The Marvel Mangaverse was an experiment boldly launched about 25 years ago to try to bring the hotness of manga to the Marvel characters –manga-styled version of the Marvel mainstays who got their very own universe to cavort in. Creators were USians who had manga-stylings. It only ran a few years but it has not been forgotten!
For here we are at the 25th anniversary of this initiative, and Marvel is once again firing up their Manga stylings with a week of one-shots to celebrate the long dormant universe.
Writers include father and son team Joe and Jack Kelly, Cody Ziglar, Ashley Allen, Alyssa Wong, and artists Kenny Ruiz, Kei Zama, Mirka Andolfo and Michael Yg. All with covers by Yuji Kaku.
Get set to revisit the world that introduced fans to manga-inspired versions of Marvel’s most famous super heroes and villains with a series of five one-shot comics releasing weekly throughout September in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Marvel Mangaverse.
In WEB OF BLOOD and WEB OF DESTINY, readers are re-introduced to the Mangaverse, in a story that’s positioned as if the comics line had been published continuously for over two and a half decades in both the real world and in-universe. The trio of Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Weapon X-Tremis (Laura Kinney), and Legion (Illyana Rasputin), friends with very different ideas on how to stop a prophesied apocalypse brought on by the return of the Phoenix, will turn on one another as they wrestle with whether their actions are more likely to save the world… or hasten its destruction. Could the return of the Mangaverse be over before it even starts?
The Kellys have a deep fandom and appreciation for manga and anime and regularly bond over the events of their favorite stories, so co-piloting the Mangaverse 25th Anniversary together felt natural for them.
“Every week my dad and I talk for hours about everything that’s happening in our favorite comics and manga, so being asked to do this for Marvel has been an honor,” explains Jack.
“When Lauren and Mark came to me with the Mangaverse project and specifically offered the opportunity to co-write it with Jack, it was an immediate yes,” Joe added. “This project is a love letter to manga and anime via the Marvel Mangaverse, brought to stunning life by artist Kenny Ruiz.”
Editor Lauren Amaro says all the creators involved in this revival are manga-inspired:
“Every single creator contributing to this celebration are huge manga fans themselves, and many have either come from international manga backgrounds, or have been heavily influenced by manga in their own creative journeys. Of course, none of this could exist without the source material that has inspired our creators, so when it came time to cast the main covers, the first person to come to mind was acclaimed mangaka, Yuji Kaku Sensei, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with on Phases of the Moon Knight. Kaku Sensei collaborated with the writers by taking their initial story pitches and character descriptions and creating an absolutely amazing set of covers, setting the tone for each character’s design and helping to modernize Marvel Mangaverse as we return to it 25 years after its debut.”
“It is a true honor to draw so many Marvel characters that I grew up reading,” adds Yuji Kaku. “I challenged myself to merge Western comic and Japanese manga styles by capturing the core essence of both. It was a rigorous task, but incredibly exciting. I hope you all enjoy my designs!”
Marvel and manga – let’s give it a whirl again!
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: WEB OF BLOOD #1
Written by JOE KELLY & JACK KELLY
Art by KENNY RUIZ
Cover by YUJI KAKU
On Sale 9/2
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: IRON KNIGHT #1
Written by CODY ZIGLAR
Art by KEI ZAMA
Cover by YUJI KAKU
On Sale 9/9
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: ARCANE AVENGERS #1
Written by ASHLEY ALLEN
Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by YUJI KAKU
On Sale 9/16
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: GHOSTLOCKE #1
Written by ALYSSA WONG
Art by MICHAEL YG
Cover by YUJI KAKU
On Sale 9/23
MARVEL MANGAVERSE: WEB OF DESTINY #1
Written by JOE KELLY & JACK KELLY
Art by KENNY RUIZ
Cover by YUJI KAKU
On Sale 9/30
