Vixen: NYC and other DC Webtoons coming to print

Comics

Jul 30

Turns out that “magical powers” are actually a thing, and Mari is next up to wield them. Freshman year is gonna be a doozy.

DC Comics characters like amulet-wearing, animal-powered superhero Vixen, the Batman family, and magician Zatanna have been starring in a series of digital comics by DC and webcomic platform Webtoon Entertainment. These standalone series are designed to appeal to all fans—without the need to know or read any previous stories.

And now, if you’ve been waiting for these stories to be collected into trade paperback editions (and, I hope, Kindle editions), Vixen: NYC, Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, and Zatanna & the Ripper will all be collected later this year.

RELATED: We talk more about the history of Vixen here—42 Important Black Comic Book Superheroes

More info about the new series Vixen: NYC—as well as quotes from the creative team—below!

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DC and Webtoon’s partnership has brought fans a new story for Vixen: NYC, giving the heroine a revised origin—and the chance to fight her greatest foe.

Vixen: NYC series writer Jasmine Walls told ScreenRant that when she was offered the chance to write Vixen:NYC, the team discussed wanted something that would expand its appeal beyond just reaching people already familiar with the character. “We wanted to appeal to the actual Webtoon audience,” she said.

“And we were thinking, How do we want to approach this? Vixen’s been done several times as an adult, which is fantastic. I pulled a lot of inspiration from the Return of the Lion series. I love Vixen. But we wanted something that felt really fresh, and we were like, What if she's just, you know, leaving high school? She's entering college, she's going to a big, new city, and her life changes drastically.”

Vixen: NYC artist Manou Azumi said the series is a really great introduction to the character, too. A lot of the readers on Webtoon are younger, so they may not have seen her before. I just feel like it’s good to start here. They’re probably in the same age range, and they’ll to be like, Oh hey, yeah! I get how it feels to be like this and going to college.”

“Super relatable,” Wells agrees. “Just a completely fresh, new start for her.”

Info about the Vixen collected editions coming August (volume 1) and October (volume 2)

Vixen: NYC Volume 1 by Jasmine Walls (Author), Manou Azumi (Illustrator)

Turns out that the “magical powers” are actually a thing, and Mari is next up to wield them. Freshman year is gonna be a doozy.

Before starting college, Mari Jiwe’s relatives gift her an ancestral totem, once fabled to give its wearer the powers of the animal kingdom. Mari just chalks its “magical powers” up to superstition.

After arriving in New York City, though, she definitely notices something strange about her new home. Especially the animals. While Mari battles staying awake in class and feral subway rats, dark plans emerge from the corners of the vast metropolis. Girls who look just like her start going missing and Mari can’t shake the feeling that she's next.

As for the totem? Turns out that the 'magical powers' are actually a thing, and Mari is next up to wield them. Freshman year is gonna be a doozy.

Jasmine Walls is a writer, editor, and artist with a passion for fun and inclusive storytelling. She has written comics for all ages with publishers like Levine Querido, Mad Cave Studios, Boom!, and PRH. She lives in San Diego with her family, two dogs, and a large stash of hot chocolate.

Vixen: NYC Volume 1
by Jasmine Walls and Manou Azumi
DC Comics
(August 15, 2023)
208 pages

Find Vixen: NYC Volume 1 at Amazon

Vixen: NYC Volume 2 by Jasmine Walls (Author), Manou Azumi (Illustrator)

So “magical powers” are actually a thing?! And Mari is next up to wield them.

Spinning out of the Webtoons episodes continues the tale of Mari—as she navigates starting college in New York City. While Mari battles staying awake in class and feral subway rats, dark plans emerge from the corners of the vast metropolis.

Girls who look just like her start going missing and Mari can’t shake the feeling that she’s next. As for the totem?

Vixen: NYC Volume 2
by Jasmine Walls and Manou Azumi
DC Comics
(October 17, 2023)
200 pages
Find Vixen: NYC Volume 2 at Amazon

Also coming to trade editions

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures
by CRC Payne and StarBite
Find Batman: Wayne Family Adventures at Amazon

Zatanna & The Ripper
by Sarah Dealy and Syro
Find Zatanna & The Ripper at Amazon

Comic Shop Locator: Find Your Nearest Comic Book, Graphic Novel and Pop-Culture Store HERE.

The partnership between DC and Webtoon finds them collaborating on webcomic series set in the DC Universe.

Want to read Vixen: NYC in its original webcomic format? Find the Webtoon version here.

Webtoon CEO Ken Kim is happy that Webtoon can work with DC on bringing unique stories to the platform. “Webtoon is a great bridge to a huge worldwide audience of young comic fans,” he said. “And DC is home to some of the greatest superhero stories on the planet. The potential to express famous IP through our platform, which is mobile native and focused on ease of access—is super exciting.”

DC General Manager Daniel Cherry III said he’s excited to introduce the comics publisher’s iconic characters to a new generation of fans worldwide. “We’ve been working closely with the Webtoon writers and artists to adapt our characters and stories to Webtoon’s mobile format. Our shared goal is to create fun and compelling DC stories that all readers will enjoy. This partnership is yet another example of DC's ambition to meet fans wherever they are and continue sharing DC fandom.”

David Lee, head of content at Webtoon Entertainment, said the collaboration is a landmark for Webtoon as they work toward a new age of digital comics in the U.S. “We’re so happy to introduce long-beloved DC characters to our service.”

Webtoon features a broad and diverse catalog of content from all over the world—including romance, thriller, fantasy, comedy and more. Webtoon is No.1 app among 16-24 year-olds in Korea and also is in the top tier among the same group in the other countries. Launched stateside in 2014, Webtoon has thousands of creator-owned series with episodes updating daily. Also boasting partnerships with Legendary, POW!, Top Cow/Image, and more, Webtoon takes storytelling to the next level. Creators have been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards, as well as winning a multitude of Ringo Awards. The Webtoon app is free to download on Android and iOS devices.

DC Comics, a WarnerMedia Company, creates iconic characters, enduring stories, and immersive experiences that inspire and entertain audiences of every generation around the world and is one of the world’s largest publishers of comics and graphic novels. As a creative division, DC is charged with strategically integrating its stories and characters across film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, interactive games, and the DC Universe Infinite digital subscription service and community engagement portal.

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Chris Well

Chris Well been a writer pretty much his entire life. (Well, since his childhood.) Over the years, he has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio, and books. He now is the chief of the website Monster Complex, celebrating monster stories in lit and pop culture. He also writes horror comedy fiction that embraces Universal Monsters, 1960s sitcoms, 1980s action movies, and the X-Files.

https://chriswell.substack.com/