List of best-selling comic series

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

This page provides lists of best-selling comic book series to date. It includes Japanese manga, American comic books, and European comics. The series are listed according to the highest sales estimates as reported in reliable sources.

This list includes comic books that have sold least 100 million copies. There are three separate lists, for three different comic book publication formats (collected comic book volumes, periodical floppy comic issues, and comic magazines).

Collected comic book volumes

Cover of One Piece Vol. 1 (1997). One Piece is the best-selling comic by a single author and the best-selling manga of all time,[1][2] having sold the most collected comic book volumes.

This list is for comics printed in a traditional book format (paperback or hardcover), typically with a similar number of pages as novels. The list includes graphic novels printed exclusively in this format, and trade paperback/hardcover books which compile periodical comic chapters/issues into larger collected volumes. This list includes Japanese manga tankōbon volumes, American trade paperbacks, graphic novels, and European comic albums.

These comic series were originally serialized either as chapters (typically 15-30 pages each) in comic publications (such as comic magazines) or as single-page comic strips in non-comic publications (such as newspapers), before being collected into a larger comic book volume (which compiles either multiple comic chapters or numerous comic strips). For comic series originally serialized as chapters in comic magazines or manga magazines, their estimated circulation figures in those magazines are given in footnotes.

Comic seriesCreator(s)PublisherNo. of collected
volumes		SerializedApproximate sales
One PieceEiichiro OdaShueisha90Weekly Shōnen Jump
1997 – present		440 million[3][lower-alpha 2]
AsterixRené Goscinny
Albert Uderzo
Jean-Yves Ferri		Dargaud41Franco-Belgian comics
1959 – present		370 million[4][lower-alpha 4]
Dragon BallAkira ToriyamaShueisha49Jump magazines
1984 – present		361 million[lower-alpha 6][lower-alpha 7]
PeanutsCharles M. Schulz1950 – 2000300 million[10]
Lucky LukeMorris, René Goscinny1946 – present300 million[11]
NarutoMasashi KishimotoShueisha72Weekly Shōnen Jump
1999 – 2014		235 million[12][lower-alpha 8]
Golgo 13Takao SaitoShogakukan182Big Comic
1968 – present		200 million[13]
The Adventures of TintinHergéCasterman
Le Lombard
Egmont Group		241929 – 1976200 million[14]
Spike and SuzyStandaard Uitgeverij3401945 – present200 million[15]
Case ClosedGosho AoyamaShogakukan94Weekly Shōnen Sunday
1994 – present		200 million[16][lower-alpha 10]
Black JackOsamu TezukaAkita Shoten25Weekly Shōnen Champion
1973–1983		176 million[17]
KochiKameOsamu AkimotoShueisha200Weekly Shōnen Jump
1976 – 2016		157 million[18][lower-alpha 11]
GarfieldJim Davis1978 – present135 million[19]
OishinboTetsu Kariya
Akira Hanasaki		Shogakukan111Big Comic Spirits
1983 – present		130 million[20]
BleachTite KuboShueisha74Weekly Shōnen Jump
2001–2016		120 million[21][lower-alpha 12]
Slam DunkTakehiko InoueShueisha31Weekly Shōnen Jump
1990 – 1996		120 million[9][lower-alpha 13]
Amar Chitra KathaAmar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd.4491967 – present100 million[22]
Astro BoyOsamu TezukaKobunsha23Shōnen
1952 – 1968		100 million[23]
Casper the Friendly GhostSeymour Reit and Joe OrioloHarvey Comics1949 – present100 million[24]
DoraemonFujiko FujioShogakukan451969 – 1996100 million[25]
Fist of the North StarBuronson and Tetsuo HaraShueisha27Weekly Shōnen Jump
1983 – 1988		100 million[26][lower-alpha 14]
JoJo's Bizarre AdventureHirohiko ArakiShueisha117Weekly Shōnen Jump
1987 – present		100 million[27][lower-alpha 15]
TouchMitsuru AdachiShogakukan26Weekly Shōnen Sunday
1981 – 1986		100 million[28]

Periodical single-issue floppy comics

Cover of Superman issue #14 (1942). Superman is the best-selling American comic book series, having sold the most periodical floppy comic issues.

