The LEGO Group unveils host of new products at LEGO CON

The LEGO Group has launched its 90th anniversary summer celebrations with the virtual and free to attend LEGO CON. Designed specifically for brick-loving families, the two-hour live show, hosted by Vick Hope, Joel McHale and Melvin Odoom, gave LEGO fans a sneak peak into a new range of exciting products, including a host of sets celebrating the world’s biggest movie, sport and gaming franchises.

Among the new products revealed, fans were treated to an exclusive look at the brand-new LEGO Avatar product range celebrating the overall franchise to-date in advance of Avatar: The Way of Water premiering this December. The newly revealed set features the LEGO Avatar Toruk Makto & Tree of Souls that lets fans recreate the moment from the first film when Jake, as Toruk Makto, rallies the Omatikaya Clan to defend not only one of their most sacred sites, the Tree of Souls, but all of Pandora.

Another big reveal saw viewers given an exclusive first look at new LEGO Star Wars sets. LEGO Star Wars The Justifier and LEGO Star Wars AT-TE Walker will offer fans the chance to recreate the epic Star Wars: The Bad Batch stories with the incredible model of bounty hunter Cad Bane’s starship, The Justifier, or power into battle against the Separatist Droid Army with the AT-TE.

Fans of LEGO Marvel, meanwhile, were treated to a first look at a new Doctor Strange set showcasing the Sanctum Sanctorum as featured in a number of films, giving them a chance to open up their very own multiverses. LEGO Minecraft builders were spoilt with two brand new sets to add to their collection: LEGO Minecraft The Abandoned Village and LEGO Minecraft The Skeleton Dungeon.

Lovers of LEGO Super Mario were given a glimpse at the brand-new Character Packs that will be introduced to the LEGO Super Mario universe, with fun characters including Nabbit, a Purple Toad, Hammer Bro, Waddlewing, Toady, Baby Yoshi, Red Yoshi and Blue Shy Guy joining the fun. They were also shown how new and existing characters alike can interact with the LEGO Mario, LEGO Luigi and LEGO Peach Starter Courses.

There was also a preview of a new sporty range of LEGO Brickheadz, allowing fans to become a FC Barcelona player in LEGO BrickHeadz form. Viewers were the first to be shown the very latest LEGO Minifigures collection that will be joining the LEGO range later this year.

To top the many product reveals and sessions, the jam-packed show was also full of opportunities for fans to immerse themselves in live building activities and conversations with experts from around the globe.

Event highlights included a creative masterclass from inside Pixar Animation Studios, given by the director of Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear, Angus MacLane. LEGO Harry Potter fans, meanwhile, were given the chance to see how movie sets are turned into LEGO sets through a magical building tour of the Warner Bros. Studios London – The making of Harry Potter, with Harry Potter film actress Evanna Lynch and LEGO designer Marcos Bessa giving audiences tips and magic tricks for building their very own creations along the way.

LEGO CON 2022 is now available to stream for free in full at www.LEGO.com/LEGOCON or on the LEGO YouTube channel  http://youtube.com/LEGO.

 

 

Genius Brands signs 20-year deal with Marvel for Stan Lee

Stan Lee Universe LLC, Genius Brands International’s Genius Brands-controlled venture with POW! Entertainment, has signed a 20-year deal to license the name and likeness of Stan Lee to Marvel Studios for future feature films and television productions, as well as use in Disney theme parks and experiences worldwide.

 “We are proud to be the stewards of the incredibly valuable rights to Stan Lee’s name, likeness, merchandise, and intellectual property brand,” says Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius Brands. “And there is no better place than Marvel and Disney, where Stan should be, for his movies and theme park experiences. As we enter the centennial year of Stan’s birthday, December 28, 2022, we are thrilled to see his memory and legacy will continue to delight fans through this new long-term agreement with Marvel.”

Under the terms of the deal, Marvel Studios has acquired rights to use Stan Lee’s name, voice, likeness and signature in movies and television projects, as well as use images, existing footage and existing audio recordings featuring Stan. Exclusive rights to use Stan Lee’s name, voice, likeness and signature in theme parks, water parks, cruise lines and in-park merchandise were included for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products as part of the deal.

“As Stan’s longtime business partner and friend, I’m looking forward to commemorating his work in this new way,” says Gill Champion, President of POW! Entertainment. “Building a connection with his fans is important to us and it’s a privilege to get to do that on his behalf.”

Stan is one of the most prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. As Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Stan “The Man” Lee helped build a universe of interlocking continuity, one where fans felt as if they could turn a street corner and run into a super hero, from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and more. Stan went on to become Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in 1972, and was eventually named chairman emeritus.

