Exclusive: Random House Graphic to Launch Global Comic Line Ink Pop | News

This morning we’ve got the scoop on an exciting piece of news: Random House Graphic is launching a Ink Pop, a new line of graphic novels that will include translated manga and manhwa as well as print editions of webtoons. The first two titles in the line are both YA series for readers 12 and up and will be available in hardcover and paperback editions; future books will target chapter book, middle-grade, and YA readers with a variety of genres including humor, romance, and fantasy.

Ink Pop will launch with I Wanna Be Your Girl, by Umi Takase, a YA manga (originally published as a webtoon) about a girl who is in love with her childhood friend, a love that gets complicated when, just before they start high school, her friend begins to transition to living as a girl. Like Heartstopper and Blue Flag, the manga explores first love and friendship, coping with change, and learning to be an ally. The first volume will be released on July 1, 2025; the story is complete in four volumes.

The next series, My Life as an Internet Novel, by Han Ryeo Yu and A Hyeon, is a YA manhwa about a teen who is transported into a different world with a different school, friends, and possible romances. The first volume will be published on September 2, 2025.

Michelle H. Nagler, SVP & Publisher, Random House Brands & Graphic, announced the line which will be led by Whitney Leopard, Executive Editor, Random House Graphic.

“It’s an exciting time to bring manga to our market,” Nagler said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “We’ve seen the popularity of the genre rising in the US, and we hear from parents, teachers, and librarians all the time about wanting more manga for young readers. The Random House Graphic team is thrilled for the opportunity to thoughtfully bring global comics to the children’s market we know and love, with our Ink Pop line.”

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