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Diamond Announces Top Products for March 2018

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (April 6, 2018) — The Justice League battles Barbatos and defeats the threat of the Dark Multiverse in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Dark Nights: Metal #6, the finale of DC Entertainment's best-selling event and March 2018's best-selling comic book according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was March's top publisher with a 35.92% dollar share and a 38.38% unit share. DC Entertainment was second for the month with a 31.06% dollar share and a 35.10% unit share. Image Comics was third with a 10.98% dollar share and a 10.43% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 3.96% dollar share and a 3.28% unit share, followed by BOOM! Studios with a 2.40% dollar share and a 2.13% unit share, Dark Horse Comics with a 2.38% dollar share and a 1.58% unit share, and Dynamite Entertainment with a 1.83% dollar share and a 1.61% unit share.

DC Entertainment had five titles among March's top ten comics. In addition to Dark Nights: Metal #6, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Doomsday Clock #4 ranked #2, Batman #42 ranked #5, Batman #43 ranked #8, and Sean Murphy's Batman: White Knight #6 ranked #10. Marvel Comics had four titles in the top ten, led by Dan Slott, Stuart Immonen, and Wade Von Grawbadger's Amazing Spider-Man #797, the first chapter of Slott's final story on the title, at #3 for the month, followed by Weapon H #1 at #4, The Mighty Thor #705 at #6, and Infinity Countdown #1 at #7. Image Comics' Oblivion Song by Kirkman and De Felici #1 ranked #9. Among the premier publishers and their top-selling books, BOOM! Studios' Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #25, kicking off the "Shattered Grid" storyline, ranked #70; Dark Horse Comics' Neil Gaiman's American Gods: My Ainsel #1 ranked #114; Dynamite Entertainment's The Shadow/Batman #6, the final chapter of their coproduction with DC Entertainment, ranked #121; and the milestone G.I. Joe #250 from IDW Publishing ranked #149 for the month.

Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 29: Lines We Cross from Image Comics was March's best-selling graphic novel, and one of Image Comics' six titles in the top ten. Also charting for Image Comics: Realm Volume 1 ranked #5, Black Science Volume 7: Extinction is the Rule ranked #6, Kirkman's Invincible Volume 25: The End of All Things Part 2 ranked #7, Port of Earth Volume 1 ranked #9, and Saga Volume 8 ranked #10. DC Entertainment had four titles in the top ten, led by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko's Green Lantern: Earth One Volume 1 at #2, followed by The Flash Volume 5: Negative at #3, Super Sons Volume 2: Planet of the Capes at #4, and Ty Templeton and Rick Burchett's Batman & Harley Quinn at #8.

Dark Horse Comics' World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 3, an art book based on the best-selling Blizzard Entertainment role-playing game, was March's best-selling book.  Also in the top ten for Dark Horse Comics was the Overwatch Anthology Volume 1 at 9. Insight Editions' DC Comics Variant Covers: The Complete Visual History, a hardcover artbook featuring a cover by Frank Cho, ranked #3 for the month.

Mezco's One:12 Collection: Marvel Comics: X-Force Wolverine Action Figure, a PREVIEWS Exclusive, was March's best-selling toy product. Another PREVIEWS Exclusive product from Mezco, the One:12 Collection: DC Comics: Stealth Deathstroke Action Figure, ranked #2. Diamond Select Toys had two products in the top ten: the Marvel Gallery: Thor Ragnarok: Thor PVC Figure, based on 2017's Marvel Studios film, ranked #3, and the Marvel Select: Venom Action Figure ranked #5. Another PREVIEWS Exclusive, Funko's POP! Saga: Bloody Lying Cat Vinyl Figure, a special release for Free Comic Book Day 2018, ranked #4. DC Collectibles had three products in the top ten: the DC Cover Girls: Harley Quinn by Joëlle Jones ranked #7, the DC Gallery: Superman vs. The Flash Racing Statue ranked #8, and the Batman Animated: The Joker Expressions Pack ranked #9.

