Marvel turns manga

A scene from the trailer of Marvel’s Secret Reverse comic series launch. Pics/Youtube

The success of Marvel's Shang-Chi and The Eternals was a sign of the comic book giant turning towards the East. With BTS headlining the Grammys, it was about time Iron Man and Spider-Man enjoyed a change of scenery. The new Marvel series featuring the duo, Secret Reverse, will be written by Kazuki Takahashi, creator of the manga, Yu Gi Oh. While the American concept of comics relies on themes and verbose dialogues built on storylines, manga is an ancient art that revolves around visual direction of action.

Fans and illustrators share their take on this new collaboration.

Better fan experience

Gaurav Wakankar, 25, 2D animator and director
The young demographic of Marvel comics has grown up to access pop culture, the Internet and globalisation. But as the generation also matures, its interests also change. Manga and Japanese culture never shied away from violence or complex ideas. Marvel is now exploring this because they realise their readers like the manga form. By taking the right elements from that culture, they will be able to tap into a larger audience as well. I do not think fans find it contrasting. The makers are trying to bring in the stylistic graphic elements of the manga comics with the panelling and storylines of traditional American comics. It will only enhance the experience for fans.

Best of both worlds

Devesh Chhabria, 36, founder, Superhero Toy Store
I am more of a DC fan, but have read quite a bit of manga. Traditionally, hardcore Marvel fans do get annoyed with it. Sometimes, the cliques are strong. But when such crossovers occur, they tend to leverage the best of both worlds. The true comic fan will light up at the prospect. DC had tried it before in 2018 with Batman: Ninja and it is the perfect example, since it opens your eyes to art from the other side. From a business sense, the point is to widen the audience. Boundaries are no longer crystal clear with the world going digital. Manga and its perceptions have also changed significantly. It now has a global audience.

A scene from the trailer featuring Iron Man

Balance is key

Virat Vilas Pawar, 26, advocate, sci-fi novelist, superhero comic book writer
Although these two are different styles of art, we are getting the best of both worlds. It also comes down to audience tastes. Indians don't prefer manga because they grow up unexposed to it. From a macro perspective, we grew up watching Cartoon Network with Batman, Superman and others. But anime did not have as much space on these networks. Those who loved anime and manga stuck to it, and the community has grown. One-Piece and Naruto are the biggest examples driving audiences towards the genre. The collaboration can be a good thing if executed well. There has to be a balance between styles from both ends.