NEWSWORTHY
Publisher Shogakukan withdraws and apologizes for comic that mocks Genghis Khan
After it drew a barrage of criticism from Mongolians, Japanese publisher Shogakukan Inc. said Tuesday it is withdrawing the latest issue of a monthly cartoon magazine featuring an insulting picture of Mongolia's national hero, Genghis Khan. The March edition of "Korokoro Comic," which went on ...
Sales of digital manga overtake print editions in Japan for first time
Sales of digital manga in 2017 surpassed their printed versions for the first time, an industry research institute said Monday, highlighting a shift in reader preferences. According to a survey by the Research Institute for Publications, sales of digital manga last year are estimated to ...
Marvel draws up Chinese superheroes as it plots manga-style push into Asia
Chinese superheroes will soon be joining the pantheon of larger-than-life Marvel universe mainstays Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men, a company official said as the comic book giant makes a major thrust into Asia. As part of a push to grow its Asia fan base, ...
Annual comic book sales set to sink amid dearth of popular titles
Comic books sales are expected to plunge about 12 percent for the year amid a dearth of popular titles and increasing demand for ebooks, a research institute said Monday. Sales of comic magazines targeted at adolescents are forecast to drop sharply, the Research Institute for ...
Batman aficionado Sen. Patrick Leahy divides time between Capitol Hill and Gotham City
This Batman mega-fan calls himself "a bit of a geek," but everyone else calls him senator — Sen. Patrick Leahy, a veteran Democratic lawmaker. The 77-year-old Leahy is such a fan of the Caped Crusader that he has made cameo appearances in five Batman movies, ...
Kakao counting on Japan's love of manga to crack overseas market
Asia's messaging apps have a history of becoming huge in their home market before struggling to gain traction overseas. South Korea's Kakao Corp. is counting on the Japanese love of manga to break that trend. Amassing 43 million users at home has driven Kakao's market ...
New Kindai University library aims to lure manga lovers to academic works
A university in western Japan will open a library next month that has an unusually large proportion of manga in its collection, school officials say. The two-story Biblio Theater library at Kindai University in Osaka Prefecture is expected to have around 70,000 books, with about ...
Breaking the comic book glass ceiling
Four years ago, Chinese-American writer Marjorie Liu had a simple but persistent idea: create an epic fantasy comic book series about a classic Japanese kaijū (strange beast) movie monster that has a connection to a girl. She knew it should take place entirely in Asia, ...
Tokyo Comic Con calls on Hollywood's big guns for star power
As we sit down for an interview, Tokyo Comic Convention Committee Chairman Mitsuaki Munegumi casually points to a glass case in the center of the room. "There's actually a real 'Star Wars' lightsaber in there," he says, and reaches over. He pulls out a hilt ...
'Louvre Museum Exhibition: Louvre No. 9 — Manga, the 9th Art'
July 22-Sept. 25 Mention the Louvre, and most people will think of the "Mona Lisa" hanging in the hushed, historical surroundings. So it may come as a surprise to discover that the museum, famous for its collection of old masterpieces, also has a vested interest ...
Toronto tycoon's son accused of torture, murder of girlfriend in LA
A Canadian real estate tycoon's son who explored the darkest side of evil in his graphic novel is now accused of carrying out such an act. Blake Leibel was charged this week with murder in the torture and mutilation of a girlfriend who had just ...
Ambition and ego: Inside Nagamori's Nidec
Ambition matters more than brains in Shigenobu Nagamori's world. As chief executive officer of Japanese motor maker Nidec, Nagamori is known for his eccentric management style. Prospective employees have faced off against each other in eating and shouting competitions; new hires at headquarters in Kyoto ...
