Batman Future's EndDC enjoyed its traditional September sales bump thanks to the “Future’s End” lenticular covers event, beating Marvel by 4 points in dollars and 6 in units. While I’m told retailers went a bit lighter on this, and there was no comic shop run as there was with the scarcer villain variants last year, it was still enough to give DC the win for the month. Marvel had the #1 comic though, with the latest death of Wolverine. It was a good month for DC in graphic novels, as well, with three books, including the Future’s End collection, in the Top 10 and a Batman package topping the chart.

September sales were way up over August, and year to year sales are about on the same trajectory, with periodicals still down a  tad and overall unit sales down .

DC’s market share win prompted a press release, something we haven’t seen since the early days of the New 52’s chart domination. You can read that at the end of the charts.

unit-share dollar-share

 

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER DOLLARSHARE UNITSHARE
DC ENTERTAINMENT 36.58% 40.76%
MARVEL COMICS 32.04% 34.11%
IMAGE COMICS 7.49% 8.24%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.52% 3.24%
DARK HORSE COMICS 4.11% 3.30%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.34% 2.28%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.18% 2.31%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.29% 0.25%
RANDOM HOUSE 1.15% 0.41%
VIZ MEDIA 0.96% 0.35%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.34% 4.77%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTALSHIPPED
DC ENTERTAINMENT 124 27 0 151
MARVEL COMICS 80 26 1 107
IMAGE COMICS 57 12 0 69
DARK HORSE COMICS 36 21 0 57
IDW PUBLISHING 35 18 0 53
BOOM! STUDIOS 30 7 0 37
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 34 0 0 34
VIZ MEDIA 0 24 0 24
RANDOM HOUSE 3 20 0 23
EAGLEMOSS 0 0 12 12
OTHER NON-TOP 10 85 110 21 216

 


COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
SEPTEMBER 2014 VS. AUGUST 2014
COMICS 28.33% 23.90%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 12.12% -1.67%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 23.40% 21.86%
SEPTEMBER 2014 VS. SEPTEMBER 2013
COMICS 4.58% -0.12%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 8.49% -1.61%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 5.64% -0.22%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2013
COMICS 2.69% -2.04%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 4.33% 4.99%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 3.19% -1.51%
THIRD QUARTER 2014 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2014
COMICS 13.59% 13.56%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 0.75% 0.77%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 9.50% 12.51%
THIRD QUARTER 2014 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2013
COMICS 10.30% 6.15%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 7.04% 4.17%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 9.33% 6.01%

 

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DEATH OF WOLVERINE #1 $4.99 JUN140590-M MAR
2 DEATH OF WOLVERINE #2 $4.99 JUN140601-M MAR
3 BATMAN: FUTURES END #1 $3.99 MAY140318 DC
4 HARLEY QUINN: FUTURES END #1 $3.99 MAY140334 DC
5 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #6 $3.99 JUL140633 MAR
6 JUSTICE LEAGUE: FUTURES END #1 $3.99 MAY140278 DC
7 ORIGINAL SIN #8 $4.99 JUN140609-M MAR
8 DETECTIVE COMICS: FUTURES END #1 $3.99 MAY140320 DC
9 JUSTICE LEAGUE #33 $3.99 MAY140177-M DC
10 BATMAN/SUPERMAN: FUTURES END #1 $3.99 MAY140316 DC


TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY BOOK & THE JOKER MASK BOXED SET $39.99 MAY140361 DC
2 FOREVER EVIL HC (N52) $24.99 MAY140364 DC
3 YU-GI-OH! 5DS VOLUME 6 GN $9.99 JUL141515 VIZ
4 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2: ANGELA TP $19.99 JUL140730 MAR
5 THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 10 HC (MR) $34.99 JUL140520 IMA
6 HARLEY QUINN: VENGEANCE UNLIMITED TP $19.99 JUN140280 DC
7 SAGA VOLUME 1 HC (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA
8 KICK-ASS 3 PREMIERE HC (MR) $29.99 MAY140918 MAR
9 FATALE VOLUME 5: CURSE THE DEMON TP (MR) $14.99 JUL140483 IMA
10 SAGA VOLUME 3 TP (MR) $14.99 JAN140556 IMA

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DOCTOR WHO: K-9 LIGHT & SOUND FIGURINE & BOOK KIT $12.95 JUL141658 RUN
2 ATTACK ON TITAN GUIDEBOOK: INSIDE & OUTSIDE $24.99 JUL141306 RAN
3 THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACEYEARBOOK 2014 $12.95 JUL141269-M GEM
4 LEGEND OF KORRA: ART OF THE ANIMATED SERIESBOOK 2: SPIRITS HC $34.99 MAY140059 DAR
5 G.I. JOE: COBRA HISS TANK WITH BOOK KIT $12.95 JUL141643 RUN
6 ATTACK ON TITAN: BEFORE THE FALL NOVEL $10.95 JUL141473 RAN
7 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 87 $14.95 JUL141692 SAN
8 THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 44 SC $29.95 APR141239-M GEM
9 LOSE VOLUME 6 SC $8.00 JUL141315 KOY
10 HATSUNE MIKU GRAPHICS VOCALOID SC VOLUME 2 SC $39.99 JUL141469 UDO

