In the run-up to what looks like a blockbuster opening for Black Panther this weekend, three Black Panther volumes by Ta-Nehisi Coates were in the Top 20 Superhero Graphic Novels in the book channel for January, according to information provided by NPD BookScan.

The bestselling superhero graphic novel in the book channel in January, sold less that the top sellers in the manga, author, and kids graphic novel charts, according to information provided by NPD BookScan.

These are estimates of the sales on graphic novels by Diamond U.S. to comic specialty stores during January 2018.

The latest Saga volume was the #1 adult graphic novel in January 2018, based on NPD BookScan data provided to ICv2.

This reporting on the actual sales reported by NPD BookScan on the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels helps see the relative sales on the bestsellers, and is also instructive when compared to the sales for other graphic novel subcategories in the book channel, or to sales in the comic store channel.

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.

Compare to sales in the comic store channel, or for other graphic novel subcategories in the book channel.

Compare to the book channel sales of the Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels, which are much larger, at least in pieces.

Jomny Sun's everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too returned to the top of the bestseller list in the book channel in December, based on the December 2017 Top 20 Adult Fiction Graphic Novel chart provided exclusively to ICv2 by NPD BookScan.

These are estimates of the sales on Graphic Novels by Diamond U.S. to comic specialty stores during the full year 2017.