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Diamond Announces Top Products for April 2018

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (May 4, 2018) — An all-star slate of creators, including Brian Michael Bendis and his first work on the Man of Steel, celebrated Superman's 80th birthday in DC Entertainment's milestone Action Comics #1000, the best-selling comic book of April 2018 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 top publisher with a 37.59% dollar share and a 42.21% unit share. DC Entertainment was second for the month with a 32.39% dollar share and a 33.02% unit share. Image Comics was third with a 9.16% dollar share and a 9.47% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 4.08% dollar share and a 3.67% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 2.36% dollar share and a 1.79% unit share, BOOM! Studios with a 2.20% dollar share and a 1.72% unit share, and Dynamite Entertainment with a 1.60% dollar share and a 1.29% unit share.

Marvel Comics had six titles, led by Dan Slott and Stuart Immonen's Amazing Spider-Man #798 at #2, followed by Amazing Spider-Man #799 at #3, Charles Soule and David Marquez's Hunt for Wolverine #1 at #4, Cullen Bunn and Iban Coello's Venomized #1 at #6, Gail Simone and David Baldeon's Domino #1 at #8, and Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's Captain America #700 at #9. DC Entertainment had three titles among April's top ten. In addition to Action Comics #1000, Tom King, Mikel Janin, and Joëlle Jones' Batman #44 ranked #5 and King and Tony S. Daniel's Batman #45 ranked #7. Also in the top ten, Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #178 ranked #10. Among the premier publishers, Dark Horse Comics' Xerxes #1, the debut of Frank Miller's long-awaited sequel to 300, was their top book at #95; IDW Publishing's Sonic the Hedgehog #1 ranked #111; Dynamite Entertainment's John Wick #2 was their top book at #140; and BOOM! Studios' Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #26 ranked #142 for April.

DC Entertainment's Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman, a hardcover collection of Superman stories from Action Comics spanning the last eight years, was April's best-selling graphic novel. Also in the top ten for DC Entertainment, Batman Volume 5: Rules of Engagement ranked #5. Image Comics had four titles in the top ten: Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Paper Girls Volume 4 ranked #2, followed by Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga Volume 1 at #4, Saga Volume 8 at #8, and Paper Girls Volume 1 at #10. Marvel Comics also had four titles in the top ten, led by Jim Starlin and Alan Davis' original graphic novel, Thanos: The Infinity Siblings at #3; Starlin, George Perez, and Ron Lim's The Infinity Gauntlet at #6; Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume 2: Legacy's End at #7; and Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey at #9.

Dark Horse Comics' Moebius Library: The Art of Edena, an artbook that looks at Moebius' work on World of Edena, was April's best-selling book. Also in the top ten for Dark Horse, The Art of God of War, an artbook based on the new video game for the PlayStation 4, ranked #8. BOOM! Studios' Power Rangers Artist Tribute ranked #6.

Diamond Select Toys' Pacific Rim Uprising Select Series 1 Action Figures were the best-selling toy product of April. Also in the top ten for Diamond Select Toys, the Marvel Select: Thor Ragnarok: Gladiator Thor Figure ranked #4. DC Collectibles had two products in the top ten: the DC Comics Bombshells: Green Lantern Jessica Cruz Statue ranked #8 and the Harley Quinn: Red, White, and Black Statue by Babs Tarr ranked #10.

Steam Forged Games' Dark Souls Card Game, based on the best-selling video game, was April's best-selling game product. IDW Games had two products in the top ten: the Dragonball Z: Perfect Cell Game ranked #4 and The X-Files: Conspiracy Theory Game ranked #7. Also of note, Dynamite Entertainment's Vampirella Tarot Cards Set ranked #8.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 37.59%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 32.39%
IMAGE COMICS 9.16%
IDW PUBLISHING 4.08%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.36%
BOOM! STUDIOS 2.20%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.60%
VIZ MEDIA 1.19%
ONI PRESS 1.13%
TITAN COMICS 0.73%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.57%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 42.21%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 33.02%
IMAGE COMICS 9.47%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.67%
DARK HORSE COMICS 1.79%
BOOM! STUDIOS 1.72%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.29%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.71%
ONI PRESS 0.61%
TITAN COMICS 0.55%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 4.97%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

  DOLLARS UNITS
APRIL 2018 VS. MARCH 2018
COMICS 20.64% 12.39%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 15.40% 24.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 19.13% 13.20%
TOYS -19.63% -16.16%
APRIL 2018 VS. APRIL 2017
COMICS 15.67% 4.11%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 0.72% -1.79%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 11.08% 3.64%
TOYS 3.47% -14.60%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2018 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2017
COMICS -1.51% -10.12%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -9.68% -9.53%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -3.97% -10.08%
TOYS -7.30% -12.84%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS 86 37 0 123
DC ENTERTAINMENT 81 30 1 112
IMAGE COMICS 62 22 0 84
IDW PUBLISHING 47 19 0 66
BOOM! STUDIOS 23 14 0 37
DARK HORSE COMICS 16 10 0 26
TITAN COMICS 13 8 1 22
VIZ MEDIA 0 22 0 22
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 16 5 0 21
ONI PRESS 3 4 0 7
OTHER NON-TOP 10 131 180 19 330
TOTAL 478 351 21 850

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ACTION COMICS #1000 $7.99 FEB180142-M DC
2 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #798 $3.99 FEB180830-M MAR
3 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #799 $3.99 FEB180834-M MAR
4 HUNT FOR WOLVERINE #1 $5.99 FEB180745-M MAR
5 BATMAN #44 $2.99 FEB180164-M DC
6 VENOMIZED #1 $4.99 FEB180796-M MAR
7 BATMAN #45 $2.99 FEB180166-M DC
8 DOMINO #1 $3.99 FEB180770-M MAR
9 CAPTAIN AMERICA #700 $5.99 FEB180754-M MAR
10 THE WALKING DEAD #178 (MR) $3.99 FEB180713-M IMA

