New X-Men and Wolverine manga coming

[Ramiel]

Oh, I managed to stop myself from making a joke of the title.

http://manga.about.com/b/2007/12/09/del-rey-marvel-reveal-new-shojo-shonen-x-men-projects.htm

Here's some tidbits from the article.

"It's the X-Men as you've never seen them before, with the storyline fashioned as a private school shojo comedy. As the only girl in the all-boys School for Gifted Youngsters, Kitty Pryde, a mutant with phasing abilities, is torn between the popular Hellfire Club, led by flame-throwing mutant Pyro, and the school misfits, whom she eventually bands together as the X-Men."

"Panel attendees were treated to preliminary character sketches by Anzu of Jean Grey, Magneto, Mystique and a very bishonen Wolverine.

While the X-Men project is aimed at a teen female audience, the Wolverine books will be squarely aimed at male shonen manga readers. With an artist yet to be named, this project isn't quite as far along, but when more is announced it's sure to get the fanboy blogosphere buzzing."

Ok, all I can say to all this is, one I really don't like the way those sound but I'll keep an open mind. Secondly, if these are half as bad as Marvel Mangaverse, I'll cry.

That's all for now I guess, discuss, discuss

[The Xenos]

Well, can't be any worse than Ultimate X-men under that crazy goat licking Millar. I just hope Colossus isn't gay like in Ultimate. Bring in Northstar and other gay mutants, they'd be stupid not to, but please leave in the Kitty and Colossus relationship. Fans older than I am loved that relationship. Hell, look as Joss Whedon. I was so pissed when they took that away from Ultimate X-men.

I also wonder the publishing format. With Del Ray, I'm guessing the graphic novel format. I still refuse to say manga, because in Japan you have the magazines and they're still first released in periodical. Never mind there's no Japanese artists involved in this. (What's the word for comics in Indonesia?)

Still, this is a good sign. A friend commented that X-men was often a high school drama and a soap opera anyway. Just you had superpowers. The trouble is, it's often been that way. Plus Marvel has had books like that, teen drama. it's just that manga fans turn their nose up at anything Marvel and DC. (Just like some US comic fans stupidly did and still do to manga.) Marvel's banging their head against the wall trying to figure how to break the ice. Hopefully this will help.

Then there's "a collaborative series centered on the self-healing fan-favorite X-Men character Wolverine; details were sparse. Anthony Johnston will handle writing duties, and no artist for the title was announced."

If you can tell from my avatar there, I'm surely hoping it's another Tsutomu Nihei Wolverine comic. Though maybe Terada? Asamiya? I know Marvel's worked with them before.

[Ramiel]

True, I guess this isn't technically manga by defination, but, meh they'll call it manga so what can you do. *shrug* Overall, I'll try to stay open to it, but with the crapfest that was Mangaverse, looks grim to me.

[Lobsterdom]

More news:
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=139064
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=139197

The art is making me crack up.

The deal, which will see two volumes of each produced in a traditional manga digest size, began when Marvel and Del Rey were in negotiations to publish the Iron Man movie adaptation, and grew to the final product. The black and white digests will be printed left-to-right, in a Western style format, and publication will begin in spring of 2009.

Del Rey’s Dallas Middaugh stressed that the titles will be looking to reach out to manga readers – clearly a different readership than the traditional X-Men fan, as such, the styles of the two series will be shojo (aimed at girls) and shonen (aimed at boys), respectively.

The two titles will not exist within the same universe as each other or the regular (“616”) Marvel Universe. They will have elements that will be familiar to regular Marvel readers, but with very different takes on them - the phrase "radical new direction" was used to describe the manga takes.

Hmmmm...I'm not at all against "manga style" used as a visual commercial aspect. Its the most effective, quickest way to catch the readers' eye. But the success of a new project definitely comes down to the insides...story, drama, character development, etcetc. IMO. And THAT, is the major difference in American comics and manga(which is what makes me enjoy them more). From what I've been seeing, they haven't recognized this yet. Or just seem to think unimportant?

[Rabid Trekkie]

Damn, they're doing the same to this that they did with the Star Trek manga. Don't get me wrong, it could be good, but when I had first heard of an X-men and Wolverine manga I was hoping that they got Japanese manga writers takes on them. I mean it could still turn out good, the Trek manga are pretty good, but I was hoping for something more like Batman: Child of Dreams. I'd like an outsiders take on the characters, but instead all they keep doing is just changing the style of the art.

[Armless Penguin]

Well, can't be any worse than Ultimate X-men under that crazy goat licking Millar. I just hope Colossus isn't gay like in Ultimate. Bring in Northstar and other gay mutants, they'd be stupid not to, but please leave in the Kitty and Colossus relationship. Fans older than I am loved that relationship. Hell, look as Joss Whedon. I was so pissed when they took that away from Ultimate X-men.


Really off-topic here, but anyway: I just found this kind of ridiculous. If someone wants to read about Kitty/Peter then they can read Astonishing or any of the other numerous 616 pieces about them. The whole point of the Ultimate Universe was that it was reinventing the mythos of its series (which unfortunately is something that's beginning to be forgotten), and it would have been pointless had they kept every relationship and every character exactly as they are in 616. I can understand the frustration, however, but being "pissed" at the changes seems a little bit much to me, especially since they were the entire basis of the new line.

As far as this new project goes, I suppose I'll reserve judgement, though the artwork released in the Newsarama interview does absolutely nothing for me.

