Only 7 Graphic Novels Published In 2021 Make NPD BookScan’s Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels List In August
Japanese manga continued to crush western comic book publishers like DC Comics and Marvel Comics on NPD BookScan’s Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels list for August.
But not only did western comic book publishers get crushed by Japanese manga on that list, their most recent offerings are getting crushed by older titles on NPD BookScan’s Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels list for August.
In fact, only six books in the Top 20 were published in 2021, and only one of them were in the Top 10, but it did take the top spot.
ICv2 reports that the Top 10 books on NPD BookScan’s Top 20 Superheroes Graphic Novels list for August are The Batman Who Laughs, Watchmen (2019 Edition), Batman: Year One, Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition HC (New Edition), Harleen HC, The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes 30th Anniversary Edition, Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal, Batman: Three Jokers HC, and Batman: White Knight.
The Batman Who Laughs is the only book published in 2021 that was in the Top 10. The book written by Scott Snyder and Jock was published in April 2021.
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons was originally published as 12-issue maxiseries beginning in 1986. Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli was originally published in the pages of Batman in 1987.
Batman: The Long Halloween was originally a 13-issue limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale that was published in 1996. Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland was originally published in 1988.
Harleen was originally a three issue mini series by Stjepan Sejic. The hardcover was first published in February 2020. The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes 30th Anniversary Edition was originally published in October 2018. However, the original comic book series began in 1989.
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona was originally published in 2014. Batman: Three Jokers HC was published in November 2020. And Batman: White Knight was published in 2018.
The other 10 books in the top 20 list are Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, V for Vendetta, Dark Knights: Death Metal: Deluxe Edition HC, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Suicide Squad: Their Greatest Shots, Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills: The Manga, Infinity Gauntlet, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 2: The Engine Job, Loki: Agent of Asgard – The Complete Collection, and Injustice: Gods Among Us Year One: The Complete Collection.
Of those 10 only Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, Dark Knights: Death Metal: Deluxe Edition HC, Suicide Squad: Their Greatest Shots, and Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills: The Manga, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 2: The Engine Job, and Loki: Agent of Asgard – The Complete Collection were published in 2021.
However, Suicide Squad: Their Greatest Shots does not feature any comics created in 2021. It collects Suicide Squad #10 (1987), Suicide Squad #15 (2012), Suicide Squad #22 (2013), Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1 (2016), Suicide Squad #16 (2017), Suicide Squad #20 (2017), Suicide Squad #47 (2018), and Suicide Squad Special: War Crimes #1 (2016).
Loki: Agent of Asgard – The Complete Collection does not include any comics created in 2021 either. It collects Loki: Agent of Asgard (2014) 1-17, Original Sin (2014) 5.1-5.5, material from All-New Marvel NOW Point One (2014) 1.
On the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels list for August, the only western book was an autobiography by John Lewis titled Run: Book One HC. Every other title was a Japanese manga.
Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 11 by Gege Akutami took the top spot. It was followed by Demon Slayer: Kimetsa No Yaiba Vol. 23 by Koyoharu Gotouge in second.
The rest of the top five included Chainsaw Man Vol. 6 by Tatsuki Fujimoto, My Hero Academia Vol. 28 by Kohei Horikoshi, and Sensor HC by Junji Ito.
The rest of the top 20 are as follows:
6. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 5 – Golden Wind Vol. 1 by Hirohiko Araki
7. Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun Vol. 1 by Aidairo
8. Haikyu!! Vol. 45 by Haruichi Furudate
9. The Promised Neverland Vol. 20 by Kaiu Shirai
10. My Hero Academia Vol. 1 by Kohei Horikoshi
11. Attack on Titan Vol. 1 by Hajime Isayama
12. My Hero Academia Vol. 2 by Kohei Horikoshi
13. Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition HC by Junji Ito
14. Uzumaki (3-In-1 Deluxe Edition) HC by Junji Ito
15. Run: Book One HC by John Lewis
16. Berserk Deluxe Vol. 2 HC by Kentaro Miura
17. Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 14 by Tomohito Oda
18. My Hero Academia Vol. 27 by Kohei Horikoshi
19. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku Vol. 1 by Fujita
20. Berserk Deluxe Vol. 1 HC by Kentaro Miura
What do you make of the fact that older titles are handily beating new offerings from western publishers like DC Comics and Marvel Comics? What do you make of manga’s continued dominance over all western publishers?
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