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January 21, 2025 15 min read

How to Create Action Webtoons: Vertical Thrills and Dynamic Combat

Master action webtoon creation with dynamic fight scenes, vertical scroll pacing, and techniques that make readers feel every punch.

Action webtoons face a unique challenge: delivering the kinetic energy of combat through a vertical scroll format originally designed for casual reading. The constraint becomes opportunity. Vertical scrolling creates momentum, building anticipation through descent and hitting readers with impacts they don’t see coming.

The best action webtoons don’t fight the format—they weaponize it.

Why Vertical Scroll Changes Everything

The Scroll as Weapon

Traditional action manga uses page turns for reveals and horizontal layouts for wide battle scenes. Webtoons work differently:

Momentum Through Gravity: Readers scroll downward—the direction of falling, striking, gravity itself. Action scenes gain inherent weight. A punch traveling down the screen moves with natural force.

Controlled Reveals: You decide exactly when readers see each element. No peripheral vision spoiling the next panel. Complete control over information flow during combat.

Sustained Tension: No page breaks. Readers experience action as continuous flow, building tension without natural stopping points.

Impact Timing: Strategic use of white space controls pacing. A long scroll through empty space before a massive impact panel creates anticipation print cannot match.

Format Constraints

Understanding what vertical scroll limits:

Wide Shots: Horizontal compositions compress or require rotation. Epic landscape battles need creative solutions.

Simultaneous Action: Traditional comics show multiple fighters at once through wide panels. Webtoons struggle with this without reducing figures to thumbnails.

Complex Choreography: Intricate back-and-forth exchanges are harder to convey without horizontal panel sequences.

Reader Patience: Mobile readers scroll fast. They might thumb past slower moments. Action must grab and hold attention.

Vertical Combat Choreography

The Power of Descent

Use downward motion for maximum impact:

Attack Patterns:

Strikes moving down-screen feel powerful
Rising attacks create tension before descent
Diagonal strikes guide eye naturally
Horizontal strikes work for pauses, transitions

Body Positioning:

Attackers often positioned above
Defenders caught looking up
Power positions established through vertical placement
Vulnerability shown through lower positioning

Fall Sequences: The vertical format excels at falls:

Extended panels stretching downward
Multiple beats during descent
Impact at bottom after long drop
Recovery requiring upward scroll visually

Panel Architecture for Action

The Impact Sandwich:

Build-up panel (compressed, tension)
White space (anticipation)
Full-width impact panel (release)
Reaction (aftermath)

The Ladder: Stacked panels of increasing/decreasing size create rhythm:

Small → Medium → Large = Escalation
Large → Medium → Small = Resolution
Alternating = Sustained exchange

The Chute: Narrow, tall panels create speed:

Character moving down through multiple narrow frames
Background blurring into motion lines
Impact at bottom in wide panel

The Breath: Wide empty space that:

Provides rest before next sequence
Creates anticipation
Lets reader process previous action
Makes next panel feel larger by contrast

Motion Through Stillness

Static images conveying movement:

Motion Lines: Essential but strategic:

Concentrate around impact point
Direction matches attack trajectory
Density indicates speed
Style matches overall art approach

Blurred Elements:

Fast limbs become streaks
Background speed lines
Afterimages showing movement path
Sharp focus on impact point

Pose Selection: Choose moments that imply motion:

Peak of swing (anticipation)
Point of contact (impact)
Maximum extension (follow-through)
Recovery ready (transition)

Fight Scene Structure

The Opening Exchange

How combat begins matters:

Establishing Stakes: Before punches fly, readers need:

Why these characters fight
What each stands to lose
Power level expectations
Environment and constraints

The First Blow: Sets the fight’s tone:

Aggressor establishes dominance or fails
Defender’s response reveals character
Speed and style communicate power
Outcome shapes reader expectations

Pattern Establishment: Early exchanges establish the fight’s visual language:

Attack styles for each combatant
Counter patterns
Environment interaction
Distance preferences

The Middle Game

Sustaining action without repetition:

Momentum Shifts: Fights need turns:

Domination → Reversal
Success → Overconfidence → Punishment
Defense → Opening → Counter
Winning → Environmental change → Disadvantage

Strategic Layers: Beyond trading blows:

Mental games and predictions
Power reveals and counters
Environmental exploitation
Alliance shifts in group fights

Emotional Beats: Pause for human moments:

Flashbacks triggered by combat
Dialogue revealing motivation
Internal monologue showing fear/determination
Connection to stakes beyond the fight

The Climax

Peak intensity:

The Final Exchange:

Commit both fighters fully
Raise stakes to maximum
Signature moves deployed
No holding back

The Decisive Moment: Structure the killing blow:

Desperation or determination
Build-up to ultimate attack
Extended anticipation sequence
Maximum impact delivery
Aftermath and consequence

Visual Escalation:

Largest panels of the sequence
Most detailed art at peak moments
Color saturation increase (if applicable)
Sound effects at maximum scale

Resolution

Fight endings that satisfy:

Clear Outcomes:

Winner and loser established
Consequences visible
Character states communicated
Stakes resolved

Emotional Landing:

What did this fight cost?
How have characters changed?
What comes next?
Reader feeling: satisfied, shocked, anticipating?

