Why I’ll Never Buy a Funko Pop Vinyl Figure (By A Compulsive Collector)
On the weekend we went to a collector’s fair. My primary goal was to buy Lego characters, but we put aside a couple of hours to browse through all the stalls, checking out the retro action figures, the collectable merchandise, the indie games and art stalls, looking for anything that fits one of my collections or had enough nostalgic value to put on display in my theatre. I got an old Usagi Yojimbo action figure for $5, that was cool. One thing we absolutely did not do, however, was stop at the Funko Pop Vinyl figure stalls.
It wasn’t a huge market, it took up the space of two indoor basketball courts. That’s pretty good for a city this size. There were, at a rough estimate, about 50 stalls set up. And at least five or six of those were completely dedicated to Pop Vinyls. So they accounted for at least 10% of stalls at the fair, and those are just the ones dedicated to the product – not the ones that included them with their other stock.
I love collecting things. I always have a number of different collections going at one time. Right now it’s Arkham villain actions figures, Lego collectible Mini-Figs, Harley Quinn statues, autographs, expansion packs for the Marvel Legendary board game and Discworld books. It’s almost irrelevant what the collection it is, I just enjoy the ‘game’ of collecting. Sometimes I’ll get bored with a collection and sell it, putting the money towards a new collection. You’d think something like Funko Pop Vinyl figures would be my jam. But I won’t touch them.
Why not?
If It’s Marketed as a Collectable, It Isn’t
What makes something worth collecting? There’s a range of reasons. It’s of personal interest to you, it’s part of a set, you’re a completist, it’s an investment…but I don’t consider something to be a collectable because it has ‘collectable’ written on the box. To take an example, let’s look at Marvel comics in the early 1990s. Every time they launched a new title, series or spin-off they’d put in it a polybag or put some shiny ink on the front cover. It did nothing to enhance the product content, but the market research had shown that such packaging attracted attention on the newsstand leading to more sales. So they’d pump out extra copies, jack up the price and market them as ‘collectable special editions’, the implication being that they’d carry more resale value and be harder to get. The opposite was true – the market was saturated and everyone had a copy. With only a small number of collectors available there was no market for reselling them. Their initial forays into this scheme was Spider-Man #1 and X-Force #1, which were the biggest selling comics at the time. It was reported that copies were still on the shelves months after the release because they’d been overstocked. Marvel, being more interested in the bottom line, turned this trick time and time again over the next decade or two with ‘collector’ cards, hologram covers, extra covers and whatever else being slapped on every second issue.
Pop Vinyl does the same thing, claiming that every product is a ‘collectable’ and citing limited copies and special editions. Aside from the conventions exclusives, the implication is again that they ship in limited numbers. The reality is that they get shipped to retailers in lots of 36, so that each of the thousands and thousands of stores stocking these damned things are going to have a decent number of each available. Why do you think there are always a whole wall of them?
Ah, but there’s the ‘chase’ copy. In every lot of 36 is one slightly different one, possibly with a different paint on them. How can you identify them? Easy. There’s a big sticker on the front telling you it’s the ‘chase’ version. Well, that makes for an exciting game doesn’t it? You can all rush down to the store and be the first to find the ‘chase’ version! Except you won’t, because most retailers buy it themselves for their own collection or chuck it on ebay at a huge mark up. As one online guide put it, “seeing them in the wild is very rare”.
These items are only considered collectable because they get marketed that way, and some are harder to find by design. To most collectors the rare items are rare because of an accident in production or an external factor. The hardest to find Star Wars figures, a popular collectable, are rare because of changes to the design early in production such as the Jawa with a vinyl cloak rather than cloth, or it was produced for a small market such as the 1988 figure ‘Vlix’ that was only released in Brazil. These are more interesting rarities than something that the producer has limited numbers of simply to artificially inflate the value.
In short, Funko takes the fun out of collecting by creating a fake collectors market for profit. They’re not making these out of passion for the medium or for the artistry of creation, it’s only about the bank balance.
There’s No End to the Set
I like to complete a set. It’s the most satisfying part of collecting. You get the last, rare item, add it to the display and look for the next challenge. But you will never be able to complete a set of Pop Vinyls because they are endless. They release more and more every month. So maybe you don’t want every single one, maybe just the one type like DC characters. That’s a smaller amount but you’re still looking at a lot of variations of the same characters. There are, at the time of writing, 17 different versions of Stan Lee.
There’s No Resell Value
Sure, you can find expensive, ‘rare’ Pop Vinyls on ebay. And maybe you’ve got one that might fetch you $30 if you sold it. But don’t believe the myth that buying them is going to be an investment. They’re not going to increase in value as time goes on and the number of buyers is going to go down. That’s because they are going to keep making more and more sets every year and everyone is going to get bored.
We know this is going to happen because it happened 20 years ago with Beanie Babies. People, some smart people with a history of making good investments, bought them up as they were marketed as ‘collectables’. Suddenly the bubble burst, interest dried up and nobody would buy them. Some could argue that they’re still rare and worth something for that, but you’d be pressed to find a buyer. At best you’ll end up an online joke like the divorcing couple who had to be supervised by a judge while they sat on the courtroom floor and divided up their Beanie Baby collection.
When you grow bored with your collectable misshapen figures you’re going to have two options: pack them up in a box and let them gather dust dreaming of the day they’re worth selling again, or chucking them into the bin where they will add to the ever-increasing landfills of the world.
They Have No Secondary Use
Call me crazy, but I prefer collectables that do something. I have a huge collection of cards for Marvel Legendary but they make up a really awesome deck-building board game I play with friends. Lego bought for a collection of Lego Dimension figurines can be passed on the younger generation to add to their Lego cities. Even those ‘collectable’ Marvel comics we mentioned earlier can be read, or carries some artistic merit (not X-Force #1, obviously – it’s drawn by Rob Liefeld). Pop Vinyls do less than nothing. They take up shelf space and gather dust. I’m not going to argue that my Arkham action figures do much more, but at least they’re posable or could be played with. Pop Vinyls aren’t in any way articulate. I also have a couple of statuettes of Harley Quinn, my favourite villain, that just sit on the shelf and gather dust, but there’s something that separates them from Pop Vinyls…
They Don’t Look Good
Now this is going to be subject to personal opinion – but they are damned ugly. They’re squat, misshapen, expressionless dead-eyed lumps of plastic. The assumption is that the giant head and big eyes make them cute, but they’re not. The limited appeal might be seeing certain characters like Walter White or Superman reduced to this state, but the novelty wears off after a billion iterations of the same thing. Comparing the Harley Quinn version of the series, which features the same interchangeable faceless design of the entirety of the series…
…to one of the aforementioned and poorly photographed Harley Quinn statues, which is an artistically designed figure made in porcelain that captures the personality of the character.
