The
American giant has spoken and the conclusion is clear. The president of DC
Comics admits the advantage of manga over Western comics in a
revealing interview published on Monday by Nikkei XTrend. Jim
Lee, chief creative officer of the legendary Batman and Superman publishing
house, reflected on why Japanese stories resonate more with global audiences
today.
Why does
DC Comics support the manga advantage? Jim Lee breaks the silence
Lee doesn't
see this as a rivalry, but as an urgent lesson. According to the executive, the
Japanese industry has a key structural advantage: diversity. While
American comics are still trapped in an infinite loop of superheroes, manga is
treated as "mainstream literature" that ranges from cooking to
football.
"Manga
has an advantage over American comics, which are mostly about superheroes... In
Japan there is a much wider range of genres. That gives me a goal to aspire
to," Lee confessed.
Searching
for the secret ingredient
Beyond the
art style, Lee points out that the West lacks a certain
"sensitivity." With massive hits like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw
Man breaking records in the U.S., DC knows it must evolve or fall
behind Japan's plan to expand its market to $130 billion by 2033.
