American Newspapers to Begin Carrying Manga

jonerik writes to tell us The Associated press is running an article stating that several American newspapers are going to start carrying manga with their normal arsenal of comics. The papers feel that this will help boost their readership amongst a younger audience. The two strips that made the cut are Van Von Hunter, and Peach Fuzz which are both created by American writer/illustrators and are being distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.

Comments

How do we know this is manga?

[Ithika]

Where does the line between manga and comic art exist then, if not by country of origin?

Re:How do we know this is manga?

[Ungrounded Lightning]

Not to get into a "is" "isn't" flap...

But I was under the impression that one large distinction was the set of graphic conventions used. (For instance: lightbulb-over-head versus laserbeam into head for idea, smoking head versus bulging veins for anger, etc.)

I suspect when an american comic syndicate executive says "manga" he undersands it to mean a comic that uses the stylistic and graphic-linguistic convention set of manga, rather than whatever the "real" definition is.

Re:How do we know this is manga?

[Stalyn]

Because manga is a booming business unlike american comics. Also manga has captured a market comics never has, girls. So there is a reason to use the word 'manga' instead of 'comics', it sells.

Also to add to what does the word 'manga' mean? Sure it means 'comic' from Japan. But it also carries with it an intrinsic style. Art styles have no borders and influence those who read it. So if American artists start to pick up tendencies and even plain out copy the styles... well thats just natural. Now the argument is whether or not american made 'manga' is indeed manga. Well sometimes you can't tell the difference other than language. So surely it must be manga. Is non-english hip hop not hip hop? Again describe an american made manga as a 'comic' and many will scratch their heads.
'It doesn't look like a comic.'
>'Oh. But It has an American author/illustrator.'
'Yeah but it looks like manga!'

Maybe the word 'manga' has changed in its meaning.

A great place to get scanlated manga is lurk. Stop by sometime.

Hmm

[pHatidic]

How about filling their newspapers with informative and well written articles that don't contain glaring factual errors? It seems like almost every article on a subject I know something about has blatant factual errors in it.

How about publishing the news as it happens? It seems like most of the articles in the New York Times cover things I knew about a week earlier.

How about not using anonymous sources, or at the very least outing the sources if they are proved to have been lying?

How about not pretending there is such a thing as unbiased reporting? Saying "one is lead to believe" instead of "I believe" is just another form of lying.

Trendsetter

[czarangelus]

You know, this might be one of the smartest things anyone in the media has done recently. Even if it turns out to be an enormous flop (and I think it might have a chance of succeeding,) at least it's a new direction. They are at least trying to get out of their rut.