I’ve lately had an old obsession resurface, and since this week is a freebie for Top Ten Tuesday, I figured I would share it with you. Namely, WebToon: a platform for authors of digital comics to share their content. Or, more importantly for our purposes, a place where you can discover some amazing talent and support up-and-coming authors!
WebToon isn’t new, of course, but I feel like it’s gained popularity, given the fact that it now has its own publishing imprint, WebToon Unscrolled. So today, I want to take a little time to draw even more attention to some of the great series that are available to read (and support!) on WebToon. Some of these will be series that are now available in physical books via WebToon Unscrolled, but not all of them!
For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’m spreading the love by sharing my must-read WebToon series. Go give these authors the attention and praise they so deserve!
Fair warning that most of these series are unfinished. I also like a pretty wide variety of stories, so I’ve tried to pull together a little of everything. As always, your mileage may vary with any of these series! And if you’ve got a favorite WebToon series that I absolutely should read, please share it with me in the comments. I’m always looking for more.
Also, I know this is Top Ten Tuesday, but I couldn’t narrow it down, so . . . we’ll just call the extra a bonus. Because you deserve it, you cute little bookwyrm, you.
The Mafia Nanny
Being an Elite Nanny is simple: protect the charge, obey the principle, and don’t get emotionally attached. Easier said than done when Davina’s first client is a dangerously compelling Venetian underboss who’s determined to get under her skin. What he wants from her, she can’t imagine, but Gabriel Angelini drags her back into the glittering world of organized crime she thought she’d left behind forever. She might get answers about her past if she digs deep enough, but can she protect Mikey from his father’s ambitions and keep her heart from getting tangled up in their treacherous web?
Genre: Romance
Status: Ongoing, updates every Tuesday
Content Warning: Blood, violence
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Spy x Family, slow burn forbidden romance, badass women, tsunderes, dangerous family secrets, adorable comic relief children
Why I recommend it: I confess, I’m a sucker for hot, emotionally unavailable, traumatized, dangerous male characters. I feel like this shouldn’t be a surprise, given my reading history. So obviously the whole premise of this was going to attract me immediately. It’s not as dark as it could be, given that it’s about the mafia, but there’s definitely a lot of trauma and healing. The squad is just chef’s kiss, though, and the children are toooo cute!
Fantasy High
When girls at Aguefort Adventuring Academy go missing, six heroes who meet in detention band together to investigate their new high school for clues. This gang of self-anointed “Bad Kids” sets off on a wild journey, encountering vicious corn chowder and debaucherous wizards, among other perils that threaten their lives and the world they know and love. Based on the hit Dimension 20 show helmed by Brennan Lee Mulligan.
Genre: Young Adult, Comedy
Status: Ongoing, updates every Tuesday
Content Warning: Character death, mild blood
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Dimension 20, Adventure Zone, Dungeons & Dragons, roleplaying games/books, high school drama . . . with magic!
Why I recommend it: I admit that I know nothing about Dimension 20, and I don’t think it’s required to enjoy this. I’m a fan of quirky mystery stories, and I obviously like comedy. This blends those together, adds a pinch of ridiculousness, and a sprinkle of over-the-top characters. Our main squad certainly aren’t heroes, per se. But they’re fun. And their hearts are in the right place. Surely that counts for something, right? Just . . . don’t pay any mind to all the explosions.
Loving Reaper
Animals struggle. Pets and Wildlife alike. The reaper cares for their stories and helps them with the crossover. Short stories about the “Loving Reaper” to raise awareness and collect funds. Breaking hearts for a good cause.
Genre: Young Adult, Drama, Animals
Status: Ongoing, sporadic (not a continuous story)
Content Warning: Animal suffering/abuse, animal death, grief/loss
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Having your heart torn out of your chest and stomped on, sad animal stories that have happy endings, supporting animal charities, animal rescue
Why I recommend it: This isn’t one of those “oh my gosh, you have to read this because you’re going to love it so much” recommendations. This is one of those, “This is going to utterly break your heart, shatter you into a million pieces, and leave you a blubbering, quivering mess of goo on the side of the highway of life” recommendations. But sometimes those are just the sorts of reads we need. This is a series of vignettes/short stories that focus on different animal conservation aspects, along with charities to support each. It’s at times to raise awareness, at times to heal from grief all pet owners share, and at all times definitely meant to tug on your heartstrings.
