Part 7/9:
The contrast between Demon Slayer’s success and the roughly $1.28 billion USD aggregate revenue of the North American comic market in 2020 reveals much about industry strategies. While American comics have valuable properties like Batman or Spider-Man, these often rely heavily on licensing deals and media adaptations. However, Demon Slayer’s model shows the power of franchises built with an integrated merchandising approach.
Looking ahead, the persistent growth of merchandise-driven sales poses questions about the future of Western comic and manga markets. With the right storytelling, character design, and cross-media strategies, Western creators could potentially tap into similar revenue streams.