Three months ago, Funko Inc., disclosed that it was entering the non-fungible token (NFT) industry when it announced it acquired a majority ownership stake in the NFT startup Tokenwave. At the time, Funko’s CEO Brian Mariotti explained that “Funko Pop digital NFTs” have the potential to be a “game-changer.” On Friday, Funko announced the company is launching a new NFT collection featuring Jay and Silent Bob from the filmmaker Kevin Smith’s Clerks films.
Funko introduces non-fungible Jay and Silent Bob tokens and corresponding physical versions
Cult classic characters from the Clerks movies, Jay and Silent Bob, will be featured in a new collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) released by publicly traded pop culture consumer products company Funko (Nasdaq: FNKO).
Jay and Silent Bob are best known for appearing in the Clerks films, but they also appear in all of Kevin Smith’s Askewniverse movies. The duo also star in their own films “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.”
Funko announced the Jay and Silent Bob NFT Collection on Friday via Twitter and Facebook and noted that the collection will be released on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. “Jay and Silent Bob x Funko Series 1 Digital Pop! available soon on Droppp”, Funko tweeted.
The website digital.funko.com gives a bit more information on the upcoming Jay and Silent Bob NFT compilation. According to the site, Funko is releasing Jay and Silent Bob digital collectibles, but also physical versions of the Jay and Silent Bob Funko Pop characters will be created as well.
Funko’s pop digital NFTs join dozens of well-known brands issuing digital collectibles
Prior to announcing the Jay and Silent Bob NFTs, Funko partnered with well-known brands such as DC Comics and Warner Bros. The non-fungible Funko Digital Pop tokens are similar to products that Funko sells in stores as they feature Funko’s distinctive style. The Funko Digital Pop Jay and Silent Bob NFT will be available through the NFT Droppp platform.
While the NFTs will stem from the Droppp platform, Funko digital collectibles are issued on the Wax blockchain network. In addition to the NFTs, Funko will be showcasing “an immersive, fan-focused community experience” at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) from July 21 to July 24, 2022. Funko’s new blockchain-based digital products join a slew of well known brands that have entered the NFT and metaverse industry during the last few years.
Brands that have participated in the NFT space so far include Topps, Adidas, Arizona Iced Tea, Gannett, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Fanatics, WWE, Bicycle, Warner Bros., Pepsi, Nike, Coca-Cola, Rolling Stone, DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) and Marvel. Despite brand recognition and celebrities entering the fray, NFT sales are down 49% this month compared to the previous 30 days, according to cryptoslam.io stats from July 15.