It may cost more, but it stands out because there aren’t tens of thousands of copies in homes and shops across the world. And it looks good. If I’m going to have something that sits next to my comic collection and does nothing, I’d much rather this. It’s been on display in this house for years, and will continue to be here whilst Pop Vinyls all end up like this:
This is a fantastic breakdown. I am in the same school of thought. At least with action figures I can do my photography, but these? Nada..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Starscreamersrants and commented:
This is NOT mine, but this hits very close to home. Pops are kinda neat, but they are hitting the critical mass point. I’m not a collector of these, and this article really breaks down just why not.
LikeLike
I’ve got two. A Tyrion which I bought and a Batman which I got free at a hockey game. Their ok but you’re right the dead eyes thing is annoying. Also they’ve officially jumped the shark because they just release a Golden Girls set of Funko.
LikeLike
What I like about Funkos, not that I have any yet, is they are like year round Christmas ornaments. I don’t have posters, and I’m not a big collector. If you were to look at my place, you’d never know I was a fan of nerdy things. These are the sort of nice middle ground where they aren’t ostentatious or dorm-roomy like a poster might be, but I am still able to let my geek flag fly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I collect the ones I like, that look OK to me, but not out of a desire to own a “collection”. Some of them shouldn’t be “POPed” as it may be, but BB-8 and Deadpool? Works for me.
LikeLike
Everything you’ve said makes complete sense but for some reason I still continue to buy them. I’m certainly not setting up for resale and I know that beyond display they really don’t have a use but I do quote like them. Maybe it’s a fan boyish nature’s but a few pops in a display can vary up the style. I have a great little star wars shelf with all my vhs dvd ans blu ray copies stacked up nicely, varied statues and even a stuffed teddy bear in a Darth Vader costume. It’s a fan shelf if there ever was one and the pops look great in amongst it all. I believe a pop display only could be quite dull but throwing them in as part of something larger really works for me. I’ve got a marvel and a DC display going aswell and I’m very picky with the pops I choose. Maybe I am falling into the chase but I don’t buy through brick and mortar it’s all online and on purpose. Yes they are totally the new beanie babies and they do have their place as objects for fanboys to burn money on while they don’t have anyone special to spoil.
Great piece, really liking the sound of your collection!
LikeLike
I understand some of your points but I really don’t get the beanie baby argument. Beanie babies were made up creatures so it makes sense that they die off. However POP!s are characters we love like the golden girls. I personally just collect the Star Wars and I’m here to say Star Wars is not going to beanie baby. Also Beanie Babies like the princess Diana is fetch thousands still. Most of your action figures are characters from some comic or show so they tend no to die. Dead pool won’t die no matter how hard the cmon movies tried too. Now he is back and is huge. Thanks for the article though.
LikeLike
Actually the princess Diana beanie baby is worthless to. So many people got them thinking they would grow in value, but they all get laughed at when they try to get rid of it at a pawn shop.
LikeLike
I’ve never seen the appeal of them.
LikeLike
How right have you been in this article that you wrote 6 months ago? More people are collecting pops right now than ever before, and yes they can’t actually be an investment/profit making object. BUT, in order for that to happen, you have to put in the work. Go hunting as often as you can, check the hundred website daily for good deals and hard to find figures, and also pay close attention which pops are being vaulted (retired). For most, when that happens, they double in value within a few days. As for the beanie baby comparison, I think that is completely ridiculous. The saying comparing apples to oranges fits perfectly here. Figures in a box with artwork of your favorite tv show characters, movie characters, super-hero characters, etc… VS Stuffed animals. Don’t really see how you can compare the animal of lets say a frog, to a character like Superman. What do you think people like more, and will continue to have interest in over the years to come?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoy the early retirement and happiness the pile of useless plastic fails to bring you. People said the same things about Beanie Babies before this and Lucky Trolls before that. How many people are raking in the deals from those ‘high value collectables’ these days?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your so right this guy is a dumb ads Pops! Are great love them all
LikeLike
*you’re
*dumbass
LikeLike
The guy don’t know ,shit about collecting pops are way better then beanie babies ! They do make money and get more valuable the guy is a dumb ads! Glad he don’t get them more for us ! Pops are the best art work and are fun to have never boring I got them on a wall next to my bed on a dresser WITH my kylo light saber and Vader in front with stranger things dolls on top of them siting safe .
LikeLike
Before you start calling people ‘dumbass’ you might want to master tying it first.
LikeLike
*…know shit…
*…collecting. Pops…
*…Beanie Babies!
*…valuable, the guy…
*…is a dumbass…
*…he doesn’t get them, more for us!
*…get boring. I’ve got them…
*Kylo Ren
*lightsaber
*Stranger Things
*sitting
There you go. Try and remember some of these and the next time you call someone a ‘dumb ads’ you won’t sound like a dumbass.
LikeLike
Now that the Harry Potterverse is revived with the release of the “Fantastic Beasts” movie, I finally purchased my first Pop: Harry in the Hogwarts Express train… but then I bought Ron and Hermione in train cars, add Luna, and I am at $80 bucks already. The good news is that I realized they will be a worthless investment, just like you said. Why? Because there are at least 10 Harry’s. I plan to PLAY with mine and have already unboxed Luna. She is exquisite, by the way. So many Pops look nearly identical, but Luna stands out.
Thanks for the sound advice to pass on collecting Funko Pops.
LikeLike
I just buy the ones I like for display. I got a few from The Walking Dead (among other TWD figures), the 4 they released from Ash VS Evil Dead, and a couple of others. I plan on getting the first 8 main characters of Stranger Things when they release along with the first line of Resident Evil characters. I do tend to keep things in the box these days, unless the package is damaged when I get it. Who knows… since these are known and loved characters, maybe they will be worth something (I don’t mean a whole lot) someday. I don’t mind the Funko figures. I actually kind of like them, but I am by no means a hard core collector like some people.
