Amy Reads the Week (of September 23rd, 2007)

Welcome, Gentle Reader, to the new day and time for my weekly column! Fridays had become too problematic and stressful, Column-Wise, so I will see how Sundays work out. Please let me know what you think!

I must be honest, as Constant Readers of This Blog might have noticed the steady decline of posts, particularly those comic-related. I Do Apologize, Friends, but this past month has been, personally, academically, emotionally, professionally, Rather Busy. But this weekend afforded me Some Time to catch up on my comics reading, and what I read, First and Foremost, were Minx titles.

Three of them, in fact. Three months of Minx titles that had been waiting, patiently, at My Local, and while I picked them up last weekend, I promptly fell sick this week, and any spare time afforded by my schedule was spent in the Recuperation Process. While I still recover from a cold that has settled, Quite Stubbornly, in my chest and throat, I am feeling Much Better, and less feverish and delirious, as was the case Tuesday last!

Confessions of a Blabbermouth, Clubbing, and Good as Lily were on the docket, along with a bonus third volume of Kat and Mouse, the remainder of Mike Carey’s Vicious Circle (which Poor Mr. Reads has waited less-than-patiently for me to finish!), and issues of the new Wonder Girl and the current Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Several titles which all, in Some Way or Another, deal with the sometimes troublesome lives of adolescent and teenaged girls. As you might remember, Gentle Reader, this is a subject I am Quite Interested in, not only as a former adolescent and teenaged girl myself, but also as a former teacher of said girls, and a possible future parent of said girls. I’ve a goddaughter, too, and Mr. Reads and I are Greatly Concerned with her Happy and Healthy Upbringing outside of the safety of the familial sphere. Also, too, her Happy Comic Book Upbringing, and we supply her with Spider-Man, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman paraphernalia at Every Opportunity.

But as DC’s Minx line is an imprint particularly concerned with young female readership—it is, it seems, after all, the Reason for the Read!—it seems Obvious that the Subject Matter should be Young Woman Friendly. Some titles do this better than others, of course. Plain Janes rises to the top, as cream does, followed closely by Re-Gifters and Confessions of a Blabbermouth. All three of those titles seem to understand, and Understand Well, the particular concerns of adolescents and teens, and most importantly, how far to Push the Envelope. Confessions of a Blabbermouth has the unique perspective of a teenaged woman herself, as Mr. Carey’s daughter, Louise Carey, is one of the authors.

I say brava to Ms. Carey, and bravo to Mr. Carey (with whose works I have spent much of my weekend!) for such a creative partnership, and bravo to DC for pushing it forward. But, and I confess this hesitantly, Gentle Reader, as I do not believe that Only Women Can Write Feminist Literature, but, with that said, I wish there were more Minx lines written by women. As Minx seems to be an imprint aimed at young women, and an imprint that seems to want to put forth, More Often Than Not, strong, progressive, confident young female characters, I’m afraid that so many male writers on such an imprint might send a different message. But then, This Humble Author always wants to see More Diversity of gender, race, sexual preference, love-of-raspberry-cheesecake, among other things in Comic Books, and among Comic Writers, in particular.

Alas, Friends, I wish I could discuss this with you further, but the night grows late, I am still ill, and Robot Chicken airs shortly before my (much needed!) bedtime. Instead, I ask of you, Constant Readers: what are your thoughts on the Minx line?