Stan also appeared in some of the most popular films of all time. His well-known cameos in Marvel films began in the 1989 telefilm The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. After the release of X-Men in 2000, he appeared in nearly every Marvel film and television project until his passing in 2018.

Among Stan’s many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Bush in 2008, and the Disney Legends Award, received in 2017. He was also inducted into the comic industry’s Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.

Marvel teams with The Prince’s Trust to give aspiring designers their first break

Marvel has announced the launch of its first ever Marvel & The Prince’s Trust collection, created in collaboration with the youth charity.

Disney partnered with The Prince’s Trust on a two-week programme to give young aspiring designers the opportunity to break into the world of fashion and product design by pairing each participant with a mentor and hosting a series of exclusive, in-depth workshops.

This culminated in the aspiring designers creating two Marvel-inspired product ranges. The first, which spotlights Marvel’s The Avengers, features products with design influences from American street culture and sports after exploring current trends in the market, taking into consideration the themes of inclusivity as well as being inspired by the teamwork of Marvel’s super heroes. The collection will be available to purchase from The Disney Store and online from today at shopDisney.co.uk in the UK and across Europe.

This gender neutral collection features a range of products including The Prince’s Trust Avengers Hooded Sweatshirt (£45), The Prince’s Trust Marvel Avengers Backpack (£38), The Prince’s Trust Marvel Avengers Beanie (£20), and The Princes Trust Leather Journal and Pen (£40).

This year’s course, Get Started in Product Design with Marvel, was the first in the three-year partnership focused on providing nine young people, aged 16-30, with the change to design two Marvel product ranges with the support and mentorship of Disney’s designers.

The second range, celebrating female super heroes from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will go on sale later in the year – also exclusively on shopDisney.

 

 

Iron Maiden and Marvel join forces for merchandise collection

Iconic British rock band Iron Maiden and entertainment powerhouse Marvel have collaborated to create a unique collection of merchandise. Fans of both will be dealt a wide assortment of apparel and accessories that highlight iconic Marvel characters and the notorious otherworldly Iron Maiden character Eddie.

The collaboration interweaves the universes of both brands, with designs that pay tribute to Wolverine, Venom, Thanos and Deadpool in unique variations of iconic album and single artwork such as Fear of the Dark, The Trooper and Killers.

Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood says: “Eddie has long stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest superheroes and we’re also pretty proud of the Worlds we created for his many incarnations  – from battlefields to Egyptian tombs to frozen ice-scapes or futuristic cities. Juxtaposing some of the most recognisable characters in pop art and comic-book culture into planet Maiden has been an ambition of ours for years, and working with Marvel and their unparalleled character-based IP is the perfect fit in this day and age.

“To see such iconic characters alongside Eddie is something our fans have discussed for years and we think that the twist of placing Venom, Thanos, Thor or Deadpool in our Maiden worlds will excite fans of both cultures.”

Iron Maiden is recognised as having one of the most iconic figures in music in the shape of Eddie, whose image appeared on the band’s debut single “Running Free” and has evolved to adorn every piece of artwork, including albums, tour posters, beer labels, graphic novels and merchandise, even featuring in computer games and award-winning mobile RPG game, Legacy of the Beast.

“Marvel is cool and aspirational, and has inspired the greatest artists, musicians and creators for more than 80 years,” says Paul Gitter, SVP, Marvel Licensing. “This collaboration offers another exciting example of how the Marvel brand continues to push into lifestyle areas, with music being a top priority, and the collection allows fans to pay tribute to our iconic characters while celebrating the legendary Iron Maiden.”

The collection launches in time for the holidays and is available through Iron Maiden’s online store, speciality retailer Hot Topic and German e-tailer, EMP.

StoryToys announces New LEGO DUPLO Marvel collaboration for preschool app

Team17, a global games label, creative partner and developer of independent video games and edutainment apps for children, has announced that its subsidiary StoryToys has partnered with the LEGO Group and Marvel Entertainment on the LEGO DUPLO MARVEL mobile app.

The new app will allow preschoolers to join Spidey, Captain America, Ghost-Spider and other heroes for learning adventures and imaginative play. Each activity will feature a play experience where kids can help their favourite Marvel hero save the day by shooting webs with Spidey and his Amazing Friends or rescuing a kitten with Captain America.

The LEGO DUPLO MARVEL app is aligned with the Headstart Early Learning Outcomes Framework to ensure it meets the developmental needs of 2–5-year-olds. Each activity will feature fun and engaging challenges to support learning and development skills including early maths, creativity, reasoning and problem-solving.

