Posted in: Comics | Tagged: asterix, bd, Comics, france

French Comics In 2013 – It's Not All Asterix. But Quite A Bit Is.

Published Wed, 01 Jan 2014 13:00:58 -0600

ACBD has looked at the overall French comic book market, and we have learned lots of things. Here are just a few.

5159 comic books were published in France in 2013, 3882 of them brand new, down 7.3% on 2012, the first drop in seventeen years.

Of these, the French/Belgian titles 39.3% of new comics against 42.1% in 2012. Manga overtook these for the first time, 40.7% of products against 39.4% last year.

But the real increase, in both numbers and marketshare were American-style comics 10.5%, an increase on 8.9% in 2012.

The Media-Participations group (including Dargaud) took the most revenue, but was the second highest producer of books. Glénat was the second highest in revenue, with the third most books put out. and Delcourt put out the most comics, but took the third position in revenue, while the Madrigall group was fourth for both.

It notes the performance of Asterix And The Scots in the market, selling 2,480,000 copies in France.

Pther string sales included 445 000 ex. for the 22nd Blake and Mortimer volume, 350 000 for the 18th Le Chat, 250 000 for the 22nd XIII, 220 000 for the 5th Blacksad, 200000 for the 34th Thorgal, 180 000 for the 34th Boule et Bill, 180 000 for the 10th Jokes Toto, 170000 for the 16th Legendary, 17000. for the 6th Nombrils, 160000 for The Sisters Vol 8, 150000 for XIII Mystery Vol 6, 140,000 for The Worlds Thorgal: Youth vol 2, 125,000 for Les Profs Vol 16 and many more breaking the 100,000 ceiling.

The Walking Dead has been a big hit, with two volumes selling from 100,000 to 120,000, dominating the American market in France. Simpsons volumes sold from 50,000 to 85,000 each, Garfield volumes sold from 20,000 to 55,000 and Kick Ass sold 20,000 copies. You can read more on American comics performance here.

In manga, four new Narutovolumes sold 200,000 each, One Piece sold four volumes from 150 000 to170 000, and Fairy Tail had seven volumes selling between 90,000 and 115,000 each.The report notes the younger, female audience for manga, with a taste for Japanese comics pushing down manwha and manhuas.

The report also noted the sales of Disney anthology comics such as Super Scrooge Giant selling 125,745 an issue, as well as home grown Fluide Glacial selling 120,000 and issue and Spirou, celebrating its anniversary, selling 90,000 an issue. Marvel and DC newsstand copies saw the likes of Age of Ultron, Avengers, Deadpool, Iron Man, Spider-Man universe, Thor, Wolverine and X-Menselling from 20 000 to 30 000 copies an issue, and DC titles Batman, Green Lantern and DC Saga, titles selling from 15,000 to 19,000 and issue. Walking Dead official magazine sells 18 000 copies., Star Wars comics magazine sells 15,000 and Star Wars The Clone Wars selling 12 000 copies.

The report also noted how digital comics were changing, with Izneo's BDComics app selling 300,000 downloads, how libraries were growing, how ComiXology has entered the market with 500 French titles for sale. But with less than ten thousand titles available digitally, and 30-40,000 available as pirate titles, with reports that the pirated Asterix was better than the legal version, piracy is on the increase, with high prices blamed. But it noted innovations in digital comics that crossed media and that there was union agreement over digital contracts for creators – something unavailable in the US and UK markets.

The French market has 1,492 comic creators who can make a living on their work soley for that market, with 1,678 creators putting out a comic in 2013.

The report notes ten cinematic adaptations of French comics, Teachers, Boule et Bill, The Smurfs, La Vie Adele, Snowpiercer, Blue Is The Warmest Colour, Transperceneige, Quai d'Orsay, Josephine and Aya de Yopougon.

While, twenty-nine TV shows were based on French comics, Ariol, The Jokes Toto, Cedric, The Dalton, Dofus, Grabouillon, Kid Paddle, Lanfeust Quest, Lou!, Marsupilami, Nini Patalo, UFO, Le Petit Nicolas, Little Vampire, Prudence Petitpas, The Little Devils, Sam Sam, Samson & Neon, The Smurfs, Silex and the City, Spirou and Fantasio , Titeuf, Tintin, Tony & Alberto, Trolls of Troy, Valerian and Laureline, Wakfu, Yakari …

Gilles Ratier , secrétaire général de l'ACBD (Association des Critiques et journalistes de Bande Dessinée) ; sachant que Manuel Picaud s'est occupé de l'édition numérique, des sites Internet consacrés au 9 e art et des festivals invitant des auteurs BD, tandis que Raphaëlla Barré s'est penchée sur les blogs bandes dessinées.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!