The Basic Problem
Most webtoons are made of images. Speech bubbles, sound effects and narration are usually part of the picture, not text on the page. A screen reader, which is software that reads on-screen content aloud or sends it to a braille display, can read real text, but it cannot automatically understand a drawing or the lettering inside an image.
That means a blind reader may open an episode and hear little more than the word “image” repeated many times. For comics, where meaning lives in the pictures, this is a significant barrier. Many readers with low vision also run into trouble, even when they can see parts of the page.
Experiences vary a great deal. People with different levels of vision use different tools, and there is no single “blind reader” experience. What follows is general information, and the best guidance comes from disabled readers themselves.
What Alt Text Is
Alt text, short for alternative text, is a written description attached to an image. Screen readers read it aloud in place of the picture. On websites, it is part of the page’s code, though not every comic service lets creators add it, and the options differ from place to place.
Good alt text lets a reader follow the story without seeing the art. It is not required to be long, but it should be useful.
What Good Descriptions Include
For a comic, a description often needs to do more than label a picture. Think of it as telling the scene to someone over the phone.
- Who is speaking and what they say. Include the dialogue, since it is often locked inside the image.
- Narration and captions. Give these in full.
- Sound effects. Describe them in a way that carries meaning, such as “a loud crash from behind the door.”
- Action. What happens, in order, in plain language.
- Emotion and expression. A character’s face may carry the entire point of a panel, such as a forced smile or widening eyes.
- Setting. Mention where the scene takes place when it matters.
- Visual details that matter to the plot. If an object in the background is a clue, say so.
Decide what is important rather than describing everything. Describing every button on a coat can drown out the story.
An example
Suppose a panel shows a girl standing at a doorway holding an umbrella, with rain behind her and a worried look on her face. A short description might read: “Mina stands in the open doorway, holding a closed umbrella. Rain falls behind her. She looks worried. She says, ‘I thought you had left.’” This is a hypothetical example, but it shows the idea: the dialogue, the person, the action and the mood are all there.
Practical Challenges for Creators
Vertical scroll files. Many episodes are cut into long tall images or stacked slices. Adding a description to each slice may not match the actual panels. Some creators write one description per slice, others a summary per section. The best approach depends on the tools.
Time and effort. Writing descriptions for an episode takes work, especially for a weekly schedule. Creators can start small, perhaps with dialogue transcripts, and improve over time.
Tool limits. If a service does not support alt text, creators can still offer a text version elsewhere, such as a transcript on a personal page, if the terms allow. Be sure not to rely on workarounds that make the main experience worse.
Spoilers and style. Descriptions should stay neutral and faithful. Do not add jokes or commentary unless the original has them.
Accuracy. Avoid guessing about characters’ identities or feelings beyond what the art shows. Describe what is visible, and note ambiguity when the story intends it.
Design Choices That Help
Accessible description is more than adding text afterward. Some design habits help all readers:
- Use clear, readable lettering and good contrast. See also the discussion of phone readability.
- Avoid relying on color alone to signal meaning, which also helps readers with color blindness.
- Keep panels uncluttered so that important details stand out.
- Where possible, keep dialogue as real text rather than baked into images.
- Offer enlargement or zoom where the format allows.
Tips for Readers
- Use your device’s built-in tools. Phones and computers usually include screen readers, magnifiers, high contrast modes and text size controls. Which options exist depends on the system.
- Check what a service supports. Some offer better accessibility than others, and features change over time.
- Look for text-based formats. Some stories exist as text transcripts, audio descriptions or other adapted versions. Availability is limited but growing in some places.
- Ask for access. Polite requests to creators and services show demand, which can influence what gets built.
- Connect with communities. Other disabled readers often share tools and recommendations.
AI-generated image descriptions exist in some software, but their accuracy varies and they can miss emotion, humor and context in comics. Treat them as a rough aid, not a substitute for a human-written description.
Why It Matters
Making comics accessible is about letting more people take part in stories. Reading benefits such as enjoyment and imagination should not depend on how well a person sees. Even small steps, such as one clear transcript, can make a real difference. For a wider look at the topic, see the discussion of comic accessibility, and for creators thinking about general design, the habits of clear contrast and strong layout described elsewhere on this site point in the same direction.