Diamond Announces Top Products For May 2016
The original Wally West’s return to the DC Universe ushers in a new era and a new mystery for the heroes of the DCU in Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, and Phil Jimenez’s DC Universe: Rebirth #1 from DC Entertainment, the best-selling comic book of May 2016 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 39.64% dollar share and a 44.80% unit share. DC Entertainment was the month’s number two publisher with a 26.45% dollar share and a 26.34% unit share. At number three was Image Comics with an 8.38% dollar share and a 7.95% unit share. IDW Publishing was fourth with a 5.70% dollar share and a 4.99% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 3.25% dollar share and 2.31% units share.
Marvel Comics had seven of May’s top ten best-selling titles, led by led by Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel’s Civil War II #0 at #2. Also in the top ten for Marvel were Becky Cloonan and Steve Dillon’s The Punisher #1 at #3, Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 from Nick Spencer and Jesus Saiz at #5, Jason Aaron and Leinil Francis Yu’s Star Wars #19 at #6, Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca’s Darth Vader #20 at #8, Ta-Nahesi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze’s Black Panther #2 at #9, and Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli’s Amazing Spider-Man #12 at #10. DC Entertainment had three titles among the top ten; in addition to DC Universe: Rebirth in the top spot, James Tynion IV and Riley Rossmo’s Batman #52 ranked #4 and Justice League #50, the conclusion to Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s “Darkseid War,” ranked #7. Among the premier publishers, Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead #154 was May’s top Image Comics book at #13. IDW Publishing’s top book for the month, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #58, ranked #120. Finally, Hellboy in Hell #9, the penultimate issue of Mike Mignola’s final Hellboy story, was Dark Horse Comics’ top book at #132.
Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition from DC Entertainment returned to the top of the sales charts as May’s best-selling graphic novel. Also in the top ten from DC Entertainment, The Joker: Endgame ranked #7. Image Comics had four titles in the top ten, led by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Descender Volume 2 at #2, followed by Black Science Volume 4: Godworld at #4, Brian K. Vaughan and Steve Skroce’s We Stand on Guard at #5, and Chew Volume 11: Last Suppers at #6. Marvel Comics rounded out the top ten with four titles, led by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s Civil War at #3, followed by Star Wars: Kanan Volume 2 at #8, Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez’s Spider-Gwen Volume 1: Greater Power, and Spider-Man/Deadpool: Don’t Call It a Team-Up at #10.
Penguin’s Doctor Who Official Annual 2015 was May’s best-selling book. Image Comics had two titles among the top ten; The Walking Dead Adult Coloring Book ranked #2 for the month, and Frank Cho’s artbook, Apes & Babes Book 1, ranked #5.
Square Enix’s DC Comics Variant Play Arts Kai: Timeless Batman “Sparta” Figure, a redesign of the Dark Knight as an ancient Spartan warrior, was May’s best-selling toy product. DC Entertainment had three products in the top ten — the Batman Arkham Knight: Red Hood Figure at #2, the DC Comics Bombshells: Cheetah Statue at #6, and the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Superman Statue at #7. Diamond Select Toys’ top product for the month, Marvel Minimates Series 66: Captain America: Civil War, ranked #21 for May.
Wizkids/NECA’s Marvel Heroclix: Uncanny X-Men Booster Brick was, for the second month in a row, the month’s best-selling game product.