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Token Alisa Kwitney and Joelle Jones (there should be an umlaut over the first e in Joelle)

This is the final installment of the doomed Minx line. Shira lives in South Beach in the 80s, feeling out of place and out of time. She's the odd duck out at school and her best friends are her grandmother and another elderly woman in her building. She's the school loser and when her lawyer father starts dating his secretary and everything starts changing, well she's had enough. With the help a mysterious Spanish guy, rebelling has never been so fun.

Lots of things packed into this story about finding your place in a changing world. I most appreciated how most of the drama wasn't self-created. Shira's father was a bit of a one-dimensional jerk who didn't listen to her feelings, but I think some of that was just Shira's perceptions of the situation. South Beach in the 80s was also a really interesting setting. I've been there once and it didn't go much for me, and Shira's South Beach is a little run down and getting a bit seedy. She longs for its heyday, when Rat Packers would ask if you wanted ice in your champagne and casually toss in a diamond. Overall, one of my favorite Minx titles. I really miss the imprint. I liked the direction it seemed to be going in, but DC seemed to have doomed it from the start, never actually doing any of the things they said they would. Ah well.

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Jim Rugg, the artist behind a multitude of comics, newspaper graphics, and book and magazine covers, is possibly best known in the YA book blogging community for his artwork for The Plain Janes and Janes in Love. I enjoyed these collaborative efforts with Cecil Castellucci, and I know I'm not the only one who wishes the Minx line of graphic novels had continued so that we could all enjoy additional volumes in the series. Sadly, Minx ended - but happily, Cecil and Jim are welcome to discussing the Janes. We're featuring the books at readergirlz all month long. Today, I'm chatting with Jim one-on-one.

How did you come to know Cecil, and get involved with Minx/DC Comics?

We met through our editor at DC Comics, Shelly Bond. Shelly and Cecil began working on the PLAIN Janes, and when they started looking for an artist, my work was among the samples that Shelly showed Cecil.

How long did it take to complete The Plain Janes?

I think it took me about 6 months to draw.

How did you divvy up the work? Was your contribution strictly art and hers the text, or did you share various duties?

For the most part, this is how my involvement went: Cecil wrote the script, our editor went over that with her, when they were happy with it, our editor would send it to me. I would do small drawings of each page, send those small, rough drawings (called breakdowns or thumbnails) to Cecil and Shelly. We would all talk about them, make revisions if necessary, and then I would draw the final artwork.

Sounds like a good process, where everyone was informed and involved. What does ART SAVES! mean to you? Do you consider yourself to be an activist?

I'm not an activist. However, I believe that having an outlet to work out personal problems is essential. I wouldn't say it has to be art, but throughout my life I definitely relied on comics and movies and books and drawing to help me cope with emotional difficulties.

Which of the Janes is the most like you?

I think Main Jane is the most like me. When I was in high school and college, I began questioning the values I grew up with.

Who is the least like you?

The least like me is probably Theater Jane. She's a lot more demonstrative and outgoing than I tend to be.

When did you decide to do Janes in Love? Did you and Cecil pitch a second volume, or did Minx ask you to write another one?

Shelly began talking about it while I was drawing the first one.

Do you have plans for future volumes?

Not at this time. We had begun work on volume 3 [Janes Go Summer] before the Minx line was cancelled, and we had discussed a volume 4, but that looks unlikely now.

What was your first published work?

The first graphic novel/comic book series I did was a book I co-created with Brian Maruca called Street Angel. Slave Labor Graphics published it. Through that book, I met the Minx editor that I worked with.

How have you changed as an artist since that publication?

I'm sure I have, but I'm not sure how I'd articulate those changes.

You've been tapped to create artwork for book covers, magazine covers (most recently, that of LA Weekly), newspapers, even something special for the commencement exercises of Center for Cartoon Studies. What type of commission project do you like most of all?

My enjoyment of a job usually depends on 2 things – my schedule and whether I can comfortably fit the job into it (unfortunately, jobs come up when they come up, not when it would be most convenient), and the vision of the editor/art director. If the person with whom I'm working has a clear idea of what they want, it makes my job much easier. As for subject matter, I tend to like drawing a lot of stuff from animals to sci-fi, action, romance, girls, caricatures, still life. So the subject's pretty wide-open.

