Diamond Comics Distributors has released its annual 2012 report on the market leaders in the comic book industry. This report takes into account total sales of comics, graphic novels, and magazines as well as comic book specialty stores. Marvel Comics reigned supreme with a market share of %34.06, followed by DC Comics at %31.94. These two companies were the definitive market leaders with most other publishers like Image, IDW, and Dark Horse accounting for very paltry amounts.
Marvel and DC spent the majority of 2012 focused on a digital strategy and ironed out agreements with iBooks, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble for graphic novel sales. Comixology acts as these companies’ proxy on iOS, Android, and many other platforms for customers to buy single issue comics.
So how exactly does Diamonds sales charts work and how reliable is the information? All of the data comes from 3,500 accounts, comprised of comic book specialty shops and other merchant stores and buyers. The shops are primarily located in North America, with a percentage of sales also to international stores and buyers located throughout the world. Diamonds also takes into account digital sales, which, year to year, are significantly up.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
