View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
|
Shay Guy
Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 2126
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:20 pm
|
|
|
GloriousMaximus wrote: | I remember listening to the Anime World Order podcast once and they were saying that the older crowds that were interested in collecting the series because of its historical and artistic value tended to be more reliable buyers, in contrast to teens who are buying Naruto or FMA because it's the new hot thing. Of course this isn't always true but with companies like Viz scaling back their Shonen Jump stuff (even though they have those hot titles like Naruto and Bleach in issues of SJ, the page count is going down, or so I've heard) and of course those layoffs (which are always horrible, no matter what the reason), I'm starting to think that's the case. DH relied on people like Tezuka to sell manga because, well he's awesome and he was practically the father of modern anime and manga.
At least, that's what I think. Does not mean it's actually right in any way lol |
So there might actually be a solid case for a Rose of Versailles license?
|
Back to top |
|
|
Anton Chigurh
Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 257
Location: Guam
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:22 pm
|
|
|
Weird. I just bought MW - my first Vertical title - and have been reading Black Jack from the library. May this good news come frequently.
The Mad Manga Massacre wrote: | Hopefully this means Dark Horse will finish up/continue some of the series they left on hiatus (MPD Psycho, Shadow Star (preferably an unedited version), Eden) |
Not. Happening. And I'd snap it up on the first day if it ever came out, but I don't see the market being kind to such a dark - almost mindlessly so - series. We'll have to make do with Viz Signature's Bokurano release for the time being, one-book-every-six-months schedule and all.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Sakagami Tomoyo
Joined: 06 Dec 2008
Posts: 940
Location: Melbourne, VIC, Australia
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:32 pm
|
|
|
It's good to hear it's not all doom and gloom in the manga publishing world.
|
Back to top |
|
|
BrightxRingxFirefly
Joined: 25 Mar 2010
Posts: 156
Location: Kentucky, US
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:55 pm
|
|
|
I'm glad to hear that these two are doing well in such a tough climate, especially with titles that aren't exactly trendy. I've been picking up Vertical's Tezuka releases and am gearing up to grab the CLAMP omnibuses that DH is putting out.
|
Back to top |
|
|
The Xenos
Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 1519
Location: Boston
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:03 pm
|
|
|
Good to see, in my opinion, are two of the best US manga publishers are doing well.
It's a shame something like CMX is gone, but DC never ran it like it was expected to last. I swear the higher ups just wanted (false) proof that there's no money in manga and the good old boy system of men in tights is the only show in down.
|
Back to top |
|
|
littlegreenwolf
Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 4796
Location: Seattle, WA
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:03 pm
|
|
|
Hmm, maybe if these CLAMP rereleases do well enough, we'll see Dark Horse venture more into the shoujo market. I can't recall many titles of theirs being shoujo oriented. Usually they go for "traditional" comic themes.
Unfortunately I already own most CLAMP items they're releasing, so not much from me there for purchases. I do wonder though if my Okimono Kimono book came in yet.
|
Back to top |
|
|
njprogfan
Collector Extraordinaire
Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Posts: 1162
Location: A River Named Toms
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:33 pm
|
|
|
brand wrote: | I'm glad to hear some good news. Vertical is one of my favorite publishers, I hope they keep up the good work. |
I agree, it's nice to hear some good news during all this manga doom and gloom recently.
|
Back to top |
|
|
GATSU
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15314
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 9:23 pm
|
|
|
Good for Black Jack. I guess the CR upload of the anime's been good for it after all. Time for the CPM OVAs to be license-rescued now, too.
As for Dark Horse, if they're making money, maybe they can take a chance on YUA and 3X3 Eyes again. But yeah, it helps to publish titles people actually want to read, not just Harlequin manga.
Glorious:
Quote: | I remember listening to the Anime World Order podcast once and they were saying that the older crowds that were interested in collecting the series because of its historical and artistic value tended to be more reliable buyers, in contrast to teens who are buying Naruto or FMA because it's the new hot thing. |
It's not just that. The younger buyers are actually interested in this stuff, but companies have been awful at marketing those titles. In fact, older buyers are actually pickier than younger buyers. So for them, a release like Black Jack is a steal.
Shay: Jason said the manga-ka's charging a ransom for a U.S. release.
As for Shadow Star, I'm creeped out enough by Bokurano's compensated dating sub-plot, so no dice-especially with current legal issues.
greenwolf: Other than OMG, DH has been awful at winning over shoujo readers. They practically lost out on the manga boom.
|
Back to top |
|
|
ikillchicken
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7272
Location: Vancouver
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:20 pm
|
|
|
Good. I don't read much manga but what I do read is mostly from Dark Horse.
|
Back to top |
|
|
ABCBTom
Joined: 10 Sep 2009
Posts: 183
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:44 pm
|
|
|
What? So many people reading Eden? Where have you people been hiding? I thought I was the only one.
