Zondervan launches manga style comics

[Noblewreck]

Great news. This weekend I took my Mom to a local Christian book store. There I found a display with fliers and preview booklets. Zondervan is launching 12 Graphic Novel series in a Manga style this August. Being a fan of Manga/Anime I think it's great that they are doing Manga-style comics. Check out their web site.
http://www.zondervan.com/zgraphicnovels

Though generally I think this is great news, here are some thoughts just for discussion;

1) Can we Christians do comics without the comics being cheezy?

2) Will the Gospel get lost in the "flash and glitter" or is it the heart of the work?

3) What about Japanese Christians in Japan making a Christian Manga? Now that would be cool. (There are Philipian and Korean artist working on the Zondervan comics, but what about Japanese?)

4) Can an American (like me) be a Manga-ka?

Anyhoo. Zondervan is accomplishing more than I am. Those Qs are just to jump-start discussion. I'm excited Zondervan is doing something we Christian fans of Manga have dreamed of .

YBIC,
Noblewreck

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

1. Yes, but they either need to be straight Bible stories, allegories or just entertaining comics with a Christian undercurrent throughout (like Narnia but more subtle than LWW).

2. No, I don't think so. It's just a new medium of getting across God's Word in this day and age (speaking the language of the people).

3. That would be cool. I think there are several but they are few and far between.

4. I think so but I'm an Aussie, so what would I know? lol

Sounds good, I hope they aren't cheesy.

[Azier the Swordsman]

1) Can we Christians do comics without the comics being cheezy?

Yes. But Christians more often then not are simply jumping on the bandwagon attempting to capitalize/Christianize every new popular medium that comes out.

Companies with this type of mindset are simply trying to make a Christian manga. They are not neccesarily concerned with making a Christian manga with a quality storyline on par with what is avaliable on the secular side. Chances are they are not even avid fans/regular readers of manga. I'm not saying this is neccesarily the present case, but it is for a fact the track record thus far.

2) Will the Gospel get lost in the "flash and glitter" or is it the heart of the work?

It will most certainly be there in some form, but again, whether the actual story surrounding it is good or great or not remains to be seen.

3) What about Japanese Christians in Japan making a Christian Manga? Now that would be cool. (There are Philipian and Korean artist working on the Zondervan comics, but what about Japanese?)

Manga being the most popular form of entertainment in Japan, Japanese authors of Christian manga would know a lot more intrinsically their native form of entertainment and the storytelling methods and styles used, and would be more likely to have an actual passion for the job themselves. So Japanese authors of Christian manga would likely be a good thing.

4) Can an American (like me) be a Manga-ka?

They are rare still, but American manga are already popping up here and there. Given its rapidly rising popularity, I could forsee it eventually turning into a multiculturally accepted medium of entertainment down the road, so I would say the future looks optimistic if this is indeed your true interest.

[ChristianKitsune]

I think we so... there are many artists on CAA (myself included) who are currently writing "manga" with the intention of entertainment. See my beef with Mainstream manga is the fact that there are so much fan service in them. My comic, though not blatantly Christian, has a positive message and it's fun! Without all the fanservice.

I think Americans can be "manga-ka"

[Maledicte]

1: If you get the right Christian for the job, sure. Christians don't HAVE to be cheesy. It's just that a lot of the products they put out are, sadly. (I agree with Azier on this point)

2: Story should be the heart of any work, be it Christian-written or not.

3: Not sure what to say on this note. It would be very cool though.

4: Sure, why not? Lots of people are and they're not Japanese (see Tokyopop's manga lineup). Though personally I don't see why there should be a distinction between comics in Japan and comics elsewhere in the world.

[Stephen]

http://www.christiananime.net/showthread.php?t=40750&page=1&highlight=Zondervan