‘Superior Spider-Man’ Marvel’s bestseller but ‘Batman’ still top selling comic in March

(CBR) Below you'll find the sales estimates for comics and trade paperbacks sold in the direct market for March, 2014. The sales numbers below are estimates based on the information provided by Diamond Comics Distributors earlier this month. Sales estimates for February, 2014 can be found here.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when reading this data. These numbers are just estimates for the sales through Diamond to direct market retailers. It does not include any sales outside of the Diamond channel such as newstands, book stores or overseas markets. Since the majority of habitual comic book readers are served through this sales channel, these numbers are a good indicator of the core sales trends at the retail level. While not all copies will sell to readers, each retailer is buying what they think they can sell so the trends at the retail level should be a close enough reflection of the sales trends at the reader level for the purposes of discussion.

The breakdowns are for just the top comics and top trades listed below. These are not the overall market share. I only deal with numbers that I can see and kick around in my ever evolving number crunching system. Sometimes the numbers get a bit battered and bruised in the process.

The estimated total sales for the 300 comics was 6,582,603 comics which is up by 358,824 units from February and down by 621,091 units from March 2013. Marvel Comics had the largest percentage of the top 300 comics with 41.36% of the total units sold followed by DC Comics with 31.16%.

The top selling comic from Marvel Comics was “Superior Spider-Man (2013)” #29 in slot 5 with an estimated 76,568 units and for DC Comics was “Batman (2011)” #29 in rank 1 with an estimated 116,926 units.

The estimated total sales for the 300 trades was 418,654 trades which is up by 107,275 units from February and up by 62,304 units from March 2013.

Topping the trades list in March was “Walking Dead v20: All Out War Pt 1” by Image Comics with 25,290 units.

I've got bar charts of this data over on my website: www.ComicBookPage.com. Every month I discuss the comic book and collected editions sales estimates on my Comic Book Page podcast.

DIAMOND OVERALL SHARES
Publisher Market Share
By Units
Market Share
By Dollars
MARVEL COMICS 37.36% 34.10%
DC COMICS 31.12% 28.73%
IMAGE COMICS 8.88% 7.85%
DARK HORSE COMICS 5.59% 6.61%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.00% 6.01%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 3.40% 3.51%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.94% 2.05%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 0.27% 1.28%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.99% 1.05%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 1.08% 1.02%
AVATAR PRESS INC 0.95% 1.01%
RANDOM HOUSE 0.19% 0.66%
ONI PRESS INC. 0.39% 0.65%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.57% 0.53%
VIZ MEDIA 0.19% 0.47%
YEN PRESS 0.11% 0.36%
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS 0.11% 0.36%
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS 0.07% 0.29%
ST. MARTINS PRESS 0.08% 0.28%
HUMANOIDS INC 0.03% 0.19%
OTHER NON-TOP 20 1.70% 2.97%
TOP COMICS BREAKDOWN
Publisher NI RI TI Min
Price
Max
Price
Avg
Price
Total
Reported
Units
Total
Reported
Dollars
Percent of
Top Comics
By Units
Percent of
Top Comics
By Dollars
Marvel Comics 73 1 74 $2.99 $4.99 $3.85 2,572,393 $9,997,956.51 41.36% 43.51%
DC Comics 73 1 74 $2.99 $9.99 $3.40 1,937,554 $6,888,993.46 31.16% 29.98%
Image Comics 43 0 43 $2.99 $3.99 $3.16 665,870 $2,099,242.64 10.71% 9.13%
Dark Horse 22 0 22 $2.99 $3.99 $3.54 292,929 $1,032,243.86 4.71% 4.49%
IDW Publishing 27 1 28 $1.00 $5.99 $4.06 263,257 $1,088,870.40 4.23% 4.74%
Dynamite Entertainment 15 1 16 $3.99 $4.99 $4.12 140,815 $572,997.85 2.26% 2.49%
Boom! Studios 9 0 9 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99 77,970 $311,100.30 1.25% 1.35%
Valiant 8 0 8 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99 69,442 $277,073.58 1.12% 1.21%
Avatar 7 0 7 $3.99 $5.99 $4.28 59,123 $250,252.77 0.95% 1.09%
Archie Comics 5 0 5 $2.99 $2.99 $2.99 52,584 $157,226.16 0.85% 0.68%
Zenescope Entertainment 7 0 7 $2.99 $3.99 $3.56 41,434 $146,983.66 0.67% 0.64%
ONI Press 3 0 3 $3.99 $3.99 $3.99 21,972 $87,668.28 0.35% 0.38%
Bongo Comics 2 0 2 $2.99 $2.99 $2.99 11,274 $33,709.26 0.18% 0.15%
United 1 0 1 $2.99 $2.99 $2.99 6,254 $18,699.46 0.10% 0.08%
Broadsword Comics 1 0 1 $2.95 $2.95 $2.95 6,075 $17,921.25 0.10% 0.08%
Legend: NI = New Items, RI = Reorder Items, TI = Total Items
 
