Curiosity Ink Media and Dynamite Entertainment Team Up with the U.S. Postal Service to Deliver New MR. ZIP™ Book Series with a Reimagining of the Iconic 1960’s Cartoon Figure

Rhea-AI Summary

Curiosity Ink Media and Dynamite Entertainment have partnered with the United States Postal Service to launch a children's book series based on MR. ZIP, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the ZIP Code. Set to debut in Fall 2023, the series will include various book formats targeting preschool and middle-grade readers. MR. ZIP's role evolves to promote STEM education, offering games and educational tools. This collaboration aims to engage children through storytelling while reinforcing the cultural significance of ZIP Codes.

Positive

• Collaboration with USPS and established publishers enhances brand visibility.
• Focus on STEM education aligns with current educational trends.
• Diverse book formats cater to a wide age range, increasing market potential.

Negative

• Dependence on external partnerships for content development might limit creative control.

BOCA RATON, Fla., May 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Curiosity Ink Media – the family entertainment engine for Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: GROM) and publishing partner, Dynamite Entertainment, will team up with the United States Postal Service® to introduce a new children’s book series based on a modern-day adaptation of MR. ZIP™, the iconic 1960’s cartoon figure initially used by the U.S. Post Office Department to help introduce and promote ZIP Code™ use. The announcement was made jointly today by Curiosity Ink Media’s EVP & Publisher, Jon Rosenberg, Dynamite CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci and Christopher Karpenko, Executive Director, Brand Marketing, United States Postal Service.

In celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the ZIP Code’s launch, the MR. ZIP series will hit bookshelves everywhere in Fall, 2023 and feature non-fiction, novelty, picture books and activity book formats for preschool, as well as middle grade readers. No longer one-dimensional, MR. ZIP will now oversee more than just the delivery of flat letters and packages. He expands his purview to include advanced mail systems that underscore STEM skills such as coding and computational mathematics. His original role in educating Americans about ZIP Codes also offers ancillary opportunities for developing games, educational toys and tools to help aid in teaching. For parents and educators looking for fun and innovative ways to engage children, MR. ZIP’S mail bag of tips, tricks and tools are at-the-ready to empower kids to learn and help them identify and solve new challenges.

“MR. ZIP has proven to be both an American icon and a beloved ambassador for the U.S. Postal Service,” explains Karpenko. “He first taught us about the importance of using ZIP Codes and today is prepared to unlock an imaginative world for children everywhere. We are delighted to team up with Curiosity Ink Media and Dynamite Publishing to ensure that his legacy endures.”

“Kids have a natural curiosity for adventure and learning by traveling to new and exciting places, both physically and through storytelling,” explains Rosenberg. “MR. ZIP is a natural fit for books, games, educational toys and tools that can help aid in teaching and take kids on some fun adventures, all while never leaving their own Zip Code. Curiosity Ink Media is proud to play a role in bringing back this beloved icon.”

‘MR. ZIP is such a fun character, and his simple, clean design has translated to decades of nostalgia,” said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite Entertainment CEO and Publisher. “We’re really excited at Dynamite to be playing a role in bringing this American icon back to center stage for a whole new generation.”

The MR. ZIP books will center on the daily activities and occasional adventures of MR. ZIP. With deliveries to the police station, doctor’s office, library and more, young readers will get to explore how those in their communities go about their day, through whimsical illustrations, fun puzzles and colorful stickers. Other stories will give kids a special peek behind-the counter of the Post Office™ or follow the journey of a beloved lost package that needs to be found and rescued by MR. ZIP.

First adopted in 1963 by the Postal Service® as a trademark for the Zoning Improvement Plan or ZIP Code, MR. ZIP, who has no first name, appeared in many public service announcements and advertisements urging postal customers to use the new five-digit ZIP Code.

About Curiosity Ink Media
Curiosity Ink Media is a global media company that develops, acquires, builds, grows and maximizes the short, mid, and long-term commercial potential of Kids & Family entertainment properties and associated business opportunities. Driven by a best-in-class leadership team, Curiosity Ink Media’s multi-faceted I.P. library is designed to amass ongoing value through strategic stewardship, partnerships, and highly targeted market entry.

About Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Red Sonja, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more. Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt. In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high-profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Gail Simone, Christopher Priest, Leah Moore, Kevin Smith, David Walker, Vita Ayala, Danny Lore, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis and a host of up-and-coming new talent. Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011. The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.

About Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.
Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. is a growing social media platform and original content provider of entertainment for children under 13 years of age, which provides safe and secure digital environments for kids that can be monitored by their parents or guardians. The Company has several operating subsidiaries, including Grom Social, which delivers its content through mobile and desktop environments (web portal and apps) that entertain children, let them interact with friends, access relevant news, and play proprietary games while teaching them about being good digital citizens. The Company owns and operates Top Draw Animation, which produces award-winning animation content for some of the largest international media companies in the world. Grom also includes Grom Educational Services, which has provided web filtering services for K-12 schools, government and private businesses. For more information, please visit gromsocial.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements, which may constitute “forward-looking statements.”. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief, or current expectations of Grom and members of its management team as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Important factors currently known to management that may cause actual results to differ from those anticipated are discussed throughout the Company’s reports filed with Securities and Exchange Commission which are available at www.sec.gov as well as the Company’s web site at www.gromsocial.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results.

For Grom Social Enterprises/Curiosity Ink Media
Marianne Romano
+1-818-681-0849
media@gromsocial.com

For Dynamite Entertainment:
Vincent Faust
Vincent.faust@dynamite.com
(856) 312-1040 Ext. 122

For Investor Relations
John McNamara
TraDigital IR
+1-917-658-2602
john@tradigitalir.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/de1239e0-f399-409c-b43d-f1d29d05dbb0

FAQ

What is the MR. ZIP children's book series?

The MR. ZIP series is a new children's book collection that introduces a modern adaptation of the iconic character, aimed at educating children about ZIP Codes and STEM skills.

When will the MR. ZIP books be released?

The MR. ZIP books are set to be released in Fall 2023.

Who is collaborating with Grom Social on the MR. ZIP series?

Curiosity Ink Media and Dynamite Entertainment are partnering with the United States Postal Service to create the MR. ZIP series.

What age group is the MR. ZIP series targeted at?

The MR. ZIP series targets preschool and middle-grade readers.

How does the MR. ZIP series support STEM education?

The series includes content that promotes STEM skills such as coding and computational mathematics alongside storytelling.