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ACTION COMICS #1000 $7.99 FEB180142-M DC
2 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #798 $3.99 FEB180830-M MAR
3 HUNT FOR WOLVERINE #1 $5.99 FEB180745-M MAR
4 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #799 $3.99 FEB180834-M MAR
5 VENOMIZED #1 $4.99 FEB180796-M MAR
6 CAPTAIN AMERICA #700 $5.99 FEB180754-M MAR
7 DOMINO #1 $3.99 FEB180770-M MAR
8 BATMAN #44 $2.99 FEB180164-M DC
9 INFINITY COUNTDOWN #2 $4.99 FEB180740-M MAR
10 THE WALKING DEAD #178 (MR) $3.99 FEB180713-M IMA

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ACTION COMICS: 80 YEARS OF SUPERMAN HC $29.99 DEC170241 DC
2 PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 4 TP $14.99 FEB180663 IMA
3 THANOS: THE INFINITY SIBLINGS OGN HC $24.99 DEC170936 MAR
4 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA
5 BATMAN VOL. 5: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TP $16.99 JAN180382 DC
6 THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP $24.99 JUL110745 MAR
7 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOL. 2: LEGACY’S END TP $17.99 JAN181040 MAR
8 SAGA VOLUME 8 TP (MR) $14.99 OCT170715 IMA
9 PHOENIX RESURRECTION: THE RETURN OF JEAN GREY TP $17.99 JAN181041-M MAR
10 PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 1 TP $9.99 JAN160645 IMA

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 ACTION COMICS: 80 YEARS OF SUPERMAN HC $29.99 DEC170241 DC
2 PAPER GIRLS VOLUME 4 TP $14.99 FEB180663 IMA
3 THANOS: THE INFINITY SIBLINGS OGN HC $24.99 DEC170936 MAR
4 THE INFINITY GAUNTLET TP $24.99 JUL110745 MAR
5 X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN TP $29.99 DEC170935 MAR
6 BATMAN VOL. 5: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TP $16.99 JAN180382 DC
7 HARLEY QUINN & THE GOTHAM CITY SIRENS OMNIBUS HC $75.00 OCT170369 DC
8 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AVENGERS VOLUME 18 HC $75.00 OCT170990-M MAR
9 STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOL. 2: LEGACY’S END TP $17.99 JAN181040 MAR
10 SUPERMAN: EXILE AND OTHER STORIES OMNIBUS HC $125.00 OCT170379 DC

TOP 10 BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 MOEBIUS LIBRARY: ART OF EDENA HC $34.99 MAY170010 DAR
2 BE PREPARED GN $12.99 FEB181570 STM
3 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 128 SC $14.95 JAN182170 SAN
4 STAR TREK: LIGHT & SOUND TRICORDER KIT $12.95 FEB182114 HAC
5 STAR TREK: LIGHT & SOUND BORG CUBE KIT $12.95 FEB182113 HAC
6 POWER RANGERS ARTIST TRIBUTE HC $24.99 NOV171318 BOO
7 HARRY POTTER: TALKING DOBBY WITH BOOK KIT $12.95 FEB182109 HAC
8 THE ART OF GOD OF WAR HC $39.99 OCT178150 DAR
9 LITTLE BOOK OF BATMAN FLEXICOVER $10.00 FEB182054 TAS
10 POKEMON SEEK & FIND: LEGENDARY POKEMON HC $9.99 FEB181955 VIZ

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 PACIFIC RIM UPRISING SELECT ACTION FIGURES SERIES 1 AUG178888 DST
2 DC: SUPERGIRL RETURNS BISHOUJO STATUE JUL178830 KOT
3 DEADPOOL LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES JUL178751 HAS
4 MARVEL SELECT: THOR RAGNAROK: GLADIATOR THOR FIGURE JUL172802 DST
5 AVENGERS LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES JUL178781 HAS
6 DRAGONBALL Z SCULTURES: SON GOKU SPECIAL COLOR FIGURE JAN178942 BAN
7 ONE PIECE SCULTURES: BIG ZOUKEIO SHINING ZORO FIGURE JAN178948 BAN
8 DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: GREEN LANTERN JESSICA CRUZ STATUE OCT170394 DC
9 KINGDOM HEARTS 3: SORA 2ND FORM BRING ARTS FIGURE SEP178239 SQU
10 HARLEY QUINN: RED WHITE & BLACK STATUE BY BABS TARR OCT170395 DC

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 DARK SOULS CARD GAME NOV178550 STE
2 STRANGER THINGS MONOPOLY NOV178199 HAS
3 DARK SOULS BOARD GAME OCT178117 STE
4 DRAGON BALL Z: PERFECT CELL GAME FEB180490 IDW
5 RICK AND MORTY MUNCHKIN JAN182866 USA
6 STRANGER THINGS: OUIJA GAME NOV178196 HAS
7 THE X-FILES: CONSPIRACY THEORY GAME FEB180491 IDW
8 VAMPIRELLA TAROT CARDS SET AUG171626 DE
9 STARFINDER RPG: PACT WORLDS HC JAN182863 PAI
10 STRANGER THINGS: SCREEN TEST GAME NOV178198 HAS

 

Dollar Market Shares for April 2018
Dollar Market Share – April 2018
Unit Market Shares for April 2018
Unit Market Share – April 2018

 

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 inNorth Americaand 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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