TOP TRADES BREAKDOWN
Publisher NI RI TI Min
Price
Max
Price
Avg
Price
Total
Reported
Units
Total
Reported
Dollars
Percent of
Top Trades
By Units
Percent of
Top Trades
By Dollars
Marvel Comics 25 98 123 $9.99 $125.00 $25.56 138,135 $3,575,621.00 33.37% 41.32%
Image Comics 12 34 46 $9.99 $59.99 $18.34 107,609 $1,889,200.91 26.00% 21.83%
DC Comics 22 36 58 $12.99 $39.99 $20.11 80,881 $1,646,710.19 19.54% 19.03%
Dark Horse 10 1 11 $10.99 $49.99 $22.54 22,784 $416,942.16 5.50% 4.82%
Random House 9 1 10 $10.99 $49.95 $18.78 10,233 $187,326.37 2.47% 2.16%
Top Shelf 1 0 1 $14.95 $14.95 $14.95 8,777 $131,216.15 2.12% 1.52%
VIZ 10 0 10 $4.99 $14.99 $10.59 8,172 $85,560.28 1.97% 0.99%
Boom! Studios 4 2 6 $11.99 $19.99 $15.49 7,539 $104,161.61 1.82% 1.20%
IDW Publishing 7 1 8 $17.99 $49.99 $26.49 6,599 $180,952.01 1.59% 2.09%
Hachette Book Group/Yen Press 4 0 4 $12.00 $20.00 $14.50 3,053 $45,378.00 0.74% 0.52%
Avatar 2 0 2 $19.99 $19.99 $19.99 2,951 $58,990.49 0.71% 0.68%
Dynamite Entertainment 4 0 4 $19.99 $24.99 $21.24 2,697 $59,148.03 0.65% 0.68%
Zenescope Entertainment 3 0 3 $15.99 $24.99 $18.99 2,649 $49,116.51 0.64% 0.57%
Archie Comics 2 0 2 $9.99 $11.99 $10.99 2,348 $27,136.52 0.57% 0.31%
Valiant 2 0 2 $14.99 $14.99 $14.99 2,329 $34,911.71 0.56% 0.40%
Fantagraphics Books 3 0 3 $24.99 $35.00 $29.99 2,316 $71,467.55 0.56% 0.83%
Seven Seas Entertainment 3 0 3 $12.99 $13.99 $13.32 1,695 $22,596.05 0.41% 0.26%
ONI Press 1 0 1 $19.99 $19.99 $19.99 965 $19,290.35 0.23% 0.22%
Black Bull 1 0 1 $15.99 $15.99 $15.99 883 $14,119.17 0.21% 0.16%
NBM 1 0 1 $5.99 $5.99 $5.99 730 $4,372.70 0.18% 0.05%
Heroic Publishing 1 0 1 $49.99 $49.99 $49.99 606 $30,293.94 0.15% 0.35%
 
