Current State of Graphic Novels

Book channel graphic novel sales have decreased compared to the previous year but remain significantly higher than pre-2020 levels. Kristen McLean, Executive Director and Primary Industry Analyst for Circana Books & Entertainment, presented this information during a ComicsPRO webinar on October 5. Circana's BookScan service monitors sales in approximately 85% of the U.S. book channel, encompassing bookstores, mass retailers, and Amazon. It also collects data from comic shops using the ComicHub point-of-sale reporting service, with the majority of data coming from the book channel.

McLean began by discussing the U.S. consumer landscape, noting a 28% increase in household spending on items tracked by Circana from 2019 to 2023. However, consumers are receiving less value for their money, leading to about 80% of surveyed consumers stating they have reduced or plan to reduce their spending due to inflation.

This economic reality is reflected in the graphic novel market. According to BookScan, sales of graphic novels from January to August 2023 have declined by 19% compared to the same period in 2022. Nevertheless, it's important to consider that sales in 2022 surged by 78% compared to 2016, primarily due to a significant spike in sales in 2021. McLean believes that many changes seen since 2019, especially in manga, kids' comics, and graphic novels, are enduring trends. She stated, "We've grown a ton, and now we're just having to adjust and figure out what that looks like without the strong stay-at-home time that we had before."

The decline in graphic novel sales is particularly pronounced in the adult category, with manga leading the way. However, it's worth noting that year-to-date manga sales have decreased by 27% from 2022 but have increased by a remarkable 351% since 2019. McLean does not anticipate a major slump akin to the one following the Borders bankruptcy in 2011. She attributes this optimism to continued investment in anime, Japanese publishers' increased involvement in the U.S. market, and Scholastic's foray into manga, which is expected to expand the audience.

BookScan data reveals that the fastest-growing manga series in the U.S. include titles like Blue Lock, One Piece, [Oshi no Ko], Dandadan, Tatuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man, and Tokyo Revengers. While these series are not new, they are experiencing substantial growth, indicating that readers are exploring new series alongside their existing favorites. McLean acknowledges that the market is undergoing adjustments, and the future baseline is uncertain, but the graphic novel category is not collapsing.

Although manga still dominates the graphic novel market, its market share is gradually declining in favor of other genres, notably fantasy, which has seen a 22% increase in unit sales. Additionally, while sales of middle-grade graphic novels have slowed, they have
gained relative market share compared to other middle-grade books, with one out of every four middle-grade book sales tracked by BookScan being a graphic novel.