Graphic Novel sales increase again but superheroes aren't a part of it.

[vasir12]

Like the year before, there was a significant jump in GN sales for 2020, but most of it was manga or juvenile fiction.

This is less of a doomsaying post and more wondering if this new drive with Infinite Frontier and digital firsts, can turn things around this year.

[skyvolt2000]

Like the year before, there was a significant jump in GN sales for 2020, but most of it was manga or juvenile fiction.

This is less of a doomsaying post and more wondering if this new drive with Infinite Frontier and digital firsts, can turn things around this year.

Well part of the issue is WHO are you using for those books.

You can beat the horse of Batman sells all you like but this is NOT the direct market.

Raven, Aqualad & Beast Boy found audiences. As will Starfire and daughter DESPITE the trolls. When folks are given a choice the results speak for themselves.

[Citizen Kane]

Like the year before, there was a significant jump in GN sales for 2020, but most of it was manga or juvenile fiction.

This is less of a doomsaying post and more wondering if this new drive with Infinite Frontier and digital firsts, can turn things around this year.

Physical manga sales increase, but somehow superhero comics' answer to this rise is to go digital? Something tells me the medium of sale was never the issue for superhero comics.

[Restingvoice]

Like the year before, there was a significant jump in GN sales for 2020, but most of it was manga or juvenile fiction.

This is less of a doomsaying post and more wondering if this new drive with Infinite Frontier and digital firsts, can turn things around this year.

Have they stopped using multiple books to tell one story, resetting character development, having different interpretations of the same character, and having multiple volume ones?

[Robanker]

Have they stopped using multiple books to tell one story, resetting character development, having different interpretations of the same character, and having multiple volume ones?

This is going to be part of the medium for as long as we have new creators coming in to tell stories. It's not the same creative vision throughout. It never can be in serialized fiction intended to perpetuate.

[Killerbee911]

Physical manga sales increase, but somehow superhero comics' answer to this rise is to go digital? Something tells me the medium of sale was never the issue for superhero comics.

I am pretty sure manga is digital then physical.
From wiki

On September 22, 2014, the free Shōnen Jump+ (少年ジャンプ+, Shōnen Janpu Purasu, abbreviated J+) mobile app and website was launched in Japan. It sells digital versions of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine, simultaneous with its print release, and tankōbon volumes of individual Jump series past and present. However, it also has large samples of the manga that can be read for free. There are also series that are serialized exclusively on the app, such as Marvel × Shōnen Jump+ Super Collaboration; unlike those in Weekly Shōnen Jump, these series may be aimed at adult men or women. These exclusive series are later published in print tankōbon volumes under the Jump Comics+ imprint. In 2019, the Shōnen Jump+ website and app had about 2.4 million active users.[4] As of January 2020, the app had been downloaded more than 13 million times.

By 2017, print circulation was down to under two million, less than a third of its peak during the golden age. This decline follows similar trends seen by other magazines in the sector.

So the primary format is the digital format anthology, Then individual trades are sold physical copies is what does well. That is how I understand it.

[Citizen Kane]

I am pretty sure manga is digital then physical.
From wiki



So the primary format is the digital format anthology, Then individual trades are sold physical copies is what does well. That is how I understand it.

Unless OP's article is grossly misusing the word "print", the implication is that physical manga sales went up.

"16.2 million adult graphic novels were sold in print in 2020..."

Another one:

"As a whole, North American print book sales increased 8.2%..."

[Primal Slayer]

This is going to be part of the medium for as long as we have new creators coming in to tell stories. It's not the same creative vision throughout. It never can be in serialized fiction intended to perpetuate.

If comics went to "seasons" with every 12 issues being a new season and coming out with a fancy "OGN" collection, they could probably change things. Superheroes are clearly not a thing of the past..they are more popular than ever..comics just havent found the right way to latch onto that success.

[Vakanai]

...didn't...didn't we already have this discussion? Not that long ago? Or...was that last year? Are we going to have this thread discussion every year this happens - which will be every year?

[Vakanai]

If comics went to "seasons" with every 12 issues being a new season and coming out with a fancy "OGN" collection, they could probably change things. Superheroes are clearly not a thing of the past..they are more popular than ever..comics just havent found the right way to latch onto that success.

This. They need to move to the ogn market more, and need to market the books similar to manga. Also might need to ditch the ongoing forever continuity and embrace long stories with an end in mind, and then just reboot again, or have many unrelated titles.

[Restingvoice]

This is going to be part of the medium for as long as we have new creators coming in to tell stories. It's not the same creative vision throughout. It never can be in serialized fiction intended to perpetuate.

So no and nothing's gonna change

[manwhohaseverything]

I am glad demon slayer is doing good in america.Never thought western audiences would take to it.Other than that,this discussion is pretty boring

[Killerbee911]

Unless OP's article is grossly misusing the word "print", the implication is that physical manga sales went up.

