Top 10 Best-Selling Comic Magazines Ever!

Generally, when it comes to comic books, individuals tend to recognize that each main character has their own distinct issues. Apart from small strips, ads, or similar content, a Superman comic focuses on the Man of Steel, a Batman comic spotlights the Dark Knight, and a Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure volume revolves around one Jojo or another embarking on bizarre adventures.

Jojo’s chapters initially appeared as part of a collection in a popular comic magazine, which is common in manga production. However, it wasn’t them who originated this practice. Comic magazines can be found in almost every country, some achieving such success they sell in the billions. Whether ancient or modern, these are the top-selling comic magazines globally.

10. MAD Magazine

Anarchic Satirical Magazine Falls to the Tides of Time

1952-Present.
Approximate Sales: 430 Million.
Notable Works: Spy Vs Spy, Monroe, MAD Fold-Ins.

Comic books are primarily associated with American popular culture, but on this list, only MAD Magazine, which can currently be obtained from comic book stores or by subscription, is an active U.S. entry. However, it’s worth noting that these days, MAD Magazine mostly reprints its old content because real-life events have proven to be more absurd than anything a satirist could dream up today.

However, for many years, it was the leading satirical magazine, taking jabs at various topics such as celebrities, politicians, TV programs, and films. Its wit left an impact on numerous comic strips, series, and shows throughout the decades, with productions like The Simpsons occasionally referencing it. Yet, this didn’t deter MAD from satirizing them in return, creating their first (unofficial) crossover with Family Guy.

9. Ribon

The Original Home of Magical Girl Comics

1955-Present.
Approximate Sales: 594 Million.
Notable Works: Himitsu no Akko-chan, Love-Berrish!, Nagareboshi Lens.

I’m thrilled to acknowledge Shueisha for making a notable appearance on this list, an occurrence that’s not just a one-time event. While they’re widely recognized for their shōnen magazines, it’s essential to highlight their prowess in the shojo sector as well. Since 1955, they’ve been consistently publishing the renowned Ribon magazine. What’s more, they surpassed their rival, Nakayoshi (the initial residence of Sailor Moon), by selling a staggering 200 million copies more, pushing Nakayoshi out of the top 10 rankings.

This magazine pioneered the genre of magical girl stories, notably with “Himitsu no Akko-chan” and “Sally the Witch”. It also featured more everyday life series such as “Chibi Maruko-chan”, romantic comedies like “Marmalade Boy”. Interestingly, it was the first to publish a yuri strip titled “Shiroi Heya no Futari”. However, most of its stories are generally straight romances, including “Honey Lemon Soda” and “Ui x Kon”.

8. Classics Illustrated

How Novels Got Turned into Graphic Novels

1941-1971.
Approximate Sales: 1 Billion.
Notable Works: The Three Musketeers, Ivanhoe, Don Quixote.

As a dedicated fan, I must admit that while MAD Magazine is the sole surviving US publication from its era, it’s sold far fewer copies over the decades compared to the now-defunct Classics Illustrated. This discrepancy might be due to the fact that subsequent publishers have reprinted older issues of Classics Illustrated, or perhaps there are simply more schools pushing children towards novels than there are fans drawn to Alfred E. Neuman’s antics.

During its initial phase, Classics Illustrated aimed at transforming literary works such as The Three Musketeers, Moby Dick, and The Iliad, alongside others, into condensed comic versions to acquaint children with more sophisticated and elevated literature rather than superhero stories. However, this approach did not shield them from the criticism of Dr Frederic Werthem, who criticized the comics for simplifying the novels to their fundamental aspects. It seems that pleasing everyone is impossible.

7. Micky Maus

German Disney Comics Prove to Be Best Sellers

1951-Present.
Approximate Sales: 1 Billion.
Notable Works: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy.

It’s interesting to note that while US comic books might not necessarily require the magazine format to thrive, other countries have found success in producing them. For instance, Egmont Ehapa has been publishing Disney comics in German through the “Mickey Mouse” magazine since 1951, selling more issues than both “Ribon” and “MAD” combined.

Despite the decline of traditional print media over time, Disney’s beloved characters continue to captivate children globally. At its height in 1998, during the Disney Renaissance, the magazine sold an impressive 1 billion copies. Now, it sells roughly 75,000 issues every two months.

6. Weekly Young Magazine

Seinen Magazine Skips the Kids’ Games

1980-Present.
Approximate Sales: 1.8 Billion.
Notable Works: Akira, The Fable, Chobits.

In Japan, print publications remain robust due to the extensive nature of their magazines, resembling phone books and providing more value for a reader’s money (or yen). While Disney-eager children sustain the popularity of Mickey Mouse, Weekly Young Magazine is maintained by an older demographic as it serves as Kodansha’s flagship seinen magazine.

