My Hero Academia came at the perfect opportunity to infuse superhero and Western comic book quirks to the anime and manga fandom. With its 2014 debut, Kohei Horikoshi’s hit tapped into a market hungry for superheroes in the midst of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga. But otakus never quite hopped the Western superhero bandwagon, chasing other hits instead.

While there are certainly worthwhile successors like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, readers are increasingly discovering a vast array of superhero stories from webtoons and manhwa out of Korea. It’s so popular that seemingly every big franchise wants in on the webtoon craze. But for those seeking a new superhero spin, these manhwa are a worthwhile fix.

The Executioner

Readers craving another excellent visual presentation following My Hero Academia will be delighted with The Executioner. The manhwa’s excellent art by Park Bumjin is immediately its strongest selling point, with strong character design and a striking visual style. The series itself also has familiar themes with a dark twist, with its hero descending a deep prison seeking its deadliest inmate.

Gangyu Seo encounters a familiar dilemma when his team of heroes’ “No Killing” clause is put to the task by the villainous Seunghwan Hwang, with Gangyu’s brother paying the ultimate price. Understanding the consequences, Gangyu embarks on a superpowered path of vengeance. As the villain massacre intensifies in the sprawling prison complex, its most crucial reunion lies at the bottom.

Growth-Type Superhero

For those craving a mixture of Solo Leveling-type urban fantasy tropes mixed in with their superhero webtoons, this adaptation by Yukishige is a welcome addition. While technically a Japanese webtoon rather than a typical Korean manhwa, there’s still a strong enough overlap, with its style being especially accessible for My Hero Academia fans seeking something new.

With monsters beginning to invade the world, Relics become the important source of humanity’s power to fight back. In the case of Hinata Asahi, though, his Relic grants him an underwhelming supersuit. But as he’ll soon discover, after being hit for the 10,000th time, he’ll awaken the true potential of his Relic, with powerful new suits to follow.

Rental Hero

Another stellar instance of incredible artwork, Rental Hero written by Porto and illustrated by Kobet presents a different vision for a superpowered society. “Just because you have powers, doesn’t mean you’re a hero.” These are the words emblematic of Juwon Lee, whose doppelganger abilities are used primarily to blend in.

However, when the All Might-like Justice comes to his door with serious allegations about Juwon’s impersonations, he’s soon thrust into the life in an unusual way. The series depicts a flawed vision of a world governed by heroes, including showing when they can go too far, and the steps taken to investigate them, with Juwon as a major asset.

The Superhuman Era

Blending the usual high school settings of an urban fantasy manhwa with the superhero trappings more reminscent of One-Punch Man, The Superhuman Era is an exciting series by Supp. The manhwa is still ongoing, with its less serious presentation not covering up its highly competent delivery.

Kang Lim poses as the typical high school student, but as his alter-ego is revealed, he fights the mysterious xenoterrans threatening his home as the White Cap. His entry signals a wave of superhumans, including celebrities who respond to their true calling. But the xenoterran threat is more complicated than it appears.

Villain with a Crush

Superhero manhwa don’t always have to be the usual broody, dark affairs featuring overpowered protagonists. Sometimes, in Villain with a Crush’s case, it can involve a wildly hilarious story of a girl madly in love with a superpowered cop who can only be described as K-Pop idol-level famous. But also, it’s of the greatest superhero fiction around from Seyoon.

Rosa Park is the protagonist of Villain with a Crush, and it’s a total subversive gem in a world of overly-serious superhero serials. After being saved by Doryeong Han, Rosa is hopelessly enamored with him, unleashing an array of antics as silly as multi-panel epics about cutting her bangs. Rosa’s romance is engaging, but the journey is the real selling point.

Hand Jumper

Instead of the usual dichotomy of heroes versus villains, the story of Hand Jumper follows Sayeon Lee in a world governed by fear of others with powers. The series is also a strong case for appreciating the writing of a good manhwa, as it confidently introduces a world and protagonist that instantly feel believable and endlessly compelling.

Sayeon Lee is from a family of Aberrants, those identified to overflow with Essence giving them special abilities. Sayeon despises these Aberrants, wishing instead to be an upstanding member of society dispensing justice, but when her unusually strong abilities are discovered, she’s recruited into the deadly Aberrant Corps. Here, Sayeon must survive and come to terms with her unwanted abilities.

The Superheroes of Class F

Written by bbolong and illustrated by Amon, this series parodies the typical tropes of superhero academies, with its central characters resonating with fans who perhaps enjoyed My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. The Superheroes of Class F is not your typical urban fantasy manhwa, and that’s a good thing.

When individuals discover their powers, their social standing is affected by how consequential these powers are. At the beloved Leaders Academy for the Superhumanly Gifted, characters like Sangil Na’s ability to see people’s age ranks near the bottom, sorting him into the dreaded Class F. But as the opening chapters show, these nobodies can still have a mighty impact.

Villain to Kill

Coincidentally also one of the best revenge manhwa out there, Villain to Kill is an excellent recommendation. With its viewership in the millions and three seasons localized so far, the series has latched on with fans with no signs of slowing down. Taking the place of traditional heroes are psykers as they combat villains in this series.

In the case of Cassian Lee, a reputable psyker, his life is turned upside-down after an incident causes him to reincarnate as a freshly-minted villain. Here, Cassian finds the difficult choice of preventing the dark path of his new identity from growing deeper, and tracking down the villains who killed him.

Hero Killer

One of the best comics in superhero fiction, webtoon or otherwise, Hero Killer is an essential read for those looking to dive into manhwa. It’s enormously popular, has hundreds of chapters published, and as confirmed by Naver, is getting an anime.

The world of Hero Killer is decidedly more gray than usual, with protagonist Ihwa avenging her sister, who was marked for death by the Hero Clan to be taken out under Operation Dusk. This prompts Ihwa’s vengeance quest, as she absorbs the powers, or Gifts, of others on the way. One of Webtoon’s most stylish hits, it’s a can’t-miss title.

Jungle Juice

Part of the ambitious Superstring Universe, comparable in scope to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jungle Juice is mandatory reading for superhero fans discovering new manhwa. The series will easily appeal to My Hero Academia fans seeking a little edge, and its commentary lands similarly to something out of X-Men.

Suchan Jang’s fall from grace as an exceptional college student comes as he discovers the strange bug spray he uses infuses insect properties with his DNA. This thrusts him into a strange world including a special academy for Insect Humans like himself, learning new ways to love and accept himself, and finding deadly new enemies.

The art of Jungle Juice is superb, and its action is thrilling to behold, with clever incorporation of bug-themed powers such as Suchan’s dragonfly talents. It also has some of the coolest, most distinctive villain designs in any manhwa, thanks to Juder’s careful artistic direction. It’s also a stellar exemplar of the creativity to be found in superhero manhwa.