#only licensed characters with good pop vinyls are horror-based

[just-rhys-things]

Really embracing my long-time love of LSOH these days by buying much venus flytrap monster merch (including what is basically an Audrey 2 squishable that is somft and wonderful)

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5 Properties Funko Should Adapt In Their “Savage World” Line.

Oh Funko, Funko, Funko. Like Disney, they are an indisputably evil company that has weaved itself into every corner of our fandom life, except infinitely less consistently good in their productions.

Not only did they put smaller artist-driven vinyls out of business with floods of licensed material that would make that asshole Theodor Adorno jizz himself with vindication in Hell, but the POP line that did so was largely ugly; viscerally unpleasant garbage.

But, in a stroke of being-decent, they've recently decided to go a different way with their licensed figures, a pastiche of the old He-Man-style barbarian figures (Or their Remco and Galaxy Hole knockoffs if you're willing to get more obscure) in their Savage World line, in a way that actually looks cool and clever!

They're starting with Mortal Kombat figures and planning on continuing with horror-movie themed ones and actual Conan-licensed ones, and I thought I might as well bring up five properties I'd love to see if them use! Because if you can't beat 'em, send suggestions to their vast and dark empire!

Though, word to the wise, I won't be doing any of the superhero lines because A) That's kind of a gimmee and B) That's not the most fun to write about.

Now, anyhoo, here’s they are past the break...

Golden Girls

While I have not seen the show, though everyone I know who has says it is a treasure, I will say it deserves a line for the reason of Rule of Funny.

Because, would the comedic adventures in the love lives of four old ladies seem incongruous with the idea of barbarian figures? Yes. Would that incongruity be comedy gold and lead people to go “Holy shit, I gotta buy this”? Very yes.

It's just the right blend of goofy joke item and legit fun idea that it comes off more sincere than; say; Hipster Disney Princess Funko Pops. Plus, I think we at least want that Bea Arthur figure to pose with our Deadpool.

Steven Universe

Oh Steven Universe. Once one of the leading lights on Cartoon Network, collapsed into a wailing and gnashing of network mismanagement and Discourse that would puzzle Foucalt's ghost. Which probably will not cease until they bring back Bismuth and hopefully don't fuck it up this time given one of the writers issued a mea-culpa for that ep a while ago, and apparently the cosmic stuff is getting back on track so that's nice but ANYWAY, I'M GETTING OFF TRACK!

Thing about the Gems is, the base concept feels like it would be really easy to aesthetically re-jigger into barbarians fighting on a primitive world, alien women of light against their own imperialistic kind in shards and thunder. Hell, when you put it that way it could very easily feel like an actual toyline concept from the 80s.

I could easily see the most prominent Gems re-designed like that, maybe with light-piping for their gems and Steven done as a smaller Orko/Kowl-type figure packaged with a Ruby. And plus, it'd at least be a fun AU to see done in actual action figure form. GEM BARBARIANS Y'ALL!

Golden Axe/Altered Beast

I make this a two-fer because they fit so well with each other aesthetically that, were I to revive the both of them, it'd be a crossover, but I DIGRESS. There had to be at least one game-related entry on this list, and I think these two would be the most perfect for that.

The aesthetics of both of those games, whether it be the peplum Greek-yiffthology of Altered Beast or the Valejo-inspired pulp fantasy of Golden Axe, the two lines would be a no-brainer in terms of combining 80s nostalgia with that kind of aesthetic vibe in a way that taps into that nostalgia in an endless loop!

Just produce the three main Golden Axe heroes, Death Adder, the Altered Beast in wolf form, Neff the Rhino, and one other, and you're; pardon the pun; golden!

If you wanted to dip further into the Sega well, a burly barbarian Billy Hatcher would be hilarious, and you could even get some nonbinary representation with a version of NiGHTs using one of the repurposed femme bodies!

Dragonball Z/Fist of the North Star/Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

Okay, these are all in a tie because they all share a genre of “Classic muscleman Shonen,” and it would be such an amazing aesthetic to blend with the comically-ripped MotU-type figures that it'd probably happened had they been contemporaneous.

Like, “Goku and Kenshiro in He-Man scale/style” should be all I need to convince you, but it also lends itself to so many fun gimmicks it's not even funny, Jojo characters in two-packs with their Stands, launching energy attacks on DBZ figures, exploding action on the Fist of the North Star figures for you to pithily say “Omae Wa Shinderu” as you fold them open to reveal the goresplosion!

An Original IP!

Okay, this one's a bit of a cheat, but I thought it might be a good capper for the list. Original toylines are nearly dead these days, with more and more of them having to have a pre existing “sell” to do it since the 90s, like the way Mel Birnkrant's Pets of Frankenstein got turned into AHHHHHH! Real Monsters.

But, what if the “sell” were compatibility in terms of play/display-pattern with that larger line of licensed figures? It'd be a great way to diversify, and maybe even actually give something back to the artistic community after; yanno; making the vinyl toy market a desolate wasteland; by hiring them to do design work!

On Tumblr alone I'd recommend @witnesstheabsurd and @bogleech as shoo-ins for that kind o thing, and from established classic toy artists, I'd bet folks like Mel Birnkrant, @turtlemilk and @timclarketoys wouldn't say no if Funko asked them to work on a new IP!

And, at the very least, I'd buy it! Would you all?

Are there more that'd be good ideas for those kinds of liens? Sure, and I plan to make a follow-up in the future. Heck, I plan to make a follow-up based on what horror icons I hope get in the horror subline, so be on the lookout for that!

