New releases by Keanu Reeves, N.K. Jemisin, and Ed Brubaker made the lists of the top 20 Author, Manga, and Superhero graphic novels in the book channel, based on NPD BookScan data for October 2021 (10/3/21-10/30/21) provided to ICv2.
The Superhero list is remarkably fresh, with five October releases and three September titles in the top 20. Batman/Fortnite Zero Point tops the list for the second month in a row, and the number 3 title is Far Sector, a Green Lantern story by sci-fi/fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin and Naomi artist Jamal Campbell. This book was also the top superhero title in the direct market Top 20 for October (see “Top 20 Graphic Novels – October 2021“). Batman/Fortnite Zero Point also made both lists but was down at number 12, in terms of unit sales, in the direct market.
Jeffrey Brown’s holiday take on Star Wars is at number 5, and VIZ Media’s Star Wars: The High Republic original graphic novel is back for a second month at number 11.
DC Comics is having some success in generating interest in the source material with its release of two animated features based on the storyline; two different editions of Batman: The Long Halloween show up on the chart: the original, which came out 10 years ago, and DC’s new deluxe edition (see “Deluxe Edition of ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’“).
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NPD BookScan Top 20 ‘Superheroes’ Graphic Novels – October 2021 (10/3/21 – 10/30/21) |
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Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
|
1 |
BATMAN / FORTNITE: ZERO POINT HC |
CHRISTOS GAGE |
DC COMICS |
|
2 |
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX. ED. HC (NEW EDITION) |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
|
3 |
FAR SECTOR |
N.K. JEMISIN |
DC COMICS |
|
4 |
WATCHMEN (2019 EDITION) |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
|
5 |
STAR WARS: A VADER FAMILY SITHMAS HC |
JEFFREY BROWN |
CHRONICLE BOOKS |
|
6 |
THE SANDMAN VOL. 1: PRELUDES & NOCTURNES 30TH ANN. ED. |
NEIL GAIMAN |
DC COMICS |
|
7 |
BATMAN: YEAR ONE |
FRANK MILLER |
DC COMICS |
|
8 |
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN |
JEPH LOEB |
DC COMICS |
|
9 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS |
SCOT SNYDER |
DC COMICS |
|
10 |
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN DLX. ED. HC |
JEPH LOEB |
DC COMICS |
|
11 |
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC: EDGE OF BALANCE VOL. 1 |
SHIMA SHINYA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
12 |
SPIDER-MAN: THE SPIDER’S SHADOW |
CHIP ZDARSKY |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
13 |
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR ONE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION |
TOM TAYLOR |
DC COMICS |
|
14 |
V FOR VENDETTA |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
|
15 |
HARLEEN HC |
STJEPAN SEJIC |
DC COMICS |
|
16 |
THE SANDMAN VOL. 2: THE DOLL’S HOUSE 30TH ANN. ED. |
NEIL GAIMAN |
DC COMICS |
|
17 |
BATMAN: WHITE KNIGHT |
SEAN MURPHY |
DC COMICS |
|
18 |
BATMAN: THREE JOKERS HC |
GEOFF JOHNS |
DC COMICS |
|
19 |
STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC VOL. 1: THERE IS NO FEAR |
CAVAN SCOTT |
MARVEL COMICS |
|
20 |
DAREDEVIL BY CHIP ZDARSKY VOL. 6: DOING TIME |
CHIP ZDARSKY |
MARVEL COMICS |
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Source: The NPD Group/BookScan |
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The top Author in the BookScan chart is also the top title on the direct market chart, Brzrkr, possibly due to the star power of Matt Kindt’s co-writer, comics newcomer Keanu Reeves (see “Keanu Reeves to Make Comics Debut with ‘Brzrkr’“). This is somewhat predictable, as the first comic in the series had the second-highest orders of the 21st century (see “‘BRZRKR’ #1 Orders at 616,841“), and the subsequent issues have had good sales as well.
There were two other October debuts on the Author chart: Volume 2 of Sapiens: A Graphic History, and Destroy All Monsters: A Reckless Book. The first volume of Sapiens made the Author chart a number of times, so it’s not surprising to see the second on here. As for Destroy All Monsters, it’s not a kaiju story but the latest Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips hard-boiled crime graphic novel, and it topped the direct market Top 20.
