(BALTIMORE, MD) — (October 9, 2015) — The Rebel Alliance faces a new challenge after the Battle of Endor in Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's prequel to the new Star Wars film, Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens #1 from Marvel Comics, the best-selling comic book in September 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 September's top publisher with a 32.67% dollar share and a 38.12% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month's number two publisher with a 26.01% dollar share and a 26.32% unit share. August's number three publisher was Image Comics with an 11.81% dollar share and a 12.07% unit share. In fourth was IDW Publishing with a 5.72% dollar share and a 4.84% unit share. Dark Horse Comics placed fifth for the month with a 4.42% dollar share and a 3.64% unit share. Overall, the comic book specialty market continued its ongoing trend of annual sales increases with comic book and graphic novel sales up over 7% year-to-date. In August, Marvel Comics had six titles among the top ten best-selling comics, including Tim Seeley and Elmo Bondoc's Deadpool Vs. Thanos #1 at #4 and Dan Slott and Adam Kubert's Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #5 at #6. DC Entertainment had three titles among top ten positions including Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #44 at #3 and Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok's Justice League #44 at #8. Also in the top ten was Image Comics with Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead #146 at #9 for the month. Outside the top ten, the month's best-selling non-premier comic book was Oni Press' Invader Zim #3, based on the fan-favorite animated series, which ranked #41 overall. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga Volume 5 from Image Comics was the best-selling graphic novel for August and one of the publisher's four volumes in the top ten. DC Entertainment had five titles in the top ten, led by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman Volume 7: Endgame at #3. Also in the top ten was Dark Horse Comics' Avatar: The Last Airbender Volume 10: Smoke and Shadow Part One from Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru at #6. Neil Gaiman reimagines the fairy tales of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in his illustrated children's book, The Sleeper and the Spindle, from Bloomsbury, the best-selling book in September. Also among the top ten was Dark Horse Comics' The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series Book 4: Balance at #3. Based on the best-selling video game, DC Entertainment's Batman Arkham Knight: Arkham Knight Action Figure was September's best-selling toy and one of the manufacturer's four products in the top ten. Scholastic's Minecraft: The Official Mojang Construction Handbook Updated Edition, a guide to the fan-favorite game, was the best-selling game product of September. Also in the top ten was Diamond Select Toys' Back to the Future Monopoly, a custom edition of the beloved board game, which ranked #5 for the month. TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS RETAIL MARKET SHARE PUBLISHER SHARE MARVEL COMICS 32.67% DC ENTERTAINMENT 26.01% IMAGE COMICS 11.81% IDW PUBLISHING 5.72% DARK HORSE COMICS 4.42% BOOM! STUDIOS 2.11% DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.79% AVATAR PRESS INC 1.55% VIZ MEDIA 1.32% TITAN COMICS 1.31% OTHER NON-TOP 10 11.29% UNIT MARKET SHARE PUBLISHER SHARE MARVEL COMICS 38.12% DC ENTERTAINMENT 26.32% IMAGE COMICS 12.07% IDW PUBLISHING 4.84% DARK HORSE COMICS 3.64% BOOM! STUDIOS 2.08% DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 1.80% VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 1.58% TITAN COMICS 1.25% AVATAR PRESS INC 1.19% OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.12% NEW TITLES SHIPPED PUBLISHER COMICS SHIPPED GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED MAGAZINES SHIPPED TOTAL SHIPPED MARVEL COMICS 80 23 0 103 DC ENTERTAINMENT 70 25 0 95 IMAGE COMICS 73 18 0 91 IDW PUBLISHING 42 20 0 62 DARK HORSE COMICS 29 26 0 55 BOOM ENTERTAINMENT 30 9 0 39 DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 20 7 0 27 TITAN COMICS 11 12 3 26 VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 10 5 0 15 ONI PRESS INC. 7 2 0 9 OTHER NON TOP 10 118 190 49 357 COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS DOLLARS UNITS SEPTEMBER 2015 VS. AUGUST 2015 COMICS 0.89% -1.10% GRAPHIC NOVELS 8.71% 14.79% TOTAL COMICS/GN 3.49% 0.30% SEPTEMBER 2015 VS. SEPTEMBER 2014 COMICS -19.62% -20.15% GRAPHIC NOVELS 12.51% 