Articles detailing more growth in the seemingly unstoppable manga category, the increasing respect for comics as a medium in traditional publishing, and the ongoing struggles of librarians and comics retailers were among the most-read stories on comics and graphic novels published by PW this year. The following are our top 10 most read articles on comics from 2023.
10. Manga—All Kinds, All Formats—Goes Global
Strong North American manga sales in recent years have resulted in a vibrant and still-growing marketplace offering a wide range of manga and manga-adjacent pop culture content from around the world.
9. Why It Matters That Marvel Comics Are Becoming Penguin Classics
In September, Penguin released the three latest titles in its Penguin Classics Marvel Collection. We spoke with the series editor, Ben Saunders, and two authors who wrote forewords to the books, Jerry Craft and Rainbow Rowell, about the importance of enshrining comics in the literary canon.
This fall, hit K-pop bands including BTS, ENHYPHEN, and Tomorrow x Together made their debut in bookstores and comic shops across North America—as a trio of full-color comics from IZE Press.
7. The Nothing Special Webcomic Has Become Something Special
What started as a hastily scrawled notebook of ideas on creator Katie Cook’s way back from a Chicago comics convention has turned into an immensely popular webtoon—and, soon, a graphic novel series from Ten Speed Graphic.
6. Librarians Strike Back Against Comics Bans
Comics and graphic novels are prime targets in the current battle to ban books at libraries across the country, and librarians who have championed the comics form find themselves on the front lines.
5. Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder Is Coming in March 2024
Good news for Dog Man fans: more adventures of the crime-fighting canine are on the way. Scholastic will publish the 12th book in Dav Pilkey's mega-selling graphic novel series this coming March.
4. A New Era for New York Comic Con
Our annual preview of the biggest pop culture fan event in North America, which returned to the Javits Center in October, bringing with it new fandoms and exemplifying a fast-changing pop culture events industry.
3. Comics Retailers Navigate a New Normal
Booksellers talk shop about how comics sales—and store management challenges—grew in 2022.
2. Will Sales of Manga Ever Even Out?
As the booming category shifts to a slower burn, manga publishers and retailers are looking toward digital innovations and global models.
1. Marjane Satrapi Is Done with Comics, But Never Art or the Revolution
The Iranian-French author of Persepolis, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 with a new edition, discusses her shift from comics to film, the banning of books in America, and her pride in Iran's young revolutionaries.
Honorable Mention: Goodreads Category Removal Sparks Outcry
After nominations for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards opened, Goodreads came under fire for its decision to eliminate several categories, including for graphic novels and children's and middle grade books.
