Publishers Weekly reports that DC Comics has expanded its involvement in manga with an investment in fledgling Japanese publisher Flex Comix, which will create manga for print, the Internet and mobile phones.
DC’s investment will be managed by DC Comics Japan, which was established earlier this year (though I don’t recall seeing anything about it). DC currently publishes licensed manga through its CMX imprint, which it established in 2004.
According to the PW article, Flex’s original manga will be serialized online, then collected in print.
John Nee, DC’s vice president of business development, will sit on the board of Flex Comix. Other investors include Softbank Technology, Archetype Technologies and Movida Entertainment.
(Pictured is The King of Debris, Vol. 1, which Flex Comix is scheduled to release later this year.)
Update: DC’s official press release on the Flex deal
interesting. DC is trying to gain a foot in the door in Japan which, if they succeed, would give them a huge boost in sales.
Comment by c. towns — June 16, 2007 @ 1:33 am
No, not gonna happen.
American comics just aren’t that popular here.
DC would have to throw their whole body in the door, and even then they’d likely have it slammed on them. There are few translations and they are hard as heck to come by. The only American books I have seen in Japanese are some ancient Spawn compilations and the 1st 10 or so Ultimate Spidey tpb’s.
This is most likely DC seeing a chance to beat the other US publishers to the punch for some good new material to release in the states. If they think the new company has the right stuff why not back it up?
Comment by Hebime — June 16, 2007 @ 10:44 am
Um…I don’t think the point was that DC was trying to re-release their superhero material in Japan. They’re trying to have a business hand in the creation of homegrown manga over there that will eventually be released in the US translated.
Comment by Kiel Phegley — June 16, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
Excellent. I hope they succeed.
Comment by Kolimar — June 16, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
I hope this works because it will be a boost to CMX and Flex’s creators. The whole online distributor thing worries me though, how are they going to impede piracy if half the work of digitalizing is already done?
Comment by og_vg_warrior — June 17, 2007 @ 10:52 am
smart move. keeping with the times is iportant. good for John Nee.
JIMMY
Comment by jimmy palmiotti — June 18, 2007 @ 6:29 am