“The stories told in Japanese manga and anime are incredibly powerful. I often find myself wondering, ‘What is missing in Western comics, and why aren’t they able to achieve the same flavor?’ Also, I think manga has an ‘advantage’ over American comics, which are mostly about superheroes, and that’s where the majority of sales and readers are concentrated.“
As much as I have enjoyed DC/Marvel superhero comics, they feel restricted in what they can do. They need to still make their world tied to ours in some fashion. There’s no real change. Characters come back to life after a decade. Writers rotate off after their arc is done. Crossovers complicate everything. Things usually feel politically safe.
That gap seems to be addressed by Image comics, like Saga and Monstress. That being said, they’re geared more towards adults, while manga publishers are usually marketing towards a younger, broader audience.