Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan
LC Class | PN6790.J33 K8913 2008 |
Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan is a 2008 book published by Pantheon Books, subsidiary of Random House, in the United States. The book was designed by Chip Kidd, the content was sourced from Saul Ferris’ extensive collection of Japanese Batman manga, toys and ephemera, which was photographed by frequent collaborator Geoff Spear. It collects a Japanese shōnen manga adaptation of the American comic book series Batman by Jiro Kuwata simply entitled Batman (バットマン, Battoman) and also includes photographs of vintage Batman toys from Japan. The Batman manga included in Bat-Manga! was created during a Batman craze in Japan, being serialized from April 1966 to May 1967; the series ended when the craze ended. The manga was released in paperback and at the same time a limited hardcover was released on October 28, 2008, with an additional manhua bootleg and an extra Batman story by the creator. On October 28, 2013, the entire 53 chapter run of the series was released in Japan as a three volume-box set.[1]
In July 2014, DC Comics started to release the entire Japanese Batman manga in English through ComiXology as a Digital First series The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga, with a new chapter going online each week. The digital run will be followed by a complete three-volume release in both print and digital form some time during or after the run.[2]
Background
In 1966, the
Chip Kidd met Batman collector Saul Ferris through eBay when Kidd was bidding on what he thought was a rare, mint Japanese Batmobile toy. Ferris emailed Kidd that Batman's original tin head had been extracted from the Batmobile and replaced with a cheap imitation, rendering the toy virtually worthless. Shortly afterward, Chip Kidd and Saul Ferris became friends. Ferris has an extensive collection of non-U.S. Batman comics, including Japanese comics. Once Kidd saw the extensive amount of Batman Japanese manga and toys in Ferris' collection, Kidd put together a book proposal to DC Comics. Paul Levitz, then head of DC Comics, who is likely the most knowledgeable person in the world regarding DC publications, was not aware the Japanese published a series of unique Batman stories in 1966 and 1967. The Bat-Manga! project was given the green light with Mr. Levitz' blessing.[8][9] The Batman manga was released in English in the book Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan. Chip Kidd designed the book while Geoff Spear photographed Saul Ferris' collection of toys and Batman manga stories. Anne Ishii and Chip Kidd translated the Japanese into English. DC Comics' archives contained none of the manga stories and unfortunately, Ferris' collection had holes in the run so not all the stories could be published in their entirety.[10]
Media
Bat-Manga! was released in English, trade paperback on October 28, 2008 (
Reception
Bat-Manga! got generally positive reviews from critics.
Meltdown Comics, a comic book store which promoted the book itself, gave Bat-Manga! a positive review.
It has also been raised as an issue that Chip Kidd got all the credit for Bat-Manga! instead of Jiro Kuwata. Chip Kidd responded to these claims,[22] "First, Bat-Manga is not just about the work of Mr. Kuwata, although that of course makes up the bulk of the book. Rather, it is about chronicling the phenomenon, however short-lived, of Batman in Japan in 1966"[23] Nisha Gopalan of Los Angeles Times, considered this debatable, "it should also be noted that "Bat-Manga!" feels like a radical packaging of Kuwata's work and that the creator is interviewed and given multiple credits within its pages"[24]
In other media
The first issue of
A story inspired by the Batman manga appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Bat-Mite Presents: Batman's Strangest Cases!", with Chip Kidd and Saul Ferris working alongside the show's creators to produce the segment. Ferris provided digital images from his Batman toy collection which were incorporated in Bat-mite's introductory segments (voiced by Paul Reubens of Pee-wee Herman fame). During the episode, Batman and Robin fight against Lord Death Man, a foe present in the comic.[26]
Notes
References
- ^ "Batman Manga by 8-Man's Kuwata Gets 1st Japanese Book Printing". Anime News Network. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
- ^ "Entire Batman Manga by 8 Man's Jiro Kuwata Gets English Release". animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ^ a b c "Bat-Manga!". Pantheon Books. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Bat-Manga!". The New Yorker. The New Yorker. 2008-11-03. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 2011-01-05. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
- OCLC 294859113.
- ^ Rick Kleffel (January 26, 2009). "'Bat-Manga!' Reveals the Caped Crusader in Japan". Audience Services (Podcast). National Public Radio. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- ^ Kleffel, Rick (January 26, 2009). "'Bat-Manga!' Reveals The Caped Crusader In Japan" (PHP). Washington, DC: National Public Radio: Audience Services. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
- ^ "Bat Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan". ICv2. 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Bat-Manga! (Limited Hardcover Edition)". Pantheon Books. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ Kidd, Chip (August 25, 2008). "Signing My Life Away". Good Is Dead. Archived from the original (PHP) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^ "Bat-Manga Production Team at Brooklyn Comic Shop". Anime News Network. 2008-12-15. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- ^ Kidd, Chip (December 3, 2008). "Rocketship!" (PHP). Good Is Dead. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 2009-06-25. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- About.com. Archived from the originalon 7 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Anthony, Ted (2008-12-10). "Batman and Japan: In a new book, perfect together". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 2008-12-11.
- ^ Santoro, Frank (2008-10-27). "Bat-Manga: Go Go Go!". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
- ^ Blind, Matt (2008-10-27). "2008: Top 300 Series of 2008". ComiPress. Archived from the original on 11 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
- ^ "Bat-Manga Editor Chip Kidd to Appear in LA, SF, NYC". Anime News Network. 2008-11-11. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "Chip Kidd responds to 'Bat-Manga' criticisms". Newsarama.com. 2008-11-07. Archived from the original on 8 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Gopalan, Nisha (2008-11-09). "'Bat-Manga' is an exhilarating pop-culture expedition". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ Batman Inc. #1
- ^ "Learn how Superman, Wonder Woman and Scooby Doo will appear on Batman: The Brave and the Bold!". Io9.com. 2010-09-16. Archived from the original on 2015-10-11. Retrieved 2011-01-04.