Surge of interest in Siku’s Manga Bible

A manga cartoon version of the Bible has caught the nation’s imagination, after being published by Hodder & Stoughton earlier this month.

Designed to appeal to 15- to 25-year-olds, The Manga Bible was created by Japanese graphic designer and cartoonist Ajinbayo Akinsiku, also known as Siku.

Siku attempted to illustrate the entire Bible, including the Old and New Testaments, in just 200 pages. He has treated Jesus as a superhero, picturing him bursting into scenes in heroic poses. The language has also been modernised.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams says, ‘This is an exciting new venture, in completely up-to-the-minute style and speech. It will convey the shock and freshness of the Bible.’

There are several versions of The Manga Bible available, including The Manga Bible – Raw, which is a small-format edition that includes a workshop on drawing The Manga Bible.

The Extreme version contains both the full text of the Bible and the adaptation, as well as an artist’s workshop. Also available are Raw and Extreme versions of the New Testament.

Together, the books are reported to have sold about 30 000 copies in the UK since their publication earlier this month.

This year, Unreal is rebranding Hodder & Stoughton’s entire scripture range, to help it stand out among the competition. The New International Version series will undergo a revamp, focusing on the design of the jackets.