NECA/WizKids' Dungeons & Dragons: Icons of the Realm: Menagerie 3 Booster Brick, a collection of miniatures for the tabletop game, was March's best-selling game product.  IDW Games had three products in the top ten: The Legend of Korra: Pro Bending Arena Game at #2, the Atari: Missile Command Game at #4, and The Legend of Korra: Pro Bending Arena: Amon's Invasion Game at #5.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 35.92%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 31.06%
IMAGE COMICS 10.98%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.96%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.40%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.38%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.83%
VIZ MEDIA 1.23%
ONI PRESS INC. 1.16%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.93%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.15%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 38.38%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 35.10%
IMAGE COMICS 10.43%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.28%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.13%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.61%
DARK HORSE COMICS 1.58%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.99%
ONI PRESS INC. 0.80%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.69%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.02%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
MARCH 2018 VS. FEBRUARY 2018
COMICS 2.92% 4.04%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 10.36% 3.69%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 4.95% 4.02%
TOYS 5.32% -1.93%
MARCH 2018 VS. MARCH 2017
COMICS -13.20% -12.28%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -22.12% -25.63%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -15.96% -13.35%
TOYS -29.83% -38.04%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2018 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2017
(FIRST QUARTER 2018 VS. FIRST QUARTER 2017)
COMICS -7.09% -14.52%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -13.17% -12.28%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -8.92% -14.37%
TOYS -9.81% -12.36%
FIRST QUARTER 2018 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2017
COMICS -8.44% -7.25%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -21.69% -20.85%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -12.67% -8.38%
TOYS -14.91% -11.81%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
DC ENTERTAINMENT 84 35 0 119
MARVEL COMICS 81 33 0 114
IMAGE COMICS 57 13 0 70
IDW PUBLISHING 40 18 0 58
BOOM! STUDIOS 25 9 0 34
DARK HORSE COMICS 12 14 0 26
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 15 8 0 23
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT 7 3 0 10
VIZ MEDIA 0 9 0 9
ONI PRESS 4 4 0 8
OTHER NON-TOP 10 113 135 11 259
TOTAL 438 281 11 730

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DARK NIGHTS: METAL #6 $4.99 DEC170230-M DC
2 DOOMSDAY CLOCK #4 $4.99 DEC170234-M DC
3 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #797 $3.99 JAN180892-M MAR
4 WEAPON H #1 $4.99 JAN180920-M MAR
5 BATMAN #42 $2.99 JAN180260-M DC
6 THE MIGHTY THOR #705 $3.99 JAN180888-M MAR
7 INFINITY COUNTDOWN #1 $4.99 JAN180879-M MAR
8 BATMAN #43 $2.99 JAN180262-M DC
9 OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI #1 $3.99 JAN180587 IMA
10 BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #6 $3.99 JAN180268-M DC

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DARK NIGHTS: METAL #6 $4.99 DEC170230-M DC
2 DOOMSDAY CLOCK #4 $4.99 DEC170234-M DC
3 WEAPON H #1 $4.99 JAN180920-M MAR
4 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #797 $3.99 JAN180892-M MAR
5 INFINITY COUNTDOWN #1 $4.99 JAN180879-M MAR
6 DAREDEVIL #600 $5.99 JAN180911-M MAR
7 THE MIGHTY THOR #705 $3.99 JAN180888-M MAR
8 THE WALKING DEAD #177 $3.99 JAN180843-M IMA
9 BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT #6 $3.99 JAN180268-M DC
10 OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI #1 $3.99 JAN180587 IMA

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 29: LINES WE CROSS TP $16.99 JAN180844 IMA
2 GREEN LANTERN: EARTH ONE VOLUME 1 HC $24.99 DEC170239 DC
3 THE FLASH VOLUME 5: NEGATIVE TP $14.99 DEC170377 DC
4 SUPER SONS VOLUME 2: PLANET OF THE CAPES TP $14.99 DEC170381 DC
5 REALM VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 JAN180692-M IMA
6 BLACK SCIENCE VOL. 7: EXTINCTION IS THE RULE TP (MR) $16.99 DEC170675 IMA
7 INVINCIBLE VOL. 25: THE END OF ALL THINGS PART 2 TP (MR) $16.99 JAN180762 IMA
8 BATMAN & HARLEY QUINN HC $24.99 DEC170385 DC
9 PORT OF EARTH VOLUME 1 TP $9.99 JAN180689 IMA
10 SAGA VOLUME 8 TP (MR) $14.99 OCT170715 IMA

