Meanwhile, Christian literature in general continues to enjoy rising popularity: the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) reports that the US market for all religious books in 2004 (the most recent statistics available) was 11.4 percent of the overall $2 billion market, and more than 85 percent of those were Christian titles. In 2005, the ECPA commissioned a study that showed the Christian-book market is growing “at a faster pace than the industry average,” and that Christian book-buyers spend more money on books annually than those who purchase non-religious books.

From a business perspective, then, it makes sense that Zondervan would develop Z Graphic Novels, which use loose interpretations of manga style to tell biblical, superhero, and fantasy stories. Two volumes each of six series have been issued so far; 48 volumes total are planned for the next four years. Evidently, they intend to do well by doing good.

And Zondervan isn’t the only company promoting a multi-year Christian-manga contract. Earlier in 2007, the publisher Thomas Nelson Inc. announced it would release 10 faith-based manga titles, within the Serenity and Goofyfoot Gurl series. (Goofyfoot Gurl debuted this past month.) These aren’t low-profile deals. They’re even getting props from comics don Stan Lee (oh, just the co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, and the Hulk), who described Serenity as “a clean, inspiring teen-aged Christian comic done in a hip, contemporary way.”

‘A healthy alternative’
For all the spiritual sameness of this new breed of Christian comics, the Zonderkidz offerings are thematically rather diverse. There’s the Manga Bible, which is what it sounds like — a retelling of the Bible, in comic-book form. (“Did you know . . . um . . . that you’re naked?!” the original sinner asks her companion in the Manga Bible’s version of the fall from grace. “Ahem! You’re naked too . . . hum . . . embarrassing.”) The Son of Samson and Kingdoms: A Biblical Epic series both depict biblical characters in historical settings. And TimeFlyz, Tomo, and Hand of the Morningstar’s morality plays aren’t directly tied to the Bible, even though the stories are presented “with a Christian perspective based on biblical values.”

TimeFlyz, as mentioned above, is about a female time-traveler who learns spiritual and moral lessons on her journeys; Tomo is the story of a young Japanese girl who moves to America and battles otherworldly, animal-like warriors, also learning faith-based lessons along the way. Morningstar follows the adventures of super-powered beings who serve a heavenly creature who may or may not be evil — a large-scale allegory of the battle between heaven and hell.

“Unfortunately, the current fare often exposes its readers to strong sexual imagery, gratuitous violence, and pagan worldviews,” says Zonderkidz vice-president May of secular graphic novels, only some of which are explicitly intended for children. “We created Z Graphic Novels as a healthy alternative.”

To that end, theology professors and pastors were hired as Zondervan’s “theological reviewers,” tasked with assessing the books, says May, “based on theological accuracy, clarity of message, and appropriateness for the intended age group’s faith development.”

(One can’t help but wonder how this exchange, which opens the Manga Bible’s Book of Genesis, got by the reviewers: “Okay now, listen Lord, take whatever you need. She should have a smooth complexion, big brown eyes, a cute little nose, and full red lips. . . . Oh! And don’t forget, her measurements should be . . .” “Keep it up, Adam, and I won’t use anesthesia during this surgery!”)

The reviewers then recommend changes. One TimeFlyz character used language that one reviewer thought was too reminiscent of an arcane sect of Christianity, which launched a theological discussion (ultimately the dialogue was kept as is), says TimeFlyz and Kingdoms story writer Ben Avery, a Protestant who lives in Indiana. But for the most part, Avery — who has also worked on secular comics, such as an adaptation of The Hedge Knight and The Oz/Wonderland Chronicles — finds this type of work liberating. He appreciates being able to celebrate his faith in his professional life.

“I not only can be a little more blatant, I have to be more blatant about things like God and spirituality,” he says. “It’s freeing, because I get to actually say some of the things I want to say, and not have to hide it in metaphor.”

BattleCry
“Certainly, if you’re going to produce comics — Christian comics or comics, period — they’ve taken the right approach by going with the graphic novels,” as opposed to comic strips or more traditional short-form serial comics, says Nate Butler, president of COMIX35, an organization that trains international artists to produce Christian cartoons and comics in places such as Japan and Australia. “Zondervan has made the right call there, to capitalize on the trend.”