On the heels of a record year for comic book sales in all formats, LibraryPass has announced Comics Plus saw significant growth in its customer base and circulation during the first half of 2022 — doubling total checkouts compared to all of 2021. Comics Plus readers drove nearly half-a-million checkouts of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga through more than 2,000 schools and libraries in the US and around the world.
“Our unlimited, simultaneous access model is obviously appealing to libraries, but that model doesn’t mean anything if the content isn’t appealing to readers,” explained Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, LibraryPass’ Chief Content Officer. “We’re proud to be able to offer a diverse range of great comics from publishers who genuinely care about reaching more readers through libraries, with as little friction as possible.”
With schools representing a majority of Comics Plus customers, the overall Top 10 checkouts for January – June 2022 was dominated by franchises popular with younger readers like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Big Nate, Bone, Minecraft, and Sonic the Hedgehog, along with popular creator Svetlana Chmakova (Awkward, Crush) and relative newcomer, Roye Okupe (Iyanu). While traditional manga is popular with older readers, Immedium’s The Discovery of Anime & Manga proved popular with younger readers who wanted to learn more about manga itself.
Comics Plus’ entire catalog is rated by age to ensure schools can offer age-appropriate materials to their students in collections for Elementary, Middle and High Schools, while Public Libraries typically offer the Children’s Public Library collection to their younger readers. Adult titles are only available to public and academic libraries, so checkouts for each age level offers a deeper view of what readers are engaging with across the collection, with many backlist titles performing exceptionally well with readers of all ages.
Top 10 (Children)
Comics Plus Package(s): Elementary, Children’s Library, All-Access for Schools, All-Access for Public & Academic Libraries
NOTE: Individual title availability will vary by age level, corresponding packages, and geographic rights.
Top 10 (Kids)
Comics Plus Package(s): Elementary, Middle School, Children’s Library, All-Access for Schools, All-Access for Public & Academic Libraries
NOTE: Individual title availability will vary by age level, corresponding packages, and geographic rights.
Top 10 (Teen)
Comics Plus Package(s): Middle School, High School, Children’s Library, All-Access for Schools, All-Access for Public & Academic Libraries
NOTE: Individual title availability will vary by age level, corresponding packages, and geographic rights.
Top 10 (Young Adult)
Comics Plus Package(s): High School, All-Access for Schools, All-Access for Public & Academic Libraries
NOTE: Individual title availability will vary by age level, corresponding packages, and geographic rights.
Top 10 (Adult)
Comics Plus Package: All-Access for Public & Academic Libraries
NOTE: Individual title availability will vary by age level, corresponding packages, and geographic rights.
LIBRARY-FRIENDLY PUBLISHERS
“We’re honored to work with close to 100 publishers who believe in our mission to help libraries expand their reach and engagement—without breaking their materials budget,” said Ian Singer, LibraryPass’ Chief Executive Officer. “By offering unlimited, simultaneous access at fair and reasonable terms, our publisher partners make Comics Plus possible.”
With Comics Plus, schools and libraries can offer readers unlimited access to thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from popular publishers like ABDO, Andrews McMeel, BOOM! Studios, Capstone, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Europe Comics, Graphic Mundi, Humanoids, IDW, Kodansha, Lerner, Manga Classics, Papercutz, Tokyopop, Valiant, Yen Press, and dozens more.
Learn more at comicsplusapp.com and sign up for a free demo account.
We curate high-interest, immersive digital content that helps schools and libraries expand and diversify their collections—without breaking their materials budgets.
