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 6,223,779 comics which is down by 271,073 units from January and down by 783,743 units from February 2013. Marvel Comics had the largest percentage of the top 300 comics with 40.02% of the total units sold followed by DC Comics with 33.01%.
The top selling comic from Marvel Comics was “Wolverine (2014)” #1 in slot 3 with an estimated 88,923 units and for DC Comics was “Batman (2011)” #28 in rank 1 with an estimated 114,089 units.
The estimated total sales for the 300 trades was 311,379 trades which is down by 258,987 units from January and up by 5,258 units from February 2013.
Topping the trades list in February was “Locke and Key v6: Alpha and Omega” by IDW Publishing with 4,532 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.
I'll be back later with an analysis of the numbers below.
| 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% |
| 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 | 69 | 0 | 69 | $2.99 | $4.99 | $3.85 | 2,368,063 | $9,216,054.37 | 40.02% | 42.45% |
| DC Comics | 73 | 2 | 75 | $2.99 | $7.99 | $3.36 | 1,953,271 | $6,782,732.29 | 33.01% | 31.24% |
| Image Comics | 39 | 0 | 39 | $2.99 | $3.99 | $3.17 | 535,575 | $1,681,872.62 | 9.05% | 7.75% |
| Dark Horse | 22 | 1 | 23 | $2.99 | $3.99 | $3.67 | 277,680 | $995,130.46 | 4.69% | 4.58% |
| IDW Publishing | 26 | 0 | 26 | $1.00 | $3.99 | $3.88 | 264,335 | $989,045.22 | 4.47% | 4.56% |
| Dynamite Entertainment | 23 | 0 | 23 | $3.99 | $4.99 | $4.08 | 184,491 | $746,687.09 | 3.12% | 3.44% |
| Valiant | 9 | 0 | 9 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 75,865 | $302,701.35 | 1.28% | 1.39% |
| Boom! Studios | 9 | 0 | 9 | $3.99 | $4.99 | $4.10 | 72,648 | $304,056.52 | 1.23% | 1.40% |
| Zenescope Entertainment | 10 | 0 | 10 | $2.99 | $5.99 | $3.89 | 60,930 | $234,552.70 | 1.03% | 1.08% |
| Avatar | 7 | 0 | 7 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 53,971 | $215,344.29 | 0.91% | 0.99% |
| Oni Press | 2 | 0 | 2 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 17,323 | $69,118.77 | 0.29% | 0.32% |
| Archie Comics | 2 | 0 | 2 | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.99 | 17,227 | $51,508.73 | 0.29% | 0.24% |
| Bongo Comics | 3 | 0 | 3 | $2.99 | $3.50 | $3.16 | 16,887 | $52,775.40 | 0.29% | 0.24% |
| Abstract Studios | 1 | 0 | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 7,511 | $29,968.89 | 0.13% | 0.14% |
| United | 1 | 0 | 1 | $2.99 | $2.99 | $2.99 | 6,377 | $19,067.23 | 0.11% | 0.09% |
| Aspen | 1 | 0 | 1 | $3.99 | $3.99 | $3.99 | 4,450 | $17,755.50 | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| 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 | 24 | 113 | 137 | $7.99 | $125.00 | $21.65 | 117,403 | $2,693,915.33 | 38.88% | 43.61% |
| DC Comics | 22 | 37 | 59 | $9.99 | $75.00 | $20.60 | 69,216 | $1,396,776.41 | 22.92% | 22.61% |
| Image Comics | 11 | 21 | 32 | $9.99 | $59.99 | $15.62 | 42,933 | $636,421.67 | 14.22% | 10.30% |
| Dark Horse | 16 | 6 | 22 | $12.99 | $49.99 | $22.26 | 23,586 | $530,630.38 | 7.81% | 8.59% |
| IDW Publishing | 6 | 4 | 10 | $17.99 | $39.99 | $22.99 | 14,276 | $356,043.24 | 4.73% | 5.76% |
| Top Shelf | 2 | 2 | 4 | $9.95 | $14.95 | $13.70 | 5,568 | $80,021.60 | 1.84% | 1.30% |
| Boom! Studios | 2 | 0 | 2 | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | 5,189 | $77,783.11 | 1.72% | 1.26% |
