No. 12 - Winter 2022

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ISSUE NO. 12

IN THIS

ISSUE

FEATURES

14 | WITH GREAT FANDOM COMES GREAT COLLECTABILITY Exploring the Merch for Spider-Man: No Way Home

DEPARTMENTS

9 | FROM THE EDITORS We’re Feelin’ ‘22

10 | NERDY NEWS

20 | BACK TO THE CON

The Latest Headlines in Pop Culture and Collectibles

How the Producers of New York Comic Con Got Fans Back on the Show Floor

12 | STAT SHOT

WITH REEDPOP

24 | SHOW ME THE GOODS: MUST-HAVE MERCH A Sneak Peek at the Hottest Merch Coming in 2022

28 | SHOW ME THE GOODS: GAMES & PUZZLES

Licensed Board Games and Puzzles to Add to Your Collection

57 | THE MAGIC OF MINALIMA Meet the dynamic designers who helped create the Wizarding World.

Chart-topping Movies, Video Games, and Collectibles

18 | GEEK BOSS

Meet Funko’s new CEO, Andrew Perlmutter.

60 | MERCH MAKERS

Wrebbit3D celebrates 30 years.

62 | COSPLAY CORNER

How TikTok Gave Cosplayers a Community

66 | FLAUNT YOUR FANDOM

You’re going to need a bigger closet for these fandom-inspired finds.

68| MINT CONDITION Small is the new big.

70 | THE REWIND

A Look Back at the History of the “World’s Biggest Toy Store,” Toys “R” Us

72 | LEVEL UP

Virtual Reality: A Peek Inside the Metaverse

SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE POP INSIDER!

POP JUNIOR / 39

40 | NEXT-GEN NEWS

The Latest in Kids’ Merch, Toys, and More

42 | THE PINT-SIZE SCIENTIST WITH GIANT-SIZE CURIOSITY* Ada Twist, Scientist celebrates the wonders of everyday science.

44 | SHOW ME THE GOODS: KIDS’ MERCH

Toys and More from the Hottest Properties in Kids’ Entertainment On the Cover: Mitchel Wu Toy Photography | mitchelwutoyphotography.com Marvel Legends Series Integrated Suit Spider-Man 6-inch Collectible Action Figure (Hasbro)

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FROM THE EDITORS

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CEO Laurie Schacht laurie@popinsider.com PUBLISHER Jackie Breyer jackie@popinsider.com EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ali Mierzejewski ali@popinsider.com Marissa Silva marissa@popinsider.com SENIOR EDITORS Madeleine Buckley madeleine@popinsider.com Jacqueline Cucco jc@popinsider.com Maddie Michalik maddie@popinsider.com James Zahn james@popinsider.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Hannah Sacks hannah@popinsider.com Nicole Savas nicole@popinsider.com ART DIRECTOR Joe Ibraham joe@popinsider.com JUNIOR DESIGNER Elena Sorce elena@popinsider.com PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Bill Reese bill@popinsider.com DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING James Devin jd@popinsider.com SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE Stephanie Infantino stephanie@popinsider.com EDITORIAL INTERNS Madison Eubanks • Danielle Farina Khue Nguyen

Follow us @thepopinsider!

THE POP INSIDER, Winter 2022 — “THE POP INSIDER” (ISSN-2641-5496) is published quarterly by Adventure Media & Events, LLC, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 501, New York, New York, 10001. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY 10001 and additional mailing offices. © 2022 Adventure Media & Events, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in U.S.A. Subscription rates: $48 per year. THE POP INSIDER is a trademark and service mark of Adventure Media & Events, LLC registered in the United States Patent & Trademark Office Postmaster: Send address changes to THE POP INSIDER, c/o Adventure Media & Events, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 501, New York, New York, 10001 or e-mail bill@popinsider.com.

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WE’RE FEELIN’ ‘22

Let there be cons, collectibles, and a lot less COVID-19.

A

nyone wonder if there’s an alternate reality in the multiverse where the pandemic never happened? We’d like to move there, no matter who their Spider-Man is.

In our reality, it’s been two years since the onset of COVID-19. We are still masking up, getting those booster shots, and anxiously awaiting news about whether or not our favorite cons, trade shows, and other events are taking place.

While our hearts break with every cancellation, things have certainly felt at least a little bit more normal over the last year. Movie theaters reopened, and we got to see three iterations of Spider-Men hug on the big screen. Some cons were back on, including New York Comic Con, and we got to hunt down exclusives on the show floor again. And despite massive supply chain issues and disruptions, tons of incredible new collectibles hit store shelves, and some of us even finally got our hands on PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X consoles.

And there’s a lot more geeky goodness on the horizon for 2022, as fans hold out hope for a great year.

Funko has brought more than 1,000 fandoms to the display shelves with its Pop! Vinyl collectibles, and now, there’s a new geek boss in town: Get to know CEO Andrew Perlmutter on page 18.

Craving more collectibles? Wrebbit3D keeps fans busy with its fandom-infused 3D puzzles, and this year, the company is celebrating 30 years of fun. Learn about what’s in store for the milestone anniversary on page 60 (and don’t forget to check out their latest Harry Potter puzzle addition). Speaking of the Wizarding World, we caught up with MinaLima, the dynamic duo behind tons of your favorite Harry Potter designs. See what goes into creating the Marauder’s Map, Pumpkin Juice logos, and more on page 57.

Even though some trade shows and events are getting the ax again this year, other shows will still go on (much like our hearts). We chatted with ReedPop, producers of C2E2 in Chicago, Emerald

City Comic Con in Seattle, and New York Comic Con, about how they worked hard to bring back our favorite events of the year. Read more on page 20.

While there are so many awesome new events, movies, TV shows, and collectibles coming out for adults to enjoy, kids have some pretty sweet stuff to look forward to as well. Check out our showcase of new toys, games, and books that pint-sized fans will love on page 44. *Life* has been challenging the last two years, to say the least. But as fans, we continue to unite around our favorite fandoms, finding joy where we can.

Slowly but surely, we’ll get back to prepping for cons, wearing superhero masks instead of KN95s, and attending every single possible midnight movie premiere.

Until then, we hope you enjoy this issue, and we look forward to seeing you again in person soon! ✪

ABOUT THE EDITORS:

Ali Mierzejewski and Marissa Silva are editors-in-chief of the Pop Insider and the Toy Insider. They report on trends affecting the toy and pop culture industries, including the latest in TV, movies, video games, collectibles, and more. They have been featured on ABC World News Now, Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, MSNBC, Fox Business, and dozens more. Follow them on Twitter @ohsotrendy and @thattoygirl.

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Read more at thepopinsider.com

NERDY NEWS compiled by Madeleine Buckley, senior editor

Source: Marvel Studios

MARVEL STUDIOS’ ‘MOON KNIGHT’ GETS FIRST TRAILER, RELEASE DATE Last month, Marvel Studios debuted the trailer for its upcoming live-action series Moon Knight, along with an accompanying poster and a release date.

The trailer gives fans a first look at Steven Grant (Oscar Isaac) who can’t tell the difference between dreams and reality. Unfortunately, strange voices in his head and frequent blackouts aren’t the worst of his problems: It turns out that Grant shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. Once a mere gift shop employee, Grant is now plunged into a chaotic mystery among the gods of Egypt.

The series — which also stars Ethan Hawke and May Calamawy — is set to debut on March 30, exclusively on Disney+. ✪

‘KINGDOM HEARTS’ COMES TO THE NINTENDO SWITCH FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY As part of Square Enix and Disney’s celebration of Kingdom Hearts’ 20th anniversary, four Kingdom Hearts titles are available to play now on Nintendo Switch systems via cloud.

As announced last October, these titles include three standalone releases — Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind (DLC) — as well as the all-in-one Kingdom Hearts Series Collection for Cloud. Featuring 10 Kingdom Hearts experiences, these titles span the full saga of Sora’s exploits so far, from his emergence as a Keyblade wielder in the original game to his climactic battle with the forces of darkness in Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind (DLC).

The cloud version games officially launched on Feb. 10. ✪

NERF LMTD Boba Fett EE-3 Blaster | Source: Hasbro

NERF LMTD LAUNCHES A DETAILED BOBA FETT BLASTER FOR WOULD-BE BOUNTY HUNTERS The latest addition to Hasbro’s NERF LMTD collection is Boba Fett’s EE-3 Blaster, a collector-grade replica of the blaster seen in the Disney+ Star Wars series The Book of Boba Fett.

The 30-inch blaster includes three drums — each with a four-dart capacity — and 12 NERF Elite darts. It also features an electronic scope with an illuminated lens and makes Star Wars-inspired blaster sounds. The blaster comes fully assembled in display-worthy packaging that features Fett’s iconic red-and-green Mandalorian helmet.

This blaster is only available for preorder through March 31 on Hasbro Pulse and Amazon. It is expected to ship next spring, around March 2023. ✪

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LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will feature a large cast of characters from all nine of the main Star Wars movies. | Source: Warner Bros. Games

‘LEGO STAR WARS: THE SKYWALKER SAGA’ GETS A RELEASE DATE, GAME TRAILER

TIANA, AURORA JOIN THE DISNEY DESIGNER DOLL COLLECTION Last April, Disney kicked off the Ultimate Princess Celebration, a year-long event honoring the studio’s beloved heroines. As part of the celebration, Disney launched the Disney Designer Doll collection, a line of collectible dolls featuring Disney princesses in original, high-fashion-inspired designs.

The first doll, Princess Jasmine, debuted in October. Since then, Mulan, Ariel, and Pocahontas have joined the line, which will ultimately feature 15 dolls in total.

The latest princesses to join the collection are Aurora and Tiana, who will be depicted with her natural hair for the first time. Each doll is available on shopDisney.com for $129.99. ✪

Back in 2017, development studio TT Games embarked on a project that would encompass all nine titles in the main Star Wars film series. Five years — and many postponed release dates — later, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is finally set to hit stores on April 5, promising to be the biggest and most visually striking LEGO Star Wars video game yet.

In the game, players can explore nine arenas, each one based on a different Star Wars episode, complete with many iconic battles seen in the films. The game will also feature new combat mechanics, including improved blaster controls, and a new Mumble Mode, which replaces all voices in the game with mumbles.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available to preorder now from a variety of major retailers for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles. ✪ The Disney Designer Doll collection | Source: shopDisney

WARNER BROS. DEBUTS AN EXTENSIVE MERCH LINEUP FOR ‘THE BATMAN’ The largest collection of Batman-film-inspired products seen in more than a decade is hitting shelves in anticipation of Warner Bros. The Batman, which will debut in theaters on March 4.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with an extensive list of merch manufacturers for products based on the movie, including long-time DC collaborators such as Spin Master, Funko, LEGO, McFarlane Toys, and Jada Toys.

Other partnerships include Carhartt, Fossil, BoxLunch, House of Sillage, and Oreo for products ranging across the fashion, home goods, food, collectibles, and accessories categories. ✪ Pop! Movies The Batman Funko Pop! | Source: Funko

TWEETERHEAD COLLECTIBLES ARE NOW AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT SIDESHOW.COM Starting this year, all collectibles from manufacturer Tweeterhead will be available exclusively from Sideshow via sideshow.com.

Established in 2012, Tweeterhead is best known for its series of detailed, 1:6-scale DC Comics maquettes. Along with the reveal of this Sideshow partnership, Tweeterhead announced that it will expand its DC Comics offerings to include 1:4-scale collectibles. The first of Tweeterhead’s Sideshow-exclusive, 1:4-scale maquettes depicts Wonder Woman brandishing her shield and either her sword or spear.

Tweeterhead’s full product line includes collectibles, statues, and maquettes inspired by Masters of the Universe, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and more. ✪

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FANDOM FEATURE

Exploring the Merch for Spider-Man: No Way Home

T

he evening of Dec. 16, 2021, moviegoers and comic book lovers around the world packed into cinemas — many masked, and many for the first time in more than two years — to see a live-action comic book adventure 20 years in the making.

Those audiences got to experience a moment of movie history together, as (spoiler alert, I suppose we must say) actors Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland appeared on screen together, all reprising the role of Peter Parker in Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Following months of anticipation, rumors, and fan theories, the ambitious crossover paid off at the box office, becoming — at the time of writing — the sixth-highest grossing movie of all time.

To achieve the level of anticipation

by Madeleine Buckley, senior editor that Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios wanted for No Way Home, the movie was shrouded in a level of secrecy perhaps only matched by 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. That means the consumer products for No Way Home had to focus on very few known elements of the movie: mostly Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, his friends, and Doctor Strange.

Without being able to tap into the multiverse elements of the film, many collectibles companies leaned into the multiple suits that Holland’s Peter Parker would wear throughout the movie. Some suits, like the Iron Spider Armor, were familiar to fans. Others — namely the black-and-gold suit that was made into a Jumbo Funko Pop!, a Hot Toys 1:6-scale figure, and a Marvel Legends figure — were more of a mystery.

Andy Smith, public relations manager for Sideshow.com, says the multiple suits

in the movie — and consequently in the collectibles — mirror the journey Peter Parker has been on since Captain America: Civil War. “In the cinematic universe, we’ve seen Peter grow just as his suits have evolved — from his homemade costume to his first Stark Industries suit, complete with ‘training wheels protocol,’ to his epic Iron Spider Armor and beyond,” Smith says. “For us as collectors, it’s a thrill to be able to own and display all these incredible suits and to geek out over the intricate details that we may have missed watching the action in the movie theaters.”

Jason Bischoff, the director of global licensing and business development at Funko — and a Spider-Man fan himself — says that making Pop! figures for the new suits was an obvious step for Funko. “Funko exists at the crossroads of ‘everyone’s favorite stuff.’ How could we not be there

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to support Spidey and his fans at this critical moment in time?” says Bischoff, who also highlights Funko’s commitment to not spoiling things for its fans. “But seriously, No Way Home is chock-full of adventure and newness, not the least of which are Spidey’s incredible suits. That gave us a great platform to start.”

The prerelease merchandise for No Way Home also leaned into Spider-Man’s legacy, both within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and beyond. LEGO, for example, released a series of building sets with No Way Home branding that re-created scenes from Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), in addition to a “Spider-Man at the Sanctum Workshop” set that actually took inspiration from No Way Home.

According to LEGO Senior Design Manager Jesper Nielsen, the purpose of these throwback sets was two-fold.

First, and perhaps most obviously, these sets avoided spoiling anything about No Way Home for fans. But he says they also allow fans — especially kids — to revisit and reimagine their favorite Spider-Man moments. “Naturally, a movie timeline is dynamic and much can be done in the editing room,” Nielsen says. “Our editing room is the kid’s room, where stories can take yet another unexpected turn.”

And there is certainly plenty of Spider-Man history to tap into outside of Tom Holland’s portrayal, too. In the months leading up to No Way Home’s debut, plenty of more generic Spider-Man products became available, including a collection of Spider-Man drinkware from Corkcicle (as part of its larger Marvel collection); Spider-Man Vol. 1. 1962–1964, a hardcover anthology from Taschen that features the first 21 Spider-Man comic book stories; and a collection of Spider-Man apparel from Her Universe.

And the fan demand for all things Spidey was certainly strong, according to Diamond Select Toys (DST) Marketing Supervisor Zach Oat. In addition to a shopDisney-exclusive Marvel Select No Way Home figure of Spider-Man’s black-and-gold suit, DST offers a wide variety of other Spider-Man collectibles,

including busts, dioramas, and statues inspired by Spider-Man comics, video games, and more. Oat says the company saw a definitive increase in demand for all things Spider-Man leading up to the release of No Way Home. “We’ve been selling out on our website, just because everyone loves Spidey,” he says.

So why is it that fans and collectors love this web-slinging hero so much?

Oat emphasizes the character’s down-toEarth, human experience. “He’s not rich like Iron Man, a god like Thor, or an aloof surgeon like Doctor Strange,” he says.

“He’s just a kid from Queens who lost his parents and lives in an apartment with his aunt. Plus, his costume is one of the coolest ever designed. In comics, that counts for a lot.”

