Pat Mills planning to revive UK girls' comics

[Digifiend]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news ... omics.html

Pat Mills has revealed plans to revive comics aimed at girls in the UK.

The 2000AD creator said that he is approaching publishers with a view to developing the sector in the British market.

"I'm currently trying one approach with one publisher. If that fails, I will try another. There's certainly strong interest - the key is to get them to reach for their cheque books though," he wrote on the Bring Back Bunty campaign website.

"I'm one of the last professionals from the original girls' comic boom era, so I feel I have some responsibility to do so."

Although Mills is best known for his 2000AD projects, he worked on many of the classic girls' comics of the '70s, such as the IPC Media titles.

Mark Millar outlined plans to release a sister publication to his comics magazine CLiNT aimed exclusively at a female audience last year.

Think he has any chance of success at this?

[felneymike]

No doubt it'll be a faery earth magyk-filled retread of Crisis. Movin' right along...

[colcool007]

I would have thought a revamped Misty-style comic for the 21st Century would be more likely.

[kiwijohn]

I would have thought a revamped Misty-style comic for the 21st Century would be more likely.

That would be my thoughts too. The DFC proves that capable quality creators are out there as well.

It seems that Egmont so far have been more amenable to reprints of IPC material (post 1970) than have DC Comics (pre-1970); that being so then all of Tammy, Jinty, Girl and Misty would be possibilities for inclusion too. That said, I'm not sure how many of those strips might still hold up today.

There is also "Wendy" which Egmont have been publishing in Europe for years, I'm kinda surprised they haven't attempted to publish an English edition, since they already have the material.

Anyhow, this is all speculation, and I'm not really the target audience for such a title in any case.

I have to say I do wonder what Mark Millar intends to call his girls' title though..."Dick" perhaps?

[-MikeD-]

I fear any new young girls' title will mainly be articles on Greyson Chance and Hollister, with only a smattering of comics. A sort of Toxic Magazine - but for girls.

btw - I'm not saying this is what most girls are into, but the big publishing houses have had some success with advertorial content, are adept at generating it (rewording press releases) and are not natural risk takers. Especially with the economy the way it is.

I've never read Misty, but given all the mentions it gets on boards like this I'll have to find a few copies....

[David McDonald]

Wendy is produced by DCT too, which still leaves them with the capability to make them.
Bit unfair on Mills, he is a Maverick, but more hits than misses. Nemesis, Marshall law, Charleys War, Greysuit, and the excellent Savage and not a Fairy in sight.

DFC IMO set the perfect tone, I recently bough the complete collection and my two oldest one girl and one boy 8 and 7 are both enjoying it greatly. Looking forward to
the Phoenix too.

On an aside, the DFC is a really excellent comic, its a pity it didnt get more distribution, the stories, art and production are all fantastic, worthy decendants late seventies and early eighties newsprint comics.

David

[-MikeD-]

I keep meaning to buy the DFC collection for my kids. I have the first issue and it's an impressive looking package. I found the stories a little flat, as most of the strips had 'graphic novel' pacing which doesn't work as well in a weekly. But I guess this isn't a problem if you buy and read the complete run.

[David McDonald]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DFC-Issue-1-4 ... 4cf8f60af4

To be honest Mike, I couldnt reccomend it hilgly enough, Im reading it weekly with the kids, so I have added it to the Beano, 2000ad, JD Meg, and the occasional Commando. British comics dead? If you want them to be.
Might seem like a flippant remark, but the future is there to be embraced. I dont think Ill ever get web comics,(although i have read a few Ive laughed at), its kinda like dancin' on the radio. But people do get it, and it is the way forward, Look at lilly Mackenzie, ran as a web comic, picked up by JD MEG, and now rumoured to be collected as an GN.
Weekly comics are a thing of the past, but for comics in general, embracing the digital age is the way of the future, the new leveller of talent, the cream always rises to the top.

David