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY: HARLEY QUINN/BATMAN/NIGHTWING/ROBIN ACTION FIGURE 4-PACK APR140323 DC
2 DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: BATGIRL ACTION FIGURE APR140313 DC
3 DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: SUPERGIRL ACTION FIGURE APR140314 DC
4 INFINITE CRISIS: PAJAMA PARTY HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE MAR140306 DC
5 BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS PLAY ARTS KAI: DEATHSTROKE FIGURE FEB148007 SQU
6 DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: TEEN TITANS RED ROBIN ACTION FIGURE APR140316 DC
7 MARVEL COMICS AVENGERS NOW: CAPTAIN AMERICA ARTFX+ STATUE JAN142026 KOT
8 MARVEL SELECT: ZOMBIE MAGNETO ACTION FIGURE APR141986 DST
9 DANGER ROOM SESSIONS: JUGGERNAUT FINE ART STATUE FEB142240 KOT
10 BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS PLAY ARTS KAI: BATMAN FIGURE FEB148006 SQU


TOP 10 GAMES

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 RISK LEGACY JUN118204 HAS
2 MARVEL HEROCLIX: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY COMICBOOSTER BRICK JUN142657 NEC
3 MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION OCT128266 USA
4 ADVENTURE TIME: CARD WARS PACK 3: PRINCESS BUBBLEGUM VS THE LUMPY SPACE PRINCESS JUN142617 CRY
5 MARVEL DICE MASTERS: AVENGERS VS. THE X-MEN NOV132536 NEC
6 RISK: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION OCT128267 USA
7 THE WALKING DEAD TV BOARD GAME JUL112137 CRY
8 MY LITTLE PONY LIFE JUN142645 USA
9 DC HEROCLIX: WAR OF LIGHT BOOSTER BRICK WAVE 2 MAY142842 NEC
10 YU-GI-OH! TCG 2014 MEGA-TIN MAR148274 KON

 

———-

DC statement:

The future has arrived.

DC Entertainment topped the comic book sales charts for the month with a jaw-dropping figure of nearly 3.5 million comic books sold, making the company the No. 1 comic book publisher in dollars and units for September, according to Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest comic book distributor in the world. This is the fourth year in a row DC has been the industry’s top publisher in September.

The sales were propelled in large part by the record-breaking success of DC Comics’ month-long “FUTURES END” event in which DC Comics–The New 52 flashed forward five years. Each Futures End book featured a standard 2-D cover and an innovative “3-D Motion” cover that showcased both the current and future state of the character or team, becoming instant collectors’ items. Taking the #3 slot was BATMAN: FUTURES END #1 followed by HARLEY QUINN: FUTURES END #1 taking #4.

The #1 book, according to Diamond is BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY Book & Joker Mask Set– this seminal Batman trade paperback graphic novel is paired with a replica hand-painted vinyl latex mask of Batman’s greatest foe.
“Our publishing business continues to be a top priority for DC Entertainment and I couldn’t be more proud of our team’s success this September,” said Diane Nelson, DC Entertainment President. “The excitement behind so many of our titles, including Batgirl, Gotham Academy, Arkham Manor and Catwoman, as well as the upcoming launch of our next weekly series, Earth 2: World’s End, demonstrates the strength of this business when we focus on great storytelling. With the upcoming start of the pivotal new storyline in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman and the innovative “Scent-Ticular” Harley Quinn Annual, 2014 looks to be a record-setting year for the entire DC Entertainment business.”

The comic book sales news sets the stage for DCE’s major presence at next week’s New York Comic-Con. While the talk of the town’s been the future, NYCC brings fans to Gotham with the continued celebration of the world’s most famous hero, Batman. The Dark Knight’s 75th Anniversary will take center stage with a stunning display featuring Batman costumes from the character’s various film appearances worn by Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale, and a very special cape and cowl from BATMAN v. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE director Zack Snyder.

Vertigo recently launched the acclaimed miniseries BODIES, about a time-spanning serial killer by Si Spencer and THE NAMES, a story set in the world of high finance and revenge written by veteran Peter Milligan. This month also sees the publication of Vertigo’s DEFY Covers where the story starts directly on the cover itself, in an innovative panel design that continues on page one of some fan favorite titles.
On the digital front, new titles ARROW: SEASON 2.5 and FLASH SEASON ZERO launched to great fanfare and sales as the new Fall TV Season gets underway. Perennial digital bestseller INSJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US marked a climactic ending to YEAR TWO followed by the launch of YEAR THREE this week.

DC Collectibles’ Batman: Arkham City: Harley Quinn/Batman/Nightwing/Robin Action Figure 4-Pack based on the hit game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was the best-selling toy product in September, and one of DC Collectibles’ five products among the top ten best selling toys on the Diamond charts for September.

