In a twist more baffling than an episode of WandaVision itself, Manta Labs, a third-party collectors’ media company, plans to release three special edition steel books for Marvel’s Disney+ hit series. The puzzling part? None of these cases will have a physical copy of the series. Yes, that’s right, a physical release without the content; more like a collector’s artifact than an actual media purchase.
While the gaming industry has been leaning toward this trend, with titles such as God of War: Ragnarok and other upcoming games like Starfield and Alan Wake 2 all being released without a disc, it’s a bizarre novelty for TV series. The $37 to $90 empty cases will each include a steel book with a different design inspired by the show, a slipcase, and extra goodies like postcards and character cards featuring poster art. But, as you might have guessed, there are no signs of a physical or digital copy of the series.
Unfortunately, this is merely a physical container with nothing inside. It’s an absurd product. Keep in mind that Disney recently cut back on its originals library for Disney+, resulting in a rise in demand for legal physical access to their products.
WandaVision, the MCU’s first original Disney+ series, initially released in January 2021 and set a new precedent for Marvel’s small-screen output. It was a series that played an instrumental role in kickstarting the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and will lead to a spin-off series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos.
Disney released many more TV shows since its successful launch, the most recent of which being the much-maligned Secret Invasion. However, this physical and yet empty, release comes across as bewildering. Not to mention, it’s technically unofficial. Manta Lab’s stylebook releases are marked as “pending licensor approval” from Marvel Studios.
Still, if you’re interested, the cost of the steel book ranges from $36.99 to almost $90. A brief comparison with other official steel book releases like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, both of which include two discs and a digital copy for almost the same price makes this deal even less enticing.
In the current era, physical media brings a level of assurance in ownership, unfettered by licensing deals as well as geographical constraints and internet connectivity issues. This trend of disc-less releases feels almost patronizing, like an erroneous assumption that collectors are interested merely in the aesthetics of a shelf, rather than the practical application of the physical media.
Moreover, the lack of physical media in the present times is hurting those in the creative industry as well. While streaming services are convenient and, at times, necessary, writers and actors are struggling to secure their rightful residuals, their earnings slashed to near-nothingness with the advent of digital streaming. Adding insult to injury, some shows and movies have been pulled off from platforms like Disney+, leaving fans high and dry, their favorite content inaccessible and not available on other services either.
A case in point being WandaVision, an absolute jewel of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which seems to be teetering on the edge of digital disappearance. The mere thought of it feels like an episode of The Twilight Zone.
The Steelbook news felt like a double rug-pull for fans of Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Yes, it’s a physical release of one of the MCU’s best shows, but it’s not quite what fans had been hoping for.
The best thing to do for now is to not buy it at all unless changes are made. Otherwise, you’re agreeing with the notion that these steel books are an absurdity that signifies the times we live in.