30.61% TOTAL COMICS/GN -10.73% -16.89% YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 COMICS 7.21% 6.58% GRAPHIC NOVELS 7.06% 8.48% TOTAL COMICS/GN 7.16% 6.73% THIRD QUARTER 2015 VS. SECOND QUARTER 2015 COMICS -12.07% -14.18% GRAPHIC NOVELS -0.26% 1.14% TOTAL COMICS/GN -8.49% -12.94% THIRD QUARTER 2015 VS. THIRD QUARTER 2014 COMICS -8.08% -10.07% GRAPHIC NOVELS 9.32% 17.13% TOTAL COMICS/GN -2.98% -8.07% TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR 1 JOURNEY TO STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS: SHATTERED EMPIRE #1 $3.99 JUL150767 -M MAR 2 STAR WARS #9 $3.99 JUN150792 -M MAR 3 BATMAN #44 $4.99 JUL150256 -M DC 4 DEADPOOL VS. THANOS #1 $3.99 JUL150789 -M MAR 5 DARTH VADER #9 $3.99 JUN150796 -M MAR 6 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #5 $3.99 JUL150737 -M MAR 7 BATMAN ANNUAL #4 $4.99 JUL150258 DC 8 JUSTICE LEAGUE #44 $3.99 JUL150202 -M DC 9 THE WALKING DEAD #146 (MR) $2.99 JUL150569 IMA 10 DEADPOOL VS. THANOS #2 $3.99 JUL150792 -M MAR TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR 1 SAGA VOLUME 5 TP (MR) $14.99 JUL150565 IMA 2 DESCENDER VOLUME 1: TIN STARS TP (MR) $9.99 JUL150554 -M IMA 3 BATMAN VOLUME 7: ENDGAME HC $24.99 MAY150231 DC 4 CHRONONAUTS VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 MAY150488 -M IMA 5 BATMAN VOLUME 6: GRAVEYARD SHIFT TP (N52) $16.99 JUN150290 DC 6 AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER VOLUME 10: SMOKE & SHADOW PART 1 TP $10.99 MAY150050 DAR 7 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD TP (MR) $14.99 MAY150271 DC 8 BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL EDITION HC $17.99 NOV070226 DC 9 THE JOKER: ENDGAME HC $29.99 MAY150232 DC 10 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA TOP 10 BOOKS RANK DESCRIPTION PRICE ITEM CODE VENDOR 1 NEIL GAIMAN: THE SLEEPER & THE SPINDLE HC $19.99 JUL151864 HAR 2 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S STAR WARS: THE TRAGEDY OF THE SITH'S REVENGE HC $14.95 JUL151875 QUI 3 LEGEND OF KORRA: ART OF THE ANIMATED SERIES BOOK 4: BALANCE $34.99 MAY150040 DAR 4 THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 99 SC $14.95 JUL151869 SAN 5 DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 83 SC $14.95 MAY151803 SAN 6 AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: SUPERGIRL'S PET PROBLEM PB $3.95 JUL151821 CAP 7 THE WALKING DEAD VOLUME 6: INVASION HC $26.99 AUG152007 STM 8 AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: MAGIC MONSTERS $3.95 JUL151823 CAP 9 AMAZING ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: BUBBLE TROUBLE $3.95 JUL151822 CAP 10 DC SUPER HEROES SUPERMAN: LEX LUTHOR'S POWER GRAB $5.95 JUN151733 CAP TOP 10 TOYS RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR 1 BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: ARKHAM KNIGHT ACTION FIGURE SEP140355 DC 2 AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON: HULKBUSTER VS. IRON MAN ARTFX+ STATUE MAR152213 KOT 3 ARKHAM: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE 5-PACK MAR150321 DC 4 BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT PLAY ARTS KAI: ARKHAM KNIGHT FIGURE MAR158226 SQU 5 BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: BATMAN ACTION FIGURE SEP140356 DC 6 DC COMICS: ZATANNA BISHOUJO STATUE FEB152360 KOT 7 AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON: THE HULK ARTFX+ STATUE MAR152212 KOT 8 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: LEONARDO PVC FIGURE NOV148117 GOO 9 ELECTROCUTIONER/LADY SHIVA/HARLEEN QUINZELL FIGURE 3-PACK MAY150300 DC 10 BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT PLAY ARTS KAI: BATMAN FIGURE FEB158188 SQU TOP 10 GAMES RANK DESCRIPTION ITEM CODE VENDOR 1 MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG CONSTRUCTION -­ UPDATED EDITION HC JUN152754 SCH 2 MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG REDSTONE -­ UPDATED EDITION HC JUN152756 SCH 3 MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG ESSENTIAL ­- UPDATED EDITION HC JUN152755 SCH 4 MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG COMBAT ­- UPDATED EDITION HC JUN152753 SCH 5 BACK TO THE FUTURE MONOPOLY JUL152198 DST 6 DC DICE MASTERS WAR OF LIGHT FOIL PACKS JUN152765 NEC 7 D&D MINIATURES SET THREE BOOSTERS JUN152763 NEC 8 DC BOMBSHELLS 1000-PIECE JIGSAW PUZZLE JUL152777 NMR 9 MACHI KORO CARD GAME DELUXE EDITION JUN152743 IDW 10 DC DICE MASTERS: WAR OF LIGHT STARTER SET JUN152769 NEC Dollar Market Share – September 2015 Unit Market Share – September 2015 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. 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