Do more people read digital comics on LINE Webtoon than physical print comics/graphic novels/manga?

[opeokusi]

I think millions of people in the US and around the world read comics on Line Webtoon, while graphic novels don't sell more than a couple 100,000. I just want to know your opinion.

[Benetnasch]

I've only been on Line once or twice. Online, it's Tapas, Lezhin, Bato.to, and comics hosted on their own sites. I've probably bought a lot less of physical comics, but I try to collect my favorites. Namely Akira, Uzumaki, Oglaf, the first three Tank Girl comics...reminds me that I've yet to grab the Fight Club 2 graphic novel.

But yeah...maybe? Not entirely sure how Line works, but I think most people will go for the "free" option if it's available. Those who prefer the feel of physical comics and want to support the creator will. I mean, we have e-books and e-readers, but physical books and libraries aren't dying anytime soon.

[Zugaikotsu]

honestly I do prefer purchase online webtoons at sites such Lezhin and/ or Tappytoons. I like the korean aesthetic, and there are many options for readers that aren't into macho man stuff, as are most graphic novels. And they're cheaper, too. And convenient to read at my bedroom through the night when I can't sleep.

[Zpreader]

I imagine more people read line but I don't really think it's a fair comparison given that LINE is a free service and physical comics usually cost money. If you have a free service where you can read professionally made comics you're just naturally be more thoughtful about what you buy and how much.

I'd be much more interested in comparing graphic novels sales to sales comic sales on a service like Lezhin or the Tapas premium section.

[Zugaikotsu]

That would be fair, indeed! Also, would it be 100,000 copies, I suppose? Profit numbers would be easier to compare, I guess

[Zugaikotsu]

I've made some research and stumbled upon this site:

http://www.comichron.com/yearlycomicssales/industrywide/2016-industrywide.html

According to it, graphic Novels sold something around 590 million Trump$ in 2016. Seems a decent amount, for me.

So I found those numbers for Lezhin, that's the larger hosting global site for paid webtoons:

10 South Korean Startups Breaking Out In 2017

Around 50 billion won in 2016, which is like 46926349.41 $ only in South Korea. That's a good amount (if the conversor was right xD), but the graphic novels and comic numbers seem more juicy. ALTHOUGH run a site selling webtoons doesn't brings costs with retail, storage, shipping and etc. Maybe this makes a difference in the final profit?

[bakasama25]

Even so, Lezhin Comic is actually the 3rd largest webtoon host site in S. Korea. The ones that are even larger than them are Naver and Daum. There's also a bunch of smaller companies that host webtoons like Kakao, Comico, Comica, TopToon and many others.

I believe that the two largest markets for webcomics are S. Korea and the US. They pretty much dwarf webcomic markets like Japan and France which are known very large large print comic markets.

[Zugaikotsu]

But Daum and Naver are free to read, no? And yes, I couldn't find anything about numbers in Europe. xD But, yes, their printing market is well stablished.

[bakasama25]

They used to be free but Lezhin Comics was a game changer. They're the ones that gave that world the pay to view system. Now, Naver has popular comics that are three weeks ahead behind a paywall. Daum webtoons when they're completed have the later chapters behind a paywall. LIke Tapas really.

I believe the only webtoon host that doesn't have a paywall might be Kakao.

About Europe, there's really isn't that much webcomic hosting like the US or S. Korea. I do recall a French artist here complaining about how the major publishers in France aren't doing anything about publishing webcomics. It might explain why this site has several French webcomics.

The only French webcomic site I know is Delitoon and while does have translations of webtoons and some French comics like Last Man. It has far less than what Tapas has. Still it might grow over next few years.

[Zugaikotsu]

Dude... if this trend become a thing in US LINE... I cant imagine all the fuss the readers will make about it! O.O im kind of surprised! Maybe this is the future of webtoons?

I see. European market still seems very traditional, to me (as well the Japanese). They also seem far more oriented into a mature male audience, and those groups, from what Ive seen, dont tend to like webtoons. Maybe Im wrong, its just some impressions.

[bakasama25]

About LINE Webtoons, an artist here brought the point on where does LINE gets it's money to pay it's artists. There's no ads nor a pay per view system. Generally assumed they get it from their parent company, Naver but there doesn't seem to transparency on that front.

Lezhin, Tapas, Tappytoon, and Spotttoon all have pay to a view system but they have a way to view their comics for free under certain conditions. Lezhin has it's comics free to view until a certain chap during a promotion. Tapas gives coins for viewing ads and through promotions through a mobile device. Spottoon has it's comics for free on rotation. Tappytoon has a promotion where if you log in several days in a row, you a bunch of coins.

[beta1042]

LINE definitely has ads. Also I thought their pledge money was in partnership with patreon, I imagine they have some sort of deal with patreon, although that is pure speculation on my part.

[Zugaikotsu]

I've always wondered about it, too... most probably, as you said, it was the korean Naver giving them money. But, as they split, I can't say how they will generate profit in the long run. Maybe with premium content, since ads are less and less profitable?

[Zpreader]

Dude... if this trend become a thing in US LINE... I cant imagine all the fuss the readers will make about it! O.O

I don't think it'd be too bad. Since the US just gets the free chapters anyway it wouldn't change really change anything for people who didn't want to pay. It's be just like the weekly stagger used by freemium anime sites like CR and Funimation.

[Zugaikotsu]

Yes, indeed. Its just that Line audience may be very dramatic about those topics. Some of them even get angry when their authors get featured because the comic restarts.