | 11.05% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -10.68% | -13.49% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -3.01% | 8.89% |
| TOYS | -2.52% | -0.31% |
| FIRST QUARTER 2017 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -15.15% | -12.69% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -11.42% | -16.73% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -14.06% | -12.98% |
| TOYS | -20.45% | -23.92% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 92 | 39 | 0 | 131 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 92 | 31 | 0 | 123 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 61 | 16 | 2 | 79 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 60 | 19 | 0 | 79 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 25 | 14 | 0 | 39 |
| TITAN COMICS | 24 | 6 | 5 | 35 |
| BOOM ENTERTAINMENT | 24 | 10 | 0 | 34 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 21 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 130 | 161 | 20 | 311 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #25 | $9.99 | JAN170988-M | MAR |
| 2 | DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #8 | $5.99 | JAN170324-M | DC |
| 3 | BATMAN #18 | $2.99 | JAN170237-M | DC |
| 4 | BATMAN #19 | $2.99 | JAN170239-M | DC |
| 5 | IRON FIST #1 | $3.99 | JAN170951-M | MAR |
| 6 | X-MEN PRIME #1 | $4.99 | JAN170940 | MAR |
| 7 | STAR WARS #29 | $3.99 | JAN171083-M | MAR |
| 8 | ALL-STAR BATMAN #8 | $4.99 | JAN170228-M | DC |
| 9 | THE WALKING DEAD #165 (MR) | $2.99 | JAN170772 | IMA |
| 10 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #16 | $2.99 | JAN170285-M | DC |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SAGA VOLUME 7 TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN170850 | IMA |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 27: THE WHISPERER WAR TP | $14.99 | AUG168569 | IMA |
| 3 | HARLEY QUINN VOLUME 1: DIE LAUGHING TP | $16.99 | DEC160373 | DC |
| 4 | SUICIDE SQUAD VOLUME 1: THE BLACK VAULT TP | $16.99 | DEC160375 | DC |
| 5 | DEATH OF X TP | $17.99 | DEC161096 | MAR |
| 6 | TITANS VOLUME 1: THE RETURN OF WALLY WEST TP | $16.99 | DEC160376 | DC |
| 7 | WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN TP | $29.99 | JUL100692 | MAR |
| 8 | DEATHSTROKE VOLUME 1: THE PROFESSIONAL TP | $16.99 | DEC160372 | DC |
| 9 | BATGIRL VOLUME 1: BEYOND BURNSIDE TP | $16.99 | DEC160370 | DC |
| 10 | DEADLY CLASS VOLUME 5: CAROUSEL TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN170822 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | STAR WARS: DARTH VADER & FAMILY COLORING BOOK | $14.95 | JAN172321 | CHR |
| 2 | WORLD OF WARCRAFT CHRONICLE VOLUME 2 HC | $39.99 | NOV160049 | DAR |
| 3 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: ART & ARTIFACTS HC | $39.99 | JUL168360 | DAR |
| 4 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 115 SC | $14.95 | DEC162213 | SAN |
| 5 | THE LEGION OF REGRETTABLE SUPERVILLAINS HC | $24.95 | JAN172281 | RAN |
| 6 | THE ART OF MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA HC | $39.99 | NOV160081 | DAR |
| 7 | DOCTOR WHO: T IS FOR TARDIS HC | $9.99 | SEP168058 | PEN |
| 8 | ICHI-F: A WORKER'S GRAPHIC MEMOIR OF THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT SC | $24.99 | JAN171863 | RAN |
| 9 | OTOMO: GLOBAL TRIBUTE TO THE GENIUS BEHIND AKIRA HC | $29.99 | OCT168151 | RAN |
| 10 | BATGIRL: NEW HERO OF THE NIGHT SC | $5.99 | JAN172287 | SCH |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC REBIRTH: JUSTICE LEAGUE ACTION FIGURE 7-PACK | AUG160372 | DC |
| 2 | POWER RANGERS LEGACY 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | NOV169036 | BAN |
| 3 | ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: THE PUNISHER DELUXE ACTION FIGURE | JUN168911 | MEZ |
| 4 | BATMAN ANIMATED: BATMAN EXPRESSIONS PACK | SEP160384 | DC |
| 5 | DC DESIGNER SERIES: BOMBSHELLS HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE | OCT160334 | DC |
| 6 | SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: SONIC NENDOROID EZ | AUG169297 | GOO |
| 7 | MARVEL: LADY LOKI BISHOUJO STATUE | SEP162765 | KOT |
| 8 | DC DESIGNER SERIES: SUPERMAN & LOIS LANE BY GARY FRANK STATUE | AUG160368 | DC |
| 9 | DC COMICS: BATMAN & ROBIN ARTFX+ STATUE 2-PACK | OCT162923 | KOT |
| 10 | ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: DC: REVERSE FLASH ACTION FIGURE | MAY168197 | MEZ |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: DEADPOOL AND X-FORCE BOOSTER BRICK | NOV162996 | NEC |
| 2 | LEGEND OF ZELDA CHESS | DEC163202 | USA |
| 3 | MACHI KORO CARD GAME | MAY142831 | IDW |
| 4 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ELDRITCH MOON BOOSTER PACKS | MAY163104 | WIZ |
| 5 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: DEADPOOL AND X-FORCE FAST FORCES 6-PACK | NOV162997 | NEC |
| 6 | D&D: MONSTER MENAGERIE MINIATURE BOOSTER BRICK | AUG169525 | NEC |
| 7 | FINDING DORY: DON'T WAKE HANK GAME | JUL158674 | BAN |
| 8 | TRIVIAL PURSUIT: STAR WARS GAME | OCT168253 | HAS |
| 9 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SHADOWS OF THE PAST BOARD GAME | APR160482 | IDW |
| 10 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SHADOWS OF THE PAST: APRIL O'NEIL ADVENTURE PACK | AUG160440 | IDW |
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