[Nyssane]

Well, can't be any worse than Ultimate X-men under that crazy goat licking Millar. I just hope Colossus isn't gay like in Ultimate. Bring in Northstar and other gay mutants, they'd be stupid not to, but please leave in the Kitty and Colossus relationship.

It's shojo. All the males will be gay.

[Ramiel]

It's shojo. All the males will be gay.

Shojo just means it'll be aimed more at a female audience, it doesn't mean all the males will gay, just to expect a lot of romance.

[Len Ikari145]

Shojo just means it'll be aimed more at a female audience, it doesn't mean all the males will gay, just to expect a lot of romance.

I think he's mistaken Shojo with Shounen-ai.

[jesse_custer]

Dear God, the art is horrible.

[The Xenos]

But everyone is so kawaii and bishie! Kawaaaaaaaaiieeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I love mangerr art style.

Eh, I almost tossed in a sugoi, but I don't think most manga fans know real Japanese, just a few overrated and often misused words.

[Chrosis]

Isn't Wolverine supposed to be... you know, strong and physically imposing? :p

[Nyssane]

Shojo just means it'll be aimed more at a female audience, it doesn't mean all the males will gay, just to expect a lot of romance.

I know what shojo is, and the majority of shojo manga I've read has extreme homoerotic tendencies. Girls love when boys flirt with each other playfully.

[Ramiel]

I know what shojo is, and the majority of shojo manga I've read has extreme homoerotic tendencies. Girls love when boys flirt with each other playfully.

Point still stands. Plus, keep in mind, this is still being done by American artists just in manga-ish styles. I doubt we'll be seeing any homoerotic tendencies between males.

[Lobsterdom]

I'd like an outsiders take on the characters, but instead all they keep doing is just changing the style of the art.

Exactly.:)

[Adam C]

Dear God, the art is horrible.

Quite, though bishie Wolverine is enough to damn the project to the level of creative hell reserved for the non Alan Moore output of Extreme Studios and The Da Vinci Code. And I barely even care about adhering to source material most of the time.

[The Xenos]

Anyone else find it disturbing that Marvel has to trick American fans into reading American books? They have to slap the manga stamp on it just to get people interested in it? They have to have an Indoneasian artist call themselves by a Japanese name? This is what comic book publishing in America has come to? In order to sell you have to pretend to be Japanese?

[Ramiel]

Anyone else find it disturbing that Marvel has to trick American fans into reading American books? They have to slap the manga stamp on it just to get people interested in it? They have to have an Indoneasian artist call themselves by a Japanese name? This is what comic book publishing in America has come to? In order to sell you have to pretend to be Japanese?

Nah, there just crashing on the current craze really. If anything, this will probably turn off the American comic book fans except for the die-hard fans who just HAVE to have everything X-Men or Wolverine.

[Joe Franklin]

:D That is the most stickboyish Wolverine ever drawn.

[Lobsterdom]

Anyone else find it disturbing that Marvel has to trick American fans into reading American books? They have to slap the manga stamp on it just to get people interested in it? They have to have an Indoneasian artist call themselves by a Japanese name? This is what comic book publishing in America has come to? In order to sell you have to pretend to be Japanese?

I feel that in the overseas, "manga" is becoming condsidered more of a definition of artistic style then Japanese comics. Has Gurihiru's work ever been mentioned as manga? Never heard of it. But it is a bit depressing that the franchise is suffering at a rate which causes them to become really desperate in catching more readers.....off topic!:o

[Ramiel]

I feel that in the overseas, "manga" is becoming condsidered more of a definition of artistic style then Japanese comics. Has Gurihiru's work ever been mentioned as manga? Never heard of it. But it is a bit depressing that the franchise is suffering at a rate which causes them to become really desperate in catching more readers.....off topic!:o

Nah, there just crashing on the current craze really. If anything, this will probably turn off the American comic book fans except for the die-hard fans who just HAVE to have everything X-Men or Wolverine.

Seriously, I highly doubt this is a case of desperation, just craze cashing in. They've done it before. I mean it may potentially bring in a few new readers but if anything the American comic fans will probably look right past this except the die-hards. I mean Mangaverse didn't and this basically looks like a repeat of that.

Hell, in fact, the manga readers will probably lift their noses at this because it's about those silly superheroes.

[Lobsterdom]

Yeah, but Wolverine is in BOTH OF THEM.
Wolverine sells.:D

[Ramiel]

Yeah, but Wolverine is in BOTH OF THEM.
Wolverine sells.:D

Not if he looks like that;)

[Lobsterdom]

The Wolverine one is still a wait-see and the Shojo's aimed for manga fangirls right?
Can't really say that this also would apply to the overseas but I'm pretty sure that the majority of X-Men fangirls over here in Japan(who are mostly Wolverine fans...how shocking) will buy two copies. Looks just like how they draw him...gaaah.

[Ramiel]

The Wolverine one is still a wait-see and the Shojo's aimed for manga fangirls right?
Can't really say that this also would apply to the overseas but I'm pretty sure that the majority of X-Men fangirls over here in Japan(who are mostly Wolverine fans...how shocking) will buy two copies. Looks just like how they draw him...gaaah.

Is there a large female audience in Japan for X-Men or American Comic characters or are you saying that the just the sole fact it's suppose to be the usual Shojo stuff will draw them to it?