I think if we assume that Lichtenstein has artistic integrity, we have to allow for the possibility of artistic integrity in manga. I don't see how, as a style, you can differentiate it from impressionism, expressionism, or whatever other style you choose. More of the works tend to be commissioned by large publishing companies, but you can't really say that art for mass consumption isn't art, lest zombie Diego Rivera come and whack you around for a while. I don't think I have any logical basis for saying it's not art.
The imagery though, is most often in service of a story, and I think that's where manga derives much of the meaning, if any, it has. Popular series may have art-books wherein the drawing is the focus, but I think more often that not that which is drawn is driven by that which has first been written. If you want to suggest that that's not art, I can find a few Directors and Cinematographers who'd like a word.
If you want me to make bits of this post a little more elegant for inclusion into something, let me know. If you want to do it yourself, you're free to quote me out of context and make heavy use of ellipses and brackets.
The imagery though, is most often in service of a story, and I think that's where manga derives much of the meaning, if any, it has. Popular series may have art-books wherein the drawing is the focus, but I think more often that not that which is drawn is driven by that which has first been written. If you want to suggest that that's not art, I can find a few Directors and Cinematographers who'd like a word.
If you want me to make bits of this post a little more elegant for inclusion into something, let me know. If you want to do it yourself, you're free to quote me out of context and make heavy use of ellipses and brackets.
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