By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com.
Retail sales of licensed merchandise based on the top superhero properties from Marvel and DC Comics dipped 7% to reach $4.4 million in 2017, according to TLL’s latest edition of the $100 Million Entertainment/Character list.
From the 2017 list, Marvel’s top two properties are Spider-Man ($1.4 billion in licensed retail sales) and the Avengers ($1.2) while DC Comics is represented by Batman ($1) and Superman ($0.7).
It should be noted that DC Comics hosts more brands that do not make it on to the $100 Million list such as DC Super Hero Girls, Wonder Woman, and Suicide Squad. Justice League-based sales are split between Batman and Superman where appropriate, but TLL counts film-based merchandise seperately.
Accounting for the superhero house’s other brands, TLL estimates that licensed DC Comics-based sales reached $2 billion in 2017. Last year, the company reported that fans spent $4.5 billion on DC-related consumer products in 2016—that figure includes CD, Blueray/DVD, comic book, and location-based sales not included in TLL’s calculations.
In comparison, total Marvel-based sales reached $2.7 billion in 2017. The Disney-owned studio counted those additional sales, in most part, from Guardians of the Galaxy. The 2017 sequel’s promotional marketing tie-ins reportedly generated $80 million for Marvel.
Other superhero properties from houses like Valiant Entertainment and Dark Horse Comics generated a combined total of approximately $425 million in global licensed retail sales, or 8.3% of all licensed superhero-branded merchandise.
Note: Numbers may not add up exactly due to rounding. | |||||||
(Figures in Millions) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Property | U.S. & Canada | Worldwide | Share U.S./Canada, 2017 | ||||
Retail Sales, 2017 | Retail Sales, 2016 | Change, 2016–2017 | Retail Sales, 2017 | Retail Sales, 2016 | Change, 2016–2017 | ||
Marvel Avengers | $537 | $517 | 4% | $1,227 | $1,242 | -1% | 43.8% |
Spider-Man | $477 | $463 | 3% | $1,402 | $1,551 | -10% | 34.0% |
Batman | $472 | $530 | -11% | $1,024 | $1,100 | -7% | 46.1% |
Superman | $323 | $359 | -10% | $722 | $812 | -11% | 44.7% |
Overall | $1,809 | $1,868 | -3% | $4,375 | $4,706 | -7% | 58.7% |
Looking forwards, superhero-based sales are expected to continue to experience flat-to-down growth, with Marvel Avengers the only superhero brand TLL expects to see grow in 2018 licensed retail sales.
Just because it’s a cultural phenomenon does not mean it will sell. This year’s breakout property, Warner Bros.’ Black Panther, is geared to take $10 to $20 million globally in licensed retail sales in 2018. Similarly, DC Comic’s Wonder Woman is estimated to have enjoyed similar levels of sales in 2017.