The LEGO DUPLO MARVEL app launches worldwide in 28 languages initially, with more to come in 2022. The app is now available for pre-order on the App Store and Google Play and will launch in December 2021. The LEGO DUPLO MARVEL app will be free to download and include additional content to purchase.

StoryToys has produced apps with many leading children’s brands, including LEGO, Disney, Pixar, Penguin, Warner Bros, Sesame Workshop, Hasbro and Nickelodeon. Key titles include LEGO DUPLO WORLD, Disney Coloring World, and Hungry Caterpillar Play School.

LEGO Group unleashes epic new range of LEGO Marvel sets

The LEGO Group has launched an epic new range of LEGO Marvel sets that will get superhero fans excited, including the LEGO Marvel Spider-Man’s Drone Duel, LEGO Marvel The Eternals In Arishem’s Shadow and LEGO Marvel Rise of the Domo.

The new products are:

  • 76240 LEGO® DC Batman™ Batmobile™ Tumble (available 1 November) £209.99
  • 76145 LEGO® Eternals’ Aerial Assault £8.99
  • 76154 LEGO® Marvel Deviant Ambush! £17.99
  • 76155 LEGO® Marvel The Eternals In Arishem’s Shadow £59.99
  • 76156 LEGO® Marvel Rise of the Domo £89.99
  • 76184 LEGO® Spider-Man vs. Mysterio’s Drone Attack £17.99
  • 76185 LEGO® Spider-Man at the Sanctum Workshop £34.99
  • 76195 LEGO® Spider-Man’s Drone Duel £17.99
  • 76237 LEGO® Sanctuary II: Endgame Battle £34.99

The new LEGO Marvel set are available for order now through www.LEGO.com and from selected leading retailers around the world.

Zavvi debuts exclusive Marvel Eternals replica set

To celebrate the release of the new Marvel Eternals movie, online retailer Zavvi is launching a limited-edition and officially licensed Marvel Eternals collectible replica set.

The UK and EU exclusive, inspired by the feature film, accurately recreates Black Knight’s ring, Sersi’s Necklace, Thena’s Tiara, and Uni-mind’s Bracelet.

Limited to 1,000 individually numbered pieces, each set comes with a certificate of authenticity in a Marvel collectors’ box.

Marvel’s Eternals is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), an unexpected tragedy forces the Eternals, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years, out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.

The Marvel Eternals replica set, priced at £84.99, is available to pre-order now, exclusive to Zavvi.com.

 

Zavvi debuts exclusive Marvel Eternals replica set

To celebrate the release of the new Marvel Eternals movie, online retailer Zavvi is launching a limited-edition and officially licensed Marvel Eternals collectible replica set.

The UK and EU exclusive, inspired by the feature film, accurately recreates Black Knight’s ring, Sersi’s Necklace, Thena’s Tiara, and Uni-mind’s Bracelet.

Limited to 1,000 individually numbered pieces, each set comes with a certificate of authenticity in a Marvel collectors’ box.

Marvel’s Eternals is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), an unexpected tragedy forces the Eternals, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years, out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.

The Marvel Eternals replica set, priced at £84.99, is available to pre-order now, exclusive to Zavvi.com.

 

When Geek Culture went Pop! | Kids Industries on how we’ve all adopted the geek market (without even realising)

Aleksandra Szczerba, researcher at Kids Industries, explores the ubiquity of geek culture today, and the very real chance that if you’re reading this, you’ve long since become one.

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No longer constrained by the four walls of a dimly-lit basement or the stacks of a comic book store. No longer only openly revered by social outcasts (and covertly by everyone else in fear of being shunned). So-called “geek culture” is – in many ways – no more. Or at least it has evolved to be something vastly different than it has been in the past. The cornerstones of geek culture of decades gone by, from sci-fi to comic books, from video games to anime, don’t just have their footholds in the mainstream. They have become the mainstream, permeating today’s biggest children’s and adult media trends alike. So how have we all become geeks, how did this happen, and what does it mean for the future?

The most obvious way in which geek culture has become a staple in pop culture is of course through screen adaptations of comic books, both feature film and television. Although one would think that DC had the head start, having the rights to iconic characters such as Superman and Batman, it is Marvel that took the movie industry by storm in the past decade. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, comprising more than 20 films and dozens of characters, became a set of interwoven narratives and franchises, brought together in a grand finale in the form of the highest-grossing movie spectacular of all time (at the time at least). “Avengers: Endgame” earned $2.798B at the global box office, and is now the second highest grossing movie of all time, after being narrowly dethroned by the re-release of James Cameron’s “Avatar”. Notably, it is not the only Marvel film people around the world saw in droves: “Avengers: Infinity War” is fifth in terms of box office earnings, and the first “The Avengers” movie ranks 8th. The dollar signs speak for themselves – it’s not just geeks who are all over superheroes today.

