It is that time of the month when we get to check out the latest graphic novels sales numbers. As always, ICv2 is the best source for these sales numbers. ICv2 released several sales charts for July 2022 including the ComicHub Top 100 Graphic Novels, the Top 20 Author Graphic Novels, Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels, Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels, and Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels.
The ComicHub Top 100 Graphic Novels sales chart is based on point-of-sale numbers by the ComicHub system at stores selling American comics around the world. During the period for which these reports were generated, there were over 100 stores using the ComicHub system.
The Top 20 Author Graphic Novels, Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels, Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels, and Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels sales charts are all based on NPD BookScan numbers. NPD BookScan collects weekly point-of-sale data on print books from over 16,000 locations through direct reporting from all major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, independent bookstores, and many others. NPD BookScan covers approximately 85% of the U.S. trade print book market.
ComicHub July 2022 Top 10
Comic Hub July 2022 Top 25
ComicHub July 2022 Top 50
ComicHub July 2022 Top 75
ComicHub July 2022 Top 100
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Author Graphic Novels
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels
ComicHub July 2022 Top 100 Graphic Novels Sales Chart
Top 10
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 1-10 range typically sell in the 11,000-3,000 unit range.
- Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1 (BOOM! Studios)
- Clementine Book 1 (Image Comics)
- Thor The Saga of Gorr the God Butcher (Marvel Comics)
- Mighty Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 (Marvel Comics)
- Lore Olympus Vol. 2 (Del Rey Manga)
- Sandman Vol. 1 (2022) (DC Comics)
- My Hero Academia Vol. 31 (VIZ Media)
- Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow (DC Comics)
- Heartstopper Vol. 1 (Graphix)
- Paper Girls Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
July 2022 gave us another extremely tight battle for the Top 10. Image Comics, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics are all tied for first place with two titles apiece. And look at DC Comics! Neither of DC Comics’ two titles were Batman titles! Holy crap, DC Comics! You did it!
DC Comics’ two titles in the Top 10 was the same result that DC Comics had in June and May 2022. Marvel Comics did one title more than they did in June 2022. Image Comics did slightly worse as they had three titles in June 2022.
DC Comics may be seeing a bump in Sandman’s popularity due to his new Netflix show. Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow is a Tom King-penned story that just was released in trade format in July 2022. Look, these are not going to be big unit numbers, but DC Comics gets hammered all the time for only having success with the Batman franchise. So, in all fairness, this moment should be highlighted.
Boom! Studios, VIZ Media, Del Rey Manga, and Graphix all tied with one title apiece. Boom! Studios did slightly worse than the two titles they had in June 2022. VIZ Media did the same as they did in June 2022. Del Rey Manga and Graphix showed an improvement over their zero titles in the Top 10 in June 2022.
Top 25
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 11-25 range typically sell in the 3,000 to 2,000 unit range.
- Chainsaw Man Vol. 1 (VIZ Media)
- Many Deaths of Laila Starr (BOOM! Studios)
- What’s The Furthest Place From Here Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Kaiju No 8 Vol. 3 (VIZ Media)
- The Boys Omnibus Vol. 1 (Dynamite Ent.)
- DC League of Super-Pets The Great Mxy-Up GN (DC Comics)
- Saga Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Bone Orchard Mythos Passageway HC (Image Comics)
- Something is Killing the Children Vol. 2 (BOOM! Studios)
- Gunslinger Spawn Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Lore Olympus Vol. 2 HC (Del Rey Manga)
- Ms Marvel Vol. 1 No Normal (Marvel Comics)
- The Umbrella Academy Vol. 1 Apocalypse Suite (Dark Horse Comics)
- Nice House On The Lake Vol. 1 (DC Comics)
- Something Is Killing The Children Vol. 4 (BOOM! Studios)
Image Comics took first place with six titles. This was the same that Image Comics did in June 2022.
