America is Drawn to Manga

Why girls--and publishers--love Japan's comics

While Marvel wings its superheroes across the globe, the Japanese-style graphic novel called manga is rapidly gaining popularity with U.S. girls and teens. At least 40 syndicated newspapers have added manga to the funny pages; magazines like CosmoGirl showcase manga by young creators such as Svetlana Chmakova.

Manga is the comic book's richly illustrated Japanese cousin, alive with adolescent strife and romance, often written with a dose of the supernatural. A $180 million market in 2005, U.S. manga is quickly getting comfortable tucked under the arms of young readers, and major publishing houses are rushing into the category. "Books are...

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