Pop quiz: what do all of these characters have in common?
Answer: none of them are born in the USA.
This year, I decided to have a secret theme for my critters. I’ve been dropping hints in my previous posts, where I made it a point to name where each character was from. Keeping with the theme meant I’d be leaving out some of my “classic” critters from this year’s critterdrop lineup. For the first time in 15 years, Batman was out, but Superman the Kryptonian stayed in. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is being released right after Comic-Con, great timing to make a little Spidey to drop. But our friendly neighborhood kid from Queens didn’t fit the theme, so lil’ Peter Parker was out too. I initially came up with the theme out of anger and resentment towards how perceived “non-Americans” were being treated in this country. The theme was meant to be a middle finger towards that kind of attitude, highlighting that some of our most beloved characters were never “from here” to begin with. Then the World Cup came around, and that bitterness softened a bit after seeing how well-received travelers were in the host cities, including my home of Houston, TX. It’s still the same messaging at heart, but a little less angry and biting. You have nothing to lose by sharing our cultures and our joy, and everything to gain. There’s so much to learn from each other, whether it’s from the streets of China, the shores of lakes in Canada, or other planets entirely like Krypton and Eternia. Life is better with diversity, and I pity anyone who disagrees.
There’s still a lot of ugly rhetoric out there. We’ve got a long way to go to right the ship again, but hopefully we’re slowly getting back on track. Life’s too short to keep a narrow worldview.
I’ll be dropping all of these critters at SDCC next week, plus a little Eleven (the lone ‘murican in the lineup). Find one and it’s yours to keep!
If you’re unfamiliar, since 2011 I’ve been crocheting little characters from pop culture and leaving them behind for strangers to find at San Diego Comic-Con (and occasionally on my travels) by leaving clues on social media! If you’ve never followed my SDCC drops before, here’s what you need to know:
- Follow me on Instagram, Threads, or Twitter for updates on new critters!
- When the time comes, follow my clues posted to Twitter to track the drops, where I’ll post hints on where I’ve left them for a lucky finder! I’ll also be posting my general SDCC shenanigans on Instagram and Threads. I’m much more active on Instagram and Threads when SDCC wraps up, so they’re worth a follow if you want to keep up with me long-term!
- If you find a critter, let me know that you found it! Please check in if you find a critter. Each one is tagged with a card with my contact info, I just ask for two things if you find one: 1) Send me a photo of your new friend, and 2) Let me know where the critter’s new home will be so I can add it to my map! I do this knowing that there’s a potential that anyone could swipe the critter and never get back to me on it, but it doesn’t make it any less disheartening when one goes missing.
No specific hints on where these little guys will be dropped, and I’ll drop them whenever the time and place feels right! Find one and it’s yours to keep! Happy hunting!
Pick your social media poison and join the hunt!
