2020 Review - The Covid Year

After having a record breaking year of sales in 2019, the world and Mission: Comics had a dismal 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In addition, we had the worst fire season in years keeping customers at home and unable to visit the store.

Overall sales declined by about 42%. 

And while that’s comparing strong sales to a year where the store was completely close for 6 weeks and operating under covid restrictions for much of the rest of the year, sales were also down about 28% compared to the nearly disastrous year of 2017. 

Without the initial generosity from the community, an understanding landlord and a Federal Disaster Loan the store would not have been able to survive

Sales were down in all categories. But graphic novel sales had the steepest decline, probably as more casual customers visited the store less often, or not at all. In previous years, Mission: Comics was much more of a graphic novel focused store. But in 2020, those sales declined to the point where they were just about equal with periodical comic book sales. 


2019

2020

Breaking down the year by month, very strong sales in January and February indicated 2020 was poised to be another year of strong sales. Then in March the covid epidemic took off and the San Francisco Bay Area got a Shelter-In-Place order and lead the country in a lockdown to try to contain the virus. While the store was closed, we continued to receive shipments from Diamond with no idea when we might be able to sell those books. Thankfully eventually Diamond also had to suspend distribution saving us from just racking up more debt.

Rather than waiting for Diamond, DC rushed to start printing and getting comics to stores through alternate methods, using two of the largest mail order retailers as distributors. Initially we did not sign-up to use either of these competitors.

In May we were finally able to open for curbside pickup and mail order service and the other publishers resumed printing with Diamond resuming distribution. Even when the store was able to fully reopen, many customers were confused about what was open or closed, and what restrictions were in place. This continued for many, many months. As the pandemic grinded on, sales stabilized at a very marginal level. While the store did some internet and mail order sales, these were largely insignificant. 

While sales fell for every publisher, they did not fall equally. Image had another a terrible year of sales our store, dropping below DC in overall sales. This was because of the lack of casual customers buying graphic novels. Marvel’s policy of slowly ramping back up to a more normal publication level was very much appreciated, but as a results their sales did suffer at rate comparable to Image. DC on the other hand aggressively returned to publishing and distributing. While chaotic and infuriating, DC’s decision did seem to preserve a greater percentage of their sales.  

With expanded affidavit returnability, BOOM was able limit their sales decline to just a 17% and Vault was actually able to grow their sales in our store by 9%! Both amazing feats in these conditions, a considering other publishers saw 30-50% sales declines.

2019

2020

  • Image graphic novel sales steeply declined for a second year while still leading all other publishers, but by a much, much smaller margin than in past years.

  • Marvel and DC graphic novel sales declined by almost the same rate and remain almost equal

  • Marvel continued to lead in single issue comic sales, helped by higher cover prices, but they experienced the sharpest decline in 2020

  • DC the smallest relative drop in comic sales of the three largest publishers

  • Image single issue sales continued to drop in 2020, with no new standout hits. 

Top 100 List

With graphic novel sales down so much, it’s pretty difficult to draw too many conclusions from this year’s data. We have many more books that are tied in sales numbers. But here’s a few observations:

  • The BOWIE graphic novel sold very well and would have done even better under normal circumstances. I didn’t order enough copies initially, and it took several weeks to get copies back in stock which hampered pre-pandemic sales also
  • Moving the manga section up by the door helped boost sales of Junji Ito books, My Hero Academia and manga in general
  • The new publishing imprint Random House Graphic had an excellent first year at our store.
  • More all-ages books in general entered out Top 100
  • TKO added two new books to out Top 100 with their second round of books, with Sara also continuing to sell very well
  • Hand-sales, hand-sales, HAND-SALES. Many of the books that sold well were because of hand-selling and passionately gushing over the books we loved