Boom! Studios and DC Comics tied for second place with four titles apiece. What the deuce?! None of the DC Comics titles in the Top 25 were from the Batman franchise! Quick! Look outside your window to see if it is raining frogs right now!
DC Comics did slightly better than they did in June 2022 when they had three titles in the Top 25. Boom! Studios did worse as they had five titles in the Top 25 in June 2022.
VIZ Media and Marvel Comics tied for fourth place with three titles apiece. This marked the second straight month that VIZ Media put three titles in the Top 25. However, this was slightly worse for Marvel Comics who had put four titles in the Top 25 in June 2022.
Marvel should be embarrassed that VIZ Media tied them in the Top 25 in sales at local comic book shops. Again, this is the natural safe space for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. To see manga making such inroads in local comic book shops is stunning. In fact, DC Comics should be embarrassed that they were only able to beat out the manga publisher by one title in the Top 25. Manga’s continued success in the local comic book shop market is a huge deal.
Del Rey Manga took sixth place with two titles in the Top 25. This was a big improvement over the zero titles Del Rey Manga had in the Top 25 in June 2022.
Graphix, Dynamite Ent., and Dark Horse Comics each had had one title in the Top 25.
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Top 50
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 26-50 range typically sell in the 1,900 to 1,000 unit range.
- DC League Of Super-Pets Picture Book GN (Random House)
- Moon Knight Lemire Smallwood Complete Collection (Marvel Comics)
- Department of Truth Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Teen Titans Go Undead GN (DC Comics)
- Nocterra Vol. 2 Pedal To The Metal (Image Comics)
- Buffy The Last Vampire Slayer (BOOM! Studios)
- House of Slaughter Vol. 1 (BOOM! Studios)
- My Hero Academia Vol. 1 (VIZ Media)
- Batman Year One Dlx. Ed. (DC Comics)
- Something is Killing the Children Vol. 3 (BOOM! Studios)
- Heartstopper Vol. 2 (Graphix)
- Berserk Dlx. Ed. Vol. 1 HC (Dark Horse Comics)
- Hulk By Donny Cates Vol. 1 Smashtronaut (Marvel Comics)
- Stray Dogs Dog Days Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Maus Complete Collection (Pantheon Books)
- Batman Who Laughs (DC Comics)
- Nightwing Vol. 1 Leaping Into The Light HC (DC Comics)
- Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba Vol. 1 (VIZ Media)
- Batman White Knight Vol. 1 (DC Comics)
- Heartstopper Vol. 3 (Graphix)
- Superman ’78 HC (DC Comics)
- Miles Morales Marvel Universe (Marvel Comics)
- Batman Hush (New Edition) (DC Comics)
- Justice League Dark The Great Wickedness (DC Comics)
- Monstress Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
DC Comics took first place with twelve titles. This was one title better than what DC Comics had in the Top 50 in June 2022. Five of DC Comics’ twelve titles were from the Batman franchise. Whew, glad we finally saw those Batman franchise titles. I was getting worried that Zaslav had sold Batman to Disney!
Image Comics took second place with ten titles in the Top 50. This was down from the twelve titles that Image Comics had in June 2022.
Boom! Studios came in third place with seven titles in the Top 50. This tied what Boom! Studios did in June 2022.
Marvel Comics slumped Into fourth place with six titles in the Top 50. This was down from the eight titles that Marvel Comics had in June 2022.
VIZ Media came in fifth place with five titles in the Top 50. This was identical to what VIZ Media did in June 2022.
Graphix came in sixth place with three titles in the Top 50. This was an improvement over their zero titles in the Top 50 in June 2022.
Del Rey Manga and Dark Horse Comics tied for seventh place with two titles apiece. This was the same for Dark Horse Comics as they did in June 2022. However, this was an improvement over the zero titles Del Rey Manga had in June 2022.
Dynamite Ent., Random House, and Pantheon Books tied for last place with one title apiece.
Top 75
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 51-75 range typically sell in the 1,000 to 900 unit range.
- Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 8 Man-Wolf at Midnight (Marvel Comics)
- Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries Vol. 2 (DC Comics)
- Zatanna The Jewel of Gravesend (DC Comics)
- Something is Killing the Children Dlx. Ed. Slipcase Book 1 HC (BOOM! Studios)
- Moon Knight Vol. 1 Midnight Missions (Marvel Comics)
- Daredevil Woman Without Fear (Marvel Comics)
- Mighty Marvel Masterworks Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics)
- RWBY / Justice League (DC Comics)
- Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi Collection Vol. 1 (Kodansha Comics)
- Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection Vol. 1 Great Power (Marvel Comics)
- Lore Olympus Vol. 1 (Del Rey Manga)
- Thor By Donny Cates Vol. 4 God of Hammers (Marvel Comics)
- Death Note Black Edition Vol. 1 (VIZ Media)
- The Boys Omnibus Vol. 2 (Dynamite Ent.)
- Department of Truth Vol. 3 (Image Comics)
- The Umbrella Academy Vol. 2 Dallas (Dark Horse Comics)
- Sonic The Hedgehog Vol. 1 Fallout (IDW Publishing)
- The Umbrella Academy Vol. 3 Hotel Oblivion (Dark Horse Comics)
- Justice League Infinity (DC Comics)
- Oblivion Song By Kirkman & De Felici Vol. 6 (Image Comics)
- Paper Girls Complete Story (Image Comics)
- Bolero (Image Comics)
- Ms Marvel Beyond The Limit By Samira Ahmed (Marvel Comics)
- Blue Lock Vol. 1 (Kodansha Comics)
- Batman / Fortnite Zero Point HC (DC Comics)
DC Comics took first place with seventeen titles. Seven of those seventeen titles were from the Batman franchise. This is actually one more title than DC Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Image Comics elbowed its way to second place with fourteen titles. This was actually down one title from the fifteen titles Image Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Marvel Comics came in third place with thirteen titles. This was the same number of titles that Marvel Comics had in the Top 75 in June 2022. Marvel Comics publishes way more titles than Image Comics so Image should be proud of beating Marvel Comics in the Top 75.
Boom! Studios came in fourth place with eight titles. This was down one title from what Boom! Studios did in June 2022.
VIZ Media took fifth place with six titles. This was down from the nine titles that VIZ Media had in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Dark Horse Comics came, in sixth place with four titles. This was down one title from June 2022.
Graphix and Del Rey Manga had three titles apiece. This was a big jump for Del Rey Manga who had no titles in the Top 75 in June 2022. It was a nice jump for Graphic who had one title in the Top 75 in June 2022.
Dynamite Ent. and Kodansha Comics each had two titles. IDW Publishing, Random House, and Pantheon Books had one title apiece.
Top 100
Based on historical numbers from the Comichron as well as projections through April 2022, the titles in the numbers 76-100 range typically sell in the 900 to 700 unit range.
- Heartstopper Vol. 4 (Graphix)
- Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba Vol. 2 (VIZ Media)
- Cats Cradle Vol. 1 Golden Twine (First Second Books)
- Watchmen (DC Comics)
- Chainsaw Man Vol. 10 (VIZ Media)
- Batman Urban Legends Vol. 2 (DC Comics)
- DC Poster Portfolio Vol. 18 Jenny Frison (DC Comics)
- Paper Girls Vol. 2 (Image Comics)
- Suicide Squad Get Joker HC (DC Comics)
- Uzumaki 3 In 1 Dlx. Ed. HC Junji Ito (VIZ Media)
- Far Sector (DC Comics)
- Injustice Gods Among Us Year Zero Complete Collection (DC Comics)
- Invincible Compendium Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Nightwing Fear State HC (DC Comics)
- House of X / Powers of X (Marvel Comics)
- Moon Knight By Bendis & Maleev Complete Collected (Marvel Comics)
- Radiant Black Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Wash Day Diaries (Chronicle Books)
- Young Men In Love (A Wave Blue World)
- Batman Vol. 1 the Court of Owls (New 52) (DC Comics)
- Me You Love In The Dark Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
- Mighty Marvel Masterworks Mighty Thor Vol. 1 (Marvel Comics)
- Sandman Vol. 1 Preludes & Nocturnes 30th Ann. Ed. (DC Comics)
- Star Wars Darth Vader Vol. 1 Vader (Marvel Comics)
- Deserter Junji Ito Story Collected HC (VIZ Media)
DC Comics took first place with twenty-six titles. Ten of DC Comics’ twenty-six titles were from the Batman franchise. This was up from the twenty-two titles that DC Comics had in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Image Comics took second place with eighteen titles. This was the second straight month that Image Comics has come in second place. However, this was down two titles from the twenty titles Image Comics had in the Top 100 in June 2022.
