Lore Olympus

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Lore Olympus
Lore Olympus Banner Art.png
The banner art for Lore Olympus
Author(s)Rachel Smythe
Website Lore Olympus on WEBTOON
Current status/scheduleCompleted
Launch datecirca. 2017 (Tumblr, WEBTOON Discover)
March 4, 2018 (WEBTOON Canvas)
End dateJune 2, 2024
Syndicate(s) WEBTOON
Publisher(s) Del Rey Books
Genre(s) Romance
Rating(s)9.59 Stars on Webtoon as of May 2024 [1]

Lore Olympus is a romance webcomic created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe. [2] The comic is a modern retelling of the relationship between the Greek goddess and god Persephone and Hades. Originally published to Smythe's Tumblr in 2017, she began publishing it weekly on the platform Webtoon Discover in April 2017, relaunching it on Webtoon Canvas in March 2018, where the series concluded in June 2024 after three seasons, and 280 episodes. [3] On Webtoon, Lore Olympus is currently the most viewed comic, with 1.4 billion views, [4] the second most liked comic, with 72.2 million total likes, just behind My Giant Nerd Boyfriend , which has 73.4 million total likes, [5] and the second most subscribed comic with 6.6 million subscribers, just behind True Beauty , which has 7.5 million subscribers, as of November 2024. [6] The comic has won two Eisner Awards, [7] [8] two Harvey Awards, [9] [10] and two Ringo Awards. [11] [12] It was announced in 2019 that a television adaptation was under development. [13]

Contents

Plot and themes

Lore Olympus is an adaptation of the classic Greek myth The Abduction of Persephone in a mostly modern setting. The comic deals with themes of rape, harassment, abuse, and trauma. [14] [15]

Characters

The following characters are central to plot lines in the comic and make regular appearances:

The characters in Lore Olympus are each defined by a particular color. According to columnist Nahlia Bonfiglo, "Hades is depicted in dark colors—blues, purples, and blacks—that match his setting. The underworld is likewise illustrated in dark hues, making Persephone and all of her bold, bright colors pop even more." [3]

Development history

Lore Olympus is written and illustrated by New Zealander Rachel Smythe (aged 39). Smythe graduated with a graphic design degree, sought to enter the creative industry without success, and went into marketing. Smythe learned about the Webtoon app in 2016, shortly after which she began publishing The Doctor Foxglove Show - a sequel to her former attempt at a long-form series, The Doctor Pepper Show - until it was discontinued after two chapters, the last of which was posted to the Webtoon Discovery section (now called 'Canvas') on June 12th, 2016. Roughly a year later, in April 2017, she began drawing Lore Olympus, which began on Tumblr, [19] as well as WEBTOON Discover, before being relaunched on WEBTOON Canvas in March 2018.

On her website for Lore Olympus, Smythe lists some of the sources that she uses for the comic: [20]

Publication history

Originally published to Tumblr and Webtoon Discover in 2017, The webcomic updated weekly on Webtoon Canvas on its launch there on March 4, 2018, [21] and readers with the "Webtoon Fast Pass" can access pages earlier. In July 2023, Smythe confirmed that she had an ending in mind for the series, [22] and the series ended June 2, 2024 after three seasons, totalling 280 episodes.

Smythe created Lore Olympus using Adobe Photoshop and a Wacom Cintiq Pro drawing tablet. [2]

Collected editions

On November 2, 2021, both hardcover and trade paperback versions consisting of chapters 1-25 of the webcomic were published by Del Rey Books. Volume 2, which contains chapters 26-49, was released on July 5, 2022. Volume 3, which contains chapters 50-75, was released on October 11, 2022. Volume 4, which contains chapters 76-102, was released on June 6, 2023. [23] Volume 5, which contains chapters 103-126, was released October 3, 2023. [24] Volume 6, which contains chapters 127-152, was released on May 7, 2024. [25] Volume 7, which contains chapters 153-179, was released on October 1, 2024. [26] Volume 8, which will contain chapters 180-206, will be released on May 6, 2025. [27] Volume 9 will contain chapters 207-233 and will be released on October 7, 2025. [28]


