After the success of the first toy line Wacky Wobblers, Funko had taken her first steps in the toys and collectibles market.
From Funko Force 2.0 to Funko Pop! vinyl figures.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2010, Funko showcased a preview line of different DC Comics characters from their new upcoming product line called Funko Force 2.0. It was a mini spin-off of Funko Force.
Funko Force 2.0 is a toy line of small vinyl figures, depicting licensed characters like Batman, Batgirl and Green Lantern. The first vinyl figures were packed in special bubble packaging, that collectors now commonly refer to as “clamshells”.
Funko removes the bubble packaging and gives the figures a more stylish packaging, the famous collectors box as we know it today. Following the packaging, Funko also changes the name of the brand, and the Funko Pop! vinyl product line was born.
Funko’s Pop! vinyl line are small figurines modeled in a style similar to the Japanese chibi style, recognizable for their exaggerated features, including oversized heads and large eyes.
As the name implies, the Funko Pop! figures are made from high quality PVC, shortened to vinyl, and painted with a high level of detail. Most Funko Pop! vinyl figures are 4 inches (about 10 cm) in height. But many different types of Pop! vinyl figures are released, including chase, flocked and super-size figures. The different types of Pop! vinyl figures are discussed in the following Funko Pop! Wiki article.
The Funko Pop! vinyl line of products was fully revealed in 2011 at the New York Toy Fair, and with great success. By 2012, Funko had sold more than $20 million worth of merchandise.
Funko has more than 1,100 licenses with different companies and creates Pop! vinyl figures that appeal to both young and old. There are Pop! vinyl figures of almost every known character you can think of. Pop! vinyl figures from your favorite franchise, such as Marvel, DC, Disney and Star Wars, up to Pop! vinyl figures from sports legends, music stars and ad icons.
The Funko Pop! vinyl product line is divided into different Pop! vinyl series. Mainly because of the huge range of released Pop! vinyl figures and the large number of different licenses.
The most common series from the Pop! vinyl product line are Pop! Animation, Pop! Games, Pop! Movies and Pop! Television. All major franchises have their own Pop! vinyl series, including Pop! Disney, Pop! Star Wars en Pop! Marvel.
Music stars are part of the Funko Pop! Rocks series and the sports legends appear in the Pop! Sports series, including NBA, NFL and football Pop! vinyl figures.
Some notable series from the Pop! vinyl product line are the Pop! Rides and the Pop! Town series. The Pop! Rides is a series featuring the vinyl figure in a vehicle such as a car or plane. The newly released Pop! Town series, includes a Pop! vinyl figure alongside a stylized version of a landmark building from the source material.
Funko has released thousands of Pop! vinyl figures to date and the number is growing every month. Each newly released Pop! vinyl figure is added to a specific Pop! series and then assigned an unique number within this series. The unique number is printed on the iconic box and gives the entire Pop! product a more collectible look.
