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Diamond Announces Top Products for September 2020

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (October 21, 2020) — Marvel Comics’ Venom #28 by Donny Cates and Juan Gedeon, continuing the "Venom Beyond" storyline, was the best-selling comic book distributed in September through Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics had eight titles in the top ten. Jonathan Hickman and Pepe Larraz's X of Swords: Creation #1, the opening chapter of the X of Swords crossover in the X-Men books, ranked #2. Also debuting in September were Donny Cates and Guiu Vilanova's Web of Venom: Wraith #1 (ranking #5), Christopher Cantwell and CAFU's Iron Man #1 (ranking #6), and Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Leonard Kirk's Marvel Zombies: Resurrection #1 (ranking #10). Other titles in the top ten include Thor #7, X-Men #12, and Fantastic Four #24.

Image Comics had two titles in September's top ten. Their best-selling title, Todd McFarlane and Jim Muniz's Spawn #310, ranked #4. Also, The Department of Truth #1, a conspiracy thriller from James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds that sold out at Diamond before it shipped, placed in September's top ten at #7.

The best-selling comic titles from the other premier publishers in September were BOOM! Studios’ We Only Find Them When They're Dead #1 by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo at #31; Dark Horse Comics’ You Look Like Death: Tales from The Umbrella Academy #1 by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and I.N.J. Culbard at #52; Dynamite Entertainment’s Vampirella #13 by Christopher Priest, Ergun Gunduz, and Giovanni Timpano, at #77; and IDW Publishing’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #109 by Sophie Campbell and Jodie Nishijima at #85.

Marvel Comics' The Marvel Legacy of Jack Kirby, an overview of the work by the legendary artist curated by John Rhett Thomas, was the best-selling graphic novel of September and one of the eight Marvel titles among the top ten. Other titles include The Amazing Spider-Man: The Art of the Movie; Jim Starlin's original graphic novel, Thanos: The Infinity Relativity; Ms. Marvel Volumes 1 and 2; Punisher Max Volume 1: In the Beginning; Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2; and The Immortal Hulk Volume 7: Hulk Is Hulk.

Image Comics had two titles in September's top ten graphic novels. Their top book, Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda's Monstress Volume 5: Warchild, ranked #4 for the month. Also in the top ten, Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez's Old Guard Book 2: Force Multiplied, the second volume of the series that inspired the Netflix film starring Charlize Theron, ranked #6.

Funko’s POP! Marvel Heroes: Absolute Carnage Deluxe Vinyl Figure, a PREVIEWS Exclusive figure inspired by Marvel Comics’ best-selling Absolute Carnage event, topped the toys sales chart for the second month in row in September. Also in the top ten for Funko, the POP! Marvel: Infamous Iron Man Vinyl Figure, a PREVIEWS Exclusive released for Halloween ComicFest 2020 of Doctor Doom as Iron Man, ranked #3. 1000 Toys had two PREVIEWS Exclusive releases among the top ten; the Re-Edit Halo: Master Chief Mjolnir Mark V 1/12-Scale Figure charted at #2, and the Hellboy: Abe Sapien (Standard Version) 1/12-Scale Figure, based on the Mike Mignola comics published by Dark Horse Comics, ranked #5. Another PREVIEWS Exclusive among the top ten, Mezco Toys' One:12 Collective: Marvel: Magneto (Marvel Now Edition) Figure ranked #3. Diamond Select Toys also had two products in the top ten; the Marvel Select: Hulkbuster Action Figure was their top product for September at #8.

Paizo Publishing had a strong month in September, claiming nine of the month's top ten best-selling games with the Pathfinder Second Edition Advanced Player's Guide topping the chart. Also in the top ten, NECA/WizKids' Marvel HeroClix: Spider-Man and Venom: Absolute Carnage Booster Brick, an expansion for the popular miniatures game inspired by Marvel Comics' best-selling event, ranked #2.

Also noteworthy, Gemstone Publishing’s The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 50, the golden jubilee edition of the industry Bible that boasted a Todd McFarlane cover that featured his character Spawn and Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man, was September’s best-selling book. Its paperback edition topped the chart, its hardcover edition ranked #2, and the oversized Big! Big! edition ranked #4.

“September was a fantastic close to third quarter sales for the industry and we continue to see a wide spectrum of publishers pick up momentum in the latter part of 2020,” said Tim Lenaghan, Chief Purchasing Officer of Geppi Family Enterprises, the parent company of Diamond Comic Distributors.  “We’ve seen strong sales from Marvel’s X titles and the debut of X of Swords continues that trend. It’s been great to see a long running series like Spawn return to our Top Sellers list as well, proving it’s never too late to recruit new readers!”