Bischoff also credits the talented teams who have made the hero’s journey

LEFT PAGE: Left to Right: Spider-Man Black and Gold Suit Pop! Vinyl Figure (Funko); Marvel Legends Black and Gold Suit Spider-Man Action Figure (Hasbro); Spider-Man Integrated Suit Pop! Vinyl Figure (Funko)

THIS PAGE: Top to Bottom: Marvel Select Spider-Man Special Collector Edition Action Figure (Diamond Select Toys); Spider-Man at the Sanctum Workshop (LEGO); Marvel Legends Integrated Suit Spider-Man Action Figure (Hasbro)

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FANDOM FEATURE

"For us, it’s about finding the right products that bring the epic nature of this latest adventure to life in the most authentic way possible so that everyone can engage with the story and its characters long after the credits roll."

— Paul Gitter, Marvel Licensing

so compelling. “The creatives working on Spider-Man films, series, comics, and everything else are master storytellers, and those stories are bigger than any one beat in time,” he says. “Brand affinity for Spider-Man has been on a steady incline for years with broadening consumer appeal, and we’re excited to be part of that story going into this year’s plans.”

But what are those plans exactly?

That’s still a secret. At the time of writing, most companies are still staying tightlipped about any No Way Home products that may be yet to come, as fans eagerly await merchandise featuring the multiple Spider-Men and multidimensional villains that truly skyrocketed No Way Home to its record-breaking success. (As with many well-kept cinematic secrets, production of action figures and other merchandise featuring key reveals for this movie was likely held off in an attempt to prevent leaks.)

Now, a slow trickle of spoiler-filled merch is finally making its way to virtual shelves, starting with on-demand T-shirts from shopDisney that feature all three Spider-Men, the lineup of multiverse villains, and Matt Murdock (Daredevil), who also made an appearance in the film.

Rock ‘em Socks, too, has some multiverse merch offerings available, perhaps most notably a pair of socks with an illustration of the three Spider-Men and the phrase “I love you guys,” which pays homage to a touching — and, according to Andrew Garfield, improvised — moment from the end of No Way Home.

Although they couldn’t comment on additional No Way Home merch specifically, Hasbro’s marketing team notes that the Marvel Legends line has a long

history with Spider-Man movies, starting with Spider-Man 3 back in 2007, and that the collection often revisits old Marvel movies for new collectibles. “Almost anything is possible in the future…” says a representative for the team. “As fans ourselves, we look forward to tackling the future — and perhaps the past — of Spider-Man!” And fans can be sure that Marvel is hard at work, too. Paul Gitter, senior vice president of Marvel licensing, says the team is constantly evolving its Spider-Man products and experiences to resonate with both new and long-time Spidey fans. “For us, it’s about finding the right products that bring the epic nature of this latest adventure to life in the most authentic way possible so that everyone can engage with the story and its characters long after the credits roll,” he says.

As Tom Holland said when speaking to Marvel.com about No Way Home, this movie celebrates three generations of cinema. As fans continue to enjoy the spectacle of No Way Home, and as the iconic superhero swings into his 60th anniversary celebration this year, we may be looking at our most Spidey-filled year yet. And we can’t wait. ✪

Some of the multiverse merchandise already revealed for No Way Home includes a “The Multiverse is Real” shirt from shopDisney, and a selection of socks featuring all three SpiderMen from Rock ‘Em Socks. To celebrate Matt Murdock’s cameo in the film, there is a “I’m a Really Good Lawyer” T-shirt from shopDisney and matching socks from Rock ‘Em Socks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Madeleine Buckley is a senior editor at the Pop Insider, where she enjoys covering the latest trends in pop culture and the coolest new merch releases that come with them. She is a movie score enthusiast, a mediocre knitter, and a frequent moviegoer. Her favorite thing to do is rewatch Marvel movies while snuggling with her super pup, Parker.

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GEEK BOSS

Andrew Perlmutter makes the move to CEO as Funko takes over the world.

by Jackie Cucco, senior editor

R

emember the moment when Dobby receives a sock in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? There’s a Funko Pop! for that. How about when Jack Torrance freezes his tushy off in The Shining?

There’s a Funko Pop! for that. Have you seen the episode of Schitt’s Creek when David and Moira fold in the cheese, or the episode of Stranger Things when Eleven Jack Torrance Funko Pop! unleashes her powers on a Source: Funko Demogorgon for the first time? Well, you guessed it: There are Funko Pops! for those, too.

Funko immortalizes iconic pop culture moments through fandom-specific collectibles that range from vinyl figures — such as the big-headed Funko Pops! — and plush characters to board games, backpacks, greeting cards, NFTs, and more. The company also powers the Loungefly, Funko Games, and Digital Pop! brands, allowing entertainment enthusiasts to display their favorite fandoms through the lens of Funko products in multiple mediums. This year brings even more growth to Funko as Andrew Perlmutter steps into the role of CEO.

MOVING ON UP

As Funko ballooned into a reputable pop culture company over the past decade, Perlmutter played a key role in getting the products into more stores

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Andrew Perlmutter | Source: Funko

and helping grow the brand in new ways when he officially joined the team in 2013 as senior vice president of sales, followed by a promotion to president in 2017. This past January, he transitioned to CEO as former CEO Brian Mariotti migrated to the newly created role of chief creative officer to focus on new product innovation and more fan-centric areas of the business.

Perlmutter was first introduced to Mariotti in 2010 at the New York Toy Fair trade show, where he helped connect Funko with Barnes & Noble. It was Mariotti who asked the Chicago native to move from Nashville to Seattle to run sales for the company in 2013, and Perlmutter says he made the leap because he believed in Mariotti and saw something special in Funko. Over the years, he worked handin-hand with Mariotti, saying, “We’re kindred spirits in a lot of ways.”

As Perlmutter takes on his new leadership position, he says that his No. 1 job is to keep Funko fans happy. “The brand has a very special, unique connection with the community of fans that make us who we are. That, to me, is the most special secret sauce that you can’t re-create — that magic of Funko and the fact that we’re so interactive with our community.”

It’s not just one community, either: Funko’s products cover more than 1,000 licensed properties. Through its massive library of IPs and constant stream of new releases, the company caters to what seems like every

fandom under the sun across multiple genres, including comic books, superheroes, sci-fi, sports, horror, anime, video games, movies, TV, theme parks, retro toys, and more. “I think that’s the other really special part about who Funko is,” Perlmutter says. “It’s a collection of communities that come together to create this really unique ecosystem that is Funko.”

LIFELONG FAN

A lot of people who work for Funko are also passionate fans themselves, and this new CEO is no exception. Perlmutter lives and breathes pop culture and like many people, he has a soft spot for the fandoms he grew up with — especially Star Wars. Both his father and grandfather worked in the toy industry, and his father often brought him home sneak peeks of the hottest toys. Looking back on when his geek culture first started, he recalls one specific Christmas morning in 1983 when he woke up to two giant boxes under the tree. He dug into one of them and revealed an entire set of Return of the Jedi action figures. “I was like ‘That’s the best Christmas present ever!’” he says. Then he ripped into the second box and it was the same exact thing. Perlmutter’s dad had gotten the toys from an industry friend, and his mom wrapped them up without looking inside. “The reason why I don’t open up all of my toys today — I’m one of those guys: I don’t take toys out of the box — is because I opened

Dobby Funko Pop! | Source: Funko

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up both boxes of Return of the Jedi figures,” Perlmutter says. “Had I kept one or my parents kept one up in the attic, it would be amazing right now.”

He knows exactly how Funko fans feel about their beloved collections, because he’s a collector himself. “I’ve got some pretty good collections of retro toys that I had when I was a kid,” Perlmutter says, citing G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe, and Star Wars. “I try to re-create that youth through buying toys that I had as a kid and then putting them on display because all of my friends who were in my same sort-of youth group come in and then they’re like ‘Oh man, I had that!’ and then we kind of nerd-out for 30 minutes talking about all the great toys we had when we were kids.”

Perhaps he’s haunted by his Return of the Jedi Christmas story, because he also admits to being obsessed with collecting not only retro toys, but also the original packaging. “There have been times when I’ve gone on eBay just to buy the box.

I’m looking at one right now,” he says, describing Dewback and Jabba the Hutt figures from Star Wars, as well as G.I. Joe battle armor. “I’ve got all these boxes that I’ve acquired over time. I’ve got closets full of [them].”

PUMP UP THE PASSION

Funko always had a high level of interaction with the fan community, and Perlmutter credits that to fan events like Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC). Frequent convention-goers know that Funko is usually the star of the show with elaborate booths and sought-after exclusives that fans are willing to wait hours on end to secure. Perlmutter says comic cons are like Christmas for him and he attends SDCC, Emerald City Comic Con, and New York Comic Con whenever he can, although many convention plans were disrupted over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The sales are great, the market expansion and new territory geographically is great, but when you go to comic cons and you sit

down with these fans who are so excited and passionate about what we do, that’s really what it’s about,” he says.

Perlmutter marvels that fans have been passionate enough to create their own Funko wedding cakes and even brand themselves with Funko tattoos over the years, and that enthusiasm is what makes the job so much fun. “I remember hearing about a marketing campaign where some company paid someone to get a tattoo, and Brian and I laugh about that because there are people in our community who get tattoos on their own because they love our brand.”

SCOUTING OUT NEW FANS

As crucial as the hardcore devotees are, it’s important to introduce the brand to new fans as well. Funko recently teamed up with Lucasfilm to debut a Funko Pop!-inspired Grogu balloon to 25 million viewers at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — marking the first time Funko or Star Wars has ever appeared in the parade. Grogu’s inaugural flight was supplemented with a limited-edition collection of products based on the balloon, including Funko Pop! Bobbleheads, a Pop! keychain, and apparel.

Perlmutter believes that the Grogu balloon was the hit of the parade — and many families that were “oohing” and “aahing” over the inflatable Baby Yoda agreed. Funko brings a fresh perspective to things that have been around for a while, like an American holiday tradition that people have been celebrating for almost a century.

“There’s that quintessential Funko magic that we brought,” Perlmutter says.

“If you go up to people on the street and ask them about Funko, they’ll look at you with a funny face. They’ll say, ‘Oh yeah, they make those big-headed dolls, right?’ That’s the brand opportunity, in my opinion.” Opportunities like that help introduce new people to Funko. “That’s the perfect example. We exposed the brand to a lot of people who have never seen it before.”

Star Wars Return of the Jedi Funko Pops! | Source: Funko

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Funko products based on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Grogu float | Source: Funko

Part of Perlmutter’s new role is to pull more people into the Funko community, growing the market both internationally and domestically, and rolling out more localized content in different areas of the world based on what IPs are popular there. This year, Funko will expand with new product lines that will help the brand reach different communities in the same way that Funko Games brought in the gaming community with licensed board games and Loungefly hooked fashion enthusiasts with backpacks and apparel.

Funko’s newest endeavors include the Gold launch featuring vinyl figures of musicians and athletes from the NFL and the NBA, and the Walmart-exclusive debut of Popsies — giftable figures that will take the company into the greeting card aisle for the first time.

Mariotti says he’s excited to watch Perlmutter step into the CEO role. “Not to be cliché with a Hamilton reference, but he’s been my right-hand man for many years and there’s no one better suited to take Funko through its next phase of growth.”

From big events like comic cons and parades to securing real estate on desks and bedside tables, Funko is taking over the world one fandom at a time — and Perlmutter is excited to be at the helm of it all. ✪ ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jackie Cucco is a senior editor at Adventure Media & Events. She covers toy trends, reviews, and entertainment news for the Pop Insider, the Toy Book, and the Toy Insider. After her Tamagotchis finally go to sleep for the night, you can catch her binge-watching horror movies in the dark. Visit her on Instagram @saucyjac and say hello to her pet bunny Peepers @thebigpeep.

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FANDOM FEATURE

Back to the con with

reedpop How the Producers of New York Comic Con, C2E2, and Emerald City Comic Con Got Fans Back on the Show Floor

The show floor entrance at New York Comic Con in 2021 Source: Bryan Bedder (Getty Images for ReedPop)

by Madeleine Buckley, senior editor

T

here’s nothing quite like the electricity that fills the room when a beloved group of actors and creators take the stage for a major panel at New York Comic Con. It’s hard to replicate the thrill that comes from walking around the show floor, greeting so many fellow fans who love pop culture just as much as you do, and snapping photos of amazing cosplay. Yet, those moments were suddenly gone in 2020, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following a year with virtually zero in-person fan conventions, 2021 became a time of uncertainty for ReedPop, the company that produces fan events including New York Comic Con (NYCC), Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), and C2E2.

ReedPop was ultimately able to host all three of those shows in the latter part of the year, but not without overcoming a variety of challenges and finding a new

normal that would keep attendees safe and healthy. We chatted with ReedPop’s Event Director Kristina Rogers and Vice President Mike Armstrong about working in the convention business over the past two years, bringing back in-person cons, and more.

The Pop Insider: It’s been a really intense two years for fan conventions.

How would you describe the experience in five words?

Kristina Rogers: I love this industry. I was going to insert a swear here to make it five, but my dad reads my interviews (Hi, Dad!). “Really intense” is a good phrase for it. It was heartbreaking to cancel our shows, to have our livelihoods taken away overnight. Getting to work on bringing them back, even with how difficult it was from every possible angle, was an absolute blessing. The alternative was —

and still is — unthinkable to me. It got to a depressing low during the summer of 2020 when I eyed a grocery store’s queue and seriously contemplated fixing it for them just to have something “eventsy” to do again.

PI: Were there any points in time when you worried that NYCC, ECCC, or C2E2 wouldn’t be able to happen in 2021?

KR: For sure. We immediately moved all our events to the last half of 2021 to do our best to avoid it, but the whole year I was glued to case trends, and every variant that popped up immediately headlined my stress dreams. I was never 100% confident, but I was 100% confident we were doing everything we possibly could to have [an event] safely.

At some point, you’ve just got to let go and know you can’t actually control what you can’t control.

PI: You were able to have a few in-person conventions during the latter half

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of 2021. Can you describe how it felt to be back in person?

KR: Really intense. I’m not typically emotionally expressive, but last year I cried during every show open and a few times when we closed. Our con community is so passionate and supportive, just being together again was invigorating and exciting and every other nice word you can think of, I’m so grateful we could do it.

PI: What have been some of the biggest challenges in starting to return to in-person fan conventions, both in terms of safety and general operations?

KR: The biggest challenge has been centered around our health and safety policies. Creating them took a village and implementing them took a city. We made the decision to go above and beyond local guidelines, because we wanted to be as safe as possible, and that took a lot from every part of the team.

But honestly, everything has been a challenge. We executed six shows in 12 weeks. That is next-level madness. Our content team had to completely redesign how we build shows, since so many companies that typically bring content weren’t allowing their teams to travel and guests were unavailable. Our marketing team had the hard job of educating tens of thousands of people on our new health and safety procedures on top of their normal work, we had last-minute floorplan changes and tech issues and just … literally everything you could think of that goes into a show was exceptionally harder.

It’s a fantastic thing, on the one hand, because everyone on the team became that much better at what they do and I already considered them the best in the business, but as I write this after our last show of the year, we are a pretty exhausted group of folks, not gonna lie. Please send naps.

PI: Speaking of safety, widening aisles and leaving more space between booths for social distancing is one thing, but how did you strategize ways to make panels and meet-and-greets work in person again? How were these changes received by fans?

KR: Panels we handled similarly to the floor. We held less per day, spaced them out, had less seating, and increased cleaning measures between each. For autographing and our photo ops, we utilized plexiglass dividers. Not ideal, honestly, and not our fan’s favorite addition at all. By and large, folks who attended our shows last year took the new changes well and were supportive of us. Wider aisles at NYCC received a ton of praise, which is understandable if you’ve ever gone. There was frustration, particularly around plexiglass or required mask usage, but that’s to be expected, too. The complaints may have been loud, but they were still the minority of our fans.

PI: In your opinion, what has been the biggest change in fan conventions now compared to prepandemic days, and do you think that change will continue in perpetuity?

