Mythic Messenger first hit inboxes a year ago. We’ve been helping you and many others keep abreast of the big news from popular media and collectibles investment ever since, and there has been a lot to cover!

You probably still can’t go selling off that original email as its own collector’s item yet - although maybe we should consider minting an NFT for it? - but here at the Mythic offices the anniversary is a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come, even as we push forward into the future with a fresh fortnight of pop culture news. Thanks for reading!

Mythic Markets launching peer-to-peer share trading for top comics & cards on April 20!

Surprise! The first and biggest scoop from your anniversary-edition Messenger comes from inside our own offices. In just a few weeks, we'll be going live with the most requested feature of our online fractional investment platform: the ability to trade your shares in collectibles with fellow investors!

It’s been a long time in the making, and for the hundreds of investors who currently hold stakes in items like our Alpha Black Lotus (MTG-ABL90) or Spider-Man’s comic book debut (COM-AF157), it’s a chance to make some big moves to potentially cash their original investment in - or to double down.

Since 2019, we’ve given fans and investors a chance to get in on historically overperforming geek collectibles like Fantastic Four #1 and “Reserved List” Magic cards at a fraction of their cost by breaking them up into shares.

Unlike the recent NFT craze, these are ownership stakes in specific physical collectibles that have been previously purchased by Mythic Markets and held safely on behalf of their new fractional owners. Investors legally have rights to some percentage of that Alpha Lotus or famous comic, and were the asset ever liquidated in this booming collectibles market, they are the ones who split the proceeds.

But now there’s another, more exciting way for fractional investors to potentially profit off their Mythic Markets portfolio: trading shares with other users!

We'll be sending you more details about how it all works next week, so keep an eye on your inbox - and get excited for this unique opportunity to trade the world’s most iconic collectibles!

Fan campaign triumphs as Justice League Snyder Cut streams worldwide

Our inaugural Messenger last year breathlessly reported on the postponement of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 due to coronavirus - at the time, another brutal blow to DC Comics' faltering dream of matching Marvel on the silver screen.

Gal Gadot’s original Wonder Woman performance had been the sole DCEU film to draw universal praise, while 2017 tentpole Justice League had fallen flat after a torturous production and the departure of original director Zack Snyder. With WW84 meeting consecutive delays and eventually being shunted to online streaming, nobody expected we’d be reporting on a possible DCEU revival just one year on.

But that’s the power of organized fandom. We saw it realized in the #SnyderCut campaign, which finally came to fruition with the director’s 242-minute epic retelling of Justice League on HBO Max. Self-indulgent? Perhaps, but when was the last time a film carried such a clear mandate from its fanbase?

DC fans wanted to witness Snyder’s vision unmarred by studio meddling, believing in the artist above the system. And the strong critical reception could indicate a turning point for the rapidly-changing movie industry.

Imagine if every disappointing adaptation or franchise installment could be re-examined and re-cut for streaming. Already, fans who were vindicated by the reveal of a more satisfying Justice League experience are back on the picket line, demanding Warner Bros. recommit to the DCEU under Snyder’s creative direction.

Even directors are seeing the potential in reviving flopped blockbusters for optimistic fans, with Paul Feig coyly suggesting he had a second version of the controversial 2016 Ghostbusters waiting in the wings. Considering the profit potential of re-releases - especially when they don’t involve the Snyder Cut’s reported $70 million of reshoots - it’s not difficult to imagine Hollywood warming up to this idea over the next 12 months.

World's richest esport makes Major return in Singapore

And mirroring the other lead story from our #1 issue of the Messenger, leading esports title DOTA2 has this week commenced its first major arena LAN event since the pandemic wiped out its 2020 schedule.

As a vital qualifier for the world’s most valuable esports tournament (The International) with a massive prize pool of its own, the competition has been extremely fierce throughout the group stages and the first day of main stage play. Many of the qualified teams from around the world are playing outside their local region for the first time in many months, leading to some explosive and unpredictable results.

