Gempak Starz

Kadokawa Gempak Starz is a Malaysian publishing and entertainment company focused on graphic novels, comics, manga, illustrated books, magazines, and related merchandise. It trades primarily under the Gempak Starz name and is owned by Kadokawa Corporation. The business developed from Komik Lawak Atau Lawak Creation, which began publishing in 1971, and later became associated with the Gempak magazine and the Art Square group of publishing companies. The company's most important early publishing property was Gempak, a Malaysian magazine launched on 1 June 1998. The magazine emerged during a difficult period for the Malaysian comic industry, which was affected by the economic crisis that began in 1997. Rather than relying solely on conventional comic publishing, the publisher positioned Gempak as an information-comic magazine. Its editorial mix combined comics with news, features, and educational material about animation, comics, and games, both in Malaysia and internationally. This format helped the title reach readers interested in the wider ACG culture while also providing a platform for Malaysian comic artists. Gempak initially appeared monthly. After approximately three years, publication shifted to a bimonthly schedule beginning in June 2001. The title's success took time to develop, reportedly requiring about 18 months without support from other media advertising. Its information-comic approach subsequently influenced other Malaysian comic and magazine publishers. The publication also helped raise the profile of local artists and contributed to the development of a more organized Malaysian comics and ACG ecosystem. The success of Gempak supported the expansion of Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd. into Art Square Group, which incorporated several related companies, including Art Square Creation, Anjung Taipan, and Gala Unggul. Products from the group were brought together under the Gempak Starz brand. The catalogue expanded well beyond magazines to include original and acquired graphic novels, educational comics, horror titles, romance and youth series, artbooks, stationery, apparel, toys, posters, mugs, caps, and other collectible products. The company has also used online channels and stores to extend the reach of its publishing and merchandise activities. Gempak's editorial identity has covered several distinct areas. Its educational and informational material has been organized under the Learn More label, while Magic Bean has been used for selected popular-literature releases. Horror comics, marketed under the Komik Seram designation, became one of the company's strongest and most popular areas. Other recognizable properties include Lawak Kampus, a humor-oriented series, and X-VENTURE, an adventure and educational line with stories involving exploration, science, animals, history, and supernatural or speculative threats. In December 2015, Kadokawa Corporation acquired an 80 percent interest in Malaysian Art Square Group through its Hong Kong subsidiary, Kadokawa Holdings Asia Ltd. Following the transaction, the company was renamed Kadokawa Gempak Starz in January 2016. The ownership change connected a prominent Malaysian comics publisher with Kadokawa's broader international publishing, manga, anime, games, and popular-culture network. The Malaysian business continued to operate through its local division, while a Singapore entity was also identified within the group structure. Today, Kadokawa Gempak Starz is best understood as a Malaysian comics and illustrated-content publisher operating within the Kadokawa group. Its importance lies in combining local-language comics and Malaysian creative talent with translated, acquired, and internationally oriented content. The Gempak brand also remains associated with the popularization of information-comic publishing and with the commercial development of Malaysia's modern comics market.

The company's publishing lineage reaches back to Komik Lawak Atau Lawak Creation, whose first identified publication, Komik-1, appeared on 9 July 1971. The business later developed into Art Square Creation and then the broader Art Square Group. Its best-known early publishing initiative was Gempak magazine, launched on 1 June 1998 as Malaysia was recovering from the effects of the 1997 economic crisis. The Malaysian comics sector was under pressure at the time, and Gempak sought to establish a distinctive position through an information-comic format. Instead of presenting only serial entertainment, the magazine combined comics with articles and news concerning animation, comics, and games. The approach served both as a reader-friendly source of ACG information and as a showcase for Malaysian artists. Gempak's editorial mission was closely connected with encouraging the local development of the comics and animation industries and helping Malaysian creative work reach audiences beyond the country. Gempak was initially published monthly. Its readership and commercial traction developed gradually, with the publication reportedly taking around 18 months to achieve success without advertising support from other media. From June 2001 it became a bimonthly magazine, despite continued reader demand for more frequent publication. The title's format was influential in Malaysia: other publishers later introduced comparable information-comic magazines, demonstrating that Gempak had helped establish a recognizable publishing model. The magazine's performance also provided a foundation for corporate expansion. Art Square Creation developed into Art Square Group, with Art Square Creation Sdn. Bhd., Anjung Taipan Sdn. Bhd., and Gala Unggul Sdn. Bhd. among its associated companies. Group products were marketed under the Gempak Starz label. The catalogue grew to more than magazines, encompassing graphic novels, foreign comics acquired for local publication, educational titles, illustrated books, apparel, accessories, toys, posters, stationery, and collection items. The publishing programme became diversified by genre and audience. Learn More was used for educational comic series, while Magic Bean served as a popular-literature label. Komik Seram brought together horror comics and became one of the company's strongest-selling areas. The catalogue also included humor, romance, school stories, adventure, science-oriented fiction, fantasy, and artist-focused publications. Series such as Lawak Kampus and X-VENTURE illustrate the company's ability to combine accessible entertainment with recurring characters, serialized storytelling, and educational or informational themes. Digital activity became another part of the brand structure. The company identified online stores including SPARKS and the Gempak Starz store, as well as online video and publishing channels associated with Gempack 360°, CK 360°, and Learn More 360°. These channels supported comics, ACG-related features, and artist interviews, extending the brand beyond printed publications. A major corporate turning point came in December 2015, when Kadokawa Corporation, through its Hong Kong subsidiary Kadokawa Holdings Asia Ltd, acquired an 80 percent stake in Malaysian Art Square Group. The transaction placed the Malaysian publisher within Kadokawa's international network. In January 2016, the company was renamed Kadokawa Gempak Starz. The post-acquisition structure included the Malaysian operating company and a Singapore division, while the Gempak Starz identity continued to represent the publishing and merchandise catalogue. The company therefore combines a long Malaysian publishing history with the resources and international relationships of Kadokawa. Its continuing role is to publish comics and illustrated works, support local creators, distribute selected international material, and build communities around comics, manga, animation, games, and related popular culture.

