New Comics Imprint For Young, Female Readers, Charmz, Launches Today With Three New Titles!
image; Charmz/Papercutz
We’ve been eagerly anticipating the launch of the new imprint from comics publisher Papercutz called Charmz, because it is entirely devoted to young, female readers, and we love it whenever the comics industry takes that demographic seriously. Well, we don’t have to wait any longer, because Charmz is releasing its first three titles TODAY!
We’ve already shared some previews of the titles previously, as well as a couple of interviews with the creators. Chloe is written by Greg Tessier with art by Amandine. Here’s the official description:
“Everything was wonderful for young Chloe Blin―she loved her family, even despite their affectionate nickname for her. But everything changes when she starts at a new school. Suddenly, her family is just embarrassing! Chloe wants to meet new people and make new friends, especially with a certain Alexandre, but she’s not sure what to say or wear or who to trust. The home room fashionistas are only too happy to tell her how her clothes look, but can they really be her friends? And what if everyone heard her family’s name for her?”
We did an interview with the team behind Stitched, Mariah McCourt (who’s also an editor across all the Charmz titles) and artist Aaron Alexovich, along with our preview. That one tells the story of a very…strange girl:
“Crimson Volania Mulch has a problem; she just woke up in a crypt and, besides her name, has no idea of who, where, or what she is. Welcome to the Cemetery of Assumptions, a vast landscape of stones, mausoleums, and secrets. Home to monsters and mayhem, it may also hold the answers to her unknown parentage. Crimson is a resourceful patchwork girl and determined to find them. Along the way, she meets the mysterious Wisteria, who has a tendency to change and a witch named Parameter whose spells tend to go awry. And two boys, Simon and Quinton, who make her feel something besides lost and confused. She must battle ghosts, zombies, and monsters in order to learn where she came from and who her real “mother” is. But will she do it alone, or will she have help from her new friends and unexpected crushes?”
I had the chance to read a review copy of the first issue of this title, and it is sweet, compelling, and absolutely charming. Crimson’s story is totally appropriate for a tween readership, but adults will also find a lot to love about it, from its depiction of young love in all its confusion, to the genuine creepiness of the mystery surrounding Crimson. As a protagonist, Crimson pops off the page, and she is immediately someone you want to root for. Alexovich’s art compliments the tone of the story and the buoyancy of the character really well, and I love how he makes the characters move and brings their faces to life. McCourt and Alexovich are an amazing team, and I’m very much looking forward to reading more!
You can check out our original preview of the Veronique Grisseaux and Anna Merli Graphic Novel Sweeties HERE. In it:
“Cherry Costello’s father owns a successful candy store franchise with best-selling chocolates. When her father remarries to the Tanberry family, Cherry now has four new half-sisters and must start at a new school in a new town. Trouble arises as Cherry meets Shay, the boyfriend of her older half-sister, Honey. Plus, the Tanberry twins Skye and Summer learn life is not identical for the both of them. It’s going to take a sweet miracle to overcome the sour tensions in this household!”
I also had the chance to read the first issue of Sweeties, and while this tells a really important story about a blended family and what it takes to create a new family unit that works, it is also very definitely for a younger audience. There’s very little subtlety, and it’s very clear what every “lesson” is supposed to be. The simplistic language might also have something to do with the fact that the story was originally written in French, and so the translation sounds a bit stilted. Still, characters announce exactly what they’re feeling and why, and everyone’s motivations for their actions are stated explicitly by other characters so that there’s no confusion. Anna Merli’s art, however, is beautiful, giving the title an almost “children’s picture book” vibe. If you’re an adult, rather than picking this up for yourself, I would definitely gift this book to a young person as what it does well is validate children’s negative feelings, letting them know that other kids go through things like parental divorce and first heartbreak, too.
If you’re looking to brighten your own, or someone else’s day today with some new comics, check out the titles from the newest imprint on the block—Charmz!
(images: Charmz)
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com
