As more and more people in India have gained access to mobile phones and fast internet connectivity, the consumption of comic books online has increased significantly. What was once considered a very specific niche in entertainment has now shifted to a dynamic space where global and local creators and artists are reshaping the narratives. Consuming comic books online has not only given rise to comics apps but has also etched a very deep space in India’s entertainment and cultural landscape.
Indians are not new to the concept of illustrated storytelling. We have seen a widespread rise in the popularity of many printed illustrated comics like Tinkle Comics, Diamond Comics, and more. These were not just a source of entertainment but a means of shaping childhood memories across multiple generations.
With the onset of the early 2000s, creators began experimenting more with digital comics and graphic novels. They started publishing online often through blogs, websites or social media apps like Facebook. While many comics emerged as revolutionary milestones of this era, there was still something that was lacking.
Shift to the 2010s, this is where we witnessed the emergence of more organised platforms for the distribution and consumption of online comic stories: comic apps. The initial ones to enter the market were global contenders who easily found a strong holding in India. Observing this inclination, more and more domestic creators and businesses began curating some similar platforms that could not only feature global content but also cater to the cultural entertainment specifics of the country.
If you pick up your phone today and simply search for ‘indian webtoon app’ on the internet, you will not just get two or three or ten (at the most) options available. You will find hundreds of such platforms that are designed and curated specifically for the Indian market and consumers.
While many still believe that these apps only focus on fantasy and mythical narratives that are so far-fetched from reality, they are wrong. The much newer and latest wave of online consumption of comics is actually more focused on building narratives that people relate to. Be it anime manga or indian stories, creators never fail to explore a touch of slice-of-life instances or use trending social or political narratives to convey an idea.
Furthermore, in order to keep their appeal strong across the multilingual audience in India, these webtoon apps are proactively incorporating local languages into their interfaces. They know that even in global comics, English has a limited reach, and translating global hits into local languages would only weaken the barrier of reach.
As the number of readers grows, their demands increase, leading to a natural rise in the number of webtoon apps. Challenges continue to persist, but so do creators in the market who aim to discover more and more audiences by breaking down barriers. As webtoon platforms, audiences, and technology continue to mature and evolve, the future of webtoon and webcomic apps in India looks quite promising.