Chace Crawford (The Boys) signs autographs behind plexiglass at New York Comic Con 2021.

Source: Bryan Bedder (Getty Images for ReedPop)

KR: The most obvious change was lack of publisher and brand participation [in 2021], but for most of the companies we work with, that isn’t one they want to continue. They were bummed last year, and we kept getting FOMO texts and emails while we were onsite. They miss connecting with their fans as much as everyone else missed seeing them.

What I do think will continue is the appreciation of community and togetherness, which was incredibly strong last year. Everyone was supportive of each other, a bit more grateful to share the experience than in previous years, because we’d all experienced what it would be like to not celebrate all things geeky. The year has made me really sappy, I’m sorry.

PI: Some larger collectibles manufacturers and studios have started hosting their own online events during the pandemic. Do you think those events will continue and/or impact the future of in-person fan conventions? If so, how?

Mike Armstrong: Brands put on some amazing online events during the pandemic and I personally love to participate in them. I think those events are a good thing for the industry in general because it reinforces the connection that fans have with those properties.

It makes the studios recognize and realize the importance of that direct relationship. And I firmly believe in the “rising tides lift all ships” nature of this industry. If a studio does a great job promoting an upcoming release, it means that fans are excited for it and that they’ll be excited to attend our events and show off that fandom.

PI: ReedPop shifted a lot of its content online via the Metaverse platform when it wasn’t safe to have in-person events.

Do you plan to continue to utilize that platform, even as we return to in-person events? Why or why not?

MA: Yes, definitely. We’ve certainly proven that there is an audience of fans who either can’t or won’t attend live events, but still want behind-the-scenes access to the content that we generate.

Metaverse will continue to evolve and I’m really excited for the future of it because as opposed to just presenting content, we’re adding resources to editorialize it, present it in a more digestible form, and THEPOPINSIDER.COM | #FuelYourFandom | 21

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FANDOM FEATURE

ultimately, deliver more great content to fans and readers.

PI: Do you have a favorite moment or memory from the return to in-person conventions, or anything a fan has said that really stuck out?

KR: I met this lovely woman at NYCC, a huge fan of just one fandom who I’d been emailing with to help out with our panel lottery. She felt silly for being upset because she was “too old” to get worked up about “silly stuff.” It struck me because us geeks, we’ve always been told we were “too” something our whole lives, right? I’m too awkward! That thinking is the antithesis of everything we create. We build this nerd city to celebrate and be exactly who we want, to get away from the everyday stresses, and to focus on the things that bring us joy with people we love.

Sunday at NYCC rolls around, and she and I finally get to meet in person.

I’m not going to lie, I was exhausted and stressed, but determined to say hi.

I’m trying to explain to her how grateful I was that she came and was enjoying herself, and then she’s crying because she almost didn’t let herself come and she’s so glad she did. Her year was so hard and stressful and she’s telling me all about her struggles, and it was this beautiful human moment together, just sharing our pandemic experiences.

That’s a conversation I had with literally hundreds of fans last year. “My year was so hard, I’m just so glad to be here.”

Over and over again, a lot of incredible stories from wonderful people just like her. It’s humbling and motivating. I’m not curing cancer or anything over here, but what we do matters to people. I get to make people happy. That’s an honor.

PI: How much of your success would you attribute directly to the fans?

KR: All of it. If the fans didn’t trust us, didn’t examine what we were doing last year, and take the leap with us to get back into events, none of this would’ve been possible. The same goes for our exhibitors, creators, and partners. If we’d implemented our health and safety procedures, but the community didn’t show up for it, it wouldn’t have been possible.

Cosplayers at New York Comic Con 2021 Source: Bryan Bedder (Getty Images for ReedPop)

We asked tens of thousands of people to wear masks all day and they did! We asked them to get vaccinated or tested and they did. We asked a lot more than we usually do and they were happy to support us. That’s not my success, it’s ours.

"I'm not curing cancer or anything over here, but what we do matters to people. I get to make people happy.

That's an honor."

— Kristina Rogers, ReedPop

PI: What are you most looking forward to for ReedPop in 2022?

KR: We’ve done a very good job of executing events under these new guidelines, and now it’s time to grow that and build on top of it, and that’s exciting to me. I have a seven-month break now and all I want to do is dive right back in.

MA: I’m really excited to continue to build and grow these digital initiatives.

We’ve got a really strong team handling the events business and I’m grateful that I’ve been given the freedom and flexi-

bility to go explore some new potential business models.

PI: Is there anything else you would like to add about the return to in-person conventions or changes caused by the pandemic?

MA: Maybe I’m too much of an “incredibly online person,” but it doesn’t seem like people are having much fun these days. What I love about what we do is that we create an escape for people to leave work and real-life baggage at the door and just come enjoy themselves for a few days. It felt really good to be back at shows this past year and to watch people truly having a good time.

Our new products, like the Haul and Metaverse, are not intended to replace the feeling of being at an in-person event. But what I hope that we’ll be able to do is give people a bridge between events so that they can find great merch or find a new fandom on Metaverse. I can’t wait to see all parts of our business humming at the same time because I think we are creating a really special ecosystem for fans.

KR: Really, I want to thank everyone that’s done our shows. Whether fan, professional, creator, or exhibitor, you helped make last year possible. Thank you for joining us, for helping make it happen, and I promise that 2022 is going to be that much better for it. ✪

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This Year's New Collectibles, Accessories, and More

ARCADE1UP Legacy Edition Arcade Cabinets Available: Spring 2022 Prepare to level up your retro gaming experience.

Arcade1Up adds to its collection of Legacy Edition arcade cabinets with the Atari Legacy Arcade Machine Centipede Edition and the Midway Legacy Arcade Machine Mortal Kombat 30th Anniversary Edition. Each cabinet includes 14 games, a matching riser, and a lighted marquee.

MATTEL Masters of the Universe Masterverse Figures — Wave 3 MSRP: $14.99 each | Available: Now Mattel adds a third wave to its Masterverse line of Masters of the Universe action figures, with a fourth on the way.

Each figure features at least 30 points of articulation and comes with accessories. Wave 3 features Revelation Scare Glow, Revelation Fisto, Revelation Andra, and Revelation Stinkor. Wave 4 will be able in April and features Viking HeMan, Barbarian Skeletor, Revelation Mer-Man, and Revelation Teela.

UNIQUE VINTAGE Strawberry Shortcake x Unique Vintage Babydoll Dress | MSRP: $98 | Available: Now This Strawberry Shortcake-inspired babydoll dress is crafted in a woven white fabric with a print of strawberries, florals, and retro Strawberry Shortcake herself. The square neckline is framed by short sleeves that are set in solid red and cinched with an elastic cuff. The empire seamed waist is nipped with a back zipper, while the skirt lands high above the knees. Complete with pockets, this dress is available in sizes XS-5X.

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UNCANNY BRANDS Star Wars Darth Vader Halo Toaster MSRP: $69.99 | Available: May 4 Luke, I am your toaster. Fans can insert the bread, press the lever, and hear Darth Vader’s lightsaber turn on as the bottom of the toaster lights up in red. When they hear Vader’s iconic breathing, they’ll know the toast is done. Two wide slots accommodate bagels, English muffins, and thick breads. The toaster also features a shade selector dial from light to dark, bagel and cancel buttons, and a removable crumb tray for easy cleaning.

SECRETLAB JABBERWOCKY TOYS Blownups!

MSRP: $19.99-25.99 Available: Spring 2022 These limited-edition, kinetic, collectible art figures present pop culture icons in the form of a hard vinyl bop bag, complete with a pretend air valve. New characters this year include Scream’s Ghostface (pictured), Elton John, and Bruce Lee.

GREAT EASTERN ENTERTAINMENT (GEE) Moveable Plush | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Spring 2022

Minecraft X Secretlab Chair MSRP: $469-669 | Available: Now Get your game on. This Minecraft-inspired gaming chair is upholstered in Secretlab SoftWeave Plus fabric. It is available in sizes small, regular, and extra-large.

FANATTIK Yu-Gi-Oh! Pot of Greed Tankard MSRP: $49.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Sip the tea from this hand-painted, ceramic Pot of Greed tankard. Each mug comes in an individually numbered box that includes an exclusive Pot of Greed foil card.

The tankards are limited edition, with 9,995 pieces available worldwide.

These collectible plush each feature an internal skeleton with multiple points of articulation, allowing collectors to create unique action poses. The skeleton is made up of a durable system of plastic joints, allowing for lots of movement without wearing down or breaking. Characters from multiple fandoms will be available soon, including My Hero Academia, Sailor Moon, Naruto, One Punch Man, Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Sword Art Online, Fullmetal Alchemist, Yu Yu Hakusho, Fruits Basket, and Sonic the Hedgehog (pictured).

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FIGPIN FiGPiN Sports MSRP: $15 Available: Spring 2022 FiGPiN kicks off its sports collectibles line with a trio of famous NBA players. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Lebron James are crafted in cast zinc alloy, inlaid with hard enamel, and finished with an electroplated nickel coating. Each pin includes a unique serial number that is laser engraved on the back for added collectability. Fans can display them like figures or wear them as pins.

WĒTĀ WORKSHOP Classic Series – The Lord of the Rings | MSRP: $349 Available: Now This line of polystone statues features Middle-earth’s major characters in their signature poses and clothing.

Statues include Galadriel of the White Council, Gandalf the Grey Pilgrim, Ringwraith of Mordor, Bilbo Baggins at His Desk (pictured), and The Balrog.

EXQUISITE GAMING Cable Guys Phone and Controller Holders | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Now Place your trust — and phone — in Cable Guys’ hands. This range of highly detailed figures are designed to hold your gaming controllers, smartphones, TV remotes, and more.

Cable Guys offers a collectible assortment of your favorite characters; new this year are The Amazing Spider-Man (pictured), Venom, and Boba Fett from The Book of Boba Fett.

BITTY BOOMERS Bitty Boomers Bluetooth Speakers MSRP: $19.99 Available: Now Crank up the jams with these 2-inch speakers that connect to your favorite device via Bluetooth. This year’s updated assortment includes the titular character from The Book of Boba Fett (pictured), Spider-Man from No Way Home, and an assortment of characters from the fourth season of Stranger Things, which will be streaming on Netflix later this year.

Fans can sync two Bitty Boomers for even bigger stereo sound.

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EAGLEMOSS HERO COLLECTOR Monster Book of Monsters MSRP: $44.95 Available: Summer 2022 Watch your fingers! The iconic, sentient book from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban joins a new lineup of artifacts from the Wizarding World. The hand-painted, resin model stands on top of the included custom display stand.

NEAMEDIA ICONS Sonic Mini Icons | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Spring 2022 Collect a trio of Sonic the Hedgehog Mini Icons, including Grey, Classic, and Blue Editions. Each hand-painted resin statue stands more than 5 inches tall and features high-quality matte and glossy finishes for an authentic look that’s true to the game.

SPIN MASTER Batman 12-inch Feature Figure MSRP: $23.99 Available: Spring 2022

J!NX J!NX x Netflix: The Witcher Grunt & Grumble Geralt “Talking” Collectible Plush | MSRP: $34.96 Available: Now (Walmart exclusive)

To help fight crime in Gotham City, this 12-inch Batman figure inspired by The Batman features expanding wings that open when fans press the belt buckle. When fans press the Bat-symbol on the allblack suit, it activates the light-up feature and sound effects.

You can’t run from destiny, but you can give this Geralt plush a squeeze and hear him grunt, grumble, or say one of his lines from the Netflix show with voice recordings from actor Henry Cavill. This 11-inch plush toy is made from soft velboa with felt, tricot, and embroidered accents.

TOYNK Stranger Things Demogorgon Face Mini Ceramic Planter (Silver Buffalo) MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Now Add a touch of the “Upside Down” to any shelf with this Toynk-exclusive mini-planter.

It measures 3 by 4 inches and features a sculpted, 3D face of the Demogorgon. It comes with a lifelike faux plant sprouting from the Demogorgon’s head.

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New Strategy Games, Party Games, and Puzzles Hitting the Tabletop

STUNNED MIND Ichiraku Ramen Shop 3D Buildable Puzzle MSRP: $34.99 | Available: Now Build up a piece of the Naruto universe!

The Ichiraku Ramen Shop 3D buildable puzzle is a constructable replica of Naruto’s favorite dining spot.

THE OP Avatar Fire Nation Rising | MSRP: $49.99 | Available: Spring 2022 In this cooperative card and dice game, players must work together to recruit other heroes from the four nations to battle a variety of villains, leading up to the Day of the Black Sun. After the eclipse, the heroes must win three final battles in order to succeed in restoring balance to the world. The game features a one-of-a-kind, full-color Lord Ozai sculpt in the center.

MATTEL Phase 10 40th Anniversary | MSRP: $14.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Phase 10 is a classic, rummy-style card game with a twist. The object of the game is to be the first player to complete 10 varied phases, such as two sets of three, one run of seven, or seven cards of the same color. Perfect for collectors and gaming enthusiasts, this special edition celebrates the 40-year anniversary of Phase 10 with a keepsake box and cards, as well as a letter from the game’s creator, Kenneth R. Johnson.

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ASMODEE Star Wars: Jabba’s Palace – A Love Letter Game | MSRP: $14.99 | Available: Now This fast-paced card game uses the same gameplay mechanics as the game Love Letter. In this version, players compete using cards featuring Star Wars characters, including both members of the Rebel Alliance and the denizens of Jabba the Hutt’s palace.

TCG TOYS LIFE Magazine Collection MSRP: $12.99-$19.99 Available: August 2022 History and photography buffs will find selections of the more than 10 million photographs from the archives of LIFE Magazine featured in a new range of 300-, 500-, and 1,000-piece puzzles and games, including What’s the Meaning of LIFE and the Who? What? Where?

When? Why? Game of LIFE.

FUNKO GAMES E.T. The Extra Terrestrial: Light Years from Home Game | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Spring 2022 Designed for 2-4 players, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial: Light Years from Home Game brings the iconic alien to the tabletop. In this cooperative adventure game, E.T. is 1 million light years from home and needs help getting back before the federal agents come for him.

Players will take on the roles of Elliot, Gertie, Michael, and Greg and work together to send E.T. home as they bike through the neighborhood, use shortcuts and ramps to avoid the agents, collect items so E.T. can build a communication device, then race to get E.T. to the clearing before his heart light fades.

HOG WILD T.A.P.E.S. | MSRP: $28.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Things are about to get weird. The name of this party game stands for Turn-Based Approximate Proportion Estimation Showdown. Players must guess the size of different objects using 16 bizarre units of measure, such as ramen noodles, baseball caps, gummy bears, wet cats, or unicorn horns. In each round, the player who has the closest guess wins the most points, and the player with the highest overall score wins the game.

RAVENSBURGER Wizard of Oz Adventure Book Game MSRP: $29.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Fans can relive the magic of The Wizard of Oz in this adventure book game, in which players must work together to complete challenges while turning the pages of the unique gameboard book. It includes sculpted character game pieces.

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EXPLODING KITTENS Exploding Kittens Puzzles | MSRP: $14.99-17.99 Available: March 2022

MOOSE TOYS

These new puzzles feature designs from The Oatmeal and the Exploding Kittens creative team. The puzzles are available in both 500 and 1,000 pieces and feature fan-favorite characters from the Exploding Kittens universe.

Clipology | MSRP: $24.99 | Available: Summer 2022 This trivia game features a physical board game, video content, and more than 12 types of unique video challenges. Players can stream real content clips from TV shows and movies to show off their pop-culture mastery in a social gaming experience. The cloud platform continually refreshes content with the latest pop culture moments for a unique gameplay experience every time.

WHAT DO YOU MEME? What Do You Meme? 90 Day Fiancé Expansion Pack | MSRP: $12.99 Available: Now The reality TV show 90 Day Fiancé comes to game night with this new expansion pack. With 50 caption cards and 30 image cards to add to the core What Do You Meme? game (sold separately), this expansion pack is best played while binge-watching the TLC show with friends.

