Marvel Comics kicked off "Secret Wars" with a bang in May 2015, as the event series jumped into the top position on the Direct Market sales charts for the month. Issue #2 landed in the third spot. The event's spinoff series fared well also, with "Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars" debuting at #5, "A-Force" at #6 and "Old Man Logan" at #7. "Star Wars" #5 was the fourth best selling title in May, and "Darth Vader" #5 was ranked #8.

DC Comics' "Convergence" #5 and 6 ranked #9 and 10, with the event's final two issues not making the top ten cut.

Boosted by its Loot Crate exclusive variant, BOOM! Studios' "Bravest Warriors: Tales of the Holo John" miniseries debuted at #2.

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's latest "Batman: Earth One" OGN debuted in the #1 position on the graphic novels chart. Image Comics collections took four positions, while Marvel, Valiant and Dark Horse offerings split the remaining five spots.

Overall, Marvel commanded over 40% of the Direct Market in May, with DC Comics' share dipping to roughly a quarter of the market.

Monthly comics were down from April 2015, but up significantly over May 2014; graphic novel sales were up by nearly 10% month-to-month, but down slightly from the same period last year.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHERDOLLARSHAREUNITSHARE
MARVEL COMICS 40.17% 41.11%
DC ENTERTAINMENT 25.43% 26.04%
IMAGE COMICS 8.89% 10.28%
IDW PUBLISHING 5.06% 3.82%
BOOM! STUDIOS 3.96% 7.16%
DARK HORSE COMICS 3.83% 3.43%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT 2.22% 1.82%
EAGLEMOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD 1.16% 0.27%
VIZ MEDIA 1.01% 0.33%
VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT LLC 0.85% 0.92%
OTHER NON-TOP 10 7.43% 4.81%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS


DOLLARSUNITS
MAY 2015 VS. APRIL 2014
COMICS -10.58% -9.60%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -21.11% -19.41%
TOTAL COMICS/GN -13.81% -10.38%
MAY 2015 VS. MAY 2014
COMICS 19.94% 19.53%
GRAPHIC NOVELS -0.29% 9.90%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 13.49% 18.78%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2015 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2014
COMICS 16.48% 16.90%
GRAPHIC NOVELS 3.41% -1.13%
TOTAL COMICS/GN 12.31% 15.35%

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANKDESCRIPTIONPRICEITEM CODEVENDOR
1 SECRET WARS #1 $4.99 FEB150650-M MAR
2 BRAVEST WARRIORS: TALES OF HOLO JOHN #1 $4.99 MAR151109-M BOO
3 SECRET WARS #2 $4.99 MAR150618-M MAR
4 STAR WARS #5 $3.99 MAR150683-M MAR
5 DEADPOOL'S SECRET SECRET WARS #1 $4.99 MAR150644-M MAR
6 A-FORCE #1 $3.99 MAR150665-M MAR
7 OLD MAN LOGAN #1 $4.99 MAR150656-M MAR
8 DARTH VADER #5 $3.99 MAR150688-M MAR
9 CONVERGENCE #5 [*] $3.99 MAR150155-M DC
10 CONVERGENCE #6 [*] $3.99 MAR150159-M DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANKDESCRIPTIONPRICEITEM CODEVENDOR
1 BATMAN: EARTH-ONE VOLUME 2 HC $24.99 JAN150232 DC
2 NIGHT NURSE $7.99 MAR150754 MAR
3 RAT QUEENS VOLUME 2: THE FAR REACHING TENTACLES OF N'RYGOTH TP (MR) $14.99 SEP140647 IMA
4 SOUTHERN BASTARDS VOLUME 2: GRIDIRON TP (MR) $9.99 FEB150542 IMA
5 CIVIL WAR TP $24.99 JAN072436 MAR
6 SAGA VOLUME 4 TP (MR) $14.99 OCT140644 IMA
7 LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST GN $19.99 MAR151495 VIZ
8 DEADPOOL VOLUME 8: ALL GOOD THINGS TP $24.99 MAR150804 MAR
9 THE VALIANT TP $9.99 MAR151614 VAL
10 SAGA VOLUME 1 TP (MR) $9.99 AUG120491 IMA