TOP 100 GRAPHIC NOVELS BY UNITS

Title

Publisher

First Stock Date

1

Bowie Stardust Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams

Insight Comics

Jan , 2020

Saga Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2012

3

Paper Girls Vol 1

Image Comics

Mar , 2016

4

Monstress Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2016

5

Monstress Vol 5

Image Comics

Sep , 2020

6

Runaway Princess Soft Cover

Random House Graphic

Jan , 2020

Wicked & Divine Vol 1

Image Comics

Nov , 2014

8

Locke & Key Vol 1

IDW

Nov , 2010

9

Watchmen Graphic Novel

DC Comics

Aug , 2019

10

Almost American Girl

Balzer + Bray

Jan , 2020

Strange Planet Hardcover

Morrow Gift

Oct , 2019

12

Ascender Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2019

Fire Power By Kirkman & Samnee Vol 1

Image Comics

Jun , 2020

Pulp Hardcover

Image Comics

May , 2020

15

No Longer Human Hardcover

VIZ

Dec , 2019

Loneliness of Long-Distance Cartoonist Hardcover

Drawn & Quarterly

Jul , 2020

Saga Vol 9

Image Comics

Sep , 2018

Sara

TKO

Jan , 2019

19

Catboy

Silver Sprocket

Aug , 2017

Sex Criminals Vol 1

Image Comics

Apr , 2014

21

Die Vol 2

Image Comics

Feb , 2020

Monstress Vol 3

Image Comics

Sep , 2018

Monstress Vol 4

Image Comics

Sep , 2019

Saga Vol 2

Image Comics

Jun , 2013

25

Deadly Class Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2014

Monstress Vol 2

Image Comics

Jul , 2017

Reckless Hardcover Book 1

Image Comics

Dec , 2020

28

Art of Drag Hardcover

Nobrow

Sep , 2020

Dragon Hoops Hardcover

First Second

Mar , 2020

Woman World

Drawn & Quarterly

Aug , 2018

31

Dementia 21 Vol 1

Fantagraphics

Jan , 2020

Black Science Vol 1

Image Comics

May , 2014

Cook Korean Comic Book

Ten Speed Press

Jul , 2016

Die Vol 1

Image Comics

Jun , 2019

Paper Girls Vol 3

Image Comics

Aug , 2017

Wicked & Divine Vol 2

Image Comics

Jul , 2015

37

My Hero Academia Vol 1

VIZ

Jul , 2016

Dark Nights Metal Graphic Novel

DC Comics

Jan , 2019

DCeased Hardcover

DC Comics

Nov , 2019

Deadly Class Vol 9

Image Comics

Jun , 2020

Locke & Key Vol 2

IDW

Dec , 2010

Old Guard Book 1

Image Comics

Aug , 2017

Paper Girls Vol 2

Image Comics

Nov , 2016

Paper Girls Vol 4

Image Comics

Apr , 2018

Paper Girls Vol 5

Image Comics

Dec , 2018

Paper Girls Vol 6

Image Comics

Sep , 2019

Saga Vol 7

Image Comics

Mar , 2017

Saga Vol 8

Image Comics

Dec , 2017

Sandman Vol 1

DC Comics

Oct , 2018

Sentient

TKO

Nov , 2019

Seven To Eternity Vol 1

Image Comics

Feb , 2017

There Is No Right Way To Meditate

Adams Media

Mar , 2017

Umbrella Academy Vol 1

Dark Horse Comics

Nov , 2009

54

Dawn of X Vol 1

Marvel Comics

Feb , 2020

Dog Man Vol 9

Graphix

Sep , 2020

Jack Kirby Epic Life King of Comics Hardcover

Ten Speed Press

Jul , 2020

Lazarus Vol 6

Image Comics

Jan , 2020

Saga Vol 6

Image Comics

Jun , 2016

Snotgirl Vol 3

Image Comics

May , 2020

Wicked & Divine Vol 9

Image Comics

Oct , 2019

Wytches Vol 1

Image Comics

Jun , 2015

62

Batman The Long Halloween

DC Comics

Oct , 2011

Batman Who Laughs Hardcover

