I know many of our readers view graffiti as just the destruction of someone else’s property, but even if you do feel that way, it’s still hard to deny that many of the creations are quite artistic. And if someone is going to deface property, wouldn’t you at least prefer it be with a mural rather than just their name? And by that logic, wouldn’t you rather the design be something you personally enjoy like these great geeky graffiti pieces?
Star Wars:
Sure, Imperial Walkers are always pretty cool, but when you make them totally hip hop, complete with speakers and gold chains, they become out of this world. Image via adactio [Flickr] Similarly, if Boba Fett is a serious badass and Dirty Harry is one of the toughest guys around, then Dirty Fett is definitely someone you don’t want to take your chances with. Image via Watt Dabney [Flickr] Don’t tell me you never considered just how perfect little R2D2 would be as a barbecue. Of course, if the Empire won, I’m sure this would be the perfect revenge for the rebel droid. Image via stringberd [Flickr] You’ve seen the AT-ATs and AT-STs together in battle before, but suddenly things have become a lot more clear. Image via tashland [Flickr] Not all Star Wars graffiti is goofy though, just look at the amazing detail in this wonderful Yoda design. Also, it’s worth noting that all of these Star Wars pieces, with the exception of the one above, were put up in Bristol so apparently that’s one heck of a city for geek graffiti. Image via Watt Dabney [Flickr]
Sci-Fi:
Here’s another geek graffiti piece spotted in Brighton. Somehow the Cybermen just aren’t as intimidating when they look so cartoony though. Image via Loz Flowers [Flickr]
For those that fear the Daleks more, here is an intimidating stencil of one just waiting to “Exterminate!” Image via lensfodder [Flickr] Don’t worry Trekkies, there is plenty of Star Trek graffiti out there as well, like this Spock design spotted in London. Image via mermaid99 [Flickr]
Video Games:
Melbourne is apparently another great place to enjoy geek graffiti, serving as the home to the Dalek and “I am your father” pieces above, along with this wonderfully colorful Mario mural. Image via sensesmaybenumbed [Flickr] This German Super Mario World design feature a rather babyish Mario is simply adorable, end of story. Image via xoque [Flickr] One of the newer, more artistic forms of graffiti involves arranging tiny tiles on a layer of grout. This Mario one is particularly great, given the ideal placement beside these pipes. Image via Mr. Nightshade [Flickr] The tile designs are particularly perfect for any 8 bit designs given how they already appear pixilated. Here’s a Space Invader spotted while taking over the streets of Paris. Image via Iwan Gabovitch [Flickr] While the artwork on this one might not be the best of all the pieces on this list, the placement might just be the most fantastic. After all, what better place to put Nico from Grand Theft Auto than right outside of a bank’s drive-through ATM? Image via jontunn [Flickr]
Real People:
There were tons of Steve Jobs tributes after his death last year, but this amazing portrait by artist Taker is certainly one to remember. Image via azso [Flickr] Here is a fitting salute to one of the world’s famous directors. Artist Jeff Aerosol created this stencil of Hitchcock and if you’re wondering, I believe his sign reads “Psycho The Birds.” Image via Ophelia Noor [Flickr] If you prefer the delightful plays of Oscar Wilde though, then you’ll certainly appreciate this lovely portrait, spotted in Lyon, France. Image via Abode of Chaos [Flickr]
Comics:
Admit it, these childish versions of your favorite superheroes are utterly adorable. Spotted in the Mission District of San Francisco by BoingBoing writer David Pescovitz, this great mural was created by artists Keb, Wand, and Buter. It’s sometimes hard to decide whether Charlie Brown fits in with comic book characters or cartoons, but wherever you happen to categorize him, he’s certainly a geek icon and this simple zig-zag on a yellow background is unmistakably a symbol of the fantastic character. Image via Nylon Magazine reader Zoe
Cartoons:
If you’re going to illegally tag a wall with characters from one of your favorite cartoon shows, you might as well choose to do it with the mobsters from said show, which is why this mural of the robot mobsters from Futurama makes so much sense. Image via Oriol Salvador [Flickr] Banksy is most certainly the world’s most famous graffiti artists, so it’s only fitting that he do this tribute to The Simpsons, the world’s most famous cartoon show. Interestingly, he actually got to create one of the show’s intros only a few years later. Image via sabeth718 [Flickr] There are tons more geeky graffiti examples out there, these are just some of the best ones I could find that were licensed for image sharing. If you’ve got any links to other good pieces feel free to share them in the comments, or just describe some of the best geeky graffiti you’ve happened to run across. Of course, for those of you who have just been dying to debate the legitimacy of graffiti as an art form, here’s your chance to get arguing, but remember –keep it civil guys.