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 29: LINES WE CROSS TP $16.99 JAN180844 IMA
2 INFINITY GAUNTLET BOX HC SLIPCASE SET $500.00 SEP170982 MAR
3 GREEN LANTERN: EARTH ONE VOLUME 1 HC $24.99 DEC170239 DC
4 AVENGERS OMNIBUS VOLUME 3 HC $100.00 SEP170986-M MAR
5 KAMANDI BY JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS HC $125.00 SEP170419 DC
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS VOLUME 2 HC $125.00 SEP170417 DC
7 DAREDEVIL BY WAID & SAMNEE OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC $100.00 SEP170983 MAR
8 ABSOLUTE WILDC.A.T.S. BY JIM LEE HC $125.00 JUL170485 DC
9 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: MARVEL TWO IN ONE VOL. 3 HC $75.00 AUG171012-M MAR
10 BATMAN & HARLEY QUINN HC $24.99 DEC170385 DC

TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 WORLD OF WARCRAFT CHRONICLE VOLUME 3 HC $39.99 NOV170046 DAR
2 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 127 $14.95 DEC172080 SAN
3 DC COMICS VARIANT COVERS: THE COMPLETE VISUAL HISTORY HC $45.00 JUL178304 INS
4 SONIC & TALES OF DECEPTION SC $6.99 JAN182151 RAN
5 JUSTICE LEAGUE CLASSIC: RACE TO SAVE THE DAY SC $3.99 JAN182149 HAR
6 MARVEL SUPERHERO ADVENTURES: SAND TRAP SC $4.99 JAN182150 MAR
7 OVERWATCH ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1 HC $19.99 JUN170080 DAR
8 UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL: 2 FUZZY 2 FURIOUS HC $13.99 JAN182154 HAC
9 STAR WARS: FORCES OF DESTINY: REY CHRONICLES CHAPTERBOOK $5.99 JAN182174 DIS
10 NEW GAME VOLUME 1 GN $13.99 DEC171780 SEV

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: X-FORCE WOLVERINE ACTION FIGURE MAR178670 MEZ
2 ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: DC: STEALTH DEATHSTROKE ACTION FIGURE MAR178824 MEZ
3 MARVEL GALLERY: THOR RAGNAROK: THOR PVC FIGURE SEP172483 DST
4 POP! SAGA: BLOODY LYING CAT FCBD 2018 VINYL FIGURE OCT170013 FUN
5 MARVEL SELECT: VENOM ACTION FIGURE OCT172354 DST
6 LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD: LINK RAH FIGURE MAR178289 MED
7 DC COVER GIRLS: HARLEY QUINN BY JOËLLE JONES STATUE SEP170453 DC
8 DC GALLERY: SUPERMAN VS THE FLASH RACING STATUE SEP170450 DC
9 BATMAN ANIMATED: THE JOKER EXPRESSIONS PACK SEP170451 DC
10 DC SUPER POWERS COLLECTION: HARLEY QUINN MAQUETTE APR178791 TWE

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 D&D ICONS OF THE REALM: MONSTER MENAGERIE 3 BOOSTER BRICK DEC172933 NEC
2 LEGEND OF KORRA: PRO BENDING ARENA GAME AUG170532 IDW
3 THE DARK CRYSTAL BOARD GAME NOV173124 ALC
4 ATARI: MISSILE COMMAND GAME JAN180574 IDW
5 LEGEND OF KORRA: PRO BENDING ARENA: AMON'S INVASION GAME DEC170558 IDW
6 DC HEROCLIX: HARLEY QUINN AND THE GOTHAM GIRLS BOOSTER BRICK JUN173406 NEC
7 BATMAN: GOTHAM CITY 4D MINI PUZZLE SEP178722 4D
8 FALLOUT COLLECTOR'S CHESS SET FEB182826 USA
9 LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD EXPANDED EDITION HC DEC178223 POC
10 SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS 4D MINI PUZZLE SEP178723 4D

 

Dollar Market Shares for March 2018
Dollar Market Share – March 2018
Unit Market Shares for March 2018
Unit Market Share – March 2018

 

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located inNorth Americaand around the world.  Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty retailers may be included as well.

Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. Please note that comics marked with an asterisk (*) have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

The New Titles Count Chart includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.

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© 2018 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.

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