New York Comic Con (NYCC) is in the books and though the show is over that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. With four full days of programming and events NYCC brings hundreds of thousands of fans each year to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan to celebrate all things pop culture from comics, anime, video games, TV, movies, collectibles, art, and of course the best artist alley there is. Additionally, with the writers’ strike over NYCC was able to finally feel like a fully formed show with a full slate of programming, top tier booths, and a tremendous amount of content over the course of the event.
Now that the dust has settled I get to cover all the sights from the four day convention which means covering everything from the show floor, panels, offsites, and after hour events. As my coverage over the years is always expanding and I try to cover a bit of everything going on at the convention it sometimes means that I stretch myself in many different directions. However I am going to take a step back and instead of looking at a smaller amount of many booths I am going to hone in on one particular brand that made its introduction at NYCC – Thrilljoy.
Thrilljoy is a new collectibles company created by former Funko CEO Brian Mariotti, Eric Peng (current owner of Undefeated and Bait), and Dolly Ahluwalia (former SVP of licensing at Funko) entering the high-end collectible space with a line of vinyl figures which currently come in two varieties PIX! and Mega PIX! 12” and apparel line which includes limited run shirts and hats.
Thrilljoy’s PIX! figures line don’t just capture a figure by themselves like other similar collectible vinyl figures on the market but instead immortalizes the figure in a diorama set. The PIX! figure comes packaged in an outer protective case that can be opened and reclosed via a magnetic clasp stores the actual display figure as well as a collectible card. The packages also feature a wax seal to very clearly show off which version of an item you have in your collection, whether it is a regular edition, chase, or super rare chase. Unlike other vinyl collectibles the figure itself is sealed inside the case that feels like you are staring into a 3D window with the figure surrounded by a scene. The outside of this case which also feels like a picture frame has detailing around the edge to give is a bit more of a unique quality. Unlike other vinyl collectibles one of the first thing you notice when getting a PIX! collectible is the weight of the figure. Unlike other products on the market you don’t just get a cardboard box rather the combination of the outer packaging and the figure and display gives everything a bit more heft. Another nice touch is the card inside the box which itself is in a openable magnetic clasp protector also gives a number to that specific PIX!. Each figure in the PIX! line have a limited run size, comes with a 1-in-6 chance of being a chase variant of the figure, and currently costs $50.
As mentioned above, the PIX! line comes with a 1in-6 chance of getting a chase version of the figure. However, on top of the chance at the normal chase version, some of the figures in the PIX! line have ultra chase versions which in some cases are limited to only 24 total pieces. While the Thrilljoy products were released for first time simultaneously online and at NYCC the super-rare chase versions were only made available to people who purchased in person at NYCC. What’s also fun about the chases are that each version may not just be a variant colorway of the figure but a different version altogether. For example the regular edition of the Mars Attacks figure is just a Martian Soldier, while the chase version is instead the Martian Ambassador, and the super chase version is a Martian Leader, thus mirroring the rarity of the figure with an equally rare equivalent in context of the movie. This is also evident in the packaging where the soldier box says soldier and the ambassador box says ambassador. Finally, while it may seem as though there is no difference from buying online versus at a convention even that is taken care of as version bought at the convention have an extra sticker on the front for the convention editions.
The Mega Pix 12” line on the other hand sets itself apart as a high-end collectible with their unique magnetic accessories. This innovative feature enhances both detail and collectability, showcasing larger versions of beloved PIX! characters and collaborations with top licenses, including Thrilljoy’s mascot Bloo. At NYCC the Meg PIX! 12” line was only previewed and only pre-orders were taken with figures starting at $125.
But what good would this new company be without any licenses. While the company did create their mascot Bloo the Thrilljoy team worked very hard and used many to connections to hit the ground running with an extremely wide array of licenses out the gate including Beetlejuice, Mars Attacks, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Chucky, The Crow, Warrior Nun, and Squid Game just to name a few; though more are coming.
Finally Thrilljoy is also embracing streetwear trends by offering their Thrilljoy Threads line. These premium apparel collectibles are limited to 200-400 pieces, feature innovative packaging, and bring a collectible touch to one’s wardrobe.
Did I forget to mention, the entire company, from products, licenses, booth space, website, creating a mascot, and everything in-between was put together in only five months!
Now that I’ve gone through the company and its products let’s dive into a bit of everything Thrilljoy did throughout their first convention; it was actually quite a lot!
Thrilljoy Booth
What would a collectibles company be without a booth and well collectibles. Before the floor opened the booth created an air of mystery as the entire booth was fully walled off which didn’t allow anyone to see inside. However, once inside two of the walls were used to showcase the various exclusives available for purchase including PIX! and Mega PIX! figures and apparel which included a Thrilljoy uniform. While the booth was selling the Mega PIX! 12” figures because of how quick they put everything together those products were just pre-orders at the convention and not available on the spot. Additionally, inside the booth were full size Frosted Flakes Tony The Tiger and a Game of Thronesesque chair with a full size Bloo for a photo-op.
Thrilljoy and the Future of the Collecting Panel
The Thrilljoy team including CEO Brian Mariotti, Eric Peng (Current owner of Undefeated and Bait), and Karissa Marston took to the stage in a room full of eager new fans to discuss industry trends in the collectible space, what’s special about their new company, and where they intend to go from here.
A lively back-and-forth was had during the hour long panel and I felt they touched on a few interesting points including the speed with which they put the entire company together. Not just creating the company from the ground-up but also getting licenses in place so quickly which is something Brian had to personally work on using his years of connections, and getting product to market as well. The company is also showing they do want to hear from their fanbase by creating a Fan Advisory Board with a few initial members including artists and influencers already set to join.
In terms of the products being released the crew touched upon some future releases including Scooby-Doo, MTV, Harry Potter, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Clause, and other pop-culture trends like Moo Deng.
Similar to other brands Thrilljoy is embracing the proto fan by releasing their protos to the public however the manner in which they plan to do so is vastly different, with an encased figure which includes embossed Proto and PIX! logo’s, embossed sesls, and numbered sculpted wax seals. For the larger Mega PIX! 12” proto’s though they may not be able to be encased Brian is personally hand signing and numbering each one before release to the public.
Finally what would a panel hosted by Brian Mariotti be without some craziness. Throughout the panel attendees received various giveaways which included smaller run figures, unreleased for sale figures, protos, some of the yet-to-be released Mega PIX!, and for some exceptionally lucky fans Brian and crew handed out a very limited number of lifetime front of the line passes at any convention Thrilljoy attends. The panel surely did not disappoint.
Thrilljoy Launch Party
To truly celebrate the launch of their new company Thrilljoy held an invite-only event at Castell Rooftop on the Friday evening of NYCC. Brian opened the party with a thank you note to the fans and influences for coming by, expressed the absolute gratitude he had towards his team for putting together a the company at record pace, expressed his desire to have this company as a fan owned company with buy-in from the fans, and for everyone to have a great evening! The evening was a perfect mix of industry and collector folk mixing and mingling the night away with drinks, snacks, music, and of course a swag bag for attendees.