Marvel Comics came in third place with seventeen titles. This was exactly the same number of titles in the Top 100 that Marvel Comics had in June 2022. This was the second straight month that Marvel Comics finished in third place.
VIZ Media took fourth place with ten titles. This was down from the thirteen titles VIZ Media had in the Top 100 in June 2022. However, this was the second straight month that VIZ Media has been able to finish in fourth place in the backyard of American comic books.
Boom! Studios came in fifth place with eight titles. This was down from the nine titles that Boom! Studios had in June 2022. This was also the second straight month that Boom! Studios finished in fifth place in the Top 100.
Dark Horse Comics and Graphix had four titles apiece. Del Rey Manga had three titles. Dynamite Ent. and Kodansha Comics each had two titles.
IDW Publishing, Random House, Pantheon Books, First Second House, A Wave Blue World, and Chronicle Books had one title apiece.
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Author Graphic Novels
Top 10
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. TWO HC (Del Rey) 56,462 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. TWO (Del Rey) 24,510 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. ONE HC (Del Rey) 8,936 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 4 (Yen Press) 8,723 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. ONE (Del Rey) 8,546 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 1 (Yen Press) 6,407 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 2 (Yen Press) 6,091 units
- THEY CALLED US ENEMY (Top Shelf) 5,813 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 3 (Yen Press) 5,417 units
- MARCH: BOOK ONE (Top Shelf) 3,236 units
The Top 10 Author Graphic Novels sales chart continues to be utterly dominated by the two webcomics: Lore Olympus and Solo Leveling. The two Eastern webcomics grabbed the entire Top 5 and eight of the Top 10 spots. Absolutely incredible. If it was not for these two Eastern webcomics the Top 20 Author Graphic Novels sales chart would be as bad as the Top 20 Superheroes chart.
Lore Olympus beat everyone by taking the Top 3 spots and four of the Top 5 spots. Solo Leveling came in second place with four volumes in the Top 10.
The battle between publishes is all about Del Rey versus Yen Press. Del Rey had four volumes in the Top 10. Yen Press had four volumes in the Top 10. Top Shelf came in third with two titles in the Top 10.
Sales at the number one spot were up massively compared to the number one spot in June 2022 (11,454 units). Sales dropped below the 5,000 unit mark by the number 10 spot. This was better than in June 2022, where sales dropped below the 5,000 unit mark by the number 8 spot.
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Top 20
- GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR DLX. ED. (Oni Press) 3,102 units
- INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 1 (Image Comics) 3,093 units
- THE BOYS OMNIBUS VOL. 1 (Dynamite Ent.) 2,755 units
- THE BOYS OMNIBUS VOL. 2 (Dynamite Ent.) 2,371 units
- THE KITE RUNNER GRAPHIC NOVEL (Riverhead Books) 2,140 units
- THE BOYS OMNIBUS VOL. 3 (Dynamite Ent.) 2,058 units
- DEVIL’S CANDY VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 1,797 units
- INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 2 (Image Comics) 1,739 units
- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: A GRAPHIC NOVEL HC (Harper Collins) 1,612 units
- INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 3 (Image Comics) 1,589 units
The bottom half of the Top 20 Author Graphic Novels is where you find all of the American titles. The Boys continue to enjoy a bump from the popular streaming show. The Boys slotted three volumes in the Top 20. Invincible also did well by placing three volumes in the Top 20.
