Comics Publishers Mine the Internet for Adaptations

Two of the most popular serialized stories on the internet will soon become comic books.

The webtoon adaptation of Matt Dinniman’s LitRPG series Dungeon Crawler Carl will be published as a comic by Vault Comics, beginning in January 2027, according to an announcement from Vault. Originally with art by Laurel Pursuit Studios and Kuzomari, the comic book adaptation will feature additional art by Kuzomari to provide “scaled-up art that fits the comic book page,” per the publisher

The prose series follows the titular character as he is transported to an alien dungeon following an apocalyptic event and must overcome various obstacles alongside his ex-girlfriend’s talking cat.

“Entering the comic space is nothing short of amazing,” Dinniman told Variety. “The fact that I get to work with some of the greatest creators and artists working today feels like a dream.”

The comic will kick off with a double-sized 48-page first issue, with regular-sized issues following on a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, IDW Publishing announced it is partnering with John McCrae to adapt his self-published web serial Worm, which originally ran from 2011–2013, as a comic series next year. The comic will be crafted by writer Meghan Fitzmartin, artist Javier Ortiz, colorist David Vaquero, letterer Andriy Lukin, and editor Heather Antos. It will mark the first print release of Worm, an epic superhero story about people unlocking strange powers through intense trauma.

“Worm came about as an attempt to bring superheroes and supervillains, designed as they are for the visual medium of comics, to the printed word. Here, we bring it full circle,” McCrae said in a statement. “In talking to IDW, it was refreshing that they knew the work, that they shared many of my thoughts and ideas for updating and revising the work, and that they saw the potential for Worm.”

Worm #1 is set to release next July, though IDW will release a first look in May as part of Comics Giveaway Day (Penguin Random House’s parallel event to the traditional Free Comic Book Day).