With the demise of DC’s MINX imprint, some observers have been speculating that the underperforming CMX line might also get the ax from its parent company. Our team of manga pundits sat down for a chat about CMX and its future. We weighed several questions: First, what distinguishes CMX from Viz or Tokyopop? Second, who is their core audience? And third, what are some of the strengths and weaknesses of their catalog? In the process of discussing what makes CMX distinctive, we couldn’t resist the urge to list our own favorite series, from the much-loved Swan to the less celebrated (but equally awesome) Presents. And no, we don’t waste time talking about the Tenjho Tenge controversy… really, folks, if you’re still sore about that, you need to diversify your reading habits or learn Japanese so that you can read the original.

MICHELLE: Rather than going for the latest hot series or licensing lots of B-list titles, CMX seems to value story over other elements. Many of their titles are older or obscure series with original stories in which fantasy or sci-fi elements often play a part. Their core audience, I’d say, is primarily a discerning group of older shojo fans who are looking for something beyond the typical romance fare offered by other publishers. This plays directly into CMX’s strengths and weaknesses as, while there are many titles that appeal to such fans, there simply aren’t as many of these fans as there are those looking for shonen adventure or more contemporary shojo romance.

My top picks:

1. Emma
2. Swan
3. Moon Child
4. Key to the Kingdom
5. Oyayubahime Infinity

KATE: I couldn’t agree with you more, Michelle—the books you name are all titles I’ve collected (or am actively collecting). Though I’ve read a lot of shojo from Viz and Tokyopop, CMX earns a special place in my heart for licensing the kind of books that push the envelope: who else would pick a title as awesomely weird as Moon Child, with all its intergalactic gender confusion and relationship angst?

In addition to licensing great old-school shojo, CMX is also publishing some terrific books for younger readers: Nari Kusakawa’s Palette of 12 Secret Colors and Two Flowers for the Dragon come to mind, as do Kiichi and the Magic Books, Chikyu Misaki, and SUHEILEBE! (N.B. There are a few scenes in Chikyu that might give parents pause—see Brigid Alverson’s excellent review for further details, as well as the lowdown on her own teens’ reaction to these few panels of PG fanservice.) Like Swan and Moon Child, these are books that emphasize character development over action and wacky hijinks (though several of the series I’ve listed have healthy doses of both). The artwork tends to be a little simpler and cleaner, making them a great introduction to the medium.

I’m a lot less impressed with CMX’s shonen and seinen offerings. Titles like Madara, Samurai Commando: Mission 1549, and Testarotho never won me over, and though I admire the work they’ve done on Crayon Shinchan (a series that must be fiendishly hard to adapt for English-speaking audiences), I don’t find it particularly funny. Their horror titles are more of a mixed bag. The only one I really liked was the ghoulishly funny Presents, which, if memory serves, is actually shojo/josei, not seinen.

My picks for great CMX titles (besides the ones already mentioned above):

1. Kiichi and the Magic Books
2. Presents
3. The Palette of 12 Secret Colors
4. Gon
5. Chikyu Misaki

ERIN: I posted a thing on my blog about CMX:

A lot of internet fans only know CMX as “That company who censored Tenjho Tenge or perhaps “That company who picked up the MegaTokyo collections after Dark Horse dropped it.”

I have long held the opinion that CMX only has four good titles but among those titles is one of my favorites, possibly of all time: ’70’s hardcore ballet manga Swan. I might be wrong—there are a lot of noteworthy CMX titles.

Here are my picks:

1. Swan
2. Emma
3. From Eroica with Love
4. Crayon Shinchan

I’m afraid I haven’t read Moon Child or Palette of 12 Secret Colors or Chikyu Misaki or “read” Gon, but I might like them. Actually I don’t like wordless comics (or I haven’t “read” a wordless comic I liked) so I’ve avoided Gon.

Musashi #9 is ridiculous, but not really my thing. Cipher is also ridiculous, and might be of interest for readers interested in a 1980’s New York City through the eyes of a Japanese person…

CHLOE: I’m pretty much inclined to agree with what others are saying here; CMX licenses (particularly shojo ones) are generally a little more offbeat and quirky, not to mention underappreciated. It does have to be said though that CMX doesn’t really push their books on the marketplace all that much; you really have to actively get out there and pay attention to their licenses.

I think a lot of CMX material comes from Japanese manga serials that are a little more offbeat as well. Like, you see Viz pulling heavily from things like one of the Flower Comics publications or from LaLa, whereas CMX has quite a few titles coming from things like LaLa DX and Akita Shoten, which have smaller circulation numbers in Japan too. Frankly, the only “bigger name” license I can remember them having was one of their starter licenses, Kaikaze Kaitou Jeanne, which I would assume sold pretty well.