TOP COMICS
 
Qty
Rank
Index Price Pub Title # R Est
Sales
Prev
Issue
Prev
Issue
Est
Sales
Delta Delta % WL
1 100.00 $4.99 DC Batman (2011) 29   116,926 28 115,891 1,035 0.89% 0
2 80.52 $3.99 DC Superman Unchained (2013) 6   94,147 5 96,322 -2,175 -2.26% 13
3 78.71 $3.99 DC Forever Evil (2013) 6   92,036 5 92,014 22 0.02% 2
4 76.72 $3.99 DC Sandman Overture (2013) 2   89,711 1 104,459 -14,748 -14.12% 4
5 65.48 $3.99 MAR Superior Spider-Man (2013) 29   76,568 28 75,477 1,091 1.45%  
6 65.00 $3.99 MAR Daredevil (2014) 1   76,006          
7 64.51 $3.99 MAR Superior Spider-Man (2013) 30   75,431 29 76,568 -1,137 -1.48%  
8 55.52 $3.99 MAR Silver Surfer (2014) 1   64,919          
9 55.30 $2.99 IMA Walking Dead (2003) 124   64,659 123 64,460 199 0.31% 0
10 55.18 $3.99 MAR Uncanny X-Men (2013) 19   64,514 18 54,902 9,612 17.51%  
11 55.13 $2.99 IMA Walking Dead (2003) 123   64,460 122 64,810 -350 -0.54% 0
12 54.51 $3.99 MAR All New X-Men (2012) 24   63,739 23 64,625 -886 -1.37%  
13 54.32 $3.99 MAR Uncanny Avengers (2012) 18   63,516 17 53,181 10,335 19.43%  
14 53.98 $2.99 DC Harley Quinn (2013) 4   63,120 3 66,787 -3,667 -5.49% 0
15 50.70 $4.99 MAR Superior Spider-Man (2013) Annual 2   59,278 1 63,595 -4,317 -6.79% 2
16 49.62 $3.99 MAR Moon Knight (2014) 1   58,022          
17 48.55 $3.99 MAR Guardians of Galaxy (2013) 13   56,764 12 55,454 1,310 2.36%  
18 47.45 $3.99 DC Detective Comics (2011) 29   55,486 28 56,619 -1,133 -2.00% 0
19 47.33 $3.99 MAR Magneto (2014) 1   55,337          
20 46.95 $3.99 MAR Uncanny X-Men (2013) 18   54,902 17 56,163 -1,261 -2.25% 0
21 46.76 $3.99 MAR Wolverine and X-Men (2014) 1   54,675          
22 46.48 $3.99 DC Justice League of America (2013) 13   54,349 12 56,259 -1,910 -3.40% 0
23 46.15 $3.99 MAR Avengers (2012) 27   53,966 26 59,775 -5,809 -9.72% 2
24 45.27 $5.99 DC Batman/Superman (2013) Annual 1   52,937         5
25 42.94 $3.99 MAR Origin II (2013) 4   50,210 3 53,640 -3,430 -6.39% 0
26 42.82 $3.99 MAR All New Ghost Rider (2014) 1   50,072          
27 41.71 $2.99 MAR Deadpool (2012) 25   48,775 24 41,130 7,645 18.59%  
28 41.68 $3.99 MAR New Avengers (2013) 16   48,731 15 47,178 1,553 3.29%  
29 40.35 $3.99 MAR New Avengers (2013) 15   47,178 14 50,668 -3,490 -6.89% 4
30 39.55 $3.99 MAR Amazing X-Men (2013) 5   46,242 4 48,161 -1,919 -3.98% 1
31 39.17 $2.99 DC Green Lantern (2011) 29   45,797 28 51,548 -5,751 -11.16% 0
32 37.84 $3.99 MAR Captain Marvel (2014) 1   44,248          
33 37.75 $2.99 MAR Deadpool (2012) 26   44,141 25 48,775 -4,634 -9.50%  
34 37.75 $3.99 MAR X-Men (2013) 12   44,135 11 47,498 -3,363 -7.08%  
35 37.56 $3.99 MAR Iron Man (2012) 23   43,912 22 29,017 14,895 51.33%  
36 37.04 $3.99 DC Superman/Wonder Woman (2013) 6   43,308 5 44,847 -1,539 -3.43% 0
37 37.03 $2.99 DC Batman and … (2013) 29   43,295 28 43,380 -85 -0.20% 0
38 35.27 $3.99 DAR Star Wars [Lucas Draft] (2013) 6   41,237 5 42,686 -1,449 -3.39% 0
39 34.84 $3.99 MAR Wolverine (2014) 3   40,735 2 47,339 -6,604 -13.95%  
40 34.54 $3.99 MAR Wolverine and X-Men (2014) 2   40,386 1 54,675 -14,289 -26.13%  
41 32.89 $3.99 MAR Night of the Living Deadpool (2014) 4   38,457 3 37,974 483 1.27% 0
42 32.80 $2.99 MAR Ms Marvel (2014) 2   38,357 1 57,249 -18,892 -33.00%  
43 32.41 $3.99 MAR Thor God of Thunder (2012) 20   37,895 19 42,034 -4,139 -9.85%  
44 32.13 $3.99 MAR Fantastic Four (2014) 2   37,569 1 65,775 -28,206 -42.88%  
45 32.09 $3.50 DAR Serenity: Leaves On the Wind (2014) 3   37,516 2 42,448 -4,932 -11.62% 0
46 31.57 $2.99 IMA Jupiters Legacy (2013) 4   36,918 3 43,766 -6,848 -15.65%  
47 31.48 $2.99 DC Nightwing (2011) 29   36,814 28 36,940 -126 -0.34% 0
48 30.40 $2.99 MAR Hawkeye (2012) 17   35,545 16 37,074 -1,529 -4.12% 2
49 30.19 $2.99 DC Earth 2 (2012) 21   35,295 20 35,732 -437 -1.22% 0
50 29.97 $2.99 MAR Hawkeye (2012) 18   35,045 17 35,545 -500 -1.41% 0

Legend: Qty Rank = Quantity Rank, Index = Diamond Order Index, Pub = Publisher, # = Issue Number, R = Reorder, Est Sales = Estimated Sales, Prev Issue = Previous Issue, Prev Issue Est Sales = Previous Issue Estimated Sales, WL = Weeks Late