We're back with a brand new list of great digital delights to add to your to-read pile this week! Reincarnated kings, grumpy embalmers, and fledgling superheroes are abundant!
1: The Beginning After the End by TurtleMe (@TurtleMe93), Fuyuki23 (@fuyuki231), and issatsu on Tapas (@tapas_app)
This Tapas Original Novel turned webcomic has been making waves this month with its first print volume hitting shelves from mega-publisher Yen Press (known for their stunning print editions of the hit webtoon* Solo Leveling). The Beginning After the End also returned from a short hiatus today with ep. 155. This immensely popular series has garnered an adoring fanbase over the years that has only grown in size in recent days.
King Grey is a ruler unrivaled in wealth, strength, and prestige who has become a lonely husk of a man after years of isolation in his reign. When he finds himself standing before the light at the end of the tunnel, the former ruler realizes his life abruptly came to an end and he's been reborn into a world filled with magic and monsters. Given the name Arthur Leywin, the former king must start a new journey to become a strong warrior once again and ensure his second chance at life matters.
Featuring sci-fi, fantasy, and slice-of-life themes, it's easy to see why this long-running series is a fan favorite. This Tapas Original features excellent world-building, a highly enjoyable cast of characters, and a brilliant use of digital effects that help the story come to life on the screen. Now is a great time to delve into this beloved series and see what all the hype is about.
2: Coffin Jackson by CTK (@ctkcave) on WEBTOON (@webtoonofficial)
How could you not be immediately intrigued by a series called Coffin Jackson? This webtoon from creator CTK recently debuted in English on WEBTOON and it packs one hell of a punch. This mature, macabre, gritty story of a funeral director with a dirty secret is immensely captivating and beautifully illustrated.
Roman Piotroski is an embalmer in New Jersey who seemingly runs a respectable business during daylight hours. When the sun goes down, however, his never-ending stream of cadavers helps support a side-gig dismembering and selling body parts for a ruthless gangster named Fisher. When a trio of wannabe thieves come asking for his help with a heist and a valuable corpse appears that everyone seems to want to claim, Roman finds himself in the midst of a high-stakes game with life or death consequences.
This series will grab readers from the prologue and stick with you long after you close the app. Ep.8 dropped this Thursday and saw Jacob and Roman trying to compensate for an unexpected hitch in their body-snatching plans. When desperation sets in, the untrained criminals have to think quickly to ensure they make it out alive. Five more episodes are available for Fast Pass if you find the cliffhanger ending too much to bear and I cannot recommend this series enough.
3: Jupiter-Men by ActionKiddy (@ActionKiddy) on WEBTOON
This WEBTOON Canvas turned WEBTOON Original launched last week with a strong batch of first episodes and was updated this past Tuesday with ep.5 (though three more eps. are available on Fast Pass for those who are interested), and features a duo of young superheroes on the hunt for a missing vigilante in their hometown of Jupiter-City. This fun, colorful superhero series is an absolute joy to read.
Quintin and Jackie Avalon are twins living in the beautiful metropolis known as Jupiter-City. When local legend Jupiter-Man suddenly vanishes, the city is overrun by supervillains, strange creatures, and wayward members of the notorious Titan Gang. When the twins accidentally stumble upon a strange "goop of stars", they begin to see visions and soon discover they've gained superpowers! With the disappearance of the city's vigilante hero, it's up to the Avalon twins to help keep the peace while learning to balance the weight of teenage responsibilities and their newfound powers in the process.
Ep.5 catches back up with the twins after they come to after an explosion caused by the aforementioned goop. Upon realizing mom will be home shortly, the duo races home before they find themselves in even more trouble. It's only when the lights go out and the kiddos start snoozing that strange happenings begin to unfold around them. This fun, exciting superhero series features a diverse cast of young characters and a fun spin on a superhero origin story for the modern age.
4. Dekoboko Sugar Days Extras by Atsuko Yusen from TOKYOPOP (@TOKYOPOP)
While manga being available in digital format is quite commonplace nowadays, more and more mangaka are beginning to experiment with continuing their stories with exclusive content only available in a digital medium. From bonus stories to a full switch to webcomics, many well-loved manga titles are heading into the age of digital reading to offer up more content featuring our favorite characters. The same can be said for the immensely popular Mature-Rated Dekoboko Sugar Days from TOKYOPOP's LOVExLOVE collection, as two spicy bonus stories have been released this year continuing the romance between a short king and his soft boi best-friend-turned-boyfriend.
Yuujirou Matsukaze has been best friends with Rui Hanamine since they were children and spent his youth protecting his soft-hearted friend from the dangers of the world that threatened to harm his joy. When high school days come calling, Rui shoots up and towers over his would-be protector and has no idea Yuujirou has been crushing on him hard since they were little. Romance, life lessons, and coming-of-age heartbreak make this an immensely touching boys' love manga.
The two bonus stories, titled Boys, Enjoy Your Youth! and Sugar Rush are each about forty pages long and feature the same steamy and sweet moments we've come to expect from Atsuko Yusen's work. These are definitely M-rated titles, but fans of the series will love the bonus chapters and it's a delight to see the opportunity for more content made available in such an easily accessible way, something we hope to see more of in the future.
*webtoon is the term used for scrolling digital comics from South Korea, not to be confused with WEBTOON, the app.
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