Comics in France - the impressive numbers of 2020

Our roundup on the financial statements of international publishing continues and in particular of the comic book that makes a stop, after Japan, in Europe and more precisely in France where the figures of comics in France both in terms of sales and demographics show impressive numbers and interesting but not without bitter considerations.

Comics in France - the impressive numbers of 2020

Comics in France closes a 2020 that is certainly a record year. Over 53 million copies were sold (+ 9% compared to 2019) for a turnover generated of around 591 million euros (+ 6% compared to 2019).

Comic book publishing in France is in steady growth since 2016: one in five books purchased in France is a comic book and various market researches have shown that 18% of French people have diverted their budget for cinema, theater and cinema to the purchase of a comic.

The best-selling comic in France in 2020 was Lucky Luke - Inferno di Cotone (published in Italy by Nona Arte).



Note two data that apparently seem contradictory. The first is that 65% of comic book buyers in France are under 30; the second is that during the period of lockdown or limited mobility due to the health emergency caused by the Coronavirus, about 48% of comic book buyers took the opportunity to complete their collection.

While the The largest share of the market is represented, not entirely surprisingly given the popularity among the youngest, by manga that represent 42% of total sales in 2020 with a growth of + 18% compared to 2019!

Comics in France - not all that glitters is gold

With these figures it would seem that France is the "promised land" of world comics but in reality this is not the case. Benoît Peeters, president of the Festival d'Angoulême, who highlights how the market is always driven by the great classics and is not very receptive to novelties and new authors.

Peeters also returns to talk about the economic situation of French authors :

There are several thousand authors, between 10% and 15%, who make a living from comics. Others manage to tinker a bit, especially with interventions in comic schools, workshops and festivals. But unfortunately many of them are not supported enough. Even some well-known names often do not receive adequate compensation or advances. It's sad, there are mechanisms to be reinvented. Comic book authors earn an average of 8% of the book price, a figure that is often divided between writers and designers; sales of volumes no longer benefit authors.

Buy Lucky Luke - Cotton Hell.