Manta Opens Platform to Independent Creators, Launches Program for Users Who Unlocked Episodes on Tapas to Rebuild Library on Platform
The platform, operated by RIDI, will introduce a new section dedicated to independent creators. Creators will be able to set up profiles, upload episodes through a creator studio, and publish their work directly. Readers will be able to discover new series, leave comments, and interact with creators.
Manta said in the announcement the initiative aims to help independent creators reach new audiences and build fan communities. The company also plans to make it easier for creators to earn money from their work in the future, and said it hopes to eventually bring some independent series into Manta's official lineup.
The existing series on Manta will remain unchanged, with independent works appearing in a separate section starting November 16.
Manta is inviting interested creators to submit their contact information through an online form ahead of the launch. The company said the form is not an application, but a way for creators to express interest in joining the platform.
Manta also announced on October 9 it has launched "Move Your Bookshelf" (MYB), a program that lets readers who unlocked episodes on Tapas rebuild their libraries on Manta for free. The move comes after Tapas announced on October 1 that it is winding down after more than a decade, setting March 31, 2027, at 23:59 PDT as the final moment of service. Tapas stated content unlocked on the platform cannot be transferred to another Kakao service.
Under the MYB program, readers can apply for select series in which they have purchased at least 10 episodes on Tapas, with no limit on the number of series. Applicants must submit a single uncut screen recording of their Tapas purchase history in its original file format, along with the episode ranges they own, through an online form. Login screens, payment details, and the episodes themselves do not need to appear in the video. Approved episodes will be added to the reader's Manta library in the same version as the original. A Google Drive step-by-step guide is available here. Eligible works for the program are listed here.
Lastly, Manta announced on October 5 that From the Burnt Ashes, a series by Jeung-ji Ma, launched as a Manta exclusive, with its first episode released early on the platform on the same day. The title is platform's first "Global Release," which refers to comics published and serialized simultaneously on Manta and RIDI so readers around the world can read each episode at the same time.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.