Comics are actually selling better than they were a decade ago right?

[PsychoGoatee]

When the comics industry gets discussed, I usually hear that sales get lower and lower and that it's dwindling over time. But, when looking into it, isn't that not the case, and comics have actually bounced back a bit, and are doing better than than were ten years ago?

For example, one of the sites I was checking out had this data estimated from Diamonds top 300 comics of the month. http://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssales.html

1997 100.32 million copies $244.39 million
1998 84.45 million copies $210.65 million
1999 78.08 million copies $202.54 million
2000 69.26 million copies $190.75 million
2001 66.92 million copies $186.98 million
2002 70.27 million copies $196.65 million
2003 73.02 million copies $207.19 million
2004 74.14 million copies $213.24 million
2005 76.13 million copies $221.73 million
2006 81.85 million copies $252.18 million
2007 85.27 million copies $270.00 million
2008 81.34 million copies $263.00 million
2009 74.88 million copies $257.88 million
2010 69.20 million copies $245.72 million
2011 72.13 million copies $248.44 million

Looks like the lowest years for sales and money there were 2000 and 2001, and there's been a pretty decent climb since then. At the very least, not any dropping like people often say there's been. Plus with the new 52 and everything, monthly reports for 2012 we're doing way better than last year as well. Granted, it looks like 2007 and 2008 were especially solid years for sales and cash, so we've been going down a little the past couple years, but in the bigger picture comics have gained a lot more so than they've lost in the last decade or so.

Plus that's just the Diamond Top 300 stuff, there are other various charts estimating overall market size stuff where it appears to have just gotten bigger every year more or less.

What do you think folks? At the very least, it looks like comics will remains steady in the 70-something million sold range for years to come.

[custodes]

Considering inflation which is crazy no matter what is said (been buying gas and food lately?) that is probably still a loss not a gain. Comics cost more. There are more people in the world. We have movies making millions and press galore and that is the gross? Trend continuing down. Just looks like a slight uptick.

Number of books is down from 10 years ago. Digital? Maybe only point in "looking goods" favor.

[PsychoGoatee]

In 2001 there were 66.92 million copies sold, in 2011 there were 72.13 million copies sold (via Diamond's top 300 lists). So more comics are moving than ten years ago. Though sure inflation would factor into the money portion, but not the number of comics sold. Plus this is the number of comics sold rising even with rising prices which would more than counteract inflation.

Just sayin', at the very least comics do appear to be doing better than they were ten years ago. Which is something you don't hear much, but is promising.

[Iangould]

Ten years ago was also before the major expansion of graphic novel sales in both the direct market and book stores. Walking Dead, for example, sells far more copies in trades than it does in single issues.

Industry revenue including graphic novels has increased markedly over the past decade.

[Iangould]

Diamond's just announced their April sales figures on their retailer site. I can't link to that site but in the next couple of days the story should be on their public site too.

Sales for April 2012 are up around 15% in both units and dollars compared to April 2011 and the rolling year-on-year comparison is up by aroudn 15% too.

But it's just a blip?

A multi-year blip of consecutive double digit growth.

[Rasputin9977]

Let's nor forget that comics are more expensive than they were a decade ago.

[Cavemold]

2001 must of been a really hard year.

[Iangould]

Let's nor forget that comics are more expensive than they were a decade ago.

We don't: that's why we look at the total number sold as well as the revenue.

[dupont2005]

Not counting Diamonds top three hundred comics (a narrow scope, IMO), in the last ten years bookstore sales have skyrocketed, online sales and self distribution has skyrocketed, and digital sales are just becoming significant. I also believe that right now the scope of material available beyond the top forty stuff that tends to top the diamond sales charts is higher than it was a decade ago, resulting in more sales of lower print run comics. I'd say the revenue being generated with comics today is probably higher than it was in a very long time. Amazing Spider-Man sales through Diamond may be down, but that's a narrow scope to study in today's market.

[coveredinbees]

This makes me happy.

[Charles RB]

A multi-year blip of consecutive double digit growth.

Also, I hear manga is just a fad.

[Mister Mets]

I think it's also a mistake to just look at Diamond when there are new revenue streams available (digital comics) that just didn't exist a decade ago. Trade Paperbacks have also become a bigger part of the market.

[USArmyParatrooper]

Nonsense! You must talk doom and gloom to play with the cool kids.

[Michael P]

But this doesn't fit my narrative that the industry is dying and can only save itself by exclusively making the kinds of comics I like!

[Charles RB]

But this doesn't fit my narrative that the industry is dying and can only save itself by exclusively making the kinds of comics I like!

Just think, somewhere there's some Liefeld fans making that very argument...