More than 130,000 people attended Comic-Con International 2019: San Diego, and the number has grown every year since the first convention in 1970. Directors and actors from famous superhero adaptations have used this event to endorse and announce exclusive details for their upcoming projects. . As the convention’s popularity grew, it became much more than just a place of idolatry for print comics. Now, it also offers a new emerging style of comics: webcomics.
Webcomics have gained traction over the past few decades due to technological advancements and the rapid growth of the electronics industry. Replacing the formality of print comics, webcomics digitize classic comic book stories and allow every artist and storyteller to share original works by publishing them through a website or mobile app. Popular platforms include Webtoons, Tapas” and Manga Here.
Think of webcomics as the YouTube of the comic world, where comic book shoppers can enjoy their favorite still life chronicles in a much more convenient way and discover new graphic stories all in one place.
For graphic novel lovers, here are 5 original webcomics from five different genres that you need to start reading right now:
1. Thriller, “Sweet Home”
Ironically, “Sweet Home” tells a story that is anything but sweet. With over 5.1 million likes on Webtoons, “Sweet Home” is in its 82nd episode and updates every Monday.
The story’s central conflict takes place during an apocalypse, where a deadly virus has devastated the human species, turning them into monsters from within. Hyun, the young protagonist, and a group of unlikely heroes team up to try to save the outside world before the monsters wipe out all of humanity.
Creators Youngchan Hwang and Carnby Kim use dystopian and apocalyptic imagery to express the detriment of strong human desire. They explore psychological ethos, such as greed and selfishness, and exemplify these characteristics as physical monsters, highlighting the ugliness of the demons within.
The comic is colored with dark hues, which perfectly matches the disturbing and hopeless nature of the storyline. In order to create maximum creepiness, monsters within humans are drawn without eyeballs and smiles larger than their faces. It will give you goosebumps.
Before creating “Sweet Home”, Hwang and Kim worked on another series in the same genre called “Bastard”, which you should also check out if you fancy more amazing and suspenseful webcomics.
2. Horror, “Melvina’s Therapy”
Creepy doesn’t begin to describe “Melvina’s therapy.” As a therapist, Melvina helps clients overcome their deepest fears and traumas. However, this is all just an act. In truth, she uses her clients’ torments as vaccines against her own fears.
Each chapter of the comic focuses on a different patient and their traumas. The black and white illustrations reinforce the sinister aura of the storyline. Although lacking in color, each illustration is drawn with fine lines, allowing the creator to pay more attention to detail in each panel.
A. Rasen, the creator of “Melvina’s Therapy”, developed the story as a therapeutic process of his own. “I explain personal experiences,” he said in his acknowledgement, “because I want to help end the ridiculous social stigma surrounding mental health.” For his first professional project, this dark and twisted plot really delved into the deepest recesses of human mentality.
“Melvina’s Therapy” has a total of 81 episodes with over 1.1 million views, receiving a 9.69 rating on Webtoons. A. Rasen is currently working on another horror and mystery comic which he hopes will be released later this year.
3. Sci-Fi/Fantasy, “DICE – The Cube That Changes Everything”
Destiny: an unpredictable probability that shapes your future. But what if you have the power to control what changes and what doesn’t?
Dongtae is being bullied, but his classmate Taebin is handsome, popular, and dating the prettiest girl in school. One day, Dongtae gets the chance to change her life with the help of Dice, a powerful game that does everything players want, even changing their status in real life. Dice has the ability to give you superpowers and control your destiny. But at what cost ?
In “DICE – The Cube That Changes Everything,” author Hyunseok Yun takes the idea of teenage gambling addiction to a new level. Blurring the lines between the game world and reality, the story deals with the opportunity costs of having the ability to control fate.
“DICE” is in its fourth season with over 200 episodes. Each update of the ongoing series excites readers with Dongtae’s adventure in realistic game realm.
4. Romance, “super secret”
Ryan and Emma have been best friends and neighbors since childhood, with their bedroom windows facing each other. It might look like something straight out of a Taylor Swift music video.
However, Ryan has a great secret: he’s not human. He’s a werewolf. In fact, none of his family members are human. They are all different kinds of mythical creatures. The story follows Emma and Ryan as they navigate their relationship from friendship to romance while overcoming Ryan’s super secret.
With colorful and sparkling illustrations, Eon, the author and creator, takes this classic YA trope and reinvents it through a new lens. The story divulges the trials and challenges of a relationship where two different worlds collide, human and mythical, while portraying the butterfly sweetness of first love, providing the perfect balance between romance and fantasy.
“Super Secret” has a total of 140 episodes and is a binge worth the time. An immersive story unlike anything else, it takes you on an emotional journey that is sure to have you laughing, crying and worrying.
5. Comedy, “Boo! It’s Sex”
A true testament to its name, “Boo! It’s Sex” is a creative reimagining of sex education. The comic surrounds four young girls, entering their first year of college and moving into a house for the first time.
Upon moving in, they discover that they actually have a fifth roommate: a harmless, spirited ghost named Tara. Little did they know that their new home was once a sorority house with a dark history, where Tara, a former sorority member, died from an unfortunate accident.
Despite the mysterious backstory, it doesn’t drive the plot of the comic. “Boo! It’s Sex” aims to teach young adults everything they need to know about staying safe and having fun as sexually active students.
The story follows these four housemates as they navigate their college life and discover love and identities. Tara teaches the girls everything from the basics of contraceptives to the complex nature of hookup culture. Unlike all the other uncomfortable parent talk about birds and bees, the comic eliminates the awkwardness and replaces it with a touch of light comedy.
Creators Daniella Crosetto and Monica Gallagher dig deep into every topic of every episode, making every read truly enjoyable and informative. It’s the sex education we all need but never got.