Abrams ComicArts is keeping the manga train rolling with their Kana imprint, thanks to the recently announced English-language publication of Billy Bat, the landmark “historical conspiracy thriller” from Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki. The first volume will be published in June of 2026, with the plan to ultimately release all 20 volumes of the series.
“Finally bringing Urasawa and Nagasaki’s Billy Bat to English readers has been a dream project for the Kana team,” said Kana Editor Kristiina Korpus via press release. “We can’t wait to see how fans react to the announcement and the eventual release. It’s been a long time coming for English-speaking fans! Everyone at Kana has been so excited to finally bring this unmatched manga to English and we’re all thrilled to finally be able to share it.”
If you’re not familiar, Billy Bat starts in America in 1949, and focuses on, per PR, “Japanese-American comics artist Kevin Yamagata, who returns home after serving under the Allied Forces in World War II. Kevin quickly becomes famous for his detective comic character, Billy Bat. However, his newfound success is soon overshadowed by a disturbing revelation—Billy Bat already exists in Japan. Fearing unintentional plagiarism, Kevin embarks on a journey to Japan to uncover the truth, only to find himself ensnared in a tangled web of murders, secret societies, and prophetic mysteries spanning millennia.”
Urasawa and Nagasaki are the masterminds behind Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto, three of the most lauded works of manga of all time. You can check out the cover, below, as well as solicit info.
Billy Bat vol. 1
by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki
June 2026
$13.99 • ISBN: 9781419780080
Black-and-white illustrations throughout
200 Pages • Paperback w/jacket • 5 x 7 1⁄2 inches
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