Funko Heating Up

Target’s inventory system includes ones in the back that they haven’t brought out yet.

POPs are now $15? Yeah… F that shit…

“Special,” ones always cost more if, “Exclusive,” or such…

$12. Special target deal online.

Yeah but that’s a sale… $14.99 retail now is a ripoff.

Which is why I paid $12. :slight_smile:

Well, I guess I also thought POPs were a ripoff at $10 price point… I’d rather see all the vinyl be made into records to listen to.

1 Like

Back in my day, Funko Pops were $10, and you could buy a whole candy bar for a nickel!

For real tho, they are getting pricey.

I’m actually old enough to say I did experience the ability to take a dollar to the corner store and buy way more candy one could get with the purchase power of a dollar in today’s world. :rofl:

You and me both. Remember candy cigarettes AKA candy sticks now?

2 Likes

We had candy joints. They looked more like joints than cigarettes.

1 Like

IMG_0935

2 Likes

I specifically remember standing on a line to get a Milo Manara autograph/sketch at SDCC about 14/15 years ago. The line did not move (because he was sketching) and my place in line was right next to a display case featuring Funko Pops.
I had never seen them before, and could only think to myself “but who would buy these” as I stared at that dopey display case for probably over an hour.
Obviously my thinking was off and Pops took off, but here we are around 14 somewhat years later and we have this.

1 Like

Obviously everything collectible ebbs and flows….but the thing about Funko that it doesn’t offer that other collectibles (like toys and comics do) is that there’s no “interaction” with it. A comic or a toy you can do something with it…manipulate it, read it, etc. that brings back that nostalgia from childhood which draws in the true collectors…bringing them back to a simpler, fun time of great memories.

A Funko is not that. You stare at it….if even that. That’s the extent. What is it really giving back to you (other than money if you flip them).

So it seems to me they have limited appeal, and when the money is gone, so will be just about all of the interest. Like beanie babies. You’re kind of seeing this with the slab market too…which is basically converting a collectible that was cherished for what its original purpose was for, converted into a stoic item one cannot touch or interact with…so its limited in what it can do for someone. The people who did not truly love comics but jumped on the slab game during the boom are now mostly gone. Prices of slabs reflect that. The good news is you can always convert them back to their original state.

Comics and toys have survived such downward trends and came back. Because they give something back. As
Much as publishers undermine it with gimmicks and sales tactics. The true collectors stick with it for the love of it.

Funko does not really have that…there were always marketed as a collectible…not as something truly “fun”….the only real fun is in their name brand.

So when money is tight and you’re feeling down…a toy or comic will do more for your mental well being…at least on a longer term…than a Funko pop.

That is, what I believe, we are seeing.

Comics and toys aren’t immune to this effect…they’re just more robust in resisting it.

4 Likes

:100: :100: :100:

1 Like

Funko kept many a comic shop open as a result of those little figures.

Funko has lasted a LOT longer than I ever expected. Their brilliance was licensing every property under the sun, but what do you do when you’ve made every possible character people like?

2 Likes

Yeah and with that, they make nothing else for the most part. I know there are fans out there but it makes zero difference to me if they just vanished entirely… I thought they were fun and cute at one point but they’re also like Twitter for me, the excitement all lasted about 10 seconds and then I moved on to something else…

Well, hopefully their business strategy is able to pivot…

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone buy a Funko in an LcS…although I’ve seen lots of them in LCS’s.

1 Like

I’ve wanted Manara sigs and sketches for as long as I can remember

1 Like