Marvel NOW! debuts handily took 8 of the top 10 spots on the sales charts for November, just released by Diamond. Overall sales are up for the year but down from last month. graphic novels showed the biggest drop, as THE WALKING DEAD continued to soar.
The original X-Men, still teenagers and students at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, are mysteriously transported to the present day of Marvel NOW! in Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen’s All-New X-Men #1 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in November 2012, according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was November’s leading publisher in both Retail Dollars and Unit Market Share, leading DC Entertainment 34.35% to 30.04% in dollars and 40.23% to 33.25% in units.
Rick Grimes faces one of his greatest challenges — Negan’s Saviors — in Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead Volume 17: Something to Fear from Image Comics, the latest volume of the best-selling series and November’s top selling graphic novel.
The seven key members of the Justice League in DC Entertainment’s Justice League series are gathered together and raising money for famine relief in Africa in DC Collectibles’ “We Can Be Heroes” Justice League 7-Piece Box Set, the best-selling toy product to comic book specialty retailers in November.
Gotham City becomes a battleground in WizKids/NECA’s DC HeroClix: Batman Booster Packs, an expansion for the fan-favorite miniature games and November’s best-selling games product to comic book specialty retailers.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS |
34.35% |
40.23% |
| DC COMICS |
30.04% |
33.25% |
| IMAGE COMICS |
7.70% |
6.67% |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
5.60% |
5.07% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
4.72% |
3.75% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTIANMENT |
3.71% |
3.33% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
1.90% |
1.81% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD |
1.40% |
0.33% |
| VIZ MEDIA |
1.33% |
0.45% |
| RANDOM HOUSE |
0.97% |
0.25% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
8.28% |
4.86% |
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 COMIC BOOKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
ALL NEW X-MEN #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP120542 | MAR |
|
2 |
BATMAN #14 |
$3.99 |
SEP120170 | DC |
|
3 |
CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP120573 | MAR |
|
4 |
DEADPOOL #1 |
$2.99 |
SEP120598 | MAR |
|
5 |
INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP120531 | MAR |
|
6 |
IRON MAN #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP120550 | MAR |
|
7 |
FANTASTIC FOUR #1 |
$2.99 |
SEP120586 | MAR |
|
8 |
UNCANNY AVENGERS #2 |
$3.99 |
SEP120538 | MAR |
|
9 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE #14 |
$3.99 |
SEP120137 | DC |
|
10 |
THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #1 |
$3.99 |
SEP120562 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 17: SOMETHING TO FEAR TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
SEP120449 | IMA |
|
2 |
FABLES: WEREWOLVES OF THE HEARTLAND HC |
$22.99 |
JUL120247 | DC |
|
3 |
ADVENTURE TIME VOLUME 1 TP |
$14.99 |
SEP120922 | BOO |
|
4 |
FAIREST VOLUME 1: WIDE AWAKE TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
AUG120283 | DC |
|
5 |
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO VOLUME 1 |
$19.99 |
JUL120243 | DC |
|
6 |
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN HC |
$75.00 |
JUL120630 | MAR |
|
7 |
THE BOYS VOL. 12: THE BLOODY DOORS OFF TP |
$19.99 |
OCT120994 | DE |
|
8 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP |
$9.99 |
JUL068351 | IMA |
|
9 |
SCALPED VOLUME 10: TRAILS END TP (MR) |
$14.99 |
JUL120253 | DC |
|
10 |
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS VOLUME 1: REDEMPTION TP |
$14.99 |
AUG120248 | DC |
TOP 10 TOYS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
WE CAN BE HEROES JUSTICE LEAGUE 7 PACK BOX SET | AUG120308 | DC |
|
2 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARKSEID DELUXE FIGURE | AUG120307 | DC |
