For the first time ever, San Diego Comic-Con is taking place online. This is an unprecedented shift in an unprecedented time – but the wonders of Comic-Con are still available to us through the IGN Comic-Con@Home livestream, online cosplay events, and merchandise opportunities, including superhero lifestyle brand Hero Within. We are pleased to announce their official Wonder Woman 1984 collection, which is debuting during SDCC.
We caught up with Hero Within founder and all-around Comic-Con expert Tony Kim to walk us through these ’80s-inspired Wonder Woman pieces and his history with the convention, but first, check out the Wonder Woman 1984 collection below.
Steve Trevor Retro Jacket
Hero Within has designed this Steve Trevor Retro Jacket to complement any cosplay (or non-cosplay) wardrobe. Hero Within has included plenty of subtly nerdy details in the jacket, including the Wonder Woman logo inside the lining, on the zipper, and pockets. The back even includes Wonder Woman’s WW logo in large stitched font.
The Steve Trevor Retro Jacket will be available on the Hero Within website for $99.00 USD.
WW84 Fanny Pack
If you’ve seen the Wonder Woman 1984 trailer, you know that Steve Trevor is rocking an impressive Fanny Pack. Hero Within is offering its own spin with the WW84 fanny pack. It features three pockets and unique Wonder Woman 1984 branding. The fanny pack will be available on Hero Within website for $20.00 USD.
Wonder Woman 1984 Battle Tee
This Wonder Woman 1984 Battle Tee shows a rugged and battle-worn movie logo. The scuffed up double-Ws seem symbolic of Diana’s dogged determination to fight for what she believes in. The tee comes in Wonder Woman’s classic red and yellow color scheme and is available in both men’s and women’s styles. it will be available on the Hero Within website for $24.00 USD.
Hero Within Logo Hope Mask
In the age of social distancing, Hero Within has created a mask in Superman’s classic colors. While not part of their Wonder Woman 1984 collection, this item is perfect for anyone wanting to support a small business while also sporting a “superhero mask.” Accompanying Superman’s colors is the message “it all starts with hope.” The Hero Within Logo Hope Mask will be available on the Hero Within website for $8.00 USD.
RIP 2020 Enamel Pin
Enamel Pins are all the rage these days, whether you collect pins at conventions or Disneyland, or prefer fandom pins or pins that are a little more sarcastic. This RIP SDCC 2020 pin is perfect for anyone looking to commemorate this year of Comic-Con, even though it’s not happening in person. The RIP SDCC 2020 enamel pin will be available for $6.00 USD throughout Comic-Con@Home on the HeroWithin website. It will increase in price on Monday, July 27 to $8.00 USD.
Meet the Founder
Tony Kim started lifestyle brand Hero Within in 2016. After years of enjoying Comic-Con as an attendee, panel moderator, panelist, and volunteer, Kim began collaborating with designer Michael Lew, and Hero Within was born. Since the brand’s inception, they have partnered with Marvel, Star Trek, DC Comics, and Comic-Con International. Take a look at the Hero Within Wonder Woman 1984 collection below.
Below, Kim talks us through the process of designing the new collection.
IGN: As a Comic-Con veteran, how are you feeling about the con going online this year?
Tony Kim: Honestly, it’s been really hard both personally and professionally. For me, Comic-Con has been the biggest event of the year ever since I moved to California. [I’ve been] going since 2006 … It’s been the annual gathering for my group of friends and for the past few years, it’s become the most profitable event for my company, Hero Within. I totally respect Comic-Con International’s decision to cancel but after a long and hard 2020, I think we were all hoping it would somehow kickstart us back to normalcy. Needless to say, I will be pretty depressed during Comic-Con week!
IGN: What’s one way SDCC fans can support vendors during this unusual time in our lives?
Tony Kim: Everyone is hurting right now so I just don’t want to say spend money on vendors. While that helps, awareness can be even a bigger help. If fans can use their voice and social media platforms to promote fellow vendors to other fans, that would go a long way. In an era where there are too many options and not enough time to explore, personal endorsements mean a lot. Fans telling other fans to shop can help our fan community make it through this pandemic.
IGN: Tell us about the Wonder Woman ’84 collaboration. How did that come about?
Tony Kim: With the first Wonder Woman film being my favorite among the new generation of DC films, I was so excited for this sequel. It was unfortunate that the original release got pushed from last year to this year. Then, as we all know, the movie industry got shut down further pushing the film back into late 2020. The constant moving target makes development and production quite tricky. Warner Bros has been great though and they have done everything they can to provide as much resources and information [as possible]. It’s a bit of a risk releasing merch this early with the film still not coming out for at least another four months but we can’t keep sitting on it and we need to generate revenue. So it hasn’t been the ideal situation but we are all doing the best we can.
IGN: What was your process for adapting this ’80s superhero adventure?
Tony Kim: I love the ’80s! Big hair, baggy clothes and puffy shoulder pads! Our team had a lot of fun imagining some pieces to reflect the ’80s aesthetic. However, we didn’t want everything to be a reflection of this era. So our Wonder Woman Collection is a mix of modern and retro style. It’s also just part of it, since we have more coming out later this year. For Hero Within, our brand is more subtle and sophisticated so we avoided crazy neons or parachute pants (for now). We still want to offer everyday fashion for modern fans so I think we struck a good balance. But more than the ’80s, we have always wanted to celebrate women heroes in culture, by offering fashion for both women AND men. Diana is not a role model for just one gender but she’s a hero for us all. Unlike many other superheroes, Wonder Woman stands for peace and acceptance, something we all need right now.
IGN: Do you have a favorite Wonder Woman?
Tony Kim: That’s a tough one! I love both Linda Carter and Gal Gadot! However, the version of Wonder Woman that really influenced me was George Perez’s WW comic book run from the ’80s. My parents immigrated to the States just before I was born. Growing up in a predominantly caucasian community, I felt like a misfit. Perez’s story of Diana coming to America and discovering her purpose really resonated to me and helped inform much of who I would become as an adult.
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Lauren Gallaway is a Social Media Coordinator for IGN. She is greatly looking forward to seeing Wonder Woman 1984, even after all the delays. Find her tweeting at @LaurenGallaway and streaming at Glimpse Entertainment on Twitch.
Source: IGN.com Hero Within Brings Wonder Woman 1984 to Comic-Con at Home