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by **LOLtron** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:10 pm

Diamond has released their sales numbers for May 2012. Inside, find our thoughtful analysis.

Avengers vs. X-Men #4 and Avengers vs. X-Men #3 took the two top spots on the sales charts, which obviously means that Marvel is the greatest company in the universe and DC Comics' nu52 reboot is a complete and utter failure. In other news, DC Comics' books, including Justice League, Batman #9, and Batman Annual #1 took 7 of the top 10 spots, which obviously means that DC is the greatest company in the universe, and their nu52 reboot is a lasting success. Marvel took 35% of the retail market share vs. DC's 33%, and 39% of the unit market share vs. DC's 37%, so clearly Marvel is the greatest company in the universe and DC sucks and their nu52 reboot is a resounding failure. DC dominated the graphic novel chart while Marvel failed to place in the top ten at all, which definitely shows that DC is the greatest company in the universe and Marvel will never be able to compete with their nu52 reboot. None of this news bodes well for Vertigo.

Here's the official announcement from Diamond:

Diamond Announces Top Products For May 2012

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 8, 2012) — The battle between Marvel Comics' top teams reaches the surface of the moon in the publisher's Avengers Vs. X-Men #4, the best-selling comic book to specialty retailers in May 2012, 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 leading publisher in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 35.32% and 38.64% respectively. DC Entertainment, which had seven of the month's top ten best-selling comics, was second in both Retail Dollar and Unit Market Shares with 32.73% and 36.72% respectively.

Sales overall continued to be strong for the year, with comics sales up nearly 21% over the first five months of 2011 and graphic novel sales up nearly 13% for the same period.

Earth's greatest heroes joined forces to defeat an invasion by Darkseid and his Parademons in Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's Justice League Volume 1: Origin, and this hardcover collection of the first six issues of DC Comics' best-selling Justice League series from DC Comics was the top selling graphic novel in May.

Based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's best-selling video game Batman: Arkham City, DC Collectibles' Batman: Arkham City Series 2 Action Figures were the best-selling toy product to specialty retailers in May.

WizKids/NECA's latest Magic the Gathering expansion, Avacyn Restored, had a strong debut in May with the expansion's booster packs topping the games sales charts and the Fat Pack, Intro Decks, and Event Decks all placing in the top ten.

PUBLISHER MARKET SHARES

RETAIL MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER	SHARE
MARVEL COMICS	35.32%
DC COMICS	32.73%
IMAGE COMICS	7.19%
IDW PUBLISHING	4.80%
DARK HORSE COMICS	4.75%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	2.55%
BOOM! STUDIOS	1.60%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS	1.08%
VIZ MEDIA	0.86%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC	0.85%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	8.27%

UNIT MARKET SHARE
PUBLISHER	SHARE
MARVEL COMICS	38.64%
DC COMICS	36.72%
IMAGE COMICS	6.70%
IDW PUBLISHING	4.04%
DARK HORSE COMICS	3.48%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	2.63%
BOOM! STUDIOS	1.60%
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT INC	0.73%
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS	0.71%
AVATAR PRESS INC	0.64%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	4.13%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

	DOLLARS	UNITS
MAY 2012 VS. APRIL 2012
COMICS	20.60%	20.93%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	31.65%	22.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	24.11%	21.02%
MAY 2012 VS. MAY 2011
COMICS	45.12%	44.24%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	41.14%	24.98%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	43.76%	42.46%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2012 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2011
COMICS	21.77%	20.89%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	16.22%	12.77%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	19.95%	20.21%

TOP 10 COMICS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #4	$3.99	MAR120534	MAR
2	AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #3	$3.99	MAR120530	MAR
3	BATMAN #9	$3.99	MAR120184	DC
4	JUSTICE LEAGUE #9	$3.99	MAR120159	DC
5	BATMAN ANNUAL #1	$4.99	MAR120188	DC
6	AVX VS #2	$3.99	MAR120528	MAR
7	BATMAN INCORPORATED #1	$2.99	MAR120149	DC
8	DETECTIVE COMICS #9	$3.99	MAR120189	DC
9	ACTION COMICS #9	$3.99	MAR120176	DC
10	GREEN LANTERN #9	$2.99	MAR120204	DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	JUSTICE LEAGUE VOLUME 1: ORIGIN HC	$24.99	JAN120299	DC
2	BATMAN VOLUME 1: THE COURT OF OWLS HC	$24.99	JAN120300	DC
3	THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 1: DAYS GONE BYE TP	$9.99	JUL068351	IMA
4	BATMAN: DEATH BY DESIGN DELUXE EDITION HC	$24.99	JAN120285	DC
5	ANIMAL MAN VOLUME 1: THE HUNT TP	$14.99	FEB120247	DC
6	THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 4: HEARTS DESIRE TP	$14.99	SEP088205	IMA
7	KICK-ASS 2 PREMIERE HC (MR)	$24.99	MAR120637	MAR
8	THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 2: MILES BEHIND US TP	$14.99	SEP088204	IMA
9	WATCHMEN HC	$39.99	JUL080172	DC
10	GREEN LANTERN VOLUME 1: SINESTRO HC	$22.99	JAN120301	DC