Come out of the closet, Eden fans. I hear people talking up series all of the time, but never Eden. Series that are well-kept secrets do not get finished. Spread the love!
|
Back to top |
|
|
Patachu
Past ANN Contributor
Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 1325
Location: San Diego
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 10:47 pm
|
|
|
I think the important thing to take from this is that the "grown-up manga" publishers are succeeding, while the ones that invested heavily in the teen market are getting hosed.
Predictions:
Non-manga pubs like Fantagraphics and D&Q continue to dig up the works of "old masters" and release them as overpriced volumes that snooty collectors will gladly pay for.
Viz's Signature and IKKI lines continue to strengthen, becoming second in importance only to Shonen Jump.
Tokyopop continues to survive as a company for Ihavenofreakingcluehow but I guess some people will pay for anything with the words "Warcraft" on it.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Anton Chigurh
Joined: 03 Dec 2007
Posts: 257
Location: Guam
|
Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:03 pm
|
|
|
Patachu wrote: | I think the important thing to take from this is that the "grown-up manga" publishers are succeeding, while the ones that invested heavily in the teen market are getting hosed.
Predictions:
Non-manga pubs like Fantagraphics and D&Q continue to dig up the works of "old masters" and release them as overpriced volumes that snooty collectors will gladly pay for.
Viz's Signature and IKKI lines continue to strengthen, becoming second in importance only to Shonen Jump.
Tokyopop continues to survive as a company for Ihavenofreakingcluehow but I guess some people will pay for anything with the words "Warcraft" on it. |
Hah. It's no secret Naruto, One Piece and the likes are the series moving the big numbers, but to hear/read that the titles immediately below them in terms of sales are seinen titles gets me all giddy. I would've believed series by Naoki Urasawa (to mention only one author) weren't selling even one fifth of what the big names were. I do wonder - and it's fine if this information cannot be made public at all - how well they actually do. Hopefully well enough.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Pirkaf
Joined: 14 Feb 2008
Posts: 156
|
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:50 am
|
|
|
While loosers blame scanlations for their sales decrease, companies who actually care about their manga (quality paper, quality translation etc.) increase their sales. Good job!
|
Back to top |
|
|
GATSU
Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15314
|
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:05 am
|
|
|
Patachu: That's not entirely accurate. DH lost money on Satsuma Gishiden, and only seems to be breaking even on Eden at best, while Vertical hasn't really done well with the Keiko Takemiya stuff. And the teen demo is probably still the biggest chunk of the market, given the continued success of Naruto. What the publishers bet wrong on in general was flooding the market with copy-cats and wannabes without working on brand recognition. But I think the holdover manga fans who got into the boom when they were younger are willing to expand beyond the shonen and shojo stuff, and their WOM is boosting sales to titles which would otherwise be more niche. As for the older stuff being over-priced, with Amazon discounts, and higher-than-average page counts, those are actually pretty good deals. Try buying all of the U.S. One Piece out right now. Now that's friggin' expensive. And Tokyopop's surviving off of Fruits Basket. As long as they don't bet on too many new titles at once, again, they might be able to re-expand their market share one day.
Anton: I doubt Urasawa does well, or Animeigo would have a reason to finish Yawara. But 20CB, Pluto and the Monster anime are probably helping to gradually build interest in his other stuff.
|
Back to top |
|
|
Tamaria
Joined: 21 Oct 2007
Posts: 1512
Location: De Achterhoek
|
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:59 am
|
|
|
Anton Chigurh wrote: |
The Mad Manga Massacre wrote: | Hopefully this means Dark Horse will finish up/continue some of the series they left on hiatus (MPD Psycho, Shadow Star (preferably an unedited version), Eden) |
Not. Happening. And I'd snap it up on the first day if it ever came out, but I don't see the market being kind to such a dark - almost mindlessly so - series. We'll have to make do with Viz Signature's Bokurano release for the time being, one-book-every-six-months schedule and all. |
I wish Americans weren't so... American. The series is available in many different languages, so why not English?
Maybe I should just buy that new French edition from Glenat... I haven't read any French books/comics in ages, but judging from the summaries, my French hasn't gotten very rusty...
Quote: | What? So many people reading Eden? Where have you people been hiding? |
The manga subforum? :)
|
Back to top |
|
|
|