ReedPop has simply launched the Popverse, a brand new popular culture web site led by editor in chief Chris Arrant. Popverse can also be a rebranding of the Metaverse, ReedPop’s earlier iteration of an internet site to cowl numerous fandoms. (ReedPop obtained there first in 2020, however the time period “Metaverse” is glued to Fb and Web3 now.)
In keeping with the pr, Popverse is “a contemporary leisure model…constructed to help a vibrant neighborhood with a shared ardour for fostering comics and popular culture conversations which are insightful, useful, and enjoyable. Popverse provides unmatched comics and popular culture protection, taking readers on a tour of their favourite fandoms – and even introducing them to their subsequent favourite.”
The positioning is reside now, and in a welcome message Arrant writes:
We’ve got been privileged sufficient to witness first-hand how comedian and popular culture conventions are the crossroads of our fandom – and to see that the celebrities who we’re followers of are followers themselves. We’ve seen the glories of Corridor H and have discovered many treasures within the artist alleys throughout the nation.
And we’re going to convey all of that to you – and never simply throughout conventions.
We’ll be bringing you complete protection of the main comedian and popular culture conventions in North America, from New York Comedian Con to Comedian-Con Worldwide: San Diego, and even delving into fandom-specific occasions comparable to Star Wars Celebration, Star Trek Missions, and D23 Expo.
Popverse can even have memberships out there which can embody longer-form journalism, VOD entry to lots of ReedPop’s conference panels, unique pre-sale entry to ReedPop conference passes, autograph signings, and photo-ops, offers on merch from The Haul, in addition to a completely ad-free expertise.
Arrant leads the group as editor in chief, however has already employed a workers together with deputy editor Tiffany Babb, video producer Ashley V. Robinson, and video editor/admin Veronica Valencia. Freelance contributors are a assassin’s row of comics/popular culture journos together with Graeme McMillan, Caitlin Rosberg, Swapna Krishna, and Newsarama co-founder Matt Brady in a return to journalism.
“There’s a true urge for food inside the popular culture neighborhood to attach past the reside occasions that ReedPop places on yearly,” stated Arrant in a press release. “With Popverse, we’ve got introduced collectively a few of the greatest comics and popular culture journalists to convey our fanbase partaking, distinctive content material to assist them work together with their fandom communities day-after-day.”
ReedPop is greatest often known as the occasions firm behind New York Comedian Con, ECCC, C2E2, Star Wars Celebration (with Lucasfilms) and plenty of extra. however in addition they personal a portfolio of fan-focused media manufacturers together with Eurogamer, Dicebreaker, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun, Digital Foundry, and Exterior Xbox. Given the personnel concerned, it appears that evidently Popverse will give attention to comics information and journalism – one thing that ReedPop has been contemplating just about ever since NYCC launched.
The positioning will embody conference protection, how-to and purchasing guides, and deep dives into well-liked fandoms. A 3-part video sequence, “Corridor Cross,” will characteristic 5 minute movies from the NYCC present ground.
“New York Comedian Con, Star Wars Celebration, and our different conventions are an necessary escape for our followers and demanding to the success of our exhibitors and sponsors. These weekend occasions are locations and holidays for a lot of, however as we’ve all discovered there’s a necessity for leisure – and the engrossing conversations that encompass it – greater than only a dozen or so weekends a yr,” stated Mike Armstrong, vp, ReedPop in a press release
“With Popverse,” Arrant provides, “we’re pulling again the curtain and providing the thrills that followers and professionals get out of comedian conventions day-after-day of the yr. Popverse focuses on that delectable combine of stories, personalities, and pageantry that followers come to conventions for, with breaking information, knowledgeable commentary, and engrossing conversations with the folks behind the issues all of us love.”
Comics journalism hasn’t been a really profitable subject lately, however having a vigorous editorial part to again up its numerous occasions and branding alternatives makes lots of enterprise sense for ReedPop. Additionally, the positioning goals to select up extra subscribers for content material, simply because the Metaverse did, beginning at $65 a yr. Free memberships are additionally out there, as is a $99 superfan stage.
Welcome to the web jungle, Popverse!
