A Whole New World for Comic Lovers
A career in comics is a dream for many talented, creative artists. It’s an opportunity to express one’s imagination through powerful stories and captivating visuals. Traditionally, it was difficult, and sometimes expensive, to make it in the comics world. However, webtoons, comic platforms optimized for viewing on the web and mobile devices, are changing the equation for independent artists. Artists looking for exposure can monetize and gain a following on webtoons platforms without having to rely on large publishing agents. It’s a fantastic opportunity for comic book lovers to find exciting new content and for independent artists to gain exposure.
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The origin of Webtoons
Webtoons are scrollable online comic strips, of South Korean origin, intended for viewing on mobile devices, Fast Company reports. Like so many other Korean media trends, for example, K-pop and K-drama, webtoons have become a global phenomenon spanning a large variety of genres and languages.
WEBTOON is the largest and well-known webtoons platform, and it offers creators the chance to monetize their content, to license their work, and to gain lucrative deals with prominent agents and publishers. According to Forbes, Naver Corporation, a South Korean search engine, launched the WEBTOON platform way back in 2004.
Now, nearly two decades later, WEBTOON boasts more than 85 million active users monthly. Some creators on the platform, Fast Company shares, earn more than a quarter of a million dollars yearly. In 2021, the top webcomic artist made nine million dollars from WEBTOON.
From webtoons to the big screen and beyond
And some creators who got their start on WEBTOON have seen their content adapted for TV series or movies. In addition to South Korean K-dramas made from adapted webtoons, CBR shares that American streaming giant, Netflix, has also gotten in on the action. In 2022, Netflix released two live-action adaptations of the webtoons Business Proposal and Heartstopper.
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WEBTOON has also made some interesting partnerships with brand-names comics. For example, DC comics, one of America’s oldest and largest comic book producers, partnered with WEBTOON in 2021 to produce “Batman: Wayne Family Adventures,” Forbes reports, a comic book series created by DC and produced on the WEBTOON platform.
Since then, according to Batman News, the DC/WEBTOON partnership has expanded to a number of other titles, and DC plans to release a print version of Wayne Family Adventures. The popular DC series garnered more than 76 million views on WEBTOON.
Webtoons empowers creators
WEBTOON and other webtoons platforms are fantastic places for people who love comics to find fresh and exciting content. They have proven to be a boon for the comic industry.
In addition to all that, webtoons have helped independent artists and writers make it in the comic world. Fast Company shares Manou Azumi’s inspiring story as an example. Azumi started his career as a Pet Smart cashier. Now, he writes “Vixen: NYC,” a popular DC/WEBTOON partnership comic with millions of views.
Azumi was a long-time webtoons follower, who even participated in a webtoons contest in 2018, but he lacked the means to pursue comic book writing full time. In 2021, a WEBTOON producer found his work and hired him to work on Vixen.
This opportunity allowed Azumi to quit his day job and focus on his art. He explains that, “Because anyone can make and post a webtoon, so many groups and stories that have not been represented in traditional publishing are able to have a voice and space on webtoon.”
Azumi is just one of the many talented independent writers who’ve found a voice, platform, and following on webtoons. This is something that the WEBTOON platform is particularly proud of. CEO, Ken Kim tells Tube Filter, “WEBTOON creators are some of the most talented, creative, and captivating in the history of comics. In a time when comics have never been more popular, we’re incredibly proud of the growing Creator Economy and ecosystem we’ve built to celebrate and support WEBTOON creators.”
