My Tie(s) Arrived!

I recently made a blog post about merchandising, which was inspired primarily by watching this video. The fact is, there is a lot of merchandise out there for any given product, and as a customer I want to own it all. Think it matters to me if it’s official swag? Not really.

The fact is, I have a huge Legend of Zelda map up on my wall which is, to the best of my knowledge, is not officially licensed product. It’s what you’d call bootleg merchandise… and it’s what happens when fans want something and the original creator of a property is unable to cater to every whim that the public may have. As much as I love Bill Watterson and his resolve to keep his artistic integrity, the reality is people love to own as much stuff as they can. And if someone really loves a game, or a comic, or a cartoon they’re going to find a way to get their hands on merchandise, whether you officially license it or not.

I enjoy surrounding myself with stuff that makes me happy, and I try to acquire things through legitimate channels when possible. I’ve bought posters, and toys, and art books over the years. The amount of crap (and I use that term lovingly) that I’ve had in my hands at one point or another is actually kind of staggering. I’m trying to limit myself now to smaller items, and I figure that as my old clothes get worn out, perhaps I can acquire nerdy apparel instead. Thrift shops are great for this. But I also got it in my head that I wanted some custom ties, and so I had some made!

Maybe I should have got some bright colours? I’m pleased with them.

On an unrelated note, I’ve written another article for Young Web Builder. This is part one of a series they’ve asked me to write on making an indie game, so stay tuned for more!