The UK comic book market is growing.

Sales of comics and graphic novels in the UK have grown at an astonishing rate over the past several years.

Global market research firm NielsenIQ BookData has released data that breaks down this growth. In 2014, sales of children’s comics and graphic novels in the UK were typically around £2m. However, by 2024, that figure had increased tenfold, reaching £20m, marking an all-time high for the industry in the UK. On the other hand, sales of adult comics and graphic novels in the UK doubled over the same period, from £20m to £49m.

“The past decade has seen a significant increase in graphic novel sales across the adult and children’s markets, with superhero books being a big draw for readers,” says analyst Philip Stone. “Perhaps thanks to the superhero movies on screen, many comic books have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and success.” This success has led to many old stories being reprinted, such as “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” (pictured), “Bunny Vs Monkey”… in a variety of versions for readers to collect.

“Comics are loved because they are an incredibly accessible storytelling medium, with rich content that appeals to a wide range of ages and backgrounds, especially children,” said Tom Fickling, editor-in-chief of The Phoenix, a children’s comic book magazine. The Phoenix was founded with the goal of encouraging readers to subscribe, read, write and draw. The number of subscribers to The Phoenix has increased by 20% compared to last year. Meanwhile, the adult comic and graphic novel market has also seen major changes. Hardcover fiction books have achieved big sales, with six titles selling more than 100,000 copies.

The growth of the comic and graphic novel market in the UK is worth studying in terms of reader preferences. Because many recent studies have shown that young people in the UK do not read books often. Adam Ridgway, Director of the London Book Fair, said: "Young people in the UK do not read as much as they used to. They still receive content, but not from books." Therefore, within the framework of the London Book Fair 2025, there are discussions related to this content, focusing on the issue of artificial intelligence (AI) and reading initiatives for young people. Adam Ridgway said: "While many other industries use AI to perform marketing or research functions, the publishing industry is interested in content production." In particular, AI plays an important role in the production of comics and graphic novels.

BAO LAM (According to The Guardian)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/thi-truong-truyen-tranh-o-anh-phat-trien-a184799.html