There are many positives to being part of The Walking Dead universe fandom. These range from having over a decade of stories across multiple series to having a pretty accessible cast and crew that fans can interact with across conventions and events. Another big perk is the amount of merchandise manufactured over the years.
It seems like a lifetime ago that the first issue of the TWD comics hit shelves, and those first issues on the initial print are some of the highest desirability for fans to own. Skybound also released merchandise based on the comic book series from pins, apparel, and action figures. The great thing about this was that some of the characters that Skybound manufactured are the only figures to exist of certain characters as of the present, such as Alpha and Princess, to name a couple.
Some replica pieces manufactured took fans by storm, such as the fan-favorite McFarlane full-scale Lucille bat, which had multiple variations. One was the original; the other was the "taking it like a champ" edition with eerie echoes of 701 The Day Will Come When You Won't Be as it dons a red paint blood splatter over it. Some merchandise items were never made but would have had fans all over them like a walker to guts!
Five items of The Walking Dead Merchandise fans want
5. Tara Chambler Funko Pop
There are over eighty TWDU Pops so far, with many characters available. There have been Comic-Con exclusives as well as Supply Drop exclusives and many different rarities across the Pops. However, one thing that I always found odd was that the long-serving character Tara Chambler (Alanna Masterson) was never made into a Pop. I'm not sure why, as it feels like this piece of the great puzzle is missing, but I do hope one day that Funko will decide to create one for fans to add to their collections.
4. Factions Play Sets
There were a few playsets released for the earlier seasons of TWD, and they look epic. The iconic hospital doors, the prison, and The Governor's Room were all released as detailed dioramas for fans to create iconic scenes within them. Unfortunately, these were short-lived as they never released any other communities such as the Sanctuary, the Commonwealth, and the Hilltop - they would have been an incredible way for fans to continue building their own mini TWD World.
3. Apparel and Accessories
Whilst there have been various replicas commissioned by AMC, such as a limited edition Daryl Dixon vest, there are a ton of other options for a replica that fans would love to own that wouldn't be as pricey as those auctions for real props (as amazing as they were) they sadly weren't accessible for all fans. A few great options would be an official replica of the necklace that Abraham gave to Rosita (which eventually ended up with Sasha), Glenn's pocket watch as given to him by Hershel Greene, an official aged-up pair of Rick Grimes' iconic boots, and maybe an official chocolate bar replica of the 'Big Cat' that Michonne and Carl play the track game over. Yum!
2. Signed Item Auctions
One thing that all fans love to get from their favorite movies and series is a signed item from their favorite cast members. The idea of a lottery-style auction is very appealing to fans, especially when there is an even chance for anyone to win. Imagine being entered into a weekly draw to win an exclusive signed item or prop from TWDU - that would be a huge hit!
1. Seasonal Collaborations
Many huge franchises like The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars, to name a few, have collaborated with other major franchises like the Universal Monsters to create a new line of epic collectibles. I think having a TWD crossover to give us specialty figures like a Halloween Carol and Daryl or a Trick or Treat Michonne would be unique and different. Maybe Eugene can be Santa Claus for a Christmas crossover, whilst Mercer can be his elf sidekick!
There are endless options when it comes to things fans want to see and have available to them. But one thing that all fans have in common is that we want to bring a piece of the magic home. Thank goodness there are loads of options to do that out there!
The Walking Dead Universe collection is available to stream on AMC Plus in the US and Now TV in the UK.