THAMES & KOSMOS EXIT: The Lord of the Rings — Shadows Over Middle-earth | MSRP: $19.95 Available: Summer 2022 Timed to coincide with the launch of the new The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series, this escape-room-style game takes players on a journey through Middle-earth as they solve riddles and carry out Gandalf’s secret assignments to help buy Frodo enough time to reach Mount Doom and destroy the One Ring.

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The LEGO x Pottery Barn Kids collection ranges from $22.50-318. | Source: Pottery Barn Kids

UNO ALL WILD OFFERS A TWIST ON A CLASSIC

compiled by Jackie Cucco, senior editor

SHOW YOUR LEGO LOVE WITH A NEW POTTERY BARN KIDS COLLECTION No one wants to step on a LEGO, but kids are going to want to sleep on them when they see the new LEGO x Pottery Barn Kids collection. Kids can deck out their bedrooms with LEGO-themed bedding, pajamas, play mats, and towels, all featuring colorful LEGO bricks and characters. The collection is available now at potterybarnkids.com/lego. ✪

A classic card game gets a wild twist with UNO All Wild from Mattel. There is no matching of numbers or colors in this UNO game because every single card is wild. Each card features a different set of rules that can throw the game into a frenzy at a moment’s notice, such as causing other players to skip a turn or forcing them to switch hands. The first player to get rid of all their cards is the winner, and when players get down to only one card they must yell, “UNO!” UNO All Wild is available now at Target for $5.99. ✪

Source: Mattel

CELEBRATE KIRBY’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW VIDEO GAME

A second player can join the game by sharing a Joy-Con. | Source: Nintendo

Kirby turns 30 years old this year, and fans can celebrate with Kirby and the Forgotten Land, an upcoming 3D platforming adventure for the Nintendo Switch system. In this video game, the Beast Pack is kidnapping Waddle Dees in droves. To rescue them, Kirby heads out on a journey with the curious Elfilin, venturing into areas packed with platforming challenges. Players can use Kirby’s special abilities to help fight the Beast Pack, rescue Waddle Dees, and explore the new world. Kirby and the Forgotten Land will launch on March 25 for the Nintendo Switch system. The game is available for preorder now for $59.99. ✪

FREE SESAME WORKSHOP RESOURCES TEACH KIDS HOW TO BUILD RESILIENCE Sesame Workshop and UnitedHealthcare are helping kids face challenges with free, bilingual resources that teach them to build resilience and thrive in their communities. Parents can visit sesamestreetincommunities.org to access three storybooks on resilience featuring Sesame Street Muppets, in addition to videos that give tips on how to cultivate confidence and communicate through feelings.

Sesame Workshop will also launch Comfy-Cozy Spaces later this year in an effort to provide comfort and reduce stress for kids in medical offices, social service offices, and educational settings. The spaces will feature kid-size furniture, stocked bookshelves, and colorful Sesame Street murals on the walls. ✪

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Source: Sesame Workshop

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POP JUNIOR: FANDOM FEATURE

Ada Twist, Scientist celebrates the wonders of everyday science.

by Jackie Cucco, senior editor

W

hy is the sky blue? What is a bird’s nest made of? How does electricity work? The world is full of mysteries, but as the Ada Twist, Scientist theme song says, “a mystery, a riddle, a puzzle, or a quest, there are wonders to discover and hypotheses to test!”

Ada Twist, Scientist is an animated series on Netflix that follows 8-year-old scientist Ada Twist and her two best friends, Iggy and Rosie, as they ask big questions and team up to find out how things work.

As much as science is based in logic and fact, Ada Twist shows kids that it’s full of wonder and discovery as well.

Inspired by female intellectuals and scientists such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist made its debut in 2016 as a picture book written

by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. The story was well-received, debuting at No. 1 on The New York Times’ Best Sellers list for Children’s Picture Books and spending 47 total weeks on the list. Through their production company Higher Ground Productions, Barack and Michelle Obama teamed up with Doc McStuffins and Vampirina creator Chris Nee to make a TV adaptation of the book for Netflix that launched last fall, followed by a second season that premiered in January.

MODERN REPRESENTATION

Women in general — and especially Black women — are vastly underrepresented in STEM careers. Ada Twist, Scientist celebrates the talent of girls

Iggy, Ada, and Rosie use science lessons to learn about the world. | Source: Netflix

and women in STEM while showcasing a Black main character and modern family dynamics to bring much-needed diversity to picture books, kids’ entertainment, and even the toy aisle with a new toy line from Just Play.

“We had a great foundation with the books, but had to create a world beyond the borders of them,” says the Ada Twist, Scientist showrunner and co-executive producer Kerri Grant. “We had to ask ourselves who these characters were and who they were to each other.”

The TV series expands on the book’s characters by adding more dimension to their friendships and their family lives.

Ada is a young Black girl who’s fascinated

by STEM and comes from a loving, supportive family; Rosie is a rough-and-tum-

ble girl who lives with her single mom; and Iggy is an anxious kid being raised by divorced parents who are working to co-parent him in a healthy way.

“I think it’s especially relevant to today’s kids because of the way these characters are depicted, the diversity, and representation inherent in the world of the show and the characters’ lives,” Grant says. “Ada Twist, Scientist helps create more representation and visibility simply

by Ada’s presence. She literally shows little Black girls everywhere what’s possible through her beingness, using storytelling in a medium [like TV] that is potent, mesmerizing, and highly influential. Seeing oneself represented is a powerful thing and hopefully Ada serves as a bright, curious, and creative trailblazer for Black

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girls who might never have otherwise seen themselves reflected.”

ASKING BIG QUESTIONS

Whether the characters are trying to tune a piano for a living room recital, revive a wilted garden, or bake a chocolate cake for Ada’s dad when her mom forgets their anniversary, they use scientific methods to solve everyday problems. They dig deep to question the things they don’t know and experiment to find answers, even if they face some failures along the way. The show makes science relatable, encouraging curiosity and perseverance without hiding behind magical tropes.

In addition to the animated storylines, each episode incorporates segments featuring real-life scientists and experts, such as a botanist explaining how plants adapt to grow in the desert, a pastry chef discussing the role of baking soda in cooking, and a microbiologist divulging what makes some cheeses so stinky.

“I think most people think of scientists as largely old white men in white lab coats in sterile labs. We wanted to show people in a variety of ‘labs’ to show that a lab can be anywhere — on a boat at sea, in a field of desert plants, in a brush populated by lizards, anywhere,” Grant says. “And we wanted to say with our chests: ‘This is what a scientist looks like,’ featuring a scientist who’s a woman, a woman of color, or a man of color, someone who studies laughter, pastries, or dinosaur fossils.”

PLAY SPARKS CURIOSITY

The Ada Twist, Scientist brand translates seamlessly into hands-on toys that give kids the chance to experiment for themselves. Just Play launched a collection of Ada Twist toys at Walmart last fall that included a lab set, a doll, plush characters, a dress-up set, and an interactive notebook to help spark kids’ curiosity in the playroom. This year, the toy line will launch at other retailers as well, along with new additions that include customizable Create-A-Lab Playsets, a Singing Ada Plush, role-play items, and more.

“STEM is an important part of kids’ growth and development, and the show and products deliver this in an entertaining and engaging way that both parents and kids really enjoy,” says Just Play Brand Manager Gabby Moyer.

The toys stay authentic to the show by giving kids opportunities to make their own discoveries. For example, the Singing Ada Plush sings “The Scientific Method Song” and comes with an experiment card that kids can follow for a fun family activity. The On-The-Go Lab Set also includes experiment cards, as well as functional tools to conduct experiments at home. Kids can use the funnel and test tubes to pour liquids into beakers or the pencil-shaped ruler and the ladybug scale to measure things.

“Ada Twist is all about kids figuring out the whos, whats, wheres, whens, hows, and whys of the scientific method, and this line allows them to explore these questions,” Moyer says.

There is also a range of Black-owned companies creating products inspired

by Ada Twist, Scientist, including My What Box, Puzzle Huddle, UNWRP, and FOLKUS. My What Box offers a curated kit full of STEM activities based on Ada Twist, Scientist episodes. The Ada Twist, Scientist Plant Life Cycle STEM Box takes inspiration from the “Garden Party” episode, in which Ada and her friends use their observation skills and test hypotheses to figure out what kind of conditions plants need to thrive. The kit includes seed packets, planting pots, soil pellets, and other materials that kids can use to grow flowers and perform experiments.

Ada Twist fans can also look for jigsaw and floor puzzles from Puzzle Huddle, gift wrap and greeting cards from UNWRP, and a notebook gift set from FOLKUS. In addition, readers can dive into an Ada Twist, Scientist nonfiction series and activity books from Abrams, with additional nonfiction books and seasonal storybooks planned for this year. Fifth Sun is offering print-on-demand T-shirts with more than a dozen different Ada Twist designs, and West Elm Kids is offering an assortment of science-themed bedding, home decor, and furniture inspired by the series, allowing fans to surround themselves with all things Ada Twist.

Through thought-provoking episodes and engaging consumer products, Ada Twist, Scientist weaves science lessons into kids’ lives like a double helix, emboldening them to ask big questions and teaching them that they should never be afraid to be the smartest one in the room. ✪

EXPERIMENT AT HOME

Ada Twist, Scientist Lab Doll (Just Play) Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $28.88 | Available: Walmart

Ada Twist, Scientist Books (Abrams) Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $12.99 each | Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop

Ada Twist Reversible Gift Wrap (UNWRP) Ages: All | MSRP: $18 | Available: unwrp.com

Ada Twist, Scientist Plant Life Cycle STEM Box (My What Box) | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $24.99 Available: mywhatbox.com, Walmart

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New Toys, Books, and More Featuring Kids’ Favorite Characters

MINECRAFT Minecraft The Haven Trials (Penguin Random House) Ages: All MSRP: $17.99 Available: Now

SPIN MASTER Monster Jam Dueling Dragon Playset | Ages: 3+ MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Spring 2022

In this novel by Suyi Davies, kids can journey into a lawless land and take on its toughest trials. The book takes fans on a new Minecraft-inspired adventure that builds on the world from the Micosoft game.

Defeat the dragon and test your skills with this 1:64-scale Monster Jam playset. Face off against the dragon head on, jump the lava, and slam the launcher to send your Dragon truck up the ramp, being careful not to get caught in its mouth. Launch your toy truck just right and land on the castle turret to defeat the dragon.

SESAME STREET UGG x Sesame Street (UGG) | Ages: 0-10 | MSRP: $40-120 Available: Spring 2022 Kids can be the most stylish on the Street with this new collection of footwear. With fun designs inspired by their favorite Sesame Street characters, this line of UGG footwear is equal parts cute and cozy for preschoolers. There are a variety of styles from boots to slides that little monsters will love.

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HEADSTART INTERNATIONAL Disney Hooyay Tablet Ages: 18 MOS+ | MSRP: $16.99 Available: Spring 2022 Oh boy! This tablet features more than 90 sounds across two play modes. Kids will hear the voices of both Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, who will ask them to find different images and letters on the tablet.

PI KIDS Peppa Pig: Lots of Bubbles! A Wand Songbook | Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $15.99 Available: Spring 2022

BBC Dance & Play Bluey (Moose Toys) Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $49.99 Available: Summer 2022 Kids can interact with this special Bluey that features realistic motions and sounds from the animated series. Bluey has three different activities: talking, singing, and dancing. The plush speaks more than 55 phrases, sings four different songs, and can lead kids in three different games.

Kids can join Peppa and her friends on a bubbly, musical adventure in this book, which comes with an interactive bubble wand. Kids can press buttons on the wand to hear five songs, sing along with lyrics in the book, and wave the wand to make bubbles. The book also includes a recipe for bubble solution.

JUST PLAY Disney and Pixar Turning Red Secret Journal Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $19.99 Available: March 2022

JAZWARES Micro Machines Bumblebee Playset Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $34.99 Available: Spring 2022 This Bumblebee playset comes disguised as a Chevrolet Camaro and transforms into a playset featuring more than 10 action zones. Kids can navigate three floors of ramps and roadways and combine Bumblebee with other Micro Machines playsets.

This notebook features a furry, plush Red Panda Mei face on the cover and contains lots of writing pages, a hidden compartment, stickers, and an invisible ink UV pen.

Kids can jot down a secret, then shine the UV light on the page to reveal the message.

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BASIC FUN! Care Bears I Care Bear | Ages: 4+ MSRP: $14.97 | Available: Spring 2022 The Care Bears are excited to welcome a new friend into the family. I Care Bear is an eco-friendly bear that encourages kids to recycle and take care of the planet. The plush was created using recycled materials and features colors that represent the land and the sea. Its packaging is made of 100% recycled paper.

FUNKO GAMES Marvel Battleworld: Series 3 Ultimate Armory | Ages: 6+ MSRP: $9.99-22.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Marvel Battleworld, the cooperative and expandable collectible game featuring characters from the Marvel Universe, will introduce new locations, characters, and gameplay elements for its third series: Ultimate Armory. Kids can choose their Hero Mover and visit Technopolis and Monster Metropolis as they team up to save Battleworld. This series also introduces Armor Tokens, which make battles more challenging while also giving players different advantages.

MATTEL Disney and Pixar’s Large Scale Action Chop Buzz | Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $29.99 Available: Spring 2022 It’s not flying; it’s falling with style! When kids activate the red button on Buzz Lightyear’s chest, the 12-inch action figure will say one of more than 30 phrases from Toy Story, including “To infinity, and beyond!” When kids press the button on Buzz’s back, he performs a chopping action with sound effects. The action figure also features multiple movable joints and a helmet that opens and closes.

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ULTRA PRO ENTERTAINMENT

MOOSE TOYS Heroes of Goo Jit Zu — Marvel Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $3.99-29.99 Available: Fall 2022 Each Marvel Hero is filled with a unique goo filling, such as Captain America with his blue slime and white stars. There are six new heroes joining the line: Black Widow, Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, Sam Wilson Captain America, and Captain Marvel. Fans can collect and play with the Versus Pack, Supagoo Miles Morales, and Marvel Minis.

Pokémon Trainer Challenge | Ages: 4+ MSRP: $20 | Available: Fall 2022 Kids can put their Pokémon knowledge to the test with this electronic game. The questions start off easy, but the more correct answers kids give, the more challenging the game gets. Kids can try to break their own record of consecutive right answers, and evolve from junior to senior to master trainer.

The game features 200 questions and 75 Pokémon and takes about 15 minutes to play.

MELISSA & DOUG Blue’s Clues & You! Time for Glasses Play Set Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $39.99 Available: June 2022 This 12-piece eye check-up playset includes four different sets of glasses for kids to try on, a color wheel with a vision test, pretend eye drops, and other accessories.

This set helps kids understand what to expect during a visit to the eye doctor while encouraging empathy and nurturing behaviors.

HORIZON GROUP USA Miraculous Create Your Own Comic Books | Ages: 6+ MSRP: $16.99 | Available: Spring 2022 Whether kids want to help Ladybug and Cat Noir save Paris or go on big adventures with all the Kwamis, the Miraculous Make Your Own Comic Book set has everything they need to draw and tell their own super stories. The set includes stamps, stickers, and stencils to create Miraculous-inspired comics inside the hard or softcover comic books. Kids can follow the “How to Draw” guide to complete their original stories.

THE NOBLE COLLECTION Hedwig Interactive Plush | Ages: 7+ MSRP: $39 | Available: Summer 2022 Accio your new bestie! Kids can re-create scenes from Harry Potter with this interactive, plush hand puppet that features motion and sounds.

Kids can use the internal controls to move Hedwig’s head and wings.

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EPOCH EVERLASTING PLAY Super Mario Balancing Games Plus Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $12.99 each Available: Spring 2022 Level up with these games that challenge your balancing skills. Each of these themed sets includes 4-5 unique, collectible characters, including Mario, Lakitu, Cheep-Cheep and Deep-Cheep, Monty Mole, and more. Players spin the arrow to see how many characters they must place on the wobbly stage without them toppling over. Players can link the three stages (sold separately) together to create a collector stand to showcase the figures. These games are compatible across all of Epoch’s Super Mario game sets.

