The Nielsen BookScan service has provided ICv2 with a ranking of the top 20 graphic novels of 2008, drawn from sell-through information in bookstore and other outlets tracked by the service. The rankings are based on piece sales for the entire year. Watchmen was the #1 graphic novel of 2008; although it was selling great all year, sales were turbocharged by the Watchmen trailer released in conjunction with The Dark Knight, the #1 movie of the year. Batman: The Killing Joke Special Edition, another 20 year old volume written by Alan Moore, was the #5 title of the year.
| Rank | Title | Author | Pub | PubDate |
| 1 | WATCHMEN | ALAN MOORE | DC | 4/1/95 |
| 2 | NARUTO VOL. 28 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 3/1/08 |
| 3 | NARUTO VOL. 29 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 5/1/08 |
| 4 | NARUTO VOL. 30 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 7/1/08 |
| 5 | BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPEC. ED. | ALAN MOORE | DC | 3/1/08 |
| 6 | NARUTO VOL. 27 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 12/1/07 |
| 7 | NARUTO VOL. 31 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 9/1/08 |
| 8 | NARUTO VOL. 26 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 12/1/07 |
| 9 | DEATH NOTE VOL. 1 | TSUGUMI OHBA | VIZ | 10/1/05 |
| 10 | FRUITS BASKET VOL. 19 | NATSUKI TAKAYA | TKP | 3/1/08 |
| 11 | FRUITS BASKET VOL. 20 | NATSUKI TAKAYA | TKP | 7/1/08 |
| 12 | DEATH NOTE VOL. 2 | TSUGUMI OHBA | VIZ | 11/1/05 |
| 13 | BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURN | FRANK MILLER | DC | 5/1/97 |
| 14 | VAMPIRE KNIGHT VOL. 4 | MATSURI HINO | VIZ | 4/1/08 |
| 15 | NARUTO VOL. 1 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 7/1/03 |
| 16 | NARUTO VOL. 32 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 12/1/08 |
| 17 | BLEACH VOL. 22 | TITE KUBO | VIZ | 2/1/08 |
| 18 | NARUTO VOL. 25 | MASASHI KISHIMOTO | VIZ | 12/1/07 |
| 19 | DEATH NOTE VOL. 13 | TSUGUMI OHBA | VIZ | 2/1/08 |
| 20 | VAMPIRE KNIGHT VOL. 1 | MATSURI HINO | VIZ | 1/1/07 |
Naruto was the top manga, with nine volumes in the top 20, led by volume 28, the first in the Shippuden series, at #2 over-all. Six of the top ten graphic novels of the year were Naruto volumes. Even volume 1 appeared in the list, a great sign that new readers are still joining the ranks of Naruto readers.
Three other manga series joined Naruto in the top 20: Death Note (three volumes), Fruits Basket (two volumes), Vampire Knight (two volumes), and Bleach (one volume).
The only other American title was Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, which came in at #13.
Note: We've also published a revised version to this chart (click here) that includes kids and YA titles not included here.
