Square Enix Manga & Books, in collaboration with Penguin Random House, has introduced the Comic Partner initiative, a new retailer support program aimed at increasing manga adoption in comic bookstores across the United States. Launching in April 2025, the initiative will be available to retailers enrolled in the Penguin Random House Direct Partnership Program, offering benefits such as educational resources for store managers, in-store promotional materials, and early access to select manga titles.
Morgan Perry, Marketing Manager at Square Enix Manga & Books, emphasized the program’s goals, stating:
While we’re seeing significant market growth for manga among western audiences, our retailers have expressed challenges with overwhelming options and knowledge gaps. ith the Comic Partner initiative, our aim is to make it easier for our comic shop partners to unlock the potential of manga sales by curating great content for them, providing marketing support and educating sales associates about this art form – after all, manga are comics.
We’re incredibly excited and proud to announce this collaboration with Penguin Random House. And we’re committed to helping comic shop retailers who are interested in expanding to carry more manga and build those communities in their stores through this partnership.
As part of the initiative’s launch, Square Enix Manga & Books has announced that Comic Partner retailers will receive advance galley copies of two debut series. These are:
On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance, Vol. 1
This manga follows the unlikely connection between Sotaro Amata, a lolita fashion enthusiast, and Akira Hanku, a punk rocker. By day, they are coworkers unaware of each other’s double lives, but after hours, their paths cross in unexpected ways as they bond over their distinctive styles—without realizing they already know each other from work. The first volume of On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance is scheduled for release in May 2025, priced at $14.99 USD
Love in the Palm of His Hand, Vol. 1
Blending themes of communication and self-discovery, this series centers on Fujinaga, a university student pursuing a career in acting, and Keito, a fellow student with congenital hearing loss. When Fujinaga is introduced to sign language, he begins to see the world from a new perspective. As they connect beyond spoken words, their unexpected friendship offers a heartfelt exploration of understanding and belonging. The first volume of Love in the Palm of His Hand is set for release in May 2025, priced at $12.99 USD.
