Diamond Announces Top Products for December 2013
Jan 10, 2014
(BALTIMORE, MD) — (January 10, 2014) —James Howlett has his first encounter with Mr. Sinister as Kieron Gillen and Adam Kubert reveal an untold chapter in the story of Wolverine in Marvel Comics' Origin II #1, the best-selling book to specialty retailers in December 2013, 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, edging DC Entertainment 35.42% to 27.22% in Dollar Share and 36.56% to 31.13% in Unit Share. Marvel Comics had four of the month's top ten best-selling comics, while DC Entertainment took the other six spots.
Comics sales in December edged up over November, up 0.63% in dollars and 1.60% in units. On the year, comics sales were up 10.22% in dollars and 6.70% in units, and graphic novel sales climbed by 6.50% in dollars and 5.12% in units. Overall, print sales in 2013 were up 9.04% in dollars and 6.58% in units over 2012.
Snow White and Bigby face challenges — her cubs are lost and their marriage is threatened — in Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham's Fables Volume 19: Snow White from DC Entertainment's Vertigo imprint and December's best-selling graphic novel. Also notable, IDW Publishing's original graphic novel from Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark's Parker: Slayground, ranked #3 for the month, and both volumes of Image Comics' Saga ranked in the top ten at #7 and #9.
BOOM! Studios collected the covers for their Adventure Time comics in the artbook, Adventure Time: Eye Candy, December's best-selling book in the comic book specialty market. Also in the top ten, continuing its year-long run, was Dark Horse Comics' Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, at #2.
As if taken from the fusilage of a B-17 bomber and given physical form, the DC Bombshells: Harley Quinn Statue from DC Collectibles was the best-selling toy product to specialty market retailers in December.
USAopoly's Risk: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, with custom rules for the zombie apocalypse, was December's best-selling games product.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
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NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL SHIPPED |
| DC ENTERTAINMENT | 92 | 25 | 1 | 118 |
| MARVEL COMICS | 72 | 30 | 0 | 102 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 55 | 33 | 0 | 88 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 50 | 12 | 0 | 62 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 47 | 12 | 0 | 59 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 34 | 6 | 0 | 40 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 28 | 4 | 0 | 32 |
| ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT | 11 | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT | 8 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| EAGLEMOSS | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| OTHER | 74 | 110 | 23 | 207 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| DECEMBER 2013 VS. NOVEMBER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | 0.63% | 1.60% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -1.40% | 3.67% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -0.03% | 1.76% |
| DECEMBER 2013 VS. DECEMBER 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 1.09% | -3.64% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 18.02% | 20.38% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 5.93% | -2.07% |
| YEAR 2013 VS. YEAR 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 10.22% | 6.70% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 6.50% | 5.12% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 9.04% | 6.58% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2013 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2013 | ||
| COMICS | -0.72% | -2.39% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 5.79% | 2.09% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 1.23% | -2.06% |
| FOURTH QUARTER 2013 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2012 | ||
| COMICS | 4.16% | -0.97% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 7.80% | 9.50% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 5.28% | -0.22% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | ORIGIN II #1 | $4.99 | OCT130650 | MAR |
| 2 | AVENGERS #24.NOW | $4.99 | OCT130656 | MAR |
