《Alexander Creed: Re-Life》Chapter 181: Monumental Hobbes II
Advertisement
Of course, desecrating the effort and conviction of a considerable legend was something to be proud of from a business perspective... but not from a moral standpoint.
It was best to just put that moral dilemma and whatnot on the backburner though... and simply move on.
Stuffed Hobbes is a considerably bold step into a new frontier for both the old and new 'Calvin and Hobbes' franchises.
Aside from breaking through stubborn creator ideologies from the old timeline, the Hobbes toy is also a breakthrough into a new toy category in the renewed timeline.
Creed Toys wasn't just adding a new toy line with this one but is actually stepping forth into the realm of stuffed toys.
They may already have considerable experience when it comes to figurines and action figures... but they still have to truly test their mettle in this new toy type.
Granted, stuffed toys are still toys but it is still a completely different "genre" by itself.
-----
By definition, a stuffed toy is a toy doll with an outer fabric sewn from a textile and stuffed with flexible material.
They are known by many names, such as plush toys, plushies, stuffed animals, and stuffies. In Britain and Australia, they are soft toys or cuddly toys.
Whatever way it may be called, it still has a unique aspect that makes them all one and the same.
In a way, these toys are distinguishable from other toys mainly by their softness, flexibility, and resemblance to animals or fictional characters.
Stuffed toys most commonly take the form of animals, especially bears in the case of teddy bears.
In fact, the teddy bear is arguable the most prevalent form and is said to have origins inspired by a drawing of President "Teddy" Roosevelt with a bear cub.
From that... a teddy bear fad was born until it eventually became a cultural phenomenon that struck out and became a norm.
Advertisement
Of course, stuffed toys could also go for the features of mammalian pets such as cats and dogs, and highly recognizable animals such as zebras, tigers, pandas, lizards, and elephants.
The elephant form has to be singled out as well... given that the very first stuffed toy is said to have been a felt elephant originally sold as a pincushion in the 1880s.
Not just being restricted to just common animals... even fictional characters from movies, TV shows, books, or other entertainment forms often appear in stuffed toy versions... as long as they're popular enough and feasible to make that is.
To further add to that diversity, they mostly come in an array of different sizes, with the smallest being thumb-sized and the largest being larger than a house.
Granted that most of them are designed to be an appropriate size for easy handling... with a wide variety of colors, cloth surfaces, fur textures, and humanizing embellishments.
With how abundant its variety is, it is also abundantly sold worldwide!
Through this prevalence, there were bound to be stuffed toys being sold in tourist attractions, airports, carnivals, fairs, downtown parks, and general public meeting places of almost any nature.
It is stupendously ubiquitous that it is quite easy to overlook how encompassing it truly is!
Action figures, legos, and whatnot have their own sway but it is safe to say that stuffed toys are among the most popular toys.
These features, factors, history, and whatnot have lined up into making the stuffed toy market into the surprising behemoth that it is and what it would become!
At some point, the global market for stuffed toys had practically reached an estimated to be 7.98 billion dollars and upwards...
Without doubt, this toy type was a beast on its own and probably has a business ecology that could support itself even without being grouped together with the rest of the toy market.
Advertisement
------
Just from that business outlook, entering that market is only a matter of time for Creed Toys.
With Stuffed Hobbes, they also have another thing they're aiming for.
After all, the common thought is that stuffed toys help children in their growth and become their companions as they grow up.
Sleeping and cuddling with any of them are considered a comfort that reduces anxiety around separation, self-esteem, and fear of the night.
Basically, in everything that a child goes through... a stuffed toy is there to be a companion.
By estimates, Hobbes should be able to fit in that status quo as well.
Although stuffed toys are designed for children, the product does not have to be exclusively intended for playing in order for it to be considered a toy; it can have a decorative function as well.
Their uses are mostly for imaginative play, comfort objects, display or collecting, and as gifts. They have mostly become go-to gifts for occasions such as graduation, illness, condolences, Valentine's Day, Christmas, or birthdays.
In a way, they aren't just for children but adults as well.
Kids that loved these cuddly companions do inevitably grow up after all and they become sentimental objects to go back to.
In fact, it is humorously researched at some point that a third of British adults are said to still be sleeping with their soft toys and more than half of this percentage still kept the childhood toys they grew up with.
With 'Calvin and Hobbes' serializing along with a growing generation, wouldn't Stuffed Hobbes be something that fit the sentimental materialism side of things?
Brand recognition should grow exponentially if everything goes as planned.
With an appeal for nostalgia and companionship being utilized, it would be quite hard for people to extricate themselves from what Stuffed Hobbes is all about.
------
Of course, the aforementioned is just a projection of a future where every best-case scenario is met.
A lot of factors are still bound to intervene and make it extremely unlikely for Stuffed Hobbes to be as culturally pervasive as the teddy bear.
As of now... it's just best to take things one step at a time and just introduce materialized Hobbes to the people who perceive him best. Tourist spots, airports, carnivals, fairs, and downtown parks are incredibly closed-off and aren't exactly the best fit for what Creed Toys were going for.
As perfect as an advertising platform Comic-Con might be... it still only capable of reaching a specific type of audience.
However, that was more than enough.
Hence, the trusty comic book stores and other established Creed brand retailers were the way to go... and remained as effective as it is.
