Manga changes the way the Bible looks

Terry England | The New Mexican

1/27/2008 - 1/27/08

THE MANGA BIBLE: From Genesis to Revelation

By Siku, art; Akin, text

Doubleday
218 pages; $12.95
The Bible has taken many forms through history. It's been translated, illustrated, condensed, re-interpreted and revised to meet changing times.

So it's only natural it would appear in manga style.

Manga is a form of storytelling through drawings collected in books. It got its start in Japan. But is it appropriate for the Bible?

One of the reasons the Bible is consistently a best-seller is because it's constantly evolving. In design, in language, in use of that language.

Siku, the artist, and Akin, the writer, go a bit farther and change the basic structure. The message still is there; it's the presentation that's been adapted.

In the Book of Genesis, for example, the stories are presented as a lesson by Moses to children. The setting is not long after the Israelites' escape from Egypt. This instills a sense of urgency, especially when Caleb dashes in and says the Egyptian army is coming. Moses, as usual, says trust in the Lord, then continues with story. The characters, including Adam and Eve, often make comments standard Bible versions rarely report. (Adam, the namer of all things: "What do you think of the name 'lion'? It has bite."). The snake is presented as a creature with two arms and crafty nature.

Another aspect to get used to in a manga Bible is the style of drawing. In manga, characters are tall and slim, with long bodies, limbs and faces. Facial features are de-emphasized except when needed, as in shouting at someone. The panels, unlike traditional comics, change size and shape according to the dictates of the story.

Some of the condensing also might take a bit getting used to. The Book of Job, for instance, is reduced to a single page. Plus, it's set in modern times (with one panel showing a bomb labeled "Fat Man" falling on Job's house). The modern is seen again in the Book of Revelations, where a 12-year-old girl in a hospital dreams of John the Divine's vision of the Apocalypse. And when Satan tempts Jesus, he takes him to the highest "mountain" available — a New York skyscraper. This is the author and artist reminding us the Bible has relevance in our times, too.

"Hello, humanity, this is your story," Siku writes in an afterword. " ... This book is God's story, the story of Angels and the story of humanity." Reading this, you realize Siku believes in the Bible enough to want to tell the story once again. And if you are intrigued enough, citations are placed throughout the book referring to the specific chapters where the scenes being portrayed can be found.

Whether you believe in the Bible or not, though, it's worth reading the Manga Bible, if nothing else to see a new and intriguing way to tell the story we all should know so well.


England is the Books page editor.