Two new releases cracked the top five titles in the "Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels" sold in the book channel in February, based on info provided exclusively to ICv2.com by Nielsen BookScan.  The second volume of March, by Congressman John Lewis with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, debuted at #4, surprisingly topped by the first volume, which held the #3 position.  Congressman Lewis is once again energetically doing publicity for March, and as it did when the first volume was released, it’s having a significant impact.

The other major new release was Scott McCloud’s The Sculptor HC, his first new work in years, which had an initial print run of 100,000 copies.  Movie rights have already been sold (see "Sony Gets 'The Sculptor'").

February is probably the weakest month for new releases, but two other new titles hit the Top 20:  the third volume of Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski, and a new manga series, Akame Ga Kill, from Yen Press.  The anime is streaming in the U.S., in what seems to be a key component for strong manga sales these days.

Akame Ga Kill! was one of three manga titles in the Top 20, joined by the latest Naruto and the first Attack on Titan volume.

"Author" titles were 12 of the Top 20, two more than last month, with the Roz Chast powerhouse, Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, at #1 again.  "Author" titles took the top seven slots.

Saga continues to pull ahead of The Walking Dead, with all four Saga volumes in the Top 20, and only three The Walking Dead volumes, although the show is currently running on TV.

There were only five superhero titles on the chart this month, all backlist except for the new JMS Superman volume mentioned ahead.

BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novels in February 2015

Rank

Title

Author

Publisher

1

CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING?: A MEMOIR HC

ROZ CHAST

BLOOMSBURY

2

SAGA VOL. 4

BRIAN K. VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

3

MARCH: BOOK ONE

JOHN LEWIS

TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

4

MARCH: BOOK TWO

JOHN LEWIS

TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

5

THE SCULPTOR HC

SCOTT MCCLOUD

FIRST SECOND

6

THE WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM VOL. 1

ROBERT KIRKMAN

IMAGE COMICS

7

THE WALKING DEAD VOL. 22

ROBERT KIRKMAN

IMAGE COMICS

8

SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE VOL. 3 HC

J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI

DC COMICS

9

THE WALKING DEAD COMPENDIUM VOL. 2

ROBERT KIRKMAN

IMAGE COMICS

10

MS. MARVEL VOL. 1

WILLOW G. WILSON

MARVEL COMICS

11

BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX ED

ALAN MOORE

DC COMICS

12

SAGA VOL. 1

BRIAN K. VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

13

ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 1

HAJIME ISAYAMA

KODANSHA COMICS

14

CIVIL WAR

MARK MILLAR

MARVEL COMICS

15

THE TERRIBLE AND WONDERFUL REASONS WHY I RUN LONG DISTANCES

THE OATMEAL

ANDREWS MCMEEL

16

NARUTO VOL. 68

MASASHI KISHIMOTO

VIZ MEDIA

17

SAGA VOL. 3

BRIAN K. VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

18

SAGA VOL. 2

BRIAN K. VAUGHAN

IMAGE COMICS

19

AKAME GA KILL! VOL. 1

TAKAHIRO

YEN PRESS

20

WATCHMEN

ALAN MOORE

DC COMICS


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