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Could Batman #21 Have Actually Beaten Secret Empire #0 In April 2017 Marketshare Figures?
Time to look at the figures from April 2017, of comics books ordered by comic stores in North America through the direct market served by Diamond Comic Distributors.
In March, Marvel Comics made more money but DC Comics sold more comics. In April, Marvel did more of both, but the two are far closer together than they have been in previous months.
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.
In March, Marvel slipped a point in unit share as DC Comics took the lead with 35.46% compared to Marvel's 34.34%, while Marvel published 131 titles compared to DC's 123.
But in April, Marvel has a four point unit share lead with 38.23% compared to DC's 34.34% with Marvel's 134 titles compared to DC's 112 titles.
But Marvel's retail lead was down from seven points to 4-and-a-half points. In March they were on 35.41% to DC's 28.75%, but in April DC have closed the gap and crossed back over the 30% line with Marvel on 34.95%, to DC's 30.49%.
The change may be down to Marvel not having a best-selling $9.99 title this month, bit their overall dominance is down to a mix of Secret Empire and X-Men ResurrXion,
The big question will be regarding DC's perennial chart topper, Batman, being knocked off the top of the chart by Secret Wars #0 despite a boost from The Button storyline. But orders for Batman #21 were split across variant covers, lenticular and non-lenticular – if you added them up could Batman have beaten Secret Empire? We'll have to wait for further breakdowns to work that out.
While Image Comics, despite all these rushes for marketshare from the Big Two maintains it's around 10% marketshare, a repatedly impressive achievement.
The non-lenticular edition of The Flash #21 fell just outside April's top 10 at #11. Dark Horse Comics' Neil Gaiman's American Gods: Shadows #2 ranked #66 and Star Trek/Green Lantern Volume 2 #5 is at #158.
And overall? While markets rise and fall from month to month, for 2017 overall, it is currently beating 2016 by 5.04% in sales at this period in the year.
PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES
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COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| APRIL 2017 VS. MARCH 2017 | ||
| COMICS | -9.47% | -5.31% |
| GRAPHIC NOVEL | -10.77% | -6.00% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -9.87% | -5.36% |
| TOYS | -45.50% | -39.17% |
| APRIL 2017 VS. APRIL 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -11.28% | -4.66% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -17.18% | -15.47% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -13.18% | -5.62% |
| TOYS | -20.01% | -21.08% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2017 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -2.53% | 6.89% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -12.41% | -14.02% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.74% | 5.04% |
| TOYS | -6.38% | -5.57% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 93 | 41 | 0 | 134 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 78 | 33 | 1 | 112 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 57 | 11 | 1 | 69 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 47 | 15 | 0 | 62 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 20 | 21 | 0 | 41 |
| BOOM ENTERTAINMENT | 26 | 12 | 0 | 38 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| TITAN COMICS | 23 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 15 | 6 | 0 | 21 |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 12 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 108 | 112 | 31 | 251 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SECRET EMPIRE #0 | $4.99 | FEB170758-M | MAR |
| 2 | BATMAN #21 LENTICULAR EDITION (THE BUTTON) | $3.99 | NOV169200 | DC |
| 3 | X-MEN GOLD #1 | $4.99 | FEB170777-M | MAR |
