Manga Mavericks Books Names Erica Friedman Managing Editor
Manga Mavericks Books, the publishing division of the Manga Mavericks website and podcast, announced on Monday that it has appointed Erica Friedman as its Managing Editor. Friedman will help the company through its upcoming year, during which it plans to release over 40 alternative, shojo, josei, LGBTQ+, and classic manga titles. Friedman is a longtime yuri commentator who has written for Anime News Network, Forbes, Slate, and other outlets. She authored "By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga" and contributed to DK's "Manga: A Visual History." She has lectured at universities and film festivals, including MIT, Harvard, and the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Friedman holds a Master's Degree in Library Science and a B.A. in Comparative Literature. She founded Yuricon and ALC Publishing. Manga Mavericks Books was established in April 2025 to license, localize, and distribute works from indie creators in Japan. The division entered distribution deals with Pathway Book Service and Gazelle Book Services Ltd for Europe in February.