October 7, 2026 • Comics • Digital comics
Disney invested $32.8 million in WEBTOON earlier this year. Now the company is operating Marvel’s next digital comics service, with a November launch and a December farewell to Marvel Unlimited.
Marvel Unlimited is heading toward retirement, and the company behind its replacement already has Disney as a shareholder.
On October 5, Marvel and WEBTOON announced a new Marvel Comics app launching November 16, 2026. Marvel’s sunset FAQ confirms that reading access through Marvel Unlimited ends December 7, followed by the app’s removal December 28. WEBTOON’s launch announcement and Marvel’s sunset FAQ provide the current schedule.
The change follows more than a year of announcements connecting Disney’s comics catalog with WEBTOON’s technology. Here is how that relationship developed, and what readers need to know before moving their libraries.
Official preview of the upcoming Marvel Comics service. Image: Marvel / WEBTOON.
From a comics partnership to an ownership stake
The first major announcement arrived August 12, 2025. Disney and WEBTOON outlined a multiyear collaboration to adapt around 100 comics for vertical scrolling, with new original webcomics also in development. The initial lineup included Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Star Wars, Alien, and Disney’s As Old As Time: A Twisted Tale. See the original Disney-WEBTOON collaboration announcement for the initial scope.
That initiative brought Disney properties to WEBTOON’s existing platform. A second announcement, on September 15, expanded the relationship to a new subscription service built and operated by WEBTOON. Disney described it as an expansion upon Marvel Unlimited, encompassing more than 35,000 comics across Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios.
Alongside that platform plan, Disney announced a proposed 2% investment in WEBTOON Entertainment. Both arrangements were still subject to definitive agreements and closing conditions. The September 2025 announcement laid out that broader strategy.
The investment closed January 8, 2026. According to WEBTOON’s SEC Form 8-K, an indirect Disney subsidiary purchased 2,666,757 shares for $32,774,443.53, representing approximately 2% of the company. WEBTOON also entered into a definitive agreement with Disney to develop the platform that day.
The timeline
Timeline from Disney’s first WEBTOON partnership announcement to Marvel Unlimited’s scheduled removal. Graphic: Plastiq News.
| Date | What happened, or is scheduled |
|---|---|
| August 12, 2025 | Disney and WEBTOON announce their vertical-scroll comics collaboration. |
| September 15, 2025 | A broader subscription platform and proposed 2% Disney investment are announced. |
| January 8, 2026 | Disney’s approximately $32.8 million investment closes; platform agreement becomes definitive. |
| October 5, 2026 | New Marvel Comics app announced; Marvel Unlimited retirement details released. |
| November 16, 2026 | Scheduled launch of Marvel Comics powered by WEBTOON. |
| December 7, 2026 | Marvel Unlimited reading access and new content additions end. |
| December 21, 2026 | Library browsing window ends after time to check migration. |
| December 28, 2026 | Marvel Unlimited app scheduled for removal and final sunset. |
What replaces Marvel Unlimited?
The new service will launch with more than 35,000 comics, supporting traditional pages and vertical scrolling on mobile and web. Its announced features include personalized recommendations, a Pull List, and enhanced panel reading.
Two subscription tiers have been announced. Base costs $9.99 monthly or $69.99 annually, with new issues arriving as soon as three months after print. Ultimate costs $12.49 monthly or $99.99 annually, shortening that window to as soon as one month. Prices are before tax.
A limited founding offer prices the first year of Ultimate Annual at $59.99 plus tax. It is charged at preorder, starts when the code is redeemed after launch, and renews at $99.99 plus tax annually unless canceled.
Promotional screens for the new service. Image: Marvel / WEBTOON. Features shown are subject to the service’s launch plans.
What current subscribers need to do
The new service’s FAQ says Marvel Unlimited accounts will not transfer automatically. Readers must create a new account and import their library, follows, and reading history. Existing purchases and redemptions can also be imported, but bookmarks and lists will not transfer.
Marvel recommends importing before December 7 so readers can validate the move while the old app still supports reading. The later December 21 browsing window is for checking the library, rather than continued comics reading.
Why the Disney investment matters
There are two connected pieces to this story: Disney owns a minority stake in WEBTOON Entertainment, and WEBTOON builds and operates the new comics service. The 2025 announcement already described that operating role, before the investment closed.
Our reading of that sequence is that Marvel Unlimited’s replacement is an implementation of the broader Disney-WEBTOON strategy announced last year. The October launch announcement names Marvel, Star Wars, and 20th Century Studios content and says the library will grow across Disney’s portfolio. It does not establish that every brand outlined in 2025 will be fully represented on launch day.
For readers, the immediate task is practical: prepare for a new account and check the imported collection before Marvel Unlimited’s December reading deadline. For additional context, see our earlier report, Marvel Unlimited to Transition to New Webtoon Comics App.
