STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN TATTOO SHOPS

Lots of people out there who spent their childhoods being called nerds for playing Dungeons & Dragons are watching an entirely new generation get tattoos celebrating the same shit they used to get picked on for. We went from kids stashing their comic books in their backpacks to grown adults proudly and sometime obnoxiously sporting Demogorgons on their arms. All it took was a Netflix series, some missing kids, and a town in Indiana involving an alternate dimension.

Stranger Things gave us Hawkins, the Upside Down, Eleven, and Eddie Munson, whose Hellfire Club became part of the show’s appeal. And if you don’t know who Eddie is, he’s the long-haired hessian, that was on the 8-year high school plan. Definitely the guy that could pull off the fake ID to buy alcohol for everyone.

His character’s tattoos weren’t random shit the makeup department slapped onto his arms. Netflix reported that the show’s tattoo designer, Jeremy Sutton, and head makeup artist Amy L. Forsythe developed the designs, with the puppet representing the control Vecna exercised over his victims. The bats also ended up connecting with events in the fourth season.

Stranger Things. Cult TV and movie tattoos have given collectors an abundant selection of characters, symbols, and obscure references that can make absolutely no fuck-sense to the person sitting next to them. A tiny symbol from a favorite series might start a conversation between two complete strangers who discover they’ve been obsessing over the same fictional universe. Quick note…... I saw a couple of people sporting these fine-line tats of a slice of pizza. Took me a minute before it clicked.

Recognizing a character and tattooing one properly are different skills. Inker gives collectors a place to explore tattoo artists and their work before committing to a portrait, horror-inspired design, or elaborate television-themed sleeve. Having a favorite character is easy. Finding an artist who can do the artwork justice deserves a little homework.

I still find it entertaining that the kids who were once considered weird for playing fantasy games have become the cultural reference points for an entirely new generation.

I’d be curious to see how many former Dungeons & Dragons players have an Eddie Munson tattoo. And how many still have their original dice.

J Gekko
Staff Writer, Inker