Funko POPs | My Growing Collection

Those of you who follow me know I've posted a few reviews of Funko's POP!Vinyls in the past, and that they've been showcased on my "Hobby Highlight" page from time to time. My initial reviews were somewhat critical, but when you are reviewing collectibles the quality matters. I'm thankful to say though that with passing time the product has been shown more care for the price that is asked, and I have personally seen the paint jobs improve. Case in point the three new POPs I picked up including the Fallout76 Mothman, and the Devil & Angel Betty Boop were all painted well. No out of line paint, over-spray or poorly painted details. It's what you'd expect from a collectible that costs upwards of $12 each. To put it in better perspective the paint jobs on a Hotwheels car that costs the buyer only 99 cents was previously more impressively applied than the POPs. That's a huge disparity in possible quality per dollar. I do imagine though that there may be some corner cutting with stencil & airbrush application via machinery on POPs which could explain some of the paint over-spray in the earlier toys. That being said I think it's been sorted out for the most part, and with POPs becoming more & more detailed in build it's only fair that the toys should reflect a more appropriate per dollar quality presentation.

The Funko Fad ~ Is it Failing?

Everywhere you go shopping, from the local Walgreens to Walmart and even Gamestop you'll find Funko's POP! Vinyls stocked on store shelves. To some extent. You'll find store exclusives, limited editions, and even plastic casings for these budget priced collectibles. Oddly though that availability has somewhat slumped along the way for some reason or another. Lately in the midst of this craze that I call the "Funko Phenomenon" stores have begun to discount the toys, and even offer bundle prices in what seems like an attempt to get rid of stationary supplies. The kind of Pops that stay shelved for quite some time without much customer interest. It is slightly concerning seeing what could be possibly one of the last great toy innovations come to a crashing halt. There's no doubt in my mind that toys and collectibles are being lost among an audience who is more easily snared by the various entertainment offerings.

As a toy collector I've followed the Funko fad from it's start years ago to it's current day status. I've had the privilege to review some of the toys for Funko, and have even done some showcasing on my own dime, and my own time. What I've noticed is a continuous support of the brand by the company, and continued release of hyped "got to have" items that are definitely hard to get your hands on. The question that begs to be answered though is whether or not this hype is having any true influence on sales. Sure, the limited editions, exclusives, and giveaway editions have no doubt captured collectors' attention, and money, but with the sought after Pops being hard to find that leaves a less than desirable variety that no one really cares for or wants. The bulk of what it is Funko obviously hopes to sell.

Pop! Vinyl #43 - Mad Moxxi

I have decided that I am going to try, and pick up at least one 'Pop! Vinyl' toy each month for review, and collecting purposes. The fact that Gamestop has a large, and unique supply of them now in-store really makes them easier for me to find. I have seen some that I'm definitely going to get in the coming months including some 'X-Files' figures as well as some MARVEL/DC ones. With each POP I pick up I'll also share some details about said figures in regards to their quality, and out-of-box nature. I have realized after having picked up a few retailer POPs on my own dime that not all are as perfect as the figures which the PR send out. Some are sloppily painted while others won't stand on their own two feet. The flaws do vary, and as a display type toy this is kind of bothersome especially if you aim to display them outside of the box. With all that aside though let us talk about what FUNKO's Mad Moxxi has to offer you as a collector ...

Attack on Titan - "Colossal Titan" POP! Vinyl (FUNKO)

Recently while at Gamestop I noticed they had stocked a side shelf with the harder to find 'POP! Vinyl' toys. This was a pleasant surprise in that the adjacent Walmart super store only carried the same old boring Funko toys that nobody wanted. Things like the "Game of Thrones", and "My Little Ponies" were always on the Walmart sub-section shelves. Seeing that Gamestop had a budget priced giant version of the 'Attack on Titan' Colossal Titan though I could not help, but buy it. I'm a fan of horror themed toys, and the anatomical nature of this grotesque giant really stood out to me. Mind you I've never watched the "Attack on Titan" anime series, but something about the horrific titans found in that series is really cool. I figure that's probably why the series is as popular as it is. Anyways, I'd like to share with you some photos of the toy, and some thoughts, and opinions of it's design. The descriptions will be basic, but will give you an idea of the quality of these larger, and slightly more costly giant 'POP! Vinyl' figures.