Best Sellers of 2016
Well, now it’s 2017, so it’s time for our look back at the best selling graphic novels and issues at all 4 of our stores!
Diversity seems to be a strong factor in spreading the audience and staying popular – a lot of these have female characters on the covers, and most have very diverse casts!
For graphic novels, Brian K. Vaughan spread his popular comics output with Saga staying at the top, and his new series Paper Girls doing great as well.
The Wicked and the Divine continued to do great.
Dark fantasy newcomer Monstress broke out early and strong.
Of course a new Raina Telgemeier book would always do great with Ghosts!
Local heroes Zodiac Starforce also did amazing!
Princeless remains a perennial all ages favorite.
College drama Giant Days was a refreshing new one.
Grant Morrison turned in a standalone Wonder Woman with Yanick Paquette.
A lot more variation here as you can begin to see the individual favorites between the different stores! Darth Vader was a nice dark take on Star Wars. 2 of our own published titles made it on, The Experts and the Big Planet Comics anthology. Bitch Planet rode a surge of interest (including on NPR!). Black Panther continued the interest of the series into a collection. TV and movie tie ins helped Civil War, Doctor Strange, Preacher, and The Killing Joke do well. Plus there was a ton of great all ages books, like Amulet, DC Super Hero Girls, Cleopatra in Space, and Phoebe. There was even some new Bone comics!
Big Planet Comics of Vienna Top 20 Graphic Novels of 2016
1. Saga 6 SC
2. Monstress 1 SC
3. Zodiac Starforce SC
4. Paper Girls 1 SC
5. The Experts
6. Apocalyptigirl SC
7. Southern Cross 1 SC
8. Saga 5 SC
9. Lazarus 4 SC
10. Giant Days 1 SC
11. All New All Different Avengers 1 SC
12. Walking Dead 25 SC
13. Saga 1 SC
14. Cleopatra In Space 3 SC
15. The Wicked and the Divine 3 SC
16. Ghosts SC
17. East Of West 5 SC
18. Bitch Planet 1 SC
19. Amulet 7 SC
20. Star Wars: Darth Vader 1 SC
Big Planet Comics of U St Top 20 Graphic Novels of 2016
1. Saga 6 SC
2. Paper Girls 1 SC
3. Saga 5 SC
4. The Wicked and the Divine 3 SC
5. Saga 1 SC
6. Saga 4 SC
7. Bitch Planet 1 SC
8. Saga 2 SC
9. East of West 1 SC
10. Monstress 1 SC
11. Black Panther 1 SC
12. Sex Criminals 3 SC
13. East of West 5 SC
14. Saga 3 SC
15. Batman: The Killing Joke HC
16. The Wicked and the Divine 4 SC
17. Big Planet Comics: Blue SC
18. The Wicked and the Divine 1 SC
19. Preacher 1 SC
20. Civil War SC
Big Planet Comics of College Park Top 20 Graphic Novels of 2016
1. Princeless 1 SC
2. Zodiac Starforce 1 SC
3. Saga 6 SC
4. Giant Days 1 SC
5. Ms Marvel 1 SC
6. Tokyo Ghost 1 SC
7. Black Panther 1 SC
8. Bitch Planet 1 SC
9. Monstress 1 SC
10. Flash Rebirth SC
11. Paper Girls 1 SC
12. Civil War SC
13. Flashpoint SC
14. Wonder Woman: Earth One 1 HC
15. Batman: The Killing Joke HC
16. Rat Queens 3 SC
17. Amulet 7 SC
18. The Wicked & the Divine 3 SC
19. Phoebe 3 Unicorn vs Goblin SC
20. Sex Criminals 1 SC
Big Planet Comics of Bethesda Top 20 Graphic Novels of 2016
1.Saga 6 SC
2. Wonder Woman: Earth One HC
3. Ghosts SC
4. Paper Girls 1 SC
5. DC Super Hero Girls 1 SC
6. Saga 1 SC
7. Civil War SC
8. Amulet 7 SC
9. Tokyo Ghost 1 SC
10. Black Panther 1 SC
11. Saga 2 SC
12. Bone: Coda SC
13. Wolverine: Old Man Logan SC
14. Saga 3 SC
15. Saga 5 SC
16. Doctor Strange: The Oath SC
17. Wicked & Divine 3 SC
18. Descender 1 SC
19. Vision 1 SC
20. Patience HC
And here are the top 20 bestselling issues in 2016 from each of our 4 stores!
Black Panther by local Howard alum Ta-Nehisi Coates was the biggest surprise and success, going through so many printings.
The DC Universe relaunch as Rebirth brought back a lot of interest after the New 52 stories had slowed down, especially with the amazing Rebirth special that had a ton of crazy ideas in a huge issue for a cheap price.
Civil War II was of course another big Marvel crossover that traded a lot on the old Civil War memories.
Then when Batman relaunched under local Washington DC writer Tom King it was another smash hit.
Plus some interesting variations between the stores, including Zodiac Starforce, written by Vienna’s Kevin Panetta, and The Doorman, drawn by College Park’s Kendall Goode! Support your local artists!
Big Planet Comics of Vienna Top 20 Comics of 2016
1. DC Universe Rebirth #1
2. Black Panther #1
3. Batman Rebirth #1
4. Batman # 1
5. Black Panther # 2
6. Civil War II #0
7. Civil War II #1
8. Civil War II #2
9. Civil War II #3
10. Wonder Woman # 1
11. All Star Batman # 1
12. Wonder Woman Rebirth #1
13. Civil War II #4
14. Batman # 2
15. Secret Wars #9
16. Flash #1
17. Flash Rebirth #1
18. Zodiac Starforce # 4
19. Batman #3
20. Paper Girls #4
Big Planet Comics of U St Top 20 Comics of 2016
1. Black Panther # 1
2. Black Panther # 2
3. DC Universe Rebirth # 1
4. Black Panther # 3
5. Black Panther # 5
6. Black Panther # 4
7. Black Panther # 6
8. Batman # 1
9. Civil War II # 1
10. Black Panther # 7
11. Batman Rebirth # 1
12. Civil War II # 2
13. Black Panther # 8
14. Saga # 33
15. Wonder Woman # 1
16. Secret Wars # 9
17. Wonder Woman Rebirth # 1
18. Civil War II # 3
19. Civil War II # 0
20. Batman # 2
Big Planet Comics of College Park Top 20 Comics of 2016
1. Black Panther # 1
2. Black Panther # 2
3. DC Universe Rebirth # 1
4. Black Panther # 3
5. Black Panther # 5
6. Batman Rebirth # 1
7. Civil War II # 1
8. Doorman # 1
9. Justice League Rebirth # 1
10. Batman # 1
11. Black Panther # 4
12. All Star Batman # 1
13. Civil War II # 2
14. Batman # 2
15. Wonder Woman Rebirth # 1
16. Civil War II # 0
17. Detective Comics #934
18. Superman Rebirth # 1
19. Black Panther # 6
20. Flash Rebirth # 1
Big Planet Comics of Bethesda Top 20 Comics of 2016
1. Black Panther #3
2. Black Panther #4
3. Black Panther #5
4. Black Panther #2
5. Black Panther #1
6. Civil War II #1
7. Black Panther #6
8. All-Star Batman #1
9. Civil War II #4
10. Black Panther #7
11. All-Star Batman #2
12. Civil War II #3
13. Batman #1
14. Saga #33
15. Civil War II #0
16. Secret Wars #9
17. Batman: Rebirth #1
18. Paper Girls #4
19. Batman #3
20. Batman #2
All of these are worth checking out, stop in anytime for more recommendations, and we’ll see what 2017 brings!