Today was a real treat for me as I got to spend my day looking around The Toy Fair at London's Olympia. My mission for the day was to investigate the relationship between our covered mediums (Video Games and Comics) and the Toy world at large.
I will be rounding everything up over the next few days (and months thanks to NDA's) from the fair itself but to start I thought a brief overview of why I think this relationship is so vital to all the mediums concerned.
I will be rounding everything up over the next few days (and months thanks to NDA's) from the fair itself but to start I thought a brief overview of why I think this relationship is so vital to all the mediums concerned.
| To start with I have to blame George Lucas for costing my parents an absolute fortune. After watching Return of the Jedi (not everyone's favourite Star Wars but I loved it). I badgered my poor Mum and Dad to start buying me action figures. I think my first was Wicket Wystri Warwick complete with Orange hood and a spear. My collection grew from there to obscene proportions until finally my Mum gave my entire collection away (one of the darkest days of my life). However coming through this emotional turmoil relatively unscathed has given me an opportunity to look at why the physical manifestation of a visual product can instil so much desire and want from children of all ages. What I mean by the wordy statement above is the key to why I love this trans media world we live, ...the physical manifestation of a visual product.. |
When you read a comic, play a game or watch a movie you see a character in front of you but you are unable to touch them. Gaming does allow you to interact but that tactile feedback is still missing. Enter toys, mostly in the form of action figures. Being able to pick up and battle my Ewoks against the Imperial Army gave me hours of fun. This is as true today as it has always been. Gaming I think is an essential parts of a child's development it teaches you skills that other mediums can not. Toys can be just as powerful in their own way as they can teach kids everything to imaginative play to basic care of their possessions.
As I wandered the aisles of Olympia I was reminded of all this. The thrill of transforming Optimus Prime for the first time while trying to recreate the transforming sound effect (give it a try now it will put a smile on your face), the wonder of Lego as it grew from random bricks all the way up to Technics and of course the sheer volume of Star Wars toys available to buy. Toys give us the chance to own small pieces of the franchises we love and should be embraced by kids along with their Sackboy and Mario related gaming experiences. Likewise for adults the ability to pick up a toy and play has a certain nostalgia that can not be beaten.
The mixed medium relationship seems to be growing from strength to strength on today's evidence and that means it will be a future filled with happy kids of all ages and this makes me smile like a Chesire Cat.
As I wandered the aisles of Olympia I was reminded of all this. The thrill of transforming Optimus Prime for the first time while trying to recreate the transforming sound effect (give it a try now it will put a smile on your face), the wonder of Lego as it grew from random bricks all the way up to Technics and of course the sheer volume of Star Wars toys available to buy. Toys give us the chance to own small pieces of the franchises we love and should be embraced by kids along with their Sackboy and Mario related gaming experiences. Likewise for adults the ability to pick up a toy and play has a certain nostalgia that can not be beaten.
The mixed medium relationship seems to be growing from strength to strength on today's evidence and that means it will be a future filled with happy kids of all ages and this makes me smile like a Chesire Cat.
RSS Feed
