Comics and Manga differences?

So, I have been debating with myself about reading manga since I enjoy comics but I am not sure if I would enjoy it the same way. A friend who has been encouraging me to read manga recently explained the differences between the two mediums as the following:

Comics are more character focused which means you can insert the characters into any story but what matters is that you keep true to the character. This is why comics can exist for 70 years.

Manga tends to be more story focused which means you couldn't insert characters into other stories since the characters are tied very closely to a specific over-arching story. This is why most manga tend to come to an end after ten or so years.

Is this true? I mean for me, it is the characters that pulled me into comics. I'd like to know more about manga because I know so little about it and am not exactly sure where to start. The only experience I have is with anime which I am not a fan of. Is anime like cartoon adaptations of comics or are they more faithful to manga?

Comics and Manga differences?

So, so many.....

First of all, you don't want to read manga in the weekly single issue format. It will wreck your head. Believe me, if you do, the plot will become incomprehensible. If you can't get the tankobon (collected editions) at least read a whole chunk of singles in one sitting. You don't want to read Bleach or Naruto either. You're better off watching them especially since you'd hear and not read katakana sound effects (absolute nightmare). Also, their manga stories have just gotten intolerable. Let's see..... what else? Oh yeah, go for the ones with shorter runs. Something under 100 chapters (same applies to anime. 2 seasons or less = best ones) They tend to be more intelligent or at least better executed. TEND to be.... Manga with longer runs almost always lose focus or just become gibberish (>_> Naruto and Bleach). Character regression and/or stagnancy, redundant plots, newer, stronger and senseless super powers every ten chapters, hack creators trying to meet deadlines. It's a mess

Manga are not usually character driven but if they are, it's usually wish fulfilling, Mary Sue type characters that get the spotlight (SASUKE UCHIHA I HATE YOU GO F*CKING DIE ALREADY!!!). Art style's also a factor. You may like some genres, you may not. STAY AWAY FROM SHOUJO. Don't say I didn't warn you. Pick up a Shounen-ai (e.g. Black Lagoon). They're at least geared towards people who do not constantly gaze stare unblinking and creeeeeeeeepily into the opposite sex's eyes.... I've lost faith; it's what 2 years as a student of the Japanese language will do to an individual

I hope I haven't put you off :D (Tha's my troll face)

Mangas are usually made and written by one person throughout its entire run and focuses on one story. The second the writer runs out of ideas (take Bleach for example), then it's over. Mangas tend to last a few years max. Comics can be written by multiple people throughout its run and often revolve around one character with multiple storylines. Comics also have a certain degree of realism that mangas tend to lack.

You'll notice a huge difference. Mangas are also a lot more simplistic. If you find one you like, you should know that the main story probably won't change and the manga will be over once the story's resolved.

What do you mean by "100 chapters"? Does each chapter represent a book?

I think he means go for the mangas with shorter runs. Some, like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and Fairy Tail are still ongoing and have around 500+ chapters. Like how comics have issues, mangas go by chapters. Ones with shorter runs tend to stick with a certain storyline and end when the storyline ends. Those are often the best.

Cultural differences play a part too, many manga, since they are geared toward younger audiences will have more ''comic relief' moments, or what I call "anime freakouts'' characters usually acting silly, or pissed off women hitting men in the head for comical effect

Actually wrote a paper on this

first off do you watch actual anime as in japanese with subtitles or that filtered crap they air in north america thats been cut censored and horribly voiced. Either way most animes if they're based on a manga with a solid foundation are 90% true to their source, however if they jump the gun and start an anime series based on a manga that has less than 50 chapters is usually incredibly loose adaptation, and usually differ much greater and end quickly, and usually suffer from a terrible "anime-only ending", or to allow the manga to make a greater distance so they have more material to work with the developers of the show will create a "filler arc" a unknown amount of episodes to give the author of the manga a chance to get more work done, the problem with these filler arc is that the actual creator of the manga has no hand in the writing scripting plot or characters and it usually turns out to be an unbearable 20+ episode snorefest

Dont automatically go in for the "Top 3" naruto bleach and one piece, there are a hell of alot of good manga out there, try something like Air gear, Gantz, or Deadman wonderland, for a comic book fan theres alot of stuff you can relate to but also opens you up to a more broad look at what japan has to offer.

