Indonesia targets comic industry growth through IP development
Indonesia Targets Comic Industry Growth Through IP Development
23 Okt 2026 18:35 WIB
Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
Indonesia targets new revenue streams for comic creators through IP, animation, games, and collectibles.
High distribution costs and regulatory gaps remain major hurdles for Indonesia’s comic industry to reach wider markets.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is promoting the development of intellectual property (IP) to boost the economic value of the nation’s comic industry.
By expanding IP-based businesses into collectibles, animation, and video games, the government aims to create new revenue streams and broaden market opportunities for Indonesian comic artists.
Creative Economy Deputy Minister Irene Umar said the comic industry’s potential extends far beyond print and digital formats because intellectual property can be monetized across multiple platforms and products.
“The comic industry has enormous potential. We can no longer view comics solely from the perspective of print and digital publications. Their intellectual property can be developed into a variety of products with different layers of monetization. Therefore, we also need to change public perceptions of comics and look at the industry’s potential more comprehensively,” Irene said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, as quoted by Antara.
During The Ultimate Indonesian Comic Debate hosted by Malaka Books as part of The 5th World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) 2026, government officials and industry stakeholders discussed challenges facing the national comic ecosystem, including distribution barriers and regulatory gaps.
In response to these challenges, Irene emphasized that integrated data collection is essential for designing effective and targeted policies.
According to her, mapping the comic ecosystem should cover the entire supply chain, including paper procurement, printing, logistics, distribution efficiency, taxation, and copyright management.
She said such measurable data would strengthen the government’s ability to advocate for regulations that support the creative industry across ministries and agencies. “If we do not have the data, how can we fight for the industry’s needs? I encourage everyone to work together to build a strong database so that the industry’s potential and challenges can be mapped concretely,” Irene said.
The discussion also featured Gideon Kamang, a comic researcher from RMIT University, who highlighted logistics and distribution as major obstacles to the growth of Indonesia’s comic industry.
He said addressing these issues requires regulations that ensure broader and more equitable market access, particularly outside major urban centers.
“If I had to point to one thing that could have the greatest impact on transforming Indonesia’s comic ecosystem, it would be regulations that guarantee equitable distribution. This must include geographic access so that creative economy actors, especially comic artists, have a fair opportunity to reach markets and develop their work,” Gideon said.
Strengthening literacy from an early age, reducing production costs, and improving coordination between government policies and business readiness are also considered crucial to the industry’s long-term sustainability.
Held in Jakarta from Oct. 21-23 under the theme “Inclusively Creative: Collective Continuity,” WCCE 2026 highlighted the importance of strengthening the links between regulation, copyright protection, and market expansion to help Indonesian comics dominate the domestic market while competing globally. ***
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