It is that time of the month where 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 November 2021 including the Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels, Top 20 Author Graphic Novels, Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels, and Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels.
The Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels, Top 20 Author 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 including e-tailers, chains, mass merchandisers, independent bookstores, and more. NPD BookScan covers approximately 85% of the U.S. trade print book market.
November 2021 Top Author Graphic Novels
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOLUME ONE HC (DEL REY) 68,977 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOLUME ONE (DEL REY) 38,447 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 3 (YEN PRESS) 14,445 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 1 (YEN PRESS) 7,042 units
- 1984: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL (MARINER BOOKS) 5,594 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 2 (YEN PRESS) 4,967 units
- SAPIENS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY VOL. 2: THE PILLARS OF CIVILIZATION (HARPER PERENNIAL) 3,976 units
- SAPIENS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY VOL. 1: THE BIRTH OF HUMANKIND (HARPER PERENNIAL) 3,703 units
- DUNE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK 1 HC (ABRAMS) 3,466 units
- INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 1 (IMAGE COMICS) 3,238 units
- STRANGE PLANET HC (MORROW GIFT) 2,444 units
- DUNE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK 1: DLX. COLLECTOR’S ED. HC (ABRAMS) 2,232 units
- GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR (ONI PRESS) 2,136 units
- THEY CALLED US ENEMY (TOP SHELF PROD.) 2,048 units
- MARCH: BOOK ONE (TOP SHELF PROD.) 1,987 units
- INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 2 (IMAGE COMICS) 1,917 units
- EXTRAORDINARY HC (TITAN COMICS) 1,894 units
- THE ADVENTURE ZONE: THE CRYSTAL KINGDOM (FIRST SECOND BOOKS) 1,797 units
- BRZRKR VOL. 1 (BOOM! STUDIOS) 1,760 units
- STRANGER PLANET HC (MORROW GIFT) 1,722 units
The November 2021 Author Graphic Novels sales chart started out white-hot at the top and then fell off the cliff by the number 5 spot. The rest of the November 2021 Author Graphic Novels past the number 5 spot is just niche sales numbers and nothing impressive.
Having said that, the November 2021 Author Graphic Novels sales chart is much stronger than the October 2021 Author Graphic Novels sales chart. In October 2021, the sales numbers are in the 2,000 unit range by the number 5 spot. In November 2021, the sales numbers did not slip into the 2,000 unit range until the number 11 spot. In October 2021, the sales numbers slipped into the 1,000 unit range by the number 7 spot. In November 2021, the sales numbers did not drop into the 1,000 unit range units until the number 15 spot.
Top 10
Holy crap! Check out the massive sales numbers at the top of this chart! Lore Olympus took the top two spots with monstrous sales numbers. For those who are unfamiliar with Lore Olympus, it is a popular webtoon by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe. These impressive sales numbers for Lore Olympus demonstrate the power of some of the properties over on Webtoon.
Solo Leveling slotted three different volumes into the Top 6 of the sales chart with some solid sales numbers. Solo Leveling is a South Korean web novel that was then adapted into a webtoon.
It is impressive how foreign webtoons owned the top of this chart by taking 5 of the Top 6 spots. The domination of the Top 6 by Lore Olympus and Solo Leveling underscore how Japanese manga and Webtoons from Eastern countries are continuing to dominate Marvel Comics and DC Comics. There has been an obvious change in the current market that threatens to leave Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the dust.
It is so amazing that a webtoon that people have been reading over on Webtoons managed to post such huge sales numbers. This just shows that going with a digital-first format does not mean publishers will be unable to post large sales numbers when the digital content is bundled together for a physical print version.
Yen Press slotted the most volumes in the Top 10 with three volumes. Del Rey and Harper Perennial placed 2 volumes in the Top 10. Mariner Books, Abrams, and Image Comics all had 1 title each in the Top 10.
Top 20
Solo Leveling powered Yen Press for the win of the Top 20 with 3 volumes. Del Rey, Harper Perennial, Abrams, Image Comics, Morrow Gift, and Top Shelf Productions all came in second with 2 volumes each. Titan Comics, First Second Books, Boom Studios, One Press, Mariner Books all came in third with 1 title each.
The battle between the publishers was incredibly even as no one publisher separated themselves from the pack. The Author Graphic Novels sales chart continues to be the home of impressive diversity in terms of the number of publishers. The sales are strong at the top of the chart, but by the number 5 spot, the sales numbers get rather weak. In general, the sales for the Top Author Graphic Novels continue to be soft.
