Elex Media Komputindo

Elex Media Komputindo is an Indonesian publishing company and a subsidiary of the Kompas Gramedia Group. Founded on January 15, 1985, it initially concentrated on books related to electronics, computers, and other technology subjects. The company later expanded into a broad publishing operation covering comics, manga, novels, magazines, self-help, business, travel, translated books, and other print products. Elex became especially influential in Indonesia through its development of a licensed manga publishing program. The company entered the manga market in 1991 with Candy Candy, originally published by Kodansha. It subsequently released widely recognized titles including Kungfu Boy, Doraemon, and Dragon Ball, helping establish translated Japanese comics as a mainstream category in Indonesia. Its growth coincided with the expansion of private television broadcasting during the New Order period, when licensed Japanese animation increased public familiarity with manga and Japanese popular culture. The company also supported Indonesian comics. In 1994 it published Imperium Majapahit by Jan Mintaraga, and from the mid-1990s it increasingly adopted visual and production approaches associated with Japanese manga. During the early 2000s, it applied these approaches to local comic projects. By December 2008, Elex had published almost 7,500 comic volumes, illustrating the scale of its role in the Indonesian comics market. Elex organized parts of its comics portfolio through specialized labels. Level Comics, established in 2005, was created for adult-oriented manga and related material, while the main Elex label continued to handle comics aimed at general, younger, and teenage audiences. The publisher introduced age ratings based on suitability for Indonesian readers rather than simply reproducing Japanese classifications, and it stated that it would not publish comics containing explicit pornography. In August 2009, Elex introduced Romic, short for “euROpean coMIC line,” for European comics such as Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Michel Vaillant, Yakari, and Spirou & Fantasio. Outside comics, Elex has issued Indonesian and translated books in self-help, business, fiction, travel, and technology categories. Its published authors have included self-help and business writers such as Ippho Santosa and Dedy Dahlan. The company has also translated foreign-language titles, including Microsoft Press works in an earlier phase. Its portfolio therefore combines licensed international content, locally authored books, educational and technology publishing, and mass-market entertainment. Elex is best understood as a major Indonesian trade publisher with particular historical importance in manga and comics. Its publishing activity is primarily associated with the Indonesian market, and its corporate position within Kompas Gramedia connects it to one of the country’s prominent media groups.

Elex Media Komputindo was established on January 15, 1985, as a publishing company within the Kompas Gramedia Group. Its earliest publishing activity focused on electronics, computers, and related technology subjects, reflecting the company’s original orientation toward practical and technical books. Over time, it broadened its catalogue beyond technology and became a general publisher active in books, comics, magazines, novels, and other print media. A decisive change came from the company’s entry into manga. During a visit to Japan in the late 1980s, Kompas founder Jakob Oetama became interested in the potential of manga for Indonesian readers. Elex entered the field in 1991 by publishing Candy Candy, a Kodansha title. It followed this release with internationally known manga including Kungfu Boy, Doraemon, and Dragon Ball. These publications benefited from a changing Indonesian media environment. The government’s authorization of privately owned television stations enabled more foreign programming to reach audiences, while licensed Japanese anime broadcasts helped create interest in manga and Japanese entertainment among Indonesian readers. Elex’s comics activity was not limited to imported titles. In 1994 it published Imperium Majapahit by Indonesian comic artist Jan Mintaraga. The company began adopting Japanese manga-style presentation more visibly in 1995 and extended that approach to local comics in 2001. This combination of translated franchises and Indonesian-produced work helped make Elex one of the country’s most significant comics publishers. By December 2008, the company had issued almost 7,500 comic volumes. In 2005, Elex created Level Comics as an imprint for adult manga. Titles associated with the imprint included 20th Century Boys, Homunculus, Vagabond, Shin Angyo Onshi, and Soul Eater. The main Elex comics operation continued to serve general, all-age, and teenage readers. To distinguish content for different audiences, the publisher adopted an age-rating system. Its classifications were based on appropriateness for Indonesian readers rather than mechanically following Japanese ratings. The company also excluded comics containing explicit pornography from its publishing program. Elex expanded its international comics range again in August 2009 with the launch of Romic, an abbreviation of “euROpean coMIC line.” The line included European properties such as Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Michel Vaillant, Yakari, and Spirou & Fantasio. This initiative complemented the company’s established Japanese manga catalogue and demonstrated an effort to present multiple international comics traditions to Indonesian readers. Alongside comics, Elex developed a wide book programme. It published novels and non-fiction in self-help, business, travel, and technology categories, and issued works by Indonesian authors including Ippho Santosa and Dedy Dahlan. It also translated selected foreign titles, including Microsoft Press books during an earlier period. Magazine projects included Indonesian editions or adaptations associated with Hana to Yume and LaLa, Shonen Sunday, Shonen Magazine, Nakayoshi, Korean manhwa, and Disney properties such as Winnie the Pooh and Cars. Several of these magazine lines were later discontinued. Elex Media Komputindo remains associated with Kompas Gramedia and with the Indonesian publishing market. Its historical significance lies particularly in helping establish licensed manga as a major commercial publishing category in Indonesia, while its broader catalogue continues to span practical books, translated works, fiction, magazines, and comics for different age groups.