• 2016

  The company becomes Kadokawa Gempak Starz

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  The Malaysian Art Square business was renamed following the Kadokawa transaction.

• 2015

  Kadokawa acquires a controlling stake

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  Kadokawa Corporation acquired 80 percent of Malaysian Art Square Group through Kadokawa Holdings Asia.

• 2007

  Gempak wins a Malaysian magazine award

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  The magazine received recognition from the Malaysian magazine publishers' association in a special Malay magazine category.

• 2001

  Gempak changes to bimonthly publication

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  After initially appearing monthly, Gempak adopted a bimonthly schedule beginning in June.

• 1998

  Gempak magazine launches

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  Gempak launched on 1 June as an information-comic magazine focused on comics, animation, games, and Malaysian creative talent.

• 1971

  Komik-1 is published

  [1]Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org

  Komik-1 debuted under Komik Lawak Atau Lawak Creation, marking the earliest identified stage of the company's publishing history.

A Malaysian comics and graphic-publishing house that develops local talent, publishes accessible entertainment and educational content, and connects Malaysian readers with the wider animation, comics, manga, and games culture.

• Comic and ACG magazine · 1998

  Gempak

  The company's defining magazine brand, Gempak combines comics with editorial coverage of animation, comics, games, artists, and related popular culture. It was designed to inform readers while promoting Malaysian comic creators and the broader local ACG sector. The title began as a monthly publication and later moved to a bimonthly schedule.

• Humor comics

  Lawak Kampus

  Lawak Kampus is a recurring humor-comics property associated with the Gempak Starz catalogue. The line has appeared in multiple editions and related collections, including continuation, friends, league, and artbook formats. Its school-centered comedic orientation makes it one of the brand's recognizable youth and local-language entertainment properties.

• Adventure and educational comics

  X-VENTURE

  X-VENTURE is an adventure-oriented comics line that uses dramatic narratives to explore subjects such as prehistoric animals, extreme environments, science-fiction threats, natural hazards, and exploration. The catalogue includes standard and Extreme Xploration subseries, with titles issued in multiple languages or localized forms. The line reflects Gempak Starz's combination of entertainment and informal learning.

• Horror comics

  Komik Seram

  Komik Seram is the company's horror-comics category. It has included anthologies and creator-led titles such as Dari Alam Angker, Warisan Puaka, Seringai Malam, Dajal Berbisik, and Lawang Penamat. According to the reference material, horror publications became among the company's most popular and best-selling comic products.

• Educational comics

  Learn More

  Learn More is an educational publishing label used for comics and related content intended to communicate knowledge through illustrated storytelling. The label extends the information-comic philosophy associated with Gempak and provides a more explicitly instructional route within the company's catalogue.

• Popular literature

  Magic Bean

  Magic Bean is a Gempak Starz publishing label for selected popular-literature releases. It sits alongside the company's comic and educational imprints and broadens the catalogue into illustrated and youth-oriented literary formats.

• Licensed and branded merchandise

  Gempak Starz merchandise

  Beyond printed works, the company has marketed branded and character-related merchandise including T-shirts, caps, mugs, toys, posters, stationery, illustration books, and collection items. These products support the publisher's role as a comics and character-entertainment house rather than a magazine-only business.

• 2015

  Sell an 80 percent stake to KadokawaM&A

  Background

  Malaysian Art Square Group had expanded from the Gempak magazine into a multi-company publishing and merchandise group.

  Action taken

  Kadokawa Corporation acquired an 80 percent interest through its Hong Kong subsidiary, Kadokawa Holdings Asia Ltd.

  Aftermath

  The group was renamed Kadokawa Gempak Starz in January 2016 and became part of Kadokawa's international publishing network.

  Source

• 2001

  Move Gempak from monthly to bimonthly publicationStrategy

  Background

  Gempak had been published monthly during its first three years.

  Action taken

  Beginning in June 2001, the magazine adopted a bimonthly publishing schedule.

  Aftermath

  The change followed the title's initial growth while reader demand for more frequent issues reportedly remained.

  Source

• 1998

  Adopt the information-comic format for GempakProduct launch

  Background

  Gempak entered a Malaysian comics market affected by the economic downturn following the 1997 crisis.

  Action taken

  The publisher combined comics with news, educational material, and ACG coverage instead of positioning the magazine as a conventional comic title.

  Aftermath

  The format gained traction after an extended development period and influenced later Malaysian comic-magazine projects.

  Source

1. 1Kadokawa Gempak Starzen.wikipedia.org