In 2015, Webtoon hosted its first talent search contest in which cartoonist Stephen McCranie entered the beginnings of his work on his coming-of-age sci-fi opera, Space Boy. Since winning that contest, the Space Boy webcomic has continued its run, garnering almost 500,000 readers, over 91 million views, over 350 episodes, and has been collected by Dark Horse into 20 volumes so far, with more on the way.
David Shinook Lee, Webtoon advisor and previous editor on Space Boy, shares his favorite moments from Space Boy and also celebrates the series’ anniversary: “Space Boy was the winner of WEBTOON’s first global contest, and I’ll never forget the poignant scene where Amy, experiencing Earth for the first time, weeps at the sight of a bird in flight. It’s moments like these that explain why the series not only won our inaugural contest but has continued to resonate with so many space cadets over the past decade, enriching our lives with its joy and wisdom. On this 10th anniversary, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Stephen, a true pioneer and masterful storyteller.”
McCranie shares his thoughts on the series’ lasting power: “Are we alone in the universe? Are we alone as we eat lunch in the school cafeteria? Space Boy is my attempt to answer both of those questions, not just for my audience, but for myself. After ten years of dialoguing with my characters, the answer we have uncovered so far is that you are not alone in feeling alone and that, wherever you are, love can cross light years to reach you.”
And Dark Horse editor Brett Israel also adds: “Stephen’s work continues to be powerful and immersive throughout this run, and I cannot wait for what comes next (and I’m guessing it’ll make me tear up). Space Boy Volume 1 was one of the first projects I worked on in my time at Dark Horse, so I feel like I’ve been growing up professionally with this story. Congratulations to Stephen on this artistic achievement!”
Space Boy Volumes 1-20 are now available wherever books are sold and volumes 21 and 22 are now available for preorder. Stay tuned for more Space Boy and, in the meantime, join Dark Horse in celebrating ten years of the beloved coming-of-age tale!
