How do I become a UK manga artist?

I'm hosting this section of info on my website, as I’ve received emails over the years asking me for "advice on how I could become a British (or UK) manga artist?". The answer is not simple, so I thought I'd post about my experiences and links to resources that can help you get started and to understand the parameters of what is achievable and why.

There are links and suggestions available online to help you "become a mangaka" (note: this means “manga creator”) in general, but not much that focusses on a UK-centric viewpoint. If you can read and write Japanese, I encourage you to submit directly to a Japanese publisher! And if this is not a great option for you, and you want to focus more on making comics here in the UK, please read on.

A brief history of Japanese comic works in the UK

There was once some specific manga-influenced comic work published in the UK. These were mainly illustrations in video games magazines by western artists, and not much of this output was specifically in a comic style or comic book format. This was all happening during the pre-internet era of the mid-90's, then during the rise and fall of TokyoPop in the early to mid 2000s. TokyoPop ran an annual comic creation competition ("Rising Stars of Manga") in the USA, then in the UK and Ireland for a number of years, which felt to me like that was the biggest competition. It has not ran since 2008 though, so submitting to this anthology is not an option any more.

What’s interesting to me is how I’ve seen requests from video game magazines such as Super Play and Mean Machines printing reader’s “envelope art” (drawings on envelopes that were sent through Royal Mail to the magazines themselves, of which a selection of artwork was printed), which really helped support and develop readers/artists into fanzine makers and comic creators, throughout the 90s.

These magazines were the original, true champions of showcasing Japanese video game artwork by western artists originally, which in turn led to the ‘zine scene flourishing at comic/anime conventions, and then some full-blown comic making competitions were eventually launched. In more recent years, Viz Media launched an initiative (links below). The doors are slowly still opening for the UK and USA artists and comic creators.

The important thing to realise, is - because of this scene existing for such a long time, you do not need a company to publish your work! Before any of these competitions started, beginning in the late 80's to the present day, creators have always, always published their own Japanese-inspired comics and printed works as soon as they had access to a photocopier or a printer, and a long-arm stapler. Though fewer people make fanzines (fan-made magazines with illustrations of pop culture characters or real-life stars, sometimes with written pieces in the ‘zines), people are still making comics, merchandise and illustrations. Though not as easy to buy in shops, you can support independent artists through their online shops, in Comic Villages/Artist Alley sections of conventions and comic events around the country. The events I go to personally each year are listed on my website - your favourite artists will let you know where they will next be selling! Creators who make their own comics specifically also often sell them online, so check some out via Etsy or Gumroad, or on their Ko-Fi or Shopify site, if you can't make it to an event.

Nothing has really changed in the last thirty years how people make their own, alternative, home-produced, Japanese-influenced comics in the UK, other than the invention of websites and eCommerce. For now, until there is a cultural and consumer demand in the UK, as well as a sustainable creative market, please do support what we are all making with your purses and wallets to create supply and demand at events and online in the UK.

The state of the UK comics (and manga-inspired) scene

The first question to ask yourself is, "is there an industry for comics in the UK"? Well… when was the last time you purchased (or were able to purchase) a manga-style comic from a UK shop? Not on the shelves of a UK newsagents or supermarket, that's for sure. There is a TON of manga on bookshelves like Waterstones - honestly my childhood manga-reading dream has become this sweet, sweet reality - but the fact remains that they are translated works, not UK creations by UK artists or UK publishers. In France, many supermarchés have rows upon rows of books and comics available for sale, displayed just like a UK bookshop would, including some created by home-grown artists. So to summarise, UK comic-readers can buy American-created/Japanese-created and translated comics from a comic shop, and printed comics from some newsagents (though this is in steep decline, digital subscriptions are rising), and digital online. Manga-inspired UK comics, not so much. But, you can purchase directly from a self-publisher at a convention, or buy from them online (either in print or digital format). Here is a lowdown on the state of the UK comics industry by Down The Tubes - it makes for realistic reading.