As for their offerings, look closely and you’ll find some pretty great shojo titles banging around in their catalogue. Swan is the kind of classic everyone should read, while things like Penguin Revolution and Oyayubihime Infinity are both quirky and charming. That said, Emma stands out in their seinen offerings, although it feels much more like a slice of life piece. I’m hearing pretty good things about The Key to the Kingdom too.

My picks:

1. Swan
2. Emma
3. Penguin Revolution
4. Oyayubihime Infinity

SAM: It seems pretty obvious by this discussion that CMX is geared toward the shojo audience. I am not very familar with the company’s books, but I do know them mainly for the fact that they are the publisher of the classic online series, Megatokyo. I thought that this was a wonderful career move both for MT and CMX. I have been a fan of the series for a long time and found that keeping up online was too difficult with my schedule. So its being published via paperback was a great relief for me!

I agree with what Chloe is saying about how CMX does not really push their books much though. They are much more difficult to find and I think the books themselves look strikingly different that Tokyopop’s or Viz’s. Either way, they are a main player in the marketplace, representing the quirky side to manga.

My choices:

1. Megatokyo
2. Gon
3. Kikaider Code 02
4. Dokkoida?!

ISAAC: I’m definitely all over this. CMX publishes a lot of awesome titles, including one of my all-time favorites, From Eroica With Love. It makes me sad to hear rumblings of the line being cut. In truth, I’ve always been a little shocked that they’ve managed to print so many obscure and old-school titles while staying afloat. Obviously they have DC’s backing, but perhaps their choice of classics over traditionally better selling titles will ultimately be their downfall. As much as I *adore* the manga they churn out, it breaks my heart to see a publisher hold onto its quirkiness so much taht it ultimately prevents them from fully publishing their best titles. In other words, their willingness to print so many out-of-the-mainstream titles may be what keeps the best of them from getting completely published.

With the economy in a constant state of flux, I can understand individuals having less money for luxury spending such as manga. Additionally. CMX’s marketing is minimal, and their stories’ cover art is decidedly old school, making impulse purchases less likely. Their main market it seems to me lies with hardcore manga fans that know the quality of what CMX churns out. They’ve distinguished themselves from the other publishers with their consistent quality and willingness to take on unconventional titles. That said, their shojo line shines in ways their shonen one does not. Titles like Musashi #9, Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 and Testarotho undoubtedly were not big sellers, and are pretty unremarkable in my opinion as well. It is really the shojo and seinen genres in which CMX has excelled. Despite being long-shots for the best-sellers list, the titles have broad appeal and hopefully keep avid fans eagerly awaiting new CMX releases.

I truly hope that CMX can refocus its efforts on its terrific lineup and continue to lasso potential big sellers like Gon or Gals. Some of my favorite CMX titles (in ranked order!):

1. From Eroica With Love
2. Gon
3. Chikyu Misaki
4. Moon Child
5. Key to the Kingdom
6. Emma

ERIN: The one thing I learned at the CMX panel at San Diego Comic Con is that CMX titles are largely at the whim of their buyer. She solicits the manga she enjoys. I think that explains a lot of their catalog of older shojo/josei title. It’s all the work of one woman’s taste. I think she is the core audience.

CMX titles might not have much presence on the bookstore shelf, but they have a reliable presence in the bargain bin at conventions, alongside certain older Tokyopop titles (like Peach Girl). I picked up most of Moon Child for about $5 per volume. Swan can also be purchased at bargain prices. I’ve noticed Eroica disappearing from bargain bins in the quantity it used to be available—maybe people are grabbing up copies as word gets out about the insane ’70’s title.

That said, I never see Crayon Shinchan, Emma, Shirley, or Gon on sale.

KATE: Chloe and Isaac raise a good point: CMX doesn’t seem to push its wares very aggressively. When I visit a Borders or a Barnes and Noble, the Viz, Tokyopop, and Del Rey titles command a lot more shelf space than the CMX series. Even in comic book stores, where DC has a natural inroad, there doesn’t seem to be much effort to promote their books. I can’t think of a store I’ve visited—chain or LCS—that had a spinner rack of CMX manga, or some other kind of display drawing attention to the brand.

