As Comprachicos has been based, albeit loosely, off of the military, we have incorporated a system of insignia patches and pin badges which are to be offered unto participants in a variety of situations so as to emblematize affiliations as well as achievements. Above all it serves as a way to concretize our abstract achievements and therefore functions as an incentive, along with being a way to communicate our standing among fellow members of the Comprachicos network. While some badges (which can refer to patches as well as pins) are to be considered universal, as in being available unto all divisions of Comprachicos, each division must also observe its own unique set of symbols with which they are working in addition to the standard set.

The official Comprachicos emblem, which appears like two yellow C’s coming together to form a grinning face—an allusion to Gwynplaine, protagonist of Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs—shall be worn over the heart (on the left breast) or upon the left shoulder of all participating members, depending on preference and attire. Tattoos of said emblem are also welcome and encouraged, in which case the same placement rules apply. I also wish to see the patch of our main emblem (visible below) made available to the public for purchase so that it may be worn by anyone who identifies with and/or associates with the ideals herein set forth; although this is not the standard, as patches will normally come by way of affiliation or event participation and be regulated by division coordinators.

For badges to maintain a universal value and function as a valid incentive we must establish a line of communication among divisions and attempt to synchronize our practices so as to develop a standard; and as the network takes shape in the years to come, I hope that our participating members can work together to create a comprehensive database on which is contained images and descriptions of all the badges in circulation so that all value relating thereto may be regulated and universally recognized (while implementing any anti-fraud measures that may be deemed necessary).



Any additional regulations regarding the placement of badges is to be left up to the wearer, who may also choose to store and display them by other means. It is not wholly necessary that our members set aside a designated uniform, although it may be seen as contributing to the mythopoetic aspects of the collective, and something so seemingly simple can also increase immersion, as well as enjoyment levels. There are no regulations regarding outfits and our participants are free to wear whatever type of outfit best suits their preferences and personality, although I expect that military-adjacent coats and jackets are best suited to these purposes, e.g. field jackets, pea-coats, bomber jackets, trench coats and battle vests.


A general guide for badges is as follows:

• Affiliation Badges are given out to denote one’s associations with a particular division and each division should have a unique emblem which identifies them among the Comprachicos network.

• Role Badges are given out to denote one’s role within a given division, if a specialized role has been taken. Roles are a supplementary concept which may or may not be observed, including the establishment of a division coordinator (technically a leader).

• Campaign Badges will be given out in association with various objectives, missions, campaigns or whatever you wish to call them. Accordingly, each campaign should be associated with a symbol.

• Character Badges are to be given out in honor of personal achievements. Since we at Comprachicos take the character, health and nature of our participants very seriously, we believe that these matters ought to be incentivized and rewarded as any concrete accomplishment. However, since this is working with a more abstract (and sensitive) dimension going off of a more subjective set of measurements, there will be an extra set of considerations to keep in mind so as to prevent abuse and unnecessary critiques of our participating members.

• Participation Badges will be given out at networking events and in similar situations to encourage and reward our working together as a community. After all, it is very important that this is viewed as a collective effort and that people aren’t off doing their own thing under the Comprachicos banner.