Titan Manga and Stonebot Comics announced today two new entries to some of Japan’s most popular, longest-running manga franchises. The publishers will team up to release original new manga based on Kamen Rider and Astro Boy later this year, as well as a new Zero-One adaptation.
Atom: The Beginning is an original manga based on Astro Boy. Set while Professor Ochanomizu and Doctor Tenma are still university students, the comic follows the two as they create their first robot, A106. Based on Osamu Tezuka’s series, the new concept was created by Masami Yuuki and was illustrated by Tetsuro Kasahara. The first volume, subtitled “The Beginning”, releases Oct. 11 2022.
Kamen Rider Kuuga reimagines the tokusatsu hero in a new script from Toshiki Inoue. Featuring the art of Hitotsu Yokoshima, Kuuga “goes beyond the bounds of a normal adaptation and redefines its hero for modern audiences.” The first volume will be released on Nov. 8.
Titan also announced today a new comic adaptation of 2019 TV series Kamen Rider Zero-One to be written by Transformers comic author Brandon Easton, expected this late this year.
Titan Publishing Director John Dziewiatkowski said in a press release: “We are so excited to be working with Stonebot. We have a successful history with manga publishing, but this new partnership will bring the imprint to new levels.”
“This partnership not only shares an ambitious commercial vision, but also a work philosophy with the talented Titan team,” added Stonebot Managing Director Diego Barassi.
Titan Manga is a new imprint from Batman, Doctor Who, and The Walking Dead publisher Titan Comics. The imprint has previously published Afro Samurai, and Ryuko.