I am sorry what I was trying to explain. US comics primary emphasis is on print single issue and secondary graphic novels. Manga primary emphasis is on unified anthology magazines and secondary graphic novels(which in a way is primary). Manga has made the transition to digital with anthology book. The article wasn't wrong in physical increase what I was explaining is that digital push of Manga and expand larger casual audience because of that is one of things helps Manga physical sale.

Let pretend that DC goes to Shonen Jump method Basically every month(actually weekly) Batman,Superman,Flash,Wonder Woman are released in one book. If you are popular you get moved to front of the book, If you are not popular you get moved to back of book and eventually canceled. Another important thing as well fans voted on the popular of book(They don't release the numbers but position in the book gives an indication). When they are certain amount of chapters they release a physical trade. So yeah physical manga sales went up but you can't take message away that digital didn't lead to this push because the main anthology book is online now. And the physical audience from reading digital is discovering what to pick up in trades.

Of course there is an X-factor of anime also involved,Just about the release of every anime leads to some increase in sales. Manga is notorious for release one season of anime as an attempt to boost sales with zero intention of second season. So saying

Physical manga sales increase, but somehow superhero comics' answer to this rise is to go digital? Something tells me the medium of sale was never the issue for superhero comics.

Is kinda of wrong because digital format for manga is helping. Comics has two big problems

1.If you are not a fan of comics how do you discover comics?
2.You expect me to buy 2 comics for 4.99 when I can buy Netflix or Crunchroll for 8.99?

And to skip long winded paragraph until Marvel and DC primary source of income is their comic app and digital comic service they are never going to grow with casual fans. I understand why they don't want to give up single issue physical format because they have comics that still work in that format. But with Manga I get to sample 3 issues of a book for free AND they release anime for which an advertisement for a book. And since the content is actually the same unlike movies it actually leads to sales increase.

Avengers Endgame had an estimate 100 million viewers if they converted 1% percent of those viewers into physical readers that would mean that Avengers book for that month would sell 1 million copies putting it among top selling comics of all time. Manga and Novels all the time receive a boost from TV shows and movies. The fact comics is golden age with movies and tv shows and books aren't getting any tangible benefit proves the business model is horrible. DC is closer to solving the riddle than Marvel

[Citizen Kane]

I am sorry what I was trying to explain. US comics primary emphasis is on print single issue and secondary graphic novels. Manga primary emphasis is on unified anthology magazines and secondary graphic novels(which in a way is primary). Manga has made the transition to digital with anthology book. The article wasn't wrong in physical increase what I was explaining is that digital push of Manga and expand larger casual audience because of that is one of things helps Manga physical sale.

When they are certain amount of chapters they release a physical trade. So yeah physical manga sales went up but you can't take message away that digital didn't lead to this push because the main anthology book is online now. And the physical audience from reading digital is discovering what to pick up in trades.

Interesting theory but manga as a whole was beating the North American comic book industry in sales well before they started going digital. The increase we're seeing now is more likely to be just the natural, steady curve resulting from the previous trends. Not to mention physical sales have still been beating digital sales quite substantially, so there's little evidence that suggests there's a correlation between digital sales and physical sales.

Comics has two big problems

1.If you are not a fan of comics how do you discover comics?
2.You expect me to buy 2 comics for 4.99 when I can buy Netflix or Crunchroll for 8.99?

1. How does anyone discover anything? Naruto and Attack on Titan, among countless others, were already popular manga well before their anime series debuts. I'm no marketer, but more often than not, quality attracts quantity. Reach is not the issue.

2. People will literally buy anything as long as they feel they're getting their money's worth out of their purchase—just look at the current Pokemon craze right now. Let's not forget that single manga floppies are, on average, more expensive than your average comic book. Price is not the issue.

And to skip long winded paragraph until Marvel and DC primary source of income is their comic app and digital comic service they are never going to grow with casual fans. I understand why they don't want to give up single issue physical format because they have comics that still work in that format. But with Manga I get to sample 3 issues of a book for free AND they release anime for which an advertisement for a book. And since the content is actually the same unlike movies it actually leads to sales increase.

With what I've pointed out, I highly doubt there's a correlation.

Avengers Endgame had an estimate 100 million viewers if they converted 1% percent of those viewers into physical readers that would mean that Avengers book for that month would sell 1 million copies putting it among top selling comics of all time. Manga and Novels all the time receive a boost from TV shows and movies. The fact comics is golden age with movies and tv shows and books aren't getting any tangible benefit proves the business model is horrible. DC is closer to solving the riddle than Marvel

There wasn't an increase in sales for when Ghost in the Shell came out—at least nothing that lasted—neither was there any noticeable increase for Alita. Different media simply does not attract the same audience. Your average moviegoer is not going to be a comic book enthusiast, and it's highly unlikely they'll ever convert—same goes for manga.

But it doesn't really matter to me one way or the other. All I know for sure is that manga is beating physical comic book sales quite substantially right now.

[HsssH]

This is going to be part of the medium for as long as we have new creators coming in to tell stories. It's not the same creative vision throughout. It never can be in serialized fiction intended to perpetuate.

Yet it wasn't really a thing for decades when creative teams changed.