November 2021 Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels
- STAR WARS: A VADER FAMILY SITHMAS HC (CHRONICLE BOOKS) 4,046 units
- HAWKEYE BY FRACTION & AJA: THE SAGA OF BARTON AND BISHOP (MARVEL COMICS) 3,266 units
- BATMAN/FORTNITE: ZERO POINT HC (DC COMICS) 2,971 units
- WATCHMEN (2019 EDITION) (DC COMICS) 2,037 units
- LIFE IS STRANGE VOL. 5: COMING HOME (TITAN COMICS) 1,528 units
- BATMAN: YEAR ONE (DC COMICS) 1,526 units
- STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS (MARVEL COMICS) 1,523 units
- V FOR VENDETTA (DC COMICS) 1,422 units
- BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX. ED. HC (NEW EDITION) (DC COMICS) 1,352 units
- FAR SECTOR (DC COMICS) 1,303 units
- INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR ONE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (DC COMICS) 1,111 units
- BATMAN: THREE JOKERS HC (DC COMICS) 1,072 units
- HARLEEN HC (DC COMICS) 1,070 units
- THE SANDMAN VOL. 1: PRELUDES & NOCTURNES 30TH ANN. ED. (DC COMICS) 1,031 units
- BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN (DC COMICS) 1,010 units
- WATCHMEN: THE DELUXE EDITION (DC COMICS) 879 units
- BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT (DC COMICS) 855 units
- THE JOKER VOL. 1 HC (DC COMICS) 841 units
- KINGDOM COME (DC COMICS) 838 units
- DARK SOULS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (TITAN COMICS) 837 units
The sales for November 2021 were slightly better than the sales in October 2021. In October 2021, sales dropped into the 1,000 unit range by the number 4 spot. In November 2021, sales dropped into the 1,000 unit range by the number 5 spot. In October 2021, sales dropped into the hundred by the number 10 spot. In November 2021, sales dropped into the hundreds by the number 16 spot.
However, it is not a huge difference. Sales for the Superheroes Graphic Novels chart continue to be unimpressive. November 2021 Superheroes Graphic Novels sales were lower than sales in November 2020. In November 2020, Batman: Three Jokers sold 12,292 units. That is far greater than Star Wars: A Vader Family Sithmas which only sold 4,046 units. That is a massive year-over-year decline. In November 2020, sales dropped into the 1,000 unit range by the number 3 spot and dropped into the hundreds by the number 15 spot. That is about the same as the November 2021 sales chart.
Top 10
Chronicle Books takes the number one spot on the back of Disney’s Star Wars to the chagrin of Marvel Comics. Mama Disney tends to reserve the majority of Star Wars for Marvel Comics. But, there are still plenty of third-party licensed publishers out there making Star Wars content.
DC Comics owns the Top 10 by placing 6 titles in the Top 10. Of course, the same troubling trend continues for DC Comics. Old comics continue to power DC’s success as 4 of DC’s 6 titles were published in the 1980s. Again, DC Comics seems oblivious to the fact that its current offerings are aimed at an audience that does not exist.
Marvel Comics only placed 2 titles in the Top 10. That is embarrassing. One of Marvel’s titles is Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters. The other one is Hawkeye: The Saga of Barton and Bishop. It appears that the new Disney+ Hawkeye show lead to some increased sales for this old Fraction and Aja collection.
Top 20
DC Comics slaughtered Marvel Comics by placing 15 titles in the Top 20. This is a near-flawless victory for DC Comics. Of course, the usual caveats apply to DC Comics’ domination of this chart. Comics from the 1980s and 1990s accounted for 6 of DC Comics’ 15 titles. The Batman franchise accounted for 8 of DC Comics’ 15 titles. It is clear that DC Comics is still struggling to find an audience for anything they have published in the last several years.
Marvel had its tail tucked between its legs as it limped off with a pathetic 2 titles in the Top 20. If this continuing trend does not concern Marvel Comics then they are in for a world of trouble. Marvel Comics continues to enjoy dominating DC Comics in single-issue sales, however, the inability to even be remotely competitive in the trade paperback and hardcover market is a growing problem.
Titan Comics is the only other publisher to place titles in the Top 20. Titan Comics tied Marvel Comics with 2 titles in the Top 20. Titan Comics. Incredible.
Overall, sales continue to be unimpressive for superhero graphic novels. There were no strong sales numbers anywhere in this Top 20 chart. Seeing sales numbers in the 1,000 unit range by the number 5 spot and in the hundreds by the number 16 spot should be alarming for both DC Comics and Marvel. DC Comics winning this sales chart is much like being the victor in a fight between two old toothless men.
