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January 21, 2025 14 min read

How to Create Mystery Webtoons: Clues and Reveals in Vertical Format

Master mystery webtoon creation with clue placement, reveal pacing, and vertical scroll techniques that keep readers guessing until the final panel.

Mystery webtoons face a unique challenge: hiding information in a visual medium while playing fair with readers. Every panel becomes potential evidence. Every background detail might be the key. The vertical scroll format adds another dimension—you control exactly when readers see each piece of the puzzle.

The best mystery webtoons make solving feel possible and surprises feel inevitable.

Why Vertical Scroll Suits Mystery

Controlled Information Flow

The format’s greatest strength:

No Peripheral Vision: Readers can’t glance ahead. You decide precisely when information appears. Clues stay hidden until the scroll reveals them.

Pacing Control: Build tension through scroll distance. Long empty space before a revelation creates anticipation. Quick reveals land with impact.

Reveal Architecture: Structure the exact moment of discovery:

Setup panels
Tension space
Reveal panel
Reaction

Re-reading Value: Mobile format encourages re-scrolling. Readers hunt for missed clues, increasing engagement and rewarding careful setup.

Format-Specific Techniques

What vertical scroll offers mystery:

The Slow Reveal: Panel elements appearing as readers scroll:

Feet first, then body, then face
Hand holding object before object visible
Background detail before significance clear

The Hidden Panel: Clues placed where scrolling eyes might miss:

Small details in large panels
Edge placements
Background elements
Previous panel callbacks

The Scroll Misdirect: Using scroll momentum against readers:

Build expectation in one direction
Scroll reveals different reality
Subverted anticipation creates impact

Mystery Structure Fundamentals

The Hook Crime

Opening your mystery:

Establishing Stakes: What matters about this case:

Victim importance
Threat scope
Personal connection
Time pressure

The Question: What readers need answered:

Whodunit (who committed the crime)
Howcatchem (how they’ll be caught)
Whydunit (motivation mystery)
Howdunit (method mystery)

First Clues: Initial evidence:

Enough to start investigation
Not enough to solve
Potential misdirection
Reader engagement hooks

The Investigation

Middle act mechanics:

Clue Discovery: How information emerges:

Active investigation
Witness interviews
Evidence examination
Accidental discovery

Red Herrings: False leads that serve story:

Plausible alternatives
Character development through wrong turns
Tension maintenance
Fair but misleading

Escalation: Rising stakes:

Additional crimes
Danger to investigator
Time pressure increase
Personal stakes rising

The Solution

Ending your mystery:

The Revelation: Truth emerging:

All clues connecting
Reader satisfaction
Surprise and inevitability
Character confirmation

The Confrontation: Mystery’s climax:

Accusation moment
Evidence presentation
Culprit response
Final tension

Resolution: After the solution:

Justice or consequence
Character aftermath
Loose ends tied
Emotional landing

Clue Design and Placement

Visual Clue Categories

Types of evidence to hide:

Physical Evidence: Objects that matter:

Murder weapons
Personal items
Documents
Environmental traces

Character Details: People-based clues:

Appearance inconsistencies
Behavioral tells
Relationship hints
Knowledge gaps

Environmental Clues: Setting-based evidence:

Location details
Time indicators
Background elements
Atmospheric hints

The Fair Play Doctrine

Mystery writing ethics:

Reader Access: Show everything needed:

All clues visible before solution
No hidden information
Fair chance to solve
Re-read reveals setup

Honest Misdirection: Misleading without lying:

Alternative interpretations possible
Reader assumptions exploited
Truth visible in retrospect
No cheating

Solution Logic: Answers that satisfy:

Evidence-based conclusions
Character-consistent revelations
Plausible mechanics
Earned surprises

Placement Strategies

Where to hide clues:

Background Integration: Clues in scenery:

Objects in environment
Details in crowds
Signs and writing
Weather and lighting

Character Action: Behavior as evidence:

Gestures and expressions
Where they look
What they touch
Who they talk to

Panel Composition: Using layout strategically:

Edge placements
Small in large panels
Partially obscured
Requires attention to notice

Character Types

The Investigator

Your mystery’s lens:

Detective Archetypes: Common approaches:

Professional (police, PI)
Amateur (witness, victim’s friend)
Reluctant (pulled into mystery)
Specialized (journalist, lawyer)

Investigator Design: Visual and personality:

Distinctive appearance
Method consistency
Flaw that matters
Growth potential

Reader Relationship: How readers connect:

Information access
Emotional investment
Competence level
Identification or admiration

The Suspects

Potential culprits:

Suspect Pool: Who could have done it:

Viable alternatives
Different motives
Varying access
Distinct personalities

Visual Distinction: Each suspect memorable:

Unique silhouettes
Consistent tells
Design reflects character
Reader can track

Suspect Development: More than suspects:

Individual stories
Reader relationships
Red herring roles
Human complexity

The Victim

The person at the center:

Victim Importance: Why this death matters:

Character establishment
Reader connection
Investigation motivation
Mystery complexity

Victim Secrets: What they hid:

Motivations for others
Clue sources
Relationship reveals
Story depth

Visual Storytelling Techniques

Atmosphere Creation

Mood through visuals:

Color Palette: Mystery mood:

Desaturated tension
High contrast for reveals
Color coding characters
Shift for revelations

