I’m back with more recommendations of web-comics on WEBTOON! We’re all social distancing, right? No judgment if you just want to read all day. I started looking for more stories to read to combat my own boredom, and I’ve found a few that have really captured my interest. I mean, you can only reread Lore Olympus and Nothing Special so many times.
First off, I want to show some love to the Staying Healthy Together PSAs that WEBTOON artists created. It’s been fun checking them daily to see the different art styles and how certain characters would react in this situation. What a great way to support the creators on the platform as well as make the readers feel less alone. I’ve also found some new comics to check out through this!
BRIMSTONE AND ROSES by Mei Rothschild
In “Brimstone and Roses,” Bea is not over her ex-girlfriend, Ava, who will be attending the wedding of Bea’s sister, Sophia. So, she does what anybody would do: summon a demon to pretend to be her boyfriend for the ceremony. Unfortunately, she didn’t read the fine print and Lazareth refuses to leave her apartment until her heart is fulfilled. But what exactly does that mean?
There is a lot to love about this comic. The amount of representation alone makes my heart sing. Bea is Latina, curvy, and bisexual. She has a bit of a rough edge, but it’s understandable given her situation. I’m relating to her because she recently moved away from home to build a new life, but things have not gone to plan.
But what I’m really loving is the relationship between her and Lazareth. Is he just messing with her because he’s a demon or does he actually have some kind of feeling for her? I’m living for the banter. Then there’s the fact that demon summoning is frowned upon in this society, and I’m curious to learn exactly why. You know, aside from the obvious. I can’t wait for more!
LET’S PLAY by Mongie
“Let’s Play” is about Sam Young, a girl who dreams of being a game developer. She comes up with a puzzle game that she’s quite proud of, until a popular video game streamer trashes the game. Sam is crushed, and as luck would have it, the streamer named Marshall Law moves in next door.
This is one of WEBTOON’s most popular comics, and I almost missed it completely because I am not usually into anime. I love that the main focus is on a female gamer, even though I am pretty bad at video games myself. So far (there are over 100 episodes!), I’m enjoying learning about Sam’s life and the attraction she’s feeling toward Marshall despite everything. I feel a real kinship toward Sam with her struggles involving confrontation and anxiety.
It’s more of a slice of life comic than anything else, and that’s perfect for right now. And there are some interesting insights on internet culture as a whole. There are so many characters to love too, from her coworkers to the baristas at the coffee-shop she frequents, as well as her guild. And there is a lot of ship potential! So many guys in Sam’s life, who should she be with?
SOUL ON HOLD by Austen Marie
Ayden, the lead in “Soul on Hold,” has a scar that no one can see and hears a sinister voice in his head. Still, he’s enjoying life and flirting with a barista named Maggie. But Maggie can see his scar and also has a voice that speaks to her. She tells him that he’s going to die on his 30th birthday.
It’s taking a little while to find its footing, but I’m highly invested in these two characters already. Plus, there’s a ton of supernatural hijinks going on! Ghosts, vampires, golems, witches, what creature will we encounter next? Ayden and Maggie are also a very good team and I ship them. It’s witty, fast-paced, and has an interesting mystery throughout. Why are Ayden and Maggie visited by these voices? Can she save his soul?
I’M THE GRIM REAPER by Graveweaver
A young woman has died and is sent to Hell. However, Satan has other plans for her: become a Grim Reaper and deliver him one sinner a day. Seems easy, but the woman who calls herself Scarlet gets more than she bargains for when she meets Chase, a young detective marked as a sinner.
“I’m the Grim Reaper” is a little on the darker side, but personally I love the peek into moral ambiguity. Seriously, give me all the complicated characters trying to figure out if the right thing is actually the right thing. What works well is the character development and the relationships, especially between Scarlett and Chase. They are adorable getting to know each other and I’m so invested to see how things play out. And Satan is wonderful.
I also really love the art in this. The backgrounds are hyper-realistic and the way the action scenes are drawn is really cool. Plus, Scarlet’s outfit is incredible.
Have you read any of these comics? Which WEBTOON is your favorite?
