Here’s How Stranger Things Defines Friends (Hint: It Involves Cards)

By Ryan Cracknell | Hobby Editor

You’re watching Stranger Things on Netflix, right? If not, you should be. It’s probably the most ’80s thing since 1987 Topps Baseball.

The theme of friendship plays a key role in the show as a group of 12-year-olds search for their missing pal who mysteriously vanishes. It’s a lot more complicated than that, but there’s BMX rides, Steven Spielberg references and unironic wearing of trucker hats.

And when it comes to defining exactly what friendship is, they tie it right into collecting.

There you have it. “You lend them your cool stuff, like comic books and trading cards.”

I’m not sure how much we lend our friends cards, but there is something about sharing and collecting. Often we get someone we may not be a huge fan of but we know someone who is. So we work out a trade or simply pass it on.

Friendship.

Or maybe we’re at a show or shop and come across something a friend needs so we grab it for them.

Friendship.

To this day, more than 25-year later, I remember a friend who knew exactly what card I needed to finish my 1990-91 Score Hockey set. He spotted it digging through a commons box at our local card shop and grabbed it.

So there you have it. Not only is Stranger Things a great show filled with ’80s nostalgia but it gives us a great life lesson as it applies to cards. And now you know.

And knowing is half the battle.

Comments? Questions? Contact Ryan Cracknell on Twitter @tradercracks.