…

Colleen Doran’s also mentions several comics pros who aren’t currently attached to anything- Mary Wilshire, Cynthia Martin, Jill Karla Schwartz, Anne Nocenti, Louise Simonson, and June Brigman…..

I think DC’s missing a major boat by not having Manga influenced artists, though in all honesty, creators like TinTin Pantoja and Lea both have very distinctive styles that blend american and international influences- much like Sonny Liew, who Karen makes a point is influenced by the same kinds of comics as Lea and Tintin. There’s many talented artists who have cartoony styles that could be seen as manga style that DC could of pursued… the artsits you mention are in no way copying it verbatim.

Pricing them at 10 dollars, making them digest sized [if not TP size, but still smaller then TPB's], b+w sure sounds like trying to catch the manga audience to some degree to me.

I personally found this to be extremely refreshing. As a young cartoonist myself (18), it pisses me off to no end that I see girl after girl, boy after boy (although not nearly as much girls) cartoonists draw in manga style. Its one to be influenced by a genre of art, but to copy the whole style practiacally verbaitm is mind boggling. WHY?!?!

That said I think it’s good to question why there aren’t more women involved and I’m glad the marketing/name and assorted issues are being discussed. My post was more about the fact that, at least in the books I saw, the content is solid. To me at least. One of the great (or possibly contentious) aspects of creating work in a public forum is that there are nearly infinite ways it can be interpreted.

Thought I’d clarify since I’m being quoted and all. :} And that’ll probably be my last work on the subject since I had no idea anyone would read it besides a few friends and I am way not comfortable with this kind of thing. Hope everyone tries at least one of the titles that appeals to them when they come out, I think they’re worth it.

No one’s attacking the male creators on the line, and many believe that the books will probably be good- it’s just that some find it quite strange that a line that’s for girls has barely any female creators working on it- and no female artists at all for that matter.

Shojo Beat has no problems finding female cartoonists for new illustrations, and they’re a magazine that reprints japanese manga [all by female artists btw]- Jen Wang does illustrations for several features [2 in the November issue, and I've noticed a couple others, all credited, and very keen!], Junko Mizuno does newly commissioned illustrations for the Horoscope, Chynna Clugston’s artwork was used on a Mod article, and it’s edited by Lauren McCubbin. http://www.laurennmccubbin.com/about
The “How To” sections are nifty, with instructions by female manga artists.

If you’re going to make the argument that minx is a sexualized word, then you’re forgetting that men can sexualize anything.

Parents let their pre-teen girls leave the house with pants that barely cover the crack of their asses, and people are getting riled up over the usage of a word that doesn’t even come close to having the connotation that it used to?!

I’m not going to question the virtue and moral character of any teenager that buys a MINX book, and it’s likely those that would are in nursing homes at this point.

“It’s interesting that most (but not all) of the people who are saying it’s okay that the line is mostly men because art should be gender neutral are MEN. Interesting but hardly surprising.”

So what exactly are you getting at? I don’t think any of the men you’re speaking of would say that the line SHOULDN’T have more women. It’s obvious that it should, but is sacrificing quality for ideolgy a smart move? You always lead with your best material because that’s what paves the way. I’m sure there are any number of reasons why one pitch was chosen over another, and nothing sells a pitch better than quality. MINX is a line for women, not “by women, for women”.

There’s also no argument that there are plenty of excellent female comics creators out there. I can safely say I’m better off for having read some of their work, and it’s a shame that more aren’t involved… at this time. I’m sure more women will be involved with MINX in the future…. unless people would rather complain about the name, creator line-up, and editorial decisions instead of actually buying the books based on their content thereby killing the entire line before more women can be brought aboard.

It’s your choice. Vote with your wallets.

If men are not in favor of gender neutrality then we’re accused of misogyny. If we are in favor of gender neutrality then we’re accused of insensitivity or opportunism. I’m willing to take a chance with being thought of as insensitive because true equality is gender neutral.

I was greatly inspired last night by 60 Minutes which profiled concert pianist Gabriela Montero and Rwandan genocide survivor and activist Immaculee Ilibagiza. Both very beautiful, talented, passionate women. THESE should be the role models for young women not the pantiless brain dead partyers. But as long as men are fascinated by girls without underwear (a trait hard wired by biology it would seem) then why should even the smartest girls not go with the flow? Dropping your drawers will get a woman a lot more attention on this planet than being smart and talented, and that was always the way of the world.

The point was never whether young girls liked the name; hell, I like the way the word flows out of my mouth–it’s a fun word, one you can just hear Cary Grant saying with a wink. The true question is what “minx” means in a larger cultural sense to the growing comics feminist movement and what it means symbolically in an age where media is increasingly sexualizing young women.

There’s another angle that I believed was raised by another commentor, and something I didn’t address that one of my old law profs would have whipped me upside the head for missing: brand placement and possible confusion. Google “minx” and see the first result–a website for a cycling clothing brand aimed at women. The next is a modeling agency.

The third seems to be porn, as does the fourth–or I’m assuming porn, since my work blocker kicked in. But the third says “girls throw they panties on the floor” and the fourth notes that their “Minx Movies” are “[f]or fans of girls in wet clothes, wet clothing, wet dresses” and so on and so forth.

I personally don’t think there’s going to be any marketplace confusion, but it’s certain the word is alive and well, carrying on the various implications of his name (historical and otherwise). Perhaps the current marketplace demonstrates to us what the name “really” means, no matter what dictionaries or focus groups tell us.