From Diamond Comic Distributors:
Star Wars‘ Leia Organa must look after the needs of her people in the aftermath of Alderaan’s destruction in Mark Waid and Terry Dodson’s Princess Leia #1 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book of March 2015 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.
Marvel Comics had nine comics among March’s top ten, including Brian Michael Bendis and Arthur Adams’ Guardians Team-Up #1 at #3 and Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones’ Howard the Duck #1 at #7, and was the month’s top publisher with a 38.82% dollar share and a 41.53% unit share. DC Entertainment’s Batman: Arkham Knight #1 from Peter J. Tomasi and Viktor Bogdanovic, based on the best-selling video game, placed #9, and DCE finished the month with a 23.01% dollar share and a 26.13% unit share. Image Comics was third for the month with a 11.39% dollar share and a 12.98% unit share. IDW Publishing came in fourth with a 6.51% dollar share and 5.16% unit share. In fifth was Dark Horse Comics with a 3.90% dollar share and a 3.07% unit share.
Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s Nemo: River of Ghosts, an original graphic novel from IDW Publishing’s Top Shelf Productions imprint set in the universe of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, was March’s best-selling graphic novel. Marvel Comics had four graphic novels in the top ten, led by G. Willow Wilson’s Ms. Marvel Volume 2: Generation Why at #2. Also with four titles in the top ten was Image Comics; their best-selling book in March was Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini’s Low Volume 1: The Delirium of Hope at #3.
Capstone Publishing’s How to Draw Batman, Superman, and Other DC Heroes and Villains was March’s best-selling book. Also in the top ten for March was Dark Horse Comics with two books; Buffy the Vampire Slayer Panel to Panel: Seasons 8 and 9 ranked #8 and Reflection, the artbook by Kabuki‘s David Mack, ranked #10.
Tim Bruckner brought an iconic Alex Ross painting to life with The Joker and Harley Quinn Statue from DC Collectibles, the best-selling toy product for March and one of the four DC Collectibles products among the top ten. Diamond Select Toys had six products in March’s top ten, including the Marvel Select: Cable Action Figure at #2 and the Ghostbusters: Burnt Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man Bank #4.
Diamond Select Toys’ Jay & Silent Bob Monopoly, a custom edition of the board game based on Kevin Smith’s films, was March’s best-selling games product.
TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
| PUBLISHER | DOLLAR
SHARE |
UNIT
SHARE |
| MARVEL COMICS | 38.82% | 41.53% |
| DC COMICS | 23.01% | 26.13% |
| IMAGE COMICS | 11.39% | 12.98% |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 6.51% | 5.16% |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 3.90% | 3.07% |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 2.41% | 2.44% |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 2.37% | 1.99% |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 1.83% | 0.32% |
| TITAN COMICS | 1.01% | 0.77% |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0.98% | 0.37% |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 7.76% | 5.23% |
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
| PUBLISHER | COMICS SHIPPED | GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED | MAGAZINES SHIPPED | TOTAL
SHIPPED |
| MARVEL COMICS | 79 | 30 | 0 | 109 |
| DC COMICS | 85 | 17 | 0 | 102 |
| IMAGE COMICS | 59 | 20 | 0 | 79 |
| IDW PUBLISHING | 52 | 18 | 0 | 70 |
| DARK HORSE COMICS | 27 | 22 | 0 | 49 |
| BOOM! STUDIOS | 40 | 3 | 0 | 43 |
| DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT | 28 | 6 | 0 | 34 |
| VIZ MEDIA | 0 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| TITAN COMICS | 8 | 7 | 2 | 17 |
| EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| OTHER NON-TOP 10 | 86 | 98 | 13 | 197 |
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS
| DOLLARS | UNITS | |
| MARCH 2015 VS. FEBRUARY 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -3.86% | -4.32% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 8.34% | 10.63% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -0.58% | -3.37% |
| MARCH 2015 VS. MARCH 2014 | ||
| COMICS | 11.19% | 9.92% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -12.56% | -22.36% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 2.99% | 6.70% |
| YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2014
(FIRST QUARTER 2015 VS. FIRST QUARTER 2014) |
||
| COMICS | 13.85% | 13.76% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | 0.65% | -8.96% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | 9.63% | 11.76% |
