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aNb Media News, October 4, 2017

WIT to Host New York Comic Con Panel

Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) has curated a panel for New York Comic Con (NYCC) on “The Power of Narrative: Iconic Characters and How They Reflect a Dynamic Culture.” WIT has assembled leaders from Nickelodeon, WWE, Saban Brands, Nelvana, and Random House for the 2017 NYCC, to be held on October 5 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Panel moderator, Zuri Rice, vice-president of production and development at Nickelodeon, will lead a panel that will explore the ways storytelling and narrative in the contemporary world reflect and reinforce cultural changes from gender to interaction and identification.
Panelists are:

  • Zuri Rice, vice-president of production and development, Nickelodeon (Moderator)
  • Casey Collins, executive vice-president, consumer products, WWE
  • Melissa Flores, director, development & production, Saban Brands
  • Tonya Lindo, director of licensing for North America, Nelvana
  • Bill Doyle, children’s author, Random House

“WIT is thrilled to once again have a presence at this year’s NY Comic Con,” says Chris Byrne, WIT’s Panel Committee Chair and ‘The Toy Guy’ at TTPM. “We are excited to bring together a group of dynamic brand builders and content creators of some of today’s hottest entertainment brands to touch on how they’re creating product and content that reflect today’s cultural climate, and the impact and influence it has on the way kids play.”

For more information about attending NYCC, visit www.newyorkcomiccon.com.

Subway Surfers Creators Readies New Entertainment Brand

SYBO Games, the maker of the Subway Surfers mobile game, will launch the entertainment brand franchise, SUBSURF at Brand Licensing Europe, October 10-12, 2017.

SYBO Games has tapped licensing agent Naz Amarchi-Cuevas of 212 Degrees Consulting, previously CEO of Zoobe Entertainment. Amarchi-Cuevas has been readying a brand reboot for the games studio with the company’s creators and is seeking global lifestyle partners for SUBSURF at BLE.

SUBSURF is the first of multiple worlds SYBO Games plans to introduce. The upcoming animated series (26 x 13) will premiere next year; led by Sander Schwartz, former president of Warner Bros. Animation and Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group. Already in pre-production, the shows are produced by teams in Copenhagen, Los Angeles, and Toronto.

The Danish company has also brought on Daniel Persson as head of games to expand on current titles and develop new games. He was previously with King, and built its Malmo office from scratch, with successful work on Pet Rescue Saga.