Although “Endgame” brought a sense of finality to the MCU, Marvel is not slowing down – it was only the end of Phase 3, and we are already well into Phase 4 with the release of “Black Widow” and the many streaming titles being released on Disney+. Each series is dedicated to developing fan-favourite side characters, and these have been a hit for the platform, both in drawing in subscribers – and in drawing critical acclaim. The June release of “Loki” coincided with Disney+’s biggest increase in mobile app downloads among major streamers, with a 39% increase in the week ending 27th June, and an 11% increase in streaming sessions, according to Bloomberg’s Apptopia data, and in general Disney+ is currently chipping away at Netflix’s dominance in the streaming space. It definitely takes a bit of a geek to want to watch a multi-episode series about a villain or a supporting character who didn’t get their own feature length movie, and clearly there is no shortage of those out there. They also come in all shapes and sizes – at KI we have interviewed children as young as 6 who report enjoying watching Marvel series with their parents.

To put it simply: superheroes are cool now. And it’s not just the MCU. The “DC Extended Universe” may not have taken off in the same way, but television’s “Arrowverse” definitely has its own very loyal following. Superhero movies and TV shows, like “Logan” or HBO’s “Watchmen”, have received prestigious accolades. Comic book brands are no longer “for kids” or “for geeks” – everyone knows these stories and characters, including their mother, father and brother. Once upon a time everyone knew that Superman was the super strong guy, now everyone has an opinion on where they stand in the Captain America vs Iron Man conflict in “Civil War”. There is something for everyone in comic book stories, from a bit of good old fashioned fisticuffs, in-depth character conflict, to comedy and teenage high school hijinks. Many of today’s superhero stories are also more diverse and more relatable; everyone is bound to find a type of superhero they can enjoy.

To an extent the appeal of comic book movies also translates to other expressions of fandom. Parts of the “geek” industry have seen growth, from collectable merchandise like Funko POP! action figures (Funko reports growth every year and quarter, with the POP! line specifically most recently seeing growth of 33% in US and Europe in the first quarter of 2021), to events (the San Diego Comic Con attracts upwards of 130 thousand attendees every year). Similarly, one would expect this to translate to comic books – and many in the industry do cite MCU’s success as the reason for the U-turn in the decline in comic sales post-1993 (i.e. when the comic book bubble burst – but that’s a story for another day). In the 2010s, comic book sales in the US alone crossed the $1 billion mark in 2015, and grew to a $1.2 billion peak in 2019. However according to retailers the ‘movie-lover-to-comic-reader’ conversion is difficult, and hasn’t been all that successful. Yes, more people come into stores and give comics a try, but they also stick to content that is as close to the adaptation as possible. The industry has seen boosts and has seen increased sales related directly to trending storylines or characters – but the bottom line is this: we might collectively be comic book movie geeks, but we’re not quite comic book geeks (yet).

Similarly to superheroes, once upon a time interest in anime and manga may have been limited to people known as “otakus” or “weebs”, but in the year 2021 things could not be more different once again. The anime industry is worth over $20 billion today, with overseas markets accounting for half of the Japanese animation industry’s profits according to the Association of Japanese Animations. In 2019 the industry reached an all time high of $24 billion, with the overseas market valued at around $11 billion – a 19% increase on 2018, and almost a fivefold increase from 2009. These numbers include everything from animation itself (TV and film), to music, and merchandise, with the latter alone being worth over $5.2 billion globally. The dollar signs don’t lie – they’re all pointing East. Not only are we geeks, we’re also otakus.

Data from various streaming services further backs up the data on anime’s growth. According to the specialist anime streamer Crunchyroll’s data, a whopping 8 in 10 people today watch anime, and the platform has felt this. During last year’s Festival of Licensing the platform boasted of nine consecutive years of record sales (the site doesn’t just offer anime, but also manga and merchandise), and in February 2021 the site had hit 4 million paying subscribers, alongside over 100 million registered users, having grown its paid memberships by 33% in the space of just six months. In December 2020 news emerged regarding a possible monumental merger worth almost $1.2 billion in which Crunchyroll would be acquired by another anime giant: Sony’s Funimation. The deal is still up in the air, but if the deal goes through, it will lead to the creation of a veritable anime giant.

