Dark Horse to Publish Tetsuwan Atom

Dark Horse has confirmed for Newsarama that beginning in March of 2002, the publisher will repackage and release an English version of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy. Created by Tezuka in 1951 and first published in Japan in 1952 as Tetsuwan Atomu (“Mighty Atom”), the series is about a little, atomic-powered robot boy who was created by a scientist after his own son was killed in a car accident. Astro Boy is considered by many as the work that began Japan’s robot manga. The character was also another first for manga as well – in 1963, Tezuka turned Astro Boy into a black and white animated series – the first in a long, long line of manga to make the move to television. The animated series was renamed Astro Boy for American audiences when the animated series was brought to the states in the ’70s.

Similar to its treatment with Lone Wolf and Cub, Dark Horse will publish Astro Boy in compact, four and one-half inch by seven inch black and white volumes, with each containing over 200 pages, and retailing for $9.95. There will be 23 Astro Boy volumes in all, completely reprinting Tezuka’s run.

Source: Anime News Service