Western Comics vs American Comics

Format:

Japanese and American comics share some common traits, but there are some notable differences that make them into to markedly different products. Some of these differences are more immediately recognizable to readers after having looked at a comic book and a manga magazine. Two of these differences are length and coloring.¹ American comics are usually printed in full color, whereas manga is more often printed in monochrome. As for length, the typical serialized American comic has around 32 pages compared to monthly manga magazine which may have page counts ranging up to a few hundred.¹

As of 2009 Marvel comics started raising their prices up to $3.99 per issue on some of their best selling series, and slowly spread that price increase to some of their other series.² DC was not slow to follow suit, adding additional content to the series they chose to raise in price.³ In comparison, Shonen Jump, a shonen manga magazine, sells for $4.99.⁴ The reason why manga magazine companies are able to print on a cheaper per-page scale is because they are not intended to last long. They are printed on low-quality recycled paper often tossed in the trash or recycled after they are read.⁵ There are sometimes exceptions to the rule, such as Stigma by mangaka Kazuya Minekurah which is presented in full color⁶ and western publishers such as SLG Publishing, who release most of their comics in black and white.

Japanese Manga Industry in Japan:

Ubiquity is the word Wired uses to describe the intricacies of Manga in Japanese culture. Weekly Shonen Magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, Young King Ours, Shojo Comic, are just a few of the most popular Manga that can be found on virtually every magazine stand.⁷

Japanese influence on the American Animation Industry:

Last 4 years have showed an increase in Manga sales in the US. Wired magazine emphasis the increase in Manga stating that, Manga ha[s]gripped the global imagination”. More Manga has left its roots in Japan and is making a big dent in the US. Just to mention one popular Manga animation series, Dragon Ball Z left its home on the prairie of Japanese Manga entertainment, and spread to the US, becoming one of the most popular Japanese Manga to come to the US.

Future of both Industries:

Manga sales are not spreading like wild flowers anymore in Japan. Wired states a decline of about “half over the last decade”. A new focus for entertainment is breaking through; it seems the Japanese are turning their attention away from pages of joy to a new source of entertainment, (the cellular phone). But don’t get depressed yet, Manga magazines in Japan are still doing very well. Manga is still holding a respectable position of about “22% of all printed material in Japan”. There is speculation that Manga in Japan is on a permanent downhill slop, but there are still an astronomical number of readers.⁷ The US On the other hand is creeping by with almost no change since the late 1990s. Very little has changed in the last decade for American comics. It seems the US comic is dwindling with most as Modern comics says, “The characters created over the decades almost all have now been converted into film and cartoon TV series…”. The comics of the past have all but been depleted. It is also known that other than” film and cartoon”, US comics have also entered the merchandising market and video games. The future of US comics may be dying but the memory will be around for at least the next generation.⁸

Creative Team:

Paragraph Reference

Dragon Ball Z ( Para. 4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Ball

Manga Influence in American Media

Works Cited

1. Russell, Michael Comic Books- Japanese Manga vs American Comics. Ezine Articles. May 27, 2006. Web. March 10, 2010.

2. Parkin, JK More on Marvel's Price Increases. Comic Book Resources. May 31, 2009. Web. March 10, 2010.

3. Gustines, George Gene Comic Titans are in the Grips of the Dreaded Inflationist. The New York Times. March 29, 2009. Web. March 10, 2010.

4. Aoki, Deb Shonen Jump (U.S.) Manga Magazine Profile. About.com. n.d. Web. March 10, 2010.

5. Schodt, Frederick L. Dreamland Japan. Berkley: Stone Bridge Press, 1996. Print.

6. AnimeNewsNetwork.com. Anime News Network. n.d. March 10, 2010.

7. Daniel H. Pink. 2010. Japan, Ink: Inside the Manga Industrial Complex. Apr. 2010 http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/15-11/ff_manga

8. Ed. Admin. 2009. Modern comicsamerican Comics.co.uk. Apr. 2010 http://americancomics.co.uk/the-bronze-age-and-modern-comics/

HAVING FUN WITH MANGA FUN FACTS ABOUT MANGA

-- CSUSB.joned303 - 2010-03-11