Where to start?
Funko, the once fledgling company out of Washington state, has most certainly made its mark on the toy market, and on collectors of vinyl figures. The company that was originally founded only seventeen years ago by Mike Becker, a man who wanted to share his love of nostalgia with the world has grown up and out. Back then they almost exclusively produced bobbleheads. The company took a major turn in 2005 when taken over by its current President, Brian Mariotti, who at first breathed new life into the visage of Funko via their (in)famous and syrupy sweet Pop Vinyl - which btw netted them nearly $30 Million in sales between 2013-14 at their peak!
Since that time we've all witnessed a company amidst great flux. By all standards they seemed the ripest of any collector-based company of the times (working to produce exclusives from Toy Wars, Fugitive Toys, Gemini Collectibles). The expansion has included deals with major franchisers like Walmart, Hot Topic, Game Stop, Walgreens, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, 7-Eleven, and many others worldwide. They have expanded their licences to include the largest bevy in the business...among them: DreamWorks, Marvel, Disney, Lucasfilm, WWE, Cartoon Network, DC Comics, Sony, Paramount and too many others to name here. And the bigger they grew, the more figures they have released. On paper this may not seem too bad, rather quite the opposite.
POP! Did the bubble burst?
Or perhaps the air has been let out some? The expansion has waxed/waned in its products - in terms of quality and vision, and many fans and collectors have voiced their opinions, noting several issues freely over social media. They have complained about the poor quality of paint on the figures, and lack of sculpt innovation. But what do you want for under ten bucks? That's the catch. But the answer lies in the question. Just how many versions of Batman does one need? And does the fanboy or girl of Star Wars really need a handful of figures in all denominations of Pop!, Dorbz, Mystery Mini, and Hikari form? Is there an end or method to this madness?
It was definitely lots of fun for adult collectors for a while, but all good things change. And this shift can be felt even moreso now after the company's acquisition by Acon Investments, makers of Igloo coolers and the like. Though much of their product has always been made in China, we can only hope for a future with potentially great American companies at least attempting to produce some aspect of their quality toys right here in the USA. This merger does not bode well for that pipedream. And yes, that goes for a majority of toymakers across the board unfortunately (thanks greedy 1%).
One does not need to consult the I-Ching for answers here, instead look at the craze that brought on Ty's Beanie Babie (circa the late 90s) for possible answers. The market was completely saturated with these tiny plush marvels that were offered at similar low price points only to eventually have the collector treatment - special cases, plastic covers for tags and skyrocket in fan-based value until the ceiling dropped and they became dustcollectors. Thank you (in-part) eBay! Keep in mind, the company that made them also had several franchise licenses in their rotation, and now they are pretty much out of sight and mind.
The same seems to be ringing true for Funko, especially after the surface of additional new lines like 'Home' (which includes mugs, and other kitchen items), Apparel (t-shirts, socks, underwear), Books (catalogues) and more to come. Oh, and the ever-growing cadre of monthly mystery box subscription services that have been developed over the last year. In addition to all the above the company has added Fabrikations (plushes), Super Deluxe (larger vinyl figures), Pocket Pops (mini figures), Vinyl Vixens and Idolz to their cast of characters that already included Wacky Wobblers and the Reaction series. This is all aside from their expanding Funko Asia line, toy vehicles (cars, vans, planes, etc) and the umpteen endless "convention exclusives" that are often appearing in other countries under different names and editions. It's like the Autobahn of toys in its wake....
A year ago you would have found scalpers preparing their hauls at every Target and Toys R' Us from here to kingdom come but now we see dwindling numbers of the faithful, for instance, found at the recent Black Friday debacle at GameStop hoping to nab a 'golden' tropy, only to find tampered with boxes. What ever happened to the good ole 'Chase' figure you might find in the wild or numbered editions? "Gone those days are" perhaps may be chirped from the Yoda (Spirit).
While we truly admire Funko for keeping a fire lit for nostalgic lovers of foregone franchises like Roger Rabbit, Star Trek, Yo Gabba Gabba and especially Hanna-Barbera while other companies have long let go of most of these - a majority of the product, especially those from relatively bland television programming and 80's John Hughes movies fall super-flat for progressive collectors. Many have gone to sell vast collections on Facebook, eBay and elsewhere hoping to unload large portions of their investment. Pop Vinyl is eye candy and as such become an easy addiction for many people on a budget. It's easy to love the premise but I am unimpressed with the return on investment of the overall international pop culture cache that is available. The hope and credence once given to this company that came and conquered has fizzled for now.
Where does it end?