Graphic novel sales dipped in both bookstores and comic stores in the first half of 2009, according to an article in the new ICv2 Insider’s Guide #67. Nielsen BookScan numbers show an 8% decline in piece sales in bookstores in the Adult Fiction/Graphic Novels category in the first 25 weeks of 2009, according to the article.  The Bookscan figures do not include graphic novels racked in Kids and YA departments in bookstores, which probably means that the decline is less than 8% over-all. 

Graphic novel sales were up in comic stores in Q1, but dropped in Q2.

Strong sales on Watchmen and the release of several years’ worth of Naruto volumes in the first half of 2009 kept the declines from being worse. 

The new ICv2 Insider’s Guide includes Q2 bestseller lists for a number of graphic novel categories:

"Top 10 Superhero Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Genre Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Fiction & Reality Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Humor/Strip Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Kids & Tweens Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 25 Manga Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Shojo Properties Q2 2009"

"Top 10 Shonen Properties Q2 2009"

For information on the release of ICv2 Insider’s Guide #67, and information on how to get the ICv2 Insider’s Guide, with all of its Q2 2009 sales charts, see “ICv2 Releases 'ICv2 Insider’s Guide' #67.”