tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1221608027689754679.post246762187428500980..comments2024-03-22T05:36:02.491-07:00Comments on Sunday Comics Debt: Romance? I think I’ll cry!DeBThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05711985474864185922noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1221608027689754679.post-78468783119558945002010-09-14T08:19:59.944-07:002010-09-14T08:19:59.944-07:00Interesting... I'm no kind of expert on this ...Interesting... I'm no kind of expert on this stuff, just a shoujo manga fan who also has an obsession with cover illustrations. I wonder, are shoujo manga really all-smiles? Just browsing through a folder of Shojo Beat cover images on my computer, there's a fair range of emotions on display. I think it's worth pointing out that Kitchen Princess and St Dragon Girl were both originally written for the younger end of the shoujo demographic and display the brightest colours and widest smiles. The Nanas are smiling on their cover, but I think the subdued colours tell the reader right away that this isn't all grins and fun times. If you look at Vampire Knight or Black Bird covers, you see all sorts of brooding and pained expressions. I'd agree though, based on the sampling of US romance comics here, that shoujo manga romance covers may be happier overall.<br /><br />I also think it's interesting that the comics' covers seem to lay out the whole plot right on their covers. Maybe it's a result of their short length—no time to waste, get the story points out there first thing (compared to a 200-pg manga, which may very well have another half-dozen or more volumes to follow it, and can be more portrait-y or simply eye-catching).<br /><br />Finally, it may just be the age of the romance comics, but the first three comics remind me so much of old shoujo manga covers from the 70s or so, when all shoujo heroines wore tennis uniforms and wedding gowns. And I could totally see a shoujo or josei version of the last cover you show existing somewhere. I think it looks like a fun story :Dlyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04967996249662123234noreply@blogger.com