ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando-based startup is entering the NFT scene, creating original comic book-inspired characters.

Unsigned Artist NFT created 9,999 comic-book inspired characters known as Meta Wolves. Those who purchase a Meta Wolf NFT will also receive a physical print of their Meta Wolf artwork and a 3D virtual avatar that can enter the Metaverse, which is an online universe of virtual spaces where users can meet, play games and chat.

NFTs are non-fungible tokens, essentially data units stored on a type of digital ledger known as a blockchain. NFTs can represent almost anything, physical or intangible, and can be purchased, sold, and traded. 

Jordan Nix, the entrepreneur behind Unsigned Artist NFT, likens the NFT space as a type of stock market.

“Really what interests me about the NFT was the collecting side but also the investors’ side,” he said, explaining why he pursued an NFT startup.

Back in October, Nix said he spent hours researching NFTs and discussing the tech side of it all with his friend Alex, an Orlando native who is the company’s director of technology community and operations. 

Nix then linked up with Orlando artist Jay Bonadio, known in the art community by his persona the Unsigned Artist, to help bring his vision to light. The two met years ago when they both lived in downtown Orlando. 

Bonadio led a team of two other artists to create the Meta Wolves. The team drew 20 wolf prototypes and 500 unique attributes, then put those components into an art engine, which randomly generated 9,999 characters, said Bonadio. 

"We can change different things like replacing the hat, eyewear, any type of accessory,” Bonadio explained. Creating each wolf prototype took anywhere from one to two hours.

The team filed for a business license in November and launched their NFTs this month, less than four months later.

Bonadio sees a future in NFTs not just for himself, but for other artists as well.

“The NFT space is just another realm for me to expand who I am as an artist,” he said.