Top Products Ordered For MAY 2015 released by Diamond Distributors

<b>EDITOR'S NOTES: I believe this is the same information that Diamond posts in PREVIEWS every month plus some additional stats and analysis. It's a subject of interest to me and one that I will share some of my own thoughts about soon.In the meantime, here is the full release.

From the official press release . . . .

Diamond Announces Top Products For May 2015



(BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 12, 2015) — The multiverse faces collapse and worlds collide in Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic's Secret Wars #1 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book of May 2015 according to information provided by Diamond Comic Distributors, the world's largest distributor of comics, graphic novels, and pop culture merchandise.

Marvel Comics was May's top publisher with a 40.17% dollar share and a 41.11% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month's number two publisher with a 25.43% dollar share and a 26.04% unit share. May's number three publisher was Image Comics with a 8.89% dollar share and a 10.28% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 5.06% dollar share and a 3.82% unit share. BOOM! Studios placed fifth for the month with a 3.96% dollar share and a 7.16% unit share, and Dark Horse Comics was sixth with a 3.83% dollar share and a 3.43% unit share.

In May, Marvel Comics had seven titles in the top ten, including Secret Wars #2 at #3, Cullen Bunn and Matteo Lolli's Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars #1 at #5, and G. Willow Wilson and Marguerite Bennett's A-Force #1 at #6. DC Comics had two titles in the top ten, led by Jeff King and Andy Kubert's Convergence #5 at #9. Also in May's top ten was BOOM! Studios' John Omohundro and Eryk Donovan's Bravest Warriors: Tales from the Holo John #1 at #2.

Batman faces new threats from the Riddler and Killer Croc in Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's original graphic novel, Batman: Earth One Volume 2 from DC Entertainment, the best-selling graphic novel of May. Marvel Comics had three titles among the top ten, including Night Nurse at #2 and Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's Civil War at #5. Image Comics had four titles, including Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch, and Stjepan Sejic's Rat Queens Volume 2 at #3; Jason Aaron and Jason Latour's Southern Bastards Volume 2 at #4, and Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga Volume 4 at #6.

Drawing on the in-game materials from the best-selling video games, Dark Horse Comics' Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 2 was May's best-selling book. In total, Dark Horse had three titles among the top ten, including the perennial favorite Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia at #4 and The World of The Witcher at #5.

Kotobukiya's Marvel Now: Deadpool ArtFX+ Statue was May's best-selling toy product and one of the manufacturer's two products in the top ten. DC Collectibles had seven products in the top ten, led by the DC Comics: The New 52: Harley Quinn Action Figure at #3.

The Marvel HeroClix: Avengers Assemble Booster Brick from WizKids/NECA was May's best-selling game product.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS
PUBLISHER
DOLLAR
SHARE
UNIT
SHARE

MARVEL COMICS
40.17%
41.11%
DC ENTERTAINMENT
25.43%
26.04%
IMAGE COMICS
8.89%
10.28%
IDW PUBLISHING
5.06%
3.82%
BOOM! STUDIOS
3.96%
7.16%
DARK HORSE COMICS
3.83%
3.43%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
2.22%
1.82%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD
1.16%
0.27%
VIZ MEDIA
1.01%
0.33%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC
0.85%
0.92%
OTHER NON-TOP 10
7.43%
4.81%
NEW TITLES SHIPPED
PUBLISHER
COMICS SHIPPED
GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED
MAGAZINES SHIPPED
TOTAL
SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS

71
35
0
106
DC ENTERTAINMENT
74
25
0
99
IMAGE COMICS
58
10
0
68
IDW PUBLISHING
42
21
0
63
DARK HORSE COMICS
33
17
0
50
BOOM ENTERTAINMENT
28
6
0
34
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
26
2
0
28
EAGLEMOSS
0
0
27
27
VIZ MEDIA
0
19
0
19
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS
11
2
0
13
OTHER NON-TOP 10
93
91
17
201
COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

DOLLARS
UNITS
MAY 2015 VS. APRIL 2014
COMICS
-10.58%
-9.60%
GRAPHIC NOVELS
-21.11%
-19.41%
TOTAL COMICS/GN
-13.81%
-10.38%
MAY 2015 VS. MAY 2014
COMICS
19.94%
19.53%
GRAPHIC NOVELS
-0.29%
9.90%
TOTAL COMICS/GN
13.49%
18.78%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2014
COMICS
16.48%
16.90%
GRAPHIC NOVELS
3.41%
-1.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN
12.31%
15.35%
TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS
RANK
DESCRIPTION
PRICE
ITEM CODE
VENDOR
1

