The Walking Dead Was the Best Selling Graphic Novel of the Decade

The Walking Dead topped the charts for the 2010s decade, publishing the best-selling single book from 2010 through 2019 in the form of The Walking Dead Volume 1, Days Gone Bye. The book collected the first six issues of Robert Kirkman‘s zombie series. The same title also claimed the four spot on the Top 10 of the decade list, with The Walking Dead Volume 2, Miles Behind Us, and the nine spot with The Walking Dead Volume 3, Safety Behind Bars. Several other trade paperback books from The Walking Dead round out the Top 100 list but fans eager to learn about the earliest issues of the series which inspired a hit show on AMC were flying out of stores.

Image Comics, the publisher of The Walking Dead comics (along with Skybound), had an dominant six spots in the Top 10. The number two seller was Saga Volume 1, the DC Comics coming in third with Batman The Killing Joke in hardcover form.

Here is the list of Top 10 best selling comics from the 2010s, via Previews World:

1. The Walking Dead TP Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
2. Saga TP Vol. 1 (Image Comics)
3. Batman The Killing Joke HC (DC Comics)
4. The Waking Dead TP Vol. 2 (Image Comics)
5. Saga TP Vol. 2 (Image Comics)
6. Watchmen TP (DC Comics)
7. Civil War TP (Marvel Comics)
8. Saga TP Vol. 3 (Image Comics)
9. The Walking Dead TP Vol. 3 (Image Comics)
10. Dark Knight Returns TP (DC Comics)

In fact, Image Comics dominates the majority of the Top 50 before DC Comics and Marvel Comics start gaining some traction in the next 50 for the past 10 years.

The Walking Dead comic abruptly ended before the decade did when Kirkman and company published issue #193, offering a final page which read, “This is the end of The Walking Dead.” Kirkman elected to end things on his own terms and conclude the story in the wake of killing off lead character Rick Grimes, although the TV series is showing no interest in slowing down.

“It breaks my heart that I had to end it, and we have to move on… but I just love this world too much to stretch things out until it doesn’t live up to what I want it to be,” Kirkman wrote in a goodbye letter ending the long-running comic book’s final issue. “I got to tell my story exactly how I wanted to, for 193 issues, and end it on my terms, with no interference at all along the way… at any point. That’s such a rare thing, and it doesn’t exist without the unyielding support this series got from readers like you.”

Have you been reading The Walking Dead comics? Were you sad to see it go? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter!

The Walking Dead TV series returns for the rest of its 10th season on February 23.