SCHOLASTIC That Girl Lay Lay: Bust Your Own Rhymes …

And Discover the Star You Are! | Ages: 7-10 MSRP: $12.99 | Available: March 1 Kids can write their own rhymes just like That Girl Lay Lay. With quotes, doodles, quizzes, drawing activities, and blank pages to write in, this is the book for fans inspired by Lay Lay, encouraging them to break barriers and become stars themselves.

YUME TOYS Official Among Us Inflatable Kids Costume | Ages: 5+ MSRP: $44.99 | Available: Fall 2022 Kids can become their favorite Crewmate or Imposter with this inflatable Among Us costume.

Choose from red, orange, cyan, purple, and blue in this one-size, unisex costume. Openings on the side of the suit allow for easy hand movement and a visor made of mesh fabric gives clear visibility in and out of the costume.

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OWNED IP

“

“The Kinetic Sand brand continues to build its iconic status within North America since its introduction in 2014, and increasingly in global markets. Its steady popularity and growth, paired with positive online reviews and a wildly popular social media presence has helped solidify the brand as a quintessential activity that lets kids’ creativity flow.”

— Chris Beardall, president, Spin Master Toys and Chief Commercial Officer

KINETIC SAND TREASURE HUNT Kids will go on an epic search for treasure, digging and discovering hidden items throughout multiple compartments, including gems, tools, secret messages, and even rare shimmer gold sand.

Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $15.99 | Available: Spring 2022

• The Home Edit used its organizational expertise to build the ultimate, eye-catching Kinetic Sand play closet.

NEW!

KINETIC SAND SWIRL N’ SURPRISE For the first time ever, kids can swirl Kinetic Sand to magically create beautiful sand art. They can flow, swirl, stack, and use the included tools to make mesmerizing effects. The most hands-on approach to Kinetic Sand art play, the Swirl N’ Surprise playset includes a total of two pounds of sand in red, purple, green, and yellow colors.

Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $24.99 | Available: Fall 2022

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• Please do touch the art! Artist Dan Lam created a Kinetic Sand gallery installation, providing families with an interactive artistic experience like no other.

• The brand launched a limited edition collaboration with Rubbermaid that included a 3-pound bag of Kinetic Sand in a perfectly fitting Rubbermaid container, appealing to sand enthusiasts and organizers alike.

• Baskin Robbins served up Kinetic Sand Scented Ice Cream Cones samples in conjunction with National Ice Cream Day on July 17.

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MICRO PURSE PETS These mini purses are small in size but big in style. Each tiny tote has its own unique look and features pop-art inspired eyes that roll when kids open and close the zipper. The new Micro Purse Pets collection features six different characters with unique fabrics and textures, including denim, soft Sherpa plush, holographic patent vegan leather, glitter accents, and more. A few lucky kids may even discover a hidden limited edition scrunchie inside their Micro Purse Pets.

Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $12.99 | Available: Spring 2022

WHIFFIES

MILLION WARRIORS It’s a battle royale to be the last one standing! Launch warriors into action and battle their oppo­nents piece by piece. Each of the 115 different Million Warriors figures has exceptional details and colors with distinctive features unique to its rarity level and clan. Kids can discover six levels of rarity across three different clans in the spring — Astrals, Ancients, and Heroes — and collect an additional 135 Million Warriors in the fall across three new clans — Pirates, Cowboys, and Space Robots. Figure comes individually wrapped in blind packaging, so kids never know which Warrior is inside. Squad Packs (five included), Warrior Packs (10 includ­ ed), Starter Packs (20 included), and Battle Packs (40 included) will be available this year.

Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $2.99-$24.99 | Available: Spring 2022

Whiffies are deliciously scented collectible animal toys with plush tails that smell like ice cream flavors. Inside each bag, kids will find surprise Whiffies, each with its own unique scent. In the spring, 20 different ice cream-scented Whiffies will debut, including Stra-Better Ice Cream, Banana Bryne, Popcorn Penny, Camilla Caramel, rare Root Beer Bella, super rare translucent Sophie Sprinkles, and more. In the fall, 20 new characters from the Whiffies Candy Shop will launch with all-new printed tails and textures. Each colorful Whiffies is 4 inches tall and features a playful pose, a fluffy scented tail, and unique details to match its delightful scent. Kids can mix and match their own cool scent combinations by twisting the Whiffies’ tails together.

Whiffies two- and three-Packs will be available in the spring, plus a Candy Box Gift set will launch in the fall.

Ages: 5+ | MSRP: $9.99-$29.99 | Available: Spring 2022

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SINK N’ SAND On a wild jungle adventure, Sink ‘n Sally, Sunk ‘n Duncan, Slip ʼn Sam, and Fall ʼn Fran come across sand unlike anything they have ever seen. Before they can even say quicksand, they are trapped and sinking fast.

Players will roll the die to determine their location on the sand grid and then take turns to identify which color stick to remove.

If players are lucky enough, they could find a Redemption Ruby for an extra chance at survival. One player wins if they are the last one standing tall when the quicksand falls. This game is made for 2-4 players.

Ages: 4+ | MSRP: $19.99 | Available: Fall 2022

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MULTIPLATFORM ENTERTAINMENT

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FUSING ENTERTAINMENT AND DIGITAL CONTENT Q&A with Jennifer Dodge, president of Spin Master Entertainment

LAST YEAR, BAKUGAN WAS THE FIRST BRAND TO AIR A FULLLENGTH EPISODE ON ROBLOX. HOW DO THESE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES STRENGTHEN THE BRAND CONNECTION WITH THE FANS WHO CONSUME AND INTERACT WITH THE CONTENT? Roblox has become a new way for people to come together through shared experiences. In September, we premiered the first full-length series episode ever on Roblox, demonstrating our commitment to an evolving digital-focused approach — connecting fans with Bakugan wherever they are. Kids are spending more and more time exploring and socializing with their friends in these global and expansive digital playgrounds, and this first-of-a-kind immersive experience provided another dimension of Bakugan storytelling, deepening our fans’ connection to the franchise.

Bakugan has seen great momentum on Roblox. We launched our first major activation in the metaverse in March 2021 with the Bakugan Rage Runner game, which has received more than 75 million plays. The full-length episode series on the platform has more than 2.7 million views. These immersive experiences not only bring together existing Bakugan fans, but they also attract new ones.

return stronger, faster, and better than ever.

We will continue to roll out and expand the highly sought-after Bakugan toy line, with new toys featuring elevated decos and designs to reflect the characters’ new speeds and strengths. According to the NPD Group, the No. 1 item in battling toys in France, Italy, the UK, and Belgium, Bakugan increased 18% globally and more than 38% in the U.S. (as of Q3 2021).

The franchise continues to make its mark as a global phenomenon with more than 20 licensees signed covering soft lines, home décor, publishing, and more.

Bakugan’s traction is driven by an innovative, digital-first marketing plan that immerses kids across Roblox, Netflix, and other touchpoints. We’re always evolving and adapting our marketing mix and building experiences that extend beyond the physical product. In early 2022 we will launch an exciting new game within the Bakugan hub on Roblox.

*

Spin Master Entertainment creates endearing characters and produces exceptional content and stories infused with a sense of play through its in-house studio talent and outside creative partners.

Under the leadership of Jennifer Dodge, Spin Master Entertainment’s president, the team produces a rich slate of multiplatform global entertainment properties, developing compelling content and building franchises that are positioned for long-term worldwide growth.

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS SPIN MASTER PLANS TO EXPAND THE BAGUKAN UNIVERSE THIS YEAR. This year, as the franchise continues to grow, we are elevating the fan experience and unleashing more ways for them to engage with the brand.

Our anime-adventure series will debut an epic new fourth season titled Bakugan: Evolutions, which will include 26 x 22-minute episodes, plus two 44-minute specials. In Bakugan: Evolutions, fan-favorite Bakugan heroes — including Drago, Trox, Pegatrix, Hydorous, Howlkor, and Pharol —

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Shortly after PAW Patrol: The Movie debuted in theaters, Spin Master Entertainment swiftly greenlit a second big screen feature: PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. “We loved telling a deeper PAW Patrol story on a bigger canvas and are pleased that the movie connected so strongly with kids and families, grossing $40 million domestically and more than $135 million worldwide,” Dodge says. “Judging by the exit polls, audience scores, and positive critical reception, everyone had as much fun watching it — and rewatching it — as we did making it.”

In the new film, a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, giving the PAW Patrol pups superpowers and transforming them into the Mighty Pups. For Skye, the smallest member of the team, her new powers are a dream come true — but things take a turn for the worse when the pups’ archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with a mad scientist to steal the pups’ superpowers. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it’s too late, and Skye will need to learn that even the smallest pup can make the biggest difference.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is set for a theatrical release on Oct. 13, 2023.

“The PAW Patrol universe is constantly expanding with new story themes, characters, and brand extensions across multiple platforms, retail aisles, and live experiences. Rooted in action and adventure, the introduction of new themes fuels the franchise by elevating storylines, providing exciting discoveries, and offering opportunities for new learnings and play experiences.

Our 2022 themes include Rescue Knights (spring) and Big Rig Trucks (fall), which introduce new compelling characters, their stories, and epic rescues.”

Get a sneak peek at one of the new, action-packed PAW Patrol Rescue Knights playsets coming out this spring:

PAW PATROL RESCUE KNIGHTS CASTLE HQ PLAYSET Kids will forge action-packed medieval quests in Barkingburg with this playset, which has everything necessary to carry out epic missions, including a Chase action figure, his dragon friend Draco, a throne, a ladder, a table, and other accessories.

Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $39.99 | Available: Spring 2022

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ACQUISITIONS

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A TRUSTED STEWARD TO LEGACY BRANDS, WITH OUR OWN SPIN Q&A with Chris Beardall, president and chief commercial officer at Spin Master Toys

SPIN MASTER HAS OWNED THE RUBIK’S BRAND FOR NEARLY A YEAR NOW. HOW DOES THE COMPANY PLAN TO PUT ITS INNOVATIVE SPIN ON THE BRAND’S NEW PRODUCTS COMING OUT THIS YEAR? Spin Master is known for innovation: We put it at the forefront of everything we do.

With the acquisition of the Rubik’s Cube, a puzzle that has inspired and challenged both young and old for almost 50 years, we have the opportunity to put our marquee innovation on the Rubik’s portfolio and carry on Ernő Rubik’s vision, nurturing smarter future generations through play.

Beyond the power of the brand, what is exciting to us are the possibilities Rubik’s has within each of our creative centers of toy, entertainment, and digital games.

The brand has a rich history of licensing, and our teams are focused on building that out further.

This year, we will introduce our new global marketing campaign that proclaims “Cubers aren’t born, they are made.” Innovative new products will focus on just that — creating solvers — with products and educational programs that will make the Rubik’s Cube more accessible and solvable to all.

For the seasoned Cubers or those looking for a new challenge or fun way to interact with the Cube, we will introduce new technology and materials that create new levels of solve.

Lastly, we will tap into our digital games creative center with the development of a new gaming app inspired by the Cube.

than 450 million units worldwide since it hit the market. With 98% brand awareness globally, the Cube has captured the hearts and minds of multiple generations.

It’s more than just a toy. It’s seen as an iconic symbol of intelligence and problem solving. With its STEM accreditation, the Cube supports brain development and cognitive skills and also teaches patience and perseverance. There is also an artis- tic element to the Cube, with a community of talented individuals who use the iconic colors and square fronts as pixels, creating incredible mosaic artwork and portraits.

Expert speed Cubers have also transformed the Cube into a sport, with global competitions that take place bringing together incredible solvers from around the world who race against the clock.

It’s brought together generations, sparked friendships, inspired artistic expression, and fostered new communities. If you ask people about Rubik’s, it evokes a story and reaction. People love to share their experience with the Rubik’s Cube. Whether a person has solved it or not, everyone has a memory about the Cube.

*

One of Spin Master’s key growth strategies is to leverage its global platform through strategic acquisitions. The company has a reputation for not only developing its own independent IP, but also for being a trusted steward of legacy brands. Acquisitions, including Rubik’s Cube, GUND, Cardinal Games, Swimways, Aerobie, Etch A Sketch, Perplexus, Orbeez, Meccano, and Tech Deck, have played a significant role in Spin Master’s growth, diversifying brand portfolios while also providing recurring revenue and opportunities for further innovation. Spin Master is always on the lookout for amazing brands.

THE RUBIK’S CUBE IS A GLOBAL ICON. WHAT MAKES IT ONE OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN TOYS WORLDWIDE? WHAT ARE THE EDUCATIONAL AND COGNITIVE BENEFITS OF KIDS PLAYING WITH RUBIK’S PRODUCTS? Rubik’s Cube is an iconic brand that has captivated global audiences selling more

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P.LUSHES PETS P.Lushes Pets are designer plush from all around the world who love to look their best! Everywhere is your personal runway with P.Lushes Pets! This stylish squad of fabulous fashionistas serve up chic with a sprinkle of attitude and a whole lot of glam. Luxe, premium fabrics and a sparkling glitter collar enhance their runway fashion-inspired looks! Born this way!

Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $12.99 | Available: Spring 2022

DROPS Introducing GUND Drops, a gotta have ‘em all line of soft, huggable, and expressive 6-inch plush animals. These cute and whimsical characters have unique names and embroidered cutie marks, so you know you got a genuine GUND Drop. With different expressions to collect you can always match a GUND Drop to your mood. Collect everyday animals such as cheeky Paulie Pup the puppy, or fantasy creatures with happy Misty Magic the unicorn with rainbow metallic accents. They all have exaggerated proportions of oversized heads and tiny drop shaped bodies filled with beans; you’ll definitely want to squish them all.

Ages: 3+ | MSRP: $9.99 | Available: Spring 2022

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56 THE TOY BOOK | FEBRUARY 2022 | toybook.com

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FANDOM FEATURE

Magic of MinaLima The

Meet the dynamic designers who helped create the Wizarding World.

by Madeleine Buckley, senior editor

T

here’s a good chance that at some point over the past two decades, you’ve encountered the work of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. If you’ve spent any time at all interacting with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — stepping into Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, shopping online for some real-life Honeydukes sweets, or even just catching a glimpse of the magical Marauder’s Map while channel surfing on a lazy Sunday afternoon — that experience was directly influenced by this design duo.

MAGICAL BEGINNINGS Better known by the combined moniker “MinaLima,” Mina and Lima started

working together back in 2001, when they were hired to design visual props for a Warner Bros. movie called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Using the term “visual props” may not convey quite how many now-iconic elements of the Harry Potter franchise the duo produced. MinaLima designed everything from the product packaging at Honeydukes and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes to Dolores Umbridges’ many decrees, the “wanted” posters for Azkaban escapees, and the students’ textbooks. Some of their most iconic creations include the Hogwarts crest, the Marauder’s Map, Harry’s Hogwarts acceptance letter, and the pages of The Daily Prophet, which Lima cites as one of his favorite projects.

“I took that under my wing, and I was the chief editor of The Daily Prophet,” he jokes. But his work on the fictional Wizarding newspaper underscores the amount of detail and dedication that MinaLima put into creating the visual style of Harry’s world: You may not have seen this on screen, but the prop editions of The Daily Prophet had every section you would expect to find in a newspaper, including lottery information, horoscopes, and obituaries.

Now, more than 20 years later, the duo — along with the now-expanded MinaLima Studios team — continues to hold a pivotal role within the magical world that they quite literally helped shape.

Top: Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina Source: Mark Cocksedge

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FANDOM FEATURE

MINALIMA MERCH Perhaps the biggest shift in MinaLima’s Harry Potter journey happened more than a decade after they first sat down to bring to life items like the Chocolate Frog box and Harry’s Hogwarts Express ticket.

While MinaLima’s designs had been used on official Harry Potter merchandise for years, the duo was getting more and more requests for prints of their work.

Not a replica of the Marauder’s Map, for example, but an official art print of the MinaLima design.

MinaLima was already offering limited-edition prints for some of their other work, so they reached out to the Warner Bros. team about doing something similar for their Wizarding World designs. They flew to Burbank, California, and were taken into a meeting room where they pitched their business plan and received enthusiastic approval within minutes.