Character Combat Design

Visual Identity in Action

Each fighter needs distinct style:

Silhouette Recognition:

Recognizable in motion blur
Unique proportions
Distinctive hair/costume elements
Weapon shapes if applicable

Signature Moves:

Specific poses that are “theirs”
Unique motion line patterns
Personal color schemes (effects)
Consistent attack angles

Fighting Personality: Body language that matches character:

Aggressive vs. defensive default
Elegant vs. brutal style
Confident vs. desperate energy
Calculating vs. instinctive approach

Power Visualization

Showing abilities in action:

Energy Effects:

Consistent visual language per power
Escalation in intensity
Interaction with environment
Cost/strain visualization

Transformation States:

Clear visual change markers
Progression stages if applicable
Reversion indication
Power level communication

Technique Identification: Readers should recognize moves:

Distinctive preparation poses
Unique visual effects
Name cards (optional but common)
Consistent execution patterns

Damage Communication

Making hits feel real:

Impact Indicators:

Facial expressions of pain
Body deformation at point of contact
Costume/environment damage
Blood/bruising (if appropriate for rating)

Cumulative Effect: Track damage across fights:

Visible injuries persist
Movement changes with damage
Strategy adapts to wounds
Recovery time matters

Stakes Through Vulnerability: Show that hits hurt:

Protagonists take real damage
Recovery isn’t instant
Consequences carry forward
Victory costs something

The Webtoon Action Toolkit

Sound Effects

Typography as impact:

Scale with Impact:

Small hits: small text
Major blows: massive text
Final strikes: page-dominating

Style Matching:

Sharp fonts for cutting
Bold, rounded for blunt force
Crackling styles for energy
Consistent per-character/weapon

Placement:

Integrated into action, not floating separate
Follow motion direction
Enhance, don’t obscure, art
Readable at scroll speed

Color in Combat

For full-color webtoons:

Energy Coding:

Character-specific ability colors
Power level indicated by saturation
Clashes shown through color collision
Environment reflecting power use

Mood Through Palette:

Warm colors for aggression
Cool colors for defense/calculation
Desaturation for desperation
Heightened color at peak moments

Focus Direction:

Brightest point draws eye
Desaturate background during combat
Pop colors for impact moments
Consistent schemes across fights

Backgrounds in Action

Environment as participant:

Destruction as Power Indicator:

Ground cracking under impacts
Buildings damaged by missed attacks
Environment reacting to power levels
Aftermath showing fight scale

Strategic Environment:

Cover and obstacles
Height advantages
Environmental weapons
Terrain that changes the fight

Simplified vs. Detailed:

Blur/minimize background during fast action
Detail environment when it matters
White space for maximum impact focus
Return detail for aftermath

Pacing Your Action

The Scroll Rhythm

Controlling reader experience:

Fast Segments:

Small, dense panels
Minimal white space
Clear action lines
Simple compositions
Readers scroll quickly

Slow Segments:

Larger panels
More detail to absorb
Emotional beats
Dialogue moments
Readers pause and absorb

Impact Moments:

Significant white space before
Full-width panels
Maximum detail on impact
Pause-worthy composition

Building to Moments

Structure entire sequences:

The Escalation Pattern:

Skirmish level (testing)
Serious engagement (commitment)
Complication (twist)
Full power (climax)
Resolution

Time Manipulation:

Slow motion for critical moments
Time-skip for repositioning
Flashback integration
Simultaneous action splitting

Reader Stamina

Action sequences can exhaust:

Optimal Length:

40-80 panels for major fights
Shorter for minor encounters
Breaks for dialogue/strategy
Emotional peaks, not sustained peaks

Recovery Moments:

Post-action breathing room
Consequences and aftermath
Setup for next sequence
Character moments between combat

Common Action Webtoon Problems

The Blur Problem

When action becomes unreadable:

Symptoms:

Readers can’t follow who hit whom
Motion lines obscure important details
Poses lost in speed effects
Impact points unclear

Solutions:

Slow down critical moments
Clear spatial relationships always
Impact panels sharp and detailed
Motion effects support, not replace, clarity

The Scale Problem

When power levels break visual logic:

Symptoms:

Attacks that should devastate don’t
Power levels inconsistent panel to panel
Environment doesn’t reflect stated power
Reader can’t gauge threat levels

Solutions:

Consistent visual language for power
Environment reacts proportionally
Baseline established and maintained
Clear escalation markers

The Stakes Problem

When fights don’t matter:

Symptoms:

Readers skip action to see outcome
Damage doesn’t persist
Anyone can win so nothing matters
No emotional investment

Solutions:

Consequences that stick
Characters readers care about
Outcomes that affect plot
Real vulnerability

The Sameness Problem

When every fight looks identical:

Symptoms:

Visual fatigue
Predictable outcomes
No unique character styles
Settings interchangeable

Solutions:

Vary fight environments
Distinct fighting styles per character
Different stakes and contexts
Escalate visual complexity

Creating Your Action Webtoon

Development Approach

Building action-focused stories:

Core Combat:

What’s unique about your fights?
What power system governs combat?
What visual style defines action?
What makes your protagonist’s fighting distinct?

Narrative Foundation:

Why do characters fight?
What’s at stake in each battle?
How does combat advance story?
What emotional journey parallels physical?

Visual Preparation:

Action pose references
Motion study
Effect style development
Character combat designs

First Fight Planning

Your debut action sequence:

Scope:

20-30 panels for first fight
Clear, simple choreography
One or two techniques showcased
Complete beginning, middle, end

Goals:

Establish visual style
Show protagonist’s approach
Create one memorable moment
Set reader expectations

Avoid:

Complex multi-fighter battles
Power system deep dives
Extended sequences
Everything you can do

For creators developing intricate fight choreography across episodes, Multic’s visual scripting tools let you map combat sequences and character power progressions—keeping action webtoons consistent as fights escalate across arcs.

Vertical scroll isn’t a limitation for action—it’s a rhythm section. Each scroll becomes a heartbeat, each impact lands with the weight of gravity itself. Master the format, and your readers won’t just see the fight—they’ll feel every blow.