Manga Mavericks Books has tapped Yuri scholar and longtime critic Erica Friedman as its new Managing Editor, a hire that signals the North American publisher is gearing up for a serious expansion. The Culver City-based imprint announced the move today, framing it as the next step after a breakout debut year. Since launching in 2025, Manga Mavericks Books has built its catalog around indie titles like Horon of the Closed Country by Sen and FISHGOD by Chlona, and CEO Varun Gupt

A new industry coalition wants to connect indie creators and small manga publishers to the "resources" necessary to reach “a wider range of readers, globally.” Announced on July 23, 2026, via newly created social media profiles, the newly launched venture, the Independent Manga Alliance, abbreviated as "IMA," aims to support manga creators as well as small, indie publishers by offering marketing, translation, distribution, and sales support. The IMA coalistion is founded by