This list is for single-issue floppy comics, also known as the American comic book format. Unlike the paperback book format, floppy comics are thinner periodicals and stapled together. Each floppy comic issue is typically 20-40 pages, and usually consists of a single chapter (as opposed to a larger comic book volume that typically includes multiple chapters). A floppy comic is comparable to a comic magazine, but is thinner in size and is dedicated to a single character or group of characters (whereas a comic magazine is thicker and serializes multiple different unrelated series). Floppy comics are the most common publication format for American comics. This list also contains periodical publications from other countries that are similarly dedicated to a single character or group of characters.

Comic seriesCreator(s)PublisherNo. of issuesSerializedApproximate sales
SupermanJerry Siegel
Joe Shuster		DC Comics14,568[29]1938 – present600 million[30]
BatmanBob Kane
Bill Finger		DC comics16,461[31]1939 – present460 million[30]
Spider-ManStan Lee
Steve Ditko		Marvel12,779[32]1963 – present378 million[lower-alpha 16]
X-MenStan Lee
Jack Kirby		Marvel11,557[40]1963 – present270 million[14]
Captain AmericaJoe Simon
Jack Kirby		Marvel9,521[41]1941 – present210 million[14]
AvengersStan Lee
Jack Kirby		Marvel6,335[42]1963 – present172 million[lower-alpha 17]
DiabolikAngela Giussani
Luciana Giussani		Astorina8001962 – present150 million[46]
SpawnTodd McFarlaneImage Comics629[47]1992 – present150 million[48]
The PhantomLee FalkFrew Publications3,538[49]1936 – present150 million[14]

Comic magazines

Cover of Weekly Shōnen Jump issue #1 (1968). Weekly Shōnen Jump is the best-selling comic magazine.

This list is for comic magazines, which are anthology magazines that serialize multiple different unrelated comic series. This list includes Japanese manga magazines, European comic magazines, and English-language comic magazines.

