“Neon Future” Comic Creators Steve Aoki & Tom Bilyeu Debut Limited NFT Collection Inspired by the Futuristic Sci-Fi Series

Unique Hybrid Drop Showcases Visionary Artist Maciej Kuciara’s Stunning Anime Art Blended With Powerful Original Music Tracks Produced by 2x Grammy Nominated Aoki

“Neon Future by Steve Aoki x Maciej Kuciara” NFT Collection

Drop Launches Exclusively on Nifty Gateway on April 27th

Five Original Pieces Featuring Two Different Colorways Will Be Available

LOS ANGELES, April 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 2x Grammy nominated creator Steve Aoki and revolutionary digital artist Maciej Kuciara have partnered with Tom Bilyeu of Impact Theory Studios to release a one-of-a-kind hybrid art and music NFT Collection, “Neon Future by Steve Aoki x Maciej Kuciara”.  This new collection takes its inspiration from Impact Theory’s “Neon Future” sci-fi comic series originally created by Steve Aoki & Tom Bilyeu.

The unique collaboration showcases revered digital artist Maciej Kuciara’s much-celebrated style of smashing together 90’s era 2D anime art with bleeding-edge 3D techniques. Combined with stirring original music composed exclusively for this project by Aoki, the result is a truly memorable creation that is designed to enthrall passionate collectors. The collection showcases five original minted pieces in two different colorways, one in vibrant full resolution color and the second in classic manga and newspaper print inspired black and white; which represents the beginning of both Steve Aoki and Maciej Kuciaria’s passion for animation and art.

The whole collection drops exclusively on Nifty Gateway on April 27th.

The creators have revealed the first stunning piece from the collection titled “Morning Routine” with the tagline “what you create creates you.” The piece was created using Blender, After Effects, Photoshop and 2DoHW.

• “Morning Routine” (Full resolution color)
• “M0rn1ng R0ut1ne” (Classic manga and newspaper print inspired black and white)

Details for the drop will be routinely updated and are available at http://nft.neonfuturecomic.com/ including previews of the NFT collections, email updates, FAQ, auction countdown clock and direct link to Nifty Gateway page.

“Neon Future by Steve Aoki x Maciej Kuciara” is the second drop for Steve Aoki and first for artist Maciej Kuciara. Aoki's debut "Dream Catcher" collection with art by Antoni Tudisco reached over $4 million in sales with a record breaking $888,888 bid for a single piece. “The Neon Future collection encompasses my passion for the series and takes an irreverent look at the themes about the future of technology that we’ve been exploring in the story world of Neon Future,” stated Aoki. “The convergence of comics and music produces a powerful collectible art experience that’s more than just a snapshot.”

Maciej Kuciara, who collaborated with Aoki and Bilyeu on creating key art assets for the story world of “Neon Future,” showcases his take on the main characters from the hit series in the upcoming drop. Kuciara is one of the most in-demand digital artists working today, and his work has been used to help define the visual style of some of the largest film and game franchises in the world, including such tentpole properties as MCU juggernauts “Captain America: Civil War” and “The Avengers,” as well as the live action remake of the anime classic “Ghost In The Shell,” “Godzilla vs. Kong” and mega gaming franchise “The Last of Us.” He’s also done work for influential brands like Nike and Google. In 2020, Maciej had his directorial debut on animated short 'MECHA' directed for Google’s YouTube premiere feature, as well as his short film 'Showtime', a 'love letter to 90's sci-fi anime', which exploded on social media platforms. “I’m very excited to share this collection with the world,” stated Maciej Kuciara. “NFTs represent a new canvas for digital artists, that allow a whole new generation of artists to collaborate with talent from different industries, and leave a lasting emotional impact on the viewer. The partnership with Steve and Tom has been an amazing experience.”

The critically acclaimed “Neon Future” comic was originally launched in 2018 by Tom Bilyeu of Impact Theory Studios as a physical comic book series, but was quickly transitioned to the global digital platform WEBTOON where it has been read nearly 700,000 times and been nominated for a WEBTOON Canvas Sci-Fi Award in 2020. The series is set thirty years in the future, in a world where advanced technology is banned, sparking a cold war between the Augmented, who have integrated technology into their bodies, and the Authentic, who have not. “Visual storytelling is the ultimate way to engage with big ideas and tell empowering stories,” stated Tom Bilyeu, co-author of Neon Future and CEO of Impact Theory. “NFTs offer the single most dynamic new canvas on which to create. As a creator, collector, and entrepreneur, I’m looking forward to what this new platform will offer the world. In the short-term it’s incredibly exciting, and when you step back and look long term, it will be nothing short of revolutionary.” Impact Theory Studios is a digital studio which produces content focused on stories of empowerment and has made significant investment in future projects for the NFT marketplace.

Using the blockchain to enforce scarcity and prove authenticity, Nifty Gateway is the premier marketplace to buy, sell, and store NFTs. The platform provides an accessible point of entry for consumers to participate in the future of art, collectibles, and commerce as a whole.

About Steve Aoki

Steve Aoki is a true cross-genre and cross-vertical visionary. As a solo artist, Aoki has amassed 7 studio albums featuring collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, Maluma, BTS, Linkin Park, and Louis Tomlinson...earning a whopping 3 billion music streams! In addition to founding his own record label, Dim Mak, from his college dorm room which served as a launch pad for acts like The Chainsmokers, Bloc Party, and many more, Aoki is also a fashion designer, entrepreneur, author, comic book creator and philanthropist.

In 2018, he partnered with Impact Theory Studios to create the critically acclaimed “Neon Future” sci-fi comic, set 30 years in the future where advanced technology is outlawed. The story explores relevant themes of culture, technology and where the human species is headed on a much deeper level. The series is an extension of the overarching visionary world showcased throughout his Neon Future albums, which strives towards singularity in a utopian convergence of technology and humanity.

THE AOKI FOUNDATION was founded in 2021 which supports organizations in the field of brain science research with a specific focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation. 

About Tom Bilyeu and Impact Theory

Tom Bilyeu is a writer, filmmaker, and entrepreneur who has garnered more than 350,000,000 views on his content across YouTube and other social channels with his various projects. His production company, Impact Theory Studios is a revolutionary, digital-first studio, that develops and produces wildly entertaining original content focusing on themes of empowerment, by bringing together some of the most talented creators, writers, and artists. The studio was started by Tom Bilyeu and his wife and business partner Lisa Bilyeu. Tom previously co-founded Quest Nutrition and reached #2 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies. He recently exited Quest when it was acquired for one billion dollars. Impact Theory distributes its unscripted, scripted, and publishing content across multiple digital platforms including the emerging NFT space. The studio has built a loyal audience in the millions with over one billion social media impressions, and its catalog of content has received hundreds of millions of views.

About The Artist - Maciej Kuciara

Maciej Kuciara is a visionary digital artist who has been translating thoughts to art since 2004. The self-taught Kuciara is revered globally for his visual styles that have been featured in tentpole properties “Ghost In The Shell,” “The Last of Us,” Captain America Civil War,” and “Avengers” as well as influential brands like Nike and companies including Google. One of the most sought out artists, he helped create the original concept art for the award nominated “Neon Future” comic created by Steve Aoki & Tom Bilyeu of Impact Theory Studios. In 2020, Maciej had his directorial debut on animated short 'MECHA' directed for Google's YouTube premiere feature, as well as his short film 'Showtime', a 'love letter to 90's sci-fi anime', which exploded on social media platforms. He is part of the wave of trailblazing artists that are creating enormous opportunities to connect to art to people in the digital world.

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44d4928d-31e9-4112-b631-207330bce782

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