Some of the property’s success may be tied to the fact that it’s superhero-based; here’s a description of the property by VIZ Media Senior Director, Sales and Marketing Kevin Hamric from early 2016, as My Hero Academia was just beginning to show its stuff (see "Interview with VIZ's Kevin Hamric, Part 1").
"It has an anime tie-in as well," Hamric said, explaining its success. "It’s all superhero-based. It’s high and middle school students who want to be heroes so they go to U.A. High School which is a high school for budding heroes and learn how to take on life and everything that goes with it -- the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s pretty funny and it’s an offtake of all the superhero worlds that we grew up with. It’s very well drawn, very well written, and really good for manga readers of all ages."
VIZ published half of the Top 20 list in August, a remarkable accomplishment.
And as has been the case more than once recently, there were no modern Marvels nor DC Comics, and only two books from either publisher: two classic DC volumes from the 80s.
|
BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novels in August 2017 |
|||
|
Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
|
1 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 9 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
2 |
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS VOL. 2 |
AKIRA HIMEKAWA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
3 |
ATTACK ON TITAN VOL. 22 |
HAJIME ISAYAMA |
KODANSHA COMICS |
|
4 |
TOKYO GHOUL VOL. 14 |
SUI ISHIDA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
5 |
PAPER GIRLS VOL. 3 |
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
6 |
MARCH: BOOK ONE |
JOHN LEWIS |
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS |
|
7 |
EVERYONE'S A ALIEBN WHEN UR A ALIEBN TOO: A BOOK HC |
JOMNY SUN |
HARPER PERENNIAL |
|
8 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
9 |
FUN HOME: A FAMILY TRAGICOMIC |
ALISON BECHDEL |
MARINER BOOKS |
|
10 |
WATCHMEN |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
|
11 |
ONE PIECE VOL. 83 |
EIICHIRO ODA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
12 |
SERENITY: NO POWER IN THE 'VERSE HC |
JOSS WHEDON |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
|
13 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 2 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
14 |
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX. ED. HC |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
|
15 |
TOKYO GHOUL VOL. 1 |
SUI ISHIDA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
16 |
THE LIFE-CHANGING MANGA OF TIDYING UP: A MAGICAL STORY |
MARIE KONDO |
TEN SPEED PRESS |
|
17 |
JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 3 - STARDUST CRUSADERS VOL. 4 |
HIROHIKO ARAKI |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
18 |
DRAGON BALL SUPER VOL. 1 |
AKIRA TORIYAMA |
VIZ MEDIA |
|
19 |
SAGA VOL. 7 |
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
|
20 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 8 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
For past BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novel lists, see the "BookScan Top 20 GN Index."