On the book trade side, JUSTICE LEAGUE: FOREVER EVIL, BATMAN Vol. 3, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, and INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US Vol. 2, appeared on The New York Times Hardcover Graphic Book Bestseller list. While FABLES Vol. 20 landed on The New York Times Paperback Graphic Book Bestseller list.

16 COMMENTS

  1. Unusual to see an overall-copies-sold number from DC. Tracks pretty closely with my initial projection; it’d be their first time to hit that figure since last September, when they had about 4 million copies in the Top 300 alone. This’d also be the second time they’ve reached that mark since the relaunch.

  2. Guess next September will be Phantoms End, when Superman’sPhantom Zone projector become sentient and zaps all heroes into the Phantom Zone…. The covers? Transparent.

  3. I think that “before-after” idea that we got with this year’s has some mileage on it. Not sure what the theme next year would be but if it involves any kind of transformation of the character then this sort of thing fits well.

  4. DC should go off-beat and put every major character through the equivalent of a Jimmy Olson transformation. What could go wrong?

  5. Looks like DC’s hit on a good idea here, long as they don’t overdo it (i.e.: “events” every month, like a company I won’t mention *cough*Marvel*cough*).

    In the DC sales chart for September, will the sales of the $2.99 editions and the $3.99 ones be listed separate or together? I bought all 41 books ($2.99 regular versions) and thought they were a mixed bag, some great (Booster Gold, why isn’t he starring in his own monthly?), some not so much.

    Suggestions for next year:

    1) There are 52 Earths, right? How about 52 one-shots, each featuring a different Earth. Some can be already established Earths, like the ones in Multiversity, while others can be unrevealed till now.

    2) 52 one-shots introducing 52 characters from DC’S rich history, updated new 52 style.

    3) “Blast from the past” month.” Remember Blackest Night when DC released several one-shots such as Weird Western Tales, Atom and Hawkman, Power of Shazam, Question, ect., which were numbered not with a #1, but rather as a continuation of the original series (Weird Western #70, for example). Pick 52 titles from DC’s pre-new 52 past,and do one-shots (for example JSA #88, Kamandi #60, Superman/Batman#88, Joker #10) Do these books in the styles they were done originally.

  6. Bragging about 3.5M is kinda sad. Now maybe they haven’t hit that number in a couple of years, but Marvel does that in a month on a fairly regular basis, though perhaps not as regularly as they used to.

  7. @rob e – I seem to recall the Villains Month books being listed separately, so I assume these will be as well. Which is kinda interesting to see.

    I’m not sure I’d want to see DC addressing old series like your #3 idea but I like the first two. I was even thinking about #2 this evening, sorta. I think you could introduce the characters but I think the books still need to be tied to the regular series. So I think you do a Detective Comics special where Batman meets Ralph Dibny; a Wonder Woman special where WW meets Donna Troy, etc.

  8. @Todd Allen, Marvel data:

    2013 – 31,243,347 estimated units
    2012 – 30,278,745 estimated units.
    2011 – 29,522,809 estimated units
    2010 – 29,998,200 estimated units
    2009 – 34,167,744 estimated units
    2008 – 37,269,988 estimated units
    2007 – 38,132,744 estimated units
    2006 – 34,647,105 estimated units
    2005 – 32,461,832 estimated units
    2004 – 32,021,066 estimated units
    2003 – 28,974,336 estimated units
    2002 – 28,473,404 estimated units
    2001 – 25,349,296 estimated units
    2000 – 21,948,494 estimated units
    1999 – 24,111,104 estimated units
    1998 – 27,015,555 estimated units
    1997 – 32,664,192 estimated units

    During 2007-2008 it might have been somewhat regular to hit 3.5mils but outside of that nothing comes close to 3.5. Obviously there have been blips but you weren’t talking about them.

  9. @Hsssh

    I might have access to data you don’t. I’ve got Marvel at ~58 months over 3.5M going back to the beginning of 2005. DC does that exactly once prior to New 52’s launch. Now, is Marvel doing it as often in the last couple years? No. And their #1s and variants are every bit as gimmicky as a DC September, but you have to go back at least a decade for Marvel not to hit that at least twice in a year.

  10. top 50 comics list was released on Diamond site. For some reason, this version includes Avengers at #4, with the Batman/Superman book pushed to #11.

  11. I believe what Hsssh has done above is take my end-of-year totals for the Top 300 comics back to 1997 and multiply them by the Marvel end-of-year market share. The problem with that is Marvel has sales outside the Top 300s — an increasing amount is uncaptured, in these later years — whereas the market share is based on Marvel’s sales on all comics.

    So the figures above will be both low — and also inexact by the degree to which Marvel’s overall market share differs from its share of just the Top 300.

    Looking back, I did find that just within the Top 300s Marvel exceeded 3.5 million units seventeen times. I don’t know what is included in the data set Todd’s looking at, but I would imagine once you threw in post-300 and British sales, you could easily get to 58 times.

  12. John , I was always curious , with DC’s huge book store $$ advantage ( + still doing Newsstand sales ) , how much do they beat Marvel by each month in $$ . Someone at DC told me last year they do about $500k-800k more in $$ monthly then Marvel. Are their book store numbers that much larger then Marvel’s?

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