All appearances to the contrary, “sales of comic books have been increasing steadily for the last five years. And that doesn’t just include graphic novels–the perfect-bound trade paperbacks that have become the default format for the medium. Diamond Comic Distributors Inc., the company that has a practical monopoly on comics distribution, has seen improving figures in almost all formats. What’s strange about this grim reprieve for the industry is that it is so hard to see in the popular culture.”