Pilkey’s Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas gets 3 million copy print run

Okay so maybe THIS is the best-selling graphic novel of the year. Scholastic has just announced that the first printing of Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas has been upped to 3 million copies. Previously the print run was a mere 1 million copies.

It’s the fifth volume in Dav Pilkey’s series – a sixth book, Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild, is coming later this year. The previous volume, Dog Man and Cat Kid, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Pilkey is the author of the Captain Underpants books, which were quasi-graphic novels, with heavily illustrated tales. With Dog Man, Pilkey went full comics, to no loss of popularity.  And while the appeal of a title called Captain Underpants will be obvious to anyone who has been near a child of any age, Dog Man has the same energetic style and humorous content.

“Dav Pilkey’s books, with their trademark humor and heart, and his story of overcoming reading challenges, continue to inspire children and parents everywhere,” says Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade in a statement. “Scholastic is proud to be Dav Pilkey’s publisher. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive energy and passion booksellers, educators, librarians and, perhaps most importantly, young readers have in embracing his books.”

Simultaneously, Pilkey, a past Caldecott Honor winner, will go on a multi-city “Howl with Laughter” book tour across the United States and Canada this fall. The complete schedule is HERE.

Although Raina Telgemeier (also published by Scholastic) is widely hailed as the messiah of kids graphic novels, Pilkey is no slouch either, and along with Lincoln Pierce’s Big Nate these three authors form a trio of heavy hitters in the kids GN space.  No wonder B&N made a standalone kids graphic novel section. 

Lord of the Fleas will hit stores on August 28, 2018. Brawl of the Wild is due in December.