| 3 | BATMAN #26 | $3.99 | OCT130190 | DC |
| 4 | FOREVER EVIL #4 | $3.99 | OCT130115 | DC |
| 5 | SUPERMAN UNCHAINED #5 | $3.99 | SEP130208 | DC |
| 6 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #25 | $3.99 | SEP130170 | DC |
| 7 | HARLEY QUINN #1 | $2.99 | OCT130185 | DC |
| 8 | JUSTICE LEAGUE #26 | $3.99 | OCT130121 | DC |
| 9 | INHUMANITY #1 | $3.99 | OCT130637 | MAR |
| 10 | SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #23 | $3.99 | OCT130686 | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | FABLES VOLUME 19: SNOW WHITE TP (MR) | $16.99 | SEP130305 | DC |
| 2 | ADVENTURE TIME VOLUME 2: PIXEL PRINCESSES GN | $11.99 | SEP131012 | BOO |
| 3 | RICHARD STARK'S PARKER: SLAYGROUND HC | $17.99 | OCT130333 | IDW |
| 4 | DEADPOOL KILLS DEADPOOL TP | $14.99 | SEP130799 | MAR |
| 5 | STAR LORD: WORLDS ON THE BRINK | $7.99 | OCT130698 | MAR |
| 6 | NIGHTWING VOLUME 3: DEATH OF THE FAMILY TP (N52) | $16.99 | SEP130273 | DC |
| 7 | SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) | $9.99 | AUG120491 | IMA |
| 8 | DEADPOOL VOLUME 3: GOOD BAD AND UGLY TP | $15.99 | SEP130800 | MAR |
| 9 | SAGA VOLUME 2 TP (MR) | $14.99 | APR130443 | IMA |
| 10 | THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP | $14.99 | NOV128157 | IMA |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | ADVENTURE TIME: EYE CANDY HC | $24.99 | OCT130976 | BOO |
| 2 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC | $34.99 | SEP120055 | DAR |
| 3 | SHIRO AMANO: ARTWORK OF KINGDOM HEARTS TP | $28.00 | OCT131401 | HAC |
| 4 | THE WALKING DEAD NOVEL DELUXE SLIPCASE HC (MR) | $74.99 | OCT110517 | IMA |
| 5 | ART OF DEJAH THORIS & THE WORLDS OF MARS HC (MR) | $39.99 | OCT131107 | DE |
| 6 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 79 | $14.95 | OCT131500 | SAN |
| 7 | ADVENTURE TIME ENCYCLOPEDIA HC | $19.95 | MAY131402 | ABR |
| 8 | DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 71 | $14.95 | OCT131499 | SAN |
| 9 | VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOL. 20: SCENES FROM AN UNHOLY WAR SC (MR) | $11.99 | AUG130113 | DAR |
| 10 | DC SUPER HEROES: BATMAN: KILLER CROC HUNTER TP | $4.95 | AUG131590 | CAP |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: HARLEY QUINN STATUE | JUN130317 | DC |
| 2 | METROID OTHER M: SAMUS ARAN FIGMA | JUN132073 | GOO |
| 3 | METROID OTHER M: SAMUS ARUN "ZERO SUIT" PVC FIGURE | JUN132074 | GOO |
| 4 | DC: 1966 BATMAN 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES | APR131758 | MAT |
| 5 | DOCTOR WHO TITANS MINI-FIGURES SERIES 3 | JUL131973 | TTN |
| 6 | BACK TO THE FUTURE: TIME MACHINE CAR | JUN098008 | DST |
| 7 | BATMAN RETRO 8-INCH SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES | MAY131800 | FIG |
| 8 | MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL AF | MAR101468 | DST |
| 9 | THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON 10-INCH DELUXE ACTION FIGURE | MAY138183 | TMP |
| 10 | TERMIANTOR 2: T-800 "BATTLE DAMAGE" HD MASTERPIECE FIGURE | FEB131721 | ENT |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | RISK: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128267 | USA |
| 2 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 3 | LEGEND OF ZELDA: COLLECTORS EDITION STRATEGY GUIDE BOX SET | OCT132392 | PRI |
| 4 | MARVEL HEROCLIX: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN BOOSTER BRICK | SEP132436 | NEC |
| 5 | GAME OF THRONES: WESTEROS 4D CITYSCAPE PUZZLE | AUG132098 | 4D |
| 6 | YU-GI-OH! TCG 2013 COLLECTIBLE TIN WAVE 2 | JUN138132 | KON |
| 7 | MY LITTLE PONY: CCG PREMIERE EDITION BOOSTER PACKS | JUL138268 | ENT |
| 8 | DOCTOR WHO: ALIEN ATTAX TCG BOOSTER PACKS | OCT132410 | UND |
| 9 | YU-GI-OH! TCG: YUGI AND KAIBA RELOADED STARTER DECKS | AUG138460 | KON |
| 10 | ELDRITCH HORROR BOARD GAME | OCT132380 | FAN |
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| Dollar Market Share – December 2013 |
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| Unit Market Share – December 2013 |
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 dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines 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.
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 count of new titles shipped 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.
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