Re-Gifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, and Marc Hempel

#43 in my 2007 book challenge was Re-Gifters from the DC Minx line of graphic novels. Of the ones I’ve read thus far, this is far and away my favorite. Dixie is a Korean-American in LA, who juggles a crush on a fellow Hapkido classmate with school, home, and neighborhood troubles. There’s some good stuff in here about race and socio-economics, and some complex characters. The art is both distinctive and accessible. The book eschews Formula A of YA, which is that the cute popular guy finally comes to recognize the wonder that is the main character. (See Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice, Sixteen Candles, etc.) Instead it goes with Formula B, which is when the heroine realizes that the cute guy is not worthy of her affections, and instead transfers them to the geekier/badder boy who has been inexplicably nice to her. (See Emma, Clueless, Revenge of the Nerds, etc.)

While it is formula, the details are good enough for me to recommend this. I find the Minx line a bit curious, though. I think it’s intended for teens, yet the stories read really “young” to me, more like middle-grade books, especially in their near-total avoidance of sexuality. I did find it interesting that the bad boy in this book was nicknamed “Dillinger” for an unspecified reason, though.

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