History Main / MerchandisingTheMonster

* One ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' issue features a truly baffling scene where Mysterio goes to a ''fan convention for supervillains'', complete with people in cosplay. It's akin to going to Comic-Con and seeing people dressed as Joseph Stalin or Ted Bundy. It rather highlights a tendency of writers making gags like this to [[AudienceAwarenessAdvantage forget]] that while the villains are just comic characters in real life, in-universe, they are ''real'' criminals responsible for a litany of crimes, some of them quite grisly. For example, one of the villains prominently shown being displayed is [[Characters/MarvelComicsSabretooth Sabretooth]], who in-story is an infamously sadistic mercenary and terrorist bordering on outright SerialKiller, a man who kills for money and pleasure, possesses a body count in the hundreds, and is [[TheDreaded rightly feared]] as one of the most dangerous criminals in the world.

* ''Website/{{Neopets}}'' has had numerous plotlines over the years, and without failure, there will be a ton of items with the villains' likeness, from toys to clothing to novelty food. The resident ''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'' {{Exp|y}}ies, Usuki, will usually be the first to do so, but others will as well, even (and especially) in areas where said villain did the most direct damage. For instance, Lord Kass was so twisted that even the [[PlanetHeck overtly-demonic land]] of Darigan Citadel [[EvenEvilHasStandards considered him a tyrant]], but that won't stop the local toy store from selling [[https://items.jellyneo.net/item/36667/ yo-yos with his face on them]]. Dr. Frank Sloth was an alien invader who enslaved the entire Grundo race and made it his goal to force Neopians into becoming his personal army of grotesque mutants, but that won't stop the local cafe from selling [[https://items.jellyneo.net/item/16084/ ice cream in the shape of his head]]. Etc. They aren't being forced to do this, either; the former is [[KilledOffForReal dead]], and the latter is [[SealedEvilInACan sealed in a coin floating somewhere in deep space]]. Nor is it GameplayAndStorySegregation, as the affected people ([[StockholmSyndrome especially the Grundos]]) will be seen using these items.

Can overlap with MyLittlePanzer if the toys are as dangerous as the people they're modeled after. Can also overlap with AngstWhatAngst if the villains are forgiven so quickly that people are willing to make toys based in their likeness. If it's directly pointed out by the characters, it can fall into MisaimedMarketing. See also MilkingTheMonster.

* ''Literature/TheZombieSurvivalGuide'': The "Recorded Attacks" section includes the time a lone zombie walked up on the shore of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, tried to bite a child, and was killed by a recent immigrant. Unlike most zombie attacks where the incident was covered up, this one became a local sensation with merchandise ranging from photographs to children's books for sale.
* Deconstructed in the epilogue of ''Literature/TheRelic'', where its noted that in the aftermath of everything, there were some ''very'' [[MisaimedMarketing tasteless and tone-deaf]] attempts to profit off the Museum Beast's rampage ranging from documentaries to action figures to even a Saturday morning cartoon. Given that the creature in question was a horrifying brain-eating monster with a body count that includes two kids, these attempts fail. Badly.

* One ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' issue features a truly baffling scen where Mysterio goes to a ''fan convention for supervillains'', complete with people in cosplay. It's akin to going to Comic-Con and seeing people dressed as Joseph Stalin or Ted Bundy. It rather highlights a tendency of writers making gags like this to [[AudienceAwarenessAdvantage forget]] that while the villains are just comic characters in real life, in-universe, they are ''real'' criminals responsible for a litany of crimes, some of them quite grisly. For example, one of the villains prominently shown being displayed is [[Characters/MarvelComicsSabretooth Sabretooth]], who in-story is an infamously sadistic mercenary and terrorist bordering on outright SerialKiller, a man who kills for money and pleasure, possesses a body count in the hundreds, and is [[TheDreaded rightly feared]] as one of the most dangerous criminals in the world.

* ''Series/Hawkeye2021'': The fourth episode shows that Kate's aunt has a "Thanos Was Right" mug in her apartment. Yes, someone thought it was a good idea to make merchandise agreeing with the genocidal madman who destroyed ''half the universe'', and who's alternate counterpart almost ''destroyed all of it to rebuild in his image''. Also doubles as an AscendedMeme.

* ''Franchise/DeadRising'': While the zombie outbreak might have been somewhat contained, and using their slaughter as part of a TV show could bring in a lot of audience, the people that lost family members and friends to it don't seem to think the same. Mainly because they don't want to change the channel one day, and see the decaying but still moving corpse of their mother there. And only seconds before her head get smashed by a giant toy hammer.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pikuniku}}'': A villager outside of the cave you wake up in was selling merchandises of the supposed beast that lives in the cave, and now that everyone knows you aren't actually a scary beast, he lets you know you ruined his business.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': This trope is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhcvlcHludQ this video]] on the Website/YouTube channel. When a WMG/TimeLord child reviews a Franchise/{{LEGO}} toy of the TARDIS, he points out that a Dalek is among the figures included, and that making a toy out of a [[OmnicidalManiac all-hating monster]] that nearly destroyed the universe during the Last Great Time War is rather offensive.

* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankSizeMatters'': Otto Destruct, the emperor of the Technomites, creates [[spoiler:an army of evil Ratchet clones]] as part of his plan to [[spoiler:absorb the intelligence of everyone in the galaxy and become the smartest being in the galaxy]]. After his defeat, [[spoiler:the Ratchet clones]] end up getting sold as toys.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'': The Cetus' curious merchandise includes toy guns and masks based on the Grineer, those genocidal soldiers who camp out on the neighbouring Plains of Eidolon and who would've stamped out the townspeople long ago if not for the Unum tower's protective powers. There are also replicas of Tenno swords and helmets so kids can play cops and robbers, or rather Tenno and Grineer.

[[folder: Comic Strips]]

* The ''Magazine/DocorWhoMagazine'' strip "Liberation of the Daleks!" is set in the Dalek Dome, a VR theme park where people can experience actual Dalek invasion plans. The Doctor is horrified, and even more so when he learns [[spoiler: the simulations are derived from the memories and fantasies of actual Kaled mutants, stored under the park]].

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/GuysBeingDudes'': [[VideoGame/PokemonXD Cypher and Shadow Lugia]] are apparently popular enough in their home region of Orre for the resident Hot Topic parody to sell merchandise featuring them.

[[caption-width-right:350:If it's worth warning, it's worth merchandising.]]

%%[[caption-width-right:350:If it's worth warning, it's worth merchandising.]]

%%[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

* ''Creator/CartoonNetwork'' used to hold a number of ads featuring their various characters, either as AnimatedActors, or in their downtime. One of the latter involved ''{{WesternAnimation/The Powerpuff Girls|1998}}''' RoguesGallery attending anger management therapy. [[EvilGenius Mojo Jojo]] goes on a rant about how his likeness was merchandised as a keychain, how nobody asked for permission to use it, and how he makes no money off of this.

* ''Creator/CartoonNetwork'' used to hold a number of ads featuring their various characters, either as AnimatedActors, or in their downtime. One of the latter involved ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998''' RoguesGallery attending anger management therapy. [[EvilGenius Mojo Jojo]] goes on a rant about how his likeness was merchandised as a keychain, how nobody asked for permission to use it, and how he makes no money off of this.

* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'': "Servant Summer Festival!" is about a doujin convention run and attended by Servants. The contents of the event's doujins are also about Servants, including characters who antagonized the main cast in events prior. One such book you can collect is a Buddhist essay featuring [[VideoGame/FateExtra Kiara Sessiouin]], who was a major villain in her home game and an event.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' features the gang unmasking the MonsterOfTheWeek as usual. However, unlike other series, this gains them ire from the local government and merchandising that wants Crystal Cove to be known as the scariest town ever and want to make use of the sudden monsters.

** After being convinced by several of his Robins to visit a nearby Bat Burger, Bruce Wayne has to control his anger at the idea of seeing the Joker's name, a known homicidal maniac, being used to publicize a special sauce.
** Punchline, Joker's replacement sidekick for Harley Quinn, was, before joining up with the Clown Prince himself, a fan of him and once wore a Joker shirt to her college on "Dress Like Your Hero Day". This is {{deconstructed}}, as this obviously upset quite a few people, in a rare case where the writers remembered that the real-world equivalent to this would be a shirt with someone like Osama bin Laden on it.

* Deconstructed in the epilogue of ''Literature/TheRelic'', where its noted that in the aftermath of everything, there were some ''very'' [[MisaimedMarketing tasteless and tone-deaf]] attempts to profit off the Museum Beast's rampage from everything to documentaries to action figures to even a Saturday morning cartoon. Given that the creature in question was a horrifying monster that with a body count that includes two kids, these attempts fail. Badly.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Though it doesn't ''quite'' come across in the execution, the overall idea of "Snakedance" is that the people of Manussa have turned the celebration around the defeat of the Mara into a cheap, tawdry spectacle (one of the few remnants of the concept is a Punch and Judy show in which a puppet Mara makes a guest appearance). The DVD pop-up notes do indicate that this was much more prominent in the script.

Keep in mind that this trope encompasses examples where unrelated third parties try to make a business out of it. Not when the villain or evil organization itself, produces the merchandise in an effort of propaganda, or personal monetary gain. Also, not to be confused with MonsterOrganTrafficking, which is about profiting from a product a monster creates from their body

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': While at the mall, the members of Class 1A see a shop selling merchandise of the HeroKiller Stain, whose ideology to end corruption in heroes resonated with many people.