Publisher and author aim to bring Biblical themes to life for manga fans
Christian publisher, David C Cook, announces the signing of artist, spoken word poet, and author, Mitchell “Street Hymns” West, whose manga book, The Fallen: Faith Before the Flood, marks the expansion of Cook’s catalog offerings into yet another genre.
David C Cook’s mission is to equip the Church with Christ-centered resources to transform today’s generations. In addition to trade books that include nonfiction, graphic novels, The Action Bible series, Bible studies, and a 149-year legacy of curriculum and church resource publishing, David C Cook now brings Biblical stories and themes to life for young readers through manga, with West joining the roster.
Originating in Japan, manga has grown in popularity amongst youth around the world but tends to have a spiritually dark tone within its content. West aims to change that through powerful, creatively communicated manga stories and illustrations that have Biblical undertones and captivate readers with Scripture and God’s plan for mankind.
“As a manga and anime enthusiast, I’ve always been inspired by how authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis seamlessly blend faith and fantasy. This admiration, coupled with my belief in the transformative power of stories we encounter in our youth, has driven me to create The Fallen,” said the author. “I hope to tell the familiar story of redemption and unity through a medium that our youth and young adults are swarming to at record-high numbers.”
In collaboration with illustrator Kahyia “Kai” Parris, West’s vivid storytelling in The Fallen will target fans of manga, one of the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment media among children and adults. While most mangas are read right-to-left, the book will be read left-to-right to appeal to Western audiences.
“Today’s world is filled with cultural and viral phenomena that points people away from God’s truth,” said David C Cook VP of Publishing and Acquisitions, Michael Covington. “The Fallen is a project that will bridge the gap, delivering a biblically-themed setting and storyline with a medium that has exploded in growth over the past decade. Through The Fallen, our first move into the manga category, we’re crafting a story that will not only capture the attention of those who love the genre, but will guide them toward the ultimate Source of hope and truth.”
West is represented by Tom Dean, founder of A Drop of Ink Literary.