DC Comics

Aug , 2019

Calexit Vol 1

Black Mask

Jul , 2018

Dog Man Vol 8

Graphix

Dec , 2019

East of West Vol 10

Image Comics

Jul , 2020

Life Changing Manga of Tidying Up

Ten Speed Press

Apr , 2017

Sfsx (Safe Sex) Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2020

Skip

Nobrow

Jul , 2019

The Banks

TKO

Nov , 2019

71

Uzumaki 3 In 1 Deluxe Edition Hardcover

VIZ

Nov , 2013

Venus In The Blind Spot Hardcover

VIZ

Aug , 2020

Americana And Act Getting Over It

Nobrow

Sep , 2019

Batman Year One Deluxe Soft Cover

DC Comics

Sep , 2009

Black Monday Murders Vol 1

Image Comics

Jan , 2017

Bog Bodies Graphic Novel

Image Comics

May , 2020

Deadly Class Vol 2

Image Comics

Mar , 2019

Dracula Motherf**Ker Hardcover

Image Comics

Oct , 2020

House of X Powers of X Hardcover

Marvel Comics

Dec , 2019

Open Borders

First Second

Oct , 2019

Saga Compendium Vol 1

Image Comics

Aug , 2019

Saga Vol 3

Image Comics

Mar , 2014

Silver Surfer Black Treasury Edition

Marvel Comics

Dec , 2019

Snotgirl Vol 1

Image Comics

Feb , 2017

Wicked & Divine Vol 3

Image Comics

Feb , 2016

86

Maze Quest By Travis Nichols

Chronicle Books

Aug , 2018

Naruto 3 In 1 Vol 1

VIZ

May , 2015

Batman Three Jokers Hardcover

DC Comics

Nov , 2020

Black Hammer Vol 4

Dark Horse Comics

Dec , 2019

Deadly Class Vol 8

Image Comics

Jul , 2019

Descender Vol 1

Image Comics

Sep , 2015

Familiar Face Hardcover

Drawn & Quarterly

Feb , 2020

Fantastic Four Grand Design

Marvel Comics

Feb , 2020

Head Lopper Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2016

Hilo Vol 6

Random House

Feb , 2020

House of X Powers of X Softcover

Marvel Comics

Aug , 2020

Investigators Vol 1

Random House Graphic

Feb , 2020

Lady Killer Vol 1

Dark Horse Comics

Sep , 2015

Lazarus Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2013

Magical Beatdown Vol 2

Silver Sprocket

Feb , 2019

Man-Eaters Vol 1

Image Comics

Feb , 2019

New World

Image Comics

Jan , 2019

Old Guard Book 2

Image Comics

Sep , 2020

Outer Darkness Vol 1

Image Comics

May , 2019

Preacher Book 1

DC Comics

Jun , 2013

Prophet Vol 1

Image Comics

Aug , 2012

Sci-Fi San Francisco

Skoda Man Press

Mar , 2018

Slaughterhouse Five Original Hardcover

BOOM! Studios

Aug , 2020

Umbrella Academy Vol 2

Dark Horse Comics

May , 2010

Umbrella Academy Vol 3

Dark Horse Comics

Sep , 2019

When we look at graphic novels by dollars, things separate out more clearly and we can see more of the $25-$60 books represented

  • Any Junji Ito books sell well here, no matter what the price is
  • Watchmen brought in more money with the new $25 edition
  • The House of X/Powers of X Hardcover continued to sell well through 2020. And the softcover also sold quite well
  • The Saga Compendium continues to sell well, with more people ready for the series to return
  • Adrian Tomine’s Loneliness… did very well at $30, and would have done even better under more normal conditions
  • Brubaker/Phillips did very well with the switch to hardcover books rather than serializing their projects this year

