The market for comics and graphic novels in the U.S. and Canada hit $870 million at retail in 2013, according to a new study from ICv2 and Comichron.
These sales represent growth over the past couple of years. To break it down, the study revealed that comics periodical sales went from $300 million in 2011 to $335 million in 2012; graphic novel sales increased from $390 million in 2011 to $400 million in 2012; and combined comics and graphic novel sales grew from $690 million in 2011 to $735 million in 2012. “It’s great that the comics market has found new ways to grow even as the over-all book and magazine markets remain challenged,” stated Milton Griepp, CEO of ICv2. “It’s proof of the fundamental entertainment and literary value of the comics medium.”
Here is more details about where these comics are sold from the press release: “According to the report by Comichron and ICv2, comics periodical sales occur primarily in the comics store channel ($340 million) and to a declining degree in the “newsstand” channel ($25 million). For book format products, well over half of all graphic novel sales ($245 million) occur in the book channel, with a smaller share ($170 million) in the comics store channel.” (Via Publishers Weekly).