JUST ANOTHER SUMMER
Coming Soon from Maverick
A Queer YA Romcom About First Love, Identity, and the Summer That Changed Everything
One summer, far from the Hollywood spotlight, two teen celebrities confront love, labor, and new possibilities they never expected…
Mad Cave Studios’ YA imprint Maverick proudly announces JUST ANOTHER SUMMER, a queer and trans-friendly romantic comedy from writers Tilly Bridges and Susan Bridges (Star Trek Voyager: Homecoming, Monster High), featuring artwork by AoiG. (Lacrime di Cioccolata) and Giulia Rinaldo, with colors by Valentina Briski and lettering by Chas! Pangburn.
When scandal sidelines two LA teen celebrities, a punishment summer on a Montana farm forces them to trade red carpets for rubber boots—and to choose between the futures they were raised for and the loves they never saw coming.
Eager for a break from their brutal schedules as A-list actors, teen sisters Hayley and Becky Huxley sneak out to experience LA on their own terms. After a big mistake gets them fired from their gig on a hit TV show, they’re sent to a dairy farm in Montana to learn a little humility!
Sparks fly when they meet farm hand Jake, who can’t believe he has to babysit some pampered rich girls all summer! But Becky’s very into the cute girl at the local diner, and Hayley and Jake start to realize that they have more in common than they think. Even though she’s a cis city girl and he’s a trans country boy — they might just be falling for each other. But they’re from entirely different worlds, it could never work! …or could it?
Writers Tilly Bridges and Susan Bridges shared their excitement about the forthcoming release: “Just Another Summer is a romcom about those heady emotional days in your late teens when you notice the world is changing… or maybe it’s that your perspective changes as you learn something new. At heart, it’s about realizing that people from wildly different backgrounds, with wildly different interests, are more alike than you thought. Even as a writing team, each of us came from very different upbringings, yet we found we had more in common than we ever imagined. We believe that we, all of us, are in this together, and the way forward begins with communication. That way lies hope, understanding, and yeah… maybe even love.”
Artist AoiG. also spoke to a personal connection with the story: “Just Another Summer was an experience for me, not only as an artist but also as a reader. As I worked through the story, I felt increasingly close to its characters. The character I empathized with the most was Jake because, surprisingly enough, I have a friend who is going through a very similar life journey with her transition, and for me, this project became a way to understand her better. I hope readers will appreciate all the nuances of this comic and grow attached to the characters, just as I did.”
Comparable to Heartstopper, this 200-page big-hearted OGN delivers a funny, tender romantic comedy about first love, trans joy, and choosing the life that feels real.
Just Another Summer arrives in bookstores and comic shops on August 4, 2026 (FOC July 13).
Maverick is the Mad Cave Studios YA imprint dedicated to authentic graphic novels about identity, independence, and the personal struggles that shape who we become.