In a sign either that the 80s were a uniquely creative period in American superhero comics, or that the new superhero graphic novels published in 2017 were not very popular, or both, two 30-year-old volumes were the best-selling superhero titles of the year on the chart of the Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels in the book channel for the full year 2017, according to information provided to ICv2 by NPD BookScan.  In fact, three 80s Alan Moore titles made up half of the top six for the year.

Marvel’s top new title was Black Panther Book 1 (two Ta-Nehisi Coates volumes appeared in the top seven) and DC’s top new titles were the collections of the Rebirth launches of Batman and The Flash.

Reflecting Marvel’s weak year, twelve of the Top 20 were DC Comics, seven were Marvels, and Oni Press had the only non-Big Two title in the Top 20 with its first volume collecting comics featuring the red-hot Rick and Morty property.

We define our "superhero" graphic novel category as featuring corporate-owned or -controlled properties, usually operating in a universe in which multiple creators tell stories.

This chart of the Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels from NPD BookScan for the full year 2017 is one manifestation of a new deal between ICv2 and NPD (see "ICv2 to Publish NPD BookScan Graphic Novel Bestseller Charts").

Check out our other charts on the public site:
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Manga
Full Year 2017 BookScan – Top 20 'Author' Graphic Novels

And for the charts with actual sales numbers from NPD BookScan, see these articles on our ICv2 Pro site:
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 Manga with Actual Sales
Full Year 2017 BookScan - Top 20 'Superhero' Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
Full Year 2017 BookScan – Top 20 'Author' Graphic Novels with Actual Sales

NPD BookScan Top 20 'Superhero' Graphic Novels - Full Year 2017

Rank

Title

Author

Publisher

1

BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX ED HC

ALAN MOORE

DC COMICS

2

WATCHMEN

ALAN MOORE

DC COMICS

3

BLACK PANTHER BOOK 1: A NATION UNDER OUR FEET

TA-NEHISI COATES

MARVEL COMICS

4

BATMAN VOL. 1 (REBIRTH)

TOM KING

DC COMICS

5

THE FLASH VOL. 1 (REBIRTH)

JOSHUA WILLIAMSON

DC COMICS

6

V FOR VENDETTA

ALAN MOORE

VERTIGO

7

BLACK PANTHER BOOK 2: A NATION UNDER OUR FEET

TA-NEHISI COATES

MARVEL COMICS

8

OLD MAN LOGAN

MARK MILLAR

MARVEL COMICS

9

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOL. 1

KIERON GILLEN

MARVEL COMICS

10

WONDER WOMAN VOL. 1 (REBIRTH)

GREG RUCKA

DC COMICS

11

INFINITY GAUNTLET

JIM STARLIN

MARVEL COMICS

12

INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR ONE - COMPLETE COLL.

TOM TAYLOR

DC COMICS

13

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT - MASTER RACE HC

FRANK MILLER

DC COMICS

14

BATMAN/THE FLASH: THE BUTTON DLX. ED. HC

KING / WILLIAMSON

DC COMICS

15

DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE

CULLEN BUNN

MARVEL COMICS

16

RICK AND MORTY VOL. 1

ZAC GORMAN

ONI PRESS

17

HARLEY QUINN VOL. 1 (N52)

PALMIOTTI / CONNER

DC COMICS

18

MS. MARVEL VOL. 1

G. WILLOW WILSON

MARVEL COMICS

19

FLASHPOINT

GEOFF JOHNS

DC COMICS

20

NIGHTWING VOL. 1 (REBIRTH)

TIM SEELEY

DC COMICS

Source: The NPD Group/BookScan

NPD Bookscan collects weekly point-of-sale data on print books from over 16,000 locations including e-tailers, chains, mass merchandisers, independent bookstores, and more.  NPD Bookscan covers approximately 85% of the U.S. trade print book market.  The ranks on this chart are based on piece sales. Some publishers classify titles that are primarily text, or art books, as graphic novels; we’ve removed those titles from the ranking above.


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