ECCC 2019: ReedPop and Fremont Brewing Unveil New Dark Heron IPA

REEDPOP AND FREMONT BREWING UNVEIL NEW DARK HERON IPA, CRAFTED AS THE OFFICIAL BEER OF EMERALD CITY COMIC CON

2019 Dark Heron IPA Featuring a New Design by Julia Reck Will be Available on Draft and in 16oz Cans For the First Time Starting This February

NORWALK, CT – January 25, 2019 – ReedPOP, the world’s leading producer of pop culture events, and Fremont Brewing of Seattle, Washington today announced they are bringing back Dark Heron, an exclusive brew created as the official beer of Emerald City Comic Con 2019. In the fourth year of the partnership, this year’s Dark Heron will feature new artwork created by local Seattle artist Julia Reck. This year’s artwork is a curvy superhero, focused on inclusivity and body positivity.

“When I started the Dark Heron project, I knew immediately that I wanted to reimagine her in a way that we don’t typically see in the superhero genre. I wanted to show a joyful, powerful plus sized woman presented as heroic,” said Julia Reck. “I rarely see myself reflected in the superhero stories I grew up loving, so it was important to me to do design a character who other women with similar experiences could connect to.”

ECCC and Fremont will launch this year’s Dark Heron at regional bars and restaurants and, for the first time ever, in 16 ounce cans at select Washington retailers starting on February 4th. The following Thursday, February 7th, Fremont will host a launch party at their Urban Beer Garden from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

“Like a bad-ass super-hero, Dark Heron IPA 2019 captures your attention with stealth and cunning, ensnaring you deeper into her lair with each expressive sip. Tropical and hazy, Dark Heron IPA 2019 features Citra, Strata and Amarillo hops, filling your pint with juicy citrus and melon flavors.” said Matt Lincecum, founder and owner of Fremont Brewing. “Everyone at Fremont Brewing gets excited about our partnership with ReedPOP and Emerald City Comic Con. This annual bash reinforces how cool it is to be creative and genuine while giving us an excuse to wear capes. Cheers to that!”

“We’re really excited to bring back our partnership with Fremont for the official beer of Emerald City Comic Con,” said Lance Fensterman, Global President, ReedPOP. “Everyone can be a superhero regardless of who you are, what you look like or where you come from. We love that Julia has brought that message to the Dark Heron superhero this year.”

In addition to the Dark Heron collaboration, ECCC and Fremont Brewing will be bringing back the League of Libations, a collaboration of West Coast breweries and cideries whose mission is to bring the best of independent craft brews to ECCC. Hopworks will be joining the ranks this year along with returning members from last year’s inaugural League of Libations, including Firestone Walker Brewing and Seattle Cider Co.

Starting in 2003, Emerald City Comic Con has become the largest pop culture and comic convention in the Pacific Northwest attracting nearly 100,000 fans last year. Emerald City Comic Con tickets are available at EmeraldCityComicCon.com. For the latest news, visit ECCC’s social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).

ABOUT REEDPOP:
ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions – the world’s leading events organizer. Launched in 2006, the group has become the number one producer of pop culture events across the globe as well as a full service digital content provider and media company. Delivering once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences curated specifically for localized audiences, ReedPOP currently features events in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, India, Africa and Australia, including: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), PAX West, East, South and Australia, Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), MCM Comic Con, BookCon, Oz Comic Con, Eurogamer Expo (EGX), Comic Con India, Comic Con Paris, Comic Con Seoul, Comic Con Africa, Star Wars Celebration, and ComplexCon. In addition to organizing and managing events, ReedPOP also runs and operates the Gamer Network and its portfolio of leading gaming websites including Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun and GamesIndustry.Biz. The staff at ReedPOP are a fan-based, globally focused group of professionals that are uniquely qualified to build and serve the communities with whom they share a common passion. (www.reedpop.com)

ABOUT FREMONT BREWING
Fremont Brewing is a family-owned craft brewery founded in 2009 to brew artisan beers made with the best local ingredients available. Fremont Brewing is now the fastest-growing brewery in Washington and its Interurban IPA is Washington’s leading craft beer. Other beers include Lush IPA, Universale Pale Ale, Summer Ale, and cult classics B-Bomb and Cowiche Canyon Fresh Hop Ale. Their beer has won numerous awards such as 3 Silver medals at the Great American Beer Festival, the Gold medal in the 2016 Best of Craft Beer Awards, and Rate Beer’s 2015 Best Strong Ale in the World and Best Beer in Washington and is distributed in kegs, cans, and 22 oz. bottles throughout WA, OR, ID, AK, CO, MT, Southern California, and Japan. It can also be enjoyed every day at their kid- and dog-friendly Urban Beer Garden in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. In addition to its reputation for consistent quality and innovation, Fremont Brewing is a recognized leader in sustainable brewing operations and community engagement. Because Beer Matters! (www.fremontbrewing.com)

ABOUT JULIA RECK
Julia Reck is a bi illustrator and designer based in Seattle, WA. She works with themes of queer joy, empowerment, fashion and beautiful people while striving to explore on a wide range of what “beautiful” can look like.