Thursday, March 24, 2016

Another of your blog mom's projects: tshirts of a little guy in a stovepipe hat

I don't, as you know, make any money off this blog, but that doesn't mean I don't try to make money elsewhere! I'm interested in your opinions: could a character this obscure be popular today? Let me know what you think in the comments! Thanks!

I love old pop culture. I've been bringing back to life Samuel Zagat's early 20th century comic strip called "Gimpel Beynish the Matchmaker." Gimpel was wildly beloved by the people of New York City's Lower East Side. Gimpel, that shlemiel, seldom succeeded in anything he did, yet he never got discouraged and his self-esteem was unimpaired. That must have been very heartening for folks struggling to make a buck.

You can see the comics as I clean them up and translate them, here: GimpelBeynish.com and also see two books of his comics which I've published.

Wondering if Gimpel could be loved by the modern world too, I just make a couple Gimpel tshirts. They are only $14.99. Click on either picture to see more colors and styles...

1. An impoverished millionaire turns his pockets inside out



2. Gimpel visits the high seas during World War I, falls in the ocean and is rescued by a submarine. Here is is looking through the periscope!


Thanks!

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Comments:
I've learned the hard way, time and again, that just because I think something is cute/funny doesn't mean anyone else will like it!

I like the character, but I'd think the WW1 setting would make it a tough sell for general audiences. But what do I know? I'll bet you can find the right niche(s) for this.

Any chance Gimpel could have some adventures in the modern world? Something tells me he'd be very relate-able.
 

I readily admit I never know what will be popular or why, but I like it! And I think the olde-tymey aspect is a plus.
 

I know Downton Abbey has moved on from WW1, but this might be the right time for something of this era. We knwo more about WW2 and the interest seems to be moving backwards. Plus, the dresses are fabulous (even if Gimpel doesn't wear them). Could be fun to see someone with old-timey manners and speech trying to get by today! As long as he throws in some Yiddish because that's just a great language.

Kelly
 

Here's my 3¢ (FWIW)—I like the image of the impoverished millionaire turning his pockets inside out. It makes an attractive shirt. The other is weaker in terms of graphic impact, IMO. That said, I'm not sure how these would play in the real world. We are currently dealing with a huge rich/poor disparity issue in this election right now and I don't think the quaint charm of this character could supersede people's kneejerk prejudices. Millionaires even (or perhaps especially) poor ones) are not looked on favorably these days. As I said, it's just my 3¢.

 

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