Following the 2022 Eisner Awards at Comic-Con International: San Diego, WEBTOON, the world’s largest digital comics platform, is celebrating Rachel Smythe’s “Lore Olympus” win for Best Webcomic.
Inspired by Greek mythology, “Lore Olympus” is a stylish and immersive contemporary retelling of mythological lore that has accumulated more than 1.2 billion global views on WEBTOON. The webcomic, which launched on WEBTOON in 2018, quickly grew to be the #1 most-read series on the platform. The series has become a global phenomenon, with a multi-book deal with Del Rey Books, an animated series in development from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and The Jim Henson Company, merchandise, and more.
The win is a first for both Smythe and WEBTOON, and follows growing global fandom and accolades for “Lore Olympus.” Volume One of the “Lore Olympus” graphic novel reached #1 on the New York Times Best-Seller list in November 2021. The comic won France’ Prix Babelio – Bande Dessinée earlier this year, a prestigious Harvey Award in 2021, the 2021 Good Reads Choice Award for Best Graphic Novel, and was one of NPR’s critics’ recommendations for 2021. Lore Olympus was previously nominated for an Eisner Award in 2019 and Ringo Award in 2021.
“I couldn’t be more excited to receive this incredible award, and am honored to be the first WEBTOON creator to accomplish this achievement,” said Rachel Smythe. “‘Lore Olympus’ has been life-changing for me, and I am so proud to share this story with WEBTOON’s global community.”
“Rachel Smythe is a singular storyteller and creative talent who we are proud to work with every day,” said Ken Kim, CEO of WEBTOON Americas. “‘Lore Olympus’ has captivated readers and built a massive global fanbase with its incredible art and storytelling. As one of Rachel’s biggest fans, I am thrilled to see her work and vision recognized with this award, which is the latest example of what we already know at WEBTOON: that WEBTOON creators are the most exciting and innovative comic creators in the world.”
The Eisner Awards are among the most prestigious accolades in the comic industry. Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the awards celebrated their 34th year of bringing attention to and highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels. Previous winners include many of comics’ biggest names and titles, including artists and storytellers like Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Jill Thompson, Frank Miller, Fiona Staples, and many others.
This first-ever Eisner Award for a WEBTOON series is the latest instance of the platform’s growing influence and success among fans and the comic industry. WEBTOON has forged a series of high-profile collaborations and partnerships with brands like Marvel, DC Comics, Archie Comics, and HYBE, the latter for the record-breaking BTS-inspired series “7FATES: CHAKHO.” Additionally, a series of on-screen adaptations, including global Netflix hits Hellbound, All of Us are Dead, and Sweet Home, have brought WEBTOON’s digital comics to new audiences like never before.
WEBTOON is the world’s largest platform for digital comics, with 82 million monthly active users globally, including 15 million users in the U.S. Launched in Korea in 2004 and in the U.S. in 2014, WEBTOON has become a global cultural phenomenon.
WEBTOON pioneered the distribution of webcomics and the innovative vertical scroll format, designed to be mobile-friendly and geared toward a new generation of digital-savvy creators and audiences. The company has reinvigorated the comics industry over the last two decades by making it easy for creators to publish and share their stories and for audiences to discover and consume them.
Source: Press Release