LikeLike
I buy the ones I like, because I like them. I like the bizarre look of them. I don’t need to finish sets. I’ve sold a couple of rare ones for 100s so… not so much the 30 dollars you reckon on. Yeah, the bunblemished will burather, good for me as I like to get the ones I wanticipate cheap because I display them and use them for decoration. I hate to say this to another geek but… your attitude is snobby. I understand what you’re saying, selling things as a collectible and knocking hundreds including variants does not a real collectable make, however to suggest that people purely buy them for collectors value, and no other reason, and the the figures should look realistic is incredibly snobby. When something popular hits the market it floods it. People with sense realise how the collectors market work what’s wrong with buying something just because you like it. So a lot of people are into something you’re Not? And? You point seems to be that you don’t like them, the ones you like are better and people are stupid for buying them. Screw you, and your superiority complex. I understand that youre trying to explain to people that they won’t be major collectors items in years to come, damn I’ve sold figure that have rocketed and regretted it but never bought them to become a collectibletter. As people say, buy it cause you like it. If you’re gonna flip it, flip now. Personally I can’t wait for the flopr to drop put of the market because I want a few more cheaper. I live to see people indulging in the hunt for the funko you want, the passion they have for them, your whole post seems bitter and ‘superior.’ I’m know how annoying it is when you go to collectors fairs and find something has flooded the market, believe me I know, but try to embrace the happiness the bring people, stop being so damned bitter. Ffs. By the way, some beanie babies are worth thousands, but really, stupidly rare ones that are randomly picked up in yand sales. It sill happens. And no, I didn’t collect beanies either, I have two, I loved them, I love them. The tenor of your post was condescending. I understand people not liking pops, but… stop being so snobby towards people who do like them. Stop being a dementor and sticking the happiness out-of it.
LikeLike
K.
LikeLike
wow you seem super butt hurt
LikeLike
Totally agree!
I dont ever collect anything but have really gotten into these. My partner loves them too and its the first thing we have both really enjoyed doing, she collects gaming statues and I never liked them so wasn’t really interested. But we have heaps of fun checking stores that sell Pops together. We have some sets we try and compete and not for collectors value just because we love the movies or shows. Have spent too much money on them as Im usually very careful with my money but have splashed out and spent $70 on one pop. Not coz it was rare but coz it was one I wanted. But also wanted to say they definitely can bring you money, there are some old ones that are worth thousands. and definitely many that are hundreds
LikeLike
Great comment I love pops the guy is just a dumb & is a hater I love pops!
LikeLike
*…Pops. The guy
*…hater. I love…
Getting better.
LikeLike
They are horribly ugly. I cannot comprehend how someone could tolerate their design & I certainly cannot fathom how someone could enjoy the look of these bland overexposed ugly bastardizations.
LikeLike
I don’t care I love collecting pops !!!
LikeLike
Ok.
LikeLike
Great “argument” there.
LikeLike
I personally, just collect the Dragon Ball Z pops and I only have 4 so far. I had looked into collecting some more substantial Dragon Ball figures, except there were just too many to choose from and they were all so expensive. I guess the greatest thing about the pop’s are the price. They’re so cheap that you don’t have to care about resale. Although, in the Dragon Ball Z collection alone, more than half of them I can’t even buy in a store anymore because they are all exclusives.. all of them fetching more than $30.. and one fetching about a thousand bucks.
LikeLike
I agree 100%. I do think that they are a nice edition to a larger collection, though – especially if that collection is niche topic that’s rare in the first place. I collect Masters of the Universe items. It was a big part of my childhood and finding anything revolving around He-man is kind of a rare, fun-find. The hunt is the fun part. So, whereas I would never collect POP figures – it was neat to see the ones that paid homage to MOTU. Naturally, I bought those. And because MOTU is not something huge like Marvel or DC, there were just a few of those made. I can say that I “completed” my collection of POP, haha! It’s fun for me finding stuff that matches my overall collection, but there’s no way that POP figures alone could hold my attention.
LikeLike
I totally agree with the points you’ve made, and yes, I do own a few Pops, but unlike so many others, I refuse to go nuts over them. Over all I have about a dozen of these things, mostly different variations of The Flash and Flash related figures. I have a couple of others, like a Dancing Groot or golden Dr Strange simply because I like them and have no intention of re-selling.
I get why a person, even a collector would hate these things as they’re just the new fad and yes labelling it as “Collectable” is only to appeal to the real novice, thinking that they’ll buy this thing and in 6-12 months sell it on eBay for hundreds, which will likely end in total disappointment.
Pop Vinyls are no different to the Beanie Babies as mentioned, Cabbage Patch kids, Pokemon, Tazos/Pogs or Tamagotchis; and just like all those, Pop’s have just been very cleverly marketed with their “limited editions” and their penchant for deleting certain figures only to send people into a crazed tail spin trying to find a recently deleted figure still lurking on a forgotten shelf somewhere. Certain deleted figures can now fetch hundred of dollars on auction sites, but these are very few and far between when you compare it to just how many there are at any one time. And not all Pop’s are loved characters, there are tons of them that are from equally faddish TV shows that will mean nothing to most unless they tend to watch that particular show, so the re-sell value in those figures is even more limited than the thousands of Batman variants that exist.
But if we think about it, the marketing of these things is brilliant. You don’t have to be a nerd or geek to own one. There’s plenty of non-superhero and cartoonish figures to appeal to 90% of the non-nerd population who may only want one or two to sit on their PC at work or on the dashboard of their car.
LikeLike
You don’t like’em, don’t f’wit’em. You do, collect them. Nothing wrong with either side. No matter how much some hater tries to demean what you love to collect.
LikeLike
Utter horse shit this whole article.
So the pop vinyl skeletor i paid 10 quid for just sold for 200.
Yes they take the piss with special editions but so what.. you’re not forced to buy them.
Get over yourself.
LikeLike
I don’t need to get over myself, I get a sense of affirmation every time someone is moved to comment on my articles. Doubly so when they create an account just for that purpose.
LikeLike
Yeah, most of funko pop are really ugly. But not all the things funko does are shit. Their mystery box mini figures are waaaay better and a lot cheaper, also there are the “Funko rock candy” female super heroines figures, which cost like the same as pops(sometimes even less) but have expression, detail, and totally looks like the most modern iterations of the heroine that is being portrayed, sure they all have too and specific or general aesthetic, but it is pretty good.
LikeLike
I haven’t seen those ones, if they’re recent they may have appeared after this article.
LikeLike
To me, Funko Pops remind me of when manufacturers put children’s characters on things like gardening tools, they know a child will pick up a flaming bag of poo if it’s got paw patrol characters on it.
I always want to ask my customers who are buying funkos: Do you really want this, or do you just feel obligated to buy everything that looks like that show/comic/movie/cartoon you like?
Marketing tactics aside, before Funko Pop, the urban vinyl wave was making creative and incredibly varied figures. Funko Pop has completely crushed anything resembling competition in the industry.
LikeLike
Well, as someone who does enjoy Funkos, let me answer that question and help you understand 🙂 For me, I only actually own two figures from other lines, so no, I dont feel the need to buy everything that looks like the things I enjoy.
