Many Americans are aware of characters such as Archie and Batman. These characters have soared from pages in books into the American consciousness. But have you seen these types of heroes shaped in a new way? Today you will see manga and comic books, reimagined. These six stories are all unique to an American audience. They also bring a level of familiarity as they all feature characters famous in America. These stories are also quite self-contained. Whether reading from left to right or vice-versa, I hope you enjoy these familiar foreign stories.

Manga and Comic Books, Reimagined

Himitsu Sentai Gorenger by Shotaro Ishinomori

            This is a manga adaptation of the first Super Sentai series of the same name. Himitsu Sentai Gorenger had an 84-episode run on Japanese television from 1975-1977. The Super Sentai franchise was later adapted in America as Power Rangers. The Himitsu Sentai Gorenger manga is drastically different from the first season of Super Sentai that Haim Saban decided to adapt. Himitsu Sentai Gorenger has a dark and adult tone, unlike Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

            The villains in the manga are The Black Cross Army. The Black Cross Army is a global terrorist organization. They are only interested in making money and causing global chaos. They steal government secrets and scientific data of new discoveries and inventions to sell to the highest bidder. They also use weapons and military technology in their violent operations.

            Himitsu Sentai Gorenger differs from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in many ways. One is the use of a Megazord. The Gorengers do not have a Megazord. They instead have an aircraft called the variblune that is equipped with an infrared lens and rockets. The “monsters” in Himitsu Sentai Gorenger are more realistic and diabolically fashionable than MMPR’s. These “monsters” are actually humans in technologically advanced masks. One villain is The Great Boat-Ear Mask. Boat-Ear Mask uses their “ears” to control model ships that shoot bombs at The Gorengers. Go! Go! Go! grab a copy of Himitsu Sentai Gorenger to see how the heroic Gorengers battle The Black Cross Army’s monsters.

Archie 1941 by Brian Augustyn and Mark Waid

            Archie has maintained his youthful appearance by undergoing many facelifts. Archie’s reimaginings include Afterlife with Archie and Riverdale. There has also been a new take on Archie in the historical fiction category. Archie 1941 places the famous American high school characters in a prominent moment for young adults. Their small town of Riverdale is affected by the global conflict which is World War II. Archie 1941 surprisingly starts at Archie and his friend’s high school graduation.

            Riverdale transitions from one set of pomp and circumstances into another as the United States is dragged into World War II. Archie and his fellow graduates are at a crossroads: life after high school and World War II. Archie goes from wearing his varsity jacket to that of a service member. Jughead the class clown juggles his guilt from not enlisting. Many other Riverdale residents also react to the war. Veronica’s dad Hiram sets Riverdale ablaze by bringing price gouging to his gas station. Where will Riverdale’s residents’ legacies land in this historic time? Read Archie 1941 to find out.

Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1–7) by Kazuki Takahashi

            Note: Seven volumes make up the story. The easiest way to find this series is by reading the 3-in-1 editions. The picture above includes Volumes 8-9, which are unrelated to the seven-volume story.

            Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1-7), consisting of 59 chapters, was published in Japan before the Duelist Kingdom arc. Duelist Kingdom serves as a separate entry in the series. Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1–7) also rarely includes the card game called Duel Monsters. Instead, a wide variety of games are included. The series also features a dark adult tone. Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1–7) is a sort of reimagining of the series for an American audience. This is because Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters premiered on American television before the seven volumes received an English translation.

            This version of Yu-Gi-Oh! also has Yugi solving the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi’s necklace is unlike cheap jewelry sold on Instagram. His necklace grants him an alter ego named Dark Yugi. Dark Yugi appears whenever Yugi is stressed out. Yugi is a shy high schooler while Dark Yugi is a Pharoah with a penchant for Old-Testament-style punishment. Yugi also never remembers his actions while he’s Dark Yugi. That must be quite a hangover!

            Dark Yugi challenges Yugi’s adversaries to Shadow Games. What are his Shadow Games? These games are violent and ridiculous. Whenever Dark Yugi wins, he comes up with horrifying punishments. For example, Dark Yugi changes one person’s vision into mosaic vision. Imagine the horror of your eyesight being the same specs as a 1990s PC.

            Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1–7) also includes an assortment of ridiculous villains. There is a yo-yo-wielding gang. That surely must have been common in high school. Another villain is a talentless musician who forces people to sell tickets to their empty shows. The musician punishes Yugi with loud music when Yugi doesn’t sell his tickets. Dark Yugi has quite the intense showdown with this ticket master. How will Yugi fare with his new identity? All will be revealed when you read Yu-Gi-Oh! (volumes 1–7).

Batman: The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga, volumes 1–3 by Jiro Kuwata

            In the 1960s Jiro Kuwata a Japanese manga artist was able to create his own Batman adaptation. The caped crusader flew into the world of manga. Kuwata’s Batman packed a unique punch. Kuwata did not just pull out the classic Batman toolbox. Famous villains such as Joker and Penguin were nowhere to be found in his adaptation.