Reception

In 2019, Webtoon announced that Lore Olympus had been viewed over 299 million times, making it the most viewed webcomic on the platform. [21] [29] [30] As of September 2021, Lore Olympus is the most popular webtoon on the platform, with over 5.4 million subscribers. [4]

In an article for The Daily Dot , columnist Nahila Bonfiglio recommended the webcomic, saying: "There are many reasons to read Lore Olympus, but the simplest is to see Smythe's brilliant take on the myth. Her story is flawlessly enthralling, heartwarming, and painful. The characters confront timeless issues through a modern lens, breaking down the romanticization of rape and abduction with grace and intrigue. Smythe updates the series every Sunday, and new readers will find themselves awaiting that notification with bated breath." Bonfiglio also praised the art, saying: "[Smythe's] captivating way of telling her tale often involves carefully considered colors, panels completely without words and even—sometimes—music." [3]

The Beat declared Lore Olympus to be one of the 100 best comics of the 2010s, describing Smythe's art as "breathtaking" and making good use of the webtoon format, and saying that the modern setting made the story "feel as fresh and urgent as eavesdropping on your (very wealthy, very messy) neighbors." [31]

Critical Darlings reviewer Kaitlin Konecke said that "the drawings allow us to see how Persephone feels. It's a visceral way to tell a story, with graphics allowing us to see inside the mind of Persephone and convey the complicated array of emotions that follow trauma such as sexual assault and rape." Konecke also praised the depiction of assault from a female writer, saying that Smythe and others "are not just telling us, but showing us. And in doing so, they make women and survivors feel seen." [32]

A reviewer for Love in Panels! praised the decision to give Persephone more agency than in the original story, saying that "it's that agency, her claiming of her own body and sexuality, that pulls me like a magnet to these tales." [16] Nicole Mejias of Crunchyroll said that while the story is a "bit mature and dramatic," the suspense and romance between Hades and Persephone is gripping, while the "art is colorful and gorgeous." [33]

Awards and nominations

YearCategoryInstitutionResultRef.
2023Best Webcomic Eisner Awards Won [8]
2022Best WebcomicEisner AwardsWon [7]
2022 Best Graphic Story or Comic Hugo Awards Nominated [34] [35]
2021Best Graphic Novels & Comics Goodreads Choice Awards Won [36]
Digital Book of the Year Harvey Awards Won [9]
2020Best Webcomic Ringo Awards Nominated [37]
2019Best WebcomicEisner AwardsNominated [38] [39]
Best ColoristRingo AwardsNominated [40]

Animated adaptation

In October 2019, Deadline reported that the Jim Henson Company had entered into a partnership with Webtoon to create an animated series based on Lore Olympus. [13] The series was said to be shepherded by the executive director of television for Jim Henson Company, Ashley Griffis, its style was not yet determined, and nor was its platform announced. [22] [41] Other reports stated that the series would be aimed at young adults and expand the "unique perspective" of Smythe on Greek mythology in the comic. [42] It was also unclear whether Smythe would be involved in the adaptation. [22]

In March 2021, it was claimed that the series would be the "first [Western] animated series based on a Webtoon comic", [43] after other Webtoons, such as Tower of God and The God of High School , had received anime adaptations. In December 2021, Webtoon stated, in a press release, that the Western animated series was "currently in development". [44] The same was repeated in press releases from Webtoon in July 2022 [45] and October 2022. [46] In a November 29, 2024 interview with Anime News Network, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios president Aron Levitz stated that Webtoon was "working with the Jim Henson Company" on the animated adaptation and that since coloration was important to the storytelling, animation was a "great place" to start. [47]

