Web3 Connects Fans to Creator Exclusive Events at New York Comic-Con
Web3 Connects Fans to Creator Exclusive Events at New York Comic-Con
The news you need at the intersection of Pop Culture and Web3.
We are skipping a new interview podcast in lieu of:
a news-heavy newsletter and
to prep you for this weekend’s Macroverse Online Web3 Comic-Con on Oct 8-9 which will be filled with lots of Web3 discussions.
This issue we are covering:
Tokengated exclusive live events with creators
Cryptoys launch plans revealed
Apple and Starbucks NFT announcements
Hasbro offers NFTs with the return of Starting Line Up
NYCC circumvents Web3, but still can’t stop Batman NFT event
As you know from our report, the San Diego Comic-con poo-poo’d any/all Web3 and NFT panels and booths this Summer, we applied for a panel at New York Comic Con but were told the slate was “full.” Doing a quick search on the Panels page looking for “Web3,” “NFT” or “blockchain” came up with 0 results, so I think it’s safe to say the organizers of these shows are not interested in letting fans get any education or insight into this new collectibles industry.
The enhancements that Web3 will bring to the traditional comic-con is huge. But instead of immediately trying to work with it, these shows are trying to steer clear. We remember that happening with Blockbuster and Toys R Us.
But don’t think that would ever really stop an entire industry or movement - we know that a few NFT-holder exclusive meet-ups are happening in NYC and two that are specific to guests and companies exhibiting at the show are both sold out: the Bat Cowls with Jim Lee and his Image Comics co-founder and upcoming Batman comic artist Marc Silvestri, and another event for Krapopolis’ Krap Chicken holders and creator Dan Harmon.
The demand is insatiable for this, especially at these global-scale comic-cons. Why line-up for hours to meet these guys with everyone else when you can join their private events and spend more quality time with them?
When Todd McFarlane hosted a meet-up for his OddKey NFT holders in San Diego during Comic-Con, holders got to hang out in an intimate setting and get comics signed by the man and hear plans for Spawn. Forget the Playboy Mansion 😂 this is the membership we dreamed of as kids - and still do today.
We are also hearing there will be new drops and new announcements around the show from everyone - so follow us on Twitter to keep up-to-date.
We won’t be there this year but definitely will find some friendlies to report back on what they saw.
Cryptoys plans are finally revealed
Cryptoys, which we have talked about before on the podcast, raised $23mm from Mattel, Dapper Labs and others back in June, have finally revealed their plans.
As action figure collectors ourselves, we are excited about Cryptoys and what they announced in the space.
They will be $39.99 each + 5% transaction fee for users paying with USD, none if using crypto and you must be 18 years old or older.
Minted on the Flow blockchain.
They come in a Cube where you can’t see what’s inside aka Mint in Box, if you open the box you can see the toy you got aka Mint on Card, and then if you open it, it becomes more interactive but it also becomes aka Loose 😂 so just like real figures, you will have to buy 3 if you want the super collectible versions.
There are rarity levels and power levels to keepo the collectibility high.
The site is open now to register
Ok these animal characters are 🤷🏻♂️ but the Alpha drop on the Masters of the Universe Cryptoys was who will be in Wave 1: He-Man, Tri-Klops, Battle Cat and Evil-Lyn, and Castle Greyskull but they hinted at another license they will announce soon - as they count Mattel as an investor could it be another IP from their line-up or something else?
You can watch the whole town hall with their team here - definitely spend some time with this video as it outlines what a big piece of Web3 toys will look like since Cryptoys are quite far ahead:
Apple allows NFT sales in App Store
The two biggest mainstream Web3 stories recently are: Starbucks is launching a loyalty program using NFTs called Starbucks Odyssey, and that Apple is allowing NFT sales inside iOS apps - primarily games.
Apple will be taking their 30% cut off every NFT.
Cash only, no crypto.
Of course everything comes with controversy these days, but the idea that we can get NFTs inside iOS is pretty amazing. Solana just announced their own Android smartphone (called ‘Saga’) so our guess is the heat is on for Web3 in mobile gaming.
We don’t cover nearly as much gaming here as we should, but that market is going to be massive with Web3 as the big boys like Electronic Arts, Square Enix and UbiSoft are researching/building now and the Solana-based Star Atlas just launched a playable demo on the Epic Games store. We all know video games take a lot of money and time to make so we don’t hear much but it’s definitely in development at game studios around the world. Except maybe Riot Games. Someone still believes in that awful Pixelmon IP too. Mobile games will definitely be the first to launch and everyone is watching that market start to make its moves in 2023.
Hasbro adds NFTs to Action Figures
Even more Web3 Toys are coming! The Starting Line Up figures series are back with superstars like Steph Curry and LeBron James, but this time they are $50 super poseable and come with an NFT card!
Hasbro (and Mattel) have been super-active in the Web3 space, obviously they see the parallels betwen the two industries and this is another tiny step into this future.
We used to get paper trading cards in action figures that would get tossed, I feel like using NFT cards is a good way to get collectors into NFTs. The rights for the cards are with Panini so you are redeeming the cards from them.
How do these compete with Dapper’s NBA Top Shots? The licensing world loves to cut up a license into as many “slices” as possible to maximize profits, that’s why you see diffeent scale Marvel action figures from companies other than Hasbro. No doubt its the same in Web3 as well. So that leads to the next question - how many NBA Web3 licenses can the market take?
Check out all our podcasts talking to the people building at the intersection of pop culture and Web3 on The Hyper Room:
Continue the discussion in THE HYPER ROOM: