Manga vs. Comics
By Irena Djourelova
Comics and manga both fall into the comic book category, yet they are so different. The first thing that pops into our mind
when comparing the two, is the country of origin. However, it’s not a battle between the West and Japan. The thematic,
stylistic, and production differences have their final say. In this line of thinking, could we claim that one is better than the
other? First, let’s have a look at the pros and cons for both genres.
Manga
Western Comics
Cons
Pros
Cons
+ An easily accessible story with
a clear beginning and end within
one book, which is preferred by
first time readers..
- The art often seems vague
compared to the one in comic
books and its has strict stylistic conventions..
+ The story is faster paced and
is clear to follow thanks to the
straight forward paneling.
- You never get the whole story within one comic book, there are years
of publishing to follow.
+ Story diversity – manga’s are
made for a broad audience,
there is a story for everyone out
there.
- The completely black and
white art may be interesting,
but it’s also quite limiting..
Pros
+ Both the story and the art are
created by one artist, which
leads to consistency in style.
- The story advances at a
slower pace and the way of
paneling sometimes makes it
difficult to follow..
+ There are certain comical art
conventions but the artists tend
to experiment a lot.
+ The pop of color and the realistic details of the art.
- The target audience is quite
narrow and consists mostly
of men, which limits the story
variety
- The artists do not always
remain the same throughout
the years, which results in apparent stylistic changes within
a comic series
Both genres have their strengths and weaknesses. However, the big question remains: is manga better than western comics? Or
maybe vice versa? Personally, I’ll go for variety. Manga story wise, and western comics - art wise it is. However, the answer is
entirely subjective. So, grab your favorite type of comic book and enjoy!
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