These records detail the high and low points observed on the charts published by Diamond Comic Distributors during the period in which it was the sole distributor for the North American comic-book store market, from April 1997 onward.
These totals do not reflect comics that might have been sold in the newsstand, bookstore, or overseas markets — and for individual books, those sales may be substantial. For example, Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu #1 is reported to have had sales topping 1 million copies across multiple printings in 1999 — almost entirely outside the comics shop market.
And, of course, if you go further back, you reach many higher sales records — the top-selling comic book ever, X-Men Vol. 2, #1 in 1991, had sales over 8 million copies. But the records here for average prices represent all-time averages (for obvious reasons).
Highest
Orders for a Comic Book
in a Single Month, 1997-present
366,051 copies
Walking Dead #11 (all variants, including Chromium), Image Comics
July 2012
Highest Orders for a Comic Book in a Single Year, 1997-present
530,500 copies
Amazing Spider-Man #583 (all variants, all printings), Marvel Comics
January-December 2009
Lowest Number of Copies Ordered for the #1 Comic Book in a Single Month, 1997-present
71,517 copies
Green Lantern #62, DC
February 2011
First Month with No Title Selling More than 100,000 Copies in a Single Month
March 2009
Most Comic Books in the Top 300 Comics List by Publisher, 1997-present
129
DC Comics
October 2011
Most Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics), 1997-present
9,340,000 copies
April 1997
Fewest Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics), 1997-present
4,402,000 copies
January 2011
Highest Dollar Volume for Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics) 1997-present
$25.72 million
May 2012
Lowest Dollar Volume for Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics)
$13,000,000
May 2001
Highest Dollar Volume for Top 300 Trade Paperbacks Ordered in a Single Month
$8.61 million
October 2012
Highest Dollar Volume for Top 300 Comic Books and Top 300 Trade Paperbacks Ordered in a Single Month
$34 million
May 2012
Highest Dollar Volume for All Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered from Diamond in a Single Month, 2003-present
$47.32 million
October 2012
Lowest Dollar Volume for All Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered from Diamond in a Single Month, 2003-present
$21.9 million
January 2004
Highest Dollar Volume for Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered in a Single Quarter, 2003-present
$123.6 million
July 2012 to September 2012
Most Consecutive Months for a Publisher to Have the #1 Comic Book, 1996-present
27 months
Marvel Comics
January 2007 - March 2009
Number of Different Publishers with the #1 Comic Book, 1996-present
4
Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Image, Dreamwave
Smallest Number of Different Publishers in the Top 300, 1996-present
13
October 2011
Most Consecutive Months for a Title at #1, 1996-present
10
Uncanny X-Men #366-375, Marvel Comics
January 1999 - October 1999
Most Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title in a five-week month, 1996-present
5,376
Strain #7, Dark Horse Comics
August 2012
Most Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title in a four-week month, 1996-present
5,167
Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword #3, Dark Horse Comics
October 2011
Fewest Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title, 1996-present
654
Tomb Raider Gallery #1 (reoffered), Image Comics
May 2001
Highest Average Price for Comics in Diamond’s Top 300 Comics List
$3.78
November 2010
Highest Weighted Average Price for All Comics Ordered within Diamond’s Top 300 Comics List
$3.69
November 2010
Highest Final Order Dollar Market Shares registered for the Following Companies, 1997-present:
Marvel: 45.31%, September 2008
DC: 42.47%, October 2011
Image: 17.09%, May 1998
Dark Horse: 13.62%, May 1999
IDW: 7.54%, April 2013
CrossGen: 4.58%, June 2002
366,051 copies
Walking Dead #11 (all variants, including Chromium), Image Comics
July 2012
Highest Orders for a Comic Book in a Single Year, 1997-present
530,500 copies
Amazing Spider-Man #583 (all variants, all printings), Marvel Comics
January-December 2009
Lowest Number of Copies Ordered for the #1 Comic Book in a Single Month, 1997-present
71,517 copies
Green Lantern #62, DC
February 2011
First Month with No Title Selling More than 100,000 Copies in a Single Month
March 2009
Most Comic Books in the Top 300 Comics List by Publisher, 1997-present
129
DC Comics
October 2011
Most Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics), 1997-present
9,340,000 copies
April 1997
Fewest Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics), 1997-present
4,402,000 copies
January 2011
Highest Dollar Volume for Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics) 1997-present
$25.72 million
May 2012
Lowest Dollar Volume for Comic Books Ordered in a Single Month (Top 300 Comics)
$13,000,000
May 2001
Highest Dollar Volume for Top 300 Trade Paperbacks Ordered in a Single Month
$8.61 million
October 2012
Highest Dollar Volume for Top 300 Comic Books and Top 300 Trade Paperbacks Ordered in a Single Month
$34 million
May 2012
Highest Dollar Volume for All Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered from Diamond in a Single Month, 2003-present
$47.32 million
October 2012
Lowest Dollar Volume for All Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered from Diamond in a Single Month, 2003-present
$21.9 million
January 2004
Highest Dollar Volume for Comic Books, Trade Paperbacks, and Magazines Ordered in a Single Quarter, 2003-present
$123.6 million
July 2012 to September 2012
Most Consecutive Months for a Publisher to Have the #1 Comic Book, 1996-present
27 months
Marvel Comics
January 2007 - March 2009
Number of Different Publishers with the #1 Comic Book, 1996-present
4
Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Image, Dreamwave
Smallest Number of Different Publishers in the Top 300, 1996-present
13
October 2011
Most Consecutive Months for a Title at #1, 1996-present
10
Uncanny X-Men #366-375, Marvel Comics
January 1999 - October 1999
Most Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title in a five-week month, 1996-present
5,376
Strain #7, Dark Horse Comics
August 2012
Most Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title in a four-week month, 1996-present
5,167
Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword #3, Dark Horse Comics
October 2011
Fewest Comic Books Sold by a 300th-place title, 1996-present
654
Tomb Raider Gallery #1 (reoffered), Image Comics
May 2001
Highest Average Price for Comics in Diamond’s Top 300 Comics List
$3.78
November 2010
Highest Weighted Average Price for All Comics Ordered within Diamond’s Top 300 Comics List
$3.69
November 2010
Highest Final Order Dollar Market Shares registered for the Following Companies, 1997-present:
Marvel: 45.31%, September 2008
DC: 42.47%, October 2011
Image: 17.09%, May 1998
Dark Horse: 13.62%, May 1999
IDW: 7.54%, April 2013
CrossGen: 4.58%, June 2002
Updated: May 6, 2013
