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Marvel Returns to Dominate November 2018 Marketshare as Spider-Man Goes Head-To-Head With Batman

That's a turnaround for Marvel Comics. While claiming the leading comics marketshare in the North American direct market of late, their lead over DC Comics had been chipped away in recent months.

In August, Marvel Comics had a 40.87% dollar share and a 43.12% unit share of the North American direct market. In September, the dollars were down with a 39.86% dollar share and a 43.24% unit share. In October, a massive drop by five and a half points to a 34.22% dollar share and a 37.89% unit share. That's huge. But not huge enough to stop them having the lead. Over three months, Marvel lost six-and-a-half points in marketshare.

Meanwhile, in August, DC Comics had a 27.51% dollar share and a 31.02% unit share. In September, that built to 29.06% dollar share and a 32.76% unit share. In October, that jumped to 30.48% dollar share and a 32.99% unit share. They'd gained a few points, with Image Comics and others getting the rest.

In November 2018, the tanker has been turned. With help from the launch of a new Uncanny X-Men #1, Marvel Comics was November's top publisher with a 40.80% dollar share and a 43.75% unit share. That's six points up in one month, and level pegging to where they were in August.

While DC dropped back under the psychologically important 30% mark, with  26.74% dollar share and a 29.51% unit share.

Image Comics also suffered from Marvel's rise, and well past October's Walking Dead Day Image Comics was third with a 8.57% dollar share and a 8.50% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 3.62% dollar share and a 3.39% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 3.37% dollar share and a 2.58% unit share, BOOM! Studios with a 2.95% dollar share and a 2.49% unit share, and Dynamite Entertainment with a 2.24% dollar share and a 2.11% unit share.

It's also notable that Amazing Spider-Man #10 beat out Batman #58 and #59, though not #9. That's not a normal thing for a non-launch Marvel title to do and Batman has dominated standard Amazing Spider-Man sales for years. It appears there was a slight Batman slump after the non-wedding and Spider-Man has been gaining a Nick Spencer bump. Is this a blip or will it continue?

November was a four Wednesday month compared to October's five Wednesday month, and sales are down around the usual 20%. But as November 2017 was also a five Wednesday month, that has been enough to turn a slight dollar growth year-on-year of 0.38% in October 2018 has slipped into a deficit of -0.98%. Will December 2018 be able to push it into the black for the end of the year? Either way total comics sales are down even if revenue may be ever so slightly up…

Among the premier publishers, Image Comics' The Walking Dead #185 ranked #18; BOOM! Studios' Firefly #1,  ranked #22; IDW's Marvel Action: Spider-Man #1 ranked #48; Dark Horse Comics' Stranger Things #3 ranked #67; and Dynamite Entertainment's  Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #3 ranked #156. Venom Volume 1: Rex by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman was the best-selling graphic novel of November. Dark Horse Comics' The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Creating a Champion was the best-selling book of November. DC Collectibles' DC Comics Bombshells: Batman & Catwoman Statue, based on Ant Lucia's pin-up styled artwork and sculpted by Jack Mathews, was November's best-selling toy product. And Shinobi 7's My Hero Academia Card Game, based on the popular manga and anime, was November's best-selling game.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

 COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

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TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

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