Culture

Harry Potter Spinoff Industry: On Borrowed Time?

by Jordan Yerman | May 10, 2007 at 10:05 am

710 views | 5 Recommendations | 4 comments

Sort of like how the iPod spawned so many lamprey-companies that produce supporting products (cases, clips, docks, etc.), the Harry Potter series has given rise to all manner of support publications, much to the delight of Hogwarts fans jonesing for a wizardry fix between JK Rowling's publications.

When J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" hits bookstores July 21, it will, as virtually everyone knows, mark the end of a 10-year run of seven books that have made publishing history.

But the series has spawned a whole literary ecosystem, with new offshoots expected to spring up as never before during these next few months. Hordes of adventuresome publishers are out there already, and others will be trying to cash in with books that predict what could happen in the final Potter title, provide behind-the-scenes analysis, or just plain ride piggy-back.

There was a similar phenomenon with Buffy the Vampire Slayer: several analysis books hit the shelves with topics such as the metaphysics of the Buffyverse to the history of Sunnydale.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Kaitlin

at 09:22 on May 10th, 2007

My favourite is the Enchanted Knits book, which teaches you how to knit your own Hedwig or a Gryffindor scarf. If I knitted, I'd be on that like Harry on the golden snitch.

babblingdweeb

at 09:27 on May 10th, 2007

This could be really interesting...I recall the The Matrix spin offs on philosophy and such -some were actaully good books. Others...eh, now so much.