Karl Jacobs reveals the vision behind his Vans collab and upcoming comic book

We spoke with YouTube star Karl Jacobs about his collaboration with Vans, his highly-anticipated comic book, and how he handles the challenges of being an internet-famous influencer.

Karl Jacobs may have gotten his start being a part of MrBeast’s crew, but he’s since managed to build a substantial career of his own, and is now a major internet star in his own right.

Not long after getting a gig as one of MrBeast’s editors, Jacobs has managed to accrue over 4 million subscribers on YouTube and over 3 million followers on Twitch. He’s a well-known creator in the Minecraft community, regularly rubbing elbows with the likes of GeorgeNotFound, Dream, and more.

Now, Jacobs is securing another major achievement after getting his very own fashion line with Vans for popular retailer Journeys, where he serves as the company’s Creative Ambassador.

Karl Jacobs drops deets on upcoming comic book ‘Time Traveler Tales’

Fans can expect to nab a few T-Shirts and shoes inspired by artwork from his upcoming comic book, which will be published by Dark Horse Comics. We spoke with Jacobs about his fashion line with Vans and what viewers can expect from his new graphic novel ‘Time Traveler Tales.’

For Karl, fashion is an important means to express himself, and something he pays attention to in order to learn more about those around him.

“I’ve always loved wearing Vans, so this collab has been a dream come true,” he told us. “I’ve always had a passion for using fashion to express myself creatively, so getting to combine one of my favorite projects (my comic book) with fashion has been an amazing experience.”

“Fashion has always been a way for me to express my creativity without even having to say a word. I love looking at other people’s fashion styles to learn a little bit more about who they are.”

Karl opened up to us about becoming Journeys’ Creative Ambassador, saying he was extremely excited to work with a brand he’s been a fan of for many years.

“It’s so cool to work with Journeys directly to create content and help them interact with my digital community in a creative way,” he said. “They’ve been the best people to work with and always are open to bringing my creative ideas to life.”

“Journeys approached me a little over a year ago to discuss partnering with me and I was immediately interested since I grew up shopping at Journeys and have always wanted to work with a major retailer. I knew I wanted to do more than a one off campaign so getting to join as their Creative Ambassador for a full year has been an amazing experience.”

Vans / Journeys

Of course, being Creative Ambassador at Journeys means there’s likely some other very exciting collaborations in store — but for now, Jacobs tells us that any future endeavors with the brand are a “secret.”

Karl Jacobs explains how he handles scrutiny from online fame

Jacobs also let us in on some details about his upcoming comic book, telling us he’s been working on the project over the last year — and he can’t wait for fans to get their hands on it.

“It’s such a huge dream not only having my own comic book but getting to do it with Dark Horse, who I’ve been a fan of since I was a kid. I can’t wait for people to actually get the comic book in their hands and see what I’ve been working on for the past year!”

Jacobs’ graphic novel is based on his adventures in the Dream SMP server, bringing his online exploits to life on the page and in the merchandise that fans can cop at Journeys this summer.

Instagram: Karl Jacobs

From MrBeast to his own internet fame

We also took the time to ask Jacobs about his growth from being one of MrBeast’s editors to his current status as an internet icon. Throughout his career, Jacobs has seen a huge rise to stardom — but being a popular influencer isn’t always sunshine and roses. Jacob has come under scrutiny in the past, and tells us he’s able to find a balance between his online presence and real life by spending quality time with friends.

“It’s been really important for me to try and take time for myself no matter how busy life gets creating content,” he explained. “I really make a lot of effort to spend time with my friends outside of creating content, which I’ve found is one of the best ways to destress and worry less about what’s happening online.”

Jacobs also told us that it’s been “interesting” to see how viewers react to his online presence as he’s gone from being a staple in MrBeast’s videos to creating his own content. Now, Jacobs boasts successful Twitch and YouTube channels, on top of having his own podcast with GeorgeNotFound and Snapnap called ‘BANTER.’

“It’s been an interesting one for sure,” he mused. “It’s been super cool to see people enjoy my content and what I create outside of being in MrBeast videos. It’s been really interesting to see the transition over time to people actually knowing my name and my personality outside of the MrBeast videos.”

For now, it seems like life is looking up for Jacobs as he enters yet another major era of his career… with “a lot” more “secret” projects on the way.