Marvel NOW! Helps Industry Keep Pace with 2011 Sales Highs

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Diamond Comic Distributors released their November 2012 sales figures Friday, and with the debut of Brian Bendis’ All-New X-Men #1 and other Marvel NOW! launches helping Marvel dominate the Top 10 comic books on their way to leads in both Market Share categories, the industry was able to effectively achieve a wash (and arguably a small gain) against November 2011 sales figures, the high point of the New 52-powered industry sales recovery that began last fall. 



 

All-New #1, along with six other Marvel NOW #1’s and Uncanny Avengers #2, helped Marvel take 8 of the Top 10 comic books, with just the “Death of the Family”-powered Batman #14 and Justice League #14 (#9) breaking Marvel’s stranglehold.



Marvel NOW! helped Marvel to healthy leads in both Market Share categories – 40.23% to DC’s 22.35% Unit Share and 34.35% to DC’s 30.04% in Dollar Share. 



 

The Walking Dead resumed its usual position up-top the graphic novel and trade paperback chart, with Volume 17: Something To Fear, helping Image carve out healthy Market Share for them as well. 



And while overall sales were down versus last month a substantial 13.66% in Dollar sales, but just 5.42% in Unit Sales (reflecting October 2012’s 5 shipping week’s status as well as strong trade sales that month), sales were only down 1.10% in Dollar and actually up 1.63% in Units against November 2011, when not only the third issues of DC’s New 52, but strong reprint sales of the first two months, along with 5 shipping weeks fully kick-started the sales gains the industry has enjoyed consistently since then.



Overall, total comics and graphic novels sales are up 14.6%% year-to-date against 2011.

Look for more November sales analysis by our content partners at Comichron later Friday.



November 2012’s Publisher Market Share chart, Comparative Sales Statistics, and Top 10 Comic Book chart and Top 10 Graphic Novel charts follow below:

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS 

RETAIL MARKET SHARE  PUBLISHER  SHARE  MARVEL COMICS 34.35% DC COMICS 30.04% IMAGE COMICS 7.70% IDW PUBLISHING 5.60% DARK HORSE COMICS 4.72% DYNAMITE ENTERTIANMENT 3.71% BOOM! STUDIOS 1.90% EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.40% VIZ MEDIA 1.33% RANDOM HOUSE 0.97% OTHER NON-TOP 10 8.25%

UNIT MARKET SHARE PUBLISHER SHARE MARVEL COMICS 40.23% DC COMICS 33.25% IMAGE COMICS 6.67% IDW PUBLISHING 5.07% DARK HORSE COMICS 3.75% DYNAMITE ENTERTIANMENT 3.33% BOOM! STUDIOS 1.81% VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.99% ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC 0.63% ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS 0.50% OTHER NON-TOP 10 3.77%

 

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

	DOLLARS	UNITS
NOVEMBER 2012 VS. OCTOBER 2012
COMICS	-8.02%	-3.80%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-24.88%	-23.67%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-13.66%	-5.42%
NOVEMBER 2012 VS. NOVEMBER 2011
COMICS	3.55%	2.59%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	-10.86%	-10.29%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	-1.10%	1.63%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011
COMICS	14.56%	11.27%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	14.78%	14.25%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	14.63%	11.50%

 

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	VENDOR
1	ALL NEW X-MEN #1	$3.99	MAR
2	BATMAN #14	$3.99	DC
3	CAPTAINAMERICA#1	$3.99	MAR
4	DEADPOOL #1	$2.99	MAR
5	INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #1	$3.99	MAR
6	IRON MAN #1	$3.99	MAR
7	FANTASTIC FOUR #1	$2.99	MAR
8	UNCANNY AVENGERS #2	$3.99	MAR
9	JUSTICE LEAGUE #14	$3.99	DC
10	THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #1	$3.99	MAR

 

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	VENDOR
1	THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 17: SOMETHING TO FEAR TP (MR)	$14.99	IMA
2	FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND HC	$22.99	DC
3	ADVENTURE TIME VOLUME 1 TP	$14.99	BOO
4	FAIREST VOLUME 1: WIDE AWAKE TP (MR)	$14.99	DC
5	THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO VOLUME 1	$19.99	DC
6	AVENGERS VS. X-MEN HC	$75.00	MAR
7	THE BOYS VOL. 12: THE BLOODY DOORS OFF TP	$19.99	DE
8	THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP	$9.99	IMA
9	SCALPED VOLUME 10: TRAILS END TP (MR)	$14.99	DC
10	RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS VOLUME 1: REDEMPTION TP	$14.99	DC

 

• October 2012 Comic Book Sales Charts

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