Can you tell us anything about your upcoming comic in Dark Horse Presents?

It's written by Zack Whedon. It features Penny, from Dr. Horrible. And it takes place before the events of Dr. Horrible. It's featured in July's Dark Horse Presents. You can read it at the Dark Horse MySpace page.

That must have been a fun project to work on. Which classical or modern artists inspire you?

I haven't been following anyone specific for a while. Over the years I've gone through a lot of phases from Frank Miller to Jack Kirby to Dan Clowes, lately I've been reading manga a lot. I enjoy film as well, Martin Scorcese, Wes Anderson, Hitchcock . . . the usual candidates.

What are your ten all-time favorite books?

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Eightball by Dan Clowes
Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware
The Getaway by Jim Thompson
The Coffin Jones and Gravedigger detective series by Chester Himes
Deadeye Dick or Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Sideswipe or the Shark Infested Custard by Charles Willeford
Yummy Fur by Chester Brown
Woman in the Dunes by Kobe Abe


Jim was kind enough to share a great deal of artwork with me, including never-before-seen pages from Janes Go Summer, along with panels from The Plain Janes and Janes in Love. View the complete gallery in the July 2009 issue of readergirlz.

Visit Jim's website and LiveJournal.

Do you have your own questions for Jim? Next week, you may chat live with both Jim Rugg and Cecil Castellucci at the readergirlz blog on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST. The chat is open to the public and will last for about an hour.

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Join The Plain Janes and readergirlz to celebrate creativity

Looking for a great summer read? Love graphic novels? Pick up The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg. Art, community, and fear are all discussed in this poignant story about a girl named Jane who is forced to move from a hip city to the suburbs. She is surprised not only by the artistic (and same-name) friends she finds in her new school, but also by herself. Read my full-length review.

Want to talk about it? Get The Plain Janes and Janes in Love from your local library or bookstore. Then, as you read it, discuss it with other readers at the readergirlz blog.

readergirlz is an online book group that's open to everyone - the only requirement is a love of reading! Every month, we discuss a different book, ranging from historical fiction to fantasy, from contemporary fiction to these awesome graphic novels o' Janes. All of our spotlighted books celebrate gutsy girls, and we hope they inspire readers to get active not only in book groups but also in their communities. Every issue of readergirlz features additional information about the books we're discussing, exclusive author interviews, playlists, outreach programs related to the book of the month, and other recommended reads. Read the July 2009 issue of readergirlz, then browse through our archived issues.



rgz LIVE!

Chat live with Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg at the readergirlz blog on Wednesday, July 22nd. The chat will begin at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.

Download this month's bookmark.

Download our summer poster.

postergirlz picks
Check out this month's recommended reads, selected by the postergirlz, the teen lit advisory council for readergirlz.

Fiction
The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell
Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston

Non-Fiction
Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith



Read, Reflect, Reach Out
How do you think Art Saves? Show us! Click here to download the Art Saves template, then print it out and decorate it however you'd like. Scan or photograph the final version and email it as a JPG to [email protected]

I'm thrilled to be in charge of this project. I can't wait to see everyone's creations!

Learn more about the Art Saves project.

Recent readergirlz Reads
Last month's featured book: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
Next month's featured book: Kendra by Coe Booth

Visit the readergirlz archive.

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Related Posts
Interview: Cecil Castellucci
Booklist: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Person
Booklist: MINX

Meet the readergirlz divas and the postergirlz advisory council
Read the original readergirlz press release
View all of the readergirlz-tagged posts at Bildungsroman

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Art, community, and fear are all discussed in this poignant story about a girl named Jane who is forced to move from a hip city to the suburbs. She is surprised not only by the artistic (and same-name) friends she finds in her new school, but also by herself. When she confronts the fears she has clung to since surviving a tragic event that happened back in the city, Jane's eyes are opened to the world and to her community. She and the other Janes declare themselves P.L.A.I.N. - People Loving Art In Neighborhoods - and setting up interesting, thoughtful displays of art around town, trying to call people's attention to things that really matter or are often overlooked. Not everyone "gets" their art, and some call them "art attacks." The girls take this in stride and continue with their unique art projects.

The story continues in the second volume, Janes in Love. If you're "not into romance," don't worry! Far from sappy or cliche, Janes in Love is just as thoughtful and fun as the first story.

