DC Comics, Marvel Comics claim marketshare victories in January

DC Comics and Marvel Comics both claimed marketshare victories in January.

Diamond Comic Distributors' latest figures confirm that DC led the way in the unit marketshare category, while Marvel topped the dollar marketshare chart.

Marvel, whose average cover price is higher than its rival's, bagged 35.17% of dollar sales to DC's 33.55%. DC's unit share was 39.86%, compared to Marvel's 37.51%, Newsarama reorts.

DC's success was once again attributed to its 'New 52' initiative, titles from which occupied all of the top ten spaces on the month's bestselling comics chart. Justice League #5 took the top spot, followed by Batman #5.

Batman: Through the Looking Glass Hardcover gave DC the top spot in the graphic novels chart too. It was immediately followed by two books from Image Comics, Invincible Volume 15 and The Walking Dead Volume 1. Marvel's highest entry was the Fear Itself Premier Hardcover in fourth.

Overall comic sales rose 33.56% compared to January 2011, while graphic novel sales saw a year-on-year increase of 8.45%.