Digital Comics Nearly Tripled in 2012

Helping make 2012 the Best Comics Market of the Millennium

Madison, Wisconsin (July 15, 2013) -- The comic market in 2012 was the best of the millennium, with digital comic sales nearly triple the previous year, according to a new report just released by ICv2 in Internal Correspondence #82 on the eve of San Diego Comic-Con.

The North American market for comics, including periodical comics, graphic novels, and digital, totaled $750 million in 2012, up from $665 million in 2011, a 13% increase, according to the ICv2 report.

There were dramatic changes in sales of every format, ICv2 reported.  Digital sales nearly tripled, to around $70 million, or around 9% of the total market, from $25 million in 2011.

Print sales, at $680 million, were back to 2009 levels, according to ICv2 data.  Sales of comic periodicals boomed, increasing 15% to around $345 million.  Graphic novel sales slipped a little, to $335 million from $340 million in 2011, but that small change was actually a combination of a jump in comic store sales and a 9% decline in bookstore sales.

About ICv2

ICv2, the #1 source of business information on Geek Culture, has been reporting the news and analyzing the markets for comics and graphic novels, hobby games, manga and anime, and movie and TV products since 2001.  Milton Griepp, its CEO, has sold over $1 billion worth of Geek Culture products in his career in the industry.  He brings his experience of over 35 years in geek culture distribution, retailing, publishing, and journalism, as well as the talents of an experienced staff, to ICv2's work in analyzing markets.  In addition to his role at ICv2, Griepp serves on the boards of directors of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and of Iconology, Inc., the parent of comiXology, North America's leading digital comics retailer.