The UK generally produces comics aimed at a young adult demographic with a male skew (e.g. 2000AD) or comics for kids (e.g. Beano). Both titles are great reads regardless, so don't let categorisation put you off reading. There was once a UK girls comics industry (titles included Bunty, Misty etc), but this ended around the early 90's, seemingly because it was decided, by some white men in suits, that girls didn't like comics and wanted younger versions of glossy women's magazines instead. Of course this is nonsense, because translated girl's comics from Japan also did incredibly well in UK and US bookshops in the 2000's... but the UK girl’s comics market content was not adapted to grow with it’s now late teen readership who were moving on to magazines, nor perhaps exciting enough to spark a fresh new younger readership, so momentum got lost. You have to dig a little deeper to find what you like to read - and not steal it for free off dodgy scanlation/comic sites either (please do purchase digital comics/manga subscriptions via official sites to support the authors!).

So, as a creator, if you want - no, need! - an industry to evolve more in the UK, then you do have to vote with your finances and purchase with your very credible consumer power first.

Is it comics (コミックス), or manga (漫画)?

Do you say "Comics", "Komikkusu", or "Manga"? "Comics from Japan"? "Japanese manga comics" (this is a weird one!)? In the 90s I used to say my work was manga because it was just easier to explain the style, however over time it has become very clear that many people prefer for this word to be used to only describe comics that have been created and published originally in Japan first. And that makes sense, because I’m definitely not pretending to be Japanese (that would be weird!!), and I never have done that. So, I am personally very happy to call my artwork and my comics ‘manga inspired’ or ‘manga influenced’, because the art I make absolutely is. But what you may also find interesting is that Japanese bookshops do not often have “manga” on the shop floor signs - they read “コミックス”, “comics’! And this has become more prevalent over the past 10-15 years or so due to the popularity of US Marvel Comic films! Japanese artists such as Osamu Tezuka were also extremely inspired by Max Fleischer and Walt Disney animations and character designs after World War II, which in turn led to their comics’ characters designed with the cute big eye style we recognise in Japanese comics today. Art is (and should be!) inspired and give inspiration, the give and take is the energy that creatives receive, to be able to give back.

Maybe "manga" is perhaps a western marketing buzzword that will not go away? In the future, will people categorise perceived stylistic differences between comic types from different countries like they do now? The internet has homogenised manga and comic book art to a huge extent over the past 15-20 years, because creators and readers now have access to so many different types of comic art and storytelling methods to be inspired by. There is a huge style representation in animated shows such as Legally Spies in the 2Ks to My Adventures With Superman in the 2020s - to my elder nerd-eyeballs, this is always a joy to see. However with comics, UK publishers, distributors and other corporate levels of involvement with making and marketing comics are extremely risk adverse, especially with a rough economy and a lingering Victorian prejudice against comics.

Remember - manga-style is still very niche in the UK and not often supported by mainstream publishers, and teachers who do not read comics still don't understand what it's all about. They may not have read a comic for the last thirty years, not since they were a child! Perception can be very stereotypical and stagnant. Comics have received prejudice since the dawn of comics-creation, especially in the UK due to Victorian era snobbery that is still sadly very present in the 21st century - so as a creator, you must be prepared to fight the fight, to not just draw what you love, but to help shape what could be a brighter future for UK comic art and publications.

UK education and opinions of manga

I often see younger artists at events and they tell me "my teacher doesn't like manga" and other similar tales. (And, exasperated teachers, please read this excellent piece, and a great follow up here regards "mangaphobia".) Some teachers do not mind Japanese comic style - these are extremely rare and precious creatures - so it must be accepted that most tutors do not 'accept' manga (or any type of comic book style in general! Apart maybe from pop-art, but Lichtenstein directly copied entire panels from original artists’ comic book panels; some people consider this theft). But I do think there are some things that can be learnt from this attitude, though.

Please "do what you have to do” for your exams, because being inspired by as many things as possible will improve your art 100%! I do not like to hear the negative and deeply unhelpful "ugh, don't draw manga" thing (some - not all, but many - teachers are guilty of this negativity). This is because it will kill student enthusiasm for art. I feel a better tactic is to say, "you can do this well enough now, so try drawing better [buildings? Foliage? Animals? Clothing folds?] to improve your comics". Drawing things you don't like will ultimately improve your entire comic-making experience, so absorb all things on top of taking influence from Japanese media. Win-win!