TOP 100 GRAPHIC NOVELS BY DOLLARS

Title

Publisher

First Stock Date

1

Bowie Stardust Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams

Insight Comics

Jan , 2020

2

No Longer Human Hardcover

VIZ

Dec , 2019

3

Watchmen

DC Comics

Aug , 2019

4

House of X Powers of X Hardcover

Marvel Comics

Dec , 2019

5

Saga Compendium Vol 1

Image Comics

Aug , 2019

6

Loneliness of Long-Distance Cartoonist Hardcover

Drawn & Quarterly

Jul , 2020

7

Locke & Key Vol 1

IDW

Nov , 2010

8

Monstress Vol 5

Image Comics

Sep , 2020

9

Reckless Hardcover Book 1

Image Comics

Dec , 2020

10

House of X Powers of X Softcover

Marvel Comics

Aug , 2020

11

DCeased Hardcover

DC Comics

Nov , 2019

12

Sara

TKO

Jan , 2019

13

Monstress Hardcover Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2019

Saga Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol 2

Image Comics

May , 2017

15

Dragon Hoops Hardcover

First Second

Mar , 2020

16

Woman World

Drawn & Quarterly

Aug , 2018

17

Catboy

Silver Sprocket

Aug , 2017

18

Runaway Princess Soft Cover

Random House Graphic

Jan , 2020

19

Dementia 21 Vol 1

Fantagraphics

Jan , 2020

20

Pulp Hardcover

Image Comics

May , 2020

21

Art of Drag Hardcover

Nobrow

Sep , 2020

22

Saga Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2012

23

Jack Kirby Epic Life King of Comics Hardcover

Ten Speed Press

Jul , 2020

24

Strange Planet Hardcover

Morrow Gift

Oct , 2019

25

Batman Who Laughs Hardcover

DC Comics

Aug , 2019

26

Paper Girls Vol 1

Image Comics

Mar , 2016

27

Monstress Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2016

28

Dawn of X Vol 1

Marvel Comics

Feb , 2020

29

Cook Korean Comic Book

Ten Speed Press

Jul , 2016

30

Almost American Girl

Balzer + Bray

Jan , 2020

31

Die Vol 2

Image Comics

Feb , 2020

Monstress Vol 3

Image Comics

Sep , 2018

Monstress Vol 4

Image Comics

Sep , 2019

34

La Faune De Mars Martian Wildlife Hardcover

Moebius Productions

Oct , 2019

35

Silver Surfer Black Treasury Edition

Marvel Comics

Dec , 2019

36

Saga Vol 9

Image Comics

Sep , 2018

37

Incal Hardcover New Printing

Humanoids

Sep , 2014

38

Wicked & Divine Vol 1

Image Comics

Nov , 2014

39

Monstress Vol 2

Image Comics

Jul , 2017

40

Uzumaki 3 In 1 Deluxe Edition Hardcover

VIZ

Nov , 2013

41

Batman The Long Halloween

DC Comics

Oct , 2011

42

Batman Three Jokers Hardcover

DC Comics

Nov , 2020

43

Fantastic Four Grand Design

Marvel Comics

Feb , 2020

44

Dark Nights Metal

DC Comics

Jan , 2019

Locke & Key Vol 2

IDW

Dec , 2010

Sandman Vol 1

DC Comics

Oct , 2018

Sentient

TKO

Nov , 2019

48

Saga Vol 2

Image Comics

Jun , 2013

49

Skip

Nobrow

Jul , 2019

50

Umbrella Academy Vol 1

Dark Horse Comics

Nov , 2009

51

Art of Junji Ito Twisted Visions Hardcover

VIZ

Apr , 2020

52

Seeds & Stems Megg & Mogg

Fantagraphics

Aug , 2020

53

Venus In The Blind Spot Hardcover

VIZ

Aug , 2020

