The global graphic novel market is getting more attention in Bologna this year, with an expanded number of exhibitors and panels dedicated to the topic. “Graphic novels represent one of the most significant growth areas in children’s publishing globally,” Peter Warwick, CEO of Scholastic, said during a panel celebrating the 20th anniversary of Scholastic’s Graphix imprint. He pointed out that author Dav Pilkey’s latest book sold more than two and a half million copies worldwide since its December release and attributed at least some of that success to the format’s particular appeal to boys. “Our most recent event with Dav in the U.K. was in a venue that seated 2,000 people. It was full. Of the children who were there, over 90% were boys.”
Renata Gorgani, CEO of Editrice Il Castoro, described the market transformation in Italy. “We started with graphic novels in 2014, publishing the first Raina Telgemeier book Smile. And this was the beginning of the growth of graphic novels in Italy,” she said. “If you think that today the market is 10 times what it was in 2014—10 times—it’s really something. It changed the world.” Her company now publishes major series including Raina Telgemeier, Amulet, and the Babysitters Club, helping to drive the category’s growth.
Both executives highlighted how graphic novels have overcome early skepticism from educators. “When we first started doing graphic novels, there was a certain amount of reluctance sometimes among librarians and teachers, particularly in parents as to whether graphic novels are ‘real’ books,” Warwick said. This resistance has diminished as the format proved its worth for developing readers. Gorgani added, “We had to explain that it is a double language—you have the text and the drawings, and sometimes the drawings are so beautiful, they are masterpieces in themselves. They give clues as to how the book should be read and understood, and have meaning all on their own.”
Asked whether the visual language of graphic novels serves as “a lingua franca” that “facilitates a little bit more cultural affinity that’s easier than straight-up literary fiction,” the panelists agreed, with Warwick noting that graphic novels have helped “bring some of the kids from the screen back to the page, because it’s kind of like a screen on a page as well,” addressing the worldwide trend of children migrating from books to digital devices.
The global interest in graphic novels comes as sales stateside have fallen for two consecutive years after peaking in 2022, according to Circana BookScan. Despite the decline, the format remains one of the largest fiction categories in the U.S.
The panel coincided with the launch of The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud, marking a significant industry event. “Raina has sold 26 million copies worldwide,” Warwick said, adding that “she hasn’t published since 2019, and this collaboration is a big deal for people who are her fans.” Looking toward future growth, both publishers emphasized expanding into nonfiction content. “I think one of the new frontiers of graphic books should be nonfiction,” Gorgani said, while Warwick expressed interest in more cross-cultural publishing and experimenting with formats like light novels from Asia that combine color illustrations with black-and-white text.
Kevin Stillwell, head of independent publishing and distribution at John Marshall Media, believes that converting graphic novels and manga into audio formats represents a significant growth opportunity for the company. “I do [think it will be a growth business] for a couple [of reasons], and why is that? One, because the readership is increasing and the audience that wants to read it also likes audio,” Stillwell said.
John Marshall Media, based in Atlanta, has been expanding its operations beyond traditional audiobook production. The company’s portfolio includes several divisions, including legacy audiobook production for major publishers, museum audio tours, educational podcasts through its custom division, and Stillwell’s self and indie publishing division.
“We’ve been branching out into doing manga and graphic novels and turning them into scripts and [producing them],” Stillwell said. The company has already produced audio adaptations for Capstone and Penguin, among others.
This expansion into graphic novel adaptation comes as the company produced more than 16,000 hours of audio content last year—“283 days of listening”—across approximately 3,400 projects. While the legacy division accounts for the majority of this output, the independent publishing segment continues to grow.
Stillwell noted that consumer demand is driving this expansion, with readers increasingly seeking content in multiple formats. “[It’s] the same demand that I’ve had with self and indie publishing,” Stillwell said. “Everybody reads the book and everybody’s asking, where’s the audio version?”
This trend extends to both fiction and nonfiction titles, with readers seeking “different interpretation[s] of the same” content, according to Stillwell.
Beyond graphic novels, John Marshall Media has also been involved in innovative audio projects like Bayard’s children’s audio cubes. “Depending on which side of the cube it’s on, it tells a different part of the story,” Stillwell explained.
The company has also expanded into bilingual content, particularly English-Spanish productions. “Several of my self-published authors have the English and Spanish version, and they want to combine it into a learning lesson, so we’ve been able to produce those,” Stillwell said. To support this growing demand, John Marshall Media maintains a division in Mexico City with “locally sourced talent.”
Stillwell, who was attending the fair for the first time, praised Bologna as an opportunity to network and connect with potential clients. “What’s been really great for me is that because I’ve been at other book fairs, and I have this network of folks I know, [it] helps me navigate and feel immediately at home,” he said.
