WEBTOON announced that comic industry veteran Sandy Resnick has joined as head of rights. Resnick will work with WEBTOON’s content, business development and legal teams to acquire new content for the platform and develop new ways for WEBTOON creators and their work to reach new audiences and find new monetisation opportunities.
Resnick will report to VP of content David S. Lee and head of business development Eugene Kim.
Resnick is a sought-after comic industry licensing consultant, who was instrumental in building the high-profile creative partnership between WEBTOON and DC comics. The partnership saw WEBTOON and DC collaborate on several webcomic series set in the DC Universe, including Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, which has accumulated nearly one million subscribers and more than 40 million views online since launching in fall 2021. The companies recently announced a much-anticipated 2022 slate of digital comics, featuring VIXEN: NYC, launching 26 May, and RED HOOD: OUTLAWS and ZATANNA & THE RIPPER launching later this summer.
Resnick was previously director of global affiliated publishing and business development at DC Comics, where he spent nearly three decades working with some of the biggest franchises in comics and entertainment. Some of his recent work includes Audible’s star-studded, #1 New York Times bestselling audio adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s legendary The Sandman and Kodansha’s program of original manga featuring The Joker, Batman, and Superman. Working across a wide range of DC titles and formats, Resnick led DC’s international publishing business and initiated original print and digital projects in Japan, China, Korea, Brazil, France, Italy and other markets.
Lee said, “Sandy has been a force in the comics industry for decades, where his tireless work to bring comics to new formats has helped some of the biggest names in comics find new audiences. We’re thrilled to welcome Sandy to WEBTOON, where we’ll continue building the future of comics together.”
Resnick said, “The creators on WEBTOON are producing some of the most popular and influential comics in the industry, with massive global audiences who have fallen in love with their characters and stories. WEBTOON has reinvigorated the comics industry by building a new mass market for a new generation of creators and fans around the world. I’m excited to join WEBTOON to bring comics to new readers everywhere.”
The hire is the latest major strategic move from WEBTOON, which has significantly grown in users and global profile in recent years. The company added 10 million users globally between Jan 2021 and Feb 2022, now reaching 82 million MAU globally and 14 million in the US. WEBTOON announced a planned European corporation in France and finalised its acquisition of eBook Initiative Japan, strengthening its leadership in Japan and securing the number one position in Japan’s digital comics market. The company also launched Wattpad WEBTOON Studios in 2021, merging the entertainment and publishing divisions from WEBTOON and Wattpad.