|
3 |
THE WALKING DEAD TV SERIES 2 FIGURES | AUG120538 | TMP |
|
4 |
DC COMICS: HARLEY QUINN BISHOUJO STATUE | MAY121905 | KOT |
|
5 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE: WONDER WOMAN FIGURE | AUG120306 | DC |
|
6 |
BATMAN: HUSH — BATMAN RAH FIGURE | DEC118127 | MED |
|
7 |
KNIGHT RIDER 1/15-SCALE KITT | MAY121668 | DST |
|
8 |
JUSTICE LEAGUE: CYBORG FIGURE | AUG120305 | DC |
|
9 |
BATMAN BLACK & WHITE STATUE: BANE BY KELLEY JONES | JUL120274 | DC |
|
10 |
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES: BATMAN VS. BANE 1/6-SCALE STATUE | SEP120274 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
DC HEROCLIX: BATMAN BOOSTER BRICK | AUG122142 | NEC |
|
2 |
RISK LEGACY | JUN118204 | HAS |
|
3 |
THE HOBBIT HEROCLIX BOOSTER PACKS | JUN128311 | NEC |
|
4 |
DC HEROCLIX: BATMAN FAST FORCES 6-PACK | AUG122143 | NEC |
|
5 |
THE WALKING DEAD PLUG-N-PLAY TV GAME | JUN121834 | JAK |
|
6 |
THE WALKING DEAD TV BOARD GAME | JUL112137 | CRY |
|
7 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: RETURN TO RAVNICA BOOSTER PACKS | AUG122136 | WIZ |
|
8 |
THE HOBBIT HEROCLIX CAMPAIGN STARTER SET | JUN128310 | NEC |
|
9 |
DC HEROCLIX: BATMAN MARQUEE PACKS | AUG122144 | NEC |
|
10 |
YU-GI-OH! TCG: ABYSS RISING BOOSTER PACKS | JUL128201 | KON |
RT @Comixace: Marvel tops November with Marvel NOW: Marvel NOW debuts handily took 8 of the top 10 spots on the sales … http://t.co/s …
RT @Comixace: Marvel tops November with Marvel NOW: Marvel NOW debuts handily took 8 of the top 10 spots on the sales … http://t.co/s …
Wow Marvel and DC total Market share is only at 64% or so…..its a sign that its getting crowded up there. I mean with Marvel now and DC Nu52, they arent even 2/3 anymore…..a few years back they have 75%+. Thanks to Valiant, Image, DH, IDW for publishing some cool stuff. It creates cool variety mix.
Also, its interesting to see that DC is only 4% Market share away from Marvel and its strong starts with Marvel Now! Lets see how long that last…..picked up a few titles, some were good others terrible. The big too will continue to be close for some time.
Maybe it was just me, but I thought the Marvel Now stuff was undermarketed compared to new 52. It’s a shame, cause of a lot of the books are either really good (Thor, Hulk, Avengers) or pretty good (pretty much everything else), compared to new 52, where almost all of it was shit.
I’m with you, Zach. The New 52 had stellar marketing, but I was disappointed with all but a couple of the titles themselves. While Marvel Now has been a huge success quality-wise, for me as a reader. For the first time in a long time, I find myself interested in more Marvel titles than I can afford.
I was on board with the New 52 so much that I dropped alot of my Marvel titles but now it’s the opposite, I find that I don’t like much of the New 52 and I’m picking up a few Marvel Now titles that I didn’t consider earlier.
Image Comics have really gotten my attention. Great stories for only $2.99 each: Revival, Epic Kill, Invincible, Thief of Thieves, etc… Better stuff than anyone else is putting out…..
I’m not buying any of these overpriced Marvel Now titles. But they do have a fair few $3 titles that I’m really enjoying (5 all up).
I agree that alot of the Nu52 has been a let down. But then, I never had any intention of buying all 52 of their titles, so its a plus for me! And just like Marvel (and every other company) they have some great reads (7 all up). They do, however, REALLY need to fix their decompressed storytelling. Batman lasted a year, and Animal Man and Swamp Thing are going into a year and a half. All on the one storyline. Marvel don’t have that problem in the titles I read.
So batman 14 was well ahead of Uncanny Avengers 2? That can’t be good and it was only 1 spot above JL, looks like UA 2 took a nose dive.
I am surprised Deadpool is so high. It beat out Hulk, Fantastic four, Iron Man, Thor and UA. seems odd. Curious to see if it will find it’s level above those titles, Not UA but the other debuts
What other releases didn’t make the top10? Just X-Men Legacy and FF?