Throughout both books, Castellucci's text and Rugg's art will keep readers turning pages. With their creative takes on activism and awareness coupled with consistently great art depicting a variety of realistic-looking characters, The Plain Janes and Janes in Love are great picks for reluctant readers and aspiring artists alike.

See art from The Plain Janes and Janes in Love as well as never-before-seen images from Janes Go Summer, which Cecil & Jim had started working on before the Minx line of comics was cancelled, in the July 2009 issue of readergirlz. I hope you'll join the readergirlz book group at http://www.readergirlz.com and join in the discussions at http://readergirlz.blogspot.com all month long!

Related Posts
Interview: Cecil Castellucci
Booklist: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Person
Booklist: MINX

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In 2007, DC Comics launched an imprint called MINX. Promoted as "the first graphic novel imprint designed exclusively for teenage girls" and featuring new works by a variety of artists and writers, I had high hopes for the line. Sadly, it was cancelled in 2008.

I've listed the titles in order of publication. If I'm missing any titles or put anything out of order, please, someone tell me! If a title is bold, then I've read it. If a title is bold and italicized, then I really liked it.

The P.L.A.I.N. Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Re-Gifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel
Clubbing by Andi Watson and Josh Howard
Good as Lily by Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm
Confessions of a Blabbermouth by Mike Carey, Louise Carey, and Aaron Alexovich
Kimmie66 by Aaron Alexovich
Burnout by Rebecca Donner and Inaki Miranda
Water Baby by Ross Campbell
The New York Four by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly
Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
Token by Alisa Kwitney and Joëlle Jones

Footnotes:

The Minx website is still accessible minxcomics.com Download and print out a Do-It-Yourself-Comic (PDF) from the site.

In Kimmie66, the character of Nekocat is described as "the excitable girl with the pigtails and the tutu-thing." Upon reading this, I laughed out loud, for I was backstage at a show, wearing a similar ensemble.

We've selected The P.L.A.I.N. Janes and Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg to be our books-of-the-month for readergirlz in June. Please join us for the discussions (and the art!) next month!

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by Mariko Tamakiillustrated by Steve RolstonMinx / DC 2008When DC Comics decided to launch its line of graphic novels aimed at teen girls I thought they were on to something, especially when I saw that they'd taken on YA author Cecil Castellucci for their inaugural title, The Plain Janes. It was an awkward start, as the pacing of that first title seemed a bit off, but the story had heart and its

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Well, grades have been posted, so it looks like I will graduate this weekend! Wahoo!

And now here are reviews of 3 of the final 4 Minx titles. I haven't read Token yet, and that's the last one. (But, um, if someone wanted to hook me up with a copy of that, I wouldn't complain. My library doesn't have it yet and the library that does won't ILL it to me. :( )

Emiko Superstar Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston

It's shaping up to be the most boring summer in history for boring geek girl Emiko. Her friends are off at camp and she's spending all day babysitting a small drooly baby for the all-American picture-perfect couple. *yawn* Then she discovers Freak Show, a variety cabaret that she might be a little too normal to be hanging out at, but it's the most exciting thing going on. Maybe... maybe she could perform, too? Be a little freaky? Then when she finds the diary of the woman she's working for and starts to see that maybe the couple isn't as perfect as they look. With that information, Emiko has an idea...

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this one. It's quiet on the surface--Minx novels are pretty short after all, but there is SO MUCH going on underneath. Just the right amount of angst. Emiko is a believable character that made believable choices and I never once wanted to whack some sense into her. My favorite Minx title. I must go find a copy of Tanaki's Skim!

Janes in Love Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg

The P.L.A.I.N. Janes are back, and still trying to save through art. Our main Jane is caught between Damon, Miroslaw, or her new secret admirer. All the other Janes also have their romantic issues, trying to catch their interests’ eyes in their own ways—Theater Jane’s romantic letters, Polly Jane’s direct frankness, and Jayne’s scientific analysis. There are other love stories, too.

But there is the negative—Damon has community service hours to serve after New Years, and Officer Sanchez still thinks P.L.A.I.N’s art is vandalism. What’s even worse is the state of the world. Terrorism is still rife in Metro City, and an anthrax attack kills a friend of Jane’s mother. After the attack, Jane’s mom won’t leave the house, and leaves the mail on the lawn, too afraid to open it.

