Although graphic novel sales grew in both the bookstore and comic shop markets, growth in the comic market may actually have been more pronounced, according to an article in ICv2's Retailers Guide to Graphic Novel #6 released on the eve of the Diamond Comic Distributors' Retailer Summit.

The article notes that graphic novel sales in the direct market have posted double digit increases over 2004 for seven straight months with an aggregate year-to-date percentage growth of 24%.  While growth of graphic novel sales in bookstores might not be able to match that number on a percentage basis, bookstore sales continued to climb spurred in part by the media exposure of key properties such as Frank Miller's Sin City, Batman, and the Fantastic Four.

In the new Guide ICv2 examines how different aspects of the graphic novel market are driven by the different media, with movies driving the sales of American graphic novels, television broadcasts of anime series aiding sales of manga, and the increasing number of reviews in newspapers, literary supplements and magazines influencing sales of 'alternative graphic novels.'

For information on obtaining this guide (which is free to retailers), see 'ICv2 Releases Retailers Guide to Graphic Novels #6.'