| FIRST QUARTER 2015 VS. FOURTH QUARTER 2014 | ||
| COMICS | -9.56% | -8.37% |
| GRAPHIC NOVELS | -17.28% | -15.58% |
| TOTAL COMICS/GN | -11.97% | -8.93% |
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | PRINCESS LEIA #1 | $3.99 | JAN150727-M | MAR |
| 2 | STAR WARS #3 | $3.99 | JAN150742-M | MAR |
| 3 | GUARDIANS TEAM-UP #1 | $3.99 | DEC140815-M | MAR |
| 4 | SPIDER-GWEN #2 | $3.99 | JAN150785-M | MAR |
| 5 | PRINCESS LEIA #2 | $3.99 | JAN150738-M | MAR |
| 6 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16 | $3.99 | JAN150779-M | MAR |
| 7 | HOWARD THE DUCK #1 | $3.99 | JAN150769-M | MAR |
| 8 | DARTH VADER #3 | $3.99 | JAN150740-M | MAR |
| 9 | BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT #1 | $3.99 | JAN150229-M | DC |
| 10 | AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16.1 | $3.99 | JAN150781-M | MAR |
TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | NEMO: RIVER OF GHOSTS HC (MR) | $14.95 | JAN151622 | IDW |
| 2 | MS. MARVEL VOL. 2: GENERATION WHY TP | $15.99 | DEC140970 | MAR |
| 3 | LOW VOL. 1: THE DELIRIUM OF HOPE TP (MR) | $9.99 | DEC140670 | IMA |
| 4 | HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL TP | $16.99 | DEC140975 | MAR |
| 5 | SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR) | $14.99 | OCT140644 | IMA |
| 6 | DEADPOOL VOLUME 7: AXIS TP | $17.99 | DEC140987 | MAR |
| 7 | DEADPOOL’S THE ART OF WAR TP | $12.99 | DEC140974 | MAR |
| 8 | DEADLY CLASS VOL. 2: KIDS OF THE BLACK HOLE TP (MR) | $14.99 | DEC140657 | IMA |
| 9 | BIRTHRIGHT VOL. 1: HOMECOMING TP (MR) | $9.99 | JAN150622 | IMA |
| 10 | BOB’S BURGERS VOLUME 1 TP | $17.99 | JAN151278-M | DE |
TOP 10 BOOKS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | PRICE | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | HOW TO DRAW BATMAN, SUPERMAN & OTHER DC HEROES & VILLAINS SC | $14.95 | NOV141845 | CAP |
| 2 | MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS: ULTIMATE CHARACTER GUIDE UPDATED & EXPANDED | $16.99 | JAN151807 | DK |
| 3 | DC SUPER HEROES: ABC 123 BOARD BOOK | $9.99 | SEP148147 | POC |
| 4 | THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 93 SC | $14.95 | JAN151844 | SAN |
| 5 | MY FIRST SUPERMAN BOOK BOARD BOOK | $10.99 | SEP148149 | POC |
| 6 | DC SUPER HEROES: MY FIRST BOOK OF SUPER VILLAINS BOARD BOOK | $9.99 | SEP148144 | POC |
| 7 | DC SUPER HEROES: COLORS SHAPES & MORE BOARD BOOK | $9.99 | SEP148148 | POC |
| 8 | BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER PANEL TO PANEL: SEASONS 8 & 9 TP | $24.99 | OCT140022 | DAR |
| 9 | DC SUPER HEROES: BUSY BODIES BOARD BOOK | $9.99 | SEP148146 | POC |
| 10 | DAVID MACK: REFLECTIONS TP | $24.99 | NOV140015 | DAR |
TOP 10 TOYS
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | THE JOKER AND HARLEY QUINN STATUE | AUG140385 | DC |
| 2 | MARVEL SELECT: CABLE ACTION FIGURE | OCT142189 | DST |
| 3 | ARROW: DEATHSTROKE ACTION FIGURE | OCT140412 | DC |
| 4 | GHOSTBUSTERS: BURNT STAY-PUFT MARSHMALLOW MAN BANK | MAY142237 | DST |
| 5 | STAR TREK SELECT: WORF ACTION FIGURE | NOV142174 | DST |
| 6 | JAY & SILENT BOB: BUDDY CHRIST BANK | JUN142094 | DST |
| 7 | BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY: CLAYFACE DELUXE ACTION FIGURE | NOV140359 | DC |
| 8 | GODZILLA: BURNING GODZILLA VINYL FIGURAL BANK | OCT142184 | DST |
| 9 | MY LITTLE PONY: APPLEJACK BANK | JUL142032 | DST |
| 10 | BATMAN: ARKHAM KNIGHT: BATMAN STATUE | SEP140354 | DC |
TOP 10 GAMES
| RANK | DESCRIPTION | ITEM CODE | VENDOR |
| 1 | JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK MONOPOLY | DEC142209 | DST |
| 2 | D&D DICE MASTERS FOIL PACKS | SEP142615 | NEC |
| 3 | D&D DICE MASTERS STARTER SET | SEP142616 | NEC |
| 4 | D&D MINIATURES SET TWO BOOSTER BRICK | JAN152658 | NEC |
| 5 | MONOPOLY: THE WALKING DEAD SURVIVAL EDITION | OCT128266 | USA |
| 6 | STAR WARS: X-WING MOST WANTED EXPANSION PACK | OCT142777 | FAN |
| 7 | DC HEROCLIX: JUSTICE LEAGUE TRINITY WAR BOOSTER BRICK | DEC142573 | NEC |
| 8 | MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: FATE REFORGED BOOSTER PACKS | JAN152654 | WIZ |
| 9 | STAR WARS: X-WING IG-2000 EXPANSION PACK | OCT142775 | FAN |
| 10 | STAR WARS: X-WING STARVIPER EXPANSION PACK | OCT142778 | FAN |
How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.
Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty retailers may be included as well.
Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises 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 New Titles Count Chart 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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