I also ask students, why bother to submit artwork you like to someone who will be grading it and marking it down due to both strict National Curriculum requirements as well as personal taste, possibly with a sprinkle of anti-comic bias? You do not need an exam result for making comics, so you can (and should!) make them in your own time. There is no such thing as "manga GCSE"/"comics GCSE" or a 9-5 "manga" "comics desk job" (sadly)! There are academic arts programs though, so if you like writing, you may wish to draw for yourself and pursue academic studies in pop culture and fandom to gain your top grades instead!

You do not have to submit comics as part of your arts courses if you do not want to, but please do make comics in your own time if you are inspired to draw them. Draw what you need to do for your schoolwork (obviously make sure you are working hard on your exam work! Priorities!) and utilise those July-August summer holidays, because you will really miss having those as an adult!!

“Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

—Pablo Picasso

As a creative person, in life you will find that you usually have to "spin plates" - doing many things at the same time. You may likely have a full-time or part-time job in the day (doing something completely unrelated to art) and be organised enough to make time to do your art after work/in the evening (especially for unpaid comic pitches to publishers, plus any social media-related advertising and graphic design stuff that comes with self publishing as an indie artist). So learning to do this when you are at school is amazing practice for freelancing - a huge majority of commissions will be ad-hoc random things, so these can be done whilst doing a more full-on job. Rotate what jobs make you happy throughout life as required, especially when life throws curveballs in your way.

If you can, do life drawing! Being influenced by one style of comic art is really restrictive and you can end up drawing some totally weird anatomy. I think we are all guilty of this narrow focus at some point, though. So a great thing to help is Life Drawing and Still Life Drawing. Don't wait for your school/college to offer it up either - your local community colleges and groups should offer some, so Google to see what's near your area and get involved with those classes.

When drawing, you can also research which Japanese comic artists have been influenced by European artists, and amalgamate many influences into your work, as any great artist really, really should!

Do It Yourself!

There are benefits to both self-publishing and being published. Many creatives just really love Japanese-style comics so they make their own books. In Japan, some published comic artists also make their own books for Comic Market (ComiKet), an indie zine and pop culture fair in Tokyo! As an indie - while there is a lot more marketing and advertising involved to do this - as a supporter, remember that any money you pay goes directly to the artist to support them… there is no publisher cut.

If you wish to go this route, I'd say the first steps to begin are to:

  • Narrow down the type of comics you want to make, and if they can be bought by people who self-publish (published individually, or published as a group), not a company. Learn from what's being made already. There are numerous fandom conventions/events that run up and down the UK now, so it's best to check out the Artist Alley sections of such events to see what people are making, and work on making your own version, if you wish to sell at these events!

  • Once you have drawn your comic (manually or digitally), you will need to make a digital file ready for printing it with. This is the bridge between your pages and a final book. A guide to making PDFs for your comic is listed here. Obviously use specific UK publishing sizes (A4, A5 etc) if your comic requires it! 

  • Finding a good publisher is user-specific trial and error thing. Some folks use the same one each time - some folks move around and try out new ones. It's up to you, and what works for Person A may not also work for Person B.  

  • To get started, Rich at Comic Printing UK will help you get cracking regards publishing issues! Obviously, you will need funds (savings? Kickstarter? Ko-Fi? Patreon?) to publish your own works. There are numerous printers available in the UK, but Rich specifically helps out comic creators via email and Facebook, especially for those who are new to making their own comics.

  • If you wanted, you can pitch your self-published book to a publisher or editor at a comic convention to sell your idea to a larger company. Basically I think we can all agree that receiving a box of books you have made yourself is the best feeling ever!

Ideas for co-hosting, advertising etc

  • Sometimes you may just want to draw a comic without worrying if it gets published by someone else. This is great if you are suffering 'burnout'.

