New-Gen Universe, Inc. is making its first-ever consumer products debut at San Diego Comic-Con this Thursday — and collectors who planned to grab one of the 300 limited-edition trading card boxes at leisure already missed the presale window. As of July 20, 2026, the online allocation for in-booth pickup has sold out, leaving the only retail path to purchase as an in-person visit to Cryptozoic Booth #115 at the San Diego Convention Center during SDCC’s July 23–26 run.
The 300-box print run makes this one of the scarcest entries in Cryptozoic’s 2026 SDCC lineup — smaller than the CZX Jurassic Park preview box (500 units) and tied with The Expanse Season 1 Convention Preview Box at 300 units.
New-Gen Universe Brings Its Marvel Comic Origins to the Convention Floor
Launched in 2008 by J.D. Matonti, Julia Coppola, and Chris Matonti of A.P.N.G. Enterprises and first published under Marvel Comics distribution with issue #1 in 2010, New-Gen has spent nearly two decades building its world without a major consumer products line. The franchise centers on twin brothers Sean and Chris Daniels, raised on Earth after their father Gabriel — the leading nanotechnology scientist in the extra-dimensional world of New-Gen — banishes his apprentice-turned-villain Sylvester Deadalus to the underworld following a nanobot attack that gives superpowers to dozens of children. Now, for the first time, that world is available in card form.
The trading card partnership with Cryptozoic Entertainment — facilitated through licensing agency Joester Loria Group, led by Debra Joester — marks the franchise’s official entry into consumer products ahead of a far larger media move.
What Is Inside Each of the 300 Boxes?
Each of the 300 convention-exclusive boxes contains 13 collectible cards and retails for $49.99, as detailed on Cryptozoic’s product page.
The contents break down across three tiers:
Eleven base cards drawn from artwork in the original New-Gen comic series come in two parallel versions: a standard print numbered to 299 in red ink, and a rare 1-of-1 numbered in black ink. One foil card — printed on a rainbow holographic substrate and encased in a rigid card holder — is available in a version numbered to 99 in red or a black-numbered 1-of-1. Every box also contains one autograph card, signed directly on-card (not via adhesive sticker) by one of three signers — series creator J.D. Matonti, voice actor Molly Fahey (Grand Theft Auto V), or voice actor Tony Oliver (Lupin the Third) — each numbered to 100 in red ink, also encased in a rigid holder.
On-card autographs represent the premium tier of the trading card autograph format. Unlike sticker autographs — adhesive labels applied separately and more prone to peeling or misalignment — on-card signatures are physically signed on the card face before packaging, producing a cleaner authentication record and a more durable final product. Their inclusion in a first-issue set for a niche franchise is a deliberate signal to serious collectors rather than casual fans.
As a convention bonus, every box purchased at SDCC Booth #115 includes the original New-Gen graphic novel — a 180-page collection of the first six issues, complete with a foreword by actor Mark Hamill, who previously served as a creative consultant to the franchise and attended New York Comic-Con to promote the same graphic novel. Hamill has been part of the New-Gen story for years.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Debra Joester and Cryptozoic Entertainment on this first New-Gen consumer products initiative,” said J.D. Matonti, creator and series director, in a statement “We envision many more imaginative opportunities like these as we work with Joester Loria Group, Toonz Media Group, and world-class talent to bring our New-Gen Nanobot Heroes story to children of all ages.”
Who Is the Voice Cast Behind New-Gen Nanobot Heroes?
The trading card launch is timed to build collector momentum ahead of New-Gen Nanobot Heroes, a 13-episode, 22-minutes-per-episode 3D CGI animated series currently in production with Toonz Media Group. Toonz will handle international distribution; Ketchup Entertainment will manage domestic release.
The voice cast assembled for the series is extensive for an independent franchise. Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and his brother Nick Wolfhard (Fire Emblem) voice the twin hero brothers Sean and Chris. Anya Chalotra (The Witcher), Luke Wilson (Stargirl), Henry Rollins (The Legend of Korra), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Taylor Gray (Star Wars Rebels), Molly Fahey (Grand Theft Auto V), and veteran voice actor Tony Oliver (Lupin the Third) round out the ensemble, as Animation Magazine reported at the time of the series announcement.
