Viz, Stan Lee Team to Launch New Japanese Series

This story originally appeared in PW Comics Week on April 8, 2008 Sign up now!

By Kai-Ming Cha -- Publishers Weekly, 4/7/2008 10:11:00 PM

Already the publisher of such bestselling manga series as Naruto and Bleach, Viz Media is now teaming up with one of the biggest names in American comics: Stan Lee, former president and chairman of Marvel Comics and the co-creator of many of the most famous characters in American superhero comics. Lee and his entertainment company Pow! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment will collaborate with Japanese manga creator Hiroyuki Takei (creator of Shaman King) on a new manga series for Japanese audiences. The series, entitled Ultimo (Karakuridôji Ultimo in Japanese), will premier later this month in Jump SQ. II, a special editon of Jump SQ, a monthly manga magazine published by Shueisha, one of Viz’s Media parent companies and the publisher of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.

Marc Weidenbaum, editor-in-chief of the U.S. edition of Shonen Jump, will release details about the project in a press conference during New York Comic-con later this month. “I really can't say much now,” Wiedenbaum told PWCW in an interview yesterday, “except that it’s coming out, it’s historic, and we're excited.” Asked whether Ultimo would appear in the U.S. edition of Shonen Jump, Weidenbaum said that Viz is excited about the Japanese edition and is focused getting the word out about the collaboration.

Ultimo is the story of two warring figures, Vice and Ultimo, whose backgrounds are enshrouded in mystery. The special edition Jump SQ II will feature a 32-page prologue to their story with 3 pages in full color.

Viz will have copies of Jump SQ II at the press conference courtesy of the editor of Jump SQ Takanori Asada, who will also be present at the press conference along with Stan Lee. Lee has been a creative force in the American comics industry for decades, working to develop such well known franchise characters as the Fantastic Four, Spiderman, Daredevil, the Incredible Hulk  and the X-Men.