LEE ENTERPRISES PARTNERS WITH GARY VAYNERCHUK’S VEEFRIENDS TO PRODUCE EXCLUSIVE WEEKLY COMICS
Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE) has announced a strategic partnership with VeeFriends, Gary Vaynerchuk's entertainment company, to produce exclusive weekly comics across Lee's 72 markets in 25 states. The comics, featuring VeeFriends' universe of 251 characters, will be published both online and in print starting February 23, 2025.
The partnership includes interactive elements such as 'Draw Offs' - live streaming events beginning in March featuring VeeFriends' Director of Comics D.J. Coffman alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Adam Zyglis and Phil Hands. Readers will also be able to participate through a Readers' Choice feature.
Characters like Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant, and Fearless Fairy will be featured in the weekly comics, aiming to deliver positive and inspiring content to Lee's subscribers through one of newspaper and digital publishing's most popular formats.
Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE) ha annunciato una partnership strategica con VeeFriends, l'azienda di intrattenimento di Gary Vaynerchuk, per produrre fumetti esclusivi settimanali in 72 mercati di Lee in 25 stati. I fumetti, che presenteranno l'universo di VeeFriends con 251 personaggi, saranno pubblicati sia online che in formato cartaceo a partire dal 23 febbraio 2025.
La partnership include elementi interattivi come i 'Draw Offs' - eventi in streaming dal vivo che inizieranno a marzo e vedranno la partecipazione del Direttore dei Fumetti di VeeFriends, D.J. Coffman, insieme ai cartoonist vincitori del Premio Pulitzer Adam Zyglis e Phil Hands. I lettori potranno anche partecipare tramite una funzione di scelta dei lettori.
Personaggi come Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant e Fearless Fairy saranno presenti nei fumetti settimanali, con l'obiettivo di fornire contenuti positivi e ispiratori agli abbonati di Lee attraverso uno dei formati più popolari nel mondo della stampa e della pubblicazione digitale.
Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE) ha anunciado una asociación estratégica con VeeFriends, la compañía de entretenimiento de Gary Vaynerchuk, para producir cómics semanales exclusivos en los 72 mercados de Lee en 25 estados. Los cómics, que presentan el universo de VeeFriends con 251 personajes, se publicarán tanto en línea como en formato impreso a partir del 23 de febrero de 2025.
La asociación incluye elementos interactivos como los 'Draw Offs' - eventos de transmisión en vivo que comenzarán en marzo con la participación del Director de Cómics de VeeFriends, D.J. Coffman, junto a los caricaturistas ganadores del Premio Pulitzer Adam Zyglis y Phil Hands. Los lectores también podrán participar a través de una función de Elección de Lectores.
Personajes como Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant y Fearless Fairy aparecerán en los cómics semanales, con el objetivo de ofrecer contenido positivo e inspirador a los suscriptores de Lee a través de uno de los formatos más populares en la prensa y la publicación digital.
리 엔터프라이즈 (NASDAQ: LEE)는 Gary Vaynerchuk의 엔터테인먼트 회사 VeeFriends와 전략적 파트너십을 발표했습니다. 이 파트너십은 리의 72개 시장에서 주 1회 독점 만화를 제작하는 것입니다. 이 만화는 251개의 캐릭터로 구성된 VeeFriends의 우주를 특징으로 하며, 2025년 2월 23일부터 온라인과 인쇄 형식으로 발행됩니다.
파트너십에는 'Draw Offs'와 같은 인터랙티브 요소가 포함되어 있으며, 3월부터 VeeFriends의 만화 감독인 D.J. Coffman과 퓰리처상을 수상한 만화가 Adam Zyglis 및 Phil Hands가 함께하는 라이브 스트리밍 이벤트가 진행됩니다. 독자들은 또한 독자 선택 기능을 통해 참여할 수 있습니다.
Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant 및 Fearless Fairy와 같은 캐릭터가 주간 만화에 등장하여 리의 구독자에게 긍정적이고 영감을 주는 콘텐츠를 제공하는 것을 목표로 합니다. 이는 신문 및 디지털 출판의 가장 인기 있는 형식 중 하나입니다.
Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE) a annoncé un partenariat stratégique avec VeeFriends, la société de divertissement de Gary Vaynerchuk, pour produire des bandes dessinées exclusives hebdomadaires dans les 72 marchés de Lee répartis sur 25 États. Les bandes dessinées, mettant en avant l'univers de VeeFriends avec 251 personnages, seront publiées en ligne et en version imprimée à partir du 23 février 2025.
Le partenariat comprend des éléments interactifs tels que les 'Draw Offs' - des événements de streaming en direct qui commenceront en mars, mettant en vedette le directeur des bandes dessinées de VeeFriends, D.J. Coffman, aux côtés des dessinateurs lauréats du prix Pulitzer Adam Zyglis et Phil Hands. Les lecteurs pourront également participer grâce à une fonctionnalité de choix des lecteurs.
Des personnages comme Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant et Fearless Fairy figureront dans les bandes dessinées hebdomadaires, visant à offrir un contenu positif et inspirant aux abonnés de Lee à travers l'un des formats les plus populaires dans l'édition de journaux et numérique.
