{"id":32456,"date":"2025-03-18T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T09:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=32456"},"modified":"2025-03-18T09:00:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T09:00:50","slug":"jinx-volume-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/03\/18\/jinx-volume-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Jinx volume 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy J. Torres<\/strong>, Rick Burchett<\/strong> & Terry Austin<\/strong> (Archie Comics)
\nISBN: 978-1-93697-500-6 (HC\/Digital edition) 978-1-87979-491-7 (PB)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced during less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite tremendous advances in the last couple of decades, for most people, when we say comic books, thoughts STILL either turn to outrageously buff men and women in garish tights or leather hitting each other and lobbing cars about, or stark, nihilistic crime, horror or science fiction sagas aimed at an extremely mature and sophisticated readership of already-confirmed fans. For mainstream American comics that remains the norm. Over the years though (and throughout the rest of the world long ago), other forms and genres continue to wax and wane.<\/p>\n

One US company steadfastly that held its ground against the tide for decades – supported by a thriving spin-off TV and movie franchise – was a teen-comedy powerhouse which created a genre through the exploits of carrot-topped Archie Andrews<\/strong> and the two girls he could never choose between – Betty Cooper<\/strong> and Veronica Lodge<\/strong>. For so many years, other companies largely ignored the fact that girls read comics too and, in their slavish pursuit of the spandex dollar, lost half their potential audience. Girls simply found other ways to amuse themselves until, in the 1990s, the rise of manga painfully proved to comics publishers what Archie Comics had always known.<\/p>\n

Ever since that pivotal moment Editors have attempted to recapture that vast missing market: creating many worthy titles and even entire imprints dedicated to material for teen\/young adult audiences (since not all boys thrive on a steady diet of cosmic punch-ups and vengeful vigilantes) which had embraced European classics like Tintin<\/strong> and Asterix<\/strong>, manga material, momentous comics epics like Maus<\/strong> and Persepolis <\/strong>or abundant and prolific prose serials which produced a never-ending wave of passionate fans for everything from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian<\/strong> to Twilight<\/strong> to The Hunger Games<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Archie thrived by never abandoning its female readership and by constant reinvention of its core characters, seamlessly adapting to the changing world outside its bright, flimsy (or digitally unbreakable) pages: shamelessly co-opting pop music, youth culture and fashion trends into its infallible mix of slapstick and romance. Each and every social revolution has been painlessly assimilated into the mix (the company has managed to confront a number of major issues affecting the young in a manner both even-handed and tasteful over the years), and the constant addition of timely characters such as African-American Chuck<\/em> and his girlfriend Nancy<\/em>, fashion-diva Ginger<\/em>, Hispanic couple Frankie<\/em> & Maria<\/em> and a host of others – like over-privileged home-wrecker-in-waiting Cheryl Blossom<\/em> – all contributed to a broad and refreshingly broad-minded scenario. They also lead in non-sensationalised interracial romances, and in 2010 Archie jumped the final hurdle for a family-entertainment medium with the rapturously well-received introduction of Kevin Keller<\/strong>; an openly gay and proud young man who was a clear-headed advocate capably tackling and dismantling the last major taboo in mainstream kids\u2019 comics.<\/p>\n

Where once cheap, prolific and ubiquitous, comics magazines in the 21st<\/sup> century are extremely cost-intensive and manufactured for a highly specific – but dwindling – niche market. Moreover the improbably beguiling and bombastic genres that originally fed and nurtured comic books were increasingly being supplanted by TV, movies and assorted interactive games media.<\/p>\n

Happily, old-school prose publishers and the graphic novel industry have different business models and more sustainable long-term goals, so the magazine makers\u2019 surrender has been turned into a burgeoning victory, as solid and reassuringly sturdy Comics-as-Books still buck the slowly perishing pamphlet\/papers trend. Publishers like Archie…<\/p>\n

