Comic platform eyes global market with rapid growth and investment

Chinese comic platform Kuaikan aims to become a global leader after posting doubled revenue and overseas distributions in the first half.

The platform expects "explosive growth" for Chinese comics and cartoons over the next five years. Comic and animation products based on Chinese culture and history prove popular in some overseas markets like Japan, South Korea and some Western markets, said Kuaikan.

In the first half, Kuaikan's revenue jumped over 100 percent, making it one of the fastest-growing tech firms in China, said Chen Anni, founder and CEO of Kuaikan.

"In the next stage, Kuaikan aims to become the world's No. 1 (comic platform) after becoming China's No. 1 now," Chen said.

In the next five years, China's online comic industry will continue high-speed growth at a rate of about 16.5 percent annually, according to industry figures.

Kuaikan will accelerate global expansion with a "Netflix style," covering strong content, industrialization processes, diversified business covering comics, animation, books and games, and a big investment of 400 million yuan (US$57 million) in support of authors.

Its comic books have been published in Germany, Italy, Brazil, France, Russia and Japan.

Made-in-China comics represent the country's growing cultural confidence, the company said.