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES	JAN120380	DC
2	MARVEL SELECT: AVENGERS MOVIE HULK ACTION FIGURE	DEC111596	DST
3	MASS EFFECT 3 SERIES 2 ACTION FIGURES	NOV118167	BIG
4	MASS EFFECT 3 SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES	NOV118166	BIG
5	COVER GIRLS OF THE DCU: RAVEN STATUE	FEB120307	DC
6	JUSTICE LEAGUE: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE	MAR128193	DC
7	THE WALKING DEAD SERIES 1: RICK/MICHONNE PREVIEWS EXCLUSIVE ACTION FIGURE 2-PACK	AUG118185	TMP
8	MARVEL X BISHOUJO: ELEKTRA STATUE	JUN111918	KOT
9	STORM STATUE	OCT111743	BOW
10	METAL GEAR SOLID PLAY ARTS KAI: SOLID SNAKE FIGURE	JAN121896	SQU

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED BOOSTER PACKS	FEB121827	WIZ
2	MARVEL HEROCLIX: GALACTIC GUARDIANS BOOSTER BRICK	FEB121832	NEC
3	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED FAT PACKS	FEB121829	WIZ
4	MARVEL HEROCLIX: CAPTAIN AMERICA BOOSTER PACK	APR112103	NEC
5	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED INTRO DECKS	FEB121830	WIZ
6	THE BIG BANG THEORY PARTY GAME	MAR121853	CRY
7	YU-GI-OH! TCG: GALACTIC OVERLORD BOOSTER PACKS	JAN128149	KON
8	MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE MARQUEE PACKS	MAR121893	NEC
9	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: AVACYN RESTORED EVENT DECKS	FEB121828	WIZ
10	MARVEL HEROCLIX: AVENGERS MOVIE BOOSTER PACKS	JAN122087	NEC

Source: Diamond
Written or Contributed by: Jude Terror

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/comics-news/19768-diamond-sales-numbers-for-may-2012.html/

by **Eli Katz** » Fri Jun 08, 2012 5:51 pm

I love that Batman # 9 is ranked so high. It's great when excellent comics sell well.

by **IvCNuB4** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:25 pm

Outhouse Fanboy Financial Analysts who have endlessly claimed that "DC's relaunch has been a massive failure across the board" have not been available for comment

by **Stephen Day** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:53 pm

IvCNuB4 wrote:Outhouse Fanboy Financial Analysts who have endlessly claimed that "DC's relaunch has been a massive failure across the board" have not been available for comment

It hasn't been a colossal failure, but, considering that DC seems to be right back in the same position they were in before the reboot, I wouldn't considering it to be a smashing success either.

by **IvCNuB4** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 3:50 pm

In response to that, DC says: :lol:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-exec ... eries.html

Nrama: There are people out there on the comics’ sites and blogs who attempt to track and analyze Diamond sales month-to-month. Some of the number-crunching seems to suggest that with the sales attrition natural to the comic book Direct Market, sales much pretty much back where they were prior to the launch of the New 52, or at least back to 2010’s numbers. Do you find any flaws in that analysis?

Wayne: I think our overall market share is up substantially month-in and month-out compared to two years ago. And overall, our sales going through Diamond is up over the previous year. Looking at the industry and market shares, you’re always going to have 100% on the pie-chart, but the pie is bigger now since the launch of the New 52 initiative and I don’t think most attempts at analysis don’t take that into account.

Nrama: Although no hard sales numbers are ever released, those analysts try to extrapolate those numbers from Diamond’s sales index released every month. Would it be fair to say that New 52 sales are top heavy with the Batman titles for example being big a big success, or is it more of a line-wide success?

by **Stephen Day** » Sat Jun 09, 2012 4:06 pm

IvCNuB4 wrote:In response to that, DC says:
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/dc-exec ... eries.html

I'm not talking about sales alone either, I'm mostly talking about where they are compared to Marvel. In that respect they are about where they were before. I'm sure there were lots of people who were hoping that the reboot would boost them above Marvel, but that hasn't happened, at least not in the long term. Are sales overall better than they were before? Yes they are, but once again, that's not totally what I'm talking about.

I'm currently buying more series from DC then I have in a long time, so I'll freely admit that they're doing some things right. I'm not bashing them, I'm being realistic.