In brief
- Archie Comics and Palm NFT Studio will release the Archieverse: Eclipse NFT collection on May 16.
- The NFTs, minted on Ethereum scaling solution Palm, will let holders contribute ideas that could be used in future comic books.
Archie Comics aims to build the largest writers' room on the blockchain with its new Archieverse: Eclipse NFT collection, which will let holders contribute character details and storylines that could potentially be used in future comic books.
The 66,666 NFTs are profile pictures (PFP) with randomized traits—akin to Bored Ape Yacht Club or Azuki avatars—and they’re based in the world of the Archie Horror imprint and inspired by “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” which became a Netflix series. Archie artists Laura Braga and Vincezo Federici illustrated the NFTs.
They’re releasing on May 16 alongside the next Blood Moon, and will sell for $66.66 apiece. But purchasers get more than just a social media avatar: They also gain access to a private Archieverse community, where they can share custom backstories for their owned characters—and those details could be plucked and used within future comic books.
“As people develop their storylines, we'll be working to publish those with you,” said Jesse Goldwater, creative consultant at Archie Comics and son of CEO Jon Goldwater. “You're going to get creator credits and all sorts of other cool, unique perks, and opportunities with it.”
How exactly that process will work has yet to be fully fleshed out. Goldwater told Decrypt that the Archie Comics creative team will trawl the private Discord community at first in search of character and story ideas, but the process could become more formalized.
"We're obviously going to be looking at how the fans react, and the best ways to engage with them directly,” Goldwater added. “It's so important to us that we keep it very, very democratic, and everyone gets to have their voice heard.”
The Archieverse: Eclipse collection will be minted on Palm, a sidechain scaling solution for Ethereum that enables cheaper and more energy-efficient transactions. They’re created in partnership with Palm NFT Studio, which is also behind DC Comics’ upcoming drop of 200,000 Batman-themed NFTs that come with various promised benefits.
An NFT works like a deed of ownership to an item, often digital artwork, profile pictures, or interactive video game items. NFTs also can serve as an access pass for exclusive communities, unlocking additional functionality and features—much like Archie Comics and Palm NFT Studio are doing with these Archieverse NFTs.
Goldwater described the firm’s “Archie 3.0” initiative as an opportunity to tap blockchain technology to get fans involved in a meaningful way, and let them have a say in how iconic comic book characters are represented.
“It's leveraging the blockchain to create the future of entertainment. It's the future of storytelling, and everything—whether it's comic books, film, or TV—begins with a good story,” he said. “What’s so cool in the future of entertainment is turning those toolkits over to the fans and saying, ‘Here, you go run wild and tell the stories that you've always wanted to tell.’”