Matt Meyer
Los Angeles, CA – Webtoons app POCKET COMICS has announced its first-ever foray into original content with a test launch on SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 at 8:00 pm EST / 5:00 PST!
Pocket Comics, launched July 2020, is growing by leaps and bounds, hot on the heels of other apps such as WEBTOON and Tapas. Based out of South Korea, Pocket Comics has been focused exclusively on manga — until now! With a production studio open in Los Angeles, the company is taking aim at the burgeoning scrolling webtoons market with U.S.-produced series.
“Webcomics are a huge industry in Southeast Asia, and U.S. readership has been growing exponentially” says Pocket Comics editor Rebecca Bohanan. “However, the vast majority of the traditional comic book and graphic novel readership has not yet made their way over to these apps. WEBTOON made a big play for the comic book demo this Wednesday with their first original Batman series. We at Pocket Comics want to show the vertical scroll format will translate for graphic novel and kids comic readers as well. They’re already scrolling on Instagram, TikTok, or with any other content they read on their phones. We want to find ways to attract that readership over to Pocket Comics, to make webtoons part of their daily entertainment routine.”
Bohanan, the final editor on staff at Eisner-nominated and Ringo Award-winning MAD Magazine, is joined by Joe Corallo in Pocket Comics’ initiative. Corallo, a storied indie editor in his own right, successfully shepherded the short story “MINE!” to an Eisner nomination. He won a Ringo Award for the same, and was also nominated for a GLAAD Award for “Kim & Kim.”
Pocket Comics is test-launching five new properties on September 16. They are:
- “Dee Dee Sawyer, Ghoul Destroyer,” a ’90s-Nicktoons style series that has been compared to Art Baltazar’s work. Brought to life by New Yorker cartoonist and former MAD Magazine contributor Ivan Ehlers, “Dee Dee Sawyer” already has an amazing trailer:<
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- “WILD,” an original series from author Zoe Aarson, creator of the popular Wattpad book series “Light as a Feather,” which became a Hulu TV show. “WILD” tells a layered, multi-generational romance saga of werewolves… who just happen to be the world’s hottest K-Pop group! The artwork is by up-and-comer Isip Xin, repped by the Illozoo agency.
- “Dating Makes Perfect,” an adaptation of NYT bestselling author Pintip Dunn’s popular YA novel of the same name. The series has been formatted to feel like an OGN — a rarity for a webtoon. This coming-of-age story features an all-Thai cast and artwork by Emily Kim!
- “Strange Familiar,” a wild modern fairy tale about a young wizard and his slime (yes, you read that right!) who must learn to work together for survival! From writer/artist and SVA alum Robby Barrett, whose work was previously featured in the Ignatz-nominated anthology “Dates, Vol. 3” from Margins Publishing.
- “School Spirit,” the story of four students who discover their university is using sorcery for evil! From writer Tiffany Babb (Paste Magazine, AV Club) and artist Sam Ong.
Pocket Comics can be downloaded onto any device now at https://www.comico.io, and the test launch of these blazing-hot new properties will be THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021! You can follow Pocket Comics on Instagram (@pocketcomics_official), Facebook (@PocketComics), and Twitter (@_Pocketcomics_)!