Got Teen Readers? Manga Does
-- Publishers Weekly, 1/6/2003
If the book publishing industry is serious about finding new readers (read: new book buyers), then it should take a good look at the comics industry, which, ironically enough, is reaping the benefits of its own hard look at book publishing. These days, comics publishers are acting more like book publishers than periodical publishers.
The comics industry—publishers of traditional pamphlet comics—is being transformed by the sales growth of graphic novels (book-format comics) in general and by manga—licensed Japanese comics in English translation—in particular. While traditional comics publishers cite impressive sales growth resulting from a new focus on hardcovers and trade paper graphic novels, manga publishers use words like "phenomenal" to describe the popularity and sales potential of manga graphic novels and related material.
Manga's popularity is driven by teenagers, and the reason is obvious: manga feature dynamic, eccentric and very often sexy illustrations in combination with fast-paced science fiction, adventure, fantasy and martial arts stories. Manga are almost always published in seemingly endless multivolume series. If a kid loves one book, he or she will be back for the other 20 or 30 volumes. And manga are easily marketed in conjunction with DVD/video releases and TV broadcasts of anime, manga's animated cartoon version, and with books about anime, which are even more popular among teens. Manga publishers such as Tokyopop, Viz Communications, Dark Horse Comics, ComicsOne and Raijin Comics—already publishing hundreds of manga graphic novels combined—are stepping up title output even more in the coming year while adding promotions and marketing initiatives to stoke the escalating demand.
Traditional book publishers often talk about attracting new readers, but precious few—Random House is a big exception—publish any graphic novels at all. None seem to publish manga.
Tokyopop, an L.A.-based manga publisher of such popular titles as Sailor Moon and CardCaptor Sekura, released 200 titles in 2002 and plans about 300 titles in 2003. CEO John Parker says, "Our titles are dominating BookScan ratings. We've doubled our revenues over 2001. Retailers, particularly chains, are saying 'bring it on,' and librarians have been very positive. Teenagers are reacting very strongly."
Dark Horse Comics v-p of business development Michael Martens points to the success of shojo, a manga category aimed at young girls, a scarce presence in a comics and graphic novel marketplace dominated by male readers. But of course that's another good reason for the book industry, short of both male and young readers, to get with the program. "It's exciting," says Martens. "You can't ignore the numbers. We're selling well in bookstores and comics stores, and we've had a 400% increase in library business."
Manga publishers are working to attract new readers. Tokyopop has launched the Rising Stars of Manga, a contest to find new artists and original stories. Viz and Raijin Comics, both affiliated with large Japanese entertainment companies, have launched periodical anthologies of serialized manga stories that will be collected into books. Viz, which publishes the wildly popular DragonBall Z, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu Yu Hakusho series, has launched Shonen Jump, aimed at teens. Newcomer Raijin is publishing the weekly Raijin Comics, offering 10 stories for teens and older readers. And Raijin has its own manga contest, the International Manga Award, offering a $400,000 publishing contract to the winner.
"The magazine is big attraction—we've distributed more than 300,000 copies," says Dallas Middaugh, Viz's director of sales and marketing. Viz aims to keep the prices of its 200-page books under $10. Sales of many Viz titles are driven by anime versions on TV and in DVD/video releases.
If you think all this gushing over manga is just hype, talk to Brian Delambre, manager of the Joseph-Beth Bookstore in Lexington, Ky. He set up a large manga/anime section, with more than 150 titles over the last few years—and he has a separate graphic novel section with just as many titles. "It works. Bookstores are giving this material a better, more accessible marketplace than its ever had before," he says. "Our manga/anime section outsells the horror and western sections combined. I've seen teenagers buy complete sets of 10 Sailor Moons at $16 a title. Its amazing."
