Electric Monkey snaps up graphic novel adaptation of webcomic unOrdinary from uru-chan

Electric Monkey has snapped up the graphic novel adaptation of unOrdinary, a digital comic on Webtoon by uru-chan.

Publishing director Lindsey Heaven and Sarah Bates, publishing strategy director at Farshore, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for four volumes from Rachel Horowitz, senior director, subsidiary rights, and Jean McGinley, vice-president and associate publisher at HarperCollins US. The first volume will be published on 9th November 2023 for young readers.

unOrdinary has received 1.2 billion views and achieved "cult status" on Webtoon according to the publisher and will be adapted as a full-colour graphic novel. The series follows John, a normal teenager at a school where the social elite possess extraordinary powers and supernatural abilities. The synopsis continues: "John prefers it that way – the more he stays under the radar, the safer he is in the intimidating halls of Wellston High. But when the other students start to suspect John has something to hide, he becomes their latest target. Suddenly, pulled into a world of turf wars, betrayal, and deadly conspiracies, John’s secret past threatens to bring down the whole school’s social order – and much more."

Heaven commented: "We are delighted to welcome uru-chan and the brilliant unOrdinary to our award-winning Electric Monkey list – and to be bringing one of Webtoon’s most popular web comics, with its legions of utterly devoted fans, into print. The knowledge that even more readers are soon to discover this YA adventure in UK bookshops is incredibly exciting to us all. The landscape of UKYA fiction is changing in terms of the incredible growth in manga and graphic novels and we’re very proud that uru-chan is one of those iconic authors leading the way."

uru-chan said: "unOrdinary started as a webcomic seven years ago and now it’s in book form. I’m forever grateful for everyone’s support over the years."