The NYTimes has seen an increase in popularity of these little books with pictures that so many of us dedicate our money, time, and even lives to, and as such has launched the “New York Times Graphic Books Bestseller Lists.” The three lists cover Hardcover, Softcover, and Manga in separate categories, so we don’t have to see nothing but Naruto on top at all times. It’s a huge step of acceptance of our pasttime, and cheers to all the creators who are leading the way as all-new New York Times Best-selling Authors! They’re compiled by a combination of book stores, online retailers, and direct market reported sales. The debut Hardcover list features a pretty solid mix of mainstream and indy books::
1. Starman Omnibus, Vol. 2 by James Robinson and Tony Harris. (DC Comics, $49.99.) Jack Knight, the son of the 1940’s Starman, meets his disco era namesake and his father’s colleague, the golden age Sandman.
2. Eerie Archives, Vol. 1 by various. (Dark Horse, $49.95.) The gruesome magazine, following in the steps of its cousin Creepy, gets the hardcover collection treatment.3. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $39.99, $75.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
4. Batman: R.I.P. by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. (DC Comics, $24.99.) Thomas Wayne, the father of the caped crusader, is cast in a sinister light.
5. Walking Dead, Vol. 4 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. (Image Comics, $29.99.) The gripping story of the human survivors in a world overrun by zombies continues.
6. Beanworld, Book 1 by Larry Marder. (Dark Horse, $19.95.) The fantasy series, about a world of bean characters, gets the deluxe reprint treatment.
7. Mighty Avengers Assemble by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. (Marvel Comics, $34.99.) The first adventures of a new team of heroes gets an oversized collection.
8. Incredible Hercules: Love and War by Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry. (Marvel Comics, $19.99.) The demigod finds himself in Atlantis – just in time for a war.
9. Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. (DC Comics, $17.99.) This critically acclaimed story from 1988 offers a possible origin for the Joker.10. Complete Terry and the Pirates: Volume 6 by Milton Caniff. (IDW Publishing, $49.99.) The final volume of the series collects strips from 1945 and 1946.
The debut Softcover and Manga lists are after the jump.
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Softcover)
1. Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. (DC Comics, $19.99.) This epic tale from 1986 signaled a new maturity in comic books.
2. Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers by Christopher Yost and Takeshi Miyazawa. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The two teams combat the shapeshifting Skrulls.
3. Secret Invasion: Black Panther by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The Skrulls attack the hero’s homeland of Wakanda and come to regret it.
4. Captain America, Vol. 3 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Bucky Barnes, former sidekick to the Captain, tries to fill his patriotic boots.
5. Tales of the Green Lantern Corps, Vol. 1 by various. (DC Comics, $19.99.) Get to know Green Lantern’s interstellar brotherhood in this collection of stories.
6. Showcase: Superman Family, Vol. 3 by various. (DC Comics, $16.99.) Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane cause a lot of mischief in this black and white collection of stories.
7. The Courtyard by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows. (Avatar Press, $7.99.) An F.B.I. agent investigates seemingly unconnected murders.
8. X-Men: Legacy – Sins of the Father by Mike Carey and Scot Eaton. (Marvel Comics, $14.99.) Charles Xavier, the founder of the X-Men, looks back at his past.
9. Uncanny X-Men: End of History, Vol. 1 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis. (Marvel Comics, $12.99.) The mutant heroes fight the Fury, an enemy of Captain Britain.
10. Superman: Camelot Falls, Vol. 2 by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco. (DC Comics, $12.99.) Is the man of steel doing humanity more harm than good?
Graphic Books Best Seller List (Manga)
1. Naruto, Vol. 38 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) The continuing adventures of the Naruto Uzumaki, young ninja in training.
2. Naruto, Vol. 40 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
3. Naruto, Vol. 39 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
4. Naruto, Vol. 41 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
5. MPD-Psycho, Vol. 8 by Eiji Otsuka (Dark Horse, $12.95.) A police detective suffering from multiple personality disorder tracks down a serial killer.
