Fangirl, the young adult novel by acclaimed author Rainbow Rowell, is getting a manga adaptation. Adapted by Sam Maggs and illustrated by Gabi Nam, Fangirl will be published as a four-volume series by VIZ Media. Rowell announced the adaptation today on Twitter, saying that she would also be helping to write new material for the series.
I think you're really going to love this manga. It will be four volumes, and Viz is really sticking to the original vibe of the books. I'm working closely with Sam on the script — I've written lots of new dialogue and even some NEW SIMON AND BAZ STUFF.
— Rainbow Rowell (@rainbowrowell) March 31, 2020
Rowell’s second novel, Fangirl was released in 2013. It follows Cath, a mega-fan of the fictional character Simon Snow, as she adjusts to changes in her life and comes to terms with whether she still needs a fandom to call home. The novel has spawned multiple spin-offs based around Snow, including 2015’s Carry On and 2019’s Wayward Son. A third spin-off is reportedly in the works.
Rowell is no stranger to comics, either. The ongoing Runaways title she writes for Marvel recently concluded its fifth story arc, and last year saw the release of her first original graphic novel, Pumpkinheads, illustrated by Eisner winner Faith Erin Hicks. Given the nature of Fangirl as an examination of the role fandom and geek culture can play in a person’s life, it’s a natural fit for a graphic adaptation. Maggs has also written her own book on fandom, The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy, as well as multiple comics including Marvel Action: Captain Marvel and the forthcoming Transformers/My Little Pony: Friendship in Disguise, both for IDW.
You can check out Nam’s cover to the first volume of the adaptation below. Volume 1 of VIZ Media’s Fangirl adaptation is due out in October.
