Sponsored.  The last time I wrote to readers of ICv2, I spoke at length about our brand Saturday AM's mission: to publish the best, most inclusive manga from anywhere and anyone.

I'm here today to echo those sentiments and reiterate the great ways we are making space for creators and readers of all backgrounds with our brand!

Many companies inside and outside of comics have made a change toward diversity and inclusivity, which is always a noble cause when done with authenticity.  We are honored to publish our exclusive collection of global creators and books because these talented people and their works represent who we are as a community.  Our manga should reflect the larger diverse fandom supporting this increasingly popular art form worldwide and feature similar characters and stories as earnestly and intimately as possible.  In short, Saturday AM's mission of inclusivity extends far beyond race or gender.

We believe that manga and graphic novels are fantastic tools for engaging young minds, inspiring them to read more, and, more importantly, pushing them to DREAM more about their potential when they see their reflections in stories depicting them as heroes, love interests, and dynamic friends.  We want ALL readers to see themselves in our books, and we appreciate when people of different orientations and body types, with varying levels of financial stability, physical abilities, and comfort with the English language, can see themselves as important characters in our fun, action-packed stories.

Around the turn of the century, the manga category led the charge for graphic novels to become permanent fixtures in traditional bookstores in North America and many parts of Western Europe.  Today, it remains one of the highest-selling categories within those sections. If you factor in manga's complete and total permeation into the social fabric of its native Japan and its domination in fashion, streaming, and even social media, then one could argue that manga is the most widely read form of traditional print comics worldwide.  This gives the manga category more influence over the global culture of comics and makes it a valuable tool for engaging young readers as they begin their journeys into becoming lifelong enthusiasts of books.

Saturday AM publishes over 25 different series in an ever-growing line of manga-style graphic novels across various genres for just about every age to enjoy.  And it's working!  From libraries to comic stores and bookstores to mass retailers, our colorful, diverse characters have excited parents, teachers, and of course, young readers, alike!

We just released the second volume of our award-winning series, Clock Striker about a young Black girl who wants to become a legendary engineer warrior called a SMITH.  We continue to publish new volumes of Hammer and Apple Black, our highly praised fantasy adventures for middle graders and teens.  In addition to our many comics, we publish how-to and coloring books on diverse manga, where young artists can get tips on creating respectful character designs.  Our hope has always been to inspire the next generation of creators to take up the mantle of drawing themselves into their favorite kinds of stories and dream up their own visions of what defines manga.  And with popular creators from Nigeria, Denmark, and the USA who have only ever known Japanese manga, Saturday AM is what many young manga fans feel passionate about, reflecting the type of manga they've always wished to see or even one day create.

Saturday AM represents the best in manga-inspired comics and graphic novels from anywhere and anyone, and they are to be read by you anywhere, anytime.  So, please join us in celebrating diversity and inclusivity in manga!

- Frederick L Jones
Author, publisher, and founder of Saturday AM