July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels

There are some intriguing new trends on the list of the top 20 Adult graphic novels in the book channel, based on NPD BookScan data for July 2022 (7/3/22-7/30/22) provided to ICv2.

First of all, there are three volumes in the top 20 that are not manga: The hardcover and softcover editions of Volume 2 of Lore Olympus and the collected edition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin.  This is the first time in months that the Top 20 hasn’t been some combination of manga and Solo Leveling, and it’s probably the first time in years that a Superhero title has made the list.

The top seller in July was Volume 2 of Lore Olympus, and the runner-up was Volume 31 of My Hero Academia.  This is unprecedented: New volumes of My Hero Academia always top the list in their release month.  Not only is Lore Olympus outselling it, this is the hardcover edition of Lore Olympus.  The trade paperback is at number 6.

In fifth place on the chart is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, which has been a phenomenal seller for IDW as single-issue comics (see “Second Printing Brings ‘TMNT: The Last Ronin’ to 180,000“).  The book made the ComicHub top 20 (see “Top 20 Graphic Novels – June 2022“) in June.

Seven Seas Entertainment makes a rare appearance on the chart at number 11, with the first volume of Tokyo Revengers (see “‘Tokyo Revengers’ Coming to Print as Two-in-One Omnibi“), which was first published digitally by Kodansha; there’s also an anime on Crunchyroll.

Speaking of anime, the Spy x Family surge is slowing down.  All seven volumes of the series were on the chart in June, and six made the Top 20 in the two months previous to that (see “June 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels“), thanks to a boost from the anime, which launched in April.  In July there are just four, although the high placement of the first volume, at third place on the chart, suggests it’s still bringing in new readers.

Junji Ito is back on the chart after being absent since December 2021, when Deserter: Junji Ito Story Collection was released.  Ito remains a top-selling creator (see “Top Manga Franchises: Spring 2022“), but his individual titles are no longer making the top 20 on a regular basis.

Tokyo Revengers, Junji Ito’s The Liminal Zone, and Volume 11 of Berserk (Deluxe Edition) were all released on July 26 but made the month’s chart anyway, presumably because of strong preorders or first-week sales.

Missing from this month’s chart: Volume 1 of Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun, a surprisingly persistent presence in the top 20. And here’s one worth watching: Volume 3 of Kaiju No. 8, a Shonen Jump series that is shaping up to be the Next Big Thing: It was nominated for an Eisner Award and each of the three volumes released so far has made the Top 20.  An anime is in the works.

For charts of July 2022 graphic novel sales from NPD BookScan:
July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Author, Manga, and Superhero Graphic Novels
July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels

For the charts with the actual sales numbers from NPD BookScan, see these articles on the ICv2 Pro site:
July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Author, Manga, and Superhero Graphic Novels with Actual Sales
July 2022 NPD BookScan – Top 20 Kids Graphic Novels with Actual Sales

NPD BookScan collects weekly point-of-sale data on print books from over 16,000 locations including e-tailers, chains, mass merchandisers, independent bookstores, and more.  NPD BookScan covers approximately 85% of the U.S. trade print book market.  The ranks on this chart are based on piece sales.  Some publishers classify titles that are primarily text, or art books, as graphic novels; we’ve removed those titles from the ranking above.

For past BookScan Top 20 Graphic Novel lists, see the “BookScan Top 20 GN Index.”

Source: ICv2