Key Takeaways
•Marvel and the U.S. Open distributed 40,000 limited-edition, tennis-themed Spider-Man comics to fans.
• Blind-bag packaging added surprise, collectibility and interaction to the promotional experience.
• The collaboration shows how co-branding and engaging print pieces can create a memorable brand experience.
Spider-Man is canonically a New Yorker. Unlike those who protect fictional cities like Metropolis or Gotham, Spider-Man swings around the very real five boroughs.
It would make sense, then, for Spider-Man to be at the U.S. Open in Flushing, NY, to take in a little tennis.
OK, Spider-Man himself isn’t there (though maybe Tom Holland is in attendance), but the character is there through a promotional partnership where fans and athletes alike can get their hands on 40,000 limited-edition, tennis-themed Spider-Man comic books.
This is the third time that Marvel has collaborated with the tournament, and the first 1,000 fans who got to the U.S. Open Fan Week from Aug. 24 to 28 could receive a blind bag, with one of five possible comic covers representing the five boroughs of New York City.
The promotion isn’t just exciting for fans. Even the biggest stars in the sport are hyped about them, like Coco Gauff, who took to Instagram to try to get them while she juggled her actual job.
Spider-Man super fan @CocoGauff gets a dream gift 🎁 pic.twitter.com/St0K01sRcq
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 30, 2026
The blind-bag design creates excitement and mystery. It’s one thing to get a commemorative print piece like a comic book, but there’s an added layer of “must have it” when you add the element of surprise. It encourages people to collect and interact by trading or working as a team, which extends brand visibility for the U.S. Open and Marvel (not that they need a ton of help these days). It also plays into the unboxing feeling when you’re opening the blind bag – which itself is a print product and very much part of the branding experience.
Beyond the execution of print and packaging, it’s an example of a well-done co-branding campaign. It took two recognizable brands – the U.S. Open and Marvel – and brought them together to make something even bigger. It was more than just something people received, too. The fact that it was a comic book meant for multiple pages of engagement and enjoyment. The U.S. Open brand dug itself into the fun of reading a comic book starring one of the most beloved superheroes of all time.