Shadow and Light: Noir influence:

Strategic darkness
Spotlight reveals
Shadow hiding
Dramatic lighting

Weather and Environment: Setting mood:

Rain and fog
Night scenes
Claustrophobic spaces
Isolated locations

The Reveal Panel

Maximum impact:

Before the Reveal: Building anticipation:

Tension panels
White space scroll distance
Character reactions pre-reveal
Audio cues if applicable

The Reveal Itself: Impact maximization:

Full-width panel
Clear focal point
Reader eye direction
Emotional weight

After the Reveal: Processing time:

Reaction panels
Implication space
Reader breathing room
Next question setup

Flashback Integration

Past informing present:

Visual Distinction: Flashback clarity:

Color shift
Border treatment
Art style variation
Clear transition

Information Control: What flashbacks reveal:

Selective memory
Perspective limitation
Truth vs. memory
Progressive revelation

Strategic Timing: When to use flashbacks:

Clue delivery
Character depth
Revelation support
Emotional impact

Pacing Your Mystery

Episode Structure

Individual chapter design:

Opening Hook: Each episode begins with:

Question or tension
Previous thread continuation
New development
Reader pull

Development: Episode middle:

Investigation progress
Character moments
Clue placement
Tension building

Cliffhanger: Episode ending:

New question raised
Danger established
Revelation partial
Return motivation

Information Timing

When readers learn what:

Early Mystery: Opening act:

Crime establishment
Suspect introduction
Initial clues
Stakes clear

Mid Mystery: Investigation phase:

Red herrings active
Real clues hidden
Complications arise
Stakes escalate

Late Mystery: Approach to solution:

Clues connecting
True pattern emerging
Final misdirection
Revelation preparation

Tension Curves

Managing suspense:

Sustained Tension: Keeping readers engaged:

Regular small reveals
Danger maintenance
Question multiplication
Progress feeling

Peaks and Valleys: Rhythm variation:

High tension sequences
Recovery moments
Character breaks
Investigation routine

Final Escalation: Approaching climax:

Tension compression
Stakes maximum
Danger peak
Solution imminent

Genre Variations

Detective Procedural

Investigation focus:

Method Emphasis: How detection works:

Evidence collection
Logical deduction
Interview techniques
Technical analysis

Procedural Realism: Real investigation feel:

Accurate methods
Time requirements
Team dynamics
System constraints

Character Through Work: Personality via method:

Investigation style
Relationship with system
Success patterns
Failure responses

Thriller Mystery

Action integration:

Danger Focus: Investigator at risk:

Active threat
Chase sequences
Physical conflict
Survival stakes

Pacing Adjustment: Faster than pure mystery:

Action sequences
Shorter investigation
Visceral tension
Movement emphasis

Balance: Mystery and thriller elements:

Clues during action
Investigation between danger
Both satisfying
Neither neglected

Cozy Mystery

Lighter tone:

Comfort Elements: What makes cozy cozy:

Safe-feeling world
Likeable protagonist
Community setting
Lower stakes violence

Puzzle Focus: Brain over danger:

Intellectual challenge
Character relationships
World enjoyment
Satisfying solution

Tone Consistency: Maintaining cozy:

Violence off-panel
Recovery assured
Justice served
Community healing

Common Mystery Webtoon Problems

The Cheating Problem

When solutions feel unfair:

Symptoms:

Information withheld from readers
Clues invisible until revelation
Solution impossible to guess
Reader frustration

Solutions:

Re-read your work as solver
All clues visible before solution
Fair misdirection only
Test with readers

The Obvious Problem

When mystery isn’t mysterious:

Symptoms:

Readers solve early
Red herrings unconvincing
Guilty character obvious
No surprise at solution

Solutions:

Strengthen alternatives
Better clue hiding
Character complexity
Multiple viable suspects

The Complexity Problem

When story confuses:

Symptoms:

Readers lose track
Too many suspects
Clue overload
Plot thread loss

Solutions:

Simplify suspect pool
Clear clue hierarchy
Regular recaps
Focus management

The Pacing Problem

When rhythm fails:

Symptoms:

Investigation drags
Rush to solution
Tension loss
Reader abandonment

Solutions:

Regular small reveals
Episode structure
Subplots for variety
Escalating stakes

Creating Your Mystery Webtoon

Concept Development

Building your puzzle:

The Mystery:

What’s the crime/question?
Who did it and why?
What’s the solution path?
What’s the theme?

The Clues:

What evidence exists?
Where will it hide?
What misdirects?
What proves solution?

The Characters:

Who investigates?
Who’s suspected?
Who helps/hinders?
Who’s the victim?

First Episode Planning

Opening your mystery:

Establish:

Crime/question hook
Investigator introduction
Stakes communication
World setting

Include:

At least one clue
Suspect introduction
Tone establishment
Return motivation

Avoid:

All suspects at once
Solution hints too strong
Overcomplicated setup
Pacing too slow

For creators developing intricate mysteries with multiple suspects, clue chains, and parallel storylines, Multic’s visual planning tools help track evidence placement and timeline consistency—keeping mystery webtoons fair and solvable while maintaining surprise.

Mystery webtoons transform readers into detectives. Every scroll might reveal the crucial clue. Every panel might contain the answer. When the mystery is fair, the solution surprising, and the journey engaging, readers don’t just consume your story—they participate in it.