DC launches Manga-sized reprints of classic stories including Watchmen, Batman: Hush, All-Star Superman, more
DC has announced a line of trade paperbacks of some of the publisher's most popular comic stories in a new format aimed at readers of manga and paperback novels.
Named 'DC Compact,' the new line measures 5.5 inches x 8.5 inches with a set price of $9.99 per volume. DC Compact will focus on reprinting "new-reader-friendly titles from DC’s evergreen library," with 10 titles already announced.
Despite the small size in comparison to standard North American comic dimensions of 6.625 inches by 10.25 inches, DC senior vice president and general manager Anne DePies promises that there will be "no loss of readability."
"The DC Compact Comics price and sizing is perfect for readers of prose and manga looking to pick up a new-reader-friendly storyline in a self-contained full color graphic novel," DePies says in an official statement.
"This 5.5 inch x 8.5 inch paper cut is the most widely circulated softcover book size in the US and is popular among graphic novel aficionados in international markets. At $9.99, it's a great price point for retailers to stock these classic titles," she continues. "For readers, DC Compact Comics deliver a new graphic novel reading experience that fits in the palm of their hands, with no loss of readability.”
That assurance could be key to the line's potential success, as the adaptation of a story like Watchmen to a smaller size, which is told primarily in 9-panel gridded pages that are full of small details, may live or die based on how well DC can downscale the story's art and lettering without losing any of its intended impact. DC is already publishing trades at this size in some international markets, so it seems the publisher has some experience already in formatting larger comics into smaller
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