Superman’s first manga shows Man of Steel having lunch in Japan
Superman vs. Meshi promises to explore Japanese culture and atmosphere that contrasts with the usual Metropolis setting of the Man of Steel.
As Superman prepares for his first manga adventure, he flies to Japan for lunch. The series promises to explore the culture and atmosphere that contrasts with the usual Metropolis setting of the Man of Steel.
In recent years, many superheroes have made the switch to manga, with Batman and the rest of the Justice League being a few notable examples in the DC Universe. The art style and equally characteristic storylines have often been favored by fans, as familiar heroes have the opportunity to be slightly re-imagined. While fan art has often envisioned Superman and other iconic heroes in alternate art styles, it has never received the authentic manga treatment for a fully realized story before. However, that is changing with a comic that has already made headlines, and is now confirmed for release.
Announced by DC Comics on Twitter, Superman will get a manga treatment with Superman vs. Meshi. The series written by Satoshi Miyakawa and drawn by Kai Kitago is published by Kodansha Publishers, known for titles such as Attack On Titan and The Quintessential Quintuplets, among others. The first issue, “Superman’s Solo Lunch,” is available now in Japan, where Superman appears to be based on published coverage. The man of tomorrow is pictured holding a bowl of rice with chopsticks in his hand, clearly a fan of Japanese cuisine.
The food may seem trivial for a blanket, but here it is representative of a lifestyle that is not often depicted in the DC Universe. Theoretically, Superman can fly anywhere in the world for a meal at any time, ranging from Italy to China to Japan. Depending on the mood of the Kent family, there is no shortage of dining options. As with Flash, Superman’s powers give him the advantage of being able to order from a large menu. Often times, Superman has been portrayed as knowing multiple languages, which allows him to be a sort of ambassador to other nations. Assuming this version of the Man of Steel knows Japanese, he’s a prime candidate for a storyline set outside of America.
As of yet, there are no confirmed plans to translate the series into English. Since DC Comics posted this announcement on Twitter, the publisher may be testing the waters to see if there is demand from English-speaking readers. If we are to believe the activity of the tweet, there is a good chance that a translation is imminent. Previous DC manga have been translated into English, which makes it all the more likely. As the Man of Steel visits Japan in Superman vs. Meshi, readers who live outside the country could learn more about cooking.