ICv2 has posted it’s list of the top 100 graphic novels for November, and even Naruto can’t trump the draw of Fruits Baskets (as usual), the only manga title to crack the graphic novel top ten. The fourth volume of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s delightful Scott Pilgrim series managed to beat two of that month’s Naruto releases as well, landing in 14th place. Of course, all three of that month’s Naruto releases cracked the top 20, so Viz has nothing to complain about.
In fact, Viz had a great month overall, with a reasonable sprinkling of Shonen Jump titles joining Naruto in the mix. With the exception of the seventh volume of Loveless, the list is largely boys’-love free, though vampires, game tie-ins and Muppets all make a strong showing.
And Kimmie66 continued the trend of respectable Direct Market showings for DC’s Minx line, coming in at 37th place. A total of 21 manga titles made the top 100.
Listings after the cut.
(9) – 1 – FRUITS BASKET VOL 18 GN (Of 22) – TKP
(11) – 2 – NARUTO VOL 24 TP – VIZ
(15) – 3 – NARUTO VOL 23 TP – VIZ
(17) – 4 – NARUTO VOL 22 TP – VIZ
(18) – 5 – BERSERK VOL 20 TP (MR) – DAR
(31) – 6 – HIDEYUKI KIKUCHIS VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOL 1 GN (MR) – DIG
(38) – 7 – LOVELESS VOL 7 GN (Of 7) (TKP) (MR) – TKP
(39) – 8 – LEGENDS O/DARK CRYSTAL VOL 1 GARTHIM WARS GN (OF 3) – TKP
(49) – 9 – STREET FIGHTER VOL 4 BONUS STAGE TP – UDO
(52) – 10 – NARUTO VOL 19 TP – VIZ
(57) – 11 – YU GI OH GX VOL 1 GN – VIZ
(59) – 12 – CHIBI VAMPIRE VOL 6 GN (Of 11) (MR) – TKP
(65) – 13 – MPD PSYCHO VOL 3 TP (MR) – DAR
(67) – 14 – ONE PIECE VOL 16 TP – VIZ
(74) – 15 – TRINITY BLOOD VOL 4 GN (Of 8) (MR) – TKP
(81) – 16 – GUNSLINGER GIRL MANGA TP VOL 06 – ADV
(85) – 17 – SAMURAI DEEPER KYO VOL 25 GN (Of 38) (MR) – TKP
(94) – 18 – D GRAY MAN VOL 7 GN – VIZ
(95) – 19 – BLACK CAT VOL 11 TP – VIZ
(98) – 20 – TENJHO TENGE VOL 16 (MR) – DC
(100) – 21 – STREET FIGHTER SAKURA GANBARU VOL 2 GN – UDO
The Manga Curmudgeon 
[…] November sales figures are out from Diamond, and David Welsh posts the list of top-selling manga, which is topped by Fruits Basket for a […]
“..vampires, game tie-ins and Muppets”
And readers wonder why people think something funky is going on over in the graphic novel section.
I just ran across an article you wrote for Precocious Curmudgeon posted December 17, 2007, entitled In the Shops,
https://precur.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/in-the-shops/, and I would like to raise an issue that is of concern to Selling Power magazine, which is the use of our trademark.
Dear Mr. Welsh:
The word “Selling Power” is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for sales effectiveness. For example, your article states: “ICv2 has posted it’s list of the top 100 graphic novels for November, and even Naruto can’t trump the selling power of Fruits Baskets…” We do not condone such uses of our trademark.
As a practical matter, when you describe sales effectiveness, there are a wide range of terms available such as: sales excellence, sales savvy, sales mastery, sales acumen, sales efficiency, and many more.
The reason for this letter is to educate writers like yourself that we want to protect our trademark, since we don’t want to risk Selling Power being declared by the courts a generic word. Therefore we ask you not to use Selling Power as a phrase since it is our legal trademark.
We would like to receive a written acknowledgement of this letter stating that you will in the future identify Selling Power as a trademark if you should write about our magazine, and not use Selling Power as a phrase. If we do not hear from you, we will need to take further action.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
All the best,
Gerhard Gschwandtner
Founder and Publisher
Selling Power
1140 International Parkway
Fredericksburg VA 22406
Office: 540-752-7000 Cell: 540-273-2555
P.S. Watch Selling Power videos online http://www.sellingpower.com/video
GG:ts
Will do. Or rather, will avoid using the trademarked phrase in future. And I’ll drop something in the mail to that effect.
Mr. Gschwandtner –
If you’re concerned about protecting the “distinctiveness” of that general-language phrase, you may also want to send threatening letters to the courts themselves, since they use that exact same phrase in relation to the very trademark law you’re trying to enforce.