DC Ink and Zoom Launch Titles Show Changing Plans

Originally planned for this fall, the DC Zoom and DC Ink imprints have been delayed, with some titles moved around on the schedule. Now comes word that we have new release dates and slates.

DC Zoom targets middle grade readers ages 8-12 and will tell stories focused on friends, family, and growing up. DC Ink will publish thought-provoking stories for young adults, readers ages 13+, that focus on everyday aspirations, struggles, and triumphs.

The first four DC Zoom titles are

• Super Sons: The Polarshield Project, written by Ridley Pearson, art by Ile Gonzalez (April 2019)
• DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out, written by Shea Fontana, art by Agnes Garbowska (May 2019)
• Batman: Overdrive, written by Shea Fontana, art by Marcelo Di Chiara (August 2019)
• Black Canary: Ignite, written by Meg Cabot, art by Cara McGee (October 2019)

DC Super Hero Girls: The Search for Atlantis was supposed to be one of the launch titles, but that’s still coming out this October. Spaced Out ran digitally from October 2017 to April 2018. Interesting that this avoids releases during the traditional convention/summer months of June and July, but they’re covered in the list below.

The first four DC Ink titles are

• Mera: Tidebreaker, written by Danielle Paige and illustrated by Stephen Byrne (April 2019)
• Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale, written by Lauren Myracle and illustrated by Isaac Goodhart (May 2019)
• Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Steve Pugh (June 2019)
• Teen Titans: Raven, written by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo (July 2019)

All of these characters have current or forthcoming media projects as well. (Well, Catwoman not currently, but come on.)

The Harley Quinn and Mera books were previously announced as launch titles, and the Catwoman book was mentioned as well. Still to come from that imprint are a couple of Batman books and Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed.

More information on all of these titles will be presented at the coming American Library Association gathering this weekend.

What makes this different from DC’s previous attempt to reach outside its market to the YA world, the Minx line?

It’s been ten years. The environment, given the success of the Scholastic Graphix imprint and authors such as Raina Telgemeier, is much more accepting of graphic novels for kids and teens, with more markets available outside the comic stores, which are more traditionally focused.

That launch emphasized how DC had a marketing partner; this one is about the creators and characters. That launch defined itself through what it wasn’t; this one is about what DC can do well. Instead of creating a whole bunch of books with fundamentally the same plot, DC is expanding on its strengths — long-running, well-known characters — with new material.

With changes in leadership, it’s easier to believe that the company really wants to do these projects this time. Minx always had an air of “well, if we have to sell to girls”. These lines also aren’t gender-specific, although they seem noticeably more girl-friendly, particularly given the mix of creators.