to secure a large IP using transmedia storytelling.
Nevertheless, in Korea, only media mix strategy-based adaptation of original webtoons proven in popularity is active, whereas the true advance in transmedia storytelling is still very slow. This stud...
to secure a large IP using transmedia storytelling.
Nevertheless, in Korea, only media mix strategy-based adaptation of original webtoons proven in popularity is active, whereas the true advance in transmedia storytelling is still very slow. This study diagnoses the reason for such situation as a lack of understanding of the characteristics of transmedia properties, especially the intertextual characteristics, at the content development and production phase.
Transmedia storytelling, which requires participants to traverse multiple media, asks them to recognize the intertextuality between intertexts belonging to the transmedia network and cross as many intertexts as possible.
In view of such situation, this paper intends to provide implications to local media & entertainment practioners by analyzing the intertextuality between the intertexts that make up the “Heroes” universe based on one of the highly successful North American TV shows in the late 2000s. The “Heroes” universe is also a representative example of successful transmedia storytelling which effectively exploited webcomics as a hypertext in constructing transmedia properties. As a result of examining the concerned universe using Howard’s storyworld extension strategy and Ruffel’s ‘migratory cues’, it has been confirmed that webcomics Heroes seamlessly expands the storyworld of the entire universe through strategically structured intertextuality, and induces users to discover and assemble missing puzzle pieces in the vast universe’s timeline through optimized migratory cues. In addition, in order to optimize participants’ immersion, the webcomics is successfully inducing them to feel willing to navigate additional intertexts such as TV shows and alternative reality games. It is expected that the implications of the strategic intertextuality of the “Heroes” universe will provide meaningful insights in improving the monotonous pattern of media conversion currently found in Korea.