Big Comic

Big Comic (ãƒ"ッグコミック, Biggu Komikku) is a semimonthly seinen manga magazine published since 1968-02-29 by Shogakukan in Japan. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th beginning in April 1968. It is paired with sister magazine Big Comic Original, going on sale in the weeks Big Comic Original does not. Circulation in 2008 was reported at slightly over a half-million copies.

The magazine has published works by a number of well-known manga artists, including Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori, Sanpei Shirato, Takao Saito, Fujiko Fujio (A), Fujiko F. Fujio, and Tetsuya Chiba. Big Comic also serializes Saito's Golgo 13, which is the oldest manga series still in publication.

The front cover of the magazine featured a caricature of a famous individual by manga illustrator Shūichi Higurashi for more than forty years. Higurashi's drawings were featured on the cover of Big Comic from 1970 until 2011. Higurashi retired in the autumn of 2011 due to failing health.

List of works

Currently serialized

These series appear according to a regular schedule in the magazine.

• Akabee (赤兵衛), by Hiroshi Kurogane
• C-kyÅ« Salaryman Kōza (C級さらりーまã‚"講座), by Keisuke Yamashina
• Cruise: Ishi Yamada Kōhei Kōkaishi (クルーズ 医師山ç"°å…¬å¹³èˆªæµ·èªŒ), written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Hiroyuki Kikuta
• Double Face (ダブルフェイス), by Fujihiko Hosono
• Gin no Shippo (銀のしっぽ), by Shinri Mori
• Golgo 13 (ゴルゴ13), by Takao Saito
• Hana China (華中華　ハナ・チャイナ), written by YÅ«ji Nishi, illustrated by Shinji Hikino
• Kamuroba-mura e (かむろばæ'へ), by Mikio Igarashi
• Munakata Kyōju Ikōroku (宗像教授異考録), by Yukinobu Hoshino
• ÅŒgon no Rafu: Sōta no Stance (黄é‡'のラフ〜草太のスタンス〜), by Tsuyoshi Nakaima
• S - Saigo no Keikan (S エス‐最後の警官‐), by Yoichi Komori and Yutaka Toudo
• Sōmubu Sōmuka Yamaguchi Roppeita (総務部総務課山口六平太), written by Norio Hayashi, illustrated by Ken'ichirō Takai
• Taiyō no Mokushiroku (太陽の黙示録), by Kaiji Kawaguchi
• Sekuhara-kachō no Tsubuyaki (äº"月原課長のつぶやき), by Tōru Nakajima
• Tsukiji Uogashi Sandaime (築地魚河岸三代目), written by Masaharu Nabeshima, illustrated by Mitsuo Hashimoto

Irregularly serialized

These series are currently serialized, but have no specific schedule for when each chapter appears in the magazine.

• ChÅ«shun Komawari-kun, by Tatsuhiko Yamagami
• Osozaki Jijii, by Yoshinori Kobayashi
• UchÅ« Kazoku Nobeyama, by Jirō Okazaki
• Veterinarian Dolittle (獣医ドリトル), written by Midori Natsu, illustrated by Kiyoshi Chikuyama

Formerly serialized

• Ayako, by Osamu Tezuka
• Barbara, by Osamu Tezuka
• Big Wing, written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Shinji Hikino
• Swallowing the Earth, by Osamu Tezuka
• Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President, by Kaiji Kawaguchi
• Ode to Kirihito, by Osamu Tezuka
• Five, by Riki Kusaka, created by Yuzuru Hirayama
• Galaxy Express 999, by Leiji Matsumoto
• Gekiga ObaQ, by Fujiko F. Fujio
• Gekitō Magnitude 7.7, by Takao Yamaguchi
• Gringo, by Osamu Tezuka
• Happyaku Yachō Hyōri no Kewaishi, by Shotaro Ishinomori
• Hidamari no Ki, Osamu Tezuka
• Hotel, by Shotaro Ishinomori
• I.L., by Osamu Tezuka
• The Legend of Kamui (2nd series), written by Sanpei Shirato, illustrated by Tetsuji Okamoto
• Kamui Gaiden (2nd series), by Sanpei Shirato
• Kobayakawa Nobuki no Koi, by Fumi Saimon
• Kusakabe Shomei KyÅ«ka Omiya-san, by Shotaro Ishinomori
• Minotaurus no Sara, by Fujiko F. Fujio
• Mirai no Omoide, by Fujiko F. Fujio
• MW, by Osamu Tezuka
• Notari Matsutarō, by Tetsuya Chiba
• Sabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, by Shotaro Ishinomori
• Sora! Flight Attendant Monogatari, written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Shinji Hikino

References

1. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. (1996). Dreamland Japan: writings on modern manga. Stone Bridge Press. p. 97. ISBN 1-880656-23-X. 
2. ^ Japan Magazine Publishers Association Magazine Data 2008.
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Big Comic Cover Artist Shūichi Higurashi Passes Away". Anime News Network. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2012-05-03. 

External links

• Big Comic Official Website (Japanese)
• Big Comic (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia