In the tradition of media about reapers, WEBTOON Originals series I’m the Grim Reaper by GRAVEWEAVER follows Scarlet, a human who dies, goes to Hell, and becomes an entry-level reaper.
The vertical-scrolling comic has amassed nearly 2 million subscribers and has been adapted for print via Viz Media, with four volumes currently available for purchase. K-Comics Beat spoke with GRAVEWEAVER via e-mail about the bespoke style of I’m the Grim Reaper, maintaining the fourth wall with the fandom, and the process of publishing on WEBTOON.
Ollie Kaplan for K-Comics Beat: What has it been like seeing I’m the Grim Reaper adapted into print volumes? Were there any particular challenges that you had to overcome to adapt it into the new format?
GRAVEWEAVER: It’s been very cool to see my books on shelves in physical bookstores! I won’t lie, though, the reformatting process was exceptionally challenging, and it involved many months of redrawing to make sure the comic flowed well in a panel format. But the results were worth it!
You’ve developed a striking visual style for this comic, blending photorealism with manga-style characters, and a striking color palette—bold reds, blacks, and whites. How did you select this palette, and how does it align with the story’s mood?
GRAVEWEAVER: The original draft of the comic that I had been doing in my free time was grayscale with red accents. When I moved to WEBTOON Originals, it had to be fully colored, so I simply tried to keep the original spirit by having a desaturated color palette with the accent colors being more pronounced. I think it works well to illustrate the gloomy world that the characters exist in, and the bright pops of color work to accentuate the violent nature of their reaper jobs.
How has your storytelling approach evolved since the comic’s early episodes?
GRAVEWEAVER: I’d say I think more on a character scale nowadays than a worldly scale. At the beginning, I was really into building lore around reapers and Scarlet’s history, but I would say nowadays I try to be more focused on a character’s individual motivations and goals.
How does it feel to know that readers see themselves in Scarlet and her journey for redemption?
GRAVEWEAVER: That’s awesome, I just hope it’s a metaphorical thing and not that they’re following in Scarlet’s literal footsteps!
Without giving too much away, what can readers look forward to next in I’m the Grim Reaper?
GRAVEWEAVER: There are still a lot of questions that are unanswered, and some of the most burning ones will be revealed sooner than people think.
You regularly include fan art at the beginning of an episode. Have your interactions with fans over the years shaped the story’s direction, or your approach to pacing?
GRAVEWEAVER: No, I try not to really interact with the fanbase at all regarding I’m the Grim Reaper. I used to do it more in the past, but I’ve learned it’s actually better to just stay in my own world and tell the story I want to tell. The only people whose opinions tend to shape the comic are my editors because they know my goals regarding the story.
What’s something readers might not realize about the process of publishing a comic on WEBTOON?
GRAVEWEAVER: It’s very fast, and there’s not a lot of time to think. Even when you have things plotted out, as you draw, you realize that the plan rarely fits perfectly how your outline laid it out, because you can’t physically draw fast enough. It feels like that gif of Gromit building the tracks right in front of the speeding train he’s on.
How do you use the WEBTOON format to create tension?
GRAVEWEAVER: The long scrolling format of WEBTOON is excellent for building tension, inherently. Having to make the reader scroll to reveal the next part of the story already has them on the edge of their seats, and it helps even more because the gutters of I’m the Grim Reaper are black, so it’s already pretty spooky!
I’m the Grim Reaper updates every Sunday on Webtoon. Print Vols. 1-4 are available for purchase via Viz Media.
