Key Takeaways

• Manga publications may be the future for Western comic book companies.
• Marvel, DC, Valiant and Skybound are jumping on the current anime/manga boom.
• Embracing manga can expand a publisher’s offerings and cash flow, thus allowing for more experimentation on their main books.

Comic books have been around in some form for nearly a century in the West, with the introduction of superheroes in particular putting the medium on the map. Since then, comics have seen numerous highs and lows, and despite movies based on the characters generating billions of dollars at the box office, monthly comic book sales aren't what they once were. Nevertheless, the medium may have its salvation in the form of a supposedly "rival" medium.

Manga are comic books from Japan, with many of the most popular being adapted into anime for television. In the past several years, manga has become especially popular in the West, with sales eclipsing those of Western comic books. Now, comic book publishers in North America are localizing manga among their other publications, and this could be a boon in terms of profitability.

Marvel and DC Jump on the Manga Trend

Non-Japanese comic book publishers localizing manga is nothing new, as Marvel's Epic Comics line brought over classic titles such as Akira back in the 1990s. This was during a much different time, however, as manga and anime were far more niche in popularity in that era. It was the initial Western release of the Akira manga and anime, along with other titles such as The Guyver and more mainstream fare such as Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Pokémon and Mobile Suit Gundam Wing that earned the anime medium a strong fanbase outside Asia.

Now, anime and manga are far from niche, with recent titles such as Jujutsu Kaisen becoming New York Times bestsellers. These manga are far more consistently on such lists than Western comic books, with even mainstream comics from Marvel and DC failing to achieve the same level of success. Now, some publishers are following in the footsteps of Epic Comics from long ago. For instance, Skybound Entertainment (the company behind the superhero series Invincible and the current Transformers comic books) is set to begin producing anime through the Skybound Japan subsidiary.

Conversely, Alien Books will feature manga as some of its many publications. The publisher is now handling the output of Valiant Entertainment, home of the Valiant Comics Universe. This is a line of books that has seen continually diminishing returns after being acquired by DMG Entertainment in 2018. Many fans are hopeful that Alien taking over will change Valiant's fortunes, but the manga will likely be more successful. The titles currently slated for release under Alien Books are:

• Fake Rebellion by Yuuchang Sasaki (2 volumes, launching March 2024)
• Endroll Back by Kantetsu and Haruna Nakazato (3 volumes, March 2024)
• Momo: Legendary Warrior by Yuji Kobayashi, Z-ONE, and Naoto Tsushima (3 volumes, April 2024)
• Kerberos in the Silver Rain by Lira Aikawa (naked ape), Berry Star, and Nao Itsuki (3 volumes, April 2024)
• Kinryo Rock by Bingo Morihashi and Manabu Akishige (3 volumes and a prequel, July 2024).

Manga is Currently Outselling the Best of Comic Books

As noted, even the newest manga series are outselling major comic book titles. Many fans and retailers noted that gimmicks such as constantly rebooting titles and having multiple variant covers serve to artificially inflate comic book sales while giving a false sense of popularity and demand for these titles. Manga does not utilize such gimmicks, and some see the price for manga volumes as being better than the cost of individual monthly comic book titles or even collected trade paperbacks. There's also a greater sense of diversity, with superhero comic books dominating the American comic book market.

While that's not the case with European comics (known for experimental and sci-fi titles), it's inarguable that the caped characters of Marvel and DC Comics are the main names in the industry for those in the West. In comparison, manga features a lot more variety, with pirates, ninjas, demon slayers and martial artists being just as easy to find as people in tights. Likewise, beyond long-running series such as Dragon Ball, Naruto/Boruto, One Piece and the much-beleaguered Hunter x Hunter, manga is a lot easier to access than comics, both in terms of finding the books in stores and finding an entry point into the story. With manga volumes numbered, it's obvious where to start, and it helps that these titles aren't constantly relaunched with confusing new #1 issues.

Most importantly, the biggest element driving manga sales is how easy it is to buy, be it in physical or digital formats. Major bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million have rows of manga titles, with the popularity of the medium seeing these offerings grow. Even beyond dedicated bookstores, big-box retailers such as Walmart and Target now carry manga. Even veritable "value" venues such as Five Below sell volumes of the biggest titles, with consumers being able to start their collections of Attack on Titan or The Seven Deadly Sins while shopping there. This basic issue of availability makes a tremendous difference, especially when compared to Western comic books.

Traditional monthly comic book "floppies" are almost entirely exclusive to dedicated comic book stores. These are not ubiquitous chain stores, meaning that finding physical copies of comic books is dependent upon one of these "mom and pop" businesses being nearby. Even the aforementioned bookstores do not carry these titles, and it's these books that serve as the lifeblood of the comic book industry in the West. Thus, without actually having these products in venues where consumers will find them, it's hard to foresee any hope or change for increased sales in the industry. Nevertheless, some publishers' newest ventures of localizing manga may be the true superhero that comic books need.

Comic Book Publishers Can Benefit from the Current Manga Boom

If nothing else, publishers such as Alien Books will likely benefit greatly from localizing manga titles. Currently, the manga medium as a whole is so popular that seemingly any title can become a moderate hit. This is shown in how extensive the manga section of major bookstores has become, with manga that may have once been deemed too obscure or esoteric now dotting the same shelves that were once ruled by Superman, Batman and Spider-Man. It's a definite change of pace from what Western comic book and superhero fans are likely used to, but by dabbling in the hot trend, publishers can likely guarantee more revenue.

While Valiant Comics has a sizable fanbase, it's arguable that those who might be willing to try an unknown manga might be greater at this point than those wanting the next Bloodshot comic book. Still, the revenue generated from manga such as Endroll Back can supplement the sales of various Valiant titles. There may not be much crossover appeal between these comics and the manga that Alien Books also sells, but having a more varied line of titles will only benefit that company and others. It's something that publisher Dark Horse Comics already does to some extent, with the iconic publisher notably localized the dark and brutal manga series Berserk alongside Akira.

DC Comics is arguably trying to emulate the success of manga with its upcoming line of "compact comics," which are smaller releases of books that are around the size and price of manga volumes. If Alien Books' current ventures are successful, it might be worth it for Marvel and DC to invest in their lines of localized manga. These can also work as a form of supplemental revenue that brings more diversity to these companies' mainstream comics. That might prevent somewhat esoteric books such as the recently-canceled Avengers Inc. from coming to an end so quickly. It's not a guarantee for large amounts of profit, but it might solve some of the comic book industry's current problems. Most importantly, it can bridge the gap between manga and comic book readers, benefiting both by ensuring that everyone has something great to read.