KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — Local indie publishing house Buku Fixi has discontinued its graphic novel label Grafixi and will stop translating the back catalogue of DC Comics into Malay, after securing the rights to do so just over a year ago.
According to a post on their Facebook page yesterday, the decision was was prompted by poor response to the comics that had led to RM70,000 in losses so far.
“Sad news. We decided to stop the #Grafixi label because we are not good in selling comics. Our translation contract with DC Comics has also been terminated in a good manner,” the statement said.
Buku Fixi added that it was best to leave comics sales to those better at promoting the genre.
“It is best to stop now than to be in losses amounting to hundreds of thousands which will end any form of pleasure in our lives,” the statement added.
Buku Fixi also confirmed that sales for three translated DC Comics titles — Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman/Batman: Supergirl and Suicide Squad: Kicked in the teeth — have been stopped.
A hundred copies of each title will be given away this Saturday at Buku Fixi’s booth at the KL International Book Fair (PBAKL).
“Sales for novels and other books will continue; we are in the process of finishing up three new novels by our popular writers to be launched during Raya. Thank you!” they added.
Buku Fixi is the brainchild of founder and writer Amir Muhammad.
Amir was first inspired to start Buku Fixi after noticing that the Malay-language fiction nominees in a local book awards ceremony all had “rindu”, “kasih” or “cinta” in their titles.
Although it started off specialising in urban pulp fiction in Malay and English, Buku Fixi has expanded to include imprints such as Fixi Novo (English-language Malaysian books), Fixi Mono (non-fiction), Fixi Retro (reprints of old Malay-language classics) and Fixi Verso (Malay translations of current international bestsellers).
