Attack on Titan volumes were eight of the "Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels" sold in the bookstore channel in June, based on this chart provided exclusively to ICv2.com by Nielsen BookScan, with the rest of the chart an eclectic mix from a variety of publishers.  The Attack on Titan showing was a record, with the previous high six volumes in the Top 20 last September.  And with another three manga volumes in the Top 20 (Naruto and One Piece from VIZ Media, and Sword Art Online from Yen Press), there were a total of 11 manga titles in the Top 20, a resurgence for the category, if a bit concentrated.

The appearance of Yen's Sword Art Online on the list is interesting given that Amazon has been intentionally delaying shipments on Yen titles and selling them at short discount (see "Marvel, Yen Caught in Amazon-Hachette Crossfire").  Barnes & Noble must be moving some books with its sale (see "B&N Selling Hachette GNs at 54-57% Off").

On the flip side of that coin, Marvel's X-Men: Days of Future Past turned up on the list after being absent in May, the release month of the movie based on the volume.  Amazon was shipping the title with a delay in May (Marvel is a Hachette distribution client), but was handling Marvels normally by the end of the month (see "Amazon-Marvel Truce?").  It may have been too late for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which made one appearance in the Top 20 in April, but had dropped off in May and has not reappeared in June.

Titan Comics placed a title in the Top 20; its licensed title Dreamworks: Dragons:  Riders of Berk Vol. 1 came in at #12.

From Image Comics, all three volumes of Saga placed in the Top 20, vs. only one The Walking Dead.

Two Scott Snyder Batman volumes from DC and DK Publishing's Marvel Encyclopedia rounded out the group.
 

BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novels in June 2014

Rank

Title

Author

Publisher

1

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 1

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

2

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 2

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

3

MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA UPDATED AND EXPANDED HC

MATT FORBECK

DK PUBLISHING

4

SAGA VOL. 3

BRIAN K VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

5

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 12

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

6

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 3

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

7

NARUTO VOL. 65

MASASHI KISHIMOTO

VIZ MEDIA

8

SAGA VOL. 1

BRIAN K VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

9

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 9

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

10

THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 20

ROBERT KIRKMAN

IMAGE COMICS

11

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

CHRIS CLAREMONT

MARVEL COMICS

12

DREAMWORK'S DRAGONS: RIDERS OF BERK VOL. 1

SIMON FURMAN

TITAN COMICS

13

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 4

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

14

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 10

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

15

ONE PIECE VOL. 71

EIICHIRO ODA

VIZ MEDIA

16

BATMAN VOL. 4: ZERO-YEAR--SECRET CITY HC

SCOTT SNYDER

DC COMICS

17

BATMAN VOL. 3: DEATH OF THE FAMILY

SCOTT SNYDER

DC COMICS

18

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 11

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

19

SWORD ART ONLINE: AINCRAD

REKI KAWAHARA

YEN PRESS

20

SAGA VOL. 2

BRIAN K VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS


For past BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novel lists, see the "BookScan Top 20 GNs Index."