  • Maybe publish two or three short stories in one book with a friend's comic too? Share table costs, publishing costs and distribution responsibilities :)

  • You may not want to publish in print, but publish online using Tapas, Webtoon or other comic hosting sites. Or get a WordPress site up and use a plugin (like this one, or this one) - or code a website yourself, and use adverts via a platform such as Google Ads to raise revenue (but be aware you will be currently responsible for EU VAT via VATMOSS every tax year to do so). You can do all of these options! (Do ensure your website does not take any copyrights away from you. Protect your own content.) If needed, collaborate with a talented programmer friend for assistance, or commission them to help you out.

  • It pays to read up on VATMOSS, but 3rd-party websites that cover the collection of EU VAT include Etsy and Patreon, so use these sites without worrying about EU VAT rate collection. And when I originally wrote that, I said that Brexit will affect UK artists’ digital income but how, is unclear - I’m afraid it still is! Things are changing so fast, I can’t keep up. I will try to update as soon as I know more, though.

Competitions and open submissions

First… a warning!! PLEASE DO BE CAREFUL ABOUT SIGNING POTENTIALLY PREDATORY CONTRACTS / SUBMISSION FORMS. Always ask someone to double check the Terms and Conditions of wherever you are submitting to, or committing to. Unfortunately some people will take advantage of the love and effort from comickers wanting to make their next big step and include terms such as signing over all your IP (stories and characters, all content) for very little. This is why developing separate stories and characters to enter into competitions is good practice to protect your content.

On the plus side! Entering a competition can really help develop you as a storyteller and artist. You get a theme and a set deadline. Some competitions’ terms and conditions means you have to hand over all character and story rights upon submission, but not all - some you are free to republish yourself afterwards. Read the small print and decide from there. You don’t even have to enter the competition in full - you can take a look at competitions out there and use the brief as a starting point for your own inspiration independently, not submit and publish yourself, or submit to publishers. You may even just want to be inspired by the competition briefs, and create something for yourself, and not submit at all.

If you decide to pursue, then it's up to you to complete your work! You can do it!!

Competitions running in, or accept submissions from the UK, are as follows;

  • Clip Studio Paint / Global Comic Awards are run by company Celsys, which hold Global Comic Awards in co-operation with comic websites. Each contest has a theme, plus cash prizes and publishing opportunities.

  • MediBang! contests / MediBang! also hosts multiple art contests.

  • The World Manga Senbatsu accepts 1-page manga from all over the world, anyone can participate in this global competition.

  • Silent Manga Audition (SMAC) is organised by Nobuhiko Horie aloong with other legendary names in the manga industry, in Tokyo - a global manga publishing competition with prizes.

  • Manga Jiman is hosted by the Embassy of Japan in London, and creators can publish and sell their comic book submission themselves, after the deadline has passed and the winners have been announced after every annual competition (usually in March).

  • 2000AD Competitions are not Japanese comic-style-specific, but publisher and video game company Rebellion are always on the lookout for new works and artists. Art Stars is their social media art competition.

  • The Annual International Manga Award (initiated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Taro Aso) offers top prizes including a stay in Japan, exchanges with other mangaka and visits to publishing companies.

  • In 2019, Viz Media launched Viz Originals. This is a new North American imprint dedicated to publishing original graphic novels developed by manga-inspired comic creators.

  • In 2025, Penguin UK launched a Graphic Novel Competition - creators can sign up for more info.

Extras

If you decide to self-publish and market your work, here is a list of sites with information to help you on your comic-making quest:

There are too many comic event websites to list here, but each one will have a waiting list or an email you can use to reach out to the organisers, to put you on a waiting list to apply for a table at a convention. We all have to start somewhere (but maybe not MCM first!)

Other

Here are links to other open submission/competition pages;

…That's it!

I hope this has laid out the case clearly, so there are no obstacles in your way to create your own comics! It is not an easy path to take, but I hope the above works as a type of map to help guide you onward.

Remember the first and golden rule to making comics is to not forget to have fun! Creating comics can be daunting but also incredibly satisfying and very PUNK ROCK!!

Any other questions? Contact me and I will respond when possible :)

Links may be down due to being out of date, though I will update them as and when I can. Please email me if you find a dead link!

Thanks for reading - I hope the above has been useful for you!