"After" Book Series Will Soon Become Graphic Novels
Following the release of a brand new trailer for After We Fell, fans of the After book series and its movie counterparts have even more reason to celebrate. After is being turned into a graphic novel, and Teen Vogue has your exclusive first look at the adaptation, led by author Anna Todd.
Scheduled for a March 22, 2022 release, After: The Graphic Novel (Volume One) chronicles the beginning of the emotional, whirlwind romance between college students Tessa and Hardin. Volume Two is slated to arrive in fall 2022, and five additional volumes will follow.
Todd worked closely with artist Pablo Andrés to create illustrated depictions of Tessa and Hardin; the new After book series will be published by Todd's Frayed Pages Media in partnership with Wattpad and Hugo Publishing, and partners around the world. “Getting to create the look for each character and choosing eye colors, hair styles, tattoos, clothing, and settings that are true to the novels has been a blast," Todd told Teen Vogue. "We were guided by the novels, and from that starting point developed the look and mannerisms for Tessa, Hardin, their family and their friends. Readers might see some familiar visuals, but Hardin and Tessa in the graphic novel are totally new creations.”
For the cover, Tessa and Hardin are seated in one another's arms. An accompanying inside page (see below for the excerpt) shows one of the first illustrated interactions between Tessa and Hardin. In the scene, Tessa is invited to a party, but her reluctance to attend is pointed out by Hardin. It's only after Hardin guesses that she won't attend that Tessa changes her mind.
An accompanying description of the graphic novel explains that the story will focus on Tessa, “a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home.” It's upon running into Hardin that everything changes. “Good looking, confident...and rather rude, even a bit cruel. For all his attitude and insults, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites a passion she’s never known before,” the description reads.
The graphic novel will follow along as Hardin begins “making excuses and disappearing, again and again. He’ll turn away, yet every time when she pushes back, he’ll only pull her in deeper. Despite the reckless way Hardin treats her, Tessa is drawn to his vulnerability, determined to unmask the real Hardin beneath all the lies. A good girl...a bad boy... something undeniable...and everything AFTER.”
Todd confirmed that readers are in for some surprises, telling Teen Vogue, “Like any adaptation, we have reworked some of the storyline to fit into the space for a graphic novel. It’s been really fun and so cool to shape the story into a graphic form. You’ll have to read it to find out [how it differs from the novel].”
News of the graphic novel comes as fans prepare for a brand new film in the Hessa saga. After We Fell will officially hit theaters in the US on September 30. News of a fourth film, After Ever Happy, has already been confirmed, but a release date has not yet been set.
Until then, you can always cozy up with the novel or preorder this forthcoming graphic novel starting Friday, July 30. Below, check out an exclusive excerpt of the new After graphic novel:
Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email.
Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Josephine Langford Wants You to Focus on "After" — Not Her
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
