TheLyle
06-02-2005, 01:38 PM
Dark Horse to publish Harlequin Manga (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=35056)
Under the agreement, DARK HORSE will publish manga adaptations of six topselling HARLEQUIN titles under the Harlequin Ginger Blossom banner. Harlequin Ginger Blossom will be divided into two color-coded lines -- a "pink" line, which is aimed at younger readers, and a "violet" line, intended for more sophisticated readers. The agreement is a six-book deal -- three books for each line -- with a title from each line arriving approximately every three months....
HARLEQUIN has considerable experience with the manga format. Since 1998, under a licensing arrangement with HARLEQUIN, Ohzora Publishing Company, a leading creator of manga titles for women, has successfully published manga versions of over 250 HARLEQUIN titles in Japan.
Interesting... I'm wondering if these titles will be original GNs or translations of the Japanese Harlequin Manga books. The timeframe (one book every three months) suggests the former to me (though that's an impressive timeframe), since an easier market test would be to put out a handfull of titles and gage the reaction, like DMP did with their YAOI line. It's also interesting to me that it sounds like these will be single-volume stories instead of the lengthy tales that sell so well. I suspect they're hoping a "brand name" will keep the books selling without needing a marketing campaign to introduce each new title to readers.
Under the agreement, DARK HORSE will publish manga adaptations of six topselling HARLEQUIN titles under the Harlequin Ginger Blossom banner. Harlequin Ginger Blossom will be divided into two color-coded lines -- a "pink" line, which is aimed at younger readers, and a "violet" line, intended for more sophisticated readers. The agreement is a six-book deal -- three books for each line -- with a title from each line arriving approximately every three months....
HARLEQUIN has considerable experience with the manga format. Since 1998, under a licensing arrangement with HARLEQUIN, Ohzora Publishing Company, a leading creator of manga titles for women, has successfully published manga versions of over 250 HARLEQUIN titles in Japan.
Interesting... I'm wondering if these titles will be original GNs or translations of the Japanese Harlequin Manga books. The timeframe (one book every three months) suggests the former to me (though that's an impressive timeframe), since an easier market test would be to put out a handfull of titles and gage the reaction, like DMP did with their YAOI line. It's also interesting to me that it sounds like these will be single-volume stories instead of the lengthy tales that sell so well. I suspect they're hoping a "brand name" will keep the books selling without needing a marketing campaign to introduce each new title to readers.