The reason I specifically like the Funkos is because they bring this delightful sort of uniformity to my rather varied geeky interests. They are a collection in and of themselves, with their similar features and heights (with a few fun exceptions), but still let me display my interests and give me a great reminder at work. In a way its like not having DVDs, Books and VHS cases all mixed together on a shelf, if that makes sense. I have my Doctor Who, Borderlands, Fallout, iZombie and Alice in Wonderland figures all together and it doesnt look like a random jumble of STUFF.
If Funko Pop has crushed the competition, perhaps it is a sign of demand; it appears they are popular because it is what people WANT. For a “true” collector, realistic and much more expensive figures will always be desirable, but for a casual collector, something less expensive that still lets them express their interests are going to be more appealing. I also think this line tends to reach a considerably larger market than your classic figures.
LikeLike
That is a really interesting view point you have and, while I dont fully agree with the association with Beanie Babies, I can see how they would be unappealing if your intention is to either complete a collection or re-sale.
Given that they have a wide array of figures from a number of markets, they will always appeal to non-professional and casual collectors who want them to enjoy them and let their geek pride show. In such they will automatically have a resale value greater than their original purchase price with age, as someone who loves Doctor Who will still want that (insert figure) to add to their collection 5 years down the road. The glaring difference between these and Beanie Babies is that the ONLY appeal to Beanie Babies is specifically collecting stuffed toys, not a passion for a specific thing like a super hero or tv character. I personally have paid 3x the original price for a fairly common figure that was simply no longer being sold and only because I like the line they come from (show, game, movie, ect). Now, dont get me wrong, those buggers were immediately ripped from their packages with no intent to preserve their value, because, for me, the value in them isnt measured in currency. I also find them visually\artistically appealing in that I really enjoy how they manage to fully capture a character while eliminating key facial features. You can pick up any of my figures and immediately know who it is if you have any knowledge of that character.
Anyhow, discussion made short, they are perfectly valid collectables and labeling them so makes sense, even if they dont meet your personal criterion for such. I have a small collection (by literal definition) of 8 of them which are all representative of things I love and I proudly display them at my desk at work. All that said, I enjoyed reading your article and seeing your opinion 😀
LikeLike
No offence but this article is completely wrong, I have made £50 or more profit on multiple pops and there is a genuine value there especially for obsessive collectors.
LikeLike
Wow, £50. Enjoy that early retirement.
LikeLike
Probably not the best example of the profit that can be made, IF you’re lucky, considering that the Glow in the dark Green Lantern can fetch $1500, the Clown Dumbo can be well over $2000 and some early Star Wars versions can be well over $5000. Still not quite retirement money but not a bad windfall for a $10-$20 outlay.
LikeLike
How much have you spent on these things compared to how much you’ve made? And when did you last see one?
LikeLike
No comparison really as I don’t intend to sell the ones I buy as I buy for my own enjoyment and not solely as an investment.When I first commented earlier in the year I had about a dozen, now I have around 50, but I work part time at a store and can get pops or whatever at a discount. If the ones I do buy suddenly become deleted editions and therefore become rare and/or valuable, then that’s just coincidence. No one can really predict the ones that will become valuable unless, as you’ve already stated, they’re marketed that way deliberately. As for these older and now rare editions I mentioned that can now fetch into the thousands, I’ve never seen them “in the wild” as such. Occasionally these things will come up on eBay or on any number of shopping websites and they can go for decent money, especially when compared to the original purchase price. As for the guy who made £50+ for some pops he sold, as long as he’s happy I suppose. Doesn’t make the article completely wrong, it’s just difference of opinions.
LikeLike
Hah, amusing article and I mostly agree, I don’t mind getting one here and there of my favorites, but I don’t collect tons of them.
LikeLike
I just started my pop collection this year. I have 70..so far.
They tie in well with my movie books and autographed photo collections.
I only get the ones I like. Mostly villians. Often on clearance.
They are colorful and fun. A day my cats like knocking them down.
LikeLike
I don’t jusdge you for collecting lame things. Let us have fun and collect them because we think they look nice and are fun to collect.
LikeLike
Hahahahahahaha! Someone is butthurt.
LikeLike
I agree to a degree with you ,however I’ve sold pops for upwards of $500 each I started collecting them before they sold out and the more rare ones are really rare some are next to impossible to own for less than your soul, I accumulated nearly 4,000 pops at one time I have about 260 left that I personally love mostly horror movies tv and spidey and batman I also have mystery minis which proves your point they rerelased 1/72 figures as 1/36 and even 1/12 which was the warning shot they are trash and their credibility is tarnished forever. At the end of the day any collection is only valuable to the buyer and seller. Happy collecting friend stay informed and nice article.
LikeLike
Yeah, I don’t really agree. People collect Pops because they like the character. Nobody buys a Pop unless they like the TV Show/Movie/Book/Videogame that the pop is from, and even then, they just usually collect their favorite characters. I agree that a few people collect exclusives for no reason other than the fact that they’re exclusive, and sometimes if you REALLY like the franchise, you end up completing the whole set (Me with the Stranger Things Pops, man I’m addicted to those, but once again, that’s because I’m obsessed with Stranger Things, not collecting Pops). It’s not like we go to the store, and grab random Pop figures because they’re Pop figures. I personally don’t like Star Wars, so I’m not going to buy a Star Wars Pop. I do however, really enjoy the TV show ‘The 100’, but I only have three of the Pops, because the other characters aren’t as interesting to me. I also agree that some of the Pops suck! I’m not a fan on how the Rick and Morty Pops look, but I got some anyway because it’s an affordable Rick and Morty figure that can sit on my desk. Pops are a way that the fans of franchises can show off what they love, at an affordable price. We don’t all have the funds to buy giant Harley Quinn statues, and pose-able action figures with detailed accessories. The only point I share an opinion with you on is the endless varieties of certain characters. Eleven is my favorite Stranger Things character, but there’s already like 6 different versions of her, and it’s a fairly new show with only 2 seasons. I’m collecting them all, but only because it’s Eleven, and shes awesome. I’m not bothering with the million Daenerys Targaryen variants, because I’m happy with her original design. But if you don’t like the exclusives and variants, then just get the regular figure, so there’s no problems at all. I didn’t mention this, but I also don’t like that the exclusives are priced higher than usual Pops. [A normal Pop is $18 here in Australia, but an exclusive is $25.]
Anyway, they’re just mah thoughts. 🙂
LikeLike
Why does everyone who disagrees feel compelled to write an essay in response? I’m not actually reading all these novels about that one franchise you just got to have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know, there’s some irony in criticizing people who disagree for writing what you deem essays when your disagreement with people who collect Funko Pops (which I don’t, BTW) stirred you to knock out 15 or so paragraphs yourself. People just communicating their thoughts, as were you. Just sayin’. 😉
LikeLike
I get money for it. Just sayin’
LikeLike
It’s funny. You talk shit to people about “retirement” in re to their $50 Pop! come ups and you’re an action figure and game card collector? What is it you honestly know about “retirement” money/return investment collecting?