Anime isn’t just something found on niche platforms however; regular mainstream players recognise the power of anime too. In 2020 Netflix reported that more than 100 million households across the globe had watched at least one anime title on the platform between January and September, an increase by 50% from the year before, and that anime titles had appeared in top 10 lists in nearly 100 countries. The company has a Tokyo-based team dedicated to anime production and is regularly producing new content as well as acquiring new titles. Just as an example, earlier this year they released a well-received two-part Sailor Moon movie “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Eternal”, and August will see the release of “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf”, an anime prequel to the live-action fantasy “The Witcher” series based on the Polish hit-books-turned-hit-video-games (now how’s that for layers of geekiness?)

Of course, the best known titles today are still the likes of Pokémon, Naruto, Studio Ghibli movies, but people are broadening their horizons. This exploration does not end with animation – manga sales were at an all time record high in 2020. Based on NPD’s BookScan data, across the 20 top selling adult graphic novels in the US in October 2020, 17 were manga titles. One of the biggest hits of today took the top three spots: My Hero Academia, a shōnen superhero-themed series popular with teenagers. This year an ever hotter commodity is the supernatural series Jujutsu Kaisen, particularly following the release of its anime adaptation; as of May this year it has 50 million copies in circulation, it has had successful brand collaborations including Uniqlo, and has topped the list of Japan’s most lucrative franchises of 2021 so far.

Anime and manga are popular enough in the English-speaking world that an element of fandom never previously accessible to these audiences is finally being opened up to them as well. This summer, for the first time ever, stage adaptations of popular anime will be streamed online with English subtitles for non-Japanese speaking audiences. These musical stage productions, also known as “2.5 dimensional musicals”, are a big part of manga, anime and video game fandom in Japan, but overseas audiences haven’t been able to engage with them officially until now. In August musical adaptations of Naruto, Sailor Moon and My Hero Academia will be streaming as part of a special online theatre event.

Geek culture has undoubtedly morphed and evolved over time, and the 21st century has seen it become – for all intents and purposes – pop culture, with previously “geek” franchises and fandoms becoming your standard, everyday, blockbuster fare. How “geek” evolves from this point on, we are yet to see – but it is definitely here to stay. It has made its place in the media landscape and it is seeping into trends everywhere. Geek franchises have bastions of fans, and they’re primed and ready to discover new titles and brands that align with their tastes. It is official: we have all become geeks (probably without even realising it).

Disney brings Marvel and Star Wars into its adaptive roleplay and wheelchair cover sets

Disney has added a new line up of adaptive roleplay kids’ costumes and wheelchair cover set to a range it launched last year, bolstering its inclusive play lines with the addition of costumes inspired by Marvel Studio’s Black Panther, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and a The Mandalorian Wheelchair cover set.

The new line-up joins the previously launched adaptive costumes inspired by Disney Princess and Pixar characters that were created in collaboration with Disguise in 2020.

These adaptive features allow fans who use wheelchairs and have other accessibility needs to transform into some of their favorite characters across the Disney portfolio. Also available now on shopDisney.com, is a robust Halloween 2021 lineup including costumes for adults, kids and pets.

“I’m thrilled that through the expansion of our Adaptive Roleplay collection, we can further connect our iconic franchises with fans and families worldwide through thoughtful design that allows everyone to take part in their favorite stories and worlds – from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther to Star Wars: The Mandalorian,” said Stephanie Young, president of Consumer Products, Games and Publishing.

“With today’s announcement, we’re better able to meet the needs of more of our Guests, and we’re excited to see this inspired collection continue to grow.”

The costumes are designed with stretch fabric that opens in the back for front entry only to allow for more accessible dressing. The adaptive line is open in the rear and has longer length inseams for wheelchair-friendly wear. The costumes also have flap openings on the front center with self-stick fabric closure to accommodate tube access.

Meanwhile, the wheelchair cover sets fit most standard wheelchairs with 24-inch wheels and come with supportive plastic piping pieces for added stability and long self-stick fabric strips to help keep the pieces in place. It is advised that the wheelchair is operated by a helper when the cover set is attached.

The 2021 Halloween assortment includes costumes inspired by all-new releases like Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon and Marvel Studios’ Wanda Vision, as well as Halloween classics like Hocus Pocus, Haunted Mansion, and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Additionally, the lineup features all new clothing, accessories, and decor featuring Disney’s notorious Villains characters, Marvel’s elite heroes, and more.