Comic magazinePublisherCountryNo. of issuesSerializedApproximate sales
Weekly Shōnen JumpShueishaJapan2,406[50]1968 – present7.5 billion[50][lower-alpha 1]
Weekly Shōnen MagazineKodanshaJapan2,942[51]1959 – present5.2 billion[lower-alpha 18]
Weekly Shōnen SundayShogakukanJapan2,805[52]1959 – present1.9 billion[lower-alpha 19]
Micky MausEgmont EhapaGermany3,1691951 – present1 billion[53]
The BeanoDC ThomsonUnited Kingdom3,9491938 – present1 billion[54]
Classics IllustratedElliot Publishing Co.
Gilberton Company, Inc.
Frawley Corporation		United States1691941 – 19711 billion[55]
RibonShueishaJapan694[56]1955 – present594 million[lower-alpha 20]
CoroCoro ComicShogakukanJapan480[57]1977 – present407 million[lower-alpha 21]
NakayoshiKodanshaJapan7561954 – present400 million[lower-alpha 22]
V JumpShueishaJapan300[58]1993 – present350 million[lower-alpha 23]
Action ComicsDC ComicsUnited States1,0001938 – present187 million[lower-alpha 24]
PiloteDargaudFrance420[63]1959 – 1989117 million[lower-alpha 3]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 See Weekly Shōnen Jump § Circulation figures.
  2. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, One Piece chapters have had a total estimated circulation of approximately 3 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  3. 1 2 See Pilote § Circulation.
  4. ↑ In addition to comic album sales, Asterix had a total estimated circulation of approximately 93.5 million copies in the comic magazine Pilote, which serialized Asterix from October 1959 to 1973.[lower-alpha 3]
  5. ↑ See Dragon Ball Super § Manga.
  6. ↑ Dragon Ball manga tankōbon volume sales:
  7. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Dragon Ball chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 2.96 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  8. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Naruto chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 2.3 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  9. ↑ See Weekly Shōnen Sunday § Circulation.
  10. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Case Closed / Detective Conan chapters have had a total estimated circulation of approximately 1.3 billion copies in Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine, which has been serializing Detective Conan since January 1994.[lower-alpha 9]
  11. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, KochiKame chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 6 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  12. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Bleach chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 2 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  13. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Slam Dunk chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 1.7 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  14. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, Fist of the North Star chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 1.1 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  15. ↑ In addition to tankōbon volume sales, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure chapters had a total estimated circulation of approximately 3.6 billion copies in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.[lower-alpha 1]
  16. ↑ Spider-Man comic sales – 378,020,970 copies
    • Up until April 2014 – 360 million[33]
    • May–December 2014 – 3,366,050[34][35]
    • 2015 – 4,719,795[36]
    • 2016 – 4,248,366[37]
    • 2017 – 3,465,005[38]
    • January–August 2018 – 2,221,754[39]
  17. ↑ Avengers comic sales – 171,150,213 copies
    • Up until 2011 – 150,356,557[43]
    • 2012 – 6,797,300[44]
    • 2013 – 5,416,100[45]
    • 2014 – 3,618,371[35]
    • 2015 – 1,875,368[36]
    • 2016 – 2,161,976[37]
    • 2017 – 924,541[38]
    • January–August 2018 – 719,660[39]
  18. ↑ See Weekly Shōnen Magazine § Circulation.
  19. ↑ See Weekly Shōnen Sunday § Circulation.
  20. ↑ See Ribon § Circulation.
  21. ↑ See CoroCoro Comic § Circulation.
  22. ↑ See Nakayoshi § Circulation.
  23. ↑ See V Jump § Circulation.
  24. ↑ Action Comics sales – est. 187,110,351 copies
    • Up until 1989 – 170,851,312[59]
    • 1993 – 2,203,000[34]
    • 1996–2001 – 3,055,766[34]
    • 2002–2006 – est. 2,400,000[34]
    • 2007–2008 – est. 1,200,000[34]
    • 2009 – 192,400[60]
    • 2010 – 439,000[61]
    • 2011 – 950,600[62]
    • 2012 – 1,035,600[44]
    • 2013 – 777,500[45]
    • 2014 – 583,704[35]
    • 2015 – 440,757[36]
    • 2016 – 1,080,297[37]
    • 2017 – 1,179,798[38]
    • January–August 2018 – 720,617[39]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2015/6/japanese-manga-%E2%80%9Cone-piece%E2%80%9D-is-most-printed-comic-series-by-one-author-ever-385868
  2. ↑ http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/118397-most-copies-published-by-a-single-author-for-the-same-comic-book-series
  3. ↑ "One Piece: 440 million copies of manga printed in the world!". MangaMag. May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018. It is today, via the site of the Asahi newspaper , that we learn that the total circulation of volumes 1 to 87 of Eiichiro ODA's shônen manga One Piece amounts to 440 million copies worldwide! The circulation is about 365 million copies for Japan and 75 million for the rest of the world.
  4. ↑ Ye, Sonia (October 19, 2017). "With the crazy 'Italics', Asterix returns for 37th adventure". Reuters.
  5. ↑ Booker, M. Keith (2014). Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ABC-CLIO. p. xxxix. ISBN 9780313397516.
  6. ↑ "映画「ドラゴンボール」テーマソングは浜崎あゆみ". MSN Sankei News. December 10, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  7. ↑ "ピッコロは緑だけど触角なし……実写『ドラゴンボール』映像". Oricon News (in Japanese). 2008-12-15.