The ripples of the SDCC splash should have riled their usual audience already and it was just time to cater to the expectations that it raised.
On a certain day of September, Stuffed Hobbes has been stuffed to their designated display shelves and at that point, Stuffed September should have really begun!
Advertisement
- In Serial142 Chapters
THE SPACE LEGACY
-= New chapter every Wednesday! =- What would you do if you found an ancient spaceship? Michael Freeman is a disabled veteran who had just been fired from his mind-numbing cubicle job, which allowed his opportunistic girlfriend to dump him. Now, he only wants to spend some time in his grandfather's mountain cabin to unwind away from the drudgery of daily life with a cold beer in his hands. Standing in his way is an ancient spaceship with an emotional AI, nanites that have invaded his body, an international crime syndicate, a suicidal FBI agent on a vigilante mission, terrorists... and this is just the beginning. What can one man do when faced with insurmountable odds? Call it quits? Or… call some of his old army buddies and blow those obstacles to smithereens. Can he become more than he had ever dreamed, reaching further than any man before? Staying under the radar of the powers that be while righting a few wrongs of the modern world. He is sure of three things: 1. He really doesn’t want to follow the rules anymore... aside from his own. 2. Space is the ultimate frontier, and he had been given a turnkey technology to reach it—if they let him. 3. Those that want to hurt him and the people he cares about will rue the day they were born. You do not always get what you wish for… sometimes, you get one hell of a lot more. --- “Really entertaining, and a promising future.” - RR Reviewer “Good old sci-fi novel” - RR Reviewer “Sci-fi with a realistic MC” - RR Reviewer “Wow, seriously... just wow” - RR Reviewer “I'm hooked!” - RR Reviewer “A well crafted story.” - RR Reviewer “A Sci-fi Novel I can appreciate” - RR Reviewer “This is f....ing good.” - RR Reviewer -------------------------------------------------- Advance chapters available on Patreon -------------------------------------------------- The original art for the cover picture was made by N. Dasco
8 432 - In Serial31 Chapters
The White Rose
Discontinued When a miracle is caused by a tragedy, the members of a gang based out of Alberquerque are thrown into a civil war in the magical underworld of New Mexico crime. While the most powerful person in the world, driven by a traumatizing past, is ripped from their god complex. Their girlfriend turns out to be a demon, their friends betray them, and they can't control their emotions. Their drug addiction worsens, and they become more unstable than ever. What will happen? Who can say?
8 180 - In Serial17 Chapters
So, I Became a Blackguard.
After being taken out to get his mind off of a recent loss. Our hero finds himself brought to a new world after they barely avert a tragedy. A deity has seen their sacrifice, sending them to a new world where similar actions are sorely needed. The shock of the situation not lost on him as everyone in this new world refers to him as 'Paladin' whatsmore, he can't even remember his own name. Read the story of this paladin's fall from grace, or the rising of the blackguard, but really, what's the difference in a world ruled by villains? Updates every friday. (1 month consexutive updates sofar) (Temporary cover found on pixabay i don't own it and it is subject to change)
8 124 - In Serial18 Chapters
Wild Steam
Get on a train. Head east. Get on a ship. Travel further east, in style. See some wonders of the world. Find what was lost. Find where home is. How hard is any of that?Well, for Jake Ranger, pretty damned hard. The world being a wild, crazy mess from a global altering event called the Shattering doesn’t help much. Nor does being a famous folk hero. That last one really sucks, because people always run up to famous heroes and beg them for help with all their problems. Then there are the actual outlaws and monsters. They don’t help much either. Mostly they just get in the way and make everything way worse. And in a world that is so screwed up decades after the Shattering, there is a lot of variety to both outlaw and monster. Then there are the more civilized, (read: sane), non-human folk, and good old humans as well. They all get along just spectacularly. Totally best friends, on every level, for life. Of course getting to the east coast is only half the battle. Once there, he must contend with the so-called “civilized people.” Then there’s the ship ride; pirates and sea monsters are a thing too, after all. Should have read the brochure. But when the chips are down, the bad guys are winning and the wild winds of chaos are blowing, it helps to have a fighter on your side. Even if he is a little wild. After all, that’s not really a problem. That’s what beautiful women and lots of gold is for. Proper motivation is always key to success. Welcome to a Steampunk, Wild West, Victorian era, Lovecraftian infested, fantasy, shoot ‘em up world. Complete with a slow build harem of badass beautiful women, crazy adventures, and fun, monstrous villains. Welcome to the world of Wild Steam. Do enjoy your stay.
8 198 - In Serial36 Chapters
The Path of a Sith
Ezra Bridger became the apprentice of Maul after The Ghost crew left him on Lothal for his own good. Maul introduces Ezra to The Dark side but The Dark side Can't corrupt him completely. Even though Ezra is learning the ways of the Dark Side, a part of him will still be light.
8 259 - In Serial11 Chapters
Infinite Nova: Mercenary
(FIRST DRAFT) Power and ambition breed a universe in chaos. Combat veteran Mathusala(Matt) Carmack and his mercenary squad are offered a job to take up arms against the Mercantile Coalition, the perceived most powerful force in the sector. What’s the worst that can go wrong? An offer that comes with new opportunities and new enemies. All packaged within the crossfires of life in the Bhakus Sector, a powder keg waiting to explode.
8 110

