Sales of periodical comics dipped 3% in September when compared with sales in the same month in 2004, but graphic novels were up 14% from 2004, almost enough to compensate for the drop in periodicals.  While the combined sales of comics and graphic novels to comic stores dipped ever so slightly in September (versus 2004), sales of comic and graphic novels were up a healthy 6% for the third quarter of 2005 versus the same period in 2004, with comic books up 7% and graphic novels up a smaller 3% from 2004 totals for the quarter.