Mina explains that, at the time, they didn’t realize what they were getting themselves into. They literally started creating the prints in a studio shed in her back garden because that was the space they had available.

“The plan was just to do the limited-edition art prints,” she recalls. “That was manageable because we could take orders and just print to order.” However, things didn’t go quite as planned.

While the duo’s merchandise offerings began with art prints, MinaLima soon realized that they needed to diversify their portfolio to make their products accessible and affordable for more Harry Potter fans. They expanded their offerings with stationery, cards, textiles, and home goods featuring their designs.

“We love collecting visual pieces anyway,” Mina says. “So we wanted to create pieces of work that were really special and had the production value that we would want if we were buying them ourselves.” This means not rushing the production or compromising the quality of MinaLima products for the sake of cutting costs or expediting timelines.

According to Mauricio Carneiro, an art director for MinaLima, this is what truly resonates with fans and makes MinaLima products stand out as uniquely authentic among other Wizarding World merchandise. “Here, the creator of the original film designs and the designer of the merchandise are one and the same,” he says. “Fans recognize that the merchandise is official and it is premium quality. They also know that the limited-edition prints are special and a valuable investment in art.”

Today, MinaLima offers more than 55 different products featuring their designs, and that number is still growing … as is

their number of retail locations all over the world.

THE HOUSE (AND HOME) OF MINALIMA House of MinaLima — a store-slashgallery in London that exclusively offers MinaLima products — opened its doors back in 2016. The store was, almost laughably, originally conceived as a three-month pop-up. Today, not only is the store still open, but there is also an expansive MinaLima online shop, a popup House of MinaLima in South Korea, and permanent House of MinaLima retail experiences in Japan and within the Harry Potter Flagship Store in New York City.

One of MinaLima’s most recent Wizarding World endeavors, the New York City location is a miniature version of the London shop. When planning its interactive, flagship store that opened last June, Warner Bros. approached MinaLima about bringing House of MinaLima stateside. Mina and Lima were given total creative control over the space, located on the flagship’s lower level and housed in its own room, making it feel separate from the rest of the shopping experience.

“It’s our embassy in New York,” Mina says. “I think it was very important from a brand point of view as well that people would feel that — while the rest of the

The interior of House of MinaLima in London | Source: MinaLima

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store has its own language and personality and everything — the minute you step over the threshold, you know you’re in a different thing.

And if you know the brand, you know that you’re sort of climbing into our heads.”

Setting up this smaller version of House of MinaLima wasn’t without its challenges.

Mina and Lima had to coordinate the design from more than 3,000 miles away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, most of the setup took place over FaceTime calls.

However, Mina says that the new location has helped expand MinaLima’s American fanbase at a time when — again, due to the ongoing pandemic — international fans couldn’t travel to visit the House of MinaLima in London.

“Next time you go [to the New York shop], don’t judge if the shelves are a bit empty,” Mina adds. “Because that’s what’s happened. We can’t get the stuff on the shelves quick enough. So that’s been enchanting, but frustrating.”

A NEW TAKE ON THE CLASSICS If multiple stores, ongoing work with the Fantastic Beasts movies, and MinaLima Studio’s expansive portfolio of non-Wizarding World work weren’t enough, MinaLima has also started producing illustrated editions of the Harry Potter book series. So far, they have completed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (published in 2016) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (published last year), both infused with colorful illustrations and intricate pop-out elements. MinaLima had started working with Harper Collins on a series of illustrated fairytales and classics back in 2013, which became the springboard for MinaLima’s Harry Potter editions.

Mina and Lima agree that the illustrated books come with their own set of joys and challenges. For one, the designers have to put aside all of the visuals that they have worked on for two decades. “There are things that have become iconic in our heads that we’re like, oh, we just need to delete that,” Mina says. “Because, A, it’s not a Warner

Bros. production. And, B, it is a new work.”

As Lima explains, they also had to think about many elements of worldbuilding beyond visual props, including casting, sets, and costumes. But starting over within the Wizarding World gave MinaLima a lot of artistic freedom.

They took the opportunity to visually represent characters and moments that didn’t make it into the movies. They were also able to create an even more fantastical version of Harry’s world, as none of their creations had to become physical props on a movie set. Overall, working on these editions of the books has created something of a full-circle moment for MinaLima and their journey with Harry Potter, Carneiro says. “​​The artwork you see on a wallpaper or a print by MinaLima was also created

by MinaLima for the film you love — the film that you love because you love reading the book. Well, now you have both films and books featuring designs

by MinaLima.”

ACCIO LEGACY Truly, it’s somewhat mind-boggling to consider how MinaLima’s designs have become cemented into pop culture, helping shape one of the largest fandoms of all time. In many ways, the designs have taken on a life of their own, beyond MinaLima, which can be interesting for the designers to navigate. For Mina, the absolute culmination of this love from fans has been seeing MinaLima designs as tattoos. “You’re like no no no, that was really intended just for the film,” she says.

MinaLima’s illustrated Harry Potter books and props they created for the Harry Potter movies | Source: MinaLima

For Lima, it may be best illustrated by his reluctance to answer the question, “Which design would you redo, if given the chance?” He was asked the same thing once at a fan event and answered honestly: the pumpkin juice logo. He recalls that the audience reacted with absolute silence, and many fans came up to him after, showing genuine concern — “Why don’t you like the pumpkin juice?

You shouldn’t say that, we all adore the pumpkin juice!” Lima did, however, get to design a new version of the pumpkin juice packaging for the Fantastic Beasts movies.

“At the same time, it’s a fantastic feeling to know that people really, really absolutely adore and love and appreciate all of those props,” Lima says. “At the time, we were just given a list of props that we needed to do and design. We were not thinking that things were going to become so known that people would love and adore and appreciate them. The fans always come to us and say, ‘Oh my god, the Marauder’s Map is exactly how I imagined,’ and that is impossible.”

“But it doesn’t matter,” Mina interjects.

“But it doesn’t matter,” Lima agrees.

“Because now, if you think about the Marauder’s Map or The Daily Prophet, it is the props that we created. It’s a very cool feeling.” ✪ THEPOPINSIDER.COM | #FuelYourFandom | 59

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SPONSORED

MERCH MAKERS

P

uzzles — but make them 3D! That’s what Wrebbit3D’s former president Paul Gallant set out to do when the company released the first-ever 3D jigsaw puzzle in 1991, letting puzzlers lift their pieced-together creations off of the tabletop and into the air to create iconic structures with more depth than any traditional puzzle could offer.

Since then, Wrebbit3D has worked with multiple licensing partners to bring fan-favorite fictional destinations to the real world, including the stone walls of Winterfell from Game of Thrones, Central Perk from Friends, and even Hogwarts Castle from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The Pop Insider chats with Wrebbit3D’s current president, Jean Théberge, about how the company continues to engage with its fans, chooses which fandoms to bring to the puzzle world, and is celebrating 30 years of 3D magic.

The Pop Insider: Congratulations on celebrating 30 years of 3D jigsaw puzzles!

How do you think your products have revolutionized the puzzles category?

Jean Théberge: Wrebbit3D’s former president, the late Paul Gallant, invented the concept back in the early ’90s.

A Canadian invention, the original 3D puzzle has revolutionized the jigsaw puzzle world by creating this totally new category of puzzles that have captured the imaginations and hearts of millions of people everywhere.

Wrebbt3D’s first-ever 3D jigsaw puzzle launched in 1991. Puzzlers could piece together The Old Mansion using 426 foam-backed pieces. | Source: Wrebbit3D

More than 30 million 3D puzzle units designed and developed by the original Wrebbit3D team were sold around the world, generating retail sales of more than $1 billion during the initial period (1991-2005).

Since then, other companies in Europe and Asia have jumped into this subcategory and created other brands of 3D puzzles or 3D assembly kits made from different materials. Wrebbit3D distinguishes itself by using the foam material, which provides sturdy 3D assembly.

PI: How has Wrebbit3D evolved over the last three decades?

JT: Wrebbit3D has evolved considerably as a brand with a wide assortment of classic and licensed 3D puzzles.

Wrebbit3D puzzles are still at the forefront of the category, with unparalleled 3D elements and detailed illustrations setting Wrebbit3D apart in a class on its own. We continue to preserve and perpetuate Gallant’s dream by bringing the highest possible challenge to puzzle fans and collectors.

PI: Wrebbit3D has done a lot with licensing over the years.

What goes into the process of choosing which licensed properties to secure?

JT: Initially, we focused on a classic theme by designing iconic buildings in 3D, but we felt it was important to meet the demand and keep up with the trends by having a broader range and offering licensed puzzles.

From the start, Wrebbit3D has always associated itself with the top licensed properties, such as Star Wars, Disney, and The Lord of the Rings. Now, our collection has expanded further to include even more popular properties, such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, Friends, and Ghostbusters.

Timing new Wrebbit3D puzzle designs with theatrical releas-

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SPONSORED

Wrebbit3D brings pop culture structures and vehicles to the real world with its assortment of officially licensed 3D puzzles, including the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters (top right), Central Perk from Friends (bottom right), and Gringotts Bank from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (middle left).

Source: Wrebbit3D

es, selecting popular evergreen licenses, and choosing popular TV series are key elements to Wrebbit3D’s recent success.

PI: Once you secure the license, how do you decide what aspects of a brand to turn into a puzzle?

JT: First and foremost, the popularity of a particular theme or structure is key to how we move forward. Wrebbit3D needs to select a building or a structure that is attractive and resonates with fans of each particular license, while ensuring that it transposes itself well into a 3D puzzle format to offer the sturdiest assembled 3D puzzle.

PI: What do your fans love most about Wrebbit3D puzzles?

JT: Fans like our Wrebbit3D puzzles because of the challenge, high-quality design, pristine graphics, and good craftsmanship.

They please a wide audience of fans and collectors, and constitute an ideal activity for the whole family to join in on together.

PI: How do you stay connected to your puzzle-hungry fans on a regular basis?

JT: Wrebbit3D stays connected with our fans through our main social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram.

We love seeing and sharing the 3D puzzle accomplishments of fellow puzzlers.

Some creative people even add another layer of depth to showcase our 3D jigsaw puzzles by building dioramas around them. Fans can also stay connected with us through our monthly newsletter or check out our YouTube channel or website.

We’re always sharing content and resources for puzzlers who need more help than the instructions provided.

throughout the last few years, and the pandemic accelerated this transition even more. E-commerce is extending its roots into the routine of more and more shoppers. We felt that we could offer a seamless experience for puzzlers who frequently visit our website, adding the option to purchase new puzzles on top of accessing useful resources and engaging with customer service. That’s ultimately why we decided to move ahead with the e-commerce project last fall.

We’ve also had great marketing opportunities with our licensing partners in the last few weeks. Having a single and upto-date ecosystem to present our products made these opportunities possible, increasing visibility for the whole Wrebbit3D range and brand in general.

PI: What’s next for Wrebbit3D in 2022? Can you give us a sneak peek of any new models?

JT: This year, we will expand our broad range of Wizarding World 3D puzzles with Gringotts Bank. Gringotts is the fifth puzzle to be added to the famous shops in our Diagon Alley Collection, which currently includes Ollivanders Wand Shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Madam Malkin’s, and Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes.

Plus, to commemorate the 30th anniversary, Wrebbit3D will introduce the Château Frontenac 3D puzzle this spring, based on the iconic building located in the historic Quebec City.

Throughout the year, fans can watch for a variety of special events that will help make the celebration even more memorable for all of our fans. Stay tuned for even more surprises! ✪

PI: Your new website allows your fans in the U.S. and Canada to purchase their favorite puzzles directly from Wrebbit3D. What led to this decision and how has this been received?

JT: It has been only a few weeks, but so far it has been great! Fans are happy to be able to shop and find our complete range of available 3D puzzles in one convenient place.

Consumer habits have been evolving

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COSPLAY CORNER

COSPLAY #FORYOU How TikTok Created a Community When Cosplayers Lost Conventions

by Sydney Reynolds, contributor

A

round this time two years ago, in character, act out their character’s Katsucon and C2E2 2020 had just reactions to new situations, or re-create a wrapped up, and fans were about character’s iconic catchphrase. TikTok is a to get ready for Emerald City Comic Con whole new space for creative innovation, later on in the month, with a full year of and some cosplayers decided to take full fan conventions ahead. Then, the spread advantage of the platform. of COVID-19 flipped the world of Cee Kaye’s Lady Dimitrescu cosplay fandom — and especially cosplay Source: @ceekayye — on its head.

Suddenly, every live convention was canceled or postponed, leaving cosplayers with nowhere to go to show off their craftsmanship and creativity. Photoshoots were highly discouraged. Meet-ups with others were unsafe. And now, as more variants threaten to restart the cycle of postponements and cancellations, the world of cosplay is still up in the air.

Cosplayers spent more than 18 months watching their favorite conventions get canceled, anxiously awaiting their return.

You may think that their drive to re-create iconic characters would slowly disappear, however, an unlikely hero stepped in, providing a convention-like atmosphere for cosplayers and opening up the “Cosplayers helped build digital world when everything was TikTok from the beginning.” closed: TikTok. Cosplayers had been active on other — Cee Kaye, TikTok Cosplayer social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, both before and during the pandemic, but TikTok provided TIKTOK AS AN ARTFORM them with a whole new slew of benefits.

Cosplayer @ceekayye — who prefers Instead of simply being a photosharing to go by her screen name, Cee Kaye app, TikTok encourages users to create — has more than 500,000 followers on content with trending audios and sounds, TikTok and was already familiar with the so cosplayers can lip-sync to songs while

app before the pandemic struck. Kaye began creating cosplay content back in 2019. For her first cosplay ever, she paid homage to one of her favorite Broadway shows, Hamilton, by cosplaying the titular role. As the views on her videos increased, she expanded her repertoire by cosplaying more Broadway characters, such as Persephone from Hadestown.

“Cosplayers helped build TikTok from the beginning,” Kaye says. “I know some people who had been cosplaying right at the start [of the platform].”

Since the app first launched in 2018, cosplayers have directly created transition and audio trends that eventually take the app by storm. For example, there was a trend happening late last year that challenged creators to use a TikTok filter and dance to the song “No Mercy.” Many TikTok users credit this viral dance to cosplayers on TikTok who used this song to mimic characters’ movements from different anime series.

That is one part of TikTok that draws so many cosplayers to its platform: the ability to fully get into character. Kaye, for example, would lip-sync to cast recordings in her Broadway cosplays, making the performance her own. This isn’t something cosplayers would typically do during conventions, but it certainly got her into character. During the pandemic, she has been able to branch out from Broadway

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COSPLAY CORNER and take on characters from popular franchises, such as Effie Trinket (The Hunger Games), Olivia Crain (Haunting of Hill House), Homelander (The Boys), and more. However, her content has completely shifted thanks to a specific costume: Lady Dimitrescu, from the popular video game Resident Evil. Her most successful video is now at a whopping 12.8 million views, featuring Kaye perfectly re-creating a Lady D pose.

Mia Parco (@miamorcos) is another cosplayer who found success in the pandemic. She downloaded the app during lockdown, desperately looking for something to pass the time. As a cosplayer who mainly posted on Instagram and Facebook, she realized the potential TikTok had and started

speech from The Princess Bride while dressed as Moana. This TikTok exceeded 570,000 views, building her confidence that people are following her content not just for the love of the characters, but for her bubbling personality and creativity.

Cosplayer Mercy Vasquez (@mercy. cosplay) also downloaded the app during the pandemic and saw people like Parco and Kaye cosplaying while swiping through the “For You” page.

“TikTok can jumpstart creative juices now that conventions aren’t happening,” Parco says.

Parco was able to take part in the Disneybound challenge without traveling to a theme park. She made modern costumes inspired by different characters for a month. She loved this challenge because she says it notes an important shift TikTok created in the cosplay community.

“TikTok changes how we make cosplays. It doesn’t have to be as expensive,” Parco says. Creators no longer feel as pressured to create the picture-perfect image of a character.

Creativity is embraced on the platform, and Kaye even noted that the strong community had a positive impact on her mental health.