I thought the first Janes novel tried to do too much, and would have worked better as a regular novel as opposed to a graphic novel. This one, however, fits in the comics medium better. Fans of the first novel will want to check this one out.

The New York Four Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly

Riley lives her whole life attached to her PDA Blackberry/iPhone thing, to the point where she lacks interaction with the flesh and blood humans in her life. After starting college and reconnecting with her estranged sister, Riley realizes she has to have some human contact, but it’s hard.

An interesting story with an ambiguous ending—and I am a fan of those. There are a lot of loose ends with the other characters that could have turned into serious subplots in a longer novel. I wish that this would be the first of a series, and we’d get a total of four books—one for each of Riley’s group of friends, but with the demise of Minx, it doesn’t seem likely. I'd be really into this if it were the first in a series, but as it will end up being a stand-alone, I'm a little disappointed.

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Not a whole lot of news on this front, just some reviews:

kimmie66 Aaron Alexovitch

In this latest Minx offering, Telly is a 23^rd century girl who (like most people) spends all of her time in the lairs—themed virtual reality environments. When she receives a suicide note from her best friend, Telly is devastated, but confused. Telly wouldn’t put it past Kimmie to fake the whole thing as a prank, plus there is the little problem of the fact that Telly has no idea what Kimmie’s real name is or where she lives or anything about her life outside the liars.

Exploring a life lived entirely on the virtual realm, Alexovitch explores the thin line between reality and virtual reality and asks what is real and what isn’t. Although the ending contains a slight message to “stop and smell the un-virtualized roses,” this is one of the strongest titles of the Minx line.

First Kiss (Then Tell): A Collection of True Lip-Locked Moments ed. Cylin Busby

This is a cute collection of short vignettes about first kisses. The range and caliber of young adult authors included is impressive (Jon Scieszka, Shannon (and Dean!) Hale, Nikki Grimes, Naomi Shihab Nye and Scott Westerfield--just to name a few.) The stories range from hilarious to heart-breaking, heart-stopping to disgusting. The anthology contains quotations from movie stars as well as kissing trivia interspersed with the stories, poems and comics.

Overall, it’s a very enjoyable, sweet read that puts the pain, romance, and laughter back into kissing, without the pressure of going further. A sure-hit for the chick-lit crowd.

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve been pretty excited about this new Minx line from DC Comics since I first heard about it.

The new titles are inspired in part by the fast growth of translated Japanese comics called manga. While gory and violent themes aimed at boys are staples of manga, fantasy and romantic storylines meant to appeal to girls have helped manga capture the attention of female readers, an audience comic publishers have long struggled to attract.

Since I happen to have my very own comic book geek handy, I’ve had the first two Minx books, The Plain Janes and Re-Gifters, delivered to me without even having to ask. Stuff for me on new comic day! Who’da thunk?

The Plain Janes was written by Cecil Castellucci, author of Boy Proof and The Queen of Cool. I’ve never read either of these books, but I’m definitely interested now!

The main character, Jane (of course), moves from the city to the suburbs after being injured in a bombing. Jane rebels against the fear and complacency of her new life by banding together with a group of misfits (all named Jane) to start P.L.A.I.N. (People Loving Art In Neighborhoods). Their escapades cause some trouble in the town, but the girls refuse to give up.

I really, really enjoyed this book. I found myself rooting for the Janes, hoping they would get through to their community without getting in too much trouble! My only complaint was that it ended a bit too abruptly, I thought. I wonder if the author was limited to a certain number of pages in which she had to end the story.

Re-Gifters was written by Mike Carey, a comic book writer who wrote the fantastically adorable My Faith in Frankie.

Re-Gifters is the story of a young Korean girl, Jen Dik Seong (Dixie to her friends). Dixie practices hapkido, and she has a crush on her fellow competitor Adam. She spends the money she’s supposed to be using to enter a martial arts competition to buy Adam an expensive birthday present, setting into action a series of misunderstandings and catastrophes that end with Dixie facing off against Adam in the finals of the competition.

Dixie is cute, spunky and utterly likeable. Of the two releases so far, I liked Re-Gifters better, but The Plain Janes isn’t without its merits. Looking forward to the new titles!

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