I collect vintage Japanese chogokin and sofubi from 60s-80s (that’s diecast robots/figures and plastic monster/heroes for your newbs out there) and I’ve made $5-15K on deals easily on pieces I was picking up in Japan for hundreds of dollars in the 90s, and they are only going up up up. I collect silver age Marvel comics as well and they also continue to increase in value. Would I consider for one minute comparing them with Pop! vinyls (which aren’t even real vinyls btw..)? NO. Apples and Oranges. That’s why I find it hilarious and odd that you’re comparing your subjective collecting experience with modern comic book collectibles, to Pop! figures and going on about “investments”. Statues ARE considered “collectable”, as are Arkham figures for that matter, no? Apples and apples as far as I’m concerned. And truth be told, I would bet 7-8 out of 10 people who buy Pop! are character driven and care very little about the resale value.
Haters gonna hate they say, and the one poster above is right, you do sound like a snob.
As to investments. I would bet you cash money that some “rare” Star Wars Funko will out worth your Harley statue X10 in the next 10 years hands down… Mark my words.
How’s that for an essay?
LikeLike
TLDR
LikeLike
I’m starting a collection of these because I think they’re cool. I don’t need to finish sets and I do understand your point about never-ending versions which is why I plan to buy the ones I like in a set. I will only buy an entire set full of different versions if I really like the set. I think it’s okay to voice your opinion but you didn’t have to make Pop!s sound like the stupidest thing ever. I think collections should be unique to the collector. There isn’t one way to collect and you aren’t a fake collector for collecting something of which there are multiple of. There’s a lot that goes into Pop! collecting: if the box is dented, if something is wrong with the figure, if it’s an exclusive, the number it is in the collection it’s apart of, when it came out, etc. In my opinion, this was a pretty biased article.
LikeLike
Tl:dr
LikeLike
You were on point, i loved it. I collect metals diecast figures, but hey at least they’re awesome to look at.
LikeLike
Lmao this is the saltiest thing I’ve read in years
LikeLike
So what I got from this argument is that the “chase” ones are most important and as long as the retailer hasn’t bought them all from under your nose you might stand a shot
LikeLike
Well I’m not gonna go on for a long time here but ur a complete idiot. The reason people buy pops is to collect topics that they find interesting, ur a picky retarded who doesn’t understand simplistic pieces of art that look good to many. Stop acting like ur spewing facts when this is all negativity and biased opinions which are clear because u say ur action figure dollies have more functionality than pops when they really don’t, they’re your personal taste which to my and many MANY others opinions sucks ass!
LikeLike
“Ur a complete idiot” lol
LikeLike
“Well I’m not gonna go on for a long time”
Goes on for a long time.
LikeLike
Your assumptions are correct for anyone blindly “collecting” any Pops they can get their hands on. But focused on certain series (DC, Masters of the Universe, Stranger Things… you name it) there will always be fans of the franchise to whom the Pops will represent collectible value. Landfill…? LMAO
LikeLike
Value…? LMAO
LikeLike
I’m guessing value in this case may be referring to extrinsic value or “of interest” value, seeing as 90% of what’s currently on the Pop market has little or no monetary value. It still won’t stop people collecting. It’s the same as people who collect memorabilia from their favourite sports team or people who collect spoons; it’s only represents a value to them.
LikeLike
what a fool I have been! great points, I am disgusted with myself over the hundreds I have recently spent on Pop Rick and Morty “figures”
LikeLike
How do you feel about this article 2 years later, with Pops selling better than ever and some valued in the thousands?
LikeLike
Um, I still don’t want to buy them? And funko fans are super salty that one person doesn’t want to buy them?
LikeLike
“some valued in the thousands”
If anyone is actually spending THAT kind of cash on these ugly lumps of plastic, then they shouldn’t have financial independence in the first place, because there is NO WAY IN HELL that a lump of plastic could EVER be worth that much money.
LikeLike
I can get behind everything you say. I happened to be googling the process of how they crank out so many molds when I came across your article. For me they are very cheap nostalgia to put on my office shelves. I know they wont be worth anything but I like to look at them. I have Rockos Modern Life, Jurrasic Park, Robocop. They remind me of the early 90’s. If I had to guess, that’s probably why they sell so well because the price point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am enjoying the comical comments. Pops are a lot like baseball cards. They were first worthless collector items for fans. Money was seen, so companies invested heavily in it. The overproduction destroyed the value of baseball cards completely, with a few exceptions (no absolutes). The cards are now slowly gaining value, though many of the overproduced will remain worthless, until the quantities are chipped away by time and destruction.
Pop’s will always have a value, just as baseball cards, but that is purely on the intrinsic value decided by fans and collectors. Just as baseball cards were cheap to produce and hold no real value in itself, so it is with pops.
That said, I have a small collection, but it is limited to ones that I want autographed by persons that I appreciate their acting skills. Fortunately, it isn’t mainstream actors, so my collection is drastically cheaper, and their value is sentimental.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My issue can be boiled down to difference in intent. Baseball cards were collectibles for fans, not intended to be worth much. Pops are made and marketed as ‘collectibles’ with artificially inflated values ascribed by the producer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s no difference at all, companies put out a product that sells , people demand more of a product, company provides more. It’s not like people knew from the very beginning that a little plastic doll would be worth hundreds, it’s grown organically not artificially. The producer doesn’t raise value, it’s the people.
Over inflation is a different story, just like in comics right now, there’s too many variations of one pop/comic, driving collectors away. I’m personally tired of all these store variants
LikeLike
They’re literally sold as collectables and the marketing strategy involves releasing ‘rare’ editions and holding events to give away ‘exclusives’.
LikeLike
Luckily Funko makes better looking Pops now
This article feels so dated
LikeLike
It’s still the same trash mate
LikeLike
Wrong just all wrong
LikeLike
WOW YOU CONVINCED ME
LikeLike
AMEN. You’ve articulated my own thoughts on these supremely crappy figures down to a tee!
I don’t wish to be sneering at anyone for what they choose to collect (taste is subjective after all), but for the sake of argument: I genuinely believe that the people collecting these Funko Pop Vinyl figures (leaving aside those who just want to have a couple on their desk) are a little self-deluding in terms of actually finding them asthetically appealing and/or in imagining that they will have any sort of future value. They’re almost offensively dull-looking and i’m sorry to say…..won’t be worth 3 dollars in 10 years (5 years even?). They are indeed the Beanie Babies of our time and it is not a question of if but rather when the Funko Bubble Pops! (*cough*)
AND…they won’t even be “worthless in a fun, amusing way” like owning unopened Space Precint figures. No, they will have a stench of cringe & embarassment attached to them (anyone who tried to sell their Limp Bizkit albums back in 2001 will understand!) that will just elicit fervent mocking or groans of disgust from anyone you try to sell one to. If you’re lucky, you might recieve a sympathetic pat-on-the-back from a fellow Funko Pop collector with an accompanying: “i know your pain friend. The only remedy is a combination of earnest repentance and daily self-flagellation.”
