The new marketplace will be paired with ReedPop’s content initiative, Metaverse, as an always-on destination for fans.  The move is part of a significant pivot online by the company, which in addition to The Haul and Metaverse also includes tabletop game site Dicebreaker and cosplay site Cosplay Central.

“[T]he loss of in-person conventions over the past year was detrimental for artists and businesses who depend on large-scale fan conventions to bring awareness to their products,” ReedPop Global President Lance Fensterman said in a statement accompanying the announcement.  “As our team at ReedPop moves forward with a hybrid virtual and live convention model, we want to make sure we are maximizing the scale at which these businesses are being discovered by recreating that experience 365 days a year.”

In conjunction with the launch, we talked to ReedPop Vice President of New Initiatives Mike Armstrong (see “ICv2 Interview: ReedPop Vice President Mike Armstrong”).