DC Dominates A Strong July For Comics

The comics shop market enjoyed its best summer month in the Diamond Exclusive Era in dollar terms, ordering more dollars worth of comics and trade paperbacks in the month of July than it has in all but one month since 1997.

 Based on Comichron's analysis of preliminary data released by Diamond Comic Distributors, July's orders of $46.8 million topped every previous month (in non-inflation adjusted terms) with the exception of October 2012, which had set a mark of $47.3 million.

Comic book, graphic novel, and trade paperback orders were up 16.73% in dollars over last July, which had one less shipping week. That's right around the amount that an additional shipping week usually adds. That puts the market up 12.71% for the year, to nearly $297 million. The market is now running $35 million ahead of where it was last year at this time.

Superman Unchained #2 from DC led the comics periodical list, which saw DC nudging past Marvel in the dollar market shares category for the first time since last September. July comics orders were up 11.02% in units and 12.65% in dollars over last July.

Marvel's Hawkeye Vol. 2 topped the graphic novel list. Graphic novel and trade paperback sales were up by a great deal, more than 26%, over last July.

 Information compiled from The Comics Chronicle.