Manga Makers to Deliver Comics via Wii

[GrnMarvl14]

Source.

According to a report from PC World, your newest way to read comic books may just be that Wii sitting in your living room.

Kadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha and Shogakukan – the four largest manga publishers of Japan have formed a joint venture which will bring digital versions of comics to the console. The new venture, called “Librica” will deliver comics through the Wii Ware software channel to Wii users, according to PC World, and expansion to Ninentdo DS is planned.

The launch timing and pricing of Librica was not announced.

Clearly, the distribution, which has the ability to literally put comics in living rooms will play a role in the future of manga, both in its native Japan, and in the Unites States. AS Newsarama has reported on extensively, the manga market in the US has seen drastic changes recently, with many eyeing distribution channels and digital versions of manga as key to success and survival. (Newsarama Note: Shueisha and Shogakukan own Viz; Kodansha has recently set up shop in the United States, while its properties see publication at a variety of US publishers. Kadokawa also has seen its properties published by US companies)

The timing of the announcement, although not officially heard around the floor at San Diego Comic-Con or currently seen to be noted at any panels of the weekend comes as digital distribution of comics is seen as both one of the challenges and promises of the future of comics.

In terms of American publishers, Marvel Comics currently has thousands of its comics available online via its Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited subscription program, and DC Comics’ material has recently been made available via Warner Premiere Motion Comics. Other publishers, such as Boom Studios offer comics online via their websites and other channels.

Large-scale distribution wise, Marvel’s Digital Comics are available through its website, and Warner Bros. has a distribution deal in place with Microsoft’s Xbox, with Batman: Mad Love having debuted on the service this week, while the first chapter of Watchmen is currently available as a free download on iTunes. Warners also has distribution deal in place with Verizon’s V Cast service.

No American publishers were named in the initial report, but if “Librica” works and succeeds in reaching a larger manga audience, it certainly seems that it would be an open door for Marvel, DC, or other publishers looking to reach a larger audience, as the Wii has just been named the top console system, worldwide, with 11 million consoles sold –something which would be clearly seen in publishers eyes as 11 million households with possibly more than one potential reader inside.

Wish I knew more about manga so that I could judge how big a deal this is...

 

[paperfairy]

Biggu dealu.

 

[bell02+]

They've all had the digital Manga distribution for a while (not 100% sure, but know it's true for Shueisha at least, they made such a big deal about it a year or so ago), so I guess they are now going to put it through the Wii...

I basically say Big Whoop! What would have been cool is if you could put them on the DS. Maybe that will be a feature to put a full comic in DS's RAM (it should be able to fit) through this service, but it makes me wish we had internal memory in the DS.

I doubt this will have an immediate effect outside of Japan

 

[Crankyman]

Manga is a pretty big deal. But DS resolution manga sounds not-so-good.

 

[Adamant]

Reading comics off a computer screen is bad enough, reading them off your TV is completely ridiculous.

Yeah. Not caring the slightest here.

 

[bell02+]

Manga is a pretty big deal. But DS resolution manga sounds not-so-good.

Yeah, true, lol. However it can always be zoomed in or something.. I just agree with Adamant: Manga on my TV? No Whey!

 

[MondoTR]

I'm sure others will enjoy this but it won't affect me. It's too slow, I can read the comic/manga faster by flipping through pages instead of waiting for each to load.

 

[Armads]

Um... dang, everyone already took the words right outta my post. <_<

 

[OpalDragonStar]

Meh, like everyone else said. Kinda sounds like a waste of time. I'd rather read manga from a book than a TV screen.