I actually changed my mind a few times about Funko in the last few years.
When pops first came out I liked the simple design.
Then they grew. And grew... and took over more and more real estate in comic book and toy shops. I started thinking they were a monster.
But being a giant success doesn't actually make them into a monster. We've all had a lot of time to spend with with pops and mystery minis and the likes. I thinks their products have gotten more diverse and interesting and they hire great designers.
Now I think they didn't actually take a bite out of the designer world at all. Theur rise was in parallel to the dive in designer toys and rising manufacturing prices but not tied to it - nobody's actuallt buying Funko products instead of designer toys. It's a very different audience and as one dwindled the other grew. These are younger pop culture fans. I'm actually hoping young Funko collectors would become the designer toys collectors of the future.
totally agree with LS - it's its own audience for sure. i don't have any hate for funko pops, BUT i just wish sites that sold them put them in their own category. when i shop online i like to browse through all the vinyl/"designer" toys, but hate sifting past like a hundred pop figures. and of course, it's always disappointing for me when i think a shop has toys and it ends up being only pops, but i also understand you need to cater to what's popular and going to sell. (i.e., i don't think they are taking the place of other toys.) i just miss being able to buy toys that i like in brick & mortar shops.
i think mainly the reason i don't care for them personally is that i don't like pop culture pieces or those modeled after people. i just prefer weird little creatures and animals...this is pretty much true for me in real life too ;p
oh, POPs should totally have their own category in online shops. I really don't believe they belong in the designer toy section. That should include original designs - or in some cases specific artists interpretations of pop culture creation.
One of the reasons I *love* going to Tokyo (besides literally everything) is that they have actual toy shops where you can buy Japanese designer toys. I also don't mind the robots Miyazaki stuff and insane creatures ;-D
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sergeySafonov
804 2515 1650
8 years ago
Funko took over the vinyl world.
lordsketch
381 1089 1433
8 years ago
I actually changed my mind a few times about Funko in the last few years.
When pops first came out I liked the simple design.
Then they grew. And grew... and took over more and more real estate in comic book and toy shops. I started thinking they were a monster.
But being a giant success doesn't actually make them into a monster.
We've all had a lot of time to spend with with pops and mystery minis and the likes.
I thinks their products have gotten more diverse and interesting and they hire great designers.
Now I think they didn't actually take a bite out of the designer world at all. Theur rise was in parallel to the dive in designer toys and rising manufacturing prices but not tied to it - nobody's actuallt buying Funko products instead of designer toys. It's a very different audience and as one dwindled the other grew. These are younger pop culture fans.
I'm actually hoping young Funko collectors would become the designer toys collectors of the future.
monsterforge
280 124 209
8 years ago
Well said, lordsketch.
jerk_nugget
211 895 42
8 years ago
totally agree with LS - it's its own audience for sure. i don't have any hate for funko pops, BUT i just wish sites that sold them put them in their own category. when i shop online i like to browse through all the vinyl/"designer" toys, but hate sifting past like a hundred pop figures. and of course, it's always disappointing for me when i think a shop has toys and it ends up being only pops, but i also understand you need to cater to what's popular and going to sell. (i.e., i don't think they are taking the place of other toys.) i just miss being able to buy toys that i like in brick & mortar shops.
i think mainly the reason i don't care for them personally is that i don't like pop culture pieces or those modeled after people. i just prefer weird little creatures and animals...this is pretty much true for me in real life too ;p
lordsketch
381 1089 1433
8 years ago
hahah :)
oh, POPs should totally have their own category in online shops. I really don't believe they belong in the designer toy section. That should include original designs - or in some cases specific artists interpretations of pop culture creation.
One of the reasons I *love* going to Tokyo (besides literally everything) is that they have actual toy shops where you can buy Japanese designer toys. I also don't mind the robots Miyazaki stuff and insane creatures ;-D
lordsketch
381 1089 1433
8 years ago
Thanks, Monsterforge!
jerk_nugget
211 895 42
8 years ago
that's [day]dream vacation material!