In 2021, entrepreneur and internet personality Gary Vaynerchuk, also known as Gary Vee, introduced his new project, VeeFriends, a media and entertainment company that centers on 280 original characters designed to inspire positivity and build a better world through their universe.
Vaynerchuk was heavily inspired by the comics of his childhood. He started off with NFTs and collectable cards, and over the past few years, VeeFriends has expanded their media outlets to areas such as Topps Chrome Trading Cards, Funko Pop collectibles, and of course, comic books.
At this year’s New York Comic Con, VeeFriends released its first Annual Jump, an oversized, manga-inspired compilation featuring the first 22 issues of the VeeFriends comic book series. The release also introduced the Gentle Giant, a colossal being capable of forming human connections. Both were showcased at the official VeeFriends booth, located in the heart of the Exhibit Hall.
The 20th anniversary of New York Comic Con over the weekend was VeeFriends fourth year at the convention, and clearly an important one for the company.
The cover of “Gentle Giant” #22, cover by Jeremy HylerCourtesy of VeeFriends
“So many of the comic artists and writers are coming up to our booth and just passing by and saying, ‘Hey, you guys are doing good stuff,’ which is incredibly different than 4 years ago,” Vaynerchuk said, expressing relief. He went on to discuss the backlash behind a businessperson becoming involved in comics, stating, “Anytime a businessman or woman enters the comic realm, there’s always a level of cynicism and concern that this is gonna be bad or ruin it, or, you know, we were just talking about speculators versus collectors.”
However, through thoughtful execution, he feels VeeFriends has earned the industry’s acceptance. “That is humbling and exciting,” he stated.
For Vaynerchuk, VeeFriends has always been about more than collectibles, entertainment, or expanding into new mediums. The project was built around a desire to bring greater attention to the values and character traits he believes society often overlooks.
“I think the intent behind the amazing stories is what is important to me,” he explained. “When I thought about this world five years ago, I felt that there was not enough conversation around important traits…There’s things that are not being talked about in society. In my opinion, that could really benefit society.”
The “Gentle Giant” cover at the NYCC booth.
Using his platform to his advantage, Vaynerchuk aimed to combat the current cultural climate he sees shaped by cynicism and fear. “I think there’s too much cynicism, I think fear has been incredibly weaponized, unfortunately. And, you know, I felt that I was the guy, creatively and entrepreneurially, to build a universe that could leave a positive deposit.”
While the “Gary Vee” internet brand and his other companies had grown to reach tens of millions of people, he understood that his personality would not resonate with everyone. He saw VeeFriends’ characters as a way to make the company’s message more accessible to a wider audience.
“The Gary Vee brand had gotten big. I started reaching tens of millions of people, but I also knew that I wasn’t the vehicle to reach everyone,” Vaynerchuk explained. “Not everyone likes my personality. I’m not the human to be the person that changes someone’s perception in a good way. I can’t reach all eight billion people. I’m aware of that. But I think Patient Panda can, you know, but I think Accountable Ant can.”
VeeFriends has become an interesting addition to the comics industry and New York Comic Con. The company will only continue to grow and attempt to spread positivity, as Vaynerchuk said, “I believe I will sell off the majority of my companies and only work on VeeFriends. That’s my intuition. And the reason is that VeeFriends allows me to do everything I’m interested in.”