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NPD BookScan Top 20 Author Graphic Novels – October 2021 (10/3/21 – 10/30/21) |
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|
Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
|
1 |
BRZRKR VOL. 1 |
MATT KINDT |
BOOM! Studios |
|
2 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 1 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
|
3 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 2 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
|
4 |
THEY CALLED US ENEMY |
GEORGE TAKEI |
TOP SHELF PROD. |
|
5 |
INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 1 |
ROBERT KIRKMAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
6 |
DUNE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK 1 HC |
BRIAN HERBERT |
ABRAMS |
|
7 |
1984: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL HC |
GEORGE ORWELL |
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN |
|
8 |
I WAS THEIR AMERICAN DREAM: A GRAPHIC MEMOIR |
MALAKA GHARIB |
CLARKSON POTTER |
|
9 |
SAPIENS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY VOL. 2: THE PILLARS OF CIVILIZATION |
YUVAL NOAH HARARI |
HARPERCOLLINS |
|
10 |
MARCH: BOOK ONE |
JOHN LEWIS |
TOP SHELF PROD. |
|
11 |
THE ADVENTURE ZONE: THE CRYSTAL KINGDOM |
CLINT MCELROY |
FIRST SECOND BOOKS |
|
12 |
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS: A RECKLESS BOOK HC |
ED BRUBAKER |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
13 |
STRANGE PLANET HC |
NATHAN W. PYLE |
MORROW GIFT |
|
14 |
INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 2 |
ROBERT KIRKMAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
15 |
RUN: BOOK ONE |
JOHN LEWIS |
ABRAMS |
|
16 |
FANGS HC |
SARAH ANDERSEN |
ANDREWS MCMEEL |
|
17 |
INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 3 |
ROBERT KIRKMAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
18 |
FUN HOME: A FAMILY TRAGICOMIC |
ALISON BECHDEL |
MARINER BOOKS |
|
19 |
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: A GRAPHIC NOVEL HC |
HARPER LEE |
HARPER |
|
20 |
MONSTRESS VOL. 6: THE VOW |
MARJORIE LIU |
IMAGE COMICS |
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Source: The NPD Group/BookScan |
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Once again, the Manga Top 20 is identical to the Adult Top 20 (see “October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels with Actual Sales“), but there’s always something to add. We pointed out earlier that this month’s list is more diverse than usual, in terms of publishers, and that readers seem to be picking up the latest volume of a larger variety of different series. The days of the chart being dominated by My Hero Academia are over, and in fact, there are five volumes of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in the Top 20, compared to just three of My Hero Academia.
There’s an interesting convergence between the direct market and the book channel this month, with two titles, Volume 7 of Chainsaw Man and Junji Ito’s Sensor, appearing on both Top 20 lists.
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NPD BookScan Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels – October 2021 (10/3/21 – 10/30/21) |
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Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
|
1 |
CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 7 |
TATSUKI FUJIMOTO |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
2 |
ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 34 |
HAJIME ISAYAMA |
KODANSHA COMICS |
|
3 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 12 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
4 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 1 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
5 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 29 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
6 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 2 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
7 |
WOTAKOI: LOVE IS HARD FOR OTAKU VOL 5 |
FUJITA |
KODANSHA COMICS |
|
8 |
SPY X FAMILY VOL. 6 |
TATSUYA ENDO |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
9 |
ONE-PUNCH MAN VOL. 23 |
ONE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
10 |
TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 10 |
AIDAIRO |
YEN PRESS |
|
11 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 23 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
12 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
13 |
TOILET-BOUND HANAKO-KUN VOL. 1 |
AIDAIRO |
YEN PRESS |
|
14 |
ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 1 |
HAJIME ISAYAMA |
KODANSHA COMICS |
|
15 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 4 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
16 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 3 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
17 |
KOMI CAN’T COMMUNICATE VOL. 15 |
TOMOHITO ODA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
18 |
BERSERK DELUXE VOL. 1 |
KENTARO MIURA |
DARK HORSE |
|
19 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 2 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
20 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 7 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
Source: The NPD Group/BookScan |
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For charts of October 2021 graphic novel sales from NPD BookScan:
October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels
October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels
For the charts with the actual sales numbers from NPD BookScan, see these articles on the ICv2 Pro site:
October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Author, Manga, and Superhero Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
October 2021 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
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. The ranks on this chart are based on piece sales. Some publishers classify titles that are primarily text, or art books, as graphic novels; we’ve removed those titles from the ranking above.
For past BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novel lists, see the “BookScan Top 20 GN Index.
Source: ICV2