Back then Jinx<\/strong> was another barely-noticed landmark which saw one of the company\u2019s venerable and long-lived child-stars given a stunning makeover and refit courtesy of a multi award-winning creative team. Writer J. Torres (Teen Titans Go!<\/strong>, Alison Dare<\/strong>, Degrassi: the Next Generation<\/strong>, Days Like This<\/strong>, Lola – a Ghost Story<\/strong> and others) in conjunction with celebrated artists Rick Burchett (Batman Adventures<\/strong>, American Flagg!<\/strong>, Blackhawk<\/strong>, Black Hood<\/strong>) & Terry Austin (X-Men<\/strong>, Superman<\/strong>, Batman<\/strong>, Cloak and Dagger<\/strong>) are responsible for turning adorable but venerable 1950\u2019s 6-year old tomboy Li\u2019l Jinx<\/strong> into a genuine icon of, if not role-model for, modern teenaged girls in a style and manner at once astonishingly accessible and classically captivating.<\/p>\n

If you qualify as an Ancient One like me, you might be familiar with precocious, feisty Li\u2019l Jinx who debuted in Pep Comics<\/strong> #62 (cover-dated July 1947). Created by Joe Edwards, she debuted as the publisher began dropping superheroes such as The Shield<\/strong> and Black Hood<\/strong> to specialise in kid-friendly humour features. Over the coming decades she appeared in her own title, as well as Li\u2019l Jinx Giant Laugh-Out<\/strong> and assorted anthologies including Pep<\/strong> and Archie Giant Series Magazine<\/strong>. Like auteur Edwards\u2019 own son, her birthday was on Halloween and the writer\/artist put much of himself into the strip. A boisterous, basically decent, sports-loving, mischievous tyke (in the manner of our Minnie the Minx<\/strong>), when not romping, cavorting and tussling with other kid pals Gigi<\/em>, Greg<\/em>, Charley Hawse<\/em>, Russ<\/em>, Roz<\/em> and Mort the Worry Wart<\/em>, Jinx almost exclusively interacted with her long-suffering dad Hap Holliday<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mother was seldom seen. The kid\u2019s Christian name is lost to history: apparently so screamingly embarrassing in-world that to utter it was to invite battered ear drums and mangled limbs…<\/p>\n

Li\u2019l Jinx<\/strong> faded away gradually during the 1980s as fashionista-teenagers and Mutant Turtles supplanted pesky kid characters in Archie\u2019s increasingly \u201cyoung adult\u201d oriented stable. However, Jinx Holliday<\/em> was revived and given a thorough 21st<\/sup> century upgrade for a new serial in Life With Archie<\/strong> (#7-11, March-June 2011): a growing girl just starting big school. The former tomboy hadn\u2019t lost all her rough edges though…
\n\"\"
\nThis initial volume collects the serialised story of her beginning the inescapable if deplorable process of becoming responsible – with all the scary changes that entails. After a handy \u2018Cast of Jinx\u2019<\/em> page, the dramatic comedy opens with 4-part tale \u2018Little Jinx Grows up\u2019<\/em> – as serialised in anthology title Life With Archie<\/strong>, with the nervous 14-year old Californian kid starting over at Rose Valley High School where she immediately falls foul of draconian martinet Principal Mr. Vernon<\/em>. At least many of her oldest friends are starting too, but they all seem so changed and grown up since summer vacation…<\/p>\n

As all attendees settle in, Jinx is oblivious to the fact that more than one of the boys she used to wrestle and play football with now considers – and treats – her very differently. She\u2019s just starting to hate the place and its stupid rules when Greg points out the final straw: Freshman Baseball – in fact all her favourite sports – are for boys only. Former child model Gigi is typically smug about it, hinting again that it\u2019s time Jinx began acting like a girl, but that only provokes the incensed and outraged tomboy to break another rule…
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\nEverybody is talking about Jinx after she most publicly signs up for Football Tryouts, and neither a barracking from Mr. Vernon or some heavy-handed bullying of Greg by the senior Football squad can change her mind.<\/p>\n

