Pochettino and Superman on the same sideline: Inside the wild new DC comic starring the USMNT
We are 22 days away from kick off, and Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT squad are zeroing in on the World Cup while DC is busy making his players super heroes.
Just over three weeks from now the USMNT will be kicking off their World Cup campaign against Paraguay. Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping for a Hollywood ending, but before the final squad has even been named, Poch and some of his players have already been transformed into super heroes by the DC Comic team.
Poch and Spidey team up
As if there wasn’t enough hype around this year’s World Cup squad led by the former Tottenham boss, DC has teamed up with the USMNT in a cross culture collaboration that mixes sport, art and literature ahead of the event of the summer. There will be a limited edition release of “Justice League: Heroes of the Pitch” that features 11 US players that will be joining forces with DC´s pack of Justice League heroes in a comic book that will be a must have for collectors and soccer fanatics alike.
The two squads that will be teaming up in the coming book are said to be lead by Mauricio Pochettino and Spiderman. They will be leading a mix of DC heroes and elite soccer players in an intergalactic sporting event that is put in jeopardy by an alien warlord. Rob Stone, Carli Lloyd and Stu Holden are among the Fox soccer personalities who be included in the in-universe commentary.
The comic book will be available at DICK’S Sporting Goods stores at locations all across the country, and can also be found at dicks.com and the U.S. Soccer Store. In addition to the comic, apparel from lifestyle brands Peace Collective and Spraygroud will also be available to fans. Shirts, hats, back packs and hoodies will feature the Justice League Super Heroes and Super Villains paired with the U.S. Soccer crest.
The countdown is on
The comic book by Dave Weilgosz while Pop Mahl designed the cover art and Serg Acuna created the interior art. Mahl spoke about the historic moment not just for DC, not just for soccer, but for him personally. “Soccer is gaining some monumental traction in the U.S., and I believe U.S. Soccer can be a relevant force in the future. Being able to draw the Men’s National Team alongside the majestic Justice League is a watershed moment for me. It was important to not only show all of our heroes but also portray them with the stadium lights, the applause, and glory they deserve.”
U.S. Soccer Vice President of Consumer Products, Maribeth Towers spoke about the collaboration that gives supporters of the squad a new way to connect to the national team. “This collection brings our Men’s National Team into culture in a completely new way. As the game continues to grow in the U.S., we’re seeing fandom show up beyond the pitch through what people wear and how they express their connection to the team. This gives fans a new way to be part of that.”
DC fans and soccer fans alike will be lining up to make sure they have their “Justice League: Heroes of the Pitch” gear for the first World Cup match against Paraguay on June 13th. Before that, Pochettino’s side will play two tune up matches against Senegal on May 31st and Germany on June 6th. They will be hoping to get to the knock out round in a group that includes, Paraguay, Australia and Turkey.
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