Diamond Announces Top Products for January 2014 #Batman #Saga #WalkingDead #Avengers

February 16, 2014

Diamond Comic Distributors has released their January 2014 product sales data. Included are Top Comic Book Publishers by Retail Market Share & Unit Share, Comparative Sales, Top 10 Comics, Graphic Novels, Toys, and Games. Marvel held both Market Share and Unit Share this month but DC & Batman held the top 2 titles in unit sales (that's with Detective Comics #27 having a $7.99 price tag). Image's TPB sales are always strong with Saga and The Walking Dead holding the top 2 spots.

"(BALTIMORE, MD) — (February 7, 2014) — Batman's earliest days and his alliance with Jim Gordon are explored in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #27 from DC Entertainment, the latest chapter of the "Zero Year" storyline and January 2014's best-selling comic book to specialty retailers, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was January's top publisher, topping DC Entertainment 34.09% to 28.06% in Dollar Share and 37.39% to 30.77% in Unit Share. With five titles each for Marvel Comics (led by Avengers World #1) and DC Entertainment, the publishers split the month's top ten best-selling comics. Also of note, Image Comics topped ten percent in units in January, publishing 10.10% of the month's comics and graphic novels.

Compared to January 2013, the month's comics sales were essentially flat (down 0.42%) while graphic novel sales dropped by 14.28%.

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Hugo Award-winning interstellar drama from Image Comics, Saga Volume 1, was January's best-selling graphic novel, and the second volume also placed in the top ten.

IDW Publishing's latest Artist's Edition artbook, the John Romita: Amazing Spider-Man Artist's Edition Volume 2, was January's best-selling book in the comic book specialty market.

Dark Horse Comics had their strongest launch on the comics charts since September's The Star Wars #1 in January as Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #1, the long-awaited sequel to Joss Whedon's film Serenity, charted at #29.

Based on Nintendo's best-selling video game, the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Link Figma action figure from Good Smile was January's top-selling toy product.

Returning to the top of the sales charts, USAopoly's Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, with custom rules and locations based on the best-selling comic, was January's best-selling games product."

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER	SHARE
MARVEL COMICS	34.09%
DC COMICS	28.06%
IMAGE COMICS	8.78%
IDW PUBLISHING	5.71%
DARK HORSE COMICS	4.74%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	2.81%
BOOM! STUDIOS	2.25%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD	2.14%
VIZ LLC	1.26%
AVATAR PRESS INC	1.05%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	9.11%

UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER	SHARE
MARVEL COMICS	37.39%
DC COMICS	30.77%
IMAGE COMICS	10.10%
IDW PUBLISHING	5.08%
DARK HORSE COMICS	4.22%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	2.69%
BOOM! STUDIOS	1.99%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS	1.00%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC	0.99%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC	0.95%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	4.82%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

	DOLLARS	UNITS
JANUARY 2014 VS. DECEMBER 2013
COMICS	-5.87%	-7.17%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-11.65%	-9.89%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-7.71%	-7.39%
JANUARY 2014 VS. JANUARY 2013
COMICS	-0.42%	-7.45%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-14.28%	-6.99%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-5.09%	-7.42%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2013
COMICS	-0.42%	-7.45%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-14.28%	-6.99%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-5.09%	-7.42%
TWELVE MONTH ROLLING COMPARSION
COMICS	8.52%	4.61%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	2.57%	2.48%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	6.63%	4.44%