6. Naruto, Vol. 37 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
7. Naruto, Vol. 35 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
8. Naruto, Vol. 36 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
9. Naruto, Vol. 34 by Masashi Kishimoto. (VIZ Media, $7.95.) Oh, Naruto, will you ever learn?
10. Eden, Vol. 11 by Hiroki Endo. (Dark Horse, $12.95.) Elijah lives in a not too distant future where humanity is threatened by a virus.
March 5th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Well, that’s a surprise! Maybe an old dog CAN be taught a new trick or atleast find some small way to attact readers.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Damn, Lucas wasn’t kidding about Naruto. I am glad Incredible Hercules is getting some love. I am glad the Times is getting in with the times. Alan Moore can be the most famous NYT best-selling author since Mic Foley….
March 5th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I hasten to mention that when the NYT added a Children’s Fiction list to their charts, its wa in reponse to complaints that all of Jo Rowling’s Harry Potter books were taking up spaces on the “real” bestseller list.
Regardless of motive for this one, it’s wonderful news that funny book business is making enough of a bump in the sales charts to warrant its own dataset.
Of course, just as Diamond’s sales charts don’t account for sales in non-comic shops, I’m assuming these charts don’t count sales IN comic shops.
I would, however, love to see actual numbers, to see how much, if at all, do bookstore sles of these book outstrip LCS sales. Do those numbers exist accessibly?
March 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Vinnie, as noted in the post, they take into account direct market, or LCS sales (factoring in the Diamond charts into the rest of the equation)
March 5th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
@Vinnie
Yeah, but that actually had a really great side-effect: it allowed all non-HP children’s bestsellers to get a little face time. All the children’s/YA authors I know love having their own NYT list. I only see good things coming from comics having their own. At the very least, maybe all the people who see Watchmen this weekend will check out this list for ideas on where to go next.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Man, people sure do like Naruto.
March 6th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Why is Uncanny X-Men the New Age appearing?
March 6th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Ya, that confused me, too. But at least Starman is #1, like it should be.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
So, maybe I should check out this Naruto thing huh?
March 8th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
If this means what I think it means, it should not be something for comic book fans to celebrate. I think this is just an excuse for the NYT to shove Alan Moore’s Watchmen off the “real” best seller list. Because it doesn’t matter how critically lauded this book is—it’s still just a “comic book” and doesn’t belong on the list alongside the “real” books that aren’t selling as well. *BARF!*
March 8th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Yeah, but that actually had a really great side-effect: it allowed all non-HP children’s bestsellers to get a little face time. All the children’s/YA authors I know love having their own NYT list. I only see good things coming from comics having their own. At the very least, maybe all the people who see Watchmen this weekend will check out this list for ideas on where to go next.
I have no problem keeping a separate list for children’s books or even for graphic novels, but that is NO excuse for keeping Harry Potter or Watchmen off the general best seller list.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Damn, Lucas wasn’t kidding about Naruto. I am glad Incredible Hercules is getting some love. I am glad the Times is getting in with the times. Alan Moore can be the most famous NYT best-selling author since Mic Foley….
Not quite so famous now that his name will be banished from the “real” NYT Best Seller list, unless he happens to write a novel like his friend Neil Gaiman.
Of course, I’m sure that Alan Moore could write a wonderful novel. But he shouldn’t have to in order to get acclaim as a gifted writer.
March 10th, 2009 at 2:01 am
Nice, a little “mainstream” recognition for James Robinson’s & Tony Harris’ ‘Starman’. I also don’t think this is for the comic book fans out there. I’d like to think that this is another way to make comics legit & more accessible to the general public. You still have to remember that the NYT is a coporate-owned paper & these numbers are probably not submitted by local comic shops but the big-box stores (i.e. Border’s & Amazon). Also, one indie in the hardcovers & one indie in the sofcover list is not “a pretty solid mix of mainstream and indie books”. (I don’t count Image & Dark Horse as indies anymore)