Scripting is led by Brent Friedman (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Eugene Son (Avengers Assemble), alongside four additional writers, with music composed by John Loeffler. J.D. Matonti directs the series. Executive producers include Julia Coppola, Chris Matonti, Brad Heisman, and Allan Grafman, president and CEO of All Media Ventures, who facilitated the Toonz partnership, per Animation World Network.
Toonz is building the series using Maya, Houdini, and Unreal Engine, the same toolset the studio has used for projects including Wolverine and the X-Men (Marvel) and Speed Racer: The Next Generation (Lionsgate).
Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, described the project’s ambition in a statement released at the time of the Toonz partnership announcement: “New-Gen Nanobot Heroes is built for a new era of animation — cinematic, serialized, and unforgettable. This is exactly the kind of franchise IP we look to amplify at Ketchup: visionary creators, cutting-edge technology, and a world that demands a screen. With Toonz and the New-Gen team, we’re not just releasing a series — we’re launching a universe.”
No premiere date for New-Gen Nanobot Heroes has been announced.
How Does This Compare to Other SDCC 2026 Trading Card Exclusives?
Cryptozoic’s presence at SDCC 2026 spans multiple convention-exclusive sets, all available at Booth #115. The New-Gen box sits at the lower end of the price range ($49.99 vs. $99.99 for The Expanse box) but matches The Expanse in its unit count (300 boxes each) and exceeds it in voice-cast signer diversity (three signers rather than two), as confirmed by Cryptozoic’s SDCC 2026 lineup.
The SDCC exclusive market has established a clear premium pattern for 300-unit-or-lower sets from Cryptozoic. Whether the New-Gen set appreciates on the secondary market will depend on the trajectory of the animated series itself — a franchise with minimal prior collectibles history but an unusually prominent voice cast for an independent IP.
For attendees, the practical window to purchase at retail runs from Thursday, July 23, through Sunday, July 26. Booth #115 at the San Diego Convention Center is Cryptozoic’s established location across multiple SDCC years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is inside the New-Gen SDCC 2026 trading card box?
Each of the 300 boxes contains 13 cards: 11 base cards (including rare 1-of-1 variants), one rainbow foil card on a holographic substrate in a rigid holder (with a 1-of-1 variant), and one on-card autograph in a rigid holder signed by series creator J.D. Matonti, voice actor Molly Fahey, or voice actor Tony Oliver, each autograph numbered to 100 in red ink. Every box also includes the original New-Gen graphic novel with a foreword by Mark Hamill.
Who signed the autograph cards, and how rare are they?
The three autograph signers are J.D. Matonti (series creator and director of New-Gen Nanobot Heroes), Molly Fahey (voice actor, Grand Theft Auto V, playing a role in the animated series), and Tony Oliver (veteran voice actor, Lupin the Third, also in the animated series). Each signer’s autograph card is numbered to 100 in red ink, meaning a maximum of 100 cards per signer exist across the entire 300-box run — and the distribution across those 300 boxes is random, so some signers’ cards may be rarer in practice.
Can I still get one if I cannot attend SDCC 2026?
As of July 20, 2026, the online presale allocation for in-booth pickup has sold out. Cryptozoic has not announced any plan for a post-convention online drop for this set. The only confirmed retail purchase path is an in-person visit to Cryptozoic Booth #115 at the San Diego Convention Center during SDCC, July 23–26. After the convention, remaining boxes — if any — may surface on the secondary market.
What is the New-Gen Nanobot Heroes animated series, and when does it come out?
New-Gen Nanobot Heroes is a 13-episode, 22-minute-per-episode 3D CGI animated series produced by Toonz Media Group, based on the Marvel-distributed New-Gen comic. It features a voice cast led by Finn Wolfhard and Nick Wolfhard as the twin nanotech-enhanced hero brothers, with Anya Chalotra, Luke Wilson, Henry Rollins, Lena Headey, Taylor Gray, Molly Fahey, and Tony Oliver in supporting roles. Toonz is using Maya, Houdini, and Unreal Engine to produce the series. No official premiere date has been announced as of this article’s publication.
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