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.

Creative Team:

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.

HAVING FUN WITH MANGA FUN FACTS ABOUT MANGA

-- CSUSB.joned303 - 2010-03-11