Yen Press and Del Rey tied for first place with four volumes apiece. Image Comics and Dynamite Ent. took second place with three volumes each.
Sales in the second half of the Top 20 Author Graphic Novels continue to be rather poor. Sales dropped below the 2,000 unit mark with the number 17 spot. This was slightly better than in June 2022, where sales dropped below the number 16 spot. In July 2022, the number 20 title sold 1,589 units. This was barely better than the title in the number 20 spot in June 2022, which sold 1,326 units.
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels
Top 10
- TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN HC (IDW Publishing) 24,634 units
- BATMAN/FORTNITE: ZERO POINT HC (DC Comics) 7,210 units
- THE SANDMAN BOOK ONE (DC Comics) 3,997
- THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN HC (Penguin Classics) 2,201
- STRANGER THINGS AND DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (Dark Horse Comics) 2,079 units
- WATCHMEN (2019 EDITION) (DC Comics) 1,974 units
- BATMAN: YEAR ONE (DC Comics) 1,609 units
- THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP (Penguin Classics) 1,580 units
- THOR: THE SAGA OF GORR THE GOD BUTCHER (Marvel Comics) 1,554 units
- STRANGER THINGS: ZOMBIE BOYS (Dark Horse Comics) 1,531 units
Thank the comic book gods for the gift that is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Otherwise, the Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels chart would be the embarrassing wreckage that it is every single month. I have to hit the pause button for a second and talk about how odd it is that NPD Bookscan classifies a Superhero title versus an Author title. It is bizarre that Garth Ennis’ The Boys and Robert Kirkman’s Invincible are both classified as Author graphic novels. Yet, Kevin Eastman’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is classified as a Superhero graphic novel. If Kirkman’s Invincible and Ennis’ The Boys are both in the Author category then logic would dictate that Eastman’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles should also be in the Author category.
At any rate, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin completely pantsed and embarrassed Marvel Comics and DC Comics by taking the number one spot with a monstrous 24,634 units! That is awesome! TMNT is a beloved 1980s franchise and I am happy to see the Turtles still attaining success all these decades later.
Of course, the good news ends after the TMNT at the number one spot. There is a huge gap between the number one spot and the number two spot. Then sales completely crater by the number three spot.
DC Comics took first place by placing four titles in the Top 10. This was down from the five titles that DC Comics had in the Top 10 in June 2022. Of course, two of the four titles are from the Batman franchise. Three of the four titles are rather old. DC Comics continues to struggle to find success with any of their product over the past five years.
Penguin Classics and Dark Horse Comics had two titles apiece. Penguin Classics drew its success from classic Spider-Man tales. Huh, imagine that. Old comics are all over the Top 10. Meanwhile, Stranger Things continues to be a nice gift to Dark Horse Comics.
Marvel Comics sheepishly slumped into last place with just one title in the Top 10. Thank goodness for the Thunder God! This is the same that Marvel Comics had in the Top 10 in June 2022.