When the actual numbers come out, it will be very interesting to see how close Batman #14 was to All-New X-Men #1, and how close Justice League #14 was to Uncanny Avengers #2. From what I understand, Marvel’s numbers on those two titles weren’t that inflated by variant covers, so if a new X-Men #1 with Bendis on it can barely squeak out a victory over a mid-storyline issue of Batman, that is significant. Similarly, if Marvel’s new dual-branded flagship team book with John Cassaday can only barely beat the 14th issue of a non-Jim Lee Justice League book, that too is very telling. But for all I know All-New X-Men #1 took the top place by 100,000 copies…
Pretty sad (for me) to see Deadpool above Hulk, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, and Thor. I’m glad to hear the good reviews on the MARVEL Now stuff, though. I haven’t gotten around to reading yet.
Batman is going through a significant event right now, so I wouldn’t just call it a “mid-storyline” issue. But then again, I guess a lot of comics are ALWAYS in events now.
Heh, well Batman’s storyline is significant, but it IS a “mid-storyline” issue! So, yeah, it’s not just a run-of-the-mill Batman issue, but it’s definitely not as sales-inflated as the much hyped-up 13th issue, which was part one, which had a die-cut cover, and which had more variants.
Batman 13 was the first DotF issue and it sold 148k. I doubt the second issue of a storyline would sell more than the first. So that would mean 3 and down on the list would have sold less than 150k.
That’s obviously just a guess. for all i know batman sold 250k which would make Marvel’s numbers look better. Here’s hoping
Probably Thor made 100k, ANXM 170k and the other NOW titles around 120-140k. UA can’t be more than 120k. Could NOW be a failure whith this numbers? I mean, these books in 6 months could easily go back to the 50-60k they were selling before the relaunch. Anyway a lot of important books are still missing (the Avengers real ones, Superior SM and Uncanny X-Men) so maybe they will nail some long term best-sellers like DC did with Justice League and Batman, but I doubt it (they has been able to mantain people like Greg Capullo and Jim Lee on the books for more than a year, Marvel operates rotating authors).
If in 6 months they found themselves with 70k Hickman/Opena/Epting books or 60k Bendis/Bachalo/Immonen ones (I don’t think Cassaday wil be on UA 6 months from now) I hope they will realize their 4$ books, twice a month schedules, neverending crossovers tours have really alienated their audience.
That said most of the NOW! books were great. I am really enjoying ANXM, UA, Future Foundation and Deadpool.
Regarding Deadpool, remember that these are sales to retailers, not readers, so it’s impossible to tell from the first month sales how excited readers are. But given that, I can see retailers backing Deadpool because:
1. Deadpool’s popularity has been pretty consistent since they gave him his own solo title again.
2. Deadpool is supposed to be a funny character, and he’s being written by an actual cult-favorite comedian.
3. “By the artist of ‘The Walking Dead’!” pretty much sells itself.
The issue itself was pretty good, I thought, although it didn’t quite make the laffs as much as I had hoped. It’s one of the Now titles I’m sticking with for the time being, anyway.
Guiliano, in what world is Jim Lee being maintained? He drew what, 9 issues of the JLA series to date? Out of 14 issues? And needed a fill-in after the first arc?
TonyJazz – what you said. Vertigo also is up there for me on books.
Pretty sad to see Marvel do so well, when their books are so overpriced and decompressed (hello Bendis X-Men) and with nothing to say. Same ol’ Marvel, just dressed up in a fancy marketing “launch”. Is that what people prefer in their comics?
Rich H – which ones have you read? I’d say Thor, Wolverine and the X-Men, and Daredevil are excellent, Hulk is very good, Avengers is good and has a lot of potential and a bunch of the other books are anywhere from pretty good – average.
Zach
Exactly in the sense, almost a year with a famous artist as regular author, enough to build some following. With Marvel you have artists make 3-4 numbers, than they need fill ins, maybe come back for a brief story arc then disappear; or you have 2-3 artists because the book has an insane schedule.
I don’t say this as a DC fan, in the last 6 years I only read the Morrison maxi series on Super Man death and the Court of Owls story arc by Snider because of the good review it had.
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