Belt buckles are forever: Michael Jackson's official 'This Is It' merch awaits

Those who didn't win tickets to the Staples Center memorial Tuesday morning -- and aren't willing to drop a few thousand to chance getting in -- here's your consolation prize, although you'll still need a credit card. Michael Jackson's death came two weeks before the pop icon was to begin his 50-date stand at London's O2 Arena. But if the shows can't go on, merchandise is forever. 

The official Jackson tour website is offering fans the opportunity to buy goods from the London residency, much of it branded, perhaps regrettably, "This Is It." Some of it may even be a little gruesome, but when your best-known work came with a generation-defining, zombie-enhanced video, there's perhaps no getting around that. No word on whether the above shirts glow in the dark. 

The Los Angeles Times has already reported that a significant portion of "This Is It" ticket holders have opted to take promoter AEG up on its offer for a souvenir ticket in lieu of a refund, so the market for "King of Pop" socks and "BAD" belt buckles should be a flush one. With bootleggers still lining Hollywood Boulevard selling knock-offs, this is your chance, fans, for the real deal. 

Be prepared to pay -- one shirt with shipping and tax topped $40 (there are folks at the Pop & Hiss HQ who picked up that smashing werewolf-emblazoned shirt pictured above). A fellow Pop & Hiss contributor, however, suggests you avoid this Ed Hardy-looking hat, That's just no way to honor your favorite pop star. 

--Todd Martens

Photo credit: All screen shots courtesy of www.michaeljacksonlive.com.

Comments

[Beverly Thomas-McNeil]

Dear MJ:

I overheard the news on the tv on Thursday, that you were being rushed to the hospital. I thought maybe he fainted or something. When I get the real news that you were not breathing and that your heart gave out. I was sick and feeling the pain that you having been feeling for the last decade. I was born 7 day before you in the same year. I have watached you, and I like the same thing like wizard of oz, gene kelly, James brown, fred astaire. I know about dancing on your toes, because kids from the 50s danced that way. I did see you in the 70s at the Baltimore civic center. I will never forget that performance. I have thriller, bad, history, invinciable. I realize that you were raised right, but your father did not alway do the best thing in your best interest. You must forgive him for those things. The love that you are seeing from up above should have give to you while you were here. Then you would not have need to love yourself and escape with pain killers. The imagination, creativity, compassion that you bought to needy and sick people of this world was natural and gentle and most of all the MJ way. No matter family, what people, the media, jealous, envious people, negative people say, Michael Joseph Jackson, was example of what most of the people of the world wish that they could be. Remember Michael was forced to be grown early in his life, so whenever he got a chance, especially when he was performing, he lived out his desire to be child like. I know that serious and unsatisfied people only viewed his desire to feed that child like image that he did miss, because he was forced to be put out in front of his older brothers and he had to perform, because of his father being stead and demanding, because Joseph wanted his children to succeed, and they did, but because Michael was put out in front to face all of the people and do excellence job at it, he never had the real chance to be a kid. His look, hell Michael was always fine. I remember trying to write him a letter when he was just starting to performed back in the 70s. He never got it. Michael was far ahead of his time, and you know that the best rises to top, and bill gates, donald trump, never sleep, and neither did michael. In order to be successful you must be better than the competition. In Michael there was no competition. He was fighting a losing battle with the public opinion, which there is no face of the public, no the rumors, lies, parasite, leeches and opportunitics that are always try to get something for nothing. Michael worked for everything he has earned. He has the right to build a amusement or mansion for his family or his self for that matter. No one is talking about the houses and compounds that other high profile celebrities has, but they can claims that he is crazy, strange, weird, but no one realize that
God has been with Michael ever since he began to perform. Remember Michael is a perfectionist, he oversaw every detail of anythng and everything that had his name on it. The tour This is It, may not was to be, because when a world so judgemental as this world is, one as great and talented as Michael does not deserve to have him in the flesh. I know now that I will only have Michael old music, and never to get anymore dancing, videos, and most of all his awesome music. There will never be another Michael Joseph Jackson. I will be greiving for a very long time. The new artists tried to fill those glitter socks and back loafer have might as well forget it, because the dedication and determination that the MJ possessed was always done to the extreme. In the old days you had to perform, not this stealing aretha's or jb's lyrics, write you own lyrics. MIchael Joseph Jackson was a musical genius. No one in this universe can touch that. For God sake don't even try. Finally, I hope that on august 29th of every year forth coming we celebrate, the life, the legacy, and the legend. THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER OF ALL TIME. With all of my love, Beverly 8/22/58. Baltimore, Maryland

[the virg]

This man suffered so much, but I can't help but be angry that he had a part in his own death. Why couldn't anyone get him off those drugs? How could he be so selfish and deprive his children of his father, his brothers and sisters of their brother, his parents of his son, and his fans of one of the most talented men of the last 100 years. I had 2 of his albums, both Thriller and Off the Wall, and I hadn't listened to Michael in a while, but I forgot just how damn talented this human being was. I guess for Michael there was a pay off, god gave him this divine talent, and in turn he was given hardships that were too much for him to bear. My sympathy to his family, his children, and his fans...we have lost a truly gifted individual.

[firstmusic]

With the death of Michael Jackson has left an entire era. This artist is no more and will not be. Most of the songs I downloaded from the site mp3 music

[Christine H]

Sheesh, it's hard to see another one of the greats taken away just like that. But, MJ will live on in spirit! Long live the King of music and dance.

[Andreea]

THE FINAL TOUR TITLE "This is it" seems to be based on the Joseph Connolly comic novel, published in 1996 about a person who leads a double life, with workdays in London and weekends in the country. When he is left partly immobilized for some time, he cannot keep to his sophisticated schedule any longer, and suddenly people who are never meant to meet are in danger of coming face to face with each other and blowing his cover. On top of all that, the person was blackmailed for something criminal activity which is nothing to do with his life but, with his money having run out, his options are either to be brought to justice or to face serious bodily harm by the hands of the blackmailer. The novel ends on an optimistic note, with the blackmailer out of the way and the protagonist just a little wiser.
If we follow the whole novel the end should have been optimistic. I hoped the end of Michael Jackson story to be optimistic too.
My first opinion was that Michael Jackson is not dead. He had to disappear to protect people.
After the memorial, I considered that Michael is dead, and the whole world think this, his message "This is it" is warn about something bad could happen. His death just postponed this bad event.
I think Michael is a hero, because the blackmail, if there was blackmail, like in the novel, is connected to London concerts. Michael tried to avoid something very bad, maybe politics is involved and tried to overcome that. Announcing the title of the tour “This is it!” he tried to give indications to the world, making the responsible people to take measures to overcome something very wrong.
After my little investigations, when I discovered the above mentioned novel title I am convinced that he needs help. He was involved without his wish in something wrong and tried to overcome that. Maybe I’ m in sane, and Michael Jackson’s premature death influenced me in a suspicious way; but maybe I’m right and someone will give attention and review the fact in the last few months.
God help you Michael wherever you are and whatever you intend to do.

[Seth]

Andreea,

You are RIGHT! MJ sacrificed himself (much like Jesus) so that the blackmailers wouldn't win!
Off The Wall was also the slogan for Van's tennis shoes, so maybe MJ was telling us in that title to wear shoes. Bad means bad, so maybe MJ was telling us with that title that it's bad to be bad.
I don't know. It's all so confusing.

[Michael Jackson t-shirt]

I for one love the MJ merchandise. I have a closet full of the stuff. When I go out there's no doubt I'm a big MJ fan.

Anyone out there feel the same, check my blog :)