I also agree that CMX packaging doesn’t really sell the books. When I look at the spine of a Viz book, for example, I know exactly how that manga fits into their catalog, whether it’s a Shojo Beat title or a Signature book. With CMX, however, it’s something of a mystery: some of their all-ages and teen titles have pink spines, for example, but it’s not clear if this is a concerted effort to identify them as kid-friendly or just an accident of design. I also think the paper stock they use is quite poor—it doesn’t do justice to the artwork in series like Gon and Kiichi and the Magic Books, and it doesn’t age well on the shelf. The notable exception, of course, was Emma, which had a more elegant presentation. (Interestingly, CMX reverted to its normal packaging standards for Kaoru Mori’s Shirley.)

What do people think of CMX’s website? That also seems like a missed marketing opportunity to me. Though it’s much easier to navigate than the Tokyopop site, and updated more frequently than many of their competitors’, it doesn’t communicate what’s so special about CMX’s stuff, nor does it provide fans an opportunity to share their opinions with other readers. Word of mouth, people—give your rabid supporters a platform for sharing their opinions with other potential customers!

MICHELLE: I actually like their site because it does all that I really expect a site to do: lists all of their series on one page with release dates for each volume. This utilitarian functionality suits me because I already know what I’m looking for, but I can see where a casual visitor would not actually see much that wows them when they visit the site. I hesitate to recommend more interactive elements, lest it turn into another TOKYOPOP debacle, but they could at least advertise the volumes with preview pages available on their front page; right now you’ll only see those if you visit the On Sale page.

The Ask CMX! function has been sporadically used to talk about their series and seems a good place to build some buzz, but since it’s so seldom updated (the last was in February) it gives the impression of abandonment.

CHLOE: CMX’s website is a bit on the plain side, although plain will forever and always be better than the sensory overload that is Tokyopop. That said, I agree it is a missed marketing opportunity; even just a few more features with fan interaction in mind can really move a site up a notch. Probably the best company site that comes to mind is that of Go! Comi, which strikes the right balance between letting readers interact and managing to be informative at the same time about street dates, etc. etc. They’re also pretty rigorous about updating, which is both a great way to get out news and a method to draw attention to their appearances at conventions. On that note, does CMX appear at conventions? I remember licensing panels, but not a booth presence…has anyone spotted them elsewhere, or do they not bother with the fan schmoozing that is renting a booth? If so, I’d have to add that to the list of missed marketing opportunities.

KATE: My convention experience with CMX has been mixed. At NYCC 2007, for example, they took part in DC’s Wildstorm panel. (N.B. Wildstorm is CMX’s parent company within the larger DC universe.) Talk about a match made in hell! Ed Chavez and I were the only people in the audience who were curious about the CMX announcements. The rest of the attendees were there to hear Gail Simone and Brian K. Vaughan discuss their current Wildstorm projects. You could practically hear a pin drop when the conversation turned from Ex Machina to Two Flowers for the Dragon. Worse still, CMX’s shojo-heavy roster was followed immediately by cover art from… The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street. To the panelists’ credit, they talked up Gon and Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 with enthusiasm and knowledge.

At this year’s convention, CMX got its own panel. The discussion was monopolized by Crayon Shinchan fans, but Jim Chadwick and Asako Suzuki had an opportunity to discuss new acquisitions, recommend staff favorites, and answer questions about CMX’s long term plans. (In a word: licensing some vintage eighties shojo.) I know they were present at the DC booth at NYCC 2008, but I never had an opportunity to introduce myself or ask any follow-up questions.

And while we’re on the subject of panels and licensing announcements, what new CMX series are you interested in reading? Are there titles in their current catalog you’d like to try but haven’t yet? I’m curious about three ongoing series—Cipher, Dokkoida?! and The Flat Earth/Exchange—and a title that was announced at NYCC 2008: Fire Investigator Nanase.

MICHELLE: Pretty much any new shojo by CMX is going to catch my attention, and I’ll likely acquire at least a volume or two to see whether I like it. And I’ve finally succumbed and ordered the first few volumes of Apothecarius Argentum after reading multiple favorable reviews. On a non-shojo front, I’m eager to see side stories from Emma come out. Basically, what I really want is for all of the great stuff they’re currently releasing to get a chance to finish!

Regarding Kate’s interests, I believe Cipher actually wrapped up its release (volume 11 was the last one), so now’s the time to indulge in a feast of pseudo-American proportions!

OUR MASTER LIST OF RECOMMENDED CMX TITLES (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Chikyu Misaki
Cipher
Crayon Shinchan
Dokkoida?!
Emma
From Eroica With Love
Gon
The Key to the Kingdom
Kiichi and the Magic Books
Kikaider Code 02
MegaTokyo
Moon Child
Oyayubahime Infinity
The Palette of 12 Secret Colors
Penguin Revolution
Presents
Swan