The comic book industry has seen unprecedented success in recent years, with total sales in unadjusted dollars reaching an all-time high. But what does this success mean for the industry? As an expert in the field, I have seen firsthand the diversification of comics and the impact of popular books on the industry. One of the most successful children's comics is Dav Pilkey's Dog Man series. Before comic book stores had order sheets, I had to travel 15 miles to find one.
Even though LGBTQ comics don't sell as well, store owners are still under pressure to buy them. Articles attribute the success of superhero comics to their film adaptations, but there is no substantial growth attributed to popular books. When local independent comic book stores opened, there were still comics on the supermarket checkout line. It is wrongly stated that the success of manga is a success for the comic book industry as a whole.
I regularly browse the Comics & Graphic Novel section of a local importer of foreign books (online). Unfortunately, some comic book store owners make emotional decisions that hurt their business, such as kicking out customers with different political opinions. The list goes on, but the point is that western comic artists and companies must stop pushing political agendas and focus on telling good stories that people can identify with. This may be subjective, but it is essential for the success of the comic book industry.
