Comic dollars sold in to comic stores were up a robust 9% in October over the same month in 2007, although it appears to us that October may have been a five week month for Diamond shipping.  Still, September and October were the first up months for comic sales since January, so periodical comics appear to be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal economy. 

The gains weren’t in circulations at the top of the chart, where most titles were down.  But ten of the top 25 books were $3.99 this October, compared to only two $3.99 books in October of 2007, so price increases are certainly a factor.  Another is strength at the bottom of the chart, where the #300 title clocked over 4,200 copies, vs. just 3,000 copies for the #300 title a year ago.  

Sales on the top 100 graphic novels were up 5% vs. the same group in October of 2007, for an overall 8% increase in dollars in the top 300 comics and top 100 graphic novels combined.

In an economy where “flat is the new up,” it’s great to see a bright spot in sales of pop culture products.  We recall the late early 80s, perhaps the last time that unemployment hit the levels we seem to be headed toward, as a robust growth period for comics.  Here’s hoping that the same trend holds true this time.

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