Trunk or Treat at Madness Games & Comics: Bringing Pokémon to the People

I've attended a Trunk or Treat before, but this time, I wanted to do something bigger.

I had the privilege of participating in the Trunk or Treat event at Madness Games & Comics. My previous experience had been relatively simple. A table, a Pokéball tablecloth, and a few things to hand out. Nothing particularly elaborate.

This time, I wanted to create something that would make people stop, smile, and hopefully feel a little bit of that Pokémon magic.

The problem?

I'm not exactly the craftiest person.

My girlfriend had been looking up decorating ideas when she came across a Pokéball design. The moment she showed it to me, I knew that was what I wanted to create.

I just had absolutely no idea how to make it.

My girlfriend is crafty, but building something from scratch was a little outside our usual comfort zone. So, like any two people with an ambitious idea and no real plan, we went to Michaels and hoped inspiration would strike.

We walked around brainstorming, looking at different materials, and trying to figure out what would actually work. Eventually, we settled on foam board and poster board.

It seemed simple enough.

Of course, as we would eventually learn, buying the materials and actually building the thing are two very different experiences.

But the Pokéball was only one part of what I wanted to do.

A Little Halloween Pokémon Magic

I made Pokemon card packs featuring Psychic, Dark, Fire, and Grass-types.

I also decided to create custom Halloween-themed Pokémon card packs for the kids.

I loved this idea.

Instead of giving out random Pokémon cards, I wanted the packs to fit the season. I started gathering Pokémon that felt right at home during Halloween. Houndour, Murkrow, Zubat, and plenty of other spooky or creepy Pokémon made their way into the collection.

There was something surprisingly enjoyable about sorting through cards and deciding which Pokémon deserved a spot.

Finding enough Trainer cards, however, was a different story.

I eventually had to visit a local card shop to pick up some extras. It was more work than I originally anticipated, but seeing the finished packs made it worthwhile.

And, of course, you can't have a Trunk or Treat without candy.

I love colorful things, so naturally, I gravitated toward Airheads. Originally, I wanted Starburst, but have you seen candy prices lately?

In this economy?

I had to make a business decision.

Airheads meant I could afford to give out more candy, and ultimately, that was what mattered most.

Along with the candy and Pokémon packs, I decided to bring my Mimikyu wristbands. I had recently gotten an order of 300, and I loved how the design turned out.

I couldn't wait to see people wearing them.

Between the decorations, Pokémon plushies, card packs, wristbands, and candy, we had quite a bit to bring.

I was excited.

I just didn't realize how unprepared we were for the number of people who would show up.

Learning as We Go

Hanging up the Pokéball with duct tape.

We arrived at Madness Games & Comics and were given a spot near the front.

It was a great location. We began unloading our tables, plushies, decorations, and everything else we had brought.

There was just one tiny problem.

Remember that Pokéball we bought materials for?

Yeah...we hadn't actually made it yet.

Somehow, in all the excitement of preparing everything else, we had forgotten to put together one of the main decorations.

So there we were, trying to build a Pokéball on the spot.

Thankfully, my girlfriend came through.

She managed to put together a pretty solid-looking Pokéball, especially considering the circumstances. The scissors we brought, however, were not particularly interested in cutting through foam board.

That was another lesson learned.

Next time, we're bringing better tools.

Once everything was arranged, I stepped back and looked at our setup.

It wasn't perfect. There were things I would have done differently, and things I already knew I wanted to improve.

But compared to my previous Trunk or Treat, this felt like a huge step forward.

We had created something together, and now we were ready to share it.

...or so we thought.

We Ran Out of Everything

The before picture of the candy and wristbands we were about to give out.

I brought 50 Pokémon card packs.

I brought 300 Mimikyu wristbands.

I brought what I thought was a reasonable amount of candy.

Within two hours, almost every assumption I had made about how much we needed was completely wrong.

There was a nearly constant line of children, parents, and teenagers coming by our setup. One person would leave, and another would take their place.

It was wonderful

...and a little overwhelming.

The Pokémon packs disappeared. The Mimikyu wristbands found new homes. The candy started disappearing faster than I could have imagined.

My girlfriend even went out to purchase more candy when we started running low.

We ran out of that, too.

Thankfully, the event organizers provided us with additional candy, which I genuinely appreciated.

There's something about seeing a child approach your table with their Halloween bag open, expecting a treat, that makes you want to have something to give them.

I didn't want anyone to walk away disappointed.

By the time the event ended, all 50 card packs and all 300 wristbands were gone.

We had nothing left.

I couldn't have been happier.

Every Trainer Has a Story

A lot of children came to this event. It was amazing to see all the great costumes!