54

Deadly Class Vol 9

Image Comics

Jun , 2020

Old Guard Book 1

Image Comics

Aug , 2017

56

Slaughterhouse Five Original Hardcover

BOOM! Studios

Aug , 2020

57

The Banks

TKO

Nov , 2019

58

Wicked & Divine Vol 9

Image Comics

Oct , 2019

59

Wicked & Divine Vol 2

Image Comics

Jul , 2015

60

Ascender Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2019

Fire Power By Kirkman & Samnee Vol 1

Image Comics

Jun , 2020

62

Lazarus Vol 6

Image Comics

Jan , 2020

63

Boys Omnibus Vol 1 Photo Cover Edition

Dynamite Comics

Aug , 2019

Incal Direct Market Exclusive Cover

Humanoids

Aug , 2020

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen

DC Comics

Oct , 2020

66

Black Monday Murders Vol 1

Image Comics

Jan , 2017

67

Open Borders

First Second

Oct , 2019

68

Paper Girls Vol 4

Image Comics

Apr , 2018

Paper Girls Vol 5

Image Comics

Dec , 2018

Paper Girls Vol 6

Image Comics

Sep , 2019

Saga Vol 7

Image Comics

Mar , 2017

Saga Vol 8

Image Comics

Dec , 2017

73

Snotgirl Vol 3

Image Comics

May , 2020

74

Familiar Face Hardcover

Drawn & Quarterly

Feb , 2020

75

Akira Kodansha Edition Vol 1

Kodansha

Aug , 2010

Doomsday Clock Hardcover Part 1

DC Comics

Oct , 2019

76

Americana And Act Getting Over It

Nobrow

Sep , 2019

77

East of West Vol 10

Image Comics

Jul , 2020

78

Sex Criminals Vol 1

Image Comics

Apr , 2014

79

Paper Girls Vol 3

Image Comics

Aug , 2017

80

There Is No Right Way To Meditate

Adams Media

Mar , 2017

81

Saga Vol 6

Image Comics

Jun , 2016

82

Black Hammer Vol 4

Dark Horse Comics

Dec , 2019

Head Lopper Vol 1

Image Comics

Oct , 2016

Preacher Book 1

DC Comics

Jun , 2013

Umbrella Academy Vol 3

Dark Horse Comics

Sep , 2019

87

Paper Girls Vol 2

Image Comics

Nov , 2016

88

Deadly Class Vol 2

Image Comics

Mar , 2019

Dracula Motherf**Ker Hardcover

Image Comics

Oct , 2020

90

Kent State Four Dead In Ohio

Abrams

Sep , 2020

PTSD Graphic Novel

First Second

Feb , 2019

92

Calexit Vol 1

Black Mask

Jul , 2018

93

Life Changing Manga of Tidying Up

Ten Speed Press

Apr , 2017

94

Deadly Class Vol 1

Image Comics

Jul , 2014

95

Lady Killer Vol 1

Dark Horse Comics

Sep , 2015

New World

Image Comics

Jan , 2019

Umbrella Academy Vol 2

Dark Horse Comics

May , 2010

98

Dog Man Vol 9

Graphix

Sep , 2020

99

Your Black Friend And Other Strangers Hardcover

Silver Sprocket

May , 2018

100

Daytripper

DC Comics

Feb , 2011

Locke & Key Vol 3

IDW

Jul , 2011

Locke & Key Vol 5

IDW

Jul , 2013

Transmetropolitan Book 1

DC Comics

Feb , 2019

The best selling single issue comic of 2020 was the long awaited Batman: Three Jokers. But in general, Marvel and more specifically the Jonathan Hickman led X-Men line dominated sales. Tom King’s Strange Adventures, Rorschach and Batman/Catwoman also did quite well despite pandemic delays. Also of note was Image’s lack of high selling single issues in this year of covid.

