27/11/2021
More lines for the Funko Retro Toy line.
Okay, so Funko has recently been enjoying some with the Funko Retro Toy line.
Barbie, Stretch Armstrong, Cavity Sam from Operation, Candyland, Potatoheads (Mr and Mrs) as well as Furby, Rock em' Sock em' Robots, My Pet Monster (which is very cool) and a Glo Worm? I dunno that one.
They've focused on that mass market appeal and I understand that. This game is all about pushing units so what I suppose I want doesn't really matter.
I mean, sometimes it is but sometimes Funko seem to throw their hands up and shout "F**k it! We have the rights, let's have a bash!" and they produce some unusual stuff.
So, who knows really.
People my age (closer to 40 than I'd like) are huge purchasers when it comes to Funko Pop. We are. I've seen the comic book shops and even toy shops that sell them. We're the people who drive at least part of the industry.
And at least for many of us, thanks to a pretty terrible few years, do enjoy falling back on that nostalgia.
For me, classic action cartoons are my thing. Always have been and always will be. So let's pretend we get 20 characters to create Funko Pops of to fill out a line. Who would I want to see?
And I'll have some fun. One per franchise unless it's a duo that would look/work better as such. And even better, it would be a perfect gauge as to whether the line should continue. They should... maybe because I want them to. But seeing some of these amazing potential Pops without a proper series would be a damn shame.
So, who would I pick?
1. T-Rex and Krulos - Dino-Riders - 10 inch Super Sized Pop - Because if you're doing this you might as well do this good. A 10 inch Supersized T-Rex complete with a 3/75 inch Krulos on his back! That is pure s*x.
And it would whet the whistle of fans who might also look forward to the Stegasaurus, Triceratops, Torosaurus, Brontosaurus and Diplodocus.
2. Bravestarr and Thirty-Thirty - Bravestarr - Imagine Bravestarr and Thirty-Thirty either in double pack or Bravestarr riding his faithful bionic steed much like He-Man and Battlecat. Bravestarr doesn't have many iconic characters outside of the pairing so this might be a one and done.
3. Max Ray in Tidal Blast Armour - Centurions - Although I would love to see a triple pack on this one I