Why Manga Is Outperforming American Superhero Comics

The comic book world is shifting, and the numbers are impossible to ignore. Manga has rapidly grown from a niche interest outside Japan to a dominant force in the global comic industry. To put it plainly, manga is now outselling mainstream American superhero comics by a significant margin. This shift raises plenty of questions about how and why manga achieved such success, and what it means for the future of American comics. Let's unpack this story.

Manga's Explosive Growth in the 2020s

In 2021, the comic book industry hit a milestone with sales surpassing $2 billion, a sharp 62% increase from the previous year’s total of $1.28 billion. That number alone sounds impressive, but it’s manga that truly fuelled this surge. Manga accounted for a staggering 70% of that total market share. Even though the overall comic market slightly declined after 2021 to about $1.87 billion in 2023, manga maintained a strong grip, representing nearly half of all comic book sales (43%).

For some context:

• Manga took 70% market share in 2021 and still held 43% in 2023.
• Mainstream American superhero comics hovered around just 15% of total sales.
• At Dark Horse Comics, manga titles made up only 1% of their output but accounted for 66% of sales, revealing manga's outsized commercial impact.
• One Piece, a manga series not yet 30 years old, is on track to surpass Superman as one of the most successful comics ever — a remarkable feat considering Superman has been around for more than eight decades.

These numbers show a clear dominance of manga in comic sales worldwide, raising the question: what factors powered this impressive rise?

The Role of Film and Television in Shaping Comic Popularity

Superhero Movies’ Rise and Fall

The 2010s were unquestionably a golden era for superhero films, especially those from Marvel. Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing film of all time, earning almost $2.8 billion globally. This decade saw superhero movies sit on top of pop culture, driving incredible interest in American superhero comics. Titles like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Deadpool enjoyed both critical and commercial success.

However, this momentum has waned. Marvel’s 2023 release The Marvels set a record as the lowest-grossing film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s history. Meanwhile, Captain America: Brave New World received mixed reviews and experienced a steep drop in ticket sales just weeks after opening.

As superhero films grow saturated and audiences start turning away, other types of films have gained attention. Movies like Oppenheimer and surprisingly, video game adaptations have carved out solid box office returns in a crowded market.

Anime’s Synergy with Manga

While superhero movies have plateaued, anime has been rising steadily. Unlike superhero films, which often don't translate to increased comic book sales, anime directly supports manga sales. If a viewer loves the anime adaptation—say One Piece—they’re more likely to pick up the manga to keep following the story after the anime catches up. This creates a smooth, mutually supportive cycle between manga and anime.

Superhero movies tend to be more self-contained and don’t encourage viewers to dive back into the comics as much. The absence of this direct feedback loop between film and print comics partly explains manga’s increasing sales in contrast to American superhero comics.

Why Manga Is Easier to Get Into Than Superhero Comics

Manga is known for having a straightforward starting point. For example, if someone wants to start reading One Piece, the obvious answer is to begin with volume one. This clear entry point makes jumping into manga far more accessible.

In contrast, starting with superhero comics is often overwhelming. These comics come with countless series, spin-offs, and alternate storylines, with no single definitive start. Take Spider-Man as an example: fans might get dozens of different recommendations, each pointing to different starting points. This complexity can discourage new readers.

Consider an example from personal experience: when trying to get into the IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, the heavy referencing of events from other spin-offs proved off-putting. Each new subplot would mention events outside the main series, forcing readers to chase down multiple comics just to understand what was happening. This lack of a simple, self-contained story made it hard to stay engaged.

Massive crossover events like Marvel’s 2015 Secret Wars showcase another barrier. The event spanned nearly 50 different tie-ins and drew upon past storylines, creating a tangled web that only long-time fans could truly follow. New readers often feel alienated by this complexity, which serves to keep the audience niche rather than grow it.

What makes manga stand out is its clean, intuitive reading order and self-contained stories. This simplicity is appealing in a market flooded by complex, interwoven comic universes.

Stagnation and Homogenisation in American Superhero Comics

American superhero comics often rely heavily on established characters, stories, and company mandates. This has created a sense of stagnation, where storylines get recycled and characters return from death regularly. While shake-ups happen, comics tend to return to a familiar status quo because the characters are valuable company assets.

Executives frequently influence these decisions. For example, Disney’s lack of movie rights to the X-Men led to the franchise being downplayed in comics to reduce its value temporarily.

This kind of executive meddling limits creativity and variety in superhero comics. Instead of fresh, diverse stories, readers get many variations on the same characters and long-running arcs that can alienate new audiences.

The Creative Freedom and Diversity of Manga

Manga usually reflects the vision of a single author, which gives it a unique clarity and consistent style. Unlike American comics, where multiple writers and artists often work on overlapping series, manga’s single-creator approach results in stories with clear beginnings, middles, and ends.

Manga spans a huge range of genres appealing to many tastes and demographics, including:

• Romance
• Fantasy
• Slice of life
• Horror
• Sports
• Historical drama

This diversity means manga appeals to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or background. American comics traditionally cater mostly to male readers and heavily lean on superhero genres. In contrast, manga offers something for almost every interest.

Manga’s inclusivity and broad appeal add to its market strength. Whether someone enjoys Call of the Night Volume 16 or How Do We Relationship? Volume 1, they can find stories that resonate personally. This wide-ranging selection makes manga feel more welcoming than the homogenised superhero comic market.

What This Means for the Future of American Comics

This doesn’t mean American superhero comics are dying. They remain solid players, but their dominance is no longer assured. Instead, manga’s rise indicates a shift in reader interest and market dynamics.

Potential future trends for American comics might include:

• More standalone stories focusing on fresh ideas and individual authors.
• Less reliance on decades-old characters and convoluted universes.
• Greater variety in genre and storytelling styles.
• An increase in smaller publishers or indie creators telling focused, single-vision stories.

Marvel and DC will likely stick with superheroes because that’s where their brand strength lies. However, to keep attracting new readers, they might need to rethink how accessible and varied their comics can be.

Ultimately, readers want engaging stories that are easy to follow, have a clear beginning and end, and are relatable. Manga’s ability to satisfy these needs makes it the go-to choice for many new readers, and its popularity is likely to keep growing.

Conclusion

Manga has become the dominant force in comics thanks to its clear storytelling, the seamless connection with anime, and its vast of genres appealing to a broader audience. Meanwhile, American superhero comics face challenges around accessibility, a complex crossover landscape, and creative restrictions imposed by big companies.

This shift isn’t the end for superhero comics but a call for evolution within the industry. New approaches that focus on fresh stories and simpler entry points could help American comics regain some ground.

For those curious to explore manga’s diversity, titles like Oshi no Ko Volume 7 or Call of the Night Volume 16 showcase the depth and appeal manga offers.

The comic industry is changing, and manga is leading that change by offering readers stories that are compelling, accessible, and diverse. Whatever your preference, there’s never been a better time to enjoy the best of both worlds.