SECRET WARS #1
$4.99
FEB150650-M
MAR
2
BRAVEST WARRIORS: TALES OF HOLO JOHN #1
$4.99
MAR151109-M
BOO
3
SECRET WARS #2
$4.99
MAR150618-M
MAR
4
STAR WARS #5
$3.99
MAR150683-M
MAR
5
DEADPOOL'S SECRET SECRET WARS #1
$4.99
MAR150644-M
MAR
6
A-FORCE #1
$3.99
MAR150665-M
MAR
7
OLD MAN LOGAN #1
$4.99
MAR150656-M
MAR
8
DARTH VADER #5
$3.99
MAR150688-M
MAR
9
CONVERGENCE #5 [*]
$3.99
MAR150155-M
DC
10
CONVERGENCE #6 [*]
$3.99
MAR150159-M
DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS
RANK
DESCRIPTION
PRICE
ITEM CODE
VENDOR
1

BATMAN: EARTH-ONE VOLUME 2 HC
$24.99
JAN150232
DC
2
NIGHT NURSE
$7.99
MAR150754
MAR
3
RAT QUEENS VOLUME 2: THE FAR REACHING TENTACLES OF N'RYGOTH TP (MR)
$14.99
SEP140647
IMA
4
SOUTHERN BASTARDS VOLUME 2: GRIDIRON TP (MR)
$9.99
FEB150542
IMA
5
CIVIL WAR TP
$24.99
JAN072436
MAR
6
SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR)
$14.99
OCT140644
IMA
7
LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST GN
$19.99
MAR151495
VIZ
8
DEADPOOL VOLUME 8: ALL GOOD THINGS TP
$24.99
MAR150804
MAR
9
THE VALIANT TP
$9.99
MAR151614
VAL
10
SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR)
$9.99
AUG120491
IMA
TOP 10 BOOKS
RANK
DESCRIPTION
PRICE
ITEM CODE
VENDOR
1

DRAGON AGE: THE WORLD OF THEDAS VOLUME 2 HC
$39.99
DEC140101
DAR
2
ATTACK ON TITAN: BEFORE THE FALL: KYKLO NOVEL
$14.95
MAR151665
RAN
3
ESSENTIAL EVANGELION CHRONICLE: SIDE A SC
$39.99
JAN151635
UDO
4
LEGEND OF ZELDA: HYRULE HISTORIA HC
$34.99
SEP120055
DAR
5
THE WORLD OF THE WITCHER HC
$39.99
OCT140122
DAR
6
MARVEL: AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON POP-UP BOOK HC
$14.99
MAR151735
HAC
7
THE FANGIRL'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: A HANDBOOK FOR GIRL GEEKS HC
$15.95
MAR151759
RAN
8
TH ECOMPLETE GUIDE TO SELF PUBLISHING COMICS SC
$24.99
MAR151750
RAN
9
WOMEN OF WONDER: CELEBRATING WOMEN CREATORS OF FANTASTIC ART
$24.95
MAR151727
PUB
10
BRAVEST WARRIORS: THINGS TO DOODLE & DO SC
$12.99
MAR151492
VIZ
TOP 10 TOYS
RANK
DESCRIPTION
ITEM CODE
VENDOR
1

MARVEL NOW: DEADPOOL ARTFX+ STATUE
SEP142328
KOT
2
THE DARK KNIGHT: THE JOKER MAF EX FIGURE
APR148224
MED
3
DC COMICS: THE NEW 52: HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE
DEC140434
DC
4
BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE
SEP140356
DC
5
BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: HARLEY QUINN ACTION FIGURE
SEP140357
DC
6
MARVEL: WOLVERINE DANGER ROOM SESSIONS STATUE
AUG142465
KOT
7
DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: MERA STATUE
NOV140352
DC
8
BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: SCARECROW ACTION FIGURE
SEP140358
DC
9
THE FLASH ACTION FIGURE
OCT140413
DC
10
DC COMICS: SUPERMAN & BATMAN BOOKENDS
NOV140347
DC
TOP 10 GAMES
RANK
DESCRIPTION
ITEM CODE
VENDOR
1

MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE BOOSTER BRICK
MAR152655
NEC
2
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: DRAGONS OF TARKIR BOOSTER PACKS
JAN158366
WIZ
3
YU-GI-OH! HEROCLIX SERIES THREE
SEP142619
NEC
4
HARLEY QUINN PUZZLE
MAR152470
NMR
5
THE WALKING DEAD: PRISON BOARD GAME
JUN142630
MEG
6
STAR WARS ARMADA: VICTORY CLASS STAR DESTROYER EXPANSION
JAN152641
FAN
7
MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: DRAGONS OF TARKIR FAT PACK
JAN158368
WIZ
8
STAR WARS ARMADA: ASSAULT FRIGATE MARK II EXPANSION
JAN152634
FAN
9
MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG COMBAT HANDBOOK HC
FEB142547
SCH
10
MINECRAFT: OFFICIAL MOJANG CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK HC
FEB142548
SCH

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.

***

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.

© 2015 Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. All rights reserved. Diamond, the Diamond logo, Diamond Books logo, and PREVIEWS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diamond Comic Distributors in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective copyright owners.


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