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 VENOM #28 $3.99 APR201004-M MARVEL COMICS
2 X OF SWORDS: CREATION #1 $6.99 JUL200583-M MARVEL COMICS
3 THOR #7 $3.99 APR201008-M MARVEL COMICS
4 SPAWN #310 [*] $2.99 JUL200231-M IMAGE COMICS
5 WEB OF VENOM: WRAITH #1 $4.99 FEB200936-M MARVEL COMICS
6 IRON MAN #1 $4.99 JUL200595-M MARVEL COMICS
7 THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #1 (MR) [*] $3.99 JUL200012-M IMAGE COMICS
8 X-MEN #12 $3.99 APR200891-M MARVEL COMICS
9 FANTASTIC FOUR #24 $3.99 JUL200667-M MARVEL COMICS
10 MARVEL ZOMBIES: RESURRECTION #1 $5.99 FEB200797-M MARVEL COMICS

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 X OF SWORDS: CREATION #1 $6.99 JUL200583-M MARVEL COMICS
2 VENOM #28 $3.99 APR201004-M MARVEL COMICS
3 WEB OF VENOM: WRAITH #1 $4.99 FEB200936-M MARVEL COMICS
4 MARVEL ZOMBIES: RESURRECTION #1 $5.99 FEB200797-M MARVEL COMICS
5 THOR #7 $3.99 APR201008-M MARVEL COMICS
6 IRON MAN #1 $4.99 JUL200595-M MARVEL COMICS
7 X-MEN #12 $3.99 APR200891-M MARVEL COMICS
8 THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH #1 (MR) [*] $3.99 JUL200012-M IMAGE COMICS
9 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #48 $3.99 APR200988-M MARVEL COMICS
10 FANTASTIC FOUR #24 $3.99 JUL200667-M MARVEL COMICS

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY UNITS SHIPPED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 THE MARVEL LEGACY OF JACK KIRBY SLIPCASE HC $49.99 APR150904 MARVEL COMICS
2 THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE ART OF THE MOVIE HC $49.99 NOV130711 MARVEL COMICS
3 THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY HC $24.99 FEB150842 MARVEL COMICS
4 MONSTRESS VOLUME 5 TP (MR) $16.99 JUL200117 IMAGE COMICS
5 MS. MARVEL VOLUME 1 HC $34.99 MAR150785 MARVEL COMICS
6 OLD GUARD BOOK 2: FORCE MULTIPLIED TP (MR) $16.99 JUL200122 IMAGE COMICS
7 PUNISHER MAX VOL. 1: IN THE BEGINNING TP (MR) $14.99 JUN041643 MARVEL COMICS
8 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOLUME 2 HC $34.99 OCT150970 MARVEL COMICS
9 MS. MARVEL VOLUME 2 HC $34.99 OCT150966 MARVEL COMICS
10 IMMORTAL HULK VOL. 7: HULK IS HULK TP $15.99 APR201092 MARVEL COMICS

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 CONAN THE BARBARIAN: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 4 HC $125.00 JAN201038-M MARVEL COMICS
2 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN BY J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI OMNIBUS VOLUME 2 HC $125.00 SEP190968-M MARVEL COMICS
3 WOLVERINE OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC $100.00 OCT191088-M MARVEL COMICS
4 ABSOLUTE CARNAGE OMNIBUS HC $100.00 FEB201046 MARVEL COMICS
5 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOLUME 22 HC $100.00 JAN201044-M MARVEL COMICS
6 BLACK WIDOW STRIKES OMNIBUS HC $100.00 OCT191096-M MARVEL COMICS
7 MONSTRESS VOLUME 5 TP (MR) $16.99 JUL200117 IMAGE COMICS
8 SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC $125.00 JAN201035 MARVEL COMICS
9 CLOAK AND DAGGER OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 HC $100.00 NOV190943-M MARVEL COMICS
10 X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN OMNIBUS HC $100.00 JAN201043 MARVEL COMICS