I myself am having a hard time getting into mangas. I went to BN the other day, checked out their manga section, and found myself practically in awe at the sheer volume of content for one story. Approaching One Piece, for example, is such a daunting task because there were (at least that I saw) about 38 unique volumes. I'm like "how long is it going to take for this guy to find a specific treasure chest?"

I pretty much like short stories. Stories that are done in one volume at most. That is how I write, and that is the kind of thing I like to read. One-and-done stories. If anyone can point to some mangas like that (like FLCL, which was in one volume), I would take interest in that kind of thing.

Also, Soul Eater is awesome.

@juliedc said:

essentially it works like this take something like shonen jump it has both a weekly and a monthly book, these books are 300-500+ page anthologies that contain a variety of different manga's. In each of these books is 1 single chapter of a different mangas, depending on the manga these chapters can range from the normal 20-22 pages weekly to 64 for the monthly books. So think of it as every week theres 1 new chapter/issue of bleach naruto etc, which beats our monthly release comics hands down, because there's much less involved, the artist is also the writer and they're all black and white, with an occasional color page every 40+ chapters. Also aside from mabye 10 holidays a year there is one of these books released every week without fail.

Now once enough chapters has been released of a certain manga, usually around 10 chapters, they are compiled into a volumed book.

what? :D

Hes a master at it.

Manga is pretty much the same thing as a creator-owned comic.

BB

Jackals is a great short manga, if you like reading about people repeatedly penetrating each other with large pieces of metal.

lol

come on, be fair. It wasn't that bad..

@princearagorn1: I'm kidding, I liked it.

It's a fair description, though

@sideslash: manhwa if you go by artist really

koreans are good at that too

@nerx: I don't know the difference.

It's still a decent read.

can't deny that.

Manga's are like comic books but their creators continue to write the manga until he wraps everything up and then it just ends.It's like a creator-owned comic book.And it is also black and white.

Most manga just has a single story. Comics take characters and put them through many stories. They both have excellent stories and are both character driven for the most part. The difference is that in the end, manga tells one larger story over the years. There are also style differences between them. If you look at character like Naruto and Ichigo, they are very different to the superheroes in comics. They tend to tell very different kind of stories too. Both are enjoyable though and that's what matters.

Shounen-ai (e.g. Black Lagoon).

Black Lagoon is a Seinen manga

Manga's main advantage is that the creator will both write and draw the entire thing (unless it is a duo a la Bakuman) but they also have weekly releases and compete for placing within a ranking system.

I feel that this makes the stories feel more powerful as I can imagine the Mangakas working their hardest to overcome their fellow Mangakas with superior art, story and pacing.

Plus, the lack of realism for some of the Manga can give them some really interesting concepts whilst mainstream comics are restrained within a shared universe, and cannot get away with as much story development or world activity.

@akindoodle: Shounen-ai (e.g. Black Lagoon).

Shounen-ai ...Is usually about gay teens you're confusing that with seinen

@thatguywithheadphones@frogdog:Wow, sorry everyone. I don't know HOW I managed to mix that up. Sorry OP. It is a Seinen. I must've been dead tired

No problem brah

@juliedc: What @awesam: said. Like everything he said. Shorter runs = better stories. Sorry I didn't clarify. I'll try to be more specific next time..... and uh, Imma girl....

A friend recommended to me to read Fruits Basket and Sailor Moon, are those stories complete and available in the US? I've also been told to look into Inuyasha and Dragon Ball. Exactly where would I look to find something that would appeal to me? I think I would like something that has a lot of humor.

Also do they sell manga in digital format because I do the bulk of my reading on my Kindle Fire because I am usually not home much throughout the week and have to lug around so much stuff that I prefer to just read digital.

@juliedc: Fruits Basket IDK but DB Inuyasha and Sailor moon should still be available

To me, Death Note and Soul Eater are the two best mangas ever released. I love them dearly.

Everyone needs to read Fruit Basket though, no exceptions to anyone. It was the very first manga I read and I hold it very dear to my heart.

i always preferred comics i could never get into manga