In the just published Retailers Guide to Graphic Novels #8 ICv2 raised its estimate of graphic novel sales for 2005 to well over $250 million and reports continuing growth through the first quarter of 2006.
With sales driven by the release of a movie adaptation, Alan Moore's V for Vendetta was the best-selling graphic novel in Q1 when sales in the direct market are factored in with those in bookstores (where V for Vendetta was a close second to Naruto Vol. #9 in unit sales and #1 in dollar sales). Sales of V for Vendetta have replicated the phenomenal performance of Frank Miller's
Unlike the seven volumes in Miller's Sin City series, Moore's V for Vendetta is a one-off, but its success has spurred sales of Moore's other graphic novels including his classic Watchmen, the perennial seller that ICv2 has dubbed The Great Gatsby of graphic novels. There are also plenty of other great titles in the Alan Moore backlist and this issue of The Retailers Guide to Graphic Novels identifies them in an article entitled 'The Wizard of Northampton.'
While manga series such as Naruto, Fruits Basket, Full Metal Alchemist, Tsubasa, Kingdom Hearts, Death Note, and Loveless continue to dominate sales of graphic novels in bookstores, the new Retailers Guide to Graphic Novels identifies the best-selling non-manga graphic novels in the bookstore market in the first quarter of 2006 -- and some of the titles may surprise you.
For more information on obtaining this useful publication, which is free to retailers and also identifies the best prospects from the hordes of graphic novel releases set for July, August and September, see 'ICv2 Releases Retailers Guide to Graphic Novels #8.'