Lumine
A runaway werewolf, Lumine, meets a witch boy named Kody and is being hired to work as his bodyguard. Lumine, being determined to befriend Kody, tries everything to get Kody to trust him, while Kody tries to keep Lumine away from him. Their life gets even more complicated after an unfortunate event that leaves them to try to survive on their own.
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Status: Completed
Content Warning: Mild violence and blood
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Witches and werewolves, fast-paced reads, sunshine / grumpy, mysterious mysteries, fans of Wolf’s Rain
Why I recommend it: While this story does start a little slow, the art is super cute, and it’s easy to fall in love with these characters. I was hooked by the mystery, sure, but I also couldn’t help but root for these characters!
Castle Swimmer
What happens when your entire life is ruled by a prophecy – your future foretold by people you’ve never met, who died long before you were born. Such is the story of two young sea creatures. One believed to be a guiding light for his people, a Beacon who will lead them to a bright, prosperous future. The other is a teenage prince for who’s destiny is to KILL the Beacon so that HIS own people might thrive. When both reject the course set for them, it leads to a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself – and a romance that nobody could have predicted.
Genre: Fantasy
Status: Ongoing, updates every Sunday
Content Warning: Mild violence
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Sweet M/M romance, cinnamon roll characters, challenging the status quo, heartwarming adventure
Why I recommend it: First of all, don’t you see how gorgeous the illustrations are?! While that definitely caught my eye to start with, I immediately fell in love with the characters. The Beacon is too cute and precious and must be protected at all costs, because the ocean does not deserve him. I particularly enjoy stories where characters buck tradition and challenge “fate” to try to forge their own destinies. The fact that these boys have each other’s backs and are supporting each other is all the better. It’s all cozy and heartwarming!
Morgana and Oz
What happens when a struggling witch meets an angsty vampire? Either love or war. Morgana belongs to a long line of witches, and Oz to the rival vampire clan. After a chance encounter… and maybe a few stray spells… these two need to find a way to work together, or risk all-out war between coven and clan.
Genre: Fantasy
Status: Ongoing, updates every Monday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Witches and vampires, sunshine / grumpy, wayward magic, forbidden romance
Why I recommend it: Listen, Morgana is doing her best. She’s not what one might call a great witch . . . and sure, a lot of her magic goes terribly wrong . . . but it’s totally not her fault that she accidentally transforms an angsty vampire into an angsty cat . . . and possibly sparks a war between the two groups. I mean, we all make mistakes, right? Morgana is utterly adorable, and even though Oz has a tough exterior, he’s really just a big ol’ softy, as well. Seeing the two interact and try to overcome prejudices is adorable.
Cursed Princess Club
Meet Gwendolyn – living proof that princesses don’t always have it all. See, although she lives in a castle and her father is the King, Gwendolyn isn’t like a movie princess, or even a fairly-tale princess. She’s got a big heart, but isn’t particularly attractive and doesn’t have a Disney-quality singing voice. But one night, she accidentally stumbles upon the twisted world of the Cursed Princess Club, and her life will never be the same. Hexed and cast out, the ladies of the club are just the people Gwendolyn needs to show her that just because she doesn’t “fit the mold” does not mean she’s any less of a princess.
Genre: Comedy
Status: Completed
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Twisted fairy tales, quirky characters, supportive squad, cozy drama, heartwarming vibes, slice of life
Why I recommend it: This book is a little light on overarching plot, but it’s cozy and heartwarming and absolutely hilarious. Plus, the characters are quirky and larger than life! You never know what to expect from them. I love the message of loving someone for who they are, rather than their appearance, and how supportive the characters are of each other, despite struggling with their own unique things.
Third Shift Society
Life’s funny. One minute you’re jobless, deep in debt and on the verge of eviction; the next you’re in a fight with a monster and getting a job working for a Paranormal Detective with the head of a Jack-o-Lantern. It’s an age-old story. Now the financially-challenged Ellie (who’s just discovered she has strong psychic powers) and her Pumpkin-headed boss Ichabod have to team up and fight the things that go bump in the night.
