Since wrapping up The MEC back in February of 2015 I’ve been on something of a blogging journey, with the two blogs that I linked to in my last post (almost six years ago to the day!) meeting wildly different fates.
Green Card Back started out as a place for POTF2 toy photography before finding its feet as a full-on Star Wars fansite.
It charted a journey over the years that went from excitement about the sequel trilogy to grief once the films actually came out. Since then the blog has become a .com and found a new audience on YouTube with Vintage Collection action figure reviews.
Variable Thoughts, on the other hand - a blog about everything non-Star Wars in my life - very quickly tailed off into oblivion.
In the intervening years (and particularly through my career as a digital marketer) I've found that if you want to reach an audience online, you need to push everything through a lens of branding and SEO and promotion.
I get why those things are important. But honestly?
I miss the days of just posting a blog about whatever it is that I’m into at any given time.
The Times Are A'Changing
Here’s a case in point.
Yesterday morning a box of Marvel Legends figures arrived on my doorstep.
These were the four new Spider-Verse figures; Peter B. Parker, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacey (with Spider-Ham) and the Prowler.
I’ve been getting more into Marvel Legends over the last year, with the recent X-Men Sugar Man wave marking my first complete build-a-figure.
Yet due to social media profiles and blogs needing to slot into a particular niche to grow, I’ve not felt comfortable sharing these scores.
Another “brand” I’ve maintained in recent years has been the Robotic Drift Instagram account.
This started off as a place to post pictures of Transformers, Marvel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and whatever else took my interest.
But as I became much more invested in Transformers, they took over the account.
And as my posts became that much more focused, the account also became more popular. This even led to yet another website.
Yet my interest in Transformers has waned over the last year or so.
And as I’ve tried to share my growing interest in Marvel Legends, I’ve been met with a resounding “not bothered” by most of my followers.
Which is completely fair; after all, these followers started following a Transformers account.
It’s not fair to expect them to move with my whims. We all know how annoying it is to see an account pop up in your feed that you have no interest in and no recollection of following it in the first place.
Just... don’t be that guy.
Keeping it Simple
So as far as I can tell, the best thing to do is to take it back to basics. Clear the mental decks, if you will.
And back here where my blogging journey began feels like the best place to attempt that. Well.
It’s a place that I can attempt that.
So here we go.
This weekend I got a box of Marvel Legends Spider-Man figures in the post and I am thrilled. Into the Spider-Verse is a great film - I don’t know about you but I relate hard to Peter B. Parker.
The figures are excellent.
I might post more photos of them some other time. Or maybe not at all.
That’s really kind of the point.
I started the MEC because I loved collecting Star Wars toys and wanted to share that with the world.
It didn’t matter that I later got into Transformers, and Spider-Man, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
I just enjoyed blogging about things I enjoy.
And honestly? Doing just that this wintery Sunday night in February is more than enough to make me happy with this little hobby.
It's great to be doing this under absolutely no obligation at all.
So, thanks for reading. And see you next time - whenever that is.
