Mobile comics platform LINE Webtoon is huge in Korea and getting bigger here, and they are no slouches in the diversity department. According to a release, 42% of LINE WEbstoon's creators are female, 48% of its comics feature female leads, and 50% of its over 6 million daily readers are women. Impressive, if not surprising statistics. And they'll discuss them more at a “Women in Digital Comics” panel to be held at SXSW on Friday, March 18th. Participants include moderator Tom Akel, LINE Webtoon's director of content, and 2 Broke Girls’ star Beth Behrs (Dents), digital star Michelle Phan (Helios : Femina), LINE Webtoon creators Kaitlyn Narvaza (Where Tangents Meet, Siren’s Lament) and Susanna Nousiainen (ShootAround), and one of the winners of LINE Webtoon’s recent Superhero Comics Contest, Sandra Diaz (Supersonic Girl).
While researching the previous item, I cam across this every other month chart of graphic novel bestsellers in indie bookstores, via the ABA. It's about what you'd expect, with Raina Telegemeier and Allie Brosh, Noelle Stevenson, Kate Beaton and Saga reigning supreme. In other words, the unstoppable forces of mainstream comics acceptance. A little surprised that no Walking Dead on there, but the new season hadn't debuted when this chart was made.
A group of 13 publishers have reached a settlement with the Diamond estate and Sparkle Pop to get their inventory back, and this Diamond business may finally be drawing to a close
Korean entertainment giant Kakao is shutting down Tapas, their North American webtoon platform, leaving creators and readers devastated and an uncertain future
Paramount has settled the lawsuits from 12 attorney generals and the WGA over its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, promising an independent editorial board for CNN and CBS News, and more.
Mad Cave's second Escape From New York title, Fred Kennedy and Danilo Beyruth's one-shot Escape From the North Pole, will follow Snake Plissken on a rescue mission in the Arctic this December.
Zoe Thorogood and her husband Joe Whiteford will team up on the Image miniseries and accompanying EP Vampire on Aisle 6, which tells the story of a recently turned vampire trapped in a superstore until the Sun sets.
