From their humble, occasionally trashy beginnings to the sleek, slick new look of the books that women across the globe have hidden in their purses, romance novels are big business. In fact, they account for the majority of paperback sales in the United States. There’s little doubt that when it comes to romance, the publisher that’s most closely associated with the genre is Harlequin.
In a daring departure from the traditional prose romance novels with their lurid, seductive covers, Harlequin ventured into a new format: manga. The company sought to change the way readers look at romance, through visuals, rather than purple prose. The result? Harlequin Ginger Blossom, an imprint that housed a series of romances adapted into graphic novels. The imprint was separated into two divisions, Harlequin Pink, for traditional, sweet romance and Harlequin Violet, for more daring, sensuous tales. The Ginger Blossom imprint was eventually retired, but not before a dozen or so books were released.
The end result of the Ginger Blossom experiment was all over the map. Certain titles were spectacular, while others were cliché and disappointing. Let’s have a look at two of the ill fated imprint’s books, one from each of these camps. In this article: the good.
The Good: A Prince Needs a Princess
- Writer: Barbara McMahon
- Artist: Reiko Kishida
One of the storylines that’s been absolutely done to death is the prince incognito, working as a common man because he doesn’t like the life of a royal. So it is with A Prince Needs a Princess. Jack Brown, heir apparent and prince of the fictional country of Marik, is living his life as an everyman in America when his grandfather the king sends the lovely, determined Clarissa Dubonet to try and convince him to come home and take his rightful place, even if he doesn’t want to.
Clarissa’s ties to the royal family are a little closer than just working for them. At one point, she was engaged to Jack’s now deceased cousin. At first, Jack believes that her only concern is getting close to him so she can be queen, but this is not the case. He feels so guilty for assuming this that he agrees to return to his kingdom, a place he hasn’t set foot in since he was a child.
Over the course of Clarissa showing Jack the realm he is to rule, they predictably fall in love.
Yet, the story isn’t stale, the way its plot suggests it ought to be. Jack and Clarissa’s relationship progresses realistically, tenderly and honestly. Each character has their flaws and their skeletons in the closet, but never do these feel forced or tacked on. Never do you think that the author was trying to give them depth. The dialogue is a little improbable in places, but on the whole, Jack and Clarissa sound like flesh and blood people.
The art is lovely as well, adding to the book’s appeal. Fluid and effortless, even the traditionally exaggerated manga expressions that accompany extreme emotions are believable enough not to take you out of the story. A Prince Needs a Princess is an example of Harlequin Ginger Blossom’s true potential. A good, solid story with good, solid art that’s a pleasure to read.
For a close up look at the less likable side of Ginger Blossom read the article Harlequin Ginger Blossom
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