We have a big one this week, folks, so let’s get straight into Comics Disassembled, as I look at ten things I liked or didn’t like from the week of comics, including…well, one of the biggest possible partnerships in comics, for better or worse.

WEBTOON and Disney, Putting a Ring on it

It’s not every week that we get news that is genuinely seismic. This this week, though? It was a thing.

That’s because it was revealed that WEBTOON and Disney — not just Marvel, but Disney — are teaming up to develop a new digital comics platform. Now, how new new it is depends on which report you read, as ICv2’s piece suggests that this platform will be an expansion of Marvel Unlimited rather than a different system altogether. But regardless of the specifics of how it works, this is a massive deal for a number of reasons, and a stunning development after the two just announced a partnership last month for Marvel and other related comic titles to appear on WEBTOON itself.

Let’s speed run through those reasons in a series of bullet points.

• It’s going to feature both Disney owned comics and WEBTOON Originals: The promise is this new platform will bring over 35,000 comics from the broader world of Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar, and 20^th Century Studios releases, plus an array of comics from the vertical scroll giant. That means cross-pollination opportunities for both audiences.
• It will be a mix of formats: This will offer readers a blend of traditional layouts and vertical scroll, which is obvious because of the inclusion of comics from both houses. The big question is, how much translation will happen between the two? Will we get Lore Olympus in a traditional layout like you see in the print collections? Will even more Marvel titles (and beyond) move into vertical scroll? I imagine so, but it will be interesting to see how this develops.
• Disney is getting a piece of WEBTOON: As part of the deal, Disney will acquire 2% of WEBTOON, which means they’re betting big on what the platform has to offer.
• It will have a Disney+ connection: Evidently being a Disney+ subscriber means you’ll get access to a “free, curated selection of comics,” which extends the potential reach of these titles into the millions. That’s a monster part of this, and something that could act as an incredible gateway if everyone plays their cards right.

Needless to say, this is a big deal, and something that continues the integration of Marvel’s comics into the wider world of Disney — and beyond. It’s also a classic move for the publisher’s wares, as they have a tendency of outsourcing solutions like this to others who do it better than them. That’s not a bad thing. It isn’t even a good thing. It’s just a thing they do. In this case, it could be an extremely smart one, as WEBTOON certainly knows how to make a digital comics platform pop.

My biggest concern with this is that it could result in Marvel’s comics turning in an algorithmic direction. WEBTOON is a famously data-driven company, and even though Marvel’s going through a tough time creatively, a turnaround is and has always been on the horizon for them. They have the people to get there, and it’s just the way things work. But if what fuels decision making after the arrival of this platform is the pursuit of what the data says readers want…well, that’s a grim way to create new things, as TV and movie viewers know all too well. I am hopeful that isn’t the direction it heads in.

That’s not something we know to be true, or something that was even mentioned in what was revealed. But given who is involved, it’s certainly not an unfounded unconcern.

Either way, this is an enormous story to watch, as two of the most giant of comic giants have teamed up to do something new and interesting together. This could change everything. Whether that’s in a good way or a bad one is yet to be determined.

Invincible, Getting Omnibi

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before, but the format boom? It continues onwards. And now, one of the original drivers of it is trying a new format on for size. It’s kind of a reverse order approach, too, as Invincible — a boss in both compendiums and digests — is getting its first omnibus this April. Not only that, but this hardcover tome that will feature issues #0 through #47 will also include a bonus that is being collected in one of these books for the first time. It’s Marvel Team-Up #14, the issue from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker that found Invincible and Spider-Man teaming up. There’s even a direct market exclusive cover to the omnibus that features Spider-Man on it. Those are nice little bonuses!

Invincible continues to be one of the biggest hits in comics, as the Amazon Prime series has sent sales of its collections into the stratosphere. Creating an omnibus so hardcore fans can have a showpiece to put on their bookshelves only makes sense. While plenty of the reader audience might have been eaten up by the compendiums, there always seems to be a market for omnibi, and I have no doubt that Invincible will have a significant one. Even quick Google searches show there’s a pent up desire for Invincible to get one, as readers wonder about when it’s going to happen. It’s happening in April, so get your wallets ready, folks.