For the past two years, LINE Webtoon has been not only publishing talented web comic creators, but offering all web comic creators the chance to hone their skills and build their readership through their open platform, Discover. Meanwhile, Patreon has become the way for regular content creators to not only build their communities, but earn an income for their work. So, a partnership between the two companies in the name of quality web comics was damn near inevitable.
Today, LINE Webtoon announced that Patreon has been integrated into their Discover platform, so that readers can directly support the writers and artists they love by becoming Patrons, without having to leave their Discover page. Even better, LINE Webtoon is willing to put their money where their mouth is. According to their press release, LINE Webtoon “will make a monthly pledge to creators who publish at least two updates per month on Discover and who have more than 3,000 subscribers and 5,000 monthly page views per chapter in the U.S.”
In addition to that, if you’re already a web comic creator on Patreon, LINE Webtoon invites you to to join LINE Webtoon as either featured creators or as Discover creators who will participate in LINE Webtoon’s patronage investment program.
The partnership definitely benefits both sites. Patreon founder (and one half of Pomplamoose), Jack Conte, said “Patreon is excited to partner with LINE Webtoon to help empower creators. The partnership is a great fit; LINE Webtoon helps comic creators to get even more new fans for their comics and Patreon turns those fans into Patrons.” It’s because LINE Webtoon is such a wonderful place to grow your comics audience that popular webcomics creator Tracy Butler (Lackadaisy) has already come over from Patreon and started publishing there. Rather than be lost in a sea of non-comics creators, Butler and creators like her are able to go directly to where comics fans live.
JunKoo Kim, Founder of LINE Webtoon, has this to say about the partnership:
“Patreon has optimized the revenue experience for creators like no other service has before and built up a huge base of self-supported creators and dedicated patrons. The Patreon platform is uniquely suited to how LINE Webtoon creators are accustomed to delivering their comics to fans. Creators already working with Patreon are in an environment where they provide their readers content on a regular schedule, making this an organic extension for our existing creators and new creators looking for a home.”
This is a great opportunity for web comics creators to take their efforts to the next level and be compensated for their work in the process. Whether you want to create comics yourself, or you want to enjoy the work of talented creators and have the opportunity to support them in a really direct way, check out Discover over at LINE Webtoon!
(images via LINE Webtoon)
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