Why are people choosing to exclude Valiant and Image?
They aren't anywhere near as major as DC and Marvel.
Looking at the October 2015 Comic Book Sales Figures list on Comichron (http://www.comichron.com/monthlycomi...5/2015-10.html), which is primarily numbers from Diamond based on what comic book shops in the U.S. ordered,
* Image at least had six titles place in the Top 100:
23 Paper Girls 1 $2.99 Image 75,585
26 Walking Dead 147 $2.99 Image 67,056
42 I Hate Fairyland 1 $3.50 Image 50,318
53 We Stand On Guard 4 $2.99 Image 40,197
83 Tokyo Ghost 2 $3.99 Image 27,688
99 Black Magick 1 $3.99 Image 22,748
* But Valiant? Look at their top five titles:
96 Book of Death 4 $3.99 Valiant 23,205
181 Book of Death Fall of X-O Manowar 1 $3.99 Valiant 10,112
190 Bloodshot Reborn 7 $3.99 Valiant 9,716
210 Ninjak 8 $3.99 Valiant 8,114
220 Rai 11 $3.99 Valiant 7,549
In that case, do we have to exclude Dark Horse?
60 Fight Club 2 6 $3.99 Dark Horse 36,671
144 Hellboy & BPRD 1953 Phantom Hand & Kelpie $3.50 Dark Horse 14,247
145 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 20 $3.99 Dark Horse 14,184
185 Goon In Theatre Bizarre 1 $3.99 Dark Horse 9,909
192 Angel and Faith Season 10 19 $3.99 Dark Horse 9,437
IDW?
27 Back to the Future 1* $3.99 IDW 67,015
67 TMNT Ongoing 50 $7.99 IDW 33,553
76 Jem & The Holograms Outrageous Annual 1 $7.99 IDW 31,020
95 TMNT Ongoing 51 $3.99 IDW 23,247
97 Star Trek Green Lantern 4* $3.99 IDW 23,184
Dynamite?
90 Grumpy Cat 1 $3.99 Dynamite 23,781
180 Bobs Burgers Ongoing 4 $3.99 Dynamite 10,254
186 Red Sonja Conan 3 $3.99 Dynamite 9,824
195 Swords of Sorrow 6 $3.99 Dynamite 9,238
206 Aliens Vampirella 2 $3.99 Dynamite 8,524
How are we qualifying "independent titles" here?