April 13, 2004
blimey
mills and boon (m&b) - publisher of inane romance stories which generations of women all over the blue marble are willing to part their dosh for - have gone jap. ie: manga comic format.
shock, horror.
nothing wrong with that, as i didn't add the "gasp!" bit there.
m&b's decision to turn comicy has got nothing to do with going local in their bid to win new fans. rather, it's the "...growing unwillingness among the younger generation to tackle novels..."
that's today's sad state of affairs for you.
i haven't asked me mum her opinion on the manga m&b as she is once their huge fan many many many :: ad infinitum :: moons ago. such that she went great lengths to purchase new titles by post. via air mail.
the cover illustrations were more than pukeworthy enough to turn a squirt of eight off, apart from utterly unrealistic "happy-ever-after" stories. but the following manga drawing takes the biscuit:
to quote the journo, reference above piccy, emphasis mine:
"..while the hero's chiselled jaw might attract a British romance fan, the heroine presents quite a different prospect. Her enormous eyes, dwarfing a mouth and nose of doll-like proportions, are like two shiny acid-green pools. The effect, to Western eyes, is a little more scary than seductive..."
my sentiments exactly.
as enscribed by the letter b @ April 13, 2004 10:07 AMeh c, there's nothing to be embarrased about. i must say that m&b are not as cringeworthy as sweet valley high and somesuch. remember them? bleh. i shudder to think that my ex-classmates read books with prints meant for toddlers.
i promise i won't wind me mum up :D
as blahed by breanagh @ April 14, 2004 02:30 AMvery interesting.
i'm embarassed to say, a couple of years in my teens i read nothing but those corny things. so i hope you don't give your mom a hard time :)
but you're right, those are creepy-lookin' eyes there ...