Webtoon collections, turtles, and shonen titles top the Circana BookScan charts of the Top 20 Author, Superhero, and Manga Graphic Novels.
Information from Circana BookScan is the gold standard for graphic novel sales information, and ICv2 is the only authorized source of BookScan graphic novel sales rankings and actual sales info. Any other source of that information is likely to be inaccurate, incomplete, or both.
For the first time this year, we’re reporting full year 2023 sales rankings for Superhero, Author, and Manga Graphic Novels, and for Adult and Kids titles. Thanks to Circana for this additional information for our readers.
Top 20 2023 Author Graphic Novels
The Mysteries was the top Author graphic novel in 2023, but by numbers, webtoon collections dominated the chart, with eight Lore Olympus and seven Solo Leveling volumes combining to take three quarters of the Top 20 between them. Throw in the first volume of Villains Are Destined To Die, and webtoons are an even 80% of the Top 20.
Circana BookScan Top 20 Author Graphic Novels – Full Year 2023 |
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Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
1 |
THE MYSTERIES HC |
BILL WATTERSON |
ANDREWS MCMEEL |
2 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. FOUR HC |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
3 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 1 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
4 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 6 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
5 |
THEY CALLED US ENEMY |
GEORGE TAKEI |
TOP SHELF PROD. |
6 |
THE ADVENTURE ZONE: THE ELEVENTH HOUR |
CLINT MCELROY |
FIRST SECOND |
7 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. ONE |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
8 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 7 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
9 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. THREE HC |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
10 |
INVINCIBLE COMPENDIUM VOL. 1 |
ROBERT KIRKMAN |
IMAGE COMICS |
11 |
SOLO LEVELING VOL. 2 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
12 |
GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR |
MAIA KOBABE |
ONI PERSS |
13 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. ONE HC |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
14 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. TWO HC |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
15 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. FIVE HC |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
16 |
VILLAINS ARE DESTINED TO DIE VOL. 1 |
GWON GYEOEUL |
YEN PRESS |
17 |
SOLO LEVELING, VOL. 3 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
18 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. FOUR |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
19 |
SOLO LEVELING, VOL. 5 |
CHUGONG |
YEN PRESS |
20 |
LORE OLYMPUS: VOL. THREE |
RACHEL SMYTHE |
INKLORE |
Source: Circana |
Note: All volumes are trade paperbacks unless noted as hardcovers.
Top 20 2023 Superhero Graphic Novels
Two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volumes bracketed the top five 2023 Superhero Graphic Novels, but DC Comics won the Top 20 by numbers, with 12 titles, boosted by 7 vintage titles that were over 20 years old. Tokyopop gets kudos for charting the latest Nightmare Before Christmas title at #2 for the year (yes, we know manga is in the title, but it’s a licensed title with American and Italian creators, so doesn’t meet our definition).
Circana BookScan Top 20 “Superhero” Graphic Novels – Full Year 2023 |
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Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
1 |
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN HC |
KEVIN EASTMAN |
IDW PUBLISHING |
2 |
DISNEY MANGA: TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – THE BATTLE FOR PUMPKIN KING |
DAN CONNER |
TOKYOPOP |
3 |
WATCHMEN (2019 EDITION) |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
4 |
THE SANDMAN BOOK ONE |
NEIL GAIMAN |
DC COMICS |
5 |
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN–LOST YEARS HC |
KEVIN EASTMAN |
IDW PUBLISHING |
6 |
BATMAN: YEAR ONE |
FRANK MILLER |
DC COMICS |
7 |
BATMAN ’89 HC |
SAM HAMM |
DC COMICS |
8 |
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE DLX. ED. HC (NEW EDITION) |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
9 |
SPIDER-PUNK: BATTLE OF THE BANNED |
CODY ZIGLAR |
MARVEL COMICS |
10 |
THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS |
SCOTT SNYDER |
DC COMICS |
11 |
WATCHMEN: THE DELUXE EDITION HC |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
12 |
V FOR VENDETTA |
ALAN MOORE |
DC COMICS |
13 |
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN |
STAN LEE |
PENGUIN CLASSICS |
14 |
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN |
JEPH LOEB |
DC COMICS |
15 |
SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW |
TOM KING |
DC COMICS |
16 |
BLUE BEETLE: GRADUATION DAY |
JOSH TRUJILLO |
DC COMICS |
17 |
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN HC |
STAN LEE |
PENGUIN CLASSICS |
18 |
SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES VOL. 1 |
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS |
MARVEL COMICS |
19 |
THE SANDMAN BOOK TWO |
NEIL GAIMAN |
DC COMICS |
20 |
STRANGER THINGS AND DUNGEONS & DRAGONS |
JODY HOUSER |
DARK HORSE |
Source: Circana |
Note: All volumes are trade paperbacks unless noted as hardcovers.
Top 20 2023 Manga
Compared to the Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels chart, which was mostly manga, the Top 20 manga chart adds two more Jujutsu Kaisen volumes, bringing the total in the Top 20 to five, the most of any title.
Circana BookScan Top 20 Manga Graphic Novels – Full Year 2023 |
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Rank |
Title |
Author |
Publisher |
1 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA VOL. 1 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
2 |
CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 1 |
TATSUKI FUJIMOTO |
VIZ MEDIA |
3 |
SPY X FAMILY VOL. 1 |
TATSUYA ENDO |
VIZ MEDIA |
4 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 1 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
5 |
BERSERK DELUXE VOL. 1 HC |
KENTARO MIURA |
DARK HORSE COMICS |
6 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 0 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
7 |
CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 12 |
TATSUKI FUJIMOTO |
VIZ MEDIA |
8 |
SPY X FAMILY VOL. 9 |
TATSUYA ENDO |
VIZ MEDIA |
9 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 1 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
10 |
SPY X FAMILY VOL. 2 |
TATSUYA ENDO |
VIZ MEDIA |
11 |
CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 2 |
TATSUKI FUJIMOTO |
VIZ MEDIA |
12 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 19 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
13 |
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, VOL. 2 |
KOYOHARU GOTOUGE |
VIZ MEDIA |
14 |
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL. 33 |
KOHEI HORIKOSHI |
VIZ MEDIA |
15 |
ONE PIECE VOL. 103 |
EIICHIRO ODA |
VIZ MEDIA |
16 |
CHAINSAW MAN VOL. 3 |
TATSUKI FUJIMOTO |
VIZ MEDIA |
17 |
BLUE LOCK VOL. 1 |
MUNEYUKI KANESHIRO |
KODANSHA COMICS |
18 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 20 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
19 |
SPY X FAMILY VOL. 3 |
TATSUYA ENDO |
VIZ MEDIA |
20 |
JUJUTSU KAISEN VOL. 18 |
GEGE AKUTAMI |
VIZ MEDIA |
Source: Circana |
Note: All volumes are trade paperbacks unless noted as hardcovers.
For charts of full year 2023 graphic novel sales from Circana:
Full Year 2023 Circana BookScan – Top 20 Adult and Kids Graphic Novels
For the charts with the actual sales numbers from Circana, see these articles on the ICv2 Pro site:
Full Year 2023 Circana BookScan – Top 20 Adult and Kids Graphic Novels, with Actual Sales
Full Year 2023 Circana BookScan – Top 20 Author, Superhero, and Manga Graphic Novels, with Actual Sales
Circana collects weekly point-of-sale data on print books from over 16,000 locations including e-tailers, chains, mass merchandisers, independent bookstores, and more. Circana 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 our monthly Top 20 Graphic Novel charts, see the “Top 20 Graphic Novels Index.”
Source: ICv2