The Principal thinks he has the final word after making Jinx take a permission slip home to her dad, but after Hap Holliday<\/em> absolutely refuses to let his little girl get crippled by teenaged Neanderthals, Jinx simple forges his signature…<\/p>\n

Tryouts are a disaster, but at least Greg is honestly trying to help her. Surly Charley, however, delivers a tackle that results in her being stretchered off, and when dad is called to school all hell breaks loose. While she\u2019s grounded and recovering, BFF Roz starts dropping hints about Greg and romance, promptly going into snoopy overdrive when a mystery caller leaves a large bouquet of flowers…<\/p>\n

For the first time Jinx realises High School is just one big stew of frustrated hormones which only add to her worries. So preoccupied is she that, when Greg timidly asks her to a dance, she doesn\u2019t realise what he\u2019s saying and shoots him down without even noticing. The mystery flower-sender – covertly watching – does, however, and seethes…<\/p>\n

Flustered, confused and determined to end the turmoil in her head, Jinx ambushes and pre-emptively kisses Greg, but the result is something neither of them nor their secret stalker expected…<\/p>\n

The grand gesture completely destabilises Jinx who goes into a spiral of angry depression and tetchy acting-up. Baffled Hap is hopeless to cope, and – with Halloween approaching – throws himself into organising her birthday costume party: a tradition they\u2019ve enjoyed since she was a toddler. He has no idea how much his little girl has changed and that the prospect of a party sounds like torture to her. And thus the scene is set for a showdown nobody will ever forget…<\/p>\n

All dramatic foreboding aside, this clever, warm tale ends well and promises much more for the future. Smart, witty and intoxicatingly engaging, Jinx<\/strong> is a superb example of what can be accomplished in comics if you\u2019re prepared to portray modern kids on their terms and address their issues and concerns.<\/p>\n

Without ever resorting to overblown soap melodrama or angst-ridden teen clich\u00e9s, Torres delivers a believable cast of young friends who aren\u2019t stupid or selfish, but simply seeking to find their own tentative ways to maturity. The art by Burchett & Austin is semi-realistic and astoundingly effective.<\/p>\n

This terrific turbulent tome includes bonus features such as a \u2018Football Pinup\u2019<\/em>, J. Torres\u2019 thoughts and commentary on the story as described in \u2018The Voice of Jinx\u2019<\/em> plus a fascinating, picture-packed peek behind the scenes in \u2018The Concept Art of Jinx\u2019<\/em>. More production secrets are revealed by Editor Suzannah Rowntree, describing the project\u2019s conception and creation in \u2018The Story of Teen Jinx\u2019<\/em>, and there\u2019s even a smart selection of one-page Short Comics<\/em> treats to wrap up the fun.<\/p>\n

\u2018Fitting In\u2019<\/em>, \u2018It\u2019s Complicated\u2019<\/em>, \u2018Frenemy of the State\u2019<\/em>, \u2018The Dating Game\u2019<\/em> and \u2018Chat Fight\u2019<\/em> combine to prove that although they might be growing up, the cast are still kids at heart…<\/p>\n

Compellingly funny, gently heart-warming and totally absorbingly, this book will resonate with kids and parents, offering genuine human interactions rather than repetitively manufactured atom-powered fistfights to hold your attention. It especially gives women a solid reason to give comics another try.<\/p>\n

Sheer exuberant fun; perfectly crafted and still utterly irresistible nearly a generation later…
\n\u00a9 2012 Archie Comics Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By J. Torres, Rick Burchett & Terry Austin (Archie Comics) ISBN: 978-1-93697-500-6 (HC\/Digital edition) 978-1-87979-491-7 (PB) This book includes Discriminatory Content produced during less enlightened times. Despite tremendous advances in the last couple of decades, for most people, when we say comic books, thoughts STILL either turn to outrageously buff men and women in garish … <\/p>\n

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