TOP 100 COMICS BY UNITS

Title

Publisher

1

Batman Three Jokers #1

DC Comics

2

X-Men #4 Dx

Marvel Comics

3

Strange Adventures #1

DC Comics

4

X-Men #5 Dx

Marvel Comics

5

X-Men #6 Dx

Marvel Comics

6

X-Men #7 Dx

Marvel Comics

X of Swords Creation #1

Marvel Comics

X-Men #11 Empyre

Marvel Comics

Batman #92

DC Comics

10

X-Men #12 Emp Xosp

Marvel Comics

11

X-Men #8 Dx

Marvel Comics

Wolverine #1 Dx

Marvel Comics

13

Dark Nights Death Metal #1

DC Comics

14

X-Men #10 Empyre

Marvel Comics

15

Batman Three Jokers #2

DC Comics

16

Batman Three Jokers #3

DC Comics

Strange Adventures #2

DC Comics

18

X-Men #9 Dx

Marvel Comics

Wolverine #6 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

20

Rorschach #1

DC Comics

21

X-Men #13 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

Thor #1

Marvel Comics

23

X-Men #14 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

24

X-Men #15 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

25

Batman #98

DC Comics

Batman Catwoman #1

DC Comics

Strange Adventures #4

DC Comics

28

Strange Adventures #5

DC Comics

29

Batman #95 Joker War

DC Comics

30

Giant Size X-Men Jean Grey & Emma Frost #1 Dx

Marvel Comics

Batman #97 Joker War

DC Comics

Batman #100

DC Comics

Batman #94

DC Comics

X-Men Fantastic Four #1

Marvel Comics

35

X-Force #6 Dx

Marvel Comics

36

Batman #86

DC Comics

Negan Lives #1

Image Comics

Batman #90

DC Comics

Batman #89

DC Comics

40

Batman #93

DC Comics

41

X-Men Fantastic Four #3

Marvel Comics

42

Batman #96 Joker War

DC Comics

Dark Nights Death Metal #2

DC Comics

Excalibur #13 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

45

Strange Adventures #7

DC Comics

46

Protector #1

Image Comics

Wolverine #2 Dx

Marvel Comics

Wolverine #5

Marvel Comics

49

Batman #99

DC Comics

Wolverine #7 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

Batman #91

DC Comics

Batman #102

DC Comics

Batman Curse of The White Knight #7

DC Comics

54

Marauders #7 Dx

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #5 Dx

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #7 Dx

Marvel Comics

X-Force #13 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

X-Force #7 Dx

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #6 Dx

Marvel Comics

Marauders #9 Dx

Marvel Comics

Batman Curse of The White Knight #6

DC Comics

Marauders #13 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #13 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

64

Marauders #6 Dx

Marvel Comics

Marauders #8 Dx

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #8 Dx

Marvel Comics

Wolverine #3 Dx

Marvel Comics

X-Force #8 Dx

Marvel Comics

X-Men Fantastic Four #2 (Of 4)

Marvel Comics

X of Swords Stasis #1

Marvel Comics

X-Force #5 Dx

Marvel Comics

72

Strange Adventures #6

DC Comics

Batman #87

DC Comics

New Mutants #9 Dx

Marvel Comics

Rorschach #2

DC Comics

Wolverine #4

Marvel Comics

77

Batman #88

DC Comics

78

Batman #101

DC Comics

X-Force #14 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

80

Excalibur #14 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

Marauders #10

Marvel Comics

Marauders #14 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

Marauders #15 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #11

Marvel Comics

Once & Future #6

BOOM! Studios

Thor #4

Marvel Comics

X-Force #10

Marvel Comics

X-Force #9 Dx

Marvel Comics

X-Men Fantastic Four #4

Marvel Comics

90

Batman #103

DC Comics

Batman Curse of The White Knight #8

DC Comics

Excalibur #12 Xosp

Marvel Comics

Far Sector #3

DC Comics

New Mutants #10

Marvel Comics

X-Force #11

Marvel Comics

X-Force #12

Marvel Comics

97

Criminal #12

Image Comics

Excalibur #15 X of Swords

Marvel Comics

Giant Size X-Men #1 Nightcrawler

Marvel Comics

Giant-Size X-Men Magneto #1 Dx

Marvel Comics

Legion of Super Heroes #3

DC Comics

Marauders #12

Marvel Comics

New Mutants #12

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics Total:

62

DC Comics Total:

35

Image Comics Total:

3

Other Total:

1

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