Lee Enterprises (NASDAQ: LEE) hat eine strategische Partnerschaft mit VeeFriends, der Unterhaltungsfirma von Gary Vaynerchuk, bekannt gegeben, um exklusive wöchentliche Comics in 72 Märkten von Lee in 25 Bundesstaaten zu produzieren. Die Comics, die das Universum von VeeFriends mit 251 Charakteren präsentieren, werden ab dem 23. Februar 2025 sowohl online als auch in gedruckter Form veröffentlicht.
Die Partnerschaft umfasst interaktive Elemente wie 'Draw Offs' - Live-Streaming-Events, die im März beginnen und bei denen der Comic-Direktor von VeeFriends, D.J. Coffman, zusammen mit den Pulitzer-Preisträgern Adam Zyglis und Phil Hands auftritt. Leser werden auch über eine Leserwahl-Funktion teilnehmen können.
Charaktere wie Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant und Fearless Fairy werden in den wöchentlichen Comics zu sehen sein, mit dem Ziel, den Abonnenten von Lee positive und inspirierende Inhalte durch eines der beliebtesten Formate im Zeitungs- und digitalen Verlagswesen zu bieten.
- Strategic content partnership expanding Lee's digital and print offerings across 72 markets
- Addition of interactive features potentially increasing reader engagement
- Partnership with established brand VeeFriends enhancing content quality
- None.
Fun and inspiring weekly comics to make you laugh, cry, think and feel
DAVENPORT, Iowa, Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lee Enterprises Inc, (NASDAQ: Lee) a leading provider of local news, information and advertising across 72 markets in 25 states, today announced it has entered a partnership with VeeFriends, an entertainment company created by serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, to produce original comics that will publish weekly on weekends across Lee Enterprises’ publications.
VeeFriends, which shares daily comics on Instagram and TikTok, is dedicated to creating a better world through its universe of 251 characters. Each VeeFriends character connects differently with people, reflecting their likes, passions, memories, and aspirations.
"Getting VeeFriends comics into Sunday news is a huge moment for VeeFriends,” said Vaynerchuk. “I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling, and this partnership with Lee Enterprises is another step in bringing these characters and their messages to life. I’m pumped for people to experience these comics every week and connect with the VeeFriends universe on a deeper level."
The weekly comics will feature VeeFriends characters, such as Brave Bison, Empathy Elephant, and Fearless Fairy, who use their superpowers to help humankind. VeeFriends comics will appear both online and in print starting February 23.
To mark the debut of the Sunday comics and larger partnership, VeeFriends’ Director of Comics D.J. Coffman will join Adam Zyglis, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, live from the Buffalo News newsroom and Phil Hands of the Wisconsin State Journal for a series of online streaming events called “Draw Offs.” Beginning in March, these live events will give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process as Zyglis, Hands and Coffman draw comics live for viewers. In addition, readers will be invited to submit their own contributions through the Readers’ Choice feature, offering an interactive and engaging way for fans to participate.
Lee Enterprises is advancing its strategy to enhance readers’ experiences through world-class content partnerships, which includes this partnership with a compelling comics franchise.
“Working with VeeFriends allows us to bring more positivity and inspiration to our audiences,” said Nathan Bekke, Lee’s senior vice president of operations and audience strategy. “VeeFriends’ proven creativity in cartooning will delight our engaged readers. This first-of-its-kind collaboration enables us to deliver premium content that entertains subscribers with one of the most popular and compelling storytelling formats in newspaper and digital publishing: comics.”
About Lee Enterprises
Lee Enterprises Inc. is a trusted local news provider serving 72 markets in 25 states. With a dedication to quality journalism and digital innovation, Lee delivers valuable content and advertising solutions to its communities and partners. For more information, visit www.lee.net.
Contact: IR@lee.net (563) 383-2100
About VeeFriends
VeeFriends is an entertainment company dedicated to creating a better world through its universe of 251 characters. VeeFriends combines storytelling, content, collectibles, and community-driven experiences to ignite self-discovery. Each VeeFriends character connects differently with people, reflecting their likes, passions, memories, and aspirations. This unique and individual connection is the magic of VeeFriends and its characters. By sharing the values and messages of its characters, VeeFriends inspires deeper bonds, spreads joy and empowers individuals to be their best selves. For more information, visit https://veefriends.com/ and follow VeeFriends on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X.
Contact: Rachel Gunia (rachel@digitalandsavvy.com)
About Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and serves as the Chair of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the Creator and CEO of VeeFriends. Gary is considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next in culture, relevance, and the internet. Known as “GaryVee,” he is described as one of the most forward thinkers in business. He is a New York Times bestselling author, a sought-after public speaker, and a prolific investor in companies like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, Snapchat, Coinbase, and Uber. Gary serves on the board of MikMak, Bojangles Restaurants, Global Citizen Forum, and Pencils of Promise. He is also a longtime Well Member of charity: water.
Contact: Maha Abouelenein (maha.abouelenein@vaynermedia.com)
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FAQ
When will Lee Enterprises (LEE) start publishing VeeFriends comics?
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What interactive features are included in LEE's VeeFriends partnership?
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