DC begins with NFT comics
Always wanted to own a copy of Superman #1, but don’t you have $5 million lying around the house? There’s a facsimile edition released earlier this month that looks just like the real thing. Or maybe you would be happy with a digital version? You can get it for free right now from Comixology. If you’d rather pay for something, DC is happy to help you with that, because today they announced DC Collectible Comics, or DC3, their foray into the world of NFT comics. The first release, an NFT for Superman #1, will cost $9.99, and will come in a variety of “rarities” that will correspond to different covers for the issue.
Here is the PR for the announcement:
Today, DC announced the next step in its digital expansion, DC Collectible Comics (DC3). The weekly drops, which can be bought and sold (subject to terms and conditions) on the fan marketplace at nft.dcuniverse.com, will feature rare variants and grades that physical comic book collectors have enjoyed over the years. Superman #1 will be the first DC Collectible Comic to be sold on the blockchain on October 27th for $9.99.
DC Collectible Comics will be released from two categories, Heritage and Modern. Older Comics includes reissues of classic comics that may have been out of print for years, while Modern Comics will highlight a selection of newer releases from DC’s extensive line of comics.
“We want to take the physical, real-world experience of collecting comics that so many of our readers have loved over the years and expand it into a new digital community,” said DC Senior Vice President and General Manager Anne DePies. “We want to build the community aspect that everyone has been so proud to be a part of into our digital ecosystem to make comic book collecting more accessible and accessible than ever before.”
One of the most prized comic books in any collection is Superman #1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. DC Collectible Comics’ first release will give fans the opportunity to digitally collect one of the most sought-after comics and will be limited to 3,000 minted editions.
The common, rare and legendary versions of the Superman #1 NFT
Each DC Collectible Comic will be randomly assigned one of five levels of rarity at the time of purchase: Usual, Unusual, Rarely, Epic or Legendary. If you buy from the Legacy collection, the rarity levels correlate with the digital wear shown on the comic. A regular graded book can look faded and old, while the legendary comic book has a more pristine appearance. DC Collectible Comics from the Modern collection will feature different variant covers for each rarity level.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding and fun to see the level of engagement and enthusiasm in the DC NFT community,” said Josh Hackbarth, Head of NFT Commercial Development, Warner Bros. “From our premium Bat Cowls to our Gotham City District Knightwatch to our most recent Harley Quinn drop, we’re constantly looking for ways to embrace this new technology and give fans a truly unique experience. We’re proud of the community we’ve built so far and are excited to see it grow even more with the addition of the DC3 to the Palm platform.”
Batman: The Legacy Cowl #1, one of the latest DC comics created with the help of the DC Bat Cowl community, will be released today exclusively for Bat Cowl NFT holders. Batman: The Legacy Cowl #1 is THE STORY OF COWLS! Over the years, Batman has designed various ‘specialised’ covers (and other Bat-kits) for specific tasks. He keeps them all safe in the Batcave, but one got lost. For the past few months, Bat Cowl holders have helped shape the comic’s how, what and why through a variety of voices, helping to shape the story of Batman’s newest mystery.
Matt Mason, Chief Content Officer at Palm NFT Studio, added: “We are incredibly excited to be working with DC to bring this new collection to the platform where fans will now have the opportunity to experience these incredible comics in a new interactive and engaging road.”
Each of the DC Collectible Comics are full comic books that can be read at nft.dcuniverse.com when they are in a fan’s collection. Upcoming DC3 releases include Black Adam #1 by Christopher Priest & Rafa Sandoval, among others. The price, quantity and rarity of each DC3 drop may vary.
DC isn’t the first major publisher to get into NFT comics. Marvel has been doing them for over a year now, often with brand new cover art. DC has also been doing NFTs for a while now, with digital statues and bat cowls that people can buy and then just keep in their wallets I guess? I honestly don’t know what you do with an NFT after you buy it.
See. I think our (or at least my) stance on NFTs is pretty clear. They are stupid. They are a waste of money. They are literally nothing. And they may or may not be super harmful to the environment. But people are going to spend their money on stupid things (and I’m not immune to this – just look at my toy collection) and if people spend their money on something it doesn’t not understand that DC the Business wants in on receiving some of the money. I will also admit that DC3 is a great name as a play on web3, so nice job to whoever came up with it.
If they really want to recreate the experience of collecting physical comics, then DC3 is just the first step. Soon we will have NFT trays and NFT bags (made of NFT plastic or NFT mylar, depending on your NFT preference) Hopefully they will be able to recreate the smell of an old cartoon through an NFT one day too. Eventually we’ll be able to go to a comic shop in the Metaverse and dig through NFT longboxes to find the one NFT issue we need to complete our NFT collection, and honestly if it was a game without actual money that changed hands very fun, ok now i see the appeal of this, who do i need to talk to about getting this made.
DC’s first NFT comic, 1939s Superman #1, will be available on Thursday, with new $10 lines of code released weekly thereafter.