Also, if you want to support independent artists making similar figures, check out Zoloworld's lines of toys at underworldfigures.com/! While they're quite a bit more expensive, due to being a smaller line from a small company, they do have interchangable limbs that can be popped and swapped, so if you have the extra cash to plunk down, maybe support them too!

[aion-rsa]

Funko Gift Guide: Best Funko Pop Figures and Toys for the Holidays

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When it comes to contemporary collectibles, Funko is unbeatable. Formed in 1998, the company has grown to dominate the industry thanks to their uniquely sculpted POP! vinyl figures and an uncanny ability to scoop up every license imaginable. As such, Funko has released countless items in their history, and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. 

And why should they? With endless variety and an inexpensive price point, Funko POP!s are the ultimate party gift or stocking suffer that has surpassed the collector’s-only market and infiltrated mainstream retail unlike any other phenomenon in recent memory. Even people who wouldn’t dream of having toys in their home have warmed up to Funko’s products—an example of their universal appeal. As you can imagine, POP!s are in heavy demand this holiday season. Here then is a look at some great Funko offerings on eBay that are waiting to become a part of your celebrations! 

Funko POP! Ride: Masters of the Universe: He-Man on Battlecat Vinyl Figure

When you’re a Master of the Universe, you deserve to have a cool ride. And for He-Man, his conveyance of choice is the ever-heroic Battlecat. Nostalgia-inducing and highly collectible, this piece is a terrific introduction to the wonderful world of Funko POP! vinyl collectibles.

Buy the Funko POP! Ride: Masters of the Universe: He-Man on Battlecat Vinyl Figure here

Funko Advent Calendar: Wizarding World: Harry Potter

The countdown to Christmas can be interminable, but this advent calendar with 24 mini Harry Potter collectibles can make the wait downright magical!

Buy the Funko Advent Calendar: Wizarding World: Harry Potter here

Funko POP!: Star Wars: The Mandalorian: 10” Chrome Mandalorian with The Child

The Mandalorian is a Star Wars sensation unlike any other, and fittingly the Funko POP! collectibles based on the series are just as enchanting as the series itself. Case in point, this mega-sized 10” version of Mando accompanied by the always adorable (and equally hungry) The Child.

Buy the Funko POP!: Star Wars: The Mandalorian: 10” Chrome Mandalorian with The Child here

Funko POP!: Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Child 10” Vinyl Toy

If you can’t get enough Baby Yoda Funko goodness, we also recommend this 10” POP! of the frog-devouring cutie.

Buy the Funko POP!: Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Child 10” Vinyl Toy here

Funko POP!: DC Heroes: Breast Cancer Awareness Superman

This Superman vinyl POP! is colored pink to help raise awareness for breast cancer, a gentle reminder of all the real superheroes out there who are battling the disease.

Buy the Funko POP!: DC Heroes: Breast Cancer Awareness Superman here

Funko POP! Heroes: Batman 80th: Bat-Mite First Appearance

It was back in 1959 that Batman first met his irksome superfan Bat-Mite, and ever since then the interdimensional imp has been causing chaos in the Caped Crusader’s life. This Funko POP! takes design cues from the character’s original comic book appearance, resulting in a collectible that is practically a mirror image of the source material.

Buy the Funko POP!: Heroes: Batman 80th: Bat-Mite First Appearance here

Funko POP! Comics: Archie Comics: Jughead Vinyl Figure

From out of Riverdale and into your collection comes this Funko POP! figurine of Jughead Jones. Wearing his trademark ‘S’ shirt and clutching a burger and a drink, this is a POP! worthy of one of comics most enduring iconoclasts.

Buy the Funko POP! Comics: Archie Comics: Jughead Vinyl Figure here

Funko POP! Animation: Dragon Ball Super Goku (Ultra Instinct) Vinyl Figure

Goku, AKA the oft-shirtless superstar of the Dragon Ball saga, is seen here in his Ultra Instinct form. We gotta say, after seeing this we are absolutely considering getting our own silver highlights.

Buy the Funko POP! Animation: Dragon Ball Super Goku (Ultra Instinct) Vinyl Figure here

Funko POP! Marvel: Wolverine Vinyl Figure

Hey bub, the diminutive X-Man gets a Funko makeover in this collectible vinyl figure in his classic comics outfit. We’d say he’s super cute but we know that Wolvie would get aggravated at the attention.

Buy the Funko POP! Marvel: Wolverine Vinyl Figure here

Funko POP! Star Wars: Clone Wars: Ahsoka Tano Collectible Vinyl Figure

Ahsoka Tano is more than just the heroine of Clone Wars, but an inspiration for Star Wars fans across the globe due to her strength, fearlessness, and ability to overcome great adversity. Celebrate Ahsoka by bringing home this great POP! in her unmistakable likeness.

Buy the Funko POP! Star Wars: Clone Wars: Ahsoka Tano Collectible Vinyl Figure here

Funko POP! Movies: Little Shop of Horrors: Audrey II (Chase Limited Edition)

There’s not nearly enough Little Shop of Horrors merchandise in the world, something that Funko rectified a bit with their line of POP! vinyl collectibles based on the 1986 film. This Chase Limited Edition Audrey II is a spectacular doppelganger of the silver screen’s hungriest plant…and an unbeatable gift idea for the fan of musicals in your life.

Buy the Funko POP! Movies: Little Shop of Horrors: Audrey II (Chase Limited Edition) here

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