For the last few years, we at BookNet have noticed the increasing popularity of Comics & Graphic Novels titles in the Canadian book market. Last year, comics and graphic novels were featured as an emerging trend in our Book subjects on the move Tech Forum session. In it we shared that Adult Comics & Graphic Novels sales increased 61% in 2021 over 2020, Juvenile Comics & Graphic Novels increased by 12%, and Young Adult Comics & Graphic Novels increased by 76% in the same time period.
The Comics & Graphic Novels subject was also one to watch in this year's trendspotting analysis. Across Adult, Young Adult (YA), and Juvenile categories, the Comics & Graphic Novels category is up 22% in 2022 over 2021 — especially with Adult (up 39% in 2022 over 2021) and YA (up 202% in 2022 over 2021) categories increasing rapidly.
According to our recent study, Canadian Leisure & Reading Study 2022, 20% of Canadians read comics, manga, or graphic novels in 2022, up from 18% the year prior.
The graph below shows the rise in popularity of Comics & Graphic Novels titles in the last five years. From 2018 to 2022, sales for Comics & Graphic Novels titles increased 105%. It's also notable that while the book subject has been inching forward since 2018, it really didn’t take off until the start of the pandemic years in 2020. It will be interesting to see if the excitement tapers off or continues to grow in the future.
As we pass the first half of the year let’s take a look at how Comics & Graphic Novels have been performing in the Canadian market so far. Below, we’ll take a look at the sales and library circulation of Comics & Graphic Novels in the first half of 2023, with the help of our SalesData and LibraryData services.
Buying Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels
Compared to 2022, the overall sales of Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels titles were down 23% in the first half of 2023. Looking at the graph below, from January to June 2023 sales of Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels increased by 1%. Sales of Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels titles increased by 36% in the first half of 2022.
These are the BISAC subcategories with the highest year-over-year increase in sales:
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Supervillains — up 104%;
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Literary — up 99%; and
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Historical Fiction — up 48%.
From January to June 2023, the most purchased Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga — 82% of all Comics & Graphic Novels sales;
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Superheroes — 5% of all Comics & Graphic Novels sales; and
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy — 3% of all Comics & Graphic Novels sales.
Borrowing Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels
In the first half of 2023, library loans and renewals of Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels titles were up 61% and 68% respectively from 2022.
Looking at the graph below, from January to June 2023, loans increased by 33% and renewals increased by 38%. In 2022, the loans in the first half of the year increased by 38% and renewals increased by 41%.
Which Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels BISAC subcategories were the most popular in Canadian public libraries? From January to June 2023, these subcategories saw the greatest increases in library circulation compared to 2022:
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Supervillains — loans up 222% and renewals up 238%;
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Occult & Supernatural — loans up 134% and renewals up 166%; and
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Humorous — loans up 136% and renewals up 101%.
During the first half of 2023, the most circulated Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels subcategories were:
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga — 60% of all Comics & Graphic Novels loans and 54% of all Comics & Graphic Novels renewals;
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Superheroes — 15% of all Comics & Graphic Novels loans and 18% of all Comics & Graphic Novels renewals; and
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy — 4% of all Comics & Graphic Novels loans and 4% of all Comics & Graphic Novels renewals.
The Comics & Graphic Novels subcategories readers are loving
Let’s take a closer look at the most purchased and most circulated Comics & Graphic Novels subcategories in the last five years.
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga
Looking at the graph below, it's no surprise that the Manga subcategory has followed the same rise in trajectory as its main subject with its sales up 323% from 2018 to 2022. The start of the pandemic shows a 190% jump in sales from 2020 to 2022.
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Superheroes
The Superheroes subcategory is interesting because it has dipped quite a bit from 2018, going down sharply in 2020. This may be due to a mix of superhero fatigue and the rise of Manga. From 2018 to 2022, sales were down 33%. However, superhero Comics & Graphic Novels are still thriving despite the dip in sales.
Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Fantasy
Sales of fantasy Comics & Graphic Novels have increased by 42% in the last five years surging forward from 2021 to 2022 (up 41%). Before 2021, the subcategory seemed to dip and rise a small amount over the years, will its rise in popularity last?
Reading Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels
Here are the top selling and top borrowed Non-Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels titles from the January to June 2023.
Top borrowed
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series by Koyoharu Gotouge
My Hero Academia series by Kohei Horikoshi
Naruto series by Masashi Kishimoto
Splatoon series by Sankichi Hinodeya
Attack on Titan series by Hajime Isayama
Top selling
Ducks by Kate Beaton 🍁
Spy X Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo
Spy X Family, Vol. 9 by Tatsuya Endo
Chainsaw Man, Vol. 1 by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Spy X Family, Vol. 2 by Tatsuya Endo
It looks like Comics & Graphic Novels will continue to rise in the Canadian book market and we, at BookNet will be keeping track of its progress. Sign up for our eNews for more digestible data on the Canadian book market.
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