@mercy.cosplay

@ceekayye creating. Now, after just over a year, she has more than 142,000 followers.

“TikTok and audio really help me hone my skills,” says Parco, who frequently cosplays animated icons, such as Disney princesses, Avatar the Last Airbender characters, and a variety of young heroines.

Dressed up as her favorite childhood characters, Parco frequently lip-syncs to their songs or speeches. By hearing the characters’ voices and following along, she says her acting skills have significantly improved. Through this journey, Parco also says she has found confidence in herself. One of her most popular videos is her dressed as “Moana Montoya,” in which she screams Inigo Montoya’s iconic

“As someone who is interested in all of these things, I thought, ‘Why couldn’t I show my creativity through cosplay as well?’” Vasquez explains of the decision to begin cosplaying.

Vasquez started by paying tribute to their favorite shows, including SheRa: Princesses of Power, Adventure Time, and Legend of Korra. Vasquez cosplayed the princesses from She-Ra one by one, and one of their most popular videos (with more than 1 million views) features a Glimmer cosplay. In the video, Vasquez’s pink-and-purple hair isn’t a wig, but their real hair dyed perfectly pink and purple.

Fans of the show quickly recognized Vasquez’s skills, and now 177,000 people follow along to see which character this cosplayer will tackle next.

Kaye, Parco, and Vasquez all stress how important TikTok cosplay became to them during the pandemic. It gave them a reason to get out of bed and work on a project. It also allowed them to experiment a bit more with their costumes, now that there was significant downtime.

@miamorcos MORE THAN A NUMBER For all three creators and the entire cosplay community, TikTok is essentially a viral convention. With the duet feature available for all users, cosplayers can collaborate with others without having to leave their homes. As with all social media platforms, there can be downsides.

At a physical convention, numbers don’t matter — everyone is just dressed up and cosplaying together. But TikTok counts views, audience retention, and likes. For Parco, it can feel like these numbers determine how much people like — or don’t like— her cosplays. According to her, when a TikTok performs well, it’s a shot of adrenaline and provides a quick high, but if a video doesn’t

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Mercy Vasquez’s Glimmer cosplay Source: @mercy.cosplay

play Mia Parco’s Moana cos Source: @miamorcos

meet her expectations, that happiness fades away to nothing.

“I have to remind myself that numbers don’t equate to my worth,” Parco explains, reflecting on the impact of analytics. “I tell myself, ‘This is just a part of you. You’re more than views.’”

Both Vasquez and Kaye also note the potential censorship that cosplayers face on the app. Many of Kaye’s characters are known for their weapons, but no weapons of any kind can be shown in a video, or it will get taken down by TikTok. Getting a video removed can result in content strikes and can threaten the status of her page. She also faced severe drops in viewership when she cosplayed Grace from the film Ready or Not. In the video, Kaye had re-created Grace’s bloody, tattered wedding dress, and because of the scarlet splatters, the content was deemed “sensitive” despite it all being fake.

Vasquez also pointed out TikTok’s potential issues with its algorithm. While TikTok is great for sudden growth, the app only pushes out what it thinks viewers will want to see. For Vasquez, who makes it a goal to spread awareness of

certain social issues, this can be a problem. If Vasquez deviates from their main cosplaying content, TikTok could assume their audience won’t be interested, and the video might be shown less.

But despite these setbacks, TikTok has created a vibrant cosplaying community filled with people who want to create something new.

“... you can slowly begin to recognize familiar screen names, and you truly appreciate everyone who supports your content.”

— Mercy Vasquez,

one who supports your content.”

While TikTok cosplay content has spiked due to the absence of conventions, there’s no sign of it stopping, even as in-person events return.

“TikTok was great at passing time in the pandemic, but now it’s created a hobby for me,” says Kaye, who intends to continue her TikTok growth.

Parco agrees, and though she’s been creating for more than a year now, she still feels her skills developing every day.

“If the pandemic hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be on TikTok,” Parco says.

Without it, she wouldn’t have made an inclusive, creative community that she talks to every day. “I met so many amazing people thanks to TikTok.” ✪

TikTok cosplayer ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

“Cosplay and content creating has opened so many doors for me, and I am truly grateful for the love and support I have received thus far,” Vasquez says.

“Through doing things like replying to comments and being on Live, you can slowly begin to recognize familiar screen names, and you truly appreciate every-

Sydney Reynolds is a previous intern at the Pop Insider. Whether it’s Game of Thrones or Avatar: The Last Airbender, she loves fantasy stories for all ages. When she’s not creating nerdy content for her TikTok account, @missbeifong, she’s probably playing Minecraft or sharing her thoughts on new movies on her Letterboxd account, @squidneyboi.

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FLAUNT YOUR FANDOM

Flaunt Accordingly You’re going to need a bigger closet once you make your way through these fandom-inspired finds. compiled by Jackie Cucco, senior editor

HUSTLE, HIT, AND NEVER QUIT

ONLY TIME WILL TELL

THE BATMAN VICTORY SPORTS BRA FROM ELEVEN BY VENUS WILLIAMS

SENSATIONAL SIX DISNEY WATCH FROM CITIZEN

Batman has got your back with this edgy sports bra from EleVen by Venus Williams’ new The Batman collection.

Designed to evoke the dark streets of Gotham City, the sporty line of athleisure wear will put your regular gym clothes to shame.

MSRP: $88 Available: Saks Fifth Avenue, Tennis Warehouse, elevenbyvenuswilliams.com, zalando.com

Now this is a power watch. You won’t lose track of time with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto on your wrist.

MSRP: $275 Available: citizenwatch.com

WITH A LITTLE LUCK GOOD LUCK BEAR RING AND EARRINGS FROM BY SAMII RYAN

A POWER BEYOND

FUNKO POP! BY LOUNGEFLY DRAGON BALL Z GOHAN AND PICCOLO MINI BACKPACK FROM LOUNGEFLY

We’ll take all the luck we can get, and who needs Felix Felicis when you have Good Luck Bear on your side? Add some Care Bears flair to your ‘fit and let the good times roll.

MSRP: $30 (ring); $32 (earrings) Available: bysamiiryan.com

What’s your favorite version of Gohan? Because ours has to be this vegan leather mini-backpack.

Sport a Funko Pop!-inspired version of Dragon Ball Z’s Gohan and Piccolo for adventures on any planet.

MSRP: $80 | Available: loungefly.com

JEEPERS, CREEPERS

CREEPSHOW RETRO SATIN JACKET FROM CHALK LINE APPAREL Look creepy-cool with this sleek satin jacket that pays tribute to Creepshow, the 1982 horror film directed

by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King.

MSRP: $134.99 Available: chalk-line.com

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THE NECKLACE YOU SEEK IS NEARBY BOBA FETT PENDANT FROM STAR WARS FINE JEWELRY

Shine brighter than all the stars in the galaxy with this Boba Fett-inspired pendant set in sterling silver and rose gold, complete with mother of pearl and black and white diamonds.

MSRP: $300 | Available: starwarsfinejewelry.com

GO TEAM!

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TOCA LIFE X HELLO KITTY AND FRIENDS COLLECTION FROM SANRIO

Kick up your feet while cheering on your favorite football team. This collection of socks features designs and logos of NFL teams mixed with ‘90s fan-favorite Nickelodeon characters from SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, and more.

MSRP: $19.99-21.99 Available: nflshop.com/nick, rockemsocks.com

We’ll take fashion inspo from Hello Kitty any day. This collection of sweatshirts and T-shirts is based on the Hello Kitty and Friends Furniture Pack from the Toca Life World app, so you can dress the part as you decorate your digital world.

MSRP: $19.99-39.99 | Available: Amazon

BACK TO THE OFFICE

THE OFFICE YOU ARE EVERYTHING TRIO CHARM BANGLE FROM ALEX AND ANI “Not enough for me? You are everything.” Relive one of the greatest office romances of all time with this expandable, rose gold bangle featuring three charms inspired by Jim and Pam from The Office.

MSRP: $59 | Available: alexandani.com

SAY ‘ELLO! RED PILL OR BLUE PILL?

BLACKMILK X THE MATRIX COLLECTION FROM BLACKMILK

LABYRINTH ELLO WORM PLUSH SLIPPERS FROM SURREAL ENTERTAINMENT

Are you a zero or The One? Go boldly into the Matrix with this epic, limited-edition apparel collection featuring a dress (pictured), leggings, hoodies, and more with a Matrix-inspired code motif throughout.

MSRP: AUD $49-159 Available: blackmilkclothing.com

Step into adventure — or into your living room — with these house slippers based on Ello the Worm from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. The plush slippers are one size fits most, with anti-slip dots for traction on the bottom.

MSRP: $39.99 | Available: toynk.com

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MINT CONDITION

L

et's face it: Many of us long-time collectors ran out of space to display our collections a long time ago. Now, as we face the quandry of where to put giant toys like Hasbro’s Star Wars Jaba’s Sail Barge or the HasLab Marvel Sentinel Robot, some collectibles manufacturers are coming to our aid by going small.

Tiny toys are not a new phenomenon. They date back to popular toys of yesteryear like the buckets of soldiers, dinosaurs, or cowboys that were available at every five-and-dime store or to order from the back of a comic book. In the ‘80s, we saw the rise of tiny toys such as Polly Pocket, Micro Machines, and Kenner’s short-lived Star Wars Micro Collection. And with the continued rise of blind-box collecting and the popularity of

Source: Super Impulse

unboxing videos today, we are starting to see shrinking playthings across categories, including toy pets, heroes, food, games, and more. My personal favorite tiny items to collect are shrunken-down versions of other toys — or as I like to call them, “toys for my toys.”

Super Impulse has been a leader in the field of mini-toys for several years, starting with its World’s Smallest line.

World’s Smallest had a strong launch in 2015 with licenses from classic and modern toys, released individually and in blind boxes. In the first wave, toy fanatics could get miniature versions of Perplexus, Rubik’s Cube, Etch A Sketch, Duncan Yo-Yo, and Little Green Army Men. Over time, the line continued to expand with other popular toys and games, such as Stretch Armstrong, Barbie, and Hot Wheels. Originally made for kids, the World’s Smallest line was also embraced by adult collectors. Super Impulse further catered to the toy collecting community by starting a sub-line of Micro Figures within the World’s Smallest brand. Although this expansion brought in several classic toy lines such as G.I. Joe, Transformers, and Masters of the Universe, it also recruited some other options, including Hello Kitty, Garbage Pail Kids, and even a tiny Richard Simmons action figure. Each figure comes packaged with a miniature retro card and a collector-friendly door in the back to remove and replace the figures without destroying the packaging. I distinctly remember discovering Super Impulse at Toy Fair New York the year they launched the World’s Smallest line. I was immediately drawn to the brand’s tiny nostalgia and, since then, I always make sure that Super Impulse is one of my first appointments at the show.

Game of Thrones Iron Throne Kuzo Source: Factory Entertainment

Drawing from the success of World’s Smallest, Super Impulse launched its sister line, Tiny Arcade, in 2018. Using many of the original read-only memory chips (ROMS), this line features miniature replicas of classic video game arcade cabinets that play just like their full-size counterparts. The line intially launched with many classic games, such as Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and Galaxian. It’s worth noting that the tiny Pac-Man game is so accurate that it’s playable up until the legendary 256 level kill screen. Over the years, other classic games like Pole Position, BurgerTime, Tetris, and Dig Dug have been added to the line, with recent additions including a scaled-down version of the multiplayer Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle game and a tiny version of Namco and Sanrio’s best collab, Hello Kitty Pac-Man. One of the biggest contributors to the tiny toy market is ZURU and its powerhouse 5 Surprise Mini Brands and 5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands. These Mini Brands follow ZURU’s classic unboxing

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Tiny TV Classics South Park, Back to the Future, Batman, and Friends | Source: Basic Fun!

strategy, with each of the five items individually sealed inside a plastic ball to extend the unboxing experience. Fans can open miniature versions of all the familiar grocery store items they love to buy, as well as accessories like shopping carts, shopping baskets, and shopping bags.

Recently, the company expanded its Mini Brands line to include playsets. Mini Brands fans can now display their stash of teeny items in a miniature grocery store or toy store playset, elevating their collection into a full-on interactive display. I don’t know why it’s fun to own miniature versions of the packaged food you would find in a supermarket, but I know that as an adult, I find just as much delight in opening and owning these as my 6-yearold daughter does. ZURU clearly has a cross-generational hit on its hands.

Gentle Giant Ltd. was ahead of its time in 2016, launching a series of Micro Figures based on a pair of vintage toy lines: Kenner’s DC Super Powers and Mattel’s Marvel Secret Wars. Both lines were picked up by Walgreens, but neither caught on quickly enough with collectors to move on to a second wave.

From the case files of “toys that never were,” in 2013, Gentle Giant tried to do micro carded Star Wars action figures and even managed to sneak a proof of concept micro-sized Boba Fett figure into the sack of its Jumbo Santa Yoda figure.

Unfortunately, either Lucasfilm didn’t

understand the idea or Gentle Giant was afraid it would infringe on its licensing agreement with Hasbro; either way, the line was never approved and didn’t go any further.

In 2020, Jazwares announced a licensing deal with Hasbro to bring the beloved Micro Machines brand back to toy shelves. Micro Machines hadn’t been seen in its classic car format in almost a decade. Hasbro absorbed the Micro Machines license when it acquired Galoob in 1998 and has occasionally brought the name back as part of its Star Wars line.

This time, Jazwares went all out with the launch and included a new version of the Van City playset, as well as other themed multipacks and playsets.

For those who aren’t enthralled by the tiny food packages, toys, cars, and arcades, Factory Entertainment’s Kuzos line offers miniature die-cast metal prop replicas of some of the greatest props from sci-fi, horror, and fantasy TV and film properties. Despite their small size, Factory Entertainment treats these tiny replicas with the same respect as their full-size counterparts. The company even provides fans with inspiration on how to display and protect the teeny replicas, including a multitiered stand with a glass cover. If there isn’t room in your collection for a full-sized replica of Captain Kirk’s chair from Star Trek — or rather, you can’t talk your spouse into purchasing the Iron

Throne from Game of Thrones — these tiny replicas are great space- and money-saving alternatives.

One of the newest entries to the tiny scene is Basic Fun!’s Tiny TV Classics line.

These tiny, working TVs feature more than 10 clips from iconic TV series and films, including Back to the Future, South Park, and Friends. Tiny TVs are available at Walmart, with two new titles — Jurassic Park and Jaws — expected to launch in the next few months.

The tiny movement shows no signs of slowing down. It’s like they always say: Don’t sweat the small stuff — embrace it and collect it instead! Whether you’re looking to start a small collection or you want to manage a tiny grocery store, the micro movement has something for you. I’m all in and can’t wait to see what toymakers make tiny next. ✪

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel Pickett founded his toy and pop culture news and review site, Action Figure Insider, 15 years ago.

He built relationships with major toy manufacturers and grew his hobby into a worldwide expertise that the industry has embraced. He has hosted panels about the toy industry for conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego for more than 15 years, and even spent several years on the inside of the industry as the marketing manager for Gentle Giant Ltd. and Gentle Giant Toys.

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THE REWIND

The Epic Tale of “The World’s Biggest Toy Store”

by James Zahn, senior editor

I

t was the late 1940s and the dawn of a new era in America. With World War II firmly planted in the rearview mirror, families settled down in some of the country’s first planned communities. Amid the suburban sprawl, Charles Lazarus — a cryptographer in the U.S. Army — returned to civilian life and began to crack a different code by accident: how to build a multigenerational retail empire.

THE EARLY YEARS Lazarus started Children’s Supermart by dealing cribs, changing tables, and other baby furniture out of his dad’s bicycle shop in Washington, D.C. “Everybody I met in the service said they were gonna go home and get married and have children,” Lazarus told Mark Aaron in a biographical interview in 2016, parts of which were later released on YouTube. “I did anticipate that there might be a baby boom, but I had no idea where it would go or what the size of the toy business could be.”