Genre: Supernatural
Status: Ongoing, updates every Friday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Supernatural, paranormal detectives, hunting cryptids, uncontrolled magic, urban fantasy
Why I recommend it: This feels like almost a cozy version of Supernatural mixed with Sleep Hollow vibes. While I don’t think the overall story is as strong (it feels more like short, episodic adventures), I enjoy the fast pace, quips, and all the cool cryptids. It definitely has an urban fantasy/paranormal feel, so if that’s your genre, give this one a try!
Nothing Special
Callie thinks that in the grand scheme of the worlds at large, she’s nothing special. With the unexpected addition of friendship and adventure into her life, she’s about to find out that she was very, very wrong.
Genre: Fantasy
Status: Ongoing, updates every Tuesday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Adorable creatures, cozy adventure, mysterious backgrounds, heartwarming friendships, parents wandering off and having to be saved by their children
Why I recommend it: I’ll admit that I haven’t read as much of this as I would like (though, two volumes of the book have been published so far, last I checked!). I’m very much enjoying this one, though. I love the kindred spirit between the main characters, who immediately bond with each other. The world is lovely and cozy, while still being dark and dangerous. The illustrations walk a line between cozy, humorous, and dark, which is a really interesting combination that I find really compelling!
This Wasn’t in my Adoption Plan
I spent a decade cleaning up after Duke Havenik Brauno’s mess only to be murdered by him? Reincarnated as Aerin Brauno, an illegitimate child of the Brauno family, she’s horrified to find her adoptive father is none other than the man who killed her. This time, Aerin refuses to let him control her fate. Armed with the knowledge from her past life, she’s determined to escape his grasp and find a new path. Can she rewrite her destiny, outsmart the deadly Duke, and maybe even save the Brauno family?
Genre: Drama
Status: Ongoing, every Sunday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Isekai, plotting children, reincarnation, manipulative characters, psychological games
Why I recommend it: This has kind of a weird reincarnation background that I’m not entirely in love with (somehow, she’s reincarnated in the past, so she knows what’s going to happen? But she no longer exists in the world as she was before she died? This version of time travel makes my head hurt.) Weird time travel reincarnations aside, I love the pseudo-Isekai elements of getting a second chance and plotting to make sure it goes right this time. This is still ongoing, but I’m definitely invested in these adorable characters and the ways they’re being pulled together. Sure, on one hand, they’re being manipulated to get a certain outcome, but on the other hand, these are definitely things they all needed and they’re better for it. So it evens out in the wash, right?
UnOrdinary
Nobody paid much attention to John – just a normal teenager at a high school where the social elite happen to possess unthinkable powers and abilities. But John’s got a secret past that threatens to bring down the school’s whole social order – and much more. Fulfilling his destiny won’t be easy though, because there are battles, frenemies and deadly conspiracies around every corner.
Genre: Superhero
Status: Ongoing, every Thursday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Superheroes, antiheroes, powers, My Hero Academia, The Boys, frenemies, deadly conspiracies, dystopian
Why I recommend it: I am obviously all for frenemies and deadly conspiracies. Sign me up! I enjoy the premise of being the only human in a school full of superhuman teenagers. The idea of superhuman teenagers, in general, is absolutely terrifying. To add another complication, these heroes are certainly not what one might generally consider good people. But you don’t have to be good if you’re a strong enough hero . . . right?
A Spell for a Smith
A shy witch in her quiet forest cottage. A surly dwarf in his blacksmith’s forge. Both seeking solace in their respective refuge, but both aching for more. Though drawn to each other’s kindness, they can’t deny the gentle chemistry simmering beneath their every interaction… just as their secrets do. This series contains themes regarding anxiety, mental health, and self-harm that may not be suitable for all readers. Viewer discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please reach out for help at Crisis Text Line (http://crisistextline.org/).
