Comments on: The Shape of the Manga Industry Part 1 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/ Never Safe For Work Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:47:59 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: That One Blog By That One Guy » Use That Brain(if you got one)! http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79544 That One Blog By That One Guy » Use That Brain(if you got one)! Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:45:52 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79544 [...] Part One: http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/ [...] [...] Part One: http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/ [...]

]]> By: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » July 8, 2008: Baby steps, please http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79500 Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » July 8, 2008: Baby steps, please Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:02:19 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79500 [...] [Publishing] Christopher Butcher offers commentary on the state of the current manga market in North America: part one, part two. [...] [...] [Publishing] Christopher Butcher offers commentary on the state of the current manga market in North America: part one, part two. [...]

]]> By: a geek by any other name http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79383 a geek by any other name Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:40:39 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79383 [...] Comics212’s Christopher Butcher has a two part, fairly in-depth look at the U.S. manga industry– and make sure you hit up the comments, too. [...] [...] Comics212’s Christopher Butcher has a two part, fairly in-depth look at the U.S. manga industry– and make sure you hit up the comments, too. [...]

]]> By: Torsten Adair http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79356 Torsten Adair Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:58:42 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79356 My (former) store, the massive Barnes & Noble located near Lincoln Center in NYC, has four bays of manga, one bay of generic graphic graphic novels, and a bay and a half (two if you count the display fixtures) of Marvel and DC. Looking at the American bookstore market, DC and Marvel do not dominate the shelves as much as in the Direct Market. My bestseller last year was Pokemon Red and Yellow. Followed by Persepolis, 300, Watchmen, American Born Chinese, and Bone. Even in the Direct Market, there are many other publishers offering interesting and profitable lines of graphic novels. Manga publishers can use similar business strategies to succeed. Find a niche, exploit it, build a reputation. My (former) store, the massive Barnes & Noble located near Lincoln Center in NYC, has four bays of manga, one bay of generic graphic graphic novels, and a bay and a half (two if you count the display fixtures) of Marvel and DC.

Looking at the American bookstore market, DC and Marvel do not dominate the shelves as much as in the Direct Market. My bestseller last year was Pokemon Red and Yellow. Followed by Persepolis, 300, Watchmen, American Born Chinese, and Bone.

Even in the Direct Market, there are many other publishers offering interesting and profitable lines of graphic novels. Manga publishers can use similar business strategies to succeed. Find a niche, exploit it, build a reputation.

]]> By: Monday manga mayhem « Precocious Curmudgeon http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79344 Monday manga mayhem « Precocious Curmudgeon Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:36:16 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79344 [...] Just because everyone else has pointed to it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t: Chris Butcher on the shape of the manga industry, part one and part two. [...] [...] Just because everyone else has pointed to it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t: Chris Butcher on the shape of the manga industry, part one and part two. [...]

]]> By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » In other news… http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79283 MangaBlog » Blog Archive » In other news… Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:03:19 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79283 [...] Free advice for publishers: Christopher Butcher posts a two-part essay (part one, part two) on the state of the manga industry. As always, when Chris has something to say, it’s well worth a read. And Katherine Farmar has more dos and don’ts at Purity Brown. [...] [...] Free advice for publishers: Christopher Butcher posts a two-part essay (part one, part two) on the state of the manga industry. As always, when Chris has something to say, it’s well worth a read. And Katherine Farmar has more dos and don’ts at Purity Brown. [...]

]]> By: Chris http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-79265 Chris Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:08:28 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-79265 Erik- I think it's difficult for smaller publishers because you either try and license stuff that's similar to what's already selling and compete head to head with the "top publishers", or try to do something new and risk not getting ordered at all because you're not publishing "what's selling". I posted part two of this, and I pointed out that the Yaoi publishers seem to have carved out a niche for themselves and are doing reasonably well within it. Perhaps that's a model to follow, license works that aren't going to sell to the Tsubasa/Naruto/Fullmetal Alchemist crowd, and go from there. I think you guys are on a good track with ROBOT, for example, and are the only guys publishing oversized, full colour manga for a mature audience. If you could develop and expand that base, you could end up being the market leaders there... Besides, I think that as easy as it is to say that it's Viz versus Del Rey, that ignores Kodansha's own publishing efforts coming soon, not to mention the ridiculously well-invested Yen Press, and Tokyopop isn't down for the count yet. It's still a developing field, in my opinion. John- I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know what the market is really like in New Zealand so I can't comment. I do know that here in Canada despite some of those factors, we've been able to make a decent go of the manga business as a direct market comic book store...! Erik- I think it’s difficult for smaller publishers because you either try and license stuff that’s similar to what’s already selling and compete head to head with the “top publishers”, or try to do something new and risk not getting ordered at all because you’re not publishing “what’s selling”. I posted part two of this, and I pointed out that the Yaoi publishers seem to have carved out a niche for themselves and are doing reasonably well within it. Perhaps that’s a model to follow, license works that aren’t going to sell to the Tsubasa/Naruto/Fullmetal Alchemist crowd, and go from there. I think you guys are on a good track with ROBOT, for example, and are the only guys publishing oversized, full colour manga for a mature audience. If you could develop and expand that base, you could end up being the market leaders there…

Besides, I think that as easy as it is to say that it’s Viz versus Del Rey, that ignores Kodansha’s own publishing efforts coming soon, not to mention the ridiculously well-invested Yen Press, and Tokyopop isn’t down for the count yet.

