I stumble across the word “manga” often when it comes to Japanese animation, whereas “comic books” are more used for Western animation. Is that the only difference there is between a manga and a comic book?
I stumble across the word “manga” often when it comes to Japanese animation, whereas “comic books” are more used for Western animation. Is that the only difference there is between a manga and a comic book?
The only real difference between “manga” and “comics” is the country of origin. Manga is Japanese comics. Comics, is the the English word for it. Manga is also not the same as anime. Anime is Japanese cartoons. You notice the difference between comics, and cartoons, it is the same difference in Japan between manga and anime. You should also note that the drawing styles and themes vary greatly.
Technically, mangas are comics, ‘manga’ is just a name for japanese comics. Manga, manwha, american comics and all those things are under comics.
Manga
Most manga is printed in black and white (occasionally the first several pages are in color, depending on the success of the title).
All weekly manga magazines and compiled titles are printed on economical recycled paper.
Manga is first published in thick weekly or monthly magazines before finally being compiled into a single series of issues.
Most competitive publishers release manga magazines on weekly basis—deadlines are never, never, neeeeeeever missed. Publishers would never want to upset their 1 million plus regular weekly readers.
Manga and manga magazines can be bought at newsstands, bookstores, candy shops, train stations, and almost anywhere else. If you miss out on those weekly issues, the compiled series ( usually 180 pages) appear on your local bookstore shelf, and you can easily order it if you don’t see it.
American Comics
Most comics are printed in full color. Comic book retailers often fail to receive black-and white titles well.
More and more printers are now using recycled paper. However, until the recent past, elaborate variant issues used high-cost paper for covers and interiors (which attracted retailers and collectors).
American publishers publish titles as stand-alone issues. Depending on the sales, the publisher may opt to compile the single issues to form a “graphic novel.”
American publishers try to release titles on a monthly basis. Occasionally, some titles miss deadlines, upsetting retailers and readers who must order them through distribution catalogues. Best titles average 40,000 to 50,000 copies in monthly sales.
If you want to find your favorite title selection and it isn’t a superhero title, you have to visit your “local” comic book store where they might have it. If they don’t, good luck getting the store to re-order the issue listed in last month’s distribution catalogue. Time to test your luck on eBay.
That’s pretty much it.
Except, that word “anime” refers to Japanese animation and the word “manga” refers to Japanese comics.
Though, if you read manga, you’d notice that it tends to have a bit of a difference of style between it and most Western comics.
Technically, though…anime and manga would just refer to cartoons and comics from any part of the world, but it’s become a slang in countries outside of Japan to describe the cartoons/comics from Japan.
Just like the term “manhwa” describes Korean comics and the word “manhua” describes Chinese comics.
well, manga is almost always black and white. I myself haven’t come across a mainstream manga that was colored. Also, manga is read from right to left, even in a lot of translated versions to keep the original feel.
but yeah, that’s about the only difference.