We mentioned this in a comment, but thought it was worth a more prominent item — it’s pretty much a banner week for American comics on Bookscan, as American GNs take 3 of the top 10 spots, including Dark Tower at #1. And Buffy is “bubbling under” as they say, at #11. Here’s the entire top ten:

1. Dark Tower The Gunslinger Born (Marvel Comics)
2. Fruits Basket: Volume 18 (Tokyopop)
3. Heroes Volume 1 (Wildstorm)
4. Naruto: Volume 24 With Sticker (Viz Media)
5. Naruto: Volume 27 With Sticker (Viz Media)
6. The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier (America’s Best Comics)
7. Naruto: Volume 23 (Viz Media)
8. Naruto: Volume 25 Viz Media)
9. Naruto: Volume 26 (Viz Media)
10. Naruto: Volume 22 (Viz Media)

Of course, don’t get us wrong, it’s a spectacular showing for perennial champ Naruto, and Viz absolutely dominates the chart, as usual. However this strong showing (and ongoing strong sales for all four books we just mentioned) are a definite sign that America’s top three publishers are finally figuring out this bookstore thing, and getting the distribution and visibility that they need to make these books sell up to their potential. And remember — all but Buffy are $20+ hardcovers not $9.99 (or $7,95 in the case of Naruto) paperbacks — Dark Tower beats Fruits Basket in dollars 4 to 1.

Also in the top 50: the Don Martin collection, 52: Volumes 4 and Marvel Zombies vs Army of Darkness.

And now cue Dirk to complain in five, four, three………..

1 COMMENT

  1. Is it really a case of “figuring out the bookstore thing,” or is it a matter of “tying in with properties a wider audience wants to consume”? I guess one would be kind of pointless without the other, though.

  2. I agree with David about this being a matter of popular properties. this will be a big deal when volumes of New Avengers and JLA are up there. then i’ll give the big two some credit

  4. I dunno, David, Marvel, DC and Darkhorse have been putting out licensed properties since the dawn of time. They are just now having this kind of breakthrough success.

  6. The Don Martin set is $150. and the 27volume Naruto Library was charting around #200! so those are probably the dollar leaders, which is kinda crazy. how soon before Taschen issues a signed limited edition graphic novel art book?

  7. Taschen put out a big fat volume on manga a couple of years ago. The copy editing isn’t great, but the text pieces come in three languages and it’s beautifully illustrated.

  8. Taschen has a very good (and not too expensive) Little Nemo collection out too.

    That darn Naruto is a best-seller pretty much anywhere in the world. I don’t get it. I like shonen manga, positively love DragonBall and One Piece, but think Naruto is as dull as it gets. Why does it sell so much?

    Best,
    Hunter (Pedro Bouça)