November 2021 Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels
- DEMON SLAYER COMPLETE BOX SET (VIZ MEDIA) 30,437 units
- ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 34 (KODANSHA COMICS) 27,907 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 29 (VIZ MEDIA) 16,229 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 14,638 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 14,104 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,864 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 1 (YEN PRESS) 13,710 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,127 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 3 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,086 units
- DEATH NOTE BLACK EDITION VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,003 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 2 (YEN PRESS) 12,319 units
- ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 1 (KODANSHA COMICS) 12,201 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 11,193 units
- BERSERK DELUXE VOL. 9 HC (DARK HORSE COMICS) 10,971 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 23 (VIZ MEDIA) 10,925 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 7 (VIZ MEDIA) 10,513 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 11 (YEN PRESS) 10,278 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 3 (VIZ MEDIA) 10,138 units
- JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 5–GOLDEN WIND VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 9,887 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 9,642 units
American superhero comics may continue their slide into irrelevance, but manga continues to be a sales beast. November 2021 Manga Graphic Novels sales chart posted stronger sales numbers compared to the October 2021 sales chart.
In October 2021, sales dropped into the upper 10,000 unit range at the number 5 spot. In November 2021, sales did not drop into the upper 10,000 unit range at the number 14 spot. In October 2021, sales numbers dropped into the sub-10,000 unit range by the number 16 spot. In November 2021, sales numbers did not drop into the sub-10,000 unit range until the number 19 spot.
Sales were also stronger at the bottom of the Manga Graphic Novels sales chart. In October 2021, the bottom four titles were all in the 7,000 unit range. In November 2021, the bottom four titles were in the 10,000 and 9,000 unit range.
Top 10
What is amazing is that Demon Slayer Complete Box Set came with a $199.99 price tag! That amounts to $6 million in sales if everyone paid full price for that box set. Wow. Marvel and DC wish they could pull something like this off in this current market.
Vix Media continues to dominate the Manga Graphic Novels sales chart by placing 8 volumes in the Top 10. Kodansha Comics and Yen Press each placed 1 volume in the Top 10.
Chainsaw Man was the dominant franchise in the November 2021 sales chart. The Chainsaw Man franchise placed three volumes in the Top 10. My Hero Academia continues to be a good seller by placing two volumes in the Top 10.
Top 20
The November 2021 Top 20 sales chart was dominated by the usual franchises that we have come to expect to see on this chart. The Chainsaw Man franchise took first place with 4 volumes in the Top 20. My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun franchises tied for second by putting three volumes each in the Top 20. Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer franchises tied for third place by placing two volumes in the Top 20.
November 2021 Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOLUME ONE HC (DEL REY) 68,977 units
- LORE OLYMPUS: VOLUME ONE (DEL REY) 38,447 units
- DEMON SLAYER COMPLETE BOX SET (VIZ MEDIA) 30,437 units
- ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 34 (KODANSHA COMICS) 27,907 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 29 (VIZ MEDIA) 16,229 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 14,638 units
- SOLO LEVELING VOL. 3 (YEN PRESS) 14,445 units
- MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 14,104 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,864 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 1 (YEN PRESS) 13,710 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,127 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 3 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,086 units
- DEATH NOTE BLACK EDITION VOL. 1 (VIZ MEDIA) 13,003 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 2 (YEN PRESS) 12,319 units
- ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 1 (KODANSHA COMICS) 12,201 units
- JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 2 (VIZ MEDIA) 11,193 units
- BERSERK DELUXE VOL. 9 HC (DARK HORSE COMICS) 10,971 units
- DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 23 (VIZ MEDIA) 10,925 units
- CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 7 (VIZ MEDIA) 10,513 units
- TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 11 (YEN PRESS) 10,278 units
The past several months have been a clean sweep for manga in the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels sales chart. That was not the case with the November 2021 Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels sales chart as a New Zealand webtoon and a South Korean webtoon muscled their way onto this sales chart.
What is missing? As usual American superhero comics are nowhere to be found in the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels sales chart. DC Comics and Marvel Comics continue to flounder in their attempts to win back long-time readers and attract enough new readers.
As we head toward 2022, it seems that Marvel Comics and DC Comics will now have to battle print volumes of webtoons in addition to Japanese manga. Life does not appear to get any easier for the two big American superhero publishers. At some point, Marvel Comics and DC Comics are going to have to sit back and have an honest reflection over what they have been doing for the past five years that lead them to this current predicament.
All right, that is it for November 2021. Will manga finish 2021 in style in December? We will find out!
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