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Billy Bat Manga Enters Final Story Arc

Manga creators Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki announced on Thursday in this year's sixth issue of Kodansha's Morning magazine that their Billy Bat manga has entered its final story arc. The manga's new chapter features a color opening page, and the manga is featured on the magazine's front cover (seen right).

The manga's story is set in 1949, when Japanese-American comic book artist Kevin Yamagata is drawing the popular "Billy Bat" comic. He thinks he might have unconsciously copied the image of Billy Bat from something he saw while serving in occupied Japan, and returns there to get permission from the creator of the image. Upon arriving there, however, he becomes embroiled in a web of murder, cover-ups, and prophecy that all leads back to Billy Bat.

The manga has been on hiatus multiple times in the last two years. The most recent hiatus started in October, with an announcement that the manga would return in early 2016 with its final arc. The manga had previously been on hiatus from May-August 2015, and from December 2014-April 2015. The manga also took several hiatuses in 2014. Urasawa switched from a semi-monthly to a weekly schedule in 2012.

Urasawa first launched the manga in Morning magazine in October 2008. Urasawa draws the series and Nagazaki collaborates on the story. Kodansha published the 18th compiled book volume of the manga on December 22.

Source: Comic Natalie