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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

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 35.41%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 28.75%
IMAGE COMICS 10.71%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.68%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.48%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.15%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.76%
TITAN COMICS 1.15%
VIZ MEDIA 1.14%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 1.14%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.62%
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
DC ENTERTAINMENT 35.46%
MARVEL COMICS 34.34%
IMAGE COMICS 10.02%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.72%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.09%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.00%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.86%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 1.37%
TITAN COMICS 1.06%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.77%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.31%

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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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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