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Status: Ongoing, every Saturday
Perfect for readers who enjoy: Older protagonists, redemption arcs, cozy slow burn romance, magic, healing from trauma, short kings
Why I recommend it: This is an absolutely adorable cozy romantasy between older protagonists who are working through their own traumas together. The way they support each other and grow is so wholesome and cute. Also, we stan our short kings, and you don’t see them much in romance (let alone dwarven romance).
Honorable Mentions:
- Little Hollow Cafe – Perfect for cozy fantasy fans, this adorable paranormal slice-of-life is uplifting, heartwarming, and along the veins of The Tea Dragon Society, with diverse characters, strong friendships, and adorable critters.
- Suitor Armor – I’ve only just started this, which is why it didn’t place in the top 12. This romantasy has been cute and adorable so far, reminiscent of Hooky (which is another WebToon comic I’d recommend, though I read the published book).
- Jackson’s Diary – Along the lines of Danny Phantom and Gravity Falls, there’s an awful lot of paranormal things happening behind the scenes of this high school, all while the characters grapple their own trauma and high school drama. While I’m hooked on the mystery of this one, the teenage drama and miscommunication is downright frustrating at times!
- Ingrid the Plague Doctor – I only recently discovered this charming old-timey story that’s reminiscent of the old comic strips many of us grew up with. It reminds me a bit of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy so far, which is one of my favorite shows!
- The Gourmet Gamer – Reminiscent of the Netflix show Delicious in Dungeon, I’ve really been enjoying this new take on hyper-realistic gaming. The only frustrating thing is most of it is behind an adwall/paywall, which is why I’m not further on it (there’s only so many ads I can watch before I lose my mind).
- The Middle Age – This is one of my feel-good candy reads. Not much substance plot-wise, but it cracks me up! Reminds me of Terry Pratchett. Complete with dragons, a snarky talking sword, and a hero who really isn’t qualified for the position.
This is way out of my wheelhouse, lol, but its fascinating how many webtoons there are! A few of these sound really cute, especially Castle Swimmer😁
I made it my goal last year to try to explore things out of my wheelhouse, and it’s sometimes hit or miss, but WebToons was a discovery I was happy to have made!
I tried UnOrdinaty, but it just wasn’t working out for me. But I have gotten on to True Beauty which I’m surprised by how much I like.
I definitely think UnOrdinary is one of those that isn’t for everyone. I haven’t tried True Beauty yet, because the blurb just didn’t sound like my sort of thing, but I might have to give it a try!
I was not aware of this site. Thanks for sharing. I love supporting indie creators.
I hope you find something you enjoy! 🙂
It’s been ages since I’ve been on Webtoon but I used to be obsessed. I’m scared to take a look at some of these in case it starts up that obsession again because it’s not like I don’t already have enough to read 🤭 That said, I started Third Shift Society when it came out and finished it too quickly because I loved it. Then I fell off the Webtoon train so I’ve got so much to catch up on! Have you read The Croaking? I don’t know if it continued being good but when it came out I loved it (and the same thing happened as with Third Shift, lol). Also, have you heard of Punderworld? That one is a fun Hades/Persephone retelling-ish! 😍
I personally enjoy being obsessed for a while and then taking a break, because then when you come back you get to catch up on large chunks of story at once, instead of eagerly waiting every week. xD *laughs in impatient goblin* I haven’t read either The Croaking or Punderworld, but I’ll definitely add both to my list now!
I’ve never heard of webtoons, but I’m glad you love them so much!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
It’s a great site for anyone who enjoys graphic novels. 🙂
I love the Cursed Princess Club! Though I have to be honest and admit that I’ve read most of it in print format, since LambCat had a bunch of the comics bound up into big graphic novel paperbacks.
I also read the Cursed Princess Club as paperbacks, up until the last one. Because, y’know, it wasn’t publishing quick enough and I needed to know what was going to happen lol.
Cursed Princess Club is one of my all-time favorites. I have been reading more webtoons via their physical releases in bookstores recently, but thanks for this rec list. I have some new webtoons I need to check out soon.
I’ve been reading a lot via physical books, as well. I was thrilled to see them starting to get published, especially since they’re popular with my library patrons, as well. 🙂 I think about half of my list are either already published in physical format or they’re publishing soon!