Webcomics publisher Webtoon are partnering with writer Jonathan Maberry for a comic book adaptation of his zombie novel Rot & Ruin on their platform. No details were given on who will be illustrating the weekly series, or when it will begin, other than it will be during the Spring. Here’s the full press release:
WEBTOON TO LAUNCH ROT & RUIN DIGITAL COMIC
Zombie Apocalypse Weekly Series to Debut in the Spring
“We all carry around our own monsters.”
Jonathan Maberry. Photo by Sara Jo WestLos Angeles, CA (February 14, 2019) – Fans of the award-winning book series Rot & Ruin will be thrilled to know that Webtoon, the world’s #1 comic app, announced today their upcoming digital comic adaptation of the property. Created by New York Times best-selling and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jonathan Maberry, the Rot & Ruin comic series will see his darkly imaginative vision brought to life this spring.
Published by Simon & Schuster, the New York Times best-selling Rot & Ruin is a coming-of-age story set against a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where every teenager is forced to get a job by the time they turn fifteen. For Benny Imura, that job is the last one he ever wanted—to apprentice as a zombie hunter for his overbearing older brother. However, on the road to killing zombies, Benny discovers what it truly means to be human.
“As a lifelong devoted fan of comics and a guy who now writes comics, I am absolutely thrilled to have Rot & Ruin become a Webtoon!” said Maberry. “How cool is it to carry around a bunch of zombies in your pocket and who will take a bite out of you when you turn on your phone!”
Critics embraced Rot & Ruin, “…this intense novel combines adventure and philosophy to tell a truly memorable zombie story, one that forces readers to consider them not just as flesh-eating monsters or things to be splattered, but as people.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator, podcast co-host, and writing teacher/lecturer. Jonathan is a long-time comic book writer whose works include Black Panther: Doomwar, Marvel Universe vs The Punisher, and V-Wars (coming soon to Netflix, starring Ian Somerhalder!). He was named one of today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. Maberry currently has 37 books published in more than two-dozen countries and multiple book series including Rot & Ruin and The Joe Ledger Series. Three of his books are being developed into live action features including his standalone teen science fiction novel, Mars One, in development for film by Zucker Productions and Lone Tree Entertainment, the standalone suspense novel, Glimpse, in development for TV with Black Swan screenwriter John McLaughlin as head writer, and V-Wars in production at Netflix.
For more information visit www.jonathanmaberry.com
Webtoon is the #1 digital comics app, averaging more than 50 million monthly active users, with north of 10 million daily readers – more people read webtoons in one day than watch most television shows. Founded by NAVER Webtoon in 2004, Webtoon became a cultural phenomenon and pioneered the distribution and consumption of web-based comics – webtoons. Launched stateside in 2014, Webtoon has thousands of creator-owned titles with episodes updating daily. Webtoon features a broad and diverse catalog of content – including fantasy, romance, sci-fi, LGBTQ, and more. The Webtoon app is free to download on Android and iOS devices. The content is free and downloadable, for reading when offline. Webtoons take advantage of smartphone user scroll behavior as a benefit to the method of storytelling. Webtoon is always working to enhance the user experience with technology – including enhanced FX Toons, which allow creators to include music or animation in their Webtoon to benefit user immersion. Webtoon boasts partnerships with Legendary, Lucasfilm, POW!, Top Cow/Image, and more. Webtoon takes the comic experience to the next level by providing readers with daily curated content and giving creators an intuitive platform designed to help them easily publish and publicize their own original comics. Webtoon creators have been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards, as well as winning a multitude of Ringo Awards – including seven in 2018. Webtoon is available on iOS, Android, and desktop.
Published in 2010, Rot & Ruin is the first in a six-part novel series. A five-issue tie-in comic by Maberry and artists Alex Ronald and Tony Vargas (later collected under the name “Rot & Ruin: Warrior Smart“) was previously released by IDW Publishing in 2014.
