Louise Barton’s family enjoyed a wealthy lifestyle, but her father was betrayed by his business partner, forcing them all to move into a low-income household. Now, on her first day at her new school, Louise has to pull herself up by her bootstraps and start over with limited social skills. She meets Bruce, a tough, towering, straight-A student with a short temper, and Drew, an attractive transfer student. She wants nothing to do with Bruce and attempts to get closer to Drew, but nothing goes as she plans when the three of them are grouped together to tutor each other on their curriculum. They form a strong bond that sends Louise on a life path she never expected.
Originally one of the top comics on Inkblazers, Orange Junk
is an on-going shojo Slice of Life Romantic Comedy webcomic written and drawn by Heldrad. It is now part of the female-targeted online serial magazine Sparkler Monthly, edited by Lianne Sentar and Lillian Diaz-Przybyl, who also does lay-out. There are 27 chapters so far. There are 4 volumes released so far that can be downloaded from the site, with the first volume available in print, and volumes 2-4 being funded by Kickstarter. The comic is inspired by anime and has the comedic eccentricities of Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun and Ouran High School Host Club, playing with the typical tropes found in shojo.
Tropes:
- Cool Teacher: The homeroom teacher, Jack, is a laid-back, young guitarist who is pals with the main cast.
- Defeat Means Friendship: After losing to Bruce in a modeling contest, Miles mellows down a bit and is more or less accepted into Louise's group of friends.
- Evil Former Friend: Louise’ father’s old business partner who took away his company and sent his family into ruin.
- I Am Not My Father:
- Bruce's father ran out on his wife and children for a rich woman, leaving his family in poverty. Bruce has nothing but contempt and resentment for his father as a result.
- Miles reveals that he and his mother have left his father in retaliation for ruining Louise's family. Miles wishes desperately to make amends for his father's actions with Louise.
- Mr. Fanservice: Bruce and Drew are both very attractive. Bruce is so adept at looking gorgeous, he wins second place at a male fashion model contest and is scouted to appear in a music video just by his “signature move” of a sultry glance, yet he feels it’s all superficial and doesn’t quite understand people would beg to have his natural skills. Drew has a “boyish freshman” look but couldn’t care less that he has admirers and pursues more reserved interests like anime and manga.
- Riches to Rags: Louise was a wealthy girl, now she's a "commoner" going to a public school.
- Secret Santa: The main characters spend Christmas together and exchange items to one another that they already own, instead of buying something new, after each one is assigned to someone else by a shuffled hat lottery.
- Stage Names: Bruce uses the stage name “Brad Lee” for his male model jobs.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: Chapters 16 to 18 are split between Louise and Bruce playing instruments in the rock music club, and Drew and Miles acting in a play for the drama club.
- True Companions: The heart of the story comes from the Odd Friendship Louise, Bruce and Drew share because they’re kind people by nature and they compliment each other so well.
- Younger Than They Look: Ryan Collins looks like a cute little boy but is old enough to compete in a male fashion model contest. The “cute boy” look is his gimmick.