| Dynamite Entertainment | 5 | 1 | 6 | $16.99 | $24.99 | $20.82 | 4,603 | $95,704.97 | 1.52% | 1.55% |
| Random House | 2 | 3 | 5 | $10.99 | $19.99 | $12.79 | 3,030 | $37,538.70 | 1.00% | 0.61% |
| ONI Press | 3 | 0 | 3 | $19.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | 2,643 | $52,833.57 | 0.88% | 0.86% |
| Slave Labor Graphics | 1 | 2 | 3 | $7.95 | $21.95 | $15.28 | 2,148 | $29,710.60 | 0.71% | 0.48% |
| Valiant | 2 | 0 | 2 | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | 1,973 | $29,575.27 | 0.65% | 0.48% |
| Hachette Book Group/Yen Press | 4 | 0 | 4 | $11.99 | $13.00 | $12.50 | 1,929 | $24,155.88 | 0.64% | 0.39% |
| Zenescope Entertainment | 2 | 0 | 2 | $15.99 | $15.99 | $15.99 | 1,555 | $24,864.45 | 0.51% | 0.40% |
| First Second | 2 | 0 | 2 | $12.99 | $12.99 | $12.99 | 1,206 | $15,665.94 | 0.40% | 0.25% |
| Red 5 Comics | 1 | 0 | 1 | $13.95 | $13.95 | $13.95 | 1,123 | $15,665.85 | 0.37% | 0.25% |
| Archie Comics | 1 | 0 | 1 | $14.99 | $14.99 | $14.99 | 883 | $13,236.17 | 0.29% | 0.21% |
| Avatar | 1 | 0 | 1 | $19.99 | $19.99 | $19.99 | 626 | $12,513.74 | 0.21% | 0.20% |
| Touchstone | 1 | 0 | 1 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 | 608 | $6,073.92 | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| Drawn and Quarterly | 1 | 0 | 1 | $21.95 | $21.95 | $21.95 | 558 | $12,248.10 | 0.18% | 0.20% |
| Arcana Studio | 1 | 0 | 1 | $29.95 | $29.95 | $29.95 | 453 | $13,567.35 | 0.15% | 0.22% |
| Diamond | 1 | 0 | 1 | $49.99 | $49.99 | $49.99 | 442 | $22,095.58 | 0.15% | 0.36% |
| Qty Rank |
Index | Price | Pub | Title | # | R | Est Sales |
Prev Issue |
Prev Issue Est Sales |
Delta | Delta % | WL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100.00 | $3.99 | DC | Batman (2011) | 28 | 114,089 | 27 | 117,379 | -3,290 | -2.80% | 0 | |
| 2 | 80.65 | $3.99 | DC | Forever Evil (2013) | 5 | 92,014 | 4 | 99,350 | -7,336 | -7.38% | 2 | |
| 3 | 77.94 | $3.99 | MAR | Wolverine (2014) | 1 | 88,923 | ||||||
| 4 | 75.73 | $3.99 | MAR | Superior Spider-Man (2013) | 27 | 86,405 | 26 | 72,581 | 13,824 | 19.05% | 1 | |
| 5 | 70.91 | $3.99 | DC | Justice League (2011) | 28 | 80,901 | 27 | 84,662 | -3,761 | -4.44% | 0 | |
| 6 | 66.16 | $3.99 | MAR | Superior Spider-Man (2013) | 28 | 75,477 | 27 | 86,405 | -10,928 | -12.65% | 1 | |
| 7 | 57.65 | $3.99 | MAR | Fantastic Four (2014) | 1 | 65,775 | ||||||
| 8 | 57.19 | $2.99 | IMA | Walking Dead (2003) | 121 | 65,244 | 120 | 65,277 | -33 | -0.05% | 0 | |
| 9 | 56.81 | $2.99 | IMA | Walking Dead (2003) | 122 | 64,810 | 121 | 65,244 | -434 | -0.67% | 0 | |
| 10 | 56.64 | $3.99 | MAR | All New X-Men (2012) | 23 | 64,625 | 22 | 76,554 | -11,929 | -15.58% | 0 | |
| 11 | 56.07 | $2.99 | DC | Harley Quinn (2013) | 3 | 63,967 | 2 | 73,349 | -9,382 | -12.79% | 0 | |
| 12 | 52.39 | $3.99 | MAR | Avengers (2012) | 26 | 59,775 | 25 | 65,582 | -5,807 | -8.85% | 1 | |
| 13 | 50.96 | $3.99 | DC | Batman/Superman (2013) | 8 | 58,138 | 7 | 61,066 | -2,928 | -4.79% | 3 | |
| 14 | 49.63 | $3.99 | DC | Detective Comics (2011) | 28 | 56,619 | 27 | 90,323 | -33,704 | -37.31% | 0 | |
| 15 | 49.31 | $3.99 | DC | Justice League of America (2013) | 12 | 56,259 | 11 | 65,356 | -9,097 | -13.92% | 0 | |
| 16 | 49.23 | $3.99 | MAR | Uncanny X-Men (2013) | 17 | 56,163 | 16 | 58,668 | -2,505 | -4.27% | 0 | |
