LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Liithos, a AAA gaming and entertainment studio led by PlayStation veterans Michael Mumbauer (The Last of Us) and John Garvin (Days Gone) and Web3 marketplace CoinZoom have partnered with mega-influencer Michael Le (52.2 million followers on TikTok) to create an innovative narrative series to launch exclusively on TikTok. Starring Le along with TikTok influencer Slider Jesus (257k followers on Instagram), the epic adventure will introduce the world to Ashfall, the first transmedia IP announced by the Liithos team earlier this year that will launch as a comic book series in March and with a AAA video game currently in development, built on the highly respected, low-cost, and sustainable Hedera network.
“Today’s superstars are elevated by millions of real fans and followers on TikTok where we find our new heroes and villains,” said Mumbauer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Liithos. “We are looking to collaborate, integrate, and elevate multimedia experiences with superstars like Michael Le for the next generation. The Liithos TikTok Creators series is the first of many experiences Liithos is looking to launch to create easily traversable pathways between media and the evolving web space.”
Fully embracing the opportunities that Web3 opens for gamers and creators alike, this initial series creates 5 free digital collectibles, each including an “easter egg” of 3 pages of the upcoming comic for enthusiasts to collect – all featuring legendary comic book talent.
Built on the Hedera network, Liithos see this as the start of a fully actualized vision where all the benefits of decentralization, social gaming and narrative-led content collide beautifully.
“We were very particular about who we wanted to make Ashfall with.” Mumbauer continued “We believe in sustainable ecosystems and want a healthy planet, but also love innovation. Hedera allows for both. We can innovate but not at the expense of our planet. They were the only choice for us. CoinZoom brings the simplicity and user experience that opens the door to all, not just the web3 crowd – so anyone can get in at the start of this new franchise.”
Beginning January 29, the five-episode digital series can be viewed on Le’s highly-trafficked TikTok and, in a throwback to the appointment viewing of the Sunday Comics of old, will feature a new episode every Sunday. Liithos will celebrate each episode by releasing a unique free digital collectible that will be available only through CoinZoom, with collectors paying just a small processing fee. Fans who collect all five digital collectibles can return to claim a bonus sixth mystery digital collectible available only to those who’ve participated in the entire event!
Adding extra value, the digital collectibles will give fans access to a sneak preview of the upcoming Ashfall comic series. Written and drawn by a who’s who of comic talent including Garvin, who conceived and wrote the story, along with art from Marvel and DC artist Paul Pelletier (Aquaman, Guardians of the Galaxy, et al), Brett Booth (Backlash, Gunslinger), and Eisner Award winner Tony Harris (Starman, Ex Machina), the comic book series introduces fans for the first time to the Ashfall Universe, which takes place in the climate-change ravaged Pacific Northwest where Seattle has been submerged beneath the ocean for hundreds of years.
Todd Crosland, CEO and Co-Founder of CoinZoom,which is hosting the Marketplace for the collectibles, said “Our part is to bridge Web 2 to Web 3 with the easiest, fastest way to sign up, claim and trade digital assets. A simple sign-on, super-easy claim process and paying the small processing fee with Apple Pay or Google Pay opens up access to anyone to get involved. This is not just for the crypto-forward or NFT fanatics – anyone who follows Michael Le, or loves comics, or wants to get in at the beginning of the next big gaming franchise, can get their Ashfall episode in a few quick steps.” Crosland added, ” Building on Hedera has been great – we are big fans of their network and it was built for mass-scale, content-rich engagements like this.”
“Web3 opens up a new frontier for engaging content with true ownership of creative assets,” said Alex Russman, Head of the Metaverse Fund at the HBAR Foundation, supporting the growth of the Hedera ecosystem. “The Liithos team, combined with Michael Le, present unparalleled expertise and achievements in pushing boundaries to advance the Creator Economy – it is fantastic to see this activated at scale on the Hedera network.”