            An original character in Jiro Kuwata’s Batmanga is The Monster of Gore Bay. This was a sea monster which came ashore and started attacking Gore Bay. Batman and Robin fought the sea monster. This is the closest we have gotten to an actual Batman vs Godzilla fight. Could this kaiju defeat Batman in the dark night?

            Jiro Kuwata’s Batmanga also includes a cat villain named Catman. Yes, Catman. The people of Zetatama island used to worship cats. Once Upon a Time, a huge black cat protected their island. When the cat passed the islanders buried it with a cloth. One day a criminal stole the cloth. That is the origin of Catman. Catman was always purrsumed dead when justice came after him. But then he kept on reappearing! Will Catman and other villains claw their way out of defeat? Or will Batman and Robin be victorious? Check out this dynamic series by Jiro Kuwata to find out.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Issue #20 by Kyle Higgins

            This individual issue is part of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series by Boom Studios. Boom’s series is a retelling of MMPR set in the present day. Boom’s MMPR team comes after all the previous ranger iterations, and the first issue was released in 2016. 

            Issue #20 tells a pretty standalone story about a group of power rangers that Zordon had previously mentored. Zordon’s rangers are part of real-world history. The issue starts in 1969 after the moon landing. Zordon chooses a team of individuals to save the earth. Zordon’s rangers are sent to the moon to stop Psycho Green of the Psycho Rangers. Psycho Green is on a moon mission to free Rita Repulsa and her generals from a makeshift prison stationed on the moon.

            The 1969 Rangers are a worldwide team. Grace Sterling works for the NASADA space program. Grace was qualified and applied to be the first person on the moon. Yet due to her gender, she was passed over. Her astronaut career is delayed. But the different suit she gains is the red ranger suit.

            Jamie Gilmore is the black ranger. She is a rock and roll musician from Britain. Jamie knows how to play rock and roll. But she doesn’t know how to play the role of a superhero. Nikolai Chukarin is the blue ranger. Nikolai is from Russia and had previously worked as a KGB agent. The other rangers question Nikolai’s intelligence. Nikolai the blue ranger also sees red as he makes himself the unofficial leader of the power rangers.

            Terona Washington is the yellow ranger. Terona is a proud but traumatized Vietnam war veteran. While Daniel O’Hallaran is the pink ranger. Daniel is a college student who protested the Vietnam war. The Vietnam war divided both men. Will a space battle unite them? Can this team of five rangers make a big leap for mankind by defeating Psycho Green? Or will their teamwork crater? Take off to read Mighty Morphin Power Rangers issue #20 to find out.

Wizards of Mickey, Volume One: Origins by Stefan Ambrosio

            Wizards Of Mickey is a series created by an Italian writer named Stefan Ambrosio. This series features Mickey Mouse as a sorcerer’s apprentice. Mickey as a sorcerer will be familiar to people who have seen Fantasia. Disney has been successful in basing its works on preexisting material from other countries. So, it’s fitting that they allowed an Italian writer to adapt their most famous creation, Mickey Mouse.

            Wizards of Mickey updates Mickey Mouse. Disney does its best when its classic mouse is reintroduced in a new way. Disney’s House of Mouse placed Mickey Mouse and his friends in charge of a cartoon club, while Wizards of Mickey has its own unique magical approach. Wizards of Mickey transports Mickey Mouse into a fantasy setting.

            Wizards of Mickey Volume 1: Origins starts off in the small village of Miceland. Miceland is a town of farmers which has undergone a severe drought. Mickey tries proving that he’s a good sorcerer by using Miceland’s diamagic. Diamagics are magical crystals that all have different powers. Miceland’s diamagic controls rainfall. Unfortunately, Mickey cannot control the diamagic’s powers as he inadvertently causes a tornado in Miceland. This causes Mickey to give the diamagic to town visitor Pete The Great. Pete stops the tornado but creates a different storm by stealing Miceland’s diamagic.

            Mickey goes on an adventure to Haven to retrieve the diamagic. He meets familiar friends. Mickey meets Goofy who is a wizard who wishes to conjure up a different career path. Mickey also meets Donald Duck. Donald can’t create a spell and can’t control his pet dragon Fafnir. The three friends decide to enter The Grand Sorcerers Tournament.

            The tournament consists of 3 vs. 3 sorcery challenges. The winning sorcerer team of each match wins diamagic. This tournament is how Mickey can retrieve Miceland’s diamagic. The pals also have another quest in store as they search for Mickey’s boss Master Nereus who has vanished. This volume is practically a standalone story. Will Mickey and his friends regain Miceland’s diamagic? Or will they get washed away by their competition? You can find this out and more by conjuring up a library card to check out Wizards of Mickey Volume One: Origins.