Sales were obviously up at the number one spot compared to June 2022 when the number one Superhero graphic novel sold just 4,852 units. In July 2022, sales dropped below 3,000 units by the number 4 spot. This was barely better than in June 2022 when sales dropped below 3,000 units by the number 3 spot. In July 2022, Sales dropped below 2,000 units by the number 6 spot. This was actually worse than June 2022 when sales dropped below the 2,000 unit mark by the number 9 spot. This should be embarrassing for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
Top 20
- THE SANDMAN BOOK TWO (DC Comics) 1,428 units
- SUPERMAN ’78 HC (DC Comics) 1,424 units
- MS. MARVEL: NO NORMAL (Marvel Comics) 1,259 units
- BATMAN: HUSH (NEW EDITION) (DC Comics) 1,148 units
- BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX. ED. HC (NEW EDITION) (DC Comics) 1,132 units
- STRANGER THINGS LIBRARY ED. VOL. 1 HC (Dark Horse Comics) 1,091 units
- MOON KNIGHT BY LEMIRE & SMALLWOOD: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (Marvel Comics) 1,086 units
- BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN (DC Comics) 1,032 units
- THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS HC (DC Comics) 1,027 units
- CAPTAIN AMERICA JACK KIRBY HC (Penguin Classics) 1,024
DC Comics took first place with ten titles in the Top 20. Six of DC Comics’ ten titles were from the Batman franchise. All six Batman franchise titles starred Bruce Wayne. It is amazing what a pillar Bruce Wayne has become for all of DC Comics. Nine of DC Comics’ ten titles are all rather old comics. This should be highly alarming to DC Comics. They continue to utterly fail to connect with readers with their content over the past several years.
I am glad to see Superman ’78 in the number 12 spot. Way to go everyone! Richard Donner’s Superman always deserves to get some love!
Penguin Classics, Dark Horse Comics, and Marvel Comics all tied for second place with three titles apiece in the Top 20. Penguin Classics powered their success with classic old Marvel Comics stories. Everyone likes old comics.
Marvel Comics had their three titles in the Top 20 come from Thor, Ms. Marvel, and Moon Knight. Hmmmmm. Thor just had a movie in theaters. Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel just had shows on Disney+. Imagine that. The sales numbers may suck, but at least there appears to be some synergy going on here.
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels
Top 10
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 31 (VIZ Media) 38,931 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 28,936 units
- KAIJU NO. 8 VOL. 3 (VIZ Media) 27,226 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 21,013 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 11 (VIZ Media) 18,156 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 16 (VIZ Media) 17,666 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 7 (VIZ Media) 13,905 units
- TOKYO REVENGERS VOL. 1-2 (OMNIBUS) (Seven Seas Ent.) 13,606 units
- THE LIMINAL ZONE (VIZ Media) 13,264 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 12,965 units
Ah, we arrive at the point of the column where we get to the boogeyman who terrorizes Marvel Comics and DC Comics on a monthly basis: Manga!
Sales numbers in the Top 10 in July 2022 were down across the board compared to June 2022. In July 2022, the number one title sold 38,931 units. This was down considerably from the insane 73,354 units that Chainsaw Man Vol. 11 sold in June 2022 at the number one spot.
In July 2022, sales dropped below the 30,000 unit mark by the number 2 spot. In June 2022, sales dropped below the 30,000 unit mark by the number 4 spot. In July 2022, sales dropped below the 20,000 unit mark by the number 5 spot. In June 2022, sales dropped below the 20,000 unit mark by the number 10 spot.
VIZ Media continues to encounter zero opposition in the manga industry in North America. VIZ Media placed nine volumes in the Top 10. Seven Seas Ent. managed to sneak one volume into the Top 10. We see you Tokyo Revengers. You know, I keep hearing plenty of good things about Tokyo Revengers. At some point, I have to get around to reading that title.
Spy x Family and Demon Slayer placed two volumes apiece in the Top 10. These were the only two franchises to place more than one volume in the Top 10. Manga fans should be happy to see this. The diverse selection of titles in the Top 10 is proof of Manga’s growing popularity in the United States. Manga no longer needs to completely rely on one or two franchises to power its success.
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Top 20
- BERSERK DLX. ED. VOL. 11 HC (Dark Horse Comics) 12,227 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 10 (VIZ Media) 11,705 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA–STORIES OF WATER AND FLAME (VIZ Media) 11,672 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 11,613 units
- BERSERK DLX. ED. VOL. 1 HC (Dark Horse Comics) 11,307 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 6 (VIZ Media) 11,212 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 11,153 units
- DEADPOOL: SAMURAI VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 10,172 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 1 (Yen Press) 10,141 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 9,959 units
Sales were way down all across the Top 20 in July 2022. This is not surprising as June 2022 was supercharged by the new Spy x Family anime, the imminent return of the Chainsaw Man manga, and more news about the much anticipated upcoming Chainsaw Man anime.
