What problem does a book like "Manga Manga: The World of Japanese Comics" solve for Western readers interested in the subject?

For Western readers, "Manga Manga: The World of Japanese Comics" solves the problem of a lack of comprehensive, accessible, and authoritative information on manga. Before its publication, understanding Japanese comics often required piecing together fragmented information or having proficiency in Japanese. The book provided a critical, well-researched gateway to appreciating and studying manga in English, bridging a significant cultural and linguistic gap.