*Apologies for my frustratingly clunky sentences and ultimately trivial opinions in a world on the brink of nuclear war, but at the very least these opinions serve to mirror the clunky, dead-eyed, pointlessness of Funko Pop Vinyl figures.
LikeLike
Beanie babies started in 1993 and were dead by 1999. Funko started in 1998 and is bigger than it’s ever been right NOW. Tell me more about how they are going to die like beanie babies. Funkos cost like 8 bucks too, so it’s going to be pretty hard for you to lose money trying to re-sell them YEARS later when they are harder to find in mint condition. Unless you think people will lose interest in Marvel, Star Wars, Stranger Things, DC, and every other HUGE brand that has been Funkoed. Early vaulted Funkos already sell for profit. So, if you started collecting them early you could already have made money off these things. I got Thanos Infinity War for 10$ a couple days ago. You think there will ever be a time when I won’t be able to get 10$ for this? LOL k
LikeLike
Lol look around mate. People are getting fed up with star wars, it’s merchandise just sits on store shelves. And the same is happening with marvel and DC. People are tired of the political and social agendas being jammed into media and shoved down our throats. Also pops are being sold with the exact same market plan as Bernie babies, it’s only a matter of time. Funkos will never be truly scarce because of the over saturation of the market, so people will just be stuck with them hoping they go up in value like beanie babies or accept reality and throw them away.
LikeLike
Beanie babies started in 1993 and were dead by 1999. Funko started in 1998 and is bigger than it’s ever been right NOW. Tell me more about how they are going to die like beanie babies. Funkos cost like 8 bucks too, so it’s going to be pretty hard for you to lose money trying to re-sell them YEARS later when they are harder to find in mint condition. Unless you think people will lose interest in Marvel, Star Wars, Stranger Things, DC, and every other HUGE brand that has been Funkoed. Early vaulted Funkos already sell for profit. So, if you started collecting them early you could already have made money off these things. I got Thanos Infinity War for 10$ a couple days ago. You think there will ever be a time when I won’t be able to get 10$ for this? LOL k
LikeLike
I’ve been on the fence about Pops for quite a long time. On the one hand, I didn’t really like most of the designs even though there were a few here or there I thought looked interesting. On the other, I heard from several people who really liked them and saw a bunch of videos with extremely large collections. After reading this article I had pretty much decided that I would avoid getting any. But then…
I read the comments. Oh my god the comments. And I don’t mean the comments by other people who came to this page to read the article. I mean the comments by the author who repeatedly attacks anyone and everyone who disagrees with his view that Pops are anything other than garbage destined for a landfill. This told me all I need to know about the types of people who say they aren’t worth spending money on. Based on the author, it’s pretty clear that they are garbage human beings that will stick up their nose at anything they deem to be inferior. The stuck up pricks of the collector world who deem collecting to only matter if something is rare or monetarily valuable, not because someone enjoys the character or design or personal value of an object. If people like the author are actually the ones on the right side of the debate here, I would much rather be on the wrong side any day.
Oh, and gfunk…get a life bud.
LikeLike
You just wrote an essay in response to an ancient article (which is monetized and you just contributed to it, thanks!)…and I’m the one who needs to get a life?
LikeLike
You’ve been responding to comments since you wrote the article. You are making fun of people for writing “essays” even though you wrote a whole article in why you do not buy something. I don’t buy tampons but i won’t write an article avout it and i won’t respond to every comment anyone leaves. Also you can’t do the Tl;dr bs because you have written more words than any single commenter on here. Nobody cares what you buy. Anyway off to write an article about my personal disgust to vanilla oreos.
LikeLike
I think the part you’re missing is that I get more money every time you return to read my reply. More if you comment back.
Go share it with your collector friends. Please.
LikeLike
I bought a couple not a lot, I collect other things, but yes, I could get into these, so darn cute! I do believe they make a lot, but I buy the ones for me that mean something to me. I don’t need every single one. I like Stan Lee a lot, I think he has done a lot for the industry, so I bought one of his, and a Marvel set to go with it, I won’t over buy, I could. I think they are so cool in their own ways. To each their own.
LikeLike
Pingback: Funko Pop! Vinyl Figures- I Just Don’t Like ’em! – The Forgotten Starship
Although old this is a very well written article and does deal with the aesthetic qualities of Funko Pops. However a collection is only as good as its replication standards. A Mona Lisa is hard to replicate and is therefore of great value. Having looked at Pop Price Guide for Daenerys Targaryen I noticed very little difference between the “gold dragon” Daenerys which is a rare and very expensive one and the more accessible version which sells for much less. Yet they are very similar in pose and box. I stand under correction but by all accounts they seem quite similar and would not be very hard for some unscrupulous individual to purchase the less expensive one and replicate it into the more expensive one and sell this off as the more expensive one.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually do like Funko Pops and am new at collecting and enjoy their pop culture appeal, but I think they should be serialised to prevent them from being forged or some other preventative measure be put in place in order that as a collector and a person who enjoys all things geek may also know that the care taken in collecting a piece of pop culture today should not be robbed by a dishonest person in the future trying to make a quick buck.
LikeLike
Real collectors dont buy Funko.
Real geeks dont buy mass marketed plastic that is is available to anyone, isnt unique, is commercially driven, will never have value or nostalgic resemblance.
What isnt a failure however, was the dolls before mass companies stole the idea, and killed the value in it.
Funko was founded as a bobblehead company in 1998 by Mike Becker in his Snohomish, Washington home.[4] In 2005, Becker sold Funko to its current CEO, Brian Mariotti, who moved its offices to Lynnwood, Washington and significantly expanded the company’s licensed product lines. By 2012, the company sold more than $20 million worth of merchandise.
You know who Brian is? If you seen the funko documentaryhe shows his own collection which hasnt a single funko doll. Instead he got rare, old Japanese version of Batman, as well as authentic 40-50 plastic dolls.
When the CEO of Funko, a real collector, sells cheap plastic pop culture nonsense to fund his wallet to buy rare, old, unique toys. Get out !
LikeLike
I stopped reading at “real geeks”.
LikeLike
Try Reading more someday
LikeLike
Ok, write something worth reading.
