Diamond Announces Top Products for December 2016
Jan 12, 2017
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (January 12, 2017) — The Justice League discovers the existence of the Suicide Squad and is determined to bring them to justice in DC Entertainment's Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1 from Joshua Williamson and Jason Fabok, the first crossover event of DC Rebirth and the best-selling comic book of December 2016, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was December’s top publisher with a 36.73% dollar share and a 40.50% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month's number two publisher with a 29.47% dollar share and a 29.04% unit share. At number three was Image Comics with an 8.81% dollar share and a 7.70% unit share. IDW Publishing was fourth with a 5.49% dollar share and a 4.10% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 3.17% dollar share and 2.43% units share.
Comic and graphic novel sales in December, a four shipping week month, declined by 9.69% from November, a five shipping week month, as well as by 14.84% from December 2015, also a five shipping week month. Despite the decline, comics and graphic novel sales on the year finished up 0.30% over 2015.
DC Entertainment had five titles in the top ten. In addition to Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, Frank Miller, Brian Azzarello, Andy Kubert, and Klaus Janson's Dark Knight III: The Master Race #7 ranked #3; Tom King, Mikel Janin, and Hugo Petrus' Batman #12 ranked #4; King and Janin's Batman #13 ranked #5, and Scott Snyder, John Romita, Jr., and Danny Miki's All-Star Batman #5 ranked #10. Marvel Comics also had five titles in the top ten: Charles Soule, Jeff Lemire, and Leinil Francis Yu's Inhumans vs. X-Men #1 ranked #2; Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez's Civil War II #8, the final chapter of Marvel's 2016 event, ranked #6; Jason Aaron and Salvador Larroca's Star Wars #26 ranked #7; Kieron Gillen, Kev Walker, and Salvador Larroca's Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1, a new ongoing series spinning out of Star Wars: Darth Vader, ranked #8; and Mariko Tamaki and Nico Leon's Hulk #1, a new series starring Jennifer Walters, ranked #9. Among the premier publishers, Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #161 was Image Comics' top book in December at #11. IDW Publishing's top book was Batman/TMNT Adventures #2 at #65. Finally, Dark Horse Comics' Serenity: No Power in the 'Verse #3, based on Joss Whedon's film Serenity, was their top book of the month at #112.
IDW Publishing's Love is Love anthology, a tribute to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, produced with the assistance of DC Entertainment and featuring dozens of writers and artists, was December's best-selling graphic novel. DC Entertainment had two titles in the top ten led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman Volume 9: Bloom at #2 for the month. Image Comics' three titles in the top ten were led by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's Descender Volume 3: Singularities at #3. Marvel Comics rounded out the top ten with four titles topped by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's Wolverine: Old Man Logan at #4.
Penguin Books' Doctor Who: The Death Riders, a Doctor Who novel starring the eleventh Doctor for young readers, was December's best-selling book and one of three Doctor Who novels from the publisher among the top ten. IDW Publishing's The Princess Bride: A Storybook to Color, an adult coloring book based on the beloved film, ranked #3 for the month. Dark Horse Comics had three adult coloring books among the top ten, led by the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Adult Coloring Book at #4. Also in the top ten, Image Comics' The Walking Dead Adult Coloring Book ranked #10 for the month.
DC Collectibles' DC Designer Series: Harley Quinn by Bruce Timm Statue was December's best-selling toy product and one of their nine products among the top ten. Also among the top ten, Diamond Select Toys' Marvel Gallery: The Hulk PVC Figure ranked #2 for the month.
Diamond Select Toys' Back to the Future Monopoly, a custom edition of the venerable board game, returned to the top of the sales charts as December's best-selling game product. IDW Publishing had two products in the top ten, led by the Machi Koro Card Game at #2. Also in the top ten, Dark Horse Comics' Game of Thrones Playing Cards, a decorative deck based on the hit HBO series, ranked #7 for the month.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| DECEMBER 2016 VS. NOVEMBER 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -9.01% | -1.79% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -11.19% | 1.10% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -9.69% | -1.56% |
| TOYS | -12.28% | -11.75% |
| DECEMBER 2016 VS. DECEMBER 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -18.84% | -8.39% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -4.24% | 18.44% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -14.84% | -6.66% |
| TOYS | -36.78% | -46.07% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2016 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2016 | ||
| COMICS | -7.42% | -5.96% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 0.07% | 1.88% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -5.36% | -5.42% |
| TOYS | -1.80% | -11.85% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2016 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -8.92% | -0.53% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 1.53% | 12.21% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -6.11% | 0.30% |
