Manga in America : Transnational Book Publishing and the Domestication of Japanese Comics

Japanese manga comic books have attracted a devoted global following. In the popular press manga is said to have "invaded" and "conquered" the United States, and its success is held up as a quintessential example of the globalization of popular culture challenging American hegemony in the twenty-first century. In Manga in America - the first ever book-length study of the history, structure, and practices of the American manga publishing industry - Casey Brienza explodes this assumption. Drawing on extensive field research and interviews with industry insiders about licensing deals, processes of translation, adaptation, and marketing, new digital publishing and distribution models, and more, Brienza shows that the transnational production of culture is an active, labor-intensive, and oft-contested process of "domestication." Ultimately, Manga in America argues that the domestication of manga reinforces the very same imbalances of national power that might otherwise seem to have been transformed by it and that the success of Japanese manga in the United States actually serves to make manga everywhere more American. In Manga In America - The First Ever Book-length Study Of The History, Structure, And Practices Of The American Manga Publishing Industry - Casey Brienza Explodes This Assumption. Drawing On Extensive Field Research And Interviews With Industry Insiders About Licensing Deals, Processes Of Translation, Adaptation, And Marketing, New Digital Publishing And Distribution Models, And More, Brienza Shows That The Transnational Production Of Culture Is An Active, Labor-intensive And Oft-contested Process Of 'domestication.' Ultimately, Manga In America Argues That The Domestication Of Manga Reinforces The Very Same Imbalances Of National Power That Might Otherwise Seem To Have Been Transformed By It And That The Success Of Japanese Manga In The United States Actually Serves To Make Manga Everywhere More American. -- Back Of Book. Machine Generated Contents Note: 1.introduction -- 2.theorizing Domestication: Manga And The Transnational Production Of Culture -- 3.book Trade: The History And Structure Of American Manga Publishing -- 4.a License To Produce: Founding Companies, Negotiating Rights -- 5.working From Home: Translators, Editors, Letterers, And Other Invisibles -- 6.off The Page: New Manga Publishing Models For A Digital Future -- 7.conclusion: Making Manga American. Casey Brienza. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 197-206) And Index. "Japanese comic books have attracted a devoted global following. These books, called manga, are even said to have "invaded" and "conquered" the United States, and they are held up as a quintessential example of the globalization of popular culture and multidirectional cultural flows which challenge American hegemony in the twenty-first century. This book explodes this assumption in the first ever book-length study of the history, structure, and practices of the American manga publishing industry. Drawing on extensive field research and interviews with industry insiders about licensing deals; processes of translation, adaptation, and marketing; new digital publishing and distribution models; and more, this book shows that the transnational production of culture is an active, labor-intensive, and oft-contested process which has been termed "domestication." Ultimately, this book argues, domesticating manga rearticulates the very same imbalances of national power that might otherwise seem to have been transformed by it. This leads to the paradoxical--and controversial--conclusion that Japanese manga in the United States actually serves to make manga everywhere more American."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Cover Contents List of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments 1 Introduction 2 Theorizing Domestication: Manga and the Transnational Production of Culture 3 Book Trade: The History and Structure of American Manga Publishing 4 A License to Produce: Founding Companies, Negotiating Rights 5 Working from Home: Translators, Editors, Letterers, and Other Invisibles 6 Off the Page: New Manga Publishing Models for a Digital Future 7 Conclusion: Making Manga American Appendix: House Calls: Notes on Research Methodology Glossary References Index