compiled/edited by B. Munn
This semi-regular feature of Sequential presents a snapshot of comics sales in Canada.
Part 1 .
Intro: The bestselling graphic novels and comics collections in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list by BookManager is available, with some work, here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores, including several comic book stores and the D+Q store. Sales through most comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. See here for our previous list.
Sequential’s Over-All Top 30
from BookManager
1. (1) Bone Prequel: Tall Tales, Jeff Smith (Scholastic)
2. (3) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O’Malley (ONI)
3. (4) Scott Pilgrim 2, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
3. (3) Warriors 3, Erin Hunter et al (HarperCollins)
4. (5) Scott Pilgrim 6, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
5. (7) Scott Pilgrim 5, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
6. (8) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
7. (24) Bleach 32, Tite Kubo (VIZ)
8. (11) Scott Pilgrim 3, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
9. (-) Bone Prequel: Rose, Jeff Smith (Scholastic)
10. (10) Naruto 48, Masashi Kishimoto (Random House)
—–
11. (12) 500 Years of Resistance, Gord Hill (Arsenal Pulp)
12. (15) Black Bird 5, Kanoko Sakurakoji (VIZ)
13. (28) Manga Messiah (Tyndale)
14. (13) Maus 1, Spiegelman (Pantheon)
15. (-) When Pigs Fly/PearlsB4Swine, S. Pastis (Andrews McMeel)
16. (14) Rosario+Vampire : Season II, Vol. 2, Ikeda, Akihisa (VIZ)
17. (16) Warriors 2, Erin Hunter (Harper Collins)
18. (29) Vampire Knight 10, Matsuri Hino (VIZ)
19. (17) Negima 27, Ken Akamatsu (Random House)
20. (-) The Night Bookmobile, Audrey Niffenberger (Abrams)
—–
21. (-) Zeus, GeorgeO’Connor (1st Second)
22. (-) How Obelix Fell in the Cauldron, Uderzo (orion)
23. (-) Seekers Tokio’s Story, Erin Hunter (HC)
24. (21) Watchmen, Moore/Gibbons (DC)
25. (6) Maximum Ride 3, James Patterson et al (Orbit)
26. (9) Twilight 1, Stephanie Meyer et al (Orbit)
27. 19. (20) Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon)
28. (25) Walking Dead 12, Kirkman et al (Image)
29. (-) Unsinkable Walker Bean, Aaron Renier (1st Second)
30. (-) Cars Radiator Spring Rally, Allan Porter (Boom)
Comment: The Scott Pilgrim movie has taken in $39 million worldwide to date and must in part explain the strong sales for the comics (last week it was the #14 movie in North America). The comics have cracked the Globe and Mail’s Canadian bestseller list as well.
Part 2. Canadian Content:
You have to wade through an awful lot of translated Japanese manga, U.S. superhero fantasies, and collected editions of Sherman’s Lagoon to come up with a list of 30 bestselling books created by Canadians. In total, BookManager lists over 4000 graphic novels, trades, and strip collections, the vast majority of which are not by Canadians. On this list, a single sale in a single tiny bookstore can make all the difference. This list does not include books that are only illustrated but not written/created-by Canadians.
Sequential’s All-Canadian Top 30
from BookManager
1. (1) Scott Pilgrim 1, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
2. (2) Scott Pilgrim 2, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
3. (3) Scott Pilgrim 6, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
4. (5) Scott Pilgrim 5, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
5. (6) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
6. (4) Scott Pilgrim 3, Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni)
7. (7) 500 Years of Resistance, Gord Hill (Arsenal Pulp)
8. (8) Louis Riel, Chester Brown (D+Q)
9. (9) Neil Young’s Greendale, Chiang et al (DC)
10. (-) Harvey, Herve Bouchard/Janice Nadeau (Groundwood)
—–
11. (18) Skim sc, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
12. (20) Wall-E Vol 1, J. Torres (Boom)
13. (10) Indoor Voice, Jillian Tamaki (D+Q)
14. (12) Bigfoot 1, Graham Roumieu (Plume)
15. (13) Schenzhen, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
16. (15) Pyongyang, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
17. (16) Sweet Tooth 1, Jeff Lemire (DC)
18. (14) Essex County, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
19. (17) The Hipless Boy, Sully (Conundrum)
20. (19) Children of the Atom, Dave Lapp (Conundrum)
—–
21. (23) Buma Chronicles, Guy Delisle (D+Q)
22. (21) George Sprott, Seth (D+Q)
23. (22) The Selves, Sonja Ahlers (D+Q)
24. (24) Important Artifacts, Leanne Shapton (FSG)
25. (25) Skim hc, Mariko Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood)
26. (27) Home Sweat Home, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
27. (26)) Senior’s Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
28. (28) Nightschool 3, Chmakova (Yen/Orbit)
29. (-) Nightschool 1, Chmakova (Yen/Orbit)
30. (29) Graduation, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)