It’s still a developing field, in my opinion.

John- I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t know what the market is really like in New Zealand so I can’t comment. I do know that here in Canada despite some of those factors, we’ve been able to make a decent go of the manga business as a direct market comic book store…!

]]> By: James Moar http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78762 James Moar Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:56:02 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78762 Sorry, got the wrong end of the stick. Never mind. Sorry, got the wrong end of the stick. Never mind.

]]> By: john http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78734 john Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:48:09 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78734 In Borders here in New Zealand, I could only name Monster, Wild Adapter, Welcome to the HK and the Chuangyi editions of Vagabond from Singapore as anything remoting resembling "adult" manga at all.There is certainly nothing in shrink wrap (that I noticed). Borders is very definitely aimed at the teen market. Viz manga was apparently for some time not able to be imported by anyone, owing to the North American only licensing issue, altough seems to have been resolved/ignored. Fortunately in Wellington at least we have a specialist manga/pop culture store. So between them and Borders it appears to have destroyed any chance of our local direct market comic-book store making money from manga. In Borders here in New Zealand, I could only name Monster, Wild Adapter, Welcome to the HK and the Chuangyi editions of Vagabond from Singapore as anything remoting resembling “adult” manga at all.There is certainly nothing in shrink wrap (that I noticed). Borders is very definitely aimed at the teen market.

Viz manga was apparently for some time not able to be imported by anyone, owing to the North American only licensing issue, altough seems to have been resolved/ignored.

Fortunately in Wellington at least we have a specialist manga/pop culture store. So between them and Borders it appears to have destroyed any chance of our local direct market comic-book store making money from manga.

]]> By: Erik Ko http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78667 Erik Ko Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:52:38 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78667 What I see is the manga business is turning quickly into the comic business - there's the big 2 (Viz and Kodansha as to Marvel and DC) where they publish titles everyone wanna buy and carry. Comon! With the 3 biggest publishers exclusive with these 2 publishers, what is really left out there for others (UDON among them) to license? Then, all of us smaller guys are gonna be struggling to fill the little shelf space left, if any. This is exactly what we are experiencing in the Comic market and I can totally see the manga shelves going that route. Worse is, the mass market buyers are not as sentimental on carrying titles. They will drop a title even faster if it does not sell. I can see a lot of publishers go and fight for whatever is left out there whether the book is good or not just to expand their presence. But by the end, it is the same mentality that kills them, as well as it is the downfall of the whole business. Is Manga just a hype as some says? I do not think so. The question now is how do we make this form of entertainment, this category of reading materials last in the market. Back to you Chris.... What I see is the manga business is turning quickly into the comic business – there’s the big 2 (Viz and Kodansha as to Marvel and DC) where they publish titles everyone wanna buy and carry. Comon! With the 3 biggest publishers exclusive with these 2 publishers, what is really left out there for others (UDON among them) to license? Then, all of us smaller guys are gonna be struggling to fill the little shelf space left, if any. This is exactly what we are experiencing in the Comic market and I can totally see the manga shelves going that route. Worse is, the mass market buyers are not as sentimental on carrying titles. They will drop a title even faster if it does not sell. I can see a lot of publishers go and fight for whatever is left out there whether the book is good or not just to expand their presence. But by the end, it is the same mentality that kills them, as well as it is the downfall of the whole business.

Is Manga just a hype as some says? I do not think so. The question now is how do we make this form of entertainment, this category of reading materials last in the market.

Back to you Chris….

]]> By: matthew http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78647 matthew Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:35:53 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78647 I wish they'd give it a name other than "viz signature" Also, Monster's almost over, so 20th century boys should start coming out. hurray And I haven't heard of Solanin, what's it about? I wish they’d give it a name other than “viz signature”
Also, Monster’s almost over, so 20th century boys should start coming out. hurray
And I haven’t heard of Solanin, what’s it about?

]]> By: Chris http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78557 Chris Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:10:28 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78557 James- At that point I'm referencing Viz Signature, which I suppose isn't necessarily a Seinen line, but between "Monster" and the Umezu and "Solanin" and "Vagabond" and "REAL", it's pretty close? James-

At that point I’m referencing Viz Signature, which I suppose isn’t necessarily a Seinen line, but between “Monster” and the Umezu and “Solanin” and “Vagabond” and “REAL”, it’s pretty close?

]]> By: James Moar http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78533 James Moar Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:58:12 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78533 Viz's Seinen line -- this is new information, isn't it? Don't suppose there's anything out there about what titles are in it? Viz’s Seinen line — this is new information, isn’t it? Don’t suppose there’s anything out there about what titles are in it?

]]> By: ADD http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-78500 ADD Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:34:41 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/07/04/the-shape-of-the-manga-industry-part-1/#comment-78500 Nicely said and timely as always, Christopher. Looking forward to part two. Nicely said and timely as always, Christopher. Looking forward to part two.

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