NEW YORK, NY – WEBTOON Entertainment and Disney announced an expansive new slate of reformatted comic series at New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2025, further deepening their collaboration to bring iconic stories from Disney, Marvel, 20th Century Studios, and Star Wars to WEBTOON’s popular mobile vertical-scroll format. This announcement builds on their strategic partnership, which aims to introduce beloved narratives to a new generation of mobile-native readers and offer existing fans a fresh way to engage with their favorite universes.
Expanding Iconic Universes for the Digital Age
The collaboration, initially announced on August 12, 2025, has already begun transforming how fans experience classic comic book narratives. The partnership focuses on reformatting existing comics into a mobile-friendly vertical-scroll format and developing new original webcomic series across Disney’s vast portfolio. This move is a strategic effort to tap into the growing global audience of digital comic readers, particularly Gen Z.
Yongsoo Kim, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global at WEBTOON, expressed enthusiasm for the ongoing collaboration, stating that it’s “just the start” of bringing legendary storytelling to mobile-native comic fans. Daniel Fink, SVP, Head of Digital Innovation, Disney Consumer Products, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the platform’s ability to expand beloved franchise universes on a “best-in-class digital platform.”
The Next Wave of Stories Revealed
At the highly anticipated NYCC 2025 panel titled “Entire Universes In Your Pocket: The Future is Digital Comics with WEBTOON featuring Marvel,” both companies unveiled the next batch of titles slated for the WEBTOON platform. These new additions will join existing reformatted series such as Amazing Spider-Man (2022-present), Avengers (2012), Star Wars (2015), Alien (2021), and Disney As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale.
The newly announced series include:
- Astonishing X-Men (2004)
- The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
- Stitch Samurai: The Complete Collection
- Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red
- Star Wars: Lost Stars
Beyond these, fans were particularly excited by the reveal of a Frozen spin-off, Arendelle Chronicles, which promises to explore the kingdom through the eyes of royal guards, merchants, and forest inhabitants before Elsa’s reign. Pixar fans also have much to anticipate with Star Command: The Early Years, an origin story for a young Buzz Lightyear, separate from the Lightyear film, drawing on the classic Toy Story style. An ambitious villain team-up comic, promising a darker and edgier take on Disney’s iconic antagonists, was also teased, confirming it as one of Disney’s boldest villain projects yet.
Impact on the Comics Industry and Fan Engagement
The partnership signifies a major shift in the comic industry, with Disney leveraging WEBTOON’s expertise in vertical-scroll storytelling to reach a broader, digitally native audience. The deal encompasses around 100 blockbuster comics and hints at even more brand-new original webcomic series in development. This ensures a continuous flow of fresh content designed specifically for mobile devices.
The format, characterized by its ease of access and vertical scrolling, makes stories more engaging and convenient for readers on the go. WEBTOON has a dedicated section for these Disney, Marvel, 20th Century Studios, and Star Wars titles within its English-language app, offering free initial episodes with subsequent installments unlockable via WEBTOON Coins.
NYCC 2025 Presence and Fan Experience
WEBTOON made its largest appearance to date at NYCC 2025, underscoring the importance of this collaboration. The company’s booth offered exclusive merchandise, premium giveaways, creator signings, and a giant claw machine for prizes. The first 30,000 attendees to visit the WEBTOON booth received a free tote bag featuring characters from Marvel, Star Wars, and other WEBTOON series.
The “Entire Universes In Your Pocket” panel itself was a highlight, featuring industry leaders such as Dan Buckley, Head of Marvel Comics and Franchise, and Ryan Lee, WEBTOON Head of US Content, alongside Puck Media Correspondent Julia Alexander. They discussed the evolution of digital comics and how WEBTOON and Disney are revolutionizing fan engagement.
This expanded partnership firmly positions WEBTOON and Disney at the forefront of digital comic innovation, promising a rich future for mobile storytelling and beloved characters.
