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| Written by Stefan Blitz |
There’s no doubt that the boldest and most personal fashion statement anyone can make is in one’s selection of t-shirt. Personally, I love them. It’s an opportunity to show the world what pop culture I care about, a wonderful flashback to the past and a fantastic way to initiate any nerd discussion.
For this installment of Cool Shirts, I took a look at some of the shirts from Nerd Kung Fu, which might very well have the largest selection of pop culture t-shirts that I’ve ever seen. Among their latest additions are over dozens of new designs centered on Jazz artists, record labels, Edward Scissorhands, Nintendo, Valiant Comics, Astro Boy, plus new Star Trek, Batman, Superman and Star Wars designs and much more! They also carry shirts in sizes small through 7XL and the site is filled with lots of nerdy trivia on the history of t-shirts!
Nerd Kung Fu isn’t satisfied carrying just a huge t-shirt selection. They are also currently selling a wide array of posters and a number of geek-centric ephemera including coffee mugs, shot glasses, pint glasses, blankets, wallets, buttons, magnets, playing cards, hoodies and much more.
There is something for virtually any nerdcentric provocation.
These are some of my recent favorites.
Forget continuity. Forget every stupid comic book event that invokes change. Just take one look at this shirt and bathe in the absolute magic of the classic DC Universe. Featuring art by the master, José Luis García-López, this shirt features the icons I grew up with.
From the Justice League to the Teen Titans to the Marvel Family to the New Gods, this shirt is amazing and represents everything good and right about comics.
Plus amaze your friends with your useless knowledge by being able to identify all of the characters. You could also try and impress the ladies by revealing everyone’s secret identity. Surprisingly, most don’t find that a very attractive skill.
Trust me, I speak from experience.
Bruce Lee T-Shirt – Comic Panel
Growing up, he was the closest thing to a real live super-hero, so seeing Bruce Lee depicted in a comic book style is the closest thing to karmic perfection that you’ll find on a shirt.
And judging by the burst of red in the attack and a hearty WHAM!, I have a feeling that the idiot who thought he could take on the the “Little Dragon” regretted it as he fell out of the comic panel into an advertisement for bubble gum.
Dying at just 32 years old, Lee’s life was far too short, but his status as a cultural icon and all around bad-ass has only grown to mythic proportions; in his own words, “The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”
Apparently George Lucas has a very strange amputation fetish.
Depicting four (of the several) amputations as seen in the original trilogy, this shirt at least has all of the maimed, smiling (or at least attempting to).
From The Empire Strikes Back, we’ve got C-3PO holding up his arm after Stormtroopers blasting him in Bespin; Luke Skywalker holding up the hand that his father, Darth Vader, cut off after declining his invitation to join him to rule the galaxy and of course, the mighty Wampa from Hoth, who lost his arm by lightsaber as the captured Luke escaped from his lair.
And of course, it wouldn’t be fair without mentioning Ponda Baba (aka Walrus Man), who lost his arm by Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber in the Mos Eisley Cantina, after stupidly accosting Luke Skywalker.
Village People Heads T-Shirt – Macho Man
Talk about cool. Six guys hanging out just being awesome.
We’ve got a soldier, a construction worker, an Indian chief, a cowboy, a cop and a motorcycle rider.
Those are six jobs that any red blooded American male would love to have.
These guys must have girls fighting over them non stop. They’re macho, hang out at the Y.M.C.A. and for at least a short time, were in the Navy.
Get this shirt and impress the chicks.
Batman T-Shirt – Saints and Psychos
It might not come as a surprise that my favorite fictional character is Batman. The character’s mythology and universe is so rich and this shirt depicts only a taste of the many amazing heroes and villains that make their home in Gotham City.
Depicted on this shirt are The Batman, Robin, Nightwing, The Joker, The Riddler, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, Man Bat and Two Face.
There’s little doubt that Batman is the world’s greatest detective.
Unfortunately, keeping his back to his rogue’s gallery is an extremely stupid move.
#stupidbatman
“There is a creature alive today that has survived millions of years of evolution, without change, without passion, and without logic. It lives to kill; a mindless, eating machine. It will attack and devour anything. It is as if God created the devil and gave him… Jaws.”
That phrase delivered by Percy Rodriguez in the trailer in his inimitable gravelly voice only enhanced the terror that swam beneath the surface.
This t-shirt depicting the iconic poster image in a graphic design pays homage to the style of T-shirt you’d get in the mid-70s.
A perfect film. An awesome shirt. “Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies…”
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World T-Shirt – Lovers
Bryan Lee O’Malley’s cult graphic novel series made it’s way to cinema via director Edgar Wright in 2010 and the adventures of Scott Pilgrim can easily be summed up with this shirt, of him kissing his love, Ramona Flowers.
Here’s the skinny, Scott fell in love with Ramona, but in order to win her over, he had to defeat her seven evil exes: Matthew Patel, Lucas Lee, Todd Ingram, Roxanne “Roxie” Richter, Kyle & Ken Katayanagi, and their leader, Gideon Gordon Graves.
He beat them. With her help.
And, as this shirt depicts, love conquers all.
Woody Woodpecker T-Shirt – #Pecker
Created by Walter Lantz with storyboard artist Ben “Bugs” Hardaway, Woody Woodpecker is animation’s quintessential screwball character.
His look has evolved over the years and this one is a cross between the maniacal missing tooth version and the finished licensed version; in other words, just the right amount of crazy.
Even though most audiences under the age of 30 don’t know the character, this shirt definitely brings it into the 21st century by utilizing the hashtag, #PECKER.
It made me laugh. Just don’t try it on Tinder.
The Thing Movie Poster T-Shirt
One of the only remakes that might, in fact, be better than the original, John Carpenter’s reimagined take on Howard Hawk’s The Thing from Another World, is a dark, apocalyptic thriller written by Bill Lancaster and starring an amazing ensemble including Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, Donald Moffat, T. K. Carter, Richard Masur and Richard Dysart.
A truly scary film, The Thing was creepy, gory and shocking, thanks in no small part to the excellent effects created by Rob Bottin. Even the poster art (as depicted on the shirt is amazing). Painted by legend Drew Struzan, it captures the very single emotion that, in itself, makes the film so terrifying: The Thing can be anyone.
Wear the shirt. Terrify everyone.
Beware the Batman Head T-Shirt
Capturing the profile and silhouette of the Dark Knight Detective as depicted in the short lived amazing animated series, Beware The Batman.
In this incarnation, set during Bruce Wayne’s early years as the Batman, follows his initial period of battling organized crime as a vigilante teamed with partner Katana and his ex-secret agent butler Alfred Pennyworth.
The series also featured a number of more obscure rogues such as Anarky, Magpie, Tobias Whale, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad, Lady Shiva, Key and Humpty Dumpty.
This shirt, with it’s updated character design and backstory will remind you how Batman got his groove back.
