ICv2: Comic Sales Slip in January

By John Freeman on February 8, 2016

The ICV2 web site reports that comics and graphic novel sales were down 5.1 per cent versus the year ago period in January, with graphic novels trailing at a 7.77 per cent decline and comics down 3.86 per cent, according to information released by Diamond Comic Distributors.

The drop off comes after a busy December for comic shops supplied by Diamond, up 21.85 per cent, so ICV2 suggest that the dip is perhaps a little post-holiday hangover.

While The Walking Dead #150 was the best-selling comic, overall Marvel dominated in January, more than doubling the sales of its nearest competitor, DC. The Disney-owned company put out 131 titles in January, compared to only 98 for DC, roughly flipping the relative number of titles from December.

Eaglemoss had a big month, hitting the #6 share.

Website ComicChron notes that despite the dip, things are a lot better than they were five years ago, because January 2011 was the pits. The Top 300 comics sold 4.4 million copies, likely the lowest sum since the 1930s.

• Full sales list: ICv2: Comic Sales Slip in January

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.