Why I made Nothing.

I first thought of selling Nothing when I was a kid. Yeah, I'm old now too. But back in the day, comic books had ads for novelties and gags like Sea Monkeys, X-Ray Specs, Itching Powder and Whoopee Cushions. I thought Nothing would make a natural fit.

But I was a kid, and the thought passed. Until a few months ago, when I finally decided to do it — sort of.

I designed the box. I wrote the 22-use Owner's Manual. I photographed a prototype. I launched a Kickstarter to fund a first production run. But the funding goal was set intentionally unrealistically high — because the whole point was that no rational person would back a premium empty box, and watching them not-fund it was itself the joke.

They didn't. As designed.

The commercial version of Nothing was never really the point. The DIY version — the one you make in your kitchen with a printer and some tape, and hand to someone who will laugh at it — is arguably more on-brand anyway.

The original tagline is still on the box: "You can't get something for nothing, but you can get nothing for something." The Kickstarter proved the first half. Now, if you want to, you can settle the second half yourself — by making one, and giving it to someone.