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The New 27 – DC Marketshare Slips In March 2013

In February, DC Comics saw one of their marketshare figures fall below the psychologically important 30% mark. In March they have fallen further, both now under 30%. DC have a 27.09% share of revenue and 29.88% share of the number of comics sold in the North American direct market. The last time this happened with both figures was in June 2009.

While this is now a lower marketshare than before the news of the New 52 broke and DC began to put on marketshare in 2011, it is worth noting that the overall size of the market has grown since then, so it still represents a net rise. However, it is quite a fall since October 2011, the second month of the relaunch, when they had over 50% marketshare.

Marvel have seen their dollar marketshare rise from a static 34.8% of the last two months to 39.96%, putting on five points. And their share of comics sold, after falling from 40.23% to 38.46% has now leapt over five points to 43.78%.

And while we only have the Top Ten official results so far, I understand that Brian Bendis alone had more books placed in the Top Twenty this month than DC manage – 7 Bendis to 6 DC. In the top ten, Marvel dominate with Guardians Of The Galaxy #1 taking the top spot, beating even the event book Age Of Ultron #1. There's a strong showing for the new Wolverine book by Cornell and Davis as well, but the two highest non-debut month titles are both from DC. Which is something. DC also do better with the best selling graphic novels, taking the top two spots, though there's also an impressive collection debut for Hawkeye.

But what are DC to do about marketshare? Well, you remember the rumour I ran about DC cancelling 16 monthly books to make way for four new weekly titles? Well, what if they only cancelled four books? That would technically still give them the New 52, but with a totally of 62 books shipping each month. And if they were all big name books, might that see an uplift of DC marketshare come October?

Image have kept a strong position, bedding in at 8% marketshare. But for once there is only one Walking Dead collection in the Top Ten.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS

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