Nielsen BookScan has released its top 20 Graphic Novels of 2008 list, and it is certainly illuminating.
Perhaps this is an eyeopener for the rest of the sequential art industry, but manga certainly took most of the top slots, with nine volumes of Viz’s NARUTO comprising nearly half the list, and Bleach, Death Note, and Fruit Basket taking another eight.
But what about the capes-and-tights crowd? In this list, they seem to be underrepresented: that said, old standbys like Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and Batman: The Killing Joke still make the cut.
This seems really interesting to me, considering that Marvel and DC dominate monthly sales, while Viz seems to hardly make a dent. In addition, it’s even more suprising that this trend would occur, considering sales were down to the point where many manga publishers decided they would scale back printing in 2009.
February 5th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Looks like it’s mostly all NARUTO. Take that away, and it’s probably nto that great a time for manga publishers either.
But I think this list, and the lack of capes & tights, says a lot more about people’s feelings towards DC & Marvel right now. Certainly in DC’s case. 2008 was the year of the Bat(man) and aside from the excellent Joker GN, there was nothing good to appeal to new readers/fans of TDK except for the old standbys like DK Returns and Killing Joke.
February 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Manga has always dominated the sales charts since it was introduced into bookstores. This is nothing new.
Naruto, Pokemon, Fruit Baskets, Bleach, Death Note… they are popular manga series, and thus dominate the charts.
What would be more interesting would be a Top 50 list. The Joker GN did well, as did the Absolute Sandman volumes (but that is more successful as a dollar ranking). Juvenile titles (which might be on another list) like In Odd We Trust and Welcome to the Jungle sell as well as manga tiles. Then there are the “art books” like Marvel Chronicle and the DC Comics Encyclopedia which sold well during the Holiday season.
As for monthly sales versus trades, ICV2 posts both lists, analyzing data from Diamond Comics Distribution. Having followed the periodical sales figures, most of DC and Marvel sales are abysmal.
Personally, the only DC or Marvel titles I purchased last year were: the She-Hulk HC, the two Clan Destine hardcovers, and a few Marvel Visionary volumes. I spent more on alternative titles, like Comic Book Tattoo, True Story Swear to God, and The Boys. Much of what Marvel and DC offer doesn’t interest me. I read free copies of the DC and Marvel monthlies, and it bores me. Why would I spend $25 on a trade collection if I’m not going to spend $4 on a comicbook?
February 10th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I’m vaguely aware of some of the Japanese comic books on the list, but the thing about Death Note is that it is really, really good.
Frankly, it should be a crossover for fans of things like Batman and other American superhero comics. Yes, the superhero and villain don’t wear tights, but otherwise they compare to the more serious books in the cape and tights genre. (Light, especially, develops a range of interesting super powers based on exploring the rules of the Note. Much of the joy of Death Note involves watching Light hone his use of the Note, and seeing how L reacts to it.)
If I were an America comic book writer, I would shamelessly loot some of the valuable ideas in Death Note for story ideas.
Still, a shame there aren’t any Marvel books on the list, but I know I’m an old, out of touch Hulk fan.