New-Gen Universe, Inc. is kicking off its first consumer products initiative at San Diego Comic-Con, debuting an exclusive collector’s trading card set created in collaboration with Cryptozoic Entertainment to commemorate the Marvel Distributed Comics series.
Only 300 convention-exclusive boxes will exist worldwide for the July 23-26 event, making this one of the rarest “New Generation” collections ever released. Designed exclusively for this convention, the set also builds momentum for the upcoming 3D CGI animated series “New-Gen Nanobot Heroes.”
In the comics, twin brothers Sean and Chris discover that their bodies have been enhanced with nanotechnology, propelling them into battle against the villain Deadross in a futuristic world where nature and technology coexist.
Created by J.D. Matonti, Julia Coppola, and Chris Matonti, “New Gene” grew from its Marvel-distributed comic book origins to a transmedia series spanning publishing, animation, and consumer products. Comic-Con cards provide fans with a tangible connection between the original comics and the upcoming animated series.
The effort is led by Debra Joester, president of the Joester Loria Group, who is spearheading New-Gen’s expanding consumer products program.
“We are excited to collaborate with Debra Joestar and Cryptozoic Entertainment on this first new generation consumer product initiative. We envision many more imaginative opportunities like this, working with Joestar Loria Group, Toons Media Group, and world-class talent to bring the story of a new generation of nanobot heroes to children of all ages,” said JD Matonti, creator of “New Gene.”
Each box contains 13 collectible cards. Includes 11 base cards drawn from artwork from the comic book series, 1 rainbow foil card, and 1 autograph card signed by either Matonti, voice actor Molly Fahey, or voice actor Tony Oliver. All autographed cards have a signature on the card and are limited to 100 pieces, with selected base and foil cards created as unique one-of-a-kind pieces.
Convention buyers will also receive a free “New Generation” graphic novel that follows the origin story of the series, with a foreword written by Mark Hamill.
“We are excited to partner with JD Matonti, Toonz Media Group, and the extraordinary talent behind New Generation Nanobot Heroes,” said Debra Joestar. “Fans are hungry for the next evolution of superheroes, and JD has created compelling storytelling, compelling characters, and a rich, imaginative new world that does just that.”
Attendees can also preview new artwork for “New Generation Nanobot Heroes” on the series’ website ahead of its animated debut, which shows the heroes landing in a spaceship in the series’ utopian setting. Another giveaway will give fans a chance to win a graphic novel signed by Hamill.
The release of this card builds momentum for New Generation Nanobot Heroes, an upcoming 13-episode, 22-minute 3D CGI series from writer-director Matonti, repped by Zero Gravity Management’s Evan Anglin and Eric Williams. The show is produced by New-Gen Universe and Toonz Media Group, with Chris Matonti, Julia Coppola, Brad Heisman and JD Matonti serving as executive producers.
The project’s screenwriters include Brent Friedman of Star Wars: The Clone Wars fame and Eugene Sohn of Avengers Assemble, along with four other screenwriters. Toonz Media Group will distribute the series internationally, and Ketchup Entertainment will handle domestic release.
The voice cast includes Finn Wolfhard, Nick Wolfhard, Anya Chalotra, Luke Wilson, Henry Rollins, Taylor Gray, Molly Fahey, Lena Headey, and Tony Oliver, and the music was composed by John Loeffler.
New-Gen Universe is a transmedia company built around New-Gen IP and other properties. Its advisory board counts NuGene’s own creators, along with former Marvel CFO Ken West and How to Train Your Dragon producer Bonnie Arnold. Co-producer Toonz Media Group has spent more than 25 years in the animation business, producing an estimated 5,000 minutes of CGI and 2D programming annually, with past credits including Marvel’s “Wolverine and the X-Men,” Lionsgate’s “Speed Racer: The Next Generation” and Universal’s “Mostly Ghostly.”