In July 2022, sales dropped below the 15,000 unit mark by the number 7 spot. In June 2022, sales never dropped below the 15,000 unit mark. In July 2022, the number 20 title sold 9,959 units. In June 2022, the number 20 title sold 15,031 units.
VIZ Media continued to dominate everyone by placing sixteen titles in the Top 20. Dark Horse Comics came in second place with two titles. Seven Seas Ent. and Yen Press tied for third place with one title apiece.
What is remarkable and quite instructive as to the problem currently facing Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the face of manga’s continued success is Deadpool: Samurai. The Deadpool: Samurai manga highlights my belief that the vast majority of readers like Marvel Comics’ characters and want to read titles starring those characters. However, the problem is that Marvel Comics is plagued with clueless editors and bad writers. The result is that only a small percentage of the total potential readership wants to read what Marvel Comics is currently offering. However, when a Marvel character is handled by a different company the success is strikingly different.
Deadpool: Samurai Vol. 1 sold 10,172 units. This completely destroyed the best-selling Marvel Comics title in Jason Aaron’s Thor: The Saga of Gorr The God Butcher which only sold a meager 1,554 units. If Marvel Comics can fix their chronic editor problem and writer problem then they can also attain the kind of success on their titles that Deadpool: Samurai is seeing at the moment. The blueprint is right there for Marvel Comics to study and use.
Speaking of manga versus American superhero comics. The best-selling title from DC Comics or Marvel Comics was Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point which sold 7,210 units. The best-selling DC Comics or Marvel Comics title not co-starring a popular third-partysal franchise like Fortnite was The Sandman Book One which sold just 3,997 units. That is not even close to the manga in the number 20 spot which sold 9,959.
The problem for Marvel Comics and DC Comics is real and it is not going away no matter how much the editors from both companies may wish to believe.
NPD BookScan July 2022 Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels
Top 10
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. TWO HC (Del Rey) 56,462 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 31 (VIZ Media) 38,931 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 28,936 units
- KAIJU NO. 8 VOL. 3 (VIZ Media) 27,226 units
- TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN HC (IDW Publishing) 24,634 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. TWO (Del Rey) 24,510 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 21,013 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 11 (VIZ Media) 18,156 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 16 (VIZ Media) 17,666 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 7 (VIZ Media) 13,905 units
The only non-manga titles to crack the Top 10 Adult Graphic Novels sales chart were Lore Olympus and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin. The other seven titles in the Top 10 Adult Graphic Novels were all manga.
Top 20
- TOKYO REVENGERS VOL. 1-2 (OMNIBUS) (Seven Seas Ent.) 13,606 units
- THE LIMINAL ZONE (VIZ Media) 13,264 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 12,965 units
- BERSERK DLX. ED. VOL. 11 HC (Dark Horse Comics) 12,227 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 10 (VIZ Media) 11,705 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA–STORIES OF WATER AND FLAME (VIZ Media) 11,672 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 (VIZ Media) 11,613 units
- BERSERK DLX. ED. VOL. 1 HC (Dark Horse Comics) 11,307 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 6 (VIZ Media) 11,212 units
- SPY X FAMILY VOL. 2 (VIZ Media) 11,153 units
Manga continues to dominate as it accounted for seventeen volumes in the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels chart. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection was the lone American offering in the entire Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels sales list. Manga has now swept the Top 20 in 2022 in five months. In the other two months, manga put nineteen titles in the Top 20 and seventeen titles in the Top 20. What a great year 2022 has been for manga.
All right, that is it for July 2022. Will manga continue its utter dominance in the Top 20 in August 2022? We will find out! Until then, be good and stay safe.
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