Marvel Comics' dominance of the Diamond Top 300 sales charts picked up in 2003 right where it left off in 2002, with a near sweep of the highest chart positions. Led by ULTIMATE WAR #3 and ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #34 & 35, 9 out of January 2003's Top 10 titles were Marvel titles.
January 2003's Top Ten performance marks an improvement over 2002, a year in which Marvel placed an average of 8 out of the Top Ten titles each month.
Of the Top 50 January 2003 titles, Marvel also placed: 13 of the Top 15 16 of the Top 20 29 of the Top 50.
Marvel's grip of the top of the charts is further reflected in the overall Top 300 January 2003 figures.
Despite releasing just 16% of titles that make up the Top 300 - as compared to our nearest competitor's 23% - Marvel led the industry with 42.9% of the Unit Share (total # of individual issues sold) and 38.7% of Retail Dollar share, compared to that competitor's 30.7% and 31.1%, respectively.
Impressive individual performers include Daredevil #42, which boosted by the 25-cent DAREDEVIL #41 (Diamond does not include promotionally-priced comics in their sales charts), rose 11 chart positions, from #24 in December to #13 in January.
HULK/WOLVERINE 6 HOURS #1, the first issue of the 4-issue limited series, checked at #22, the highest-ranking debut title on the charts. "What a way to kick off the New Year!" said Joe Quesada. "There's not much to say that the numbers don't say already, except that this is only the beginning of what I believe will be the most profitable year in a very long time, even without a Spider-Man movie!"
Michael Doran Marketing Communications Manager Marvel Comics
From The Desk Of Michael Doran: