What distinguishes Western comics from Japanese manga, and what happens when both traditions travel across borders, languages and publishing cultures?

 

This public conversation brings together two international publishing perspectives: Yuki Yamaguchi of HERO’S INC. in Japan, whose work focuses on manga rights, international licensing, localisation and transmedia, and Lucas Wetzel of Andrews McMeel Publishing in the United States, whose experience includes comics, graphic novels, comic collections, webcomics and international publishing.

 

The discussion will explore how comics are created, positioned, translated, licensed and circulated internationally. It will consider the similarities and differences between Western comics and manga, as well as the growing exchange between the two traditions.

 

Rather than presenting two separate country profiles, the event will create a dialogue between the speakers. Concrete examples from their professional experience will illustrate how comics move between formats, markets and audiences, from manga and graphic novels to international editions, anime adaptations and new hybrid forms.

 

The conversation will be moderated by Sophia Höpfner and Una-Louisa Enderle, followed by a short audience Q&A.

 

The event will open with short welcome remarks by Torsten Casimir, Prof. Yvonne Zimmermann and Juergen Boos, before the moderated conversation begins. The discussion will be moderated by Sophia Höpfner and Una-Louisa Enderle, followed by a short audience Q&A.

 

The event is part of a cooperation between Frankfurter Buchmesse and the Master’s Programme in International Literature and Book Markets at Goethe University Frankfurt and Philipps-Universität Marburg.

 

This event will be held entirely in English.