Prestel
The Manga Bible
This artful and authoritative guide charts manga’s rise from historical narrative scrolls to its position as an international creative powerhouse that has changed the way books are read.
Renowned manga historian Helen McCarthy delivers the ultimate resource for anyone curious about the art form’s past, present, and future. Spanning from 11th-century illustrated scrolls to today’s billion-dollar industry and global fandoms, The Manga Bible explores manga’s origins, its narrative and aesthetic evolution, and its wide-reaching influence on visual storytelling around the world.
Organized thematically, the book examines major movements, genres, and milestones—from censorship and subversion in postwar Japan to the rise of science fiction, the role of erotic manga, and the cultural dynamics of gendered readerships. McCarthy also considers manga’s deep connections with film, television, fashion, and music, and introduces both globally recognized artists and lesser-known creators whose contributions deserve greater visibility.
Featuring hundreds of images—manga pages, historical prints, vintage covers, and fan ephemera—the volume offers a dynamic visual companion to its nuanced analysis. McCarthy’s writing is vivid and incisive, revealing how manga has functioned as both entertainment and a medium for symbolism, politics, and social reflection.
Rooted in scholarship yet written with accessibility and energy, The Manga Bible presents a comprehensive portrait of manga as one of the world’s most influential and complex storytelling traditions. It captures the scope of its artistic innovations, the passion of its global communities, and the forces—both underground and mainstream—that continue to shape its enduring appeal.
UPC/ISBN: 9783791393957
Release Date: 03/25/2026
Product Information
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This policy outlines our standard for new release and shipped comics, and the industry-standard guidelines we follow.
OUR STANDARD
Books without a stated grade will be offered as Near Mint 9.4 or better. We do not guarantee 9.8 condition on any book unless specifically noted.
We use industry-standard grading guidelines from:
- CBCS Comic Grading Scale
- Overstreet Comic Grading Standards
- CGC grading standards
If you're new to comic grading, the resources above are a great place to start.
WHY WE DON'T GUARANTEE 9.8
Modern comic printing is an imperfect process. Books are printed in massive
runs, bound at high speed, and shipped in bulk to retailers. Even brand
new books off the truck will exhibit minor production characteristics,
and that's normal, and consistent with industry standards across every
retailer.
A 9.8 grade represents near-perfection, and the reality is that not every printed book qualifies for that grade no matter where you buy it from.
We can absolutely commit to NM 9.4 or better. We cannot commit to 9.8 on every book, because that's not how comics are made.
WHAT QUALIFIES AS NM 9.4
Per industry standards, a book may exhibit the following minor characteristics and still grade as Near Mint 9.4, as long as there's no accumulation of defects:
Bindery characteristics:
- Minor to moderate corner tears
- White edges along the spine (common on most modern printings)
- Covers slightly offset from interior pages (common on cardstock covers)
Printing characteristics:
- Slight color rub on back covers
- Small paper wrinkles present from the paper roll prior to printing
- Wavy paper texture from the printing process
Spine characteristics:
- 2-3 small color-breaking spine ticks
- Minor non-color-breaking spine dings
These are normal modern production characteristics, not damage from handling or shipping. They are present on books across the industry, regardless
of retailer.
OUR RETURN & EXCHANGE POLICY
We do not accept returns or exchanges on books that meet our NM 9.4 or better standard.
We will replace or refund:
- Books damaged during shipping (clear shipping damage, not pre-existing print characteristics)
- Books that fall below NM 9.4 standard (significant spine damage, major creasing, tears, etc.)
- Wrong cover or wrong issue shipped
For premium variants (1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:250, 1:500 incentive covers, signed editions, exclusive variants), we apply enhanced QC during pull and packing. If a premium variant arrives outside our standard, contact us within 7 days of delivery and we will work with you on a replacement.
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