LikeLike
Real collectors can spot the frauds from miles away. Real future valuables can’t be purchased at 7-11 convenience stores. All I ask is they get recycled and don’t end up in landfills. Future containers for liquid laundry detergent..
LikeLike
Completely agree, funko are garbage.
LikeLike
Safe to say…you’ve been proven WAYYYY wrong. I have spongebob pops I bought in 2014 that are all worth over 100$ Squidward, sandy, and mr krabs. I can make 350-400 for selling just those 3, when I spent 30$ on em. Benson from regular show, got him for 10, I can sell him for 150. My collection is in the thousands, while I spent a couple hundred. Investment? Fuck yeah they are.
LikeLike
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA Oh yeah, I’m WAAAAAAAAAAY wrong, you’re just rolling in the cash and those wise investments are just going to grow more and more valuable! Fuck, you’re dumb.
LikeLike
You better unload them now if you purchased for profit. If you don’t fear this prediction you wouldn’t have searched for this.
LikeLike
This is so true. I hate the design of Pops too. Every human character is the same, but with a different outfit. The only ones with any sort of visual appeal are the non-humans characters and objects because they don’t just look like one guy cosplaying as different characters. It’s sad so many cons and shops these days are cluttered up with these instead of quality merch.
LikeLike
This essay did not Bratayley well considering the fact that POPs are probably the most sold collectables right now
Not to mention every argument in this was just the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It’s just clear your biased against something you and are just mad because of how successful it’s been
LikeLike
I’m not mad enough to post the same comment twice with slightly different wording from two different usernames.
That’s almost as sad as ‘collecting’ these things.
LikeLike
I don’t think I’ve ever read a more wrong post my entire life
Bad arguements and clearly biased and angry over the fact that these are massively successful
LikeLike
Lol I’ll never stop laughing at comments claiming that I’m ‘jealous’ of this demented lumps of plastic. Go ahead and fill your house with them if you want, but no one is jealous of you or your ‘collectibles’.
LikeLike
Good. Stay out of the pop world and leave it for the people who actually love the characters and collect them because it suits their interest. To each their own.
LikeLike
Lol what a tough guy
LikeLike
I agree with you. Some people that are nuts for funkos annoys me. After all, what’s so cool about them? They’re nothing but the same fucking figure with different outfits and that dead-staring-bland-face-with-no-mouth. “But I like that character!” Ok, buy it, it changes nothing. “But they’re worth money, certain day I sold one for–” Ok, good, sell your stuff and be happy, I’m not saying there aren’t people who give a great money for mere funkos. I don’t have any and I don’t intend to, but the only kind of it I would buy would be a Rock Candy Funko, they’re definitely better.
LikeLike
How does it feel three years later to look like a bitter, jealous, know it all who didnt know shit at all. Pops are as popular if not more populR than ever. And the retain amd gain value better than comics book nowadays. Also everything you said can be applied to every thing that is collectible. You sound like a butthurt child who got dumped by his girlfriend who was collecting pops. Its okay man, we’re here for you.
LikeLike
How does it feel knowing that you’re angrily defending lumps of plastic destined for the landfill for 3 damn years. That’s a ridiculous amount of time to be angry that someone doesn’t like ugly and cheap merchandise.
Thanks for contributing to my ad revenue though.
LikeLike
To compare these with Beanie Babies is not apt. Compare this with Hummel Figures is apt.
Go and search for that and you’ll get a better idea
LikeLike
I agree with what you are saying to the fullest, these big headed figures are for beginner collectors only and will eventually end up in the cheap bins and toy meets or like you said in the landfill… these should be purchased if you like the character they represent but not as an investment. Its oversaturated, they can be purchased everwhere. Im a collector myself and have no interest in these, I find the appeal difficult to understand.
LikeLike
Its the box! You opened it and I came. How dare you compare a Beanie baby to a Funko pop!!! WOW are you ok?
LikeLike
Are you having a stroke?
LikeLike
It may be worth pointing out that a lot of these Funkos are already being discarded as garbage (depending on your definition). I volunteer part-time at a charity store and we are always seeing these things coming in as donations, some still in their boxes. I’ve seen them gracing the shelves of other charity stores as well. We can get the odd Beanie Baby as well yet we never get any of the collectable figures from the 70s or 80s etc.
So does it boil down to a difference in generational collecting patterns, consumerism gone wild or just limited attention spans?
LikeLike
Your a dickhead mate shut up
LikeLike
*you’re
LikeLike
I can’t wait til these things die a permanent death. It’s hypocritical that we are all being told to watch our energy consumption and be more environmentally friendly but the company that knocks these things out will walk away Scott free after its all over without even a fine.
LikeLike
Your collecting garbage, those are beniebabies made of plastic. But if all else fails you’ll have one killer dog toy collection… minus the squeekers.
LikeLike
Wow, this didn’t age well. Oh well, can’t win them all.
LikeLike
Thanks for visiting and the comment, your bitterness contributes to our income!
LikeLike
OK
A) That this thread is going on three years later blows my mind.
B) I’m a DYING from your last comment. LMAO
LikeLike
I don’t know why people won’t let this one go…it’s like they know they’re wrong and can’t admit it.
LikeLike
Hmmm this is kinda funny considering I own a Planet Arlia Vegeta that’s worth over 2 grand and has was released in 2014. So then it increased in value. I thought they had no value according to your blog. Also there are a ton of them that are worth a lot of money and have been out for years.
LikeLike
Yeah, I’m sure you didn’t just google the name of an expensive one. That’s why you posted anonymously, because actually proving your claim wouldn’t work.
LikeLike
On the price guide it shows that over 1500 people own them. That market value would drop with every sale because there really isn’t almost $4M value in those toys. I have no idea what variant of that toy is even making that number $2500, because a quick look on eBay shows barely anything over $100. Go compare that to something like a KAWS x Be@rbrick of any size/variant, you won’t find a single authentic toy going for under market value. FunkoPop vinyl are Beanie Babies and Black Diamond Disney for the 2010s.
If you’re sitting on a toy that has gone up in value like 10000% and you haven’t sold it, you’re making a huge mistake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You explained exactly how I feel about there damn eyesores “collectibles” and why I will never buy them. They should be made out of the same biodegradable plastic as a disposable Pinkberry spoon. I would argue the spoon adds more fulfillment to your life than a FunkoPop.
LikeLike
I’ve tolerated Funko before when they were making Bobble Heads then these Funko POPS show up in toy shelves and suddenly, everyone’s raging about it like a 13-year old boy discovering lesbian porn for the first time. They aren’t even toys to begin with – just lumps of painted plastic disguised as toys. That reminds me of Kevin Smith who’s trying to sell his “inaction figures” that no one will buy except from his diehard fans. So if I buy a Funko POP, I’m basically buying a “toy” that does not do anything worthwhile and you just keep it in a box.