| 4 | X-MEN BLUE #1 | $4.99 | FEB170767-M | MAR |
| 5 | THE FLASH #21 LENTICULAR EDITION (THE BUTTON) | $3.99 | NOV169204 | DC |
| 6 | BATMAN #20 | $2.99 | FEB170191-M | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN #21 (THE BUTTON) | $2.99 | NOV169198-M | DC |
| 8 | STAR WARS #30 | $3.99 | FEB170955-M | MAR |
| 9 | WEAPON X #1 | $3.99 | FEB170790-M | MAR |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD #166 (MR) | $2.99 | FEB170686 | IMA |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BATMAN VOLUME 2: I AM SUICIDE TP | $16.99 | JAN170376 | DC |
| 2 | HELLBOY: INTO THE SILENT SEA HC | $14.99 | DEC160056 | DAR |
| 3 | SAGA VOLUME 7 TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN170850 | IMA |
| 4 | SUPERMAN VOL. 2: TRIALS OF THE SUPER SON TP | $16.99 | JAN170383 | DC |
| 5 | ALL-STAR BATMAN VOL. 1: MY OWN WORST ENEMY HC | $24.99 | JAN170374 | DC |
| 6 | SAGA DELUXE EDITION VOLUME 2 HC (MR) | $49.99 | FEB170708 | IMA |
| 7 | BATMAN VOLUME 10: EPILOGUE TP | $16.99 | JAN170385 | DC |
| 8 | JUSTICE LEAGUE VOLUME 2: OUTBREAK TP | $16.99 | JAN170380 | DC |
| 9 | AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER VOL. 15 TP | $10.99 | DEC160088 | DAR |
| 10 | RED HOOD & THE OUTLAWS VOL. 1: DARK TRINITY TP | $16.99 | JAN170381 | DC |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | WONDER WOMAN TALKING FIGURE & ILLUSTRATED BOOK KIT | $12.95 | FEB172203 | HAC |
| 2 | MASTERS OF SPANISH COMIC BOOK ART HC | $39.99 | NOV161453 | DE |
| 3 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 116 SC | $14.95 | JAN172333 | SAN |
| 4 | STAR WARS BIG GOLDEN BOOK: A NEW HOPE | $10.99 | FEB172246 | RAN |
| 5 | ATTACK ON TITAN ADVENTURE SC | $10.99 | DEC161774 | KOT |
| 6 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: ART & ARTIFACTS HC | $39.99 | JUL168360 | DAR |
| 7 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 8 | TOKYO GHOUL: PAST SC NOVEL | $12.99 | FEB172098 | VIZ |
| 9 | STAR TREK: CATS HC | $14.95 | FEB172242 | CHR |
| 10 | STAR WARS: CLASSIC STICKER BOOK SC | $12.95 | FEB172243 | ABR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | SUICIDE SQUAD: HARLEY QUINN PX MAF EX | AUG162979 | MED |
| 2 | HARLEY QUINN: RED WHITE & BLACK STATUE BY JIM LEE | SEP160380 | DC |
| 3 | DC ICONS: WONDER WOMAN ACTION FIGURE | OCT160343 | DC |
| 4 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: RAVEN STATUE | OCT160332 | DC |
| 5 | POP! MARVEL: BLADE VINYL FIGURE | JUL168820 | FUN |
| 6 | STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 40TH-ANNIVERSARY 6-INCH FIGURES | JAN178152 | HAS |
| 7 | HARLEY QUINN: RED WHITE & BLACK STATUE: INJUSTICE 2 | OCT160338 | DC |
| 8 | DC ICONS: DEATHSTROKE ACTION FIGURE | OCT160344 | DC |
| 9 | DC DESIGNER SERIES: STARFIRE BY AMANDA CONNER STATUE | SEP160381 | DC |
| 10 | POWER RANGERS LEGACY 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | NOV169036 | BAN |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: SHADOWS OVER INNISTRAD BOOSTERS | FEB162979 | WIZ |
| 2 | PATHFINDER ROLEPLAYING GAME: BEGINNER BOX NEW EDITION | SEP138188 | PAI |
| 3 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: MERCS FOR MONEY FAST FORCES 6-PACK | NOV162999 | NEC |
| 4 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY | OCT168616 | NEC |
| 5 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SHADOWS OF THE PAST BOARD GAME | APR160482 | IDW |
| 6 | MOUSE GUARD ROLEPLAYING GAME BOXED SET (2ND EDITION) | FEB151158 | BOO |
| 7 | TRIVIAL PURSUIT: STAR WARS GAME | OCT168253 | HAS |
| 8 | YU-GI-OH! DUELIST SAGA | FEB173203 | KON |
| 9 | DC HEROCLIX: THE JOKER'S WILD BOOSTER BRICK | JUL163367 | NEC |
| 10 | SUPERNATURAL TRIVIAL PURSUIT | FEB173217 | USA |
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| Dollar Market Share – April 2017 |
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| Unit Market Share – April 2017 |
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