  8. ↑ "Top Manga Properties in 2008 - Rankings and Circulation Data". ComiPress. December 31, 2008.
  9. 1 2 "Shueisha Media Guide 2014: Boy's & Men's Comic Magazines" (PDF) (in Japanese). Shueisha. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-21. Retrieved 2015-04-20.
  10. ↑ "Good Grief! Peanuts Ends". CBS News. January 2, 2000. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Lucky Luke creator dies". BBC News. July 20, 2001. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Roundup of Newly Revealed Print Counts for Manga, Light Novel Series (March - May 2018)". Anime News Network. May 7, 2018.
  13. ↑ 人気マンガ「ゴルゴ13」とのコラボを開始！デューク東郷が愛用したライフル「M16」がゲーム内に登場! (in Japanese). Game On. 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Lists: Best Selling Comic Books of All Time". Insider Monkey. 26 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "Suske en Wiske blijft best verkochte stripreeks" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  16. ↑ 「名探偵コナン2億冊事件」号外を“再発行” 『サンデーS』付録に ORICON NEWS
  17. ↑ Davis, Northrop (2015). Manga and Anime Go to Hollywood. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 9781623560386. Black Jack [...] 176 million
  18. ↑ 歴代発行部数ランキング (in Japanese). Manga Zenkan. Retrieved 2014-11-09.
  19. ↑ "Garfield Passes 5 Million 'Likes' on Facebook". Animation World Network. August 29, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  20. ↑ 美味しんぼ：来春フジでドラマ化　原作者・雁屋哲構成で初の完全オリジナル　主演・松岡は続投. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2008-12-17. Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  21. ↑ "Bleach Manga Has 120 Million Copies in Print Worldwide". Anime News Network. 2017-01-23. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  22. ↑ "In India, New Life for Comic Books as TV Cartoons". The New York Times. July 19, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  23. ↑ Fujishima, Sorasaku (1990). 戦後マンガ民俗史 (in Japanese). Kawai Publishing. pp. 328, 360. ISBN 978-4879990242.
  24. ↑ "Even at 60, Casper still has his favorite TV and comic haunts". San Antonio Express-News. October 26, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  25. ↑ "ドラえもん（TVアニメ）" (in Japanese). Shogakukan Production. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  26. ↑ "武論尊 ： 「北斗の拳」実は綱渡りだった　26年ぶり伏線回収に「出しきった」 (1/2)". Mainichi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  27. ↑ ""Jojo's Bizarre Adventure" Manga Has Printed 100 Million Copies". Crunchyroll. 2016-12-16. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  28. ↑ 傑作純愛ラブストーリー「タッチ」が、長澤まさみさん主演で実写化! (in Japanese). Toho. 2004-12-13. Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  29. ↑ "Superman Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  30. 1 2 "Best-selling comic books of all time". Statista. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  31. ↑ "Batman Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  32. ↑ "Spider-Man Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  33. ↑ "9 Best Selling Comic Series Of All Time‏ – 3. Spider-Man". WhatCulture. May 21, 2014.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 "Comic Book Sales by Month". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  35. 1 2 3 "2014 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  36. 1 2 3 "2015 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  37. 1 2 3 "2016 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  38. 1 2 3 "2017 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  39. 1 2 3 "2018 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  40. ↑ "X-Men Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Captain America Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  42. ↑ "Avengers Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  43. ↑ "Avengers Annual Sales Figures". comichron.com. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  44. 1 2 "2012 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  45. 1 2 "2013 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  46. ↑ Diabolik - Il giornale
  47. ↑ "Spawn (Simmons) Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  48. ↑ "Todd McFarlane: The Devil You Know". newvideo.com. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  49. ↑ "The Phantom Comics". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  50. 1 2 "「ジャンプ図書館」開催　50年分のジャンプが無料で読める". ITmedia News (in Japanese). February 26, 2018.
  51. ↑ "Shonen Magazine, Shonen Sunday Mark 50th Anniversary (Updated)". Anime News Network. March 18, 2008.
  52. ↑ "Weekly Shonen Sunday". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  53. ↑ "Meilensteine". www.ehapa.de. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  54. ↑ Beano Annual 2017. Dundee, Scotland: D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 2016. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-84535-603-3.
  55. ↑ "Once the Bane of English Teachers,Classics Illustrated Comics Are Back". Education Week. January 10, 1990. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  56. ↑ "Ribon". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  57. ↑ "CoroCoro Comic". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  58. ↑ "V Jump". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  59. ↑ "Action Comics Sales Figures". Comichron. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  60. ↑ "2009 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  61. ↑ "2010 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  62. ↑ "2011 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  63. ↑ "Pilote". Comic Vine. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.