Diamond Comic Distributors has announced the top comic books and graphic novels (by sales figures) of 2013, with Image Comics’ The Walking Dead #115 taking the No. 1 spot for the year’s total unit sales to specialty comic shops. Written by creator Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Charlie Adlard, the issue celebrated the popular zombie series’ 10th anniversary and kicked off the “All-Out War” storyline with 12 different collectible covers, ten of which interlock to create one large image.
Marvel Comics came out on top as the market’s best selling publisher, with a 33.50% Dollar Market Share and a 36.97% Unit Market Share. Marvel had six titles in the year’s top 10, lead by Guardians of the Galaxy #1 at No. 3. DC Entertainment came in at number 2 in the publishing race, with a 30.33% Dollar Market Share and a 33.35% Unit Market Share. DC had three of the year’s top 10 comics, and 13 of the top 20, with Justice League of America #1 making it into the No. 2 spot overall. Annual comic and graphic novel sales increased 9.04% over 2012.
The debut volume of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga was the year’s best selling graphic novel, and helped nudge Image Comics into the No. 3 publisher spot, with a 8% Dollar Market Share and a 8.49% Unit Market Share. Image had seven of the year’s top 10 graphic novels, including five volumes of The Walking Dead. The order of the rest of the top 10 publishers is: IDW Publishing, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Boom! Studios, Eaglemoss Publications, Valiant Entertainment, Avatar Press.
Top 10 Comic Books
1. The Walking Dead #115 (Image)
2. Justice League of America #1 (DC)
3. Superman Unchained #1 (DC)
4. Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (Marvel)
5. Superior Spider-Man #1 (Marvel)
6. Infinity #1 (Marvel)
7. X-Men #1 (Marvel)
8. Age of Ultron #1 (Marvel)
9. Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel)
10. Superman Unchained #2 (DC)
Top 10 Graphic Novels / Trade Paperbacks
1. Saga Vol. 1 (Image)
2. The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye (Image)
3. Saga Vol. 2 (Image)
4. The Walking Dead Vol. 18: What Comes After (Image)
5. The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us (Image)
6. The Walking Dead Vol. 19: March to War (Image)
7. Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life as Weapon (Marvel)
8. Batman Vol. 1: The Court of Owls (DC)
9. Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition (DC)
10. The Walking Dead Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars (Image)
 of 2013, with Image Comics' The Walking Dead #115 taking the No. 1 spot for the year's total unit sales to specialty comic shops.){kind=link}