"Whatnot has helped sellers of all sizes cultivate a community and connect with collectors through our platform, all while meaningfully scaling their business," Whatnot GM of Comics and Media Chansler Poole said in explaining Whatnot’s participation. "Retailers have been the backbone and birthplace of comics, establishing a space to nurture and grow modern geek culture. We’re excited to work with ICv2 to showcase how livestream shopping can be a partner in brick-and-mortar growth – expanding their reach, generating a new sales channel, and in turn reinvesting into these spaces."
"I’ve been watching the growth of live selling worldwide over the past few years and see a lot of potential for independent retailers to expand their reach, building a community online just as they build a community of customers in their stores," ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp said in announcing the Whatnot Co-Sponsorship. "We welcome the support of Whatnot, the biggest livestream shopping platform in the U.S., for our exploration of the past, present, and future of the Direct Market."
The ICv2 Insider Talks: Direct Market Summit, and Comic Industry Social Hour, a three-hour event, is annually a great opportunity to meet, mingle, and network with other leaders of the comics and graphic novel industry. It will kick off with the Comic Industry Social Hour, co-hosted with ComicsPro, at 2:30 Thursday afternoon, October 12. The Insider Talks, which will run 3:30 to 5:30, will include three powerful sessions in a quick-moving format, discussing the past, present, and future of the Direct Market.
The ICv2 Insider Talks: Direct Market Summit and Comic Industry Social Hour are open to business and creative professionals, and press attending New York Comic Con. Contact Conferences@ICv2.com for a free invitation. For more information, see the ICv2 Insider Talks page on ICv2.com.
Whatnot is collaborating with Marvel Comics on a New York Comic Con promotion celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Avengers by offering fans that register through the Whatnot app (by navigating to the Marketplace tab, and clicking Drops, clicking into the Marvel x Whatnot drop-card, and clicking the 'enter' button) a chance to be drawn into the cover of an Avengers comic.
Other companies supporting the event include Co-Sponsor GlobalComix, Sponsor Mad Cave Studios, and Supporting Sponsor Diamond Comic Distributors.
Whatnot is the largest livestream shopping platform in the U.S., connecting buyers and sellers in real-time across any category – from trading cards to comics and more. Founded by collectors, Whatnot is setting a new standard for buying and selling by creating a trusted space for communities to connect, grow, and flourish – giving buyers the confidence to purchase while also helping sellers both big and small build businesses off of their passions.
ICv2 is the #1 industry source on the business of geek culture, including comics and graphic novels, manga, hobby games, and merch, on its website, https://www.ICv2.com, and in its magazine, Internal Correspondence. For the people on the front lines of the geek culture business, staying ahead of the trends isn't something that can be left to chance - it's a basic necessity for being successful. That's why ICv2 is the #1 source of news and information for the buyers, gatekeepers, and tastemakers on the front lines. ICv2 is where trend-watching is a science.
