Marvel Comics Shifts Empire to Kadokawa as Shibuya Spider-Man and Yakuza Punisher Lead New Era
Marvel Comics is officially moving its manga operations to Kadokawa in a blockbuster publishing shift that kicks off before the end of the year. Announced during the Marvel Fanfare panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the high-profile partnership will launch with five original manga volumes, spearheaded by creator tokitokoro’s Spider-Man of Shibuya and a brand-new Spider-Gwen series by Ryūsei Yamada. The edgy reboot drops fan-favorite heroes into distinct Japanese settings, featuring a Shinjuku-based Daredevil and a gritty, Yakuza-style Punisher.
Massive Shueisha Purge Clears the Path for Kadokawa’s Marvel Lineup
The transition marks the end of an era for Marvel’s previous Japanese partnerships, as Shueisha wraps up its contract with Walt Disney Japan on September 30. Shueisha is pulling five major manga titles—including Deadpool: Samurai, Spider-Man: Octo-Girl, and Secret Reverse—from digital storefronts and halting all physical print sales between September 28 and 30. Simultaneously, Marvel is restructuring its editorial leadership, moving former Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski into a new role as editor of “Asia Originals” while veteran editor Stephen Wacker steps in as the new Marvel EiC.
