Trading Card Gods Debuts at Kaiju Brooklyn!
Trading Card Universe for Collectors, Investors, Players and Fans –
NEW YORK—May 12, 2026—
Mythic champions from global cultures compete in a legendary soccer tournament to determine the future of civilization in the new trading card universe Soccer Gods. The cards will be unveiled for the first time on May 30 – 31, 2026 at Kaiju Brooklyn, one of the fastest-growing pop culture conventions celebrating monsters, comics and genre storytelling.
Created by Jeff Gomez and his team at Starlight Runner Entertainment in partnership with Que Pop / Modesto Educational Foundation, both New York-area Latino-owned and -operated businesses with a commitment to multicultural storytelling and global representation, the debut marks the first public release of 13 Soccer Gods promo cards, positioned as a new franchise ecosystem that will delight collectors and fans worldwide.
“In advance of the World Cup and having just wrapped with Ultraman, it is thrilling to have Soccer Gods, our new franchise property, debuting on our home turf at Kaiju Brooklyn,” said Starlight Runner founder and CEO Jeff Gomez, whose transmedia producer credits include Pirates of the Caribbean, Ultraman and the new graphic novel Deep Down. “We’re thrilled that so many of our artists will be present to sign the cards.”
Carlos Medina, the head of Que Pop / Modesto Educational Foundation, said, “Soccer Gods is a flagship initiative rooted in Latino leadership that brings together diverse mythologies, cultures and iconic figures from around the world into one unified story.”
In attendance to sign the limited-edition promo cards at Kaiju Brooklyn will be 10 of the Soccer Gods artists notable for their work on Marvel and DC Comics as well as on some of the more popular trading card collections. Artists include Chrysoula Artemis (Ekeko; artist resides in New York, N.Y.); John Belotti, Jr. (Kaibrogon; Brooklyn); Nelson Blake II (Agent Modesto; Queens, N.Y.); Michael Dolce (The Sire; Nyack, N.Y.); Solomon Hughes (Bochicha; Brooklyn); Ray Lago (Alexander Hamilton; East Orange, N.J.); Jamie Noguchi (Jersey Devil, Raven, Amazon River Serpent; Rockville, Md.); Joseph Rouleau (Torodon; Leominster, Mass.); Evangelia Artemis-Gomez (Iara; New York, N.Y.); and Klenda Vee (Gorizer; Baltimore, Md.).
Collectors, curators, investors and other early adopters will be privy to the signed cards, each of which represents a premium collectible tier, with the strict 1,000-card print limit per anime-inspired design.
Jeff Gomez will lead a Starlight Runner Entertainment panel focusing on the Soccer Gods backstory and his team’s love of Japanese pop culture along with writer/creator Evangelia Artemis-Gomez and Soccer Gods writer EJ Couloucoundis, who is also a key judge in the Ultraman Card Game tournament taking place during Kaiju Brooklyn.
Gomez notes that Soccer Gods’ storyline draws from global mythologies and storytelling. Teams include the Frontier Legends, North American folklore heroes; the Iron Garrison, European epic champions; and the Jaguar Sun Alliance, mythic figures from the Americas. Nick Pensavalle, 2025 Division 3 Skyline Collegiate Championship Captain, served as consultant on the project.
The Soccer Gods promo set available at Kaiju Brooklyn includes both original characters—Bochica (Colombian myth); John Henry (American legend); Iara (Brazilian folklore); Jersey Devil (New Jersey legend); Raven (Pacific Northwest mythology); Ekeko (Andean spirit); and Alexander Hamilton (historical figure)—as well as licensed intellectual property—Agent Modesto (Carlos Medina); The Sire (Michael Dolce); Gorizer (Jeff Gomez); Torodon (Joseph Rouleau); and Kaibrogon, a Brooklyn-born kaiju character and the official mascot of Kaiju Brooklyn (John Bellotti, Jr.).
Soccer Gods signed trading cards will be available for $25 each in the Starlight Runner booth #W-20. Ultraman trading cards will also be available at the booth.
Kaiju Brooklyn expects 2,000+ attendees, according to Kaiju Brooklyn’s founder and master of ceremonies John Bellotti, Jr. The 4th annual event will be held at 52A Event Space at Industry City in Sunset Park, 33 35th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11232, May 30 – 31, 2026. Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets: https://www.bkone.org/tix. Website: https://www.kaijubrooklyn.com/
About Starlight Runner Entertainment
Starlight Runner Entertainment is a global leader in storyworld development and franchise architecture, helping entertainment companies, brands and institutions design expansive narrative universes that engage audiences across multiple media platforms. Founded by Jeff Gomez, Mark Pensavalle and Chrysoula Artemis, the company has contributed to Halo, Transformers, Spider-Man, Avatar and many others.
About Que Pop / Modesto Educational Foundation
Founded and led by Carlos Medina, Que Pop and the Modesto Educational Foundation are dedicated to empowering Latino artists while supporting all diverse creative voices and expanding access to storytelling and cultural expression.
