Disney, Marvel & Webtoon To Launch New Digital Comics App And Platform

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Disney, Marvel & Webtoon To Launch New Digital Comics App And Platform

Signed, sealed and almost delivered, Disney, Marvel and Webtoon to launch their new digital comics app and platform

Published Sat, 10 Jan 2026 12:57:07 -0600
by Rich Johnston
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Article Summary

• Disney, Marvel, and Webtoon partner to launch a new global digital comics app and platform in 2026.
• The app will feature over 35,000 titles, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and classic Disney comics.
• Users get access to traditional comics and vertical-scroll webtoon formats with an all-in-one subscription.
• New original webcomic series based on Disney and Marvel franchises are in development for global fans.

The Walt Disney Company and Naver's Webtoon Entertainment have officially sealed a strategic partnership, launching a brand-new digital comics platform that promises to blend Disney's vast library with Webtoon's vertical-scrolling. This collaboration isn't just about adapting Mickey Mouse for mobile-friendly formats; it's a full-on equity tie-up with significant implications for how fans consume comics in the streaming era.

The platform and app, developed and operated by Webtoon, the world's largest comic book publisher, will feature over 35,000 comic book titles from across Disney, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, 20th Century Studios, and classic Disney titles created by Marvel, Boom, Dark Horse, and IDW. Available in both traditional panel layouts and Webtoon's vertical scroll format for mobile phones. Disney's entire comics catalogue will be accessible via a single subscription, expanding on the existing Marvel Unlimited service. Select Webtoon Originals will also make the jump, creating a hybrid hub for fans of both worlds. In addition to reformatted legacy titles, Disney and Webtoon are also developing brand-new original webcomic series based on Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and 20th Century Studios franchises for global release on the app.

In August, Marvel and Webtoon signed a deal to bring approximately 100 Disney and Marvel titles to Webtoon's English-language app, reformatted for vertical scrolling and featuring all-new originals. Then, in September, Disney bought a 2% equity stake in Webtoon Entertainment. Now, with the ink dry on the final agreement, that stake is locked in, signalling Disney's bet on Webtoon's global reach, boasting about 155 million monthly active users worldwide. Webtoon CEO Kim Jun-koo states that the platform "combines our expertise to offer global fans access to Disney's characters and stories, laying the foundation for future collaborations."

Disney gets to tap into Webtoon's Gen Z-heavy audience and its proven track record of turning webcomics into hit shows on Netflix. And Webtoon diversifies its lineup beyond the biggest streams of romance and fantasy manhwa, pulling in superhero fans who might otherwise stick to Comixology or piracy sites. There are questions about creator rights, as Webtoon's model thrives on user-generated content, but Disney's IP machine is notoriously tight-fisted. And when can we expect X-Men meets Lore Olympus?

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