Within a few years, he noticed parents hunting for toys as their kids got older. In 1957, the business evolved into Toys “R” Us with the opening of a new store in Maryland, but babies remained key to the store’s success. During the same year, Chicago entrepreneur Larry Hochberg opened a similar store with a similar concept, mission, and name: Children’s Bargain Town U.S.A. Borrowing tricks from the grocery trade, Lazarus and Hochberg fashioned their stores in a “supermarket” style. By the mid-1960s, both Children’s Supermart Inc. (doing business as Toys “R” Us) and Children’s Bargain Town U.S.A. were sold to Interstate Department Stores and eventually rebranded as Toys “R” Us (TRU) across the country.

THE LEGEND BEGINS By the mid-1970s, Geoffrey the Giraffe was an advertising icon, but TRU was Interstate’s only profitable division.

When the parent company went bankrupt, Lazarus took the helm as CEO of the newly formed Toys “R” Us Corp.

TRU developed its famous “rainbow stripe” store design and expanded rapidly just in time for a pop culture-fueled explosion of new toys based on popular TV shows and movies, including the release of Kenner’s Star Wars action figure and vehicle collection.

"We had an amazing brand identity. If you asked, ‘Where should I get toys?, ‘ people would say, ‘Toys ‘R’ Us.’" — Michael Drake, former TRU action figures buyer

“Toys ‘R’ Us was the heart of the toy business,” says Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment (MGAE).

Larian founded his company in 1979 as ABC Electronics before changing the name to Micro-Games America Entertainment. “I got my start in Toys ‘R’ Us by selling directly to Charles Lazarus first, and because of that, the company will always have a special place in my heart,” he says. Amid the birth of the U.S. video game industry, Larian was selling imported electronic games to kids who would grow up to become the first “kidult” collector generation.

Future novelist James Patterson was

working in the advertising business when he came up with a slogan that Linda Kaplan Thaler turned into one of the most famous jingles of all time: “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid.” In the ‘80s, some of the hottest toys and properties of all time propelled TRU’s success, including Cabbage Patch Kids, Care Bears, Transformers, the Nintendo Entertainment System, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Lazarus believed that his stores had to have everything — piles of toys that would “wow” kids and, borrowing from the Sears catalog’s model, exclusive toys and games that customers couldn’t get anywhere else.

A ROLLER COASTER RIDE TRU was a global operation that grew as its direct competition gradually disappeared, but trouble was brewing at home. The retailer was losing market share to Kmart, Target, and Walmart as stores used diapers as loss leaders to get customers in the door. Meanwhile, TRU ruffled feathers by using its heft to pressure vendors into priority pricing and wider assortments.

As competition from other toy chains — including Child World and Lionel Kiddie City — crept in, TRU stayed on top with its secret weapon: babies.

Lazarus knew that baby products were the hook to create lifelong customers, but they had a limited shelf life.

Parents might buy a single high chair, but they’d spend years coming in for diapers and would eventually turn their attention to toys. With Kids “R” Us, the company tried capturing the fashion business as kids aged up, but those efforts failed. Lazarus stepped down as CEO in 1994, but stayed on as chairman of the company. Two years later, the company

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Toys “R” Us at American Dream Source: WHP Global

launched Babies “R” Us (BRU) as the toy industry continued to evolve.

“We had an amazing brand identity.

If you asked, ‘Where should I get toys?,’ people would say, ‘Toys ‘R’ Us,’” says Michael Drake, who ran the TRU action figure business from 1998-2002. Drake struck up an accidental friendship with Lazarus that grew over lunches together.

“There was an unspoken thing that you weren’t supposed to talk to Charles because he was considered to represent ‘the old way.’ He was like Stan Lee, a figurehead for the company at that time,” Drake says. The “new way” was untested computers that initially made bad decisions. “For the most part, the system worked, but it needed human intervention,” Drake says.

TRU began a fight with technology as market share plummeted. The Toy Book (also published by Adventure Media & Events, publisher of the Pop Insider) reported in May 1999 that Walmart dethroned Geoffrey to take 17.4% of the market share vs. TRU’s 16.8%.

By 2006, the company was a year into the leveraged buyout that would ultimately crush it. CEO Gerald Storch tried to unite its divisions with side-by-side TRU/BRU combo stores, but the company was buried in debt and losing focus.

It scooped up the scraps of rivals FAO Schwarz and KB Toys, but did so without investing in its existing stores.

Over the next decade, Geoffrey fell out of favor as consumers complained about dirty, overpriced stores; a clunky website; and frequently out-of-stock basic items and hot new toys. In 2015, the flagship TRU and FAO Schwarz stores in Manhattan closed their doors.

During the company’s 2017 first quarter earnings call, another CEO, David Brandon, blamed “overall weakness in the baby business’’ and “aggressive price discounting by competitors” for a $35 million decline in sales.

Less than a year later, following the largest retail bankruptcy in U.S. history, TRU closed its doors in the U.S., just three months after its founder died.

MILLENNIAL CHALLENGES

BACK AGAIN ... AND AGAIN?

Under CEO John Eyler, TRU opened its flagship store in Times Square in 2001.

The store was hailed as “The Center of the Toy Universe” — a public symbol of what the company could be. But behind the scenes, things weren’t as cheery.

TRU leadership came and went, along with the company’s drive to be No. 1. As the years went on, there was just no competing with Walmart. In a 2004 interview with The New York Times, Ursula Moran, vice president for investor relations and corporate communications, declared “We’re No. 2. Nobody else is close to us at this point. We have held our own against Walmart reasonably well.’’

But Geoffrey wasn’t gone long, as TRU emerged as a new company in 2019 — Tru Kids Brands — and made an attempt to keep the brand alive through short-lived partnerships with other retailers, including Kroger and Target. A pair of experiential mall stores in Houston, Texas, and Paramus, New Jersey, opened in 2019, but were quickly shuttered thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, under ownership from WHP Global, Geoffrey’s making another go at things.

A new, double-decker global flagship store operated under license by Brooklyn’s Toys 4 U opened at the American Dream mall in New Jersey just before

Christmas. The new store packs a ton of toys into a 20,000-square-foot space that includes some features inspired by the old Times Square store, including an ice cream shop and a slide. A partnership deal with Macy’s will see TRU store-within-a-store concepts open in more than 400 Macy’s stores later this year.

“The Toy ‘R’ Us brand is big and growing fast,” Yehuda Shmidman, WHP Global and TRU Chairman and CEO said in a statement issued in December. “Today we have more than 900 stores and e-commerce sites operating across 25 countries ... now our U.S. expansion plans are in high gear.”

But with the toy industry having evolved to record sales numbers in the absence of TRU, there are conflicting views as to how successful the relaunch and expansion plans will be.

“Frankly speaking, I’m not sure that consumers care at all — the public has moved on in the U.S.,” says Basic Fun! CEO Jay Foreman, citing the success of TRU internationally. ”We hope that Macy’s can make it work, and we will support them. But we have no confidence that the owners of the Toys ‘R’ Us brand can make a go of standalone stores.”

Larian, who tried to buy TRU in 2018, is cautiously optimistic. “There’s a need for a self-standing toy specialist chain in the U.S., and if it’s done right, it will succeed,” he says. “I hope the new owners are serious and invest in the business.”

As Geoffrey moves forward into a new era, perhaps it’s time to look back on what Charles Lazarus built and what made it great the first time around.

“It’s a happy business,” he said in his 2016 interview with Aaron. “Nobody has to buy what we sell — you buy it because you want to buy it.” ✪ THEPOPINSIDER.COM | #FuelYourFandom | 71

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LEVEL UP

VIRTUAL REALITY: RIDE THE METAVERSE Keep your arms, legs, and brains inside the ride at all times.

by Victor Lucas, creator and host, The Electric Playground Source: iStock

"O

h my god!” I involuntarily yelped in my living room at 10 p.m., well past our daughter’s bedtime. My wife heard me upstairs, but thankfully my kiddo didn’t wake up to my virtual reality (VR)-induced exclamation of sheer terror. I was playing Resist on the Oculus Quest 2, and up until that point, the game had felt like a regular, first-person espionage experience in VR. The game was asking me to steathily ascend a skyscraper on window-washer elevators and eavesdrop on an unsuspecting executive. No problem, I thought, I’ve played games like this before. I had been walking, climbing, and interacting with levers and buttons — standard VR fare.

But then something wild happened.

I was dozens of stories up in the air on my rickety platform, swaying in the breeze of the altitude, when the girders I was supposed to walk toward suddenly gave out and tumbled to the sci-fi world below. The voice in my head said that I had to jump to the next platform, which looked like it was 40 feet away. I went sailing high into the air and overshot my landing. My heart was racing and my

palms were instantly slippery with sweat.

My body and my brain were freaking out as I plummeted toward the hyper-clean pavement of the city I would die in. “Oh my god,” indeed.

That’s the unmistakable power of VR. The program is so good, it can be hard to distinguish between what’s virtual and what’s real. Things in Resist only improved from there. Before long, I was swinging through the city with the kinetic grace of Spider-Man, all the while blasting at nasty little drones that had been sent out to pick me off in mid-air. What an incredibly thrilling experience.

Resist, developed and published

by The Binary Mill, was released on the Oculus Quest platforms last November.

Despite the game’s critical success, most people have never heard of Resist and only a very tiny group of players have tried it. It’s a shame, but obscurity is still the reality of virtual reality.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Although it can be hard to gain notoriety, the VR community is changing — and quickly. Meta — previously Facebook

— has a certified hit on their hands with the Oculus Quest 2 platform. The platform is a standalone VR device released in 2020 with an impressive assortment of features combined with a price point that makes it all but irrefutable for anyone interested in VR entertainment, starting at just $299. So far, it is the closest that VR has come to entering the mainstream.

There are hundreds of exhilarating moments waiting for anyone willing to leap into this magical medium right now.

Currently, there are about a half dozen viable VR platforms on the market.

Each platform adds its own wrinkle to the VR experience and lands at a different price point. Almost all other current VR options besides the Oculus Quest 2 will require players to be physically tethered to another device, like a gaming console or a powerful PC, which, of course, adds to the cost to get started. Playing tethered VR after engaging in a wireless experience is, in a single word, lame. Best to keep that in mind.

PlayStation VR (PSVR) was released about a half decade ago for Sony’s previous gaming console, the PlayStation

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4. It’s a tethered option that will connect to the current PS5 with a dongle, and although it shows its age technologically, it still has a bountiful collection of great titles that are fun to play. Games like Star Wars Squadrons, Resident Evil 7, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Moss, Blood & Truth, Iron Man VR, and VR stalwarts like Beat Saber and Pistol Whip are all superb on the PSVR. And, Sony recently announced a new system called the PSVR 2, which will bring an enhanced VR experience to the PS5 and could potentially be out in time for the holiday season.

For those wanting to jump into a premium VR experience with higher fidelity visuals and superior controls, you’d be spending considerably more money for a PC VR solution like the Valve Index. This system — which sells for about $1,000 with all its bells and whistles — offers screen tech with a wide field of view and innovative controllers called knuckles, which offer full-finger tracking. Valve has also developed and published a stateof-the-art VR game called Half-Life: Alyx, which runs beautifully on the Index.

However, the Index system requires base station motion sensors that are a pain to set up, but create sophisticated room-scale immersion. Its downside? The Valve Index is, unfortunately, tethered.

Disappointed emoji face.

STRAPPING ON HEADSETS IS SO META The Oculus Quest 2 might be the best VR console on the market, but it’s

not perfect. For starters, the device uses a versatile, but fairly anemic, Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 SOC processor with 6GB of RAM, meaning that although the system can run software at 120 frames per second, the graphic output of the device is years behind what more advanced PC tethered systems offer. Oculus also conducted a voluntary recall on the foam facial interface for the device because it created skin irritation on some users.

Additionally, the Quest 2 has speakers built into the headset that don’t cover your ears — instead of having the sound envelop them, players have audio projected at them. Consequently, diehard fans of the Quest 2 often upgrade their device with a better, more comfortable eyepiece, a better head strap, extra battery power, and Bluetooth headphones.

All of these add-ons can drive the total investment for the Quest 2 to almost double the price of the base system.

Despite its faults, the Quest 2 is a great starting point for this next generation of virtual reality.

It’s also clear that the best VR systems of the future will not hamper us with superfluous cables. The VR headsets we crave must be light on our faces, do less damage to our hairstyles, and treat our skin better.

Meta has a new untethered, highend, and high-priced VR option that the company has codenamed Project Cambria. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg described the device at the company’s Connect event last fall: “This isn’t the

next Quest. It’ll be compatible with Quest, but Cambria will be a completely new, advanced, and high-end product.

And it’ll be at the higher end of the price spectrum, too.”

The emphasis this time will be on more sophisticated sensor technology, like full-face tracking to create enhanced social interactivity. With the advanced cameras on the device, this headset will blur virtual reality with our physical reality to create some stunning augmented reality (AR) opportunities. As Zuckerberg pointed out, “Imagine working at your virtual desk with multiple screens while seeing your real desk so clearly that you can pick up your pen and write notes without taking your headset off.”

Project Cambria is designed to seamlessly onboard users into Meta’s highly publicized, incredibly well-funded, and much maligned metaverse. Zuckerberg and his investors will be spending billions to create a new, 3D evolution of what the world today knows as the internet.

The metaverse is being designed — with the usual cascade of buzzwords and promises — as a virtual world created for our digital avatars to experience in a more visceral way than most of us can even comprehend right now. The closest reference to what we can imagine a metaverse looking like is Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, which is based on Ernest Cline’s very entertaining and prophetic novel. In the story of Ready Player One, a digital world called the Oasis replaces humanity’s desire to live

"My heart was racing and my palms were instantly slippery with sweat. My body and my brain were freaking out as I plummeted toward the hyper-clean pavement of the city I would die in. 'Oh my god,’ indeed."

Source: The Binary Mill

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LEVEL UP in the real one. Almost every point of human contact takes place within the Oasis because people don’t want to connect IRL anymore. It’s terrifying.

A BATTLE IS BREWING The metaverse, by definition, cannot be owned by Meta. Indeed, there are numerous competitors and potential collaborators in the “metaverse” marketplace. Zuckerberg and his colleagues are currently facing a trademark challenge for the name Meta from the Meta PC Company based in Arizona that had already trademarked the name before Facebook’s high-profile rebrand. In fact, even the

"So what would an Apple-branded VR/AR headset do for this burgeoning sector of interactive entertainment?

In a word or two: explosive propulsion."

term “metaverse” is borrowed. The name and the concept surrounding the metaverse was coined by science fiction author Neal Stephenson in his 1992 book Snow Crash.

The metaverse is still largely unknown: There are elements surrounding it that are unquestionably discomforting, particularly with concerns to our individual data and privacy. Meta still has a lot to answer for before we strap on headsets and explore its new virtual playground.

One of the competitors in this race to define the future of virtual reality may be Apple. Although we have seen VR and AR products from companies like Google, Samsung, and Microsoft, we have not yet seen a dedicated headset from Apple.

Many are predicting that this is about to change, pointing at the company’s sizable investments into AR-enhanced software for its iPhone as a good indicator. Apple has also been on a tear over the last several years, enhancing its privacy protocols to the detriment of Meta’s advertising earnings. As many know, the two tech gi-

ants have an adversarial relationship that seems to be extending into the VR realm.

So what would an Apple-branded VR/ AR headset do for this burgeoning sector of interactive entertainment? In a word or two: explosive propulsion. Apple spends a fortune on researching and developing its user experience. Its products don’t always succeed, but the company rarely looks or feels less than premium. The brand loyalty that Apple enjoys is the envy of the entire consumer electronics industry. If Apple jumps into this battle for our VR attention, things are going to get very, very exciting in this space. One could almost say, “Oh my god!” ✪

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Victor Lucas is the creator and host of “The Electric Playground” and has been covering the video game industry for 25 years on TV and online. You can catch the Emmy- and Telly-award winning producer reviewing the latest entertainment and interviewing creatives on EPN’s YouTube and Twitch channels and EPN.tv.

Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 is the starting point for the next generation of VR. | Source: Meta

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