I even remember a time when there’s one dumb Funko POP fan who told the haters that we’re just jealous of people who buy these Funko POPS since they buy it cheap unlike those people like me who buy expensive toys (?). There’s a reason why a Hot Toys figure is expensive compared to a Funko POP…because the figures look like their real life counterparts.
The mere fact that these people, whose asses were burned reading this article still respond to this just proves they can’t take criticism at all.
LikeLike
This article is 3 years old and you just commented on it. So is your ass burned too?
LikeLike
Why would my ass get burned if I agreed to the author’s opinion? Is something wrong with your comprehension skills? I won’t be surprised if you’re one of those Funko POP people who can’t get over another person’s opinion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no, I’m perfectly fine with someone having an opinion wrong or not. I can even understand why some collectors would have the opinion of the beanie babies thing or the porcelain dolls thing and all that. It all makes sense. It’s still a new product in business terms. “One of those funko people” just sounds like hate which makes no sense because people are allowed to collector buy what they want to buy but the way you speak just sounds like you were burned. Like funkos hurt you or somethin’. Have you spoken to someone about this?
LikeLike
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
LikeLike
I don’t actually personally know anyone who buys these things for display. Maybe grandma might buy one because her grandson likes star wars, and it’s the first thing on the racks in the toy store.
From my point of view, the whole Funko story is just fueled by the fake geek stereotype that’s been popularized in media, and access to the Hollywood toy distribution chain. People “like” these toys, specifically because they’re uniform, and that makes them familiar. Execs like these toys, because they make huge margins.
It fits into the Hollywood image of geeks, where everyone uniformly has to like mainstream comic books and sci-fi series, and know everything about all the characters from them. Which is opposite to what the culture really is. Geek culture seeks out the obscure (which does include obscure knowledge of popular fandoms), and unique (hence, collectible), which is usually worthless (!!!) to others, but generally ignores mainstream pop culture (there’s no fun in conforming to pop knowledge). It’s never about investing for resale, it’s about enjoying your own unique collection that’s valuable to yourself. Funko pops are literally (it’s in the name) the polar opposite of geek culture. It’s blatant pop consumerism culture, cashing in on the fake pop geek stereotype, with pretend collectibles.
LikeLike
I agree entirely about especially Point number one. They are ugly. They’re not even cool looking or anything like that. I don’t understand why people like them except that somebody’s taken ugly ass troll doll taken its hair off and giving it a Star Wars costume.
LikeLike
I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with someone more than I have while reading this. I hate those stupid lumps of plastic and everything they stand for; they take everything you like about a franchise, chuck it out the window, and then give you a 4 inch piece of crap. While some of them are kinda nice (Smaug, the Cyberdemon and the Songbird from Bioshock Infinite looked pretty good as Funko Pops), 99% of them are either bland or ugly as sin (that Funko of Mrs. Potts from the Beauty and the Beast remake still gives me nightmares).
Seriously, I wouldn’t hate Funko Pops if they were good, but they’re not; they’re not only ugly, but cheaply made as well. They could only possibly appeal to people who value quantity over quality. But I’m not one of those people, so I’ll never see the appeal of those worthless lumps of plastic.
LikeLike
Pingback: Funny Sticker Jawa | Fakta Dunia Bisnis
you deserve some money for speaking the truth 😀
LikeLike
99% disagree. I don’t see these going away like beanie babies due to the fact that they hitch their wagon to whichever horse is most popular. Shows such as “Game of Thrones”, “The Office”, and many more franchise/shows of course have cult followings. Their followers will buy up just about anything because that’s what they do. Your statement regarding endless sets also doesn’t really apply to most Funko collectors. They don’t try and get an entire universe like Marvel or DC. They get a set which is much smaller. For example “The Hangover” is limited to one. If you purchase the one Alan and Carlos then you are getting the entire set. The value of that one went up due to it being a short run that was vaulted. I have a few complete sets and that doesn’t mean I have thousands of Funkos. Some of my sets are only 13. I think you need to do more research. You are correct in the statement that they are ugly in your opinion. Some people think they are ugly some do not. We can agree on that 1 part. The part where you said they don’t do anything is also false. Some are bobble heads and some even make noise and light up. Not super advanced I know but that is reflective in the price. Art is art. No one can say wether someone else’s art is good or not that’s an opinion.
LikeLike
Zzzzzzzz
LikeLike
What do you know? You are in love with a rabbit ronin who has crossed paths with TMNT and the most boring, overused Batman villain ever. Just let people collect what they want to collect and stop criticizing it, okay? Not everything you’re into is so special. Usagi Yojimbo??? LMFAO…
LikeLike
Wow, why are you so angry about a FIVE YEAR OLD article where one person explains why they don’t like something? Angry enough to dig through equally old posts to try and have a go.
If you wanted to convince people that Pop collectors aren’t pathetic you failed miserably. This is really sad.
LikeLike
I agree, funko pops are these ugly generic pieces of shit, they serve no purpose but to populate a landfill, and to make money on the monkey hoarder instinct that people apparently have at a basal level in their simian brains. Maybe people just like them because they have some fucked up instinct of whatever “cute” is, and become deceived by the large beady black soulless eyes that stare deep into you, like the eyes of an ancient totem, except this one is to a collection of cutthroat capitalist cronies who have sucked the artistic integrity out of the horse-made glue of a once decent intellectual property.
However, you also have to understand that all collecting is the same, and is predicated on aesthetic preference and nothing else. That’s what it is to be a collector. You sound like kind of an elitist prick, and for all of the dancing around you do, you really still can’t come up with a compelling reason as for why you’ll buy one figure over another other than “I like the look of this one better”.
You also do all this bitching in the comments about how people are writing essays after you wrote an essay yourself. This article apparently got you pay, too, which is incredibly sad considering the caliber at which this article is operating. I’ve read better arguments as written by high school kids, on which toe is their favorite to suck, which puts to mind who’s you’ve sucked to get paid the fuckin 50 bucks to paste this here. You write about “geek shit” for a living, you’ve played into the stereotype, and over these 5 years apparently you’ve maintained the same level of salination, enough to comment on this article still. There’s nothing to be proud of in there.
My dick is a stick my cock is a rock my scrotum is a totem my phallus is a ballast my penis is the cleanest
LikeLike
Thanks for the traffic! Every essay counts!
LikeLike
Fantastic thread. Another comment to support revenue.
These things are junk and I can’t understand why there isn’t more documented instances of how all these end up in a landfill. Stores have shelves full of these that go unsold.
Great read, cheers
LikeLike
Too much FunCUCKS in the comments :v
LikeLike