DENVER — In April 2024, ComicsPRO released a comics retailer survey, which found a drop in retail comic book sales for 2023.
Below is a portion of the survey provided to Denver7 from ComicsPRO's Executive Director Marco Davanzo.
Sales:
- 54% of retailers reported gross sales of $300,000 or less in 2023, while 18% of retailers reported gross sales over $1 million.
- Overall, sales were down in 2023. The majority of comic book stores (69%) reported lower gross sales in 2023 than in 2022. A bright spot, however, is that 22% of stores reported higher sales in 2023 than in 2022.
- When comparing 2023 sales to 2019 (pre-pandemic), fewer stores experienced a sales decline. 54% of comic book stores reported lower gross sales in 2023 than in 2019.
- Sales of new comics were down in 73% of comic shops in 2023 vs 2022, while graphic novel sales were down in 65% of comic shops, with a decline of between 1% and 50% reported.
Mile High Comics here in Denver is one of the largest comic book retail stores in the country. Owner Chuck Rozanski says he did have a drop in gross sales in 2023. However, it was not as high as ComicPRO's survey.
"Our gross sales today are less than our gross sales were when we bought this building (2011). But that's because we voluntarily abandoned the new comic book model, got out of that business as much as possible, and we focused on collector's items, where we're not buying them through distributors. We're not buying them from the publishers. We're just buying them from people," Rozanski said.
Rozanski has worked in the comics retail for about 54 years. He believes that there are a few factors to why comic book sales have been on a decline — one reason being the core comic book readers are aging out. Also younger comic book readers prefer to consume comics on devices rather than purchasing a physical copy.
"I don't think that the comics business is in any kind of mortal danger or dead or anything like that. I think that local comic shops are still doing a great job of delivering them. Yeah, things are down a little bit from right after COVID, but they're not doing bad," Rozanski said.
Fan Expo Denver kicked off at the Colorado Convention Center on Thursday.
It is one of the largest comic and pop-culture conventions in the country. Fans are able to view celebrity panels, attend workshops, meet legendary comic creators and buy rare comics.
Hall of Justice Comics in Parker is exhibiting at the Expo for its 10th year. Owner John Garnett said it is expensive to pack up all the comics and have a booth at the expo. But he returns each year because it is fun and profitable.
"It's such an inclusive environment that, regardless of who you are, you can cosplay as whatever you want. You can enjoy your fandom. And it's just nice to be a part of that and be around people that have the same outlook on that sort of thing," Garnett said.
Fan Expo Denver runs from July 4 to July 7. Mile High Comics is running their Independence day sale until July 8.
