Comments on: Minx No More: DC Cancels Girls’ GN Line

By: Faith Erin Hicks Announces Friends With Boys, Her Next Graphic Novel » Comics Worth Reading

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:16:29 +0000

[...] agent as part of the background on this story (which was originally intended for DC’s defunct Minx imprint). There are also art examples posted at her site. Go check it out! She does great work with young [...]

By: *Token — Recommended » Comics Worth Reading

*Token — Recommended » Comics Worth Reading — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:52:39 +0000

[...] Token, last of the Minx line, is also the best. [...]

By: SPX 2008 Graphic Novels: Slowpoke, Baby-Sitters Club 4, Soddyssey, Emiko Superstar, more » Comics Worth Reading

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:21:37 +0000

[...] next-to-last Minx book is just like the rest of them: the story of a significant (and visual) event that teaches a girl [...]

By: Good Comics for Kids » That touch of Minx

Good Comics for Kids » That touch of Minx — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:39:19 +0000

[...] Draper Carlson at Comics Worth Reading (1): I’ve previously speculated that the books were selling better in the established comic direct [...]

By: Hsifeng

Hsifeng — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:19:01 +0000

Johanna Says: “I knew the DC line of graphic novels for girls [crossed out] young adults (as DC puts it, and that wishy-washiness may have been one of its problems”

That’s library lingo. Every town and city library I’ve been to has a “Young Adult” section for the teens instead of shelving the stuff written for teens in the “Children’s” section or along with the stuff written for adults. Seems like DC wasn’t being wishy-washy but just trying to sell to librarians who might be (or who might be wondering “why do we keep calling it that when the bookworms there outgrow that section and start reading Stephen King years before they’re adults?”).

dave roman Says: “But I think positioning yourself as the alternative to manga is a mistake. What if those kids don’t want an alternative?”

I wouldn’t blame them for thinking those kids would like an alternative, though. After hearing “girls can relate to female main characters more than to male main characters” a lot, should they have jumped to the “American girls can relate to Japanese female main characters more than to American female main characters ” conclusion?

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:30:47 +0000

Ross, I’m sorry, that wording was not very thought through on my part. I’ll fix it.

Jamie, I sure hope we see it! And based on DC’s no comment, since it’s due before January, I’m guessing we will see it.

By: Jamie S. Rich

Jamie S. Rich — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:01:39 +0000

Hold up, I don’t believe Token has been canceled. It’s due for an October release and Joëlle even saw a mock-up with the tones a couple of weeks ago. When I spoke to her yesterday and today, she made no mention of it being canceled.

I actually think it’s the best written and drawn of the lot (sorry, Ross! Steve!), so I’d hate to have people no longer looking for it based on rumor.

By: ross campbell

ross campbell — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:47:53 +0000

hey now, after it got past the horrible initial reviews, Water Baby got a bunch of great ones, too! ;)

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:03:01 +0000

Too bad this will prove another excuse to ignore women readers by the big publishers. I rather liked Plain Janes (though I agree it could have used another edit or two) and Regifters (which was stronger).

By: odessa steps magazine

odessa steps magazine — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:00:31 +0000

@dave

I’ve seen the new smaller size Whiteout trades in borders recently. Also the definitely Queen and Country HCs.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:11:23 +0000

Silly Paul – the bloggers don’t buy them, they get review copies!

By: dave roman

dave roman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:50:56 +0000

I’ve never seen any Oni Press books besides Courtney Crumrin in any bookstore I’ve been too sadly.

By: REMftw

REMftw — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:29:31 +0000

My Borders only stocks DC,Marvel,Image,Dark Horse, Even Oni but not ‘Minx’ It’s much easier to find a ‘Scott pilgrim’ which is by an unknown publisher(Who really knows Oni outside of comicbook forums? and how many have even heard of ‘em in comicbook message boards?) then it is to find a Wildstorm/Minx trade (Although they did have only a few Veritgo trades)

By: Paul O'Brien

Paul O'Brien — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:39:22 +0000

“I wonder how this news will affect the sales?”

Oh, I’m sure the same fifty bloggers will buy it regardless. :-)

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:18:02 +0000

Emiko Superstar is still coming out. I wonder how this news will affect the sales?

The point about series is a great one. There are a lot more continuing series both in manga and YA novels these days — and if you love the characters, you want to spend more time with them.

By: More on Minx No More » Comics Worth Reading

More on Minx No More » Comics Worth Reading — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:12:06 +0000

[...] to DC cancelling the Minx line are popping up all over the [...]

By: Blog@Newsarama » Blog Archive » DC Comics cancels Minx imprint [Updated]

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:09:52 +0000

[...] Johanna Draper Carlson [...]

By: Shannon Smith

Shannon Smith — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:05:28 +0000

p.s. Regardless of shelving and marketing. From all the pre-release stuff I read (and I read most all of it) I thought it was clear that their attention was to tap into the YA market. Most of the success in the YA market is in series books. Few to none of those YA series did gangbusters in their first volume. Those kind of things tend to catch on after a few volumes are out and word of mouth spreads. That takes a lot longer than the year and a half Minx invested. I think they gave up too soon. I’m kind of surprised. I’m not sure what they were expecting.

By: dave roman

dave roman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:00:18 +0000

I thought some of the books were pretty okay and I was looking forward to seeing what else they put out down the line. But I think positioning yourself as the alternative to manga is a mistake. What if those kids don’t want an alternative?
And the main thing that people forget is a lot of what teens want is a SERIES. And if it takes a year between books it’s hard to grow a fanbase. Kids don’t always buy every Tokyopop or Viz book across the line. They latch on to series they like and read all of it. But Minx doesn’t have a series yet. Plain Janes would have been but the second book is just coming out now. Manga series are far ahead of their American publishing schedule. There are more than 15 copies of Fruits Basket ready to go. That allows a fandom to grow much quicker.

By: Shannon Smith

Shannon Smith — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:55:14 +0000

“On the other hand, over on Heidi MacDonald’s blog, there’s a comment from somone who used to work in a Barnes & Noble where the first MINX book was placed in the YA section, where it barely sold.” I think that might have been a change on B&N’s part or maybe the initiative of one shelver in one store but I remember checking B&N when Minx rolled out (which I did on a weekly basis when I was in the biz) and they had the Minx stuff in graphic novels. It’s been a while since I’ve checked though. They may have changed. I know Books A Million has this odd adult-graphic novel section away from graphic novels where they have an odd assortment of things ranging from near-porn manga to Blankets. Blankets being a book that actually won a YA award if I’m not mistaken. I’m not saying you or Heidi are wrong, just saying that when Minx rolled out, it was in graphic novels at both Borders and B&N. (At least the several B&N’s I visited at the time.)