Pop culture and pop conventions are always a great way to escape from reality, to enter a world that is entirely our own. But, when fans were unable to come together in person for the 15th edition of New York Comic Con, our teams designed and delivered a unique virtual experience for hundreds of thousands of fans by launching New York Comic Con x MCM Comic Con Metaverse.  

A celebration of all things fandom, NYCC x MCM Metaverse took place from 8th-11th October, with the fan experience and customer value at the heart of the event.

Metaverse was created to present all the favourite  elements of a comic con — the programming, publisher exhibitors, artist alley, and fan presence — in a more engaging way than the now-ubiquitous Zoom video chat platform, and it exceeded all our expectations and received kudos from an industry that has struggled to fill the gaps of beloved in-person consumer events, as SyFy Wire noted, “From live Q&As, to cosplay competitions, to one-on-one meet-and-greets with celebrities, Metaverse 2020 delivered the sense of community that has always been the bedrock of the comic con experience.”

Kristina Rogers, ReedPop Event Director and NYCC Metaverse showrunner explains; “New York Comic Con x MCM Comic Con’s Metaverse is a place for fans from all over the world to come together in celebration of all things fandom. While we couldn’t be together in person, your voices are what make our shows special, and the team focused on creating new and unique ways to foster togetherness while delivering all the star-powered content you’re used to seeing from us.”

Innovation was key, and Metaverse delivered with real-time interaction between fans. Participants were able to share pictures of their cosplay, swap tips, browse through a virtual Artist Alley, and discuss topics or get involved with panels across a number of different chat feeds.

Studio highlights included The Boys from Amazon Prime, the Outlander Trivia Showdown, A Discovery of Witches from Sky and BBC’s Doctor Who.

NYCC traditions also continued in the virtual realm with the NYCC x MCM Metaverse Charity Art Auction raising over $100,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year’s piece with the highest bid was an X-Men vs Imperial Guard Illustration from Philip Tan which went for a whopping $8,825. A big thanks to all the artists, everyone who bid and donated, and all of the proud owners of new art! 

And the best part of this virtual con? Even though it’s over, the Metaverse will live on! Fans across the globe can still shop in the Retailer Zone and Artist Alley until October 16 and the fabulous Metaverse panels are still available to watch at any time on our YouTube channel. Join Discord and make new friends to geek out with over all things pop culture or come and hang out with NYCC and MCM on social media. If you want your hit of pop culture, then Metaverse is the place for you.