Diamond Announces Top Products For April 2012
May 04, 2012
BALTIMORE, MD) — (May 4, 2012) — The Avengers stormed the shores of the X-Men's island of Utopia and the conflict between the two teams escalated in Marvel Comics' Avengers Vs. X-Men #2, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in April 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 April's leading publisher in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 34.64% and 39.07% respectively. DC Entertainment, which had six of the month's top-ten best-selling comics, was second in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 30.12% and 34.06% respectively.
Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye, the first volume of his best-selling zombie series from Image Comics, was the top-selling graphic novel to comics retailers for the second month in a row. Seven volumes of The Walking Dead placed in the top ten, and all fifteen volumes of the Image Comics series ranked in the top twenty.
Designed by acclaimed concept artist Shunya Yamashita, Kotobukiya's Marvel X Bishoujo: X-23 Statue, which presented the Marvel Comics hero in a Japanese anime style, was the best-selling Toy product to specialty retailers in April.
For the second month in a row, NECA/WizKids' Marvel HeroClix: Galactic Guardians expansion was the best-selling Games product to comics retailers, with the expansion's booster brick topping April's sales chart.
PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES
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COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| APRIL 2012 VS. MARCH 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 5.40% | 2.47% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 9.84% | -0.28% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 6.77% | 2.25% |
| APRIL 2012 VS. APRIL 2011 | ||
| COMICS | 16.30% | 16.11% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 12.56% | 15.32% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 15.09% | 16.04% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011 | ||
| COMICS | 15.94% | 15.12% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 9.47% | 9.29% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 13.84% | 14.65% |
TOP 10 COMICS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #2 | $3.99 | FEB120534 | MAR |
| 2 | BATMAN #8 | $3.99 | FEB120186 | DC |
| 3 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #8 | $3.99 | FEB120160 | DC |
| 4 | AVX VS #1 | $3.99 | FEB120531 | MAR |
| 5 | GREEN LANTERN #8 | $2.99 | FEB120204 | DC |
| 6 | ACTION COMICS #8 | $3.99 | FEB120178 | DC |
| 7 | DETECTIVE COMICS #8 | $3.99 | FEB120190 | DC |
| 8 | BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #8 | $2.99 | FEB120193 | DC |
| 9 | UNCANNY X-MEN #11 | $3.99 | FEB120545 | MAR |
| 10 | AVENGERS #25 | $3.99 | FEB120541 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $9.99 | JUL068351 | IMA |
| 2 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHINDUS TP | $14.99 | SEP088204 | IMA |
| 3 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 3: SAFETY BEHIND BARS TP | $14.99 | NOV082245 | IMA |
| 4 | FLEX MENTALLO: MAN OF MUSCLE AND MYSTERY DELUXE HC | $22.99 | OCT110285 | DC |
| 5 | CHEW VOL. 5: MAJOR LEAGUE CHEW TP | $12.99 | FEB120425 | IMA |
| 6 | CINDERELLA: FABLES ARE FOREVER TP (MR) | $14.99 | JAN120331 | DC |
| 7 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 5: BEST DEFENSE TP | $14.99 | SEP088206 | IMA |
| 8 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 15: WE FIND OURSELVES TP | $14.99 | OCT110502 | IMA |
| 9 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 4: HEARTS DESIRE TP | $14.99 | SEP088205 | IMA |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 6: SORROWFUL LIFE TP | $14.99 | SEP088207 | IMA |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL X BISHOUJO: X-23 STATUE | SEP111717 | KOT |
| 2 | MARVEL: MAGNETO FINE ART STATUE | SEP111715 | KOT |
| 3 | METAL GEAR SOLID PLAY ARTS KAI: CYBORG NINJA FIGURE | JAN121895 | SQU |
| 4 | STAR WARS: OBI-WAN KENOBI " FINALBATTLE" ARTFX | SEP111714 | KOT |
| 5 | BATMAN BUST | DEC110334 | DC |
| 6 | STARCRAFT PREMIUM SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES | DEC110338 | DC |
| 7 | SIMPSONS SERIES 2 MINI-FIGURES | DEC101455 | BEA |
| 8 | FEMME FATALES: RAVEN HEX PVC STATUE | NOV111473 | DIA |
| 9 | GEARS OF WAR 3 SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES | FEB121586 | NEC |
| 10 | STAR WARS VINTAGE ACTION FIGURES | JAN121809 | KEN |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS BOOSTER BRICK | FEB121832 | NEC |
| 2 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE BOOSTER PACKS | JAN122087 | NEC |
| 3 | RISK LEGACY | JUN118204 | KEN |
| 4 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE STARTER SET | JAN122088 | NEC |
| 5 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS FAST FORCES 6 PACK | FEB121833 | NEC |
| 6 | DOCTOR WHO: MONSTER INVASION TCG BOOSTER PACKS | NOV118179 | IMM |
| 7 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS MARQUEE PACK | FEB121834 | NEC |
| 8 | DOCTOR WHO: MONSTER INVASION EXTREME TCG BOOSTER PACKS | NOV118180 | IMM |
| 9 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS PRIMER DS | FEB121831 | NEC |
| 10 | TICKET TO RIDE | MAR043750 | ALL |
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| Dollar Market Share – April 2012 |
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| Unit Market Share– April 2012 |
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which include the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from a universe of over 3,500 comic book specialty shops located inNorth Americaand around the world. The account base includes brick-and-mortar comic book specialty shops, Internet merchants, and other specialty stores.
Unit and dollars sales are calculated based upon orders invoiced and shipped to Diamond accounts during any given month, which comprises initial pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable.
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