Although the event wasn't exclusively Pokémon-themed, Pokémon fans were everywhere.

Some children came dressed in Pokémon pajamas, including Pikachu and Grookey. We saw people cosplaying as Gym Leaders, and plenty of others who recognized the Pokémon decorations and came over to talk.

I loved every bit of it.

One person showed me a tattoo featuring the original Kanto starters on his arm. The artwork was incredible, and I enjoyed getting the chance to admire something that clearly meant enough to him to carry permanently.

But there was another interaction that lingered my mind even more.

A young boy came up and showed me his Pokémon card collection.

He didn't just grab a pack and leave. He wanted to share something he had brought with him.

My girlfriend and I took some time to look through his cards.

I wish I had spent longer talking with him.

As I looked through the collection, I couldn't help wondering why he had chosen those particular cards. Were they his favorite Pokémon? Were some gifts? Did he pull one from a pack and remember how excited he felt when he saw it?

I didn't get the chance to ask those questions.

I wish I had because those are the stories I love hearing.

I've spent years interviewing Pokémon fans through As The Pokéball Turns. I've heard stories about childhood memories, friendships, competitive journeys, collections, and the ways Pokémon has shaped people's lives.

But standing there, looking through a young boy's cards, reminded me that those stories aren't limited to the people sitting across from me during an interview.

They're everywhere.

Sometimes they're carried in a binder full of Pokémon cards.

Sometimes they're permanently inked onto someone's arm.

Sometimes they're represented by a favorite Pokémon on a pair of pajamas.

Every person who stopped by had their own connection to Pokémon, whether they shared it with me or not.

For a little while, I got to be part of that connection.

Finding Our Place Beyond the Microphone

The complete design of our trunk or treat.

By the time we finished packing everything up, I was exhausted.

My feet hurt. My energy was gone. We had spent hours preparing, decorating, handing out treats, and talking with people.

But I was smiling.

I smiled on the way home.

I smiled the following day when I thought about everything that had happened.

I'm smiling again as I write this.

Lately, I've been trying to figure out what role I want As The Pokéball Turns to have in the real world.

I've always known what the podcast is about.

Every Trainer Has a Story.

That's been the heart of what I do since the beginning.

But I've been wondering what that idea looks like beyond a microphone, an interview, or a social media post.

For a long time, I've thought about how I could bring the podcast into the community. Not necessarily to promote an episode or convince someone to become a listener, but to create opportunities for people to enjoy Pokémon together.

I don't want every interaction to become an advertisement.

Sometimes, I just want to give a kid a pack of Pokémon cards.

Sometimes, I want to hand someone a Mimikyu wristband because I think they'll enjoy it.

Sometimes, I want to hear why someone loves a particular Pokémon.

Sometimes, I want to be reminded of why I fell in love with Pokémon in the first place.

There's nothing wrong with creating content from behind a camera or microphone. That's how I've connected with so many wonderful people over the years.

But I don't want that to be the only place where As The Pokéball Turns exists.

I want to be out there.

At community events. At local game stores. At gatherings where people come together because of something they love.

I want to meet the people whose stories I hope to share, even if those stories never become podcast episodes.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that As The Pokéball Turns doesn't have to be limited to telling Pokémon stories.

It can also be part of creating them.

Maybe a child will remember getting a Pokémon pack at Halloween.

Maybe someone will wear their Mimikyu wristband to their next Pokémon GO event.

Maybe none of them will remember the name of the podcast that gave those things away.

I don't mind.

I don't need every interaction to turn into a new listener.

The smiles were enough.

I started As The Pokéball Turns because I believed Pokémon fans had stories worth sharing.

This Trunk or Treat reminded me that sometimes, the best way to celebrate those stories isn't by recording them.

It's by showing up and becoming part of them.

I don't want to just bring Pokémon stories to people through a podcast.

I want to bring the podcast to the people.

Not because I'm a creator trying to reach an audience.

But because, long before I ever picked up a microphone, I was one of them.

I still am.

Just another Pokémon fan.

🧡 Help Us Create More Pokémon Memories 🧡

The smiles, conversations, and memories from this Trunk or Treat are exactly why I love bringing As The Pokéball Turns into the community.

Opportunities like these are made possible with the help of our Patrons, supporters, and community donations.

Contributions through Patreon and donations help us provide free Pokémon card packs, wristbands, and other small surprises to Trainers at community events.

Nothing we handed out was for sale. It was simply our way of sharing the joy Pokémon has brought into our lives.

If you believe in what we're building and would like to help us create more experiences like this, consider becoming a Patron.

Your support helps us do more than share Pokémon stories. It helps us become part of creating them.

Support As The Pokéball Turns on Patreon