The death of a Spider-Man and shuffling zombies led comics and GN sales in June, according to Diamond’s just released figures. Sales were up from a dismal May, but still lag last year about 7% overall.
A hero fell as Peter Parker made the ultimate sacrifice to save his family and friends from the Green Goblin in Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man #160 from Marvel Comics, June’s best-selling comic book to comics specialty retailers according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics was also the leading publisher of comic books and graphic novels in June, with a 39.32% share of total dollars and a 43.04% share of total units sold. In total, June’s printed material sales increased over May, with Comics improving by 18.31% and Graphic Novels by 17.67%. Sales fell slightly from the same month last year, with Comics down 4.62% and Graphic Novels down 8.15%. Sales for the second quarter also improved over the first quarter, with Comics up 8.41% and Graphic Novels up 13.75%. Total merchandise sales in June increased by 104% over May, led by Apparel (up 238%) and Toys (up 135%).
Helping to fuel the increase in print sales was June’s top-selling Graphic Novel, Image Comics’ The Walking Dead Volume 14: Now Way Out, the latest volume of Robert Kirkman’s best-selling zombie story that was adapted by AMC and Frank Darabont for television last year. Dark Horse Comics also had a strong June, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer Volume 8: Last Gleaming as the month’s number two graphic novel.
In June, DC Direct released the JLA Classic Icons Series 1 Action Figures, a series of dynamic figures of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Toy product to comics retailers for the month. June was a strong month for Toy sales overall, with sales in that category increasing by over 135% over May’s sales.
In anticipation of the theatrical release of Captain America: The First Avenger, WizKids/NECA released the Marvel HeroClix: Captain America Expansion, bringing the star-spangled Avenger to the popular miniatures game, giving the manufacturer the best-selling Games product to comics retailers in June. Total sales on Games product fell slightly in June over May’s sales with a 2.66% decline.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
|
PUBLISHER |
DOLLAR SHARE |
UNIT SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS |
39.32% |
43.04% |
| DC COMICS |
28.03% |
33.17% |
| IMAGE COMICS |
5.85% |
5.30% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS |
5.28% |
3.21% |
| IDW PUBLISHING |
3.76% |
3.22% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT |
3.49% |
3.30% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS |
1.95% |
1.62% |
| VIZ MEDIA |
1.36% |
0.58% |
| ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT |
0.95% |
1.03% |
| ARCHIE COMICS |
0.79% |
1.00% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 |
9.22% |
4.52% |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
|
DOLLARS |
UNITS |
|
|
JUNE 2011 VS. MAY 2011 |
||
| COMICS |
18.31% |
20.26% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
16.45% |
10.63% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
17.67% |
19.37% |
|
JUNE 2011 VS. JUNE 2010 |
||
| COMICS |
-4.62% |
-1.43% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-8.15% |
-13.86% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-5.85% |
-2.63% |
|
YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2010 |
||
| COMICS |
-7.78% |
-7.47% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-5.97% |
-10.63% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-7.19% |
-7.74% |
|
SECOND QUARTER 2011 VS. FIRST QUARTER 2011 |
||
| COMICS |
8.41% |
6.90% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
13.75% |
14.41% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
10.14% |
7.50% |
|
SECOND QUARTER 2011 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2010 |
||
| COMICS |
-7.04% |
-6.92% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS |
-4.82% |
-8.20% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN |
-6.31% |
-7.03% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #160 |
$3.99 |
APR110569-M | MAR |
|
2 |
FEAR ITSELF #3 |
$3.99 |
APR110534-M | MAR |
|
3 |
FLASHPOINT #2 |
$3.99 |
APR110101-M | DC |
|
4 |
AVENGERS #14 |
$3.99 |
APR110539 | MAR |
|
5 |
FF #5 |
$2.99 |
APR110612-M | MAR |
|
6 |
NEW AVENGERS #13 |
$3.99 |
APR110574 | MAR |
|
7 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #663 |
$3.99 |
APR110595 | MAR |
|
8 |
BATMAN INCORPORATED #7 |
$2.99 |
MAR110294-M | DC |
|
9 |
BATMAN AND ROBIN #24 |
$2.99 |
APR110159-M | DC |
|
10 |
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #664 |
$3.99 |
APR110597 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
PRICE |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 14: NO WAY OUT TP |
$14.99 |
APR110444 | IMA |
|
2 |
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 8: LAST GLEAMING TP |
$16.99 |
FEB110018 | DAR |
|
3 |
NARUTO VOLUME 51 TP |
$9.99 |
MAR111299 | VIZ |
|
4 |
GREEN LANTERN: BRIGHTEST DAY HC |
$22.99 |
FEB110200 | DC |
|
5 |
BATWOMAN VOLUME 1: ELEGY TP |
$17.99 |
MAR110341 | DC |
|
6 |
SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 3: ANIMAL ARMIES TP |
$14.99 |
MAR110392 | DC |
|
7 |
THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP |
$9.99 |
JUL068351 | IMA |
|
8 |
ARKHAM ASYLUM: MADNESS TP |
$14.99 |
MAR110344 | DC |
|
9 |
X-MEN: SECOND COMING TP |
$34.99 |
APR110694 | MAR |
|
10 |
THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER: THE LITTLE SISTERS OF ELURIA HC |
$24.99 |
APR110707 | MAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
JLA CLASSIC ICONS SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | OCT100348 | DC |
|
2 |
BRIGHTEST DAY SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | AUG100284 | DC |
|
3 |
MARVEL SELECT: BEST OF SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES | JAN111644 | DST |
|
4 |
WORLD OF WARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 3 ACTION FIGURES | MAR100366 | DC |
|
5 |
MARVEL SELECT: GAMBIT ACTION FIGURES | OCT101482 | DST |
|
6 |
WONDER WOMAN #600 STATUE | OCT100341 | DC |
|
7 |
COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: WONDER WOMAN ARMORED STATUE | SEP100334 | DC |
|
8 |
WOMEN OF THE DCU SERIES 3: HARLEY QUINN BUST | SEP100332 | DC |
|
9 |
M.O.D.O.K. PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE STATUE | SEP108144 | BOW |
|
10 |
MARVEL SELECT: JUGGERNAUT ACTION FIGURE | JUN101512 | DST |
TOP 10 GAMES
|
RANK |
DESCRIPTION |
ITEM CODE |
VENDOR |
|
1 |
MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA EXPANSION | APR112105 | NEC |
|
2 |
YU-GI-OH! TCG: 5DS CROW DUELIST PACK | APR112069 | KON |
|
3 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: COMMANDER MULTI-PLAYER GAME SET | APR112102 | WIZ |
|
4 |
GODZILLA: KAIJU WARS BOARD GAME | MAR112025 | TOY |
|
5 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA EVENT DECKS | MAR112032 | WIZ |
|
6 |
STAR TREK EXPEDITIONS BOARD GAME | FEB111880 | NEC |
|
7 |
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: NEW PHYREXIA BOOSTER PACKS | MAR112030 | WIZ |
|
8 |
REDAKAI TCG HOBBY STRUCTURED DECKS | APR112084 | SPI |
|
9 |
DC HEROCLIX: GREEN LANTERN 2011 FAST FORCES 6-PACK | MAR112034 | NEC |
|
10 |
REDAKAI TCG HOBBY GOLD PACKS | APR112083 | SPI |