| 17 | 48.61 | $3.99 | MAR | Guardians of Galaxy (2013) | 12 | 55,454 | 11 | 63,488 | -8,034 | -12.65% | 0 | |
| 18 | 47.82 | $3.99 | MAR | Punisher (2014) | 1 | 54,558 | ||||||
| 19 | 47.02 | $3.99 | MAR | Origin II (2013) | 3 | 53,640 | 2 | 64,622 | -10,982 | -16.99% | 0 | |
| 20 | 46.61 | $3.99 | MAR | Uncanny Avengers (2012) | 17 | 53,181 | 16 | 54,662 | -1,481 | -2.71% | 0 | |
| 21 | 46.00 | $3.99 | MAR | X-Men (2013) | 10 | 52,486 | 9 | 49,405 | 3,081 | 6.24% | 0 | |
| 22 | 44.76 | $4.99 | DC | Batman: Joker's Daughter (2014) | 1 | 51,066 | ||||||
| 23 | 44.41 | $3.99 | MAR | New Avengers (2013) | 14 | 50,668 | 3 | |||||
| 24 | 44.08 | $2.99 | MAR | Ms Marvel (2014) | 1 | 50,286 | ||||||
| 25 | 43.12 | $2.99 | DC | Green Lantern (2011) | 28 | 49,200 | 27 | 48,824 | 376 | 0.77% | ||
| 26 | 42.21 | $3.99 | MAR | Amazing X-Men (2013) | 4 | 48,161 | 3 | 51,424 | -3,263 | -6.35% | 0 | |
| 27 | 41.63 | $3.99 | MAR | X-Men (2013) | 11 | 47,498 | 10 | 52,486 | -4,988 | -9.50% | 0 | |
| 28 | 41.57 | $3.99 | MAR | X-Force (2014) | 1 | 47,427 | ||||||
| 29 | 41.49 | $3.99 | MAR | Wolverine (2014) | 2 | 47,339 | 1 | 88,923 | -41,584 | -46.76% | ||
| 30 | 40.11 | $3.99 | MAR | New Warriors (2014) | 1 | 45,765 | ||||||
| 31 | 39.31 | $3.99 | DC | Superman/Wonder Woman (2013) | 5 | 44,847 | 4 | 47,343 | -2,496 | -5.27% | 0 | |
| 32 | 38.02 | $2.99 | DC | Batman and … (2013) | 28 | 43,380 | 27 | 45,456 | -2,076 | -4.57% | ||
| 33 | 37.41 | $3.99 | DAR | Star Wars [Lucas Draft] (2013) | 5 | 42,686 | 4 | 47,292 | -4,606 | -9.74% | 0 | |
| 34 | 36.84 | $3.99 | MAR | Thor God of Thunder (2012) | 19 | 42,034 | 18 | 38,185 | 3,849 | 10.08% | 0 | |
| 35 | 36.74 | $2.99 | MAR | Loki: Agent of Asgard (2014) | 1 | 41,921 | ||||||
| 36 | 36.72 | $2.99 | MAR | She-Hulk (2014) | 1 | 41,894 | ||||||
| 37 | 36.12 | $2.99 | MAR | Deadpool (2012) | 23 | 41,204 | 22 | 41,759 | -555 | -1.33% | 0 | |
| 38 | 36.05 | $2.99 | MAR | Deadpool (2012) | 24 | 41,130 | 23 | 41,204 | -74 | -0.18% | 0 | |
| 39 | 35.06 | $3.99 | MAR | Avengers World (2014) | 3 | 39,999 | 2 | 53,686 | -13,687 | -25.49% | 0 | |
| 40 | 34.66 | $2.99 | MAR | Hawkeye (2012) | 15 | 39,546 | 14 | 39,863 | -317 | -0.80% | 22 | |
| 41 | 34.65 | $4.99 | MAR | Kick Ass 3 (2013) | 6 | 39,534 | 5 | 38,639 | 895 | 2.32% | 12 | |
| 42 | 33.86 | $3.50 | DAR | Serenity: Leaves On the Wind (2014) | 2 | 38,630 | 1 | 54,385 | -15,755 | -28.97% | 0 | |
| 43 | 33.28 | $3.99 | MAR | Night of the Living Deadpool (2014) | 3 | 37,974 | 2 | 40,235 | -2,261 | -5.62% | 0 | |
| 44 | 32.38 | $2.99 | DC | Nightwing (2011) | 28 | 36,940 | 27 | 38,320 | -1,380 | -3.60% | 0 | |
| 45 | 32.02 | $3.99 | MAR | Captain America (2012) | 16 | 36,534 | 15 | 33,428 | 3,106 | 9.29% | 0 | |
| 46 | 31.38 | $3.99 | MAR | Wolverine and X-Men (2011) | 41 | 35,800 | 40 | 36,850 | -1,050 | -2.85% | 0 | |
| 47 | 31.32 | $2.99 | DC | Earth 2 (2012) | 20 | 35,732 | 19 | 36,098 | -366 | -1.01% | 0 | |
| 48 | 31.17 | $2.99 | DC | Forever Evil: Arkham War (2013) | 5 | 35,564 | 4 | 37,968 | -2,404 | -6.33% | 0 | |
| 49 | 31.08 | $2.99 | DC | Batman: The Dark Knight (2011) | 28 | 35,455 | 27 | 37,893 | -2,438 | -6.43% | 0 | |
| 50 | 31.02 | $4.99 | MAR | Wolverine and X-Men (2011) | 42 | 35,392 | 41 | 35,800 | -408 | -1.14% | 0 |