TOP 10 TOYS BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 POP! MARVEL HEROES: ABSOLUTE CARNAGE DELUXE VINYL FIGURE DEC198585 FUNKO
2 RE EDIT HALO: MASTER CHIEF MJOLNIR MARK V
1/12-SCALE ACTION FIGURE
JUL198701 1000 TOYS
3 POP! MARVEL: INFAMOUS IRON MAN FIGURE JAN208954 FUNKO
4 ONE-12 COLLECTIVE: MARVEL: MAGNETO (MARVEL NOW EDITION) FIGURE AUG198176 MEZCO TOYS
5 HELLBOY: ABE SAPIEN (STANDARD) 1/12-SCALE FIGURE NOV198143 1000 TOYS INC.
6 STAR WARS: DARTH REVAN FORCE FX ELITE LIGHTSABER JAN208512 HASBRO TOY GROUP
7 SPIDER-MAN VINTAGE 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES FEB209316 HASBRO TOY GROUP
8 MARVEL SELECT: HULKBUSTER FIGURE JUN201794 DIAMOND SELECT TOYS
9 DC GALLERY: BATMAN (1989 MOVIE) PVC STATUE MAR202618 DIAMOND SELECT TOYS
10 G.I. JOE CLASSIFIED SERIES 6-INCH FIGURE DEC198100 HASBRO TOY GROUP

TOP 10 GAMES BY DOLLARS INVOICED

RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR
1 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION RPG: ADVANCED PLAYERS GUIDE HC NOV198464 PAIZO PUBLISHING
2 MARVEL HEROCLIX: SPIDER-MAN AND VENOM: ABSOLUTE CARNAGE BOOSTER BRICK JAN208408 NECA/WIZKIDS
3 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION CORE RULEBOOK HC MAY193227 PAIZO PUBLISHING
4 STARFINDER RPG: STARSHIP OPERATIONS MANUAL HC NOV198469 PAIZO PUBLISHING
5 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION: GAMEMASTERY GUIDE HC NOV192998 PAIZO PUBLISHING
6 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION: BESTIARY 2 FEB202896 PAIZO PUBLISHING
7 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION: BESTIARY HC MAY193229 PAIZO PUBLISHING
8 PATHFINDER 2ND EDITION CORE RULEBOOK SPECIAL EDITION HC MAY193228 PAIZO PUBLISHING
9 PATHFINDER FLIP-MAT: BASIC TERRAIN MULTI-PACK JUN132387 PAIZO PUBLISHING
10 STARFINDER RPG: CORE RULEBOOK POCKED EDITION NOV198467 PAIZO PUBLISHING

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER COMICS
SHIPPED
GRAPHIC NOVELS
SHIPPED
MAGAZINES
SHIPPED
TOTAL
SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS 76 46 0 122
IMAGE COMICS 46 15 0 61
BOOM! STUDIOS 24 15 0 39
SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT 0 39 0 39
VIZ MEDIA 0 37 0 37
IDW PUBLISHING 25 9 0 34
DARK HORSE COMICS 12 17 0 29
KODANSHA COMICS 0 16 0 16
YEN PRESS 0 16 0 16
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 14 1 0 15
OTHER NON-TOP 10 106 172 25 303
TOTAL 303 383 25 711

PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 55.94%
IMAGE COMICS 10.71%
BOOM! STUDIOS 5.58%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.74%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.71%
DC COMICS 2.68%
VIZ MEDIA 2.62%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.53%
RANDOM HOUSE 0.97%
TITAN COMICS 0.90%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 10.63%
 
UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER SHARE
MARVEL COMICS 66.00%
IMAGE COMICS 11.22%
BOOM! STUDIOS 5.33%
IDW PUBLISHING 3.42%
DARK HORSE COMICS 2.76%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.43%
VIZ MEDIA 1.18%
ARTISTS WRITERS & ARTISANS INC 0.96%
VAULT COMICS 0.85%
TITAN COMICS 0.84%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 5.01%

 

Dollar Market Shares for September 2020
Dollar Market Share – September 2020
Unit Market Shares for September 2020
Unit Market Share – September 2020

 How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales 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.

Diamond’s market share numbers are pulled from overall Diamond orders of over 2,500 retail accounts from all publishers’ titles. Diamond’s market share data reflects orders from its current publishing partners.

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.

Some accounts may use a variety of Point-Of-Sale (POS) tools and other sales systems, while others do not. Sales data from other sources based on a varied set of POS users are limited to specific store performance and may not include data from other industry accounts. POS data are limited to each individual POS system’s user base and do not accurately present a holistic view of the industry.

Premier Publishers are defined by Diamond as Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, and BOOM! Studios.

Please note that reported quantities on comics marked with an asterisk (*) have been reduced based on an estimate of retailer expected returns that may or may not occur and thus, the title 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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ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing thousands of specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.

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