Penguin Random House has announced a new imprint, Inklore, that will publish manga, manhwa (Korean comics), and manhua (Chinese comics) as well as webcomics and light novels. The imprint will focus on genre fiction (romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and slice-of-life) and work that has previously been published digitally, following the success of webtoon-based titles such as Lore Olympus and Solo Leveling.
The line will launch in 2024 with My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999, by Mashiro, a rom-com about games that was originally published in Japan by ComicSmart and is currently published in English on the digital manga service Mangamo.
The launch titles also include:
- Under the Oak Tree, a Korean fantasy romance novel by Kim Suji. This novel was adapted into a webtoon that is currently published digitally in English on the Manta platform (see “ICv2 Interview: Moonseok Jeong, Manta COO & Head of Content“). The first volume of the novel is scheduled for summer 2024.
- The Heavens, a sci-fi fantasy trilogy of graphic novels by Lev Grossman (The Magicians) and Eisner-nominated Lilah Sturges (Girl Haven). The publisher describes the space operaas “Succession meets The Empire Strikes Back.” The first volume will be released in 2027.
- Northern Lights, a series of YA fantasy graphic novels by Malin Falch that were originally published in Norwegian by Egmont. The first volume will be published in 2024.
- Cherry Blossoms After Winter, a BL manhwa by Bamwoo about childhood friends who fall in love. The webtoon currently runs on the Tappytoon platform, and it has been adapted into a TV drama. The first volume is slated for early 2024.
Rebecca “Tay” Taylor will be the Editorial Director of the imprint in the U.S.; Taylor was nominated for an Eisner Award for her work on Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard when she was at BOOM! Studios, and she later moved to Vault Comics as Managing Editor (see “Graphic Novel, Manga People on the Move”).
“At INKLORE, we are building a new home for creators of emotionally rich, visually dynamic, and transportive stories from around the world,” said Taylor in a statement accompanying the announcement. “As an imprint of Random House Worlds, INKLORE will offer creators a multitude of opportunities to connect with a voracious global audience. We welcome storytellers from all backgrounds whose stories rekindle the effortless pleasure of reading for fun.”
Source: ICv2
