DC Comics, Stone Arch Plan Chapter Books

by Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 5/2/2008 8:50:00 AM

DC Comics is teaming up with children's book and graphic novel publisher Stone Arch Books to produce a series of illustrated chapter books based on DC’s famous characters Batman and Superman. The new line of books, called DC Super Heroes, will launch later this spring with 12 titles and publish a total of 48 titles over the next four seasons. The following season the line will add chapter books based on DC’s Wonder Woman character.

The books will feature original prose stories with illustrations by DC Comics artists. Stone Arch, which is based in Mankato, Minn. with offices in Bloomington, will oversee the development and design of the books and handle distribution to the school and public library markets. The books will be published in library bindings and softcover and will priced at $22.93 list, $17.95 for the school and library markets and $5.95 for the paperbacks.

Stone Arch Books President Joan Berge said basing chapter books on DC super heroes, “is just one more way to hook a reluctant or struggling reader. DC characters are well-known and of high interest to the striving young reader and we hope they will spark a growing interest in reading.”