Buku FIXI

Buku FIXI is a Malaysian independent publisher founded in 2011 by filmmaker Amir Muhammad. The company specializes not only in contemporary urban fiction - both in Malay and English - but also Malay translations of foreign titles, and graphic novels. Some of these novels have also been adapted into film, bringing the publisher's name further into the Malaysian mainstream.

The publisher did its selling operations entirely online when it first started, until in 11 April 2015 when its own flagship bookstore (known as Kedai FIXI) was launched in Jaya Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya.[1]

History

Amir - who has directed a number of film titles that were deemed too controversial to be screened in Malaysia - had been inspired to establish the company after attending a local book awards ceremony. There, he had discovered that almost all of the Malay language fiction nominees were entirely in the romance genre.[2] Thus, the creation of the label is considered to be his reaction from a need to further diversify the range of popular Malay literature that was produced at that time. He decided on the name "FIXI" for the label, which derives from the Dutch-derived Indonesian word fiksi or 'fiction'. According to him, the naming of the company was his tongue-in-cheek statement hinting that "nothing is original in the world of novels".[2]

Imprints

FIXI Novo

This imprint showcases Malaysian English-language fiction produced in-house by the company.[3] This includes the acclaimed KL Noir series.

FIXI Verso

The imprint for Malay translations of renowned foreign language fiction. Some of those translated works include those written by Neil Gaiman,[4] Stephen King,[4] John Green, and Haruki Murakami.

GRAFIXI

Grafixi is the imprint for the company's catalogue of graphic novels.

The publisher had secured rights to translate the back catalogue of DC Comics into Malay under this label in April 2016. This had led to the release of two translated Superman/Batman titles from the reputable American comic book publisher: Public Enemies and Supergirl.[5] On 4 August of the same year, Grafixi had released the official cover art of Suicide Squad: Kicked in the Teeth as a teaser for the upcoming translation of the comic.[6] It was later announced that the title would be available for sale on the following week.[7]

References
  1. Toh, Terrence (14 April 2015). "Indie publishers Buku Fixi opens first bricks-and-mortar store, Kedai Fixi". The Star Online. Star Media Group Berhad. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  2. Ling (5 August 2014). "Fixi Forward". Poskod Malaysia. PopDigital Sdn Bhd. Retrieved 26 June 2016. Amir tells me that he was inspired to create Buku Fixi after attending a local book awards ceremony. According to him, nine out of ten of the Malay fiction nominees had either the words ‘rindu’ ['longing'], ‘kasih’ ['affection'] or ‘cinta’ ['love'] in their titles. “I just felt like throwing up!” Amir quips. “I thought, there’s got to be more to life than this! If I were a young person, and were to look at that selection, there was nothing there that appealed to me. And based on that, I decided to start a label.”
  3. Ganesan, Sharmilla (13 April 2014). "Award-winning local publisher Fixi is on the right track". The Star Online. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. Lingard, Linda Tan (25 February 2014). "Buku Fixi: On Translating Bestsellers for Malaysia". Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  5. Chan, Wai Kit (22 April 2016). "Local publisher Fixi wins rights to translate DC Comics into BM". Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  6. @BukuFIXI (4 August 2016). "*ahem*" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. @BukuFIXI (4 August 2016). "#Grafixi terbaru SUICIDE SQUAD: Kicked in the Teeth akan mula dijual minggu depan!" (Tweet) (in Malay) – via Twitter.
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