Originally, these works such as “Akira”, the racetrack series “Initial D”, and CLAMP’s adult manga like “xxxHolic” and its follow-up “xxxHolic: Rei” (resuming in April 2025), were all first published here. If this publication continues to be on hiatus, fans may want to read “Toxic Daughter: Chi-chan”, another psychological domestic drama from the author of “Blood on the Tracks”, Shuzo Oshimi, instead.

5. Weekly Shōnen Sunday

Shogakukan’s Best Selling Shōnen Magazine

1959-Present.
Approximate Sales: 1.9 Billion.
Notable Works: Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, Zatch Bell.

Shonen Jump is often considered the ultimate authority for shonen magazines, but that’s not entirely accurate. In fact, Weekly Shonen Sunday came before it by approximately a decade. If it weren’t for Weekly Shonen Sunday, the manga world might have a different appearance today, as its comics are just as popular and influential as those in Shonen Jump.

Primarily, this is the platform where Rumiko Takahashi showcased her renowned creations, from “Urusei Yatsura” to “Inuyasha”. “Case Closed”, “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”, and even more recent works like “Komi Can’t Communicate” and “Be Blues!” are still serializing in its issues. The distinctive pointing finger design inside its pages also served as inspiration for the character design of Friend in the popular mystery manga “20th Century Boys”.

4. The Beano

Iconic British Comic Still Has a Place in Print After Nearly 90 Years

1938-Present.
Approximate Sales: 2 Billion.
Notable Works: Dennis the Menace, Bash Street Kids, Bananaman (since 2012).

Currently, Japanese comic magazines dominate sales charts. However, despite their smaller page count, The Beano has successfully challenged this dominance and climbed to the top of the global rankings for Western comic magazines. Established in 1938, it is both the best-selling and oldest such magazine worldwide.

The place is primarily known for being the birthplace of a character named Dennis the Menace (not the one you’re thinking of), whose popularity sparked an entire genre of street-wise, mischievous kid comic strips, such as Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids. However, it’s important to note that these strips are primarily made up of humorous, standalone gags featuring children outsmarting bumbling adults and strict educators. Consequently, older readers (15 and above) might not find much to appreciate compared to more adult-oriented, vulgar parodies like Viz.

3. Weekly Young Jump

Jumping Off to Appeal to Older Readers

1979-Present.
Approximate Sales: 2.2 Billion.
Notable Works: Kingdom, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You.

In simpler terms, labels for demographic groups can sometimes be misleading. For instance, “Weekly Young Jump,” along with “Weekly Young Magazine” and “Young Animal,” are all mangas targeted towards older audiences, often referred to as seinen. However, it’s important to note that these readers are still young adults. Over time, they usually transition to more mature themes in their reading preferences, such as manga about golf or whiskey and so forth.

Nevertheless, Young Jump (WYJ) is a mature spin-off of Shueisha’s Shonen Jump, featuring stories with more adult content. Titles like Mad Bull 34, Gantz, Elfen Lied, and Tokyo Ghoul are known for their violence, while Boy’s Abyss, The Climber, and Catenaccio offer intense emotional drama. Occasionally, it also includes romantic comedies to add some levity, such as Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible and Yokai Girls.

2. Weekly Shōnen Magazine

The Birthplace of Tokusatsu Strips

1959-Present.
Approximate Sales: 5.2 Billion.
Notable Works: Ashita no Joe, Kamen Rider, Rent-A-Girlfriend.

Coinciding with the debut of Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Weekly Shōnen Magazine also preceded Shōnen Jump by a decade and boasts an impressive roster of legendary series. Ranging from the cyborg and sci-fi masterpieces of Shotaro Ishinomori (Cyborg 009, Genma Wars), to the mature, almost seinen works of Go Nagai like Devilman and Violence Jack.

Today, this magazine remains a favorite for action comics. For instance, it publishes the arched tokusatsu satire “Go! Go! Loser Ranger!”, the samurai drama “The Blue Wolves of Mibu”, and the classic boxing manga “Hajime no Ippo”. It’s also where CLAMP combined characters from WYM’s “xxxHolic” and Nakayoshi’s “Cardcaptor Sakura” in “Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle”.

1. Weekly Shōnen Jump

The Home of Some of the Most Famous Shōnen Strips in Print

1968-Present.
Approximate Sales: 7.6 Billion
Notable Works: Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, KochiKame.

Without a doubt, it’s hardly shocking that Weekly Shōnen Jump leads the pack, boasting an impressive sales advantage of 2.4 billion copies over the runner-up in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. To many, Shueisha’s magazine is practically the cradle of manga, having birthed some of the most renowned comics such as Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Fist of the North Star, and numerous others.

Despite being the top-selling magazine among this group, the Wall Street Journal is no exception to the decline in print sales that affects magazines like MAD and The Beano. The increasing popularity of digital media has also taken a toll on its physical sales. It’s possible that its newer comic strips, such as Akane-banashi and Kagurabachi, could eventually be available on app services, with the occasional tankobon release for dedicated fans.

2025-04-13 12:35