References

  1. "Lore Olympus". Archived from the original on June 14, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Downes, Siobhan (November 11, 2019). "Kiwi artist's web comic to be made into series by The Jim Henson Company". Stuff. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bonfiglio, Nahila (February 21, 2020). "Why You Should Drop Everything And Start Reading 'Lore Olympus'". The Daily Dot . Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Lore Olympus". WEBTOON . Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  5. "My Giant Nerd Boyfriend". WEBTOON . Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  6. "True Beauty". WEBTOON . Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  7. 1 2 "Rachel Smythe's Global WEBTOON Sensation Lore Olympus Wins 2022 Eisner Award for Best Webcomic". Financial Post. July 23, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Beat Staff (July 22, 2023). "SDCC '23: The 2023 Eisner Awards Winners". The Beat. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Grunenwald, Joe (October 8, 2021). "NYCC '21: Presenting the 2021 Harvey Awards winners". The Beat. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  10. "Previous Winners". www.harveyawards.com. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  11. Jackie (October 30, 2022). "2022 Ringo Award Winners Revealed". AWA: Artists Writers & Artisans. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  12. "2023 Ringo Award Winners Announced". Multiversity Comics. September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Boucher, Geoff (October 10, 2019). "'Lore Olympus': Webtoon And The Jim Henson Company Will Partner For YA Animated Series'". Deadline . Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  14. "Lore Olympus Improves the Myths by Tackling Problematic Themes Head On". Comic Book Resources . June 21, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
  15. Kennedy, Caitlin (April 26, 2021). "Rachel Smythe's Lore Olympus Webcomic Reclaims Trauma and Allows It to Transform". The Mary Sue. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 Suzanne (September 19, 2018). "Review: Lore Olympus, by Rachel Smythe". Love in Panels!. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  17. "Story FAQ". Masterlist. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  18. Smythe, Rachel (2021). Lore Olympus. Volume one (1st ed.). New York. ISBN   978-0-593-35607-4. OCLC   1262790716.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  19. Russon, Mary-Ann (September 20, 2021). "How 'nerd' culture powered through the pandemic". BBC News. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  20. "Basic FAQ". Masterlist. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
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  22. 1 2 3 Freeman, Molly (October 10, 2019). "Greek Myth-Based Lore Olympus Webtoon Becoming YA Animated Series". Screen Rant . Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  23. "Coming Soon". sites.prh.com. Penguin Random House. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
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  25. "Lore Olympus: Volume Six by Rachel Smythe: 9780593599082 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  26. "Lore Olympus: Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe: 9780593871966 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  27. "Lore Olympus: Volume Eight by Rachel Smythe: 9780593871980 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  28. "Lore Olympus: Volume Nine by Rachel Smythe: 9780593872000 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
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  30. Tantimedh, Adi (September 2, 2019). "WEBTOON is the World's Most Successful Comics Publisher – And You Hadn't Heard of it Till Now". Bleeding Cool . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
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  36. "Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards!". Goodreads. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
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  38. McMillan, Graeme (July 20, 2019). "Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners List". Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  39. McMillan, Graeme (April 26, 2019). "Eisner Award Nominees Revealed". Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  40. "2019 Ringo Awards". RingoAwards.com. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  41. Williams, Tommy (October 2019). "Webtoon's Popular Comic LORE OLYMPUS is Being Adapted into an Animated Series". GeekTyrant. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  42. Kaplan, Avery (October 11, 2019). "Webtoon and Jim Henson Company partner for LORE OLYMPUS series". The Beat . Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  43. Jennings, Collier (March 19, 2021). "Lore Olympus Webtoon Lands a Graphic Novel Adaptation". CBR . Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  44. Hume, Kiel (December 27, 2021). "Rachel Smythe's WEBTOON Sensation Lore Olympus Reaches #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List" (Press release). BusinessWire. WEBTOONS Brands. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023. An animated series from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and the Jim Henson Company is currently in development.
  45. "Rachel Smythe's Global WEBTOON Sensation Lore Olympus Wins 2022 Eisner Award for Best Webcomic" (Press release). BusinessWire. BECK Media. July 23, 2022. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023. is in development as an animated series...an animated series in development from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and The Jim Henson Company
  46. "Rachel Smythe's Global WEBTOON Phenomenon "Lore Olympus" Wins Ringo Award for Best Webcomic, Marking its Third Major Comic Award of 2022" (Press release). BusinessWire. BECK Media. October 31, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2023. animated series adaptation in development
  47. MrAJCosplay (November 29, 2024). "WEBTOON and A New Era of Digital Comics". Anime News Network . Archived from the original on November 29, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.