Ilex Press are to publish The Manga Bible by Helen McCarthy next March, charting the history of Japanese comics.
Ilex have published several manga titles in recent years, including A Brief History of Manga by Helen, back in 2014, but this new book is described as the definitive guide to manga, taking you from its earliest beginnings in 12th-century Japan right through to the 21st-century global phenomenon it has become.
“Whether you’re already a manga superfan or new to this magical world, this is the ultimate guide to the art form,” says the publishers. “Expert manga historian Helen McCarthy covers all the iconic genres, stories and artists, as well as introducing you to a host of lesser-known creators and characters, telling the fascinating story of this international sensation.”
The Manga Bible explores the key genres, types and styles of manga from romance to sci-fi to horror and beyond; and evaluates the cultural contexts and transformation of manga in relation to war, politics, gender and technology.
The 320-page book also features over 70 profiles on manga creators, including ‘God of Manga’ Osama Tezuka, Akira Toriyama and Hayao Miyazaki.
Helen McCarthy is one of the west’s most distinguished manga experts, who has been researching anime, manga and fun Japanese stuff since 1981, her first book published in 1992.
Her top notch books include The Anime Encyclopedia, co-written with Jonathan Clements, and, more recently, Leiji Matsumoto: Essays on the Manga and Anime Legend.
The Harvey-award-winning biographer of Osamu Tezuka, she is regularly interviewed in the mass media about manga, curated a Tezuka exhibition at London’s Barbican Centre, and the ultimate compliment has seen her work translated back into Japanese.
• Follow Helen McCarthy on BlueSky
With thanks to Paul Gravett for the news tip
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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