The comic is popularly known as the ninth art . Despised by broad sectors of society for the absurd idea that it is an empty product dedicated to a child audience or that promotes things like violence or homosexuality (yes, they really thought it, look for it), in reality it is a medium full of possibilities that unites elements of narrative literature with illustration and painting work and the structure and resources of cinema . This fusion of elements, in perfect harmony, and the creativity of the artists and authors has given rise to an immense variety of comics and graphic novels that cover styles and themes as distant as children’s literature, fantasy or the black genre.
Rodolphe Töpffer is often considered the father of modern comics. In 1837, based on a series of illustrations he had made for his students, this Swiss pedagogue published Les Amours de M. Vieux-Bois , an album of original horizontal vignettes aimed at adult audiences in which the loose and improvised line drawing went accompanied by a few short sentences at the bottom of the illustration. His success was immediate and much greater than Töpffer could have expected, eventually publishing his comics in France, Germany and the United States, among others. Since then, the comic has lived its pluses and minuses but it has always managed to stay afloat and become an inherent cultural product of the twentieth century.
Below we collect the best-selling comic series in history ; authentic sagas that for their exciting adventures or their characters knew how to conquer the readers.
Micky Maus (> 1 billion)
This German series of short comics based on the classic Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Goofie and company) began to be published in the Bavarian country in 1951 by the Egmont Ehapa publishing house. Its popularity made it go from being a monthly publication to a biweekly and from there to a weekly one. Interestingly, one of its best-selling moments was in the 1990s. From its launch more than half a century ago to the present, Micky Maus has sold over a billion copies .
Superman (600 million)
Created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel as the epitome of the American dream , Superman is the first superhero in comic book history and one of the most recognizable characters in the entire world. Its first issue came out in 1938 under the Action Comics label and, shortly after, it would become an icon for the DC Comics publishing house. Since the Kritponian Kal-El came to Earth to defend “truth, justice, and the American way of life,” the Superman comic series has sold 600 million copies .
Batman (460 million)
The crusader in the cape came a year after the Man of Steel and it did so with a much darker, slum world in which Batman’s intelligence and detective nose were pitted against Superman’s semi-divine powers. Become the second leg of the Holy Trinity of DC Comics (the one that is missing is Wonder Woman) Batman is one of the most beloved and fascinating characters in the world of superhero comics both for its peculiarities and for the great authors that have worked with him. Gotham Protector has sold 460 million copies worldwide .
One Piece (454 million)
The crazy adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat crew have been hooking readers since 1997. The conquest of that great pirate treasure, One Piece , has taken them to the last known corners of the great ocean and has put them before all kinds of enemies (and some other ally). Eiichirō Oda’s manga, which began to be published in the Japanese islands in Weekly Shōnen Jump , has sold 454 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling manga in history .
Spiderman (350 million)
Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spiderman made his entrance into the Marvel comics in 1963 as a different superhero who had to balance his life as a spider-man with his obligations and problems as a dirty teenager studying in high school. The success of Stan Lee’s favorite character (in his own words) occurred since his launch and has lasted until he is one of the most popular and beloved heroes of the House of Ideas. Throughout all these years, Spiderman has sold 350 million copies .
Peanuts (300 million)
Charles M. Schulz hated the name Peanuts (Groundnuts), his editor imposed on him for fun and witty comic strip he created. Known for its characters Charlie Brown and the puppy Snoopy , Peanuts ran from 1950 to 2000, when its author died, and became one of the most important comic strips in the United States. His fame made him reach the rest of the world and adapt to new formats such as animated series, movies and video games. The Peanuts series comics have sold 300 million copies .
X-Men (270 million)
Created by Jack ‘The King’ Kirby and Stan ‘The Man’ Lee , the X-Men (as it was called in Latin America and Spain) appeared in 1963 as a new team of superheroes whose main characteristic was that they were born with their powers. The X-Men were a metaphor for the racism suffered by African Americans in the United States and appeared in the same decade in which the Civil Rights Act was passed and characters such as Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X gained prominence. In addition to countless television and film adaptations, Professor Xavier’s brilliant students have sold 270 million copies .
Dragon Ball (240 million)
It emerged from the mind of Akira Toriyama in 1984 and since then has been fighting and enthusing his followers thanks to his impressive martial arts fights and the love they have for their protagonist, Son Goku. Dragon Ball , understood as the set of all its sagas and series, has sold a total of 240 million copies .
Garfield (135 million)
Lazy, chubby, crabby, lasagna fanboy and Monday hater . Since its first appearance in 1978, many of us have identified with Garfield and his philosophy of life. Created by the American cartoonist Jim Davis , it arose after several rejections and after realizing that there were hardly any cats in the cartoons of the time. The daily stories of Garfield and his companions (the dog Odie and the human John) lived a golden stage in the late 80s in which the characteristic anthropomorphic features of the kitten would appear. He has sold 135 million of his comics .
