"Manga" or "Comic"? A dilemma...

[Saber in Blue]

Okay, so if you have a webcomic that is not drawn in a style that could be called manga style, but the panels are layed out in manga style (Keenspace says "with art going to the edge of the panel, panels overlapping, and art pages between chapters" wink then which is it?

[Elfi Maura]

well, since most of the manga ka here, i'm guessing, aren't japanese, we tend to use the term 'manga' for the style the art is drawn in. so, going by that, i believe its a comic. 3nodding
but thats just what i think.

[Calli]

Manga is comics is manga, most people will tell you. Heck, most Japanese publishers even refer to their manga publications as <name> Comics (or Komikkusu if you want the romanization) -- you won't see Flower Manga, it's Flower Comics. Jump Comics. Kadokawa Comics.

If you want to dig into the semantics side of it, then yes, they're two different terms -- but if you REALLY want to dig that far, both of them fall under the larger umbrella of "sequential art."

Now, as to the practicality of what to call yourself...using 'manga' tends to be associated with arrogance and pretension if you aren't of Asiatic descent. Even people who ARE of such descent (and not actually living in eastern or southeastern Asia) sometimes can't get away with the manga label (usually because people don't know, granted, but...) I'd stick with comics. There's not really any shame in it, and unless you're a hard-line manga scholar and artist, I don't see any reason to call it manga unless it just means that blasted much. If your readers want to call it manga, that's something else, though... wink

[Saber in Blue]

Calli

Manga is comics is manga, most people will tell you. Heck, most Japanese publishers even refer to their manga publications as <name> Comics (or Komikkusu if you want the romanization) -- you won't see Flower Manga, it's Flower Comics. Jump Comics. Kadokawa Comics.

If you want to dig into the semantics side of it, then yes, they're two different terms -- but if you REALLY want to dig that far, both of them fall under the larger umbrella of "sequential art."

Now, as to the practicality of what to call yourself...using 'manga' tends to be associated with arrogance and pretension if you aren't of Asiatic descent. Even people who ARE of such descent (and not actually living in eastern or southeastern Asia) sometimes can't get away with the manga label (usually because people don't know, granted, but...) I'd stick with comics. There's not really any shame in it, and unless you're a hard-line manga scholar and artist, I don't see any reason to call it manga unless it just means that blasted much. If your readers want to call it manga, that's something else, though... wink

Ah, that makes me feel good inside. I really don't want my comic to get associated with the term "manga", and I was a bit worried that my use of "manga-style" paneling automatically made my webcomic a manga. And now I see that it doesn't really matter. Good, then. Thanks!

[Liralen]

They are the same. But in this case, I'd go with comics as manga is generally taken as a style of ART, not panel-layout. Also, Calli is right. Americans sound pretentious when they say "manga". It's a good thing I don't care about that, though, as I bandy it about all the time...

[CB_Young]

as far as I'm concerned, If you're talking about it in english it's a comic.

[Saber in Blue]

Rylioun Cage

as far as I'm concerned, If you're talking about it in english it's a comic.

There you go. That's what I'm saying.

[Serena]

"Manga-style comic."
I don't think anyone can make any arguments with you if you call it that. But comic is good.

[puppetbomb]

I try to refrain from using the word 'manga' since it's the same as 'comic'. Mostly because I do not refer to Korean comics as 'manhwa' to other people; thus I treat Japanese comics the same way and label them as a 'comic'.

The use of 'doujin' I can understand, since 'self-published comic' is quite a mouthful to say.

[Shamdu]

Same thing. xp
I refer to it as "comics", since it's in english. The word "Manga" is just the japanese name for comics. (Though it can indicate a certain artistic style if you want)

[Tsuuchan]

manga is just another name of comic that was named in Japan. -.-a It can be used interchangeably.

[Seijaku_Ishida]

Doesn't matter. Call them comic, manga, or both. *shrug*

[BobTheDestroyer]

Manga and comic are the same thing.
(Manga literaly translates to comic.)
That simple.

[Nanie Chama]

If it helps I say call it manga 'cause a lot of people like manga more than comics... and it's done in manga format with the pannels and pictures going to the edge of the page exct...

[alis in wonderland]

i've come across that problem too, but I have decided that to avoid people flaming you (i wouldn't) and saying that its not a -real- manga because its not in japan, its just easier to say comic. If you want, i guess you could say that is a comic, manga-style. 3nodding