(You can find a high-res image after the jump)

After I created The Incredibles Blu-Ray Tin Case, my thoughts turned to Mr. Incredible’s study. In his ‘office of solitude’ he has many cool things plastered on his wall. Magazine covers, photos of himself shaking hands with the Police Commissioner, and other pieces of memorabilia. His old Superhero uniform is shown prominently in a display case - the centerpiece of his prized collection.

This sort of showcasing is commonplace - for athletes and sports fans. The walls are adorned with team and sports paraphernalia. The shelves are lined with trophies. You may also find a framed sports jersey on the wall. I personally have a lot of hockey and football merchandise around my desk.

But what about the geeks? Where are the awards and spoils that celebrate nerdish ways in a sports-like manner? I have a few suggestions to rectify that:

1.) Those framed sports jerseys is a big niche market. Why not framed Superhero costumes? It doesn’t have to be Superman or Batman…it can be of your own creation. It can be as simple as a cape. That way it will look like you retired from crime-fighting, and now reminisce about your cape and cowl days - just like Mr. Incredible.

2.) Speaking of capes, I would like to hang a big red Superman cape (with the familiar yellow logo) on my wall just like a sports team banner/flag.

3.) There should be some cool trophies that recognize achievements in gaming. Yes it would look silly - a trophy with a gold NES controller at the top - but keep in mind all these ideas are a simple geeky parody of the jock crowd.

4.) Interesting news clippings and magazine covers. Thanks to Photoshop, you too can look like a storied Superhero.

5.) Other merchandise I can hang on my wall, like Captain America’s shield, Thor’s Hammer, a Green Lantern, A large Joker playing card, etc.

I think some of these ideas can become industries in their own right. I will showcase a few of these in the near future.

But to get you started, I created this Xavier Institute Diploma certificate for you. You just need to add your own name, print it out, mount in a picture frame, and then hang on your wall. You could even put this over top your Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, as this is more valuable. Kidding! Sorta.

Click to enlarge this certificate.

I made this because the only one I can find on the interweb left much to be desired. It is sized 8.5″x11″, which will fit perfectly in a letter-sized picture frame. You can either print it out and sign it, or you can open it up in Paint or Photoshop and type your name in prior to printing. I recommend you use this poorly-named Black family font, which you can download for free here. It has six variations of the font, so pick whatever you’d like. It is what I used in the creation of this diploma.

Enjoy! I should have some more on this topic in the next few weeks.