Disney is going all-in on the webtoon format. And that’s no coincidence.
With 100 titles in development, the global entertainment giant aims to bring its iconic characters to a format designed for mobile, fast reading, and a younger audience. Spider-Man, Darth Vader, Belle… all will soon be scrolling vertically on your screen. Why this strategic move? Because in just a few years, webtoons have become the preferred narrative channel for a generation that no longer reads comics the traditional way.
And behind this quiet revolution, a French team is playing a key role: the MAKMA studio, through its Printoonize! service.
For over 20 years, MAKMA has refined a unique expertise in adapting comics, graphic novels, and manga. Today, that same expertise fuels a new momentum: webtoonization. Transforming traditional works into fluid, immersive digital stories takes far more than resizing panels. It requires a complete rewrite of rhythm, dialogue, and layout. An alchemy that MAKMA has mastered like few others.
“Seeing icons like Spider-Man or Darth Vader move into the webtoon format confirms what we’ve been witnessing for years: this format has become a universal language to reach a new generation. For MAKMA, it’s a unique opportunity to bring our expertise to stories that travel from one continent to another, while proving that Europe can play a key role in this new era of visual storytelling.”
— Damien Gay, Chief Operating Officer at MAKMA
That adaptation work is being led by MAKMA’s Printoonize! division, a team specialized in transforming traditional print comics into vertical webtoon formats, and vice versa.
“Adapting Disney comics into the webtoon format is more than a job, it’s a true challenge! What matters most in this process is fully understanding the page composition and knowing how to translate it into a vertical reading model. That’s where our team truly shines. It’s a colossal task that demands highly trained and ultra-efficient people, but it’s also a real joy to work on licenses that make both kids and grown-ups dream.”
— Bryan Wetstein, Head of the Printoonize! division at MAKMA
The Disney–Webtoon partnership is the ultimate recognition of a format long seen as niche. And it’s a historic opportunity for European creators. Because when global pop culture icons shift to this new medium, it’s clear that the future of visual storytelling lies here.
France has a card to play. With its mastery of transcreation and a multiplatform vision, MAKMA proves that it’s possible to elevate graphic culture while speaking the language of today.
Those who still see webtoons as a passing trend are going to miss the train. This isn’t evolution. It’s a paradigm shift.