• 2009

  Romic European comics line launched

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  In August 2009, Elex introduced Romic, a line dedicated to European comics including Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Michel Vaillant, Yakari, and Spirou & Fantasio.

• 2008

  Large-scale comics catalogue recorded

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  By December 2008, Elex had published almost 7,500 comic volumes.

• 2005

  Level Comics established

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  Elex launched Level Comics as an imprint for adult-oriented manga and introduced a clearer separation between adult and general-audience comics.

• 2001

  Manga style applied to local comics

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  The company extended its manga-influenced approach to locally produced Indonesian comics.

• 1995

  Adoption of manga-style production

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  Elex began adopting Japanese manga-style publishing approaches for parts of its comics programme.

• 1994

  Publication of Imperium Majapahit

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  The company published Imperium Majapahit by Indonesian comic artist Jan Mintaraga, supporting the development of local comic publishing.

• 1991

  Entry into manga publishing

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  Elex entered the manga market with Candy Candy, originally published by Kodansha, and later expanded its licensed Japanese comics catalogue.

• 1985

  Company established

  [1]Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org

  Elex Media Komputindo was established on January 15, 1985, within the Kompas Gramedia Group and initially focused on electronics and computer-related books.

A broad Indonesian trade publisher with a strong mass-market comics and manga franchise, supported by technology, business, self-help, fiction, travel, magazine, and translated-book publishing.

• Technology publishing · 1985

  Technology and computer books

  Elex began by publishing books about electronics, computers, and related technical subjects. This early focus gave the company its initial identity and remains part of the broader catalogue alongside fiction and entertainment publishing.

• Manga and comics · 1991

  Licensed Japanese manga

  Elex’s manga programme includes licensed Japanese comics for children, teenagers, and general readers. Its historically important titles include Candy Candy, Kungfu Boy, Doraemon, and Dragon Ball. The programme helped make translated manga a mainstream segment of Indonesian publishing.

• Adult manga imprint · 2005

  Level Comics

  Established in 2005, Level Comics is an Elex imprint for adult-oriented manga. Associated titles include 20th Century Boys, Homunculus, Vagabond, Shin Angyo Onshi, and Soul Eater. Elex uses age guidance based on suitability for Indonesian readers and excludes explicit pornography.

• European comics · 2009

  Romic

  Romic, introduced in August 2009, is Elex’s European comics line. Its catalogue included properties such as Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Michel Vaillant, Yakari, and Spirou & Fantasio, broadening the company’s international comics offering beyond Japanese manga.

• Trade publishing

  Books and magazines

  Beyond comics, Elex publishes novels and non-fiction in self-help, business, travel, and other categories. It has also issued translated books, including Microsoft Press titles in an earlier period, and has published or adapted magazines connected with manga, manhwa, and Disney properties.

• 2009

  Launch of the Romic European comics lineProduct launch

  Background

  Elex had built a strong position in Japanese manga and sought to broaden its comics portfolio with works from another major international comics tradition.

  Action taken

  In August 2009, Elex launched Romic, a line for European comics including Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, Michel Vaillant, Yakari, and Spirou & Fantasio.

  Aftermath

  Romic expanded the range of international comics available through the Elex publishing portfolio.

  Source

• 2005

  Creation of a dedicated adult-manga imprintStrategy

  Background

  Elex’s expanding manga catalogue served readers with different ages and content expectations, creating a need to distinguish adult-oriented material from general and teenage comics.

  Action taken

  The company established Level Comics for adult manga while retaining the main Elex label for all-age and teenage-oriented comics. It also used age ratings tailored to Indonesian suitability standards.

  Aftermath

  The imprint gave Elex a clearer portfolio structure for manga aimed at older readers while maintaining separate general-audience publishing.

  Source

1. 1Elex Media Komputindoen.wikipedia.org