Powerhouse teams from China, Europe and North America have all established their place in the Upper Bracket, including past TI winners Evil Geniuses and Invictus Gaming, current top dogs Team Secret, and PSG.LGD, the Chinese squad partnered with soccer giant Paris Saint-Germain.

But it’s an underdog wildcard team from Peru that has become the breakout stars. Thunder Predator spent the group stage crushing their highly-regarded opposition, making the case that South America has at last arrived as a DOTA2 stronghold. Despite a hard-fought series loss to #1 seed Team Secret, the support of fans around the world will now carry this fiery squad of upstarts as they battle towards the finals and life-changing prize money.

It’s a Cinderella story that also reflects the rampant uncertainty surrounding this comeback LAN. Thunder Predator’s compatriot team beastcoast was forced to forfeit their Major spot after coronavirus concerns, alongside many other teams, players and commentators forced to drop out - some in the middle of the tournament! As with traditional sports leagues, even the strictest precautions have failed to provide full safety for competitors and fans, with some questioning the legitimacy of the event in turn.

But with a potential double-sized prize pool waiting at this year’s International - up to $80 million USD, should the money from last year’s cancelled tournament roll over - there was no way to hold back DOTA2’s hungry competitors any longer.

You can watch Thunder Predator and the other finalists clash on twitch.tv/oneesports.

Fast fandom

For the last 12 months, this space has been dedicated to highlighting the many small but interesting developments which crop up in the culture every week. For this anniversary issue, we thought instead it would be a good chance to revisit some of the highlights - even faster - that marked our 2020.

Things that opened

China’s movie theaters, months ahead of the rest of the world, showing classic blockbusters Jurassic Park and Harry Potter to lure back audiences.
The first Demon Slayer movie adaptation, which swiftly became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, ahead of Oscar-winner Spirited Away.
“The Block”, advertised as the world’s first esports campus, in a Philadelphia business center.

Things that closed

Disneyland - shattering one man’s world-record streak of almost 3000 consecutive days visiting the theme park.
Professional and college sports leagues worldwide, leading to such strangeness as simulated NASCAR races on ESPN and pranksters loading famous serial killers into digital crowd shots.
Google’s shambolic games development division, as the tech giant retreated from its ambitious Stadia cloud gaming projects.

Where the money went

Record-shattering sales of sports rookie cards ($4.6 million Luka Doncic card in March), Pokemon cards ($369,000 foil Charizard in December) and Magic cards ($511,100 Black Lotus in January) as the collectibles market swelled.
Even bigger numbers flowed behind the scenes, with hundreds of millions in capital invested by big name funds in various collector platforms and services like Goldin Auctions, Collectors Universe and more.
Lawyers for Fortnite publisher Epic Games as they tried to take on Apple in an important public battle to break their control over App Store revenue.

We paid tribute to

Albert Uderzo, one half of the creative duo behind iconic French comic series Asterix.
Chadwick Boseman, whose accomplishments in Black Panther and other films were made more impressive with the revelation of his cancer struggles.
Norm Spencer, voice-acting talent who played Cyclops in the '90s X-Men cartoon.
Dave Prowse, British bodybuilder and celebrity trainer whose performance cemented the legacy of Darth Vader despite having his voice overdubbed without his knowledge.
Grant Imahara: special effects master, roboticist and Mythbuster.

Strange, but harmless

Japanese theme park officials demonstrated COVID-safe rollercoaster protocols, filming themselves enjoying the ride silently, masked, in full business formal. “Scream inside your heart” indeed!
Self-referential pop culture reached a peak as the LEGO Movie team unleashed their all-plastic parody of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. Mark Hamill declined a role to avoid “tarnishing the legendary status of the original.”
US senator Pat Leahy, famous for his many Batman cameos including one opposite Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, got his own chance to hand down justice as he presided over Trump’s impeachment trial.

Mythic Messenger #26 - Special Anniversary Edition!