Where's my Fullmetal manga?

[Inkthinker]

Are we caught up with the series (or nearly so) in the English editions of Fullmetal Alchemist? I see that vol. 17 is coming out at the end of October, but it's been at least 3-4 months since 16 came out. I expect this sort of timing from something like Alita, where we're basically a tankobon behind the current Japanese releases, and so 1-2 volumes a year is what we get, but I didn't think we were that close to Fullmetal's current release.

Hell, even Naruto and One Piece are still well behind their current editions in Japan. Berserk's release rate moved up to something like one volume every 2-3 months, and we won't catch up to the Japanese editions until something like 2012.

Or is this just a sign of how badly manga is really doing, when quality titles like Fullmetal or Vagabond suddenly slow to a molasses crawl?

[The Xenos]

Actually, from what I remember Fullmetal Alchemist has been a top seller in the US. I guess the trouble is maybe timing it with the Japanese release. I don't know how far ahead they are. Meanwhile, One Piece and Naruto have an extra wait due to being published in the US Shonen Jump first. I really haven't been following releases in both countries too well. Hellsing is another one that seems to take forever to come out. And, yeah, Berserk seems to have kicked up its release and seems to be catching up. It's also one of their better sellers at Dark Horse.

[Althalus]

Volume 20 (http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/475752353X/) came out in August and the series seems to run at a steady pace of 3 volumes a year, so that wouldn't explain the 7 months between the english volumes 16 and 17. BTW: Amazon has volume 18 down for May 2009, which would be another 7 months.


~Althalus

[Inkthinker]

Even waiting for the release of the magazine, OP and Naruto manage to release a new collection every few months. The delay in FMA is just downright irritating, especially since they're nicely into the all-new, totally unique plot material.

If it's such a top seller (and I know that it is), then what the hell?

[The Xenos]

Is FMA in Japan in a weekly or monthly magazine? That could be part of it. I know Hellsing and Trigun is in the monthly Young King Ours and sometimes they're not in every issue. Berserk is in the montly Young Animal. That's not even including the artist taking breaks.

[Althalus]

FMA is running in a monthly magazine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangan_Comics#Monthly_Sh.C5.8Dnen_Gangan), but since the chapters are longer, it only takes 4-5 months (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fullmetal_Alchemist_chapters) to fill a volume, so it has been published in Japan at a steady pace of 3 volumes a year up to now (as I already mentioned above).


~Althalus

[Althalus]

Bump, since the forum hid my post again (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=222953).


~Althalus