| TOYS | -22.29% | -30.42% |
| YEAR 2016 VS. YEAR 2015 | ||
| COMICS | -0.11% | 1.02% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 1.24% | 2.10% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 0.30% | 1.10% |
| TOYS | -9.74% | -14.18% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 89 | 42 | 0 | 131 |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 84 | 33 | 1 | 118 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 47 | 18 | 1 | 66 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 42 | 17 | 0 | 59 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 26 | 12 | 0 | 38 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 26 | 10 | 0 | 36 |
| TITAN COMICS | 21 | 5 | 4 | 30 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 18 | 9 | 0 | 27 |
| ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS | 11 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 114 | 133 | 25 | 272 |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #1 | $3.99 | OCT160147-M | DC |
| 2 | INHUMANS VS. X-MEN #1 | $5.99 | SEP160868-M | MAR |
| 3 | DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #7 | $5.99 | OCT160259-M | DC |
| 4 | BATMAN #12 | $2.99 | OCT160173-M | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN #13 | $2.99 | OCT160175-M | DC |
| 6 | CIVIL WAR II #8 | $4.99 | SEP161000-M | MAR |
| 7 | STAR WARS #26 | $3.99 | OCT160988-M | MAR |
| 8 | STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #1 | $4.99 | OCT160975-M | MAR |
| 9 | HULK #1 | $3.99 | OCT160788-M | MAR |
| 10 | ALL-STAR BATMAN #5 | $4.99 | OCT160160-M | DC |
TOP 10 TRADE PAPERBACKS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | LOVE IS LOVE SC | $9.99 | OCT160480 | IDW |
| 2 | BATMAN VOLUME 9: BLOOM TP | $16.99 | SEP160335 | DC |
| 3 | DESCENDER VOLUME 3: SINGULARITIES TP | $14.99 | SEP160801 | IMA |
| 4 | WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN TP | $29.99 | JUL100692 | MAR |
| 5 | I HATE FAIRYLAND VOLUME 2: FLUFF MY LIFE TP | $14.99 | OCT160683-M | IMA |
| 6 | INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOLUME 1: REBOOT TP | $17.99 | OCT161021 | MAR |
| 7 | STAR WARS: POE DAMERON VOL. 1: BLACK SQUADRON TP | $19.99 | AUG160999 | MAR |
| 8 | DOCTOR STRANGE VOLUME 1: WAY OF WEIRD TP | $19.99 | SEP161127 | MAR |
| 9 | BATMAN VOLUME 10: EPILOGUE HC | $22.99 | AUG160317 | DC |
| 10 | BLACK SCIENCE VOL. 5: TRUE ATONEMENT TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT160677 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DOCTOR WHO: DEATH RIDERS SC | $9.99 | JUN158023 | PEN |
| 2 | DOCTOR WHO: SYSTEM WIPE SC | $9.99 | JUN158025 | PEN |
| 3 | THE PRINCESS BRIDE: A STORYBOOK TO COLOR TP | $16.99 | SEP160611 | IDW |
| 4 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER ADULT COLORING BOOK | $14.99 | AUG160020 | DAR |
| 5 | THE POKEMON COOKBOOK HC | $14.99 | OCT162035 | VIZ |
| 6 | STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES ADULT COLORING BOOK | $14.99 | AUG160018 | DAR |
| 7 | STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION ADULT COLORING BOOK | $14.99 | AUG160019 | DAR |
| 8 | DOCTOR WHO: THE GOOD THE BAD & THE ALIEN SC | $9.99 | NOV158049 | PEN |
| 9 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 112 SC | $14.95 | SEP162252 | SAN |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD ADULT COLORING BOOK (MR) | $14.99 | FEB160615 | IMA |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC DESIGNER SERIES: HARLEY QUINN BY BRUCE TIMM STATUE | MAR160333 | DC |
| 2 | MARVEL GALLERY: THE HULK PVC FIGURE | AUG162570 | DST |
| 3 | DC TV: ARROW/THE FLASH ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK | APR160456 | DC |
| 4 | DC FILMS: ARMORED BATMAN PREMIUM ACTION FIGURE | MAR160323 | DC |
| 5 | BATMAN ANIMATED SERIES: NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE | MAR160314 | DC |
| 6 | HARLEY QUINN: RED WHITE & BLACK STATUE | APR160452 | DC |
| 7 | BATMAN ANIMATED SERIES: NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES CLAYFACE DELUXE ACTION FIGURE | MAR160318 | DC |
| 8 | DC COMICS DESIGNER SERIES BY LEE BERMEJO: BATMAN FIGURE | FEB160280 | DC |
| 9 | DC DESIGNER SERIES: THE FLASH BY FRANCIS MANAPUL STATUE | JUL160449 | DC |
| 10 | DARKSEID AND GRAIL ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK | APR160448 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | BACK TO THE FUTURE MONOPOLY | JUL152198 | DST |
| 2 | MACHI KORO CARD GAME | MAY142831 | IDW |
| 3 | MOUSE GUARD ROLEPLAYING GAME BOXED SET (2ND EDITION) | FEB151158 | BOO |
| 4 | EXPLODING KITTENS CARD GAME NSFW EDITION | OCT163224 | EXP |
| 5 | EXPLODING KITTENS CARD GAME ORIGINAL EDITION | OCT163223 | EXP |
| 6 | PANDEMIC: IBERIA BOARD GAME | AUG163183 | ZMA |
| 7 | GAME OF THRONES PLAYING CARDS | JAN120128 | DAR |
| 8 | TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: SHADOWS OF THE PAST BOARD GAME | APR160482 | IDW |
| 9 | BATMANL THE ANIMATED SERIES DICE GAME | SEP163193 | PSI |
| 10 | STAR TREK 50TH-ANNIVERSARY 3000-PIECE DIECUT JIGSAW PUZZLE | JUN168685 | NMR |
 |
|
Dollar Market Share – December 2016 |
 |
|
Unit Market Share – December 2016 |
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 category tables in this press release are ranked by units sold by Diamond to its accounts for the comic books, graphic novels, and books categories and by the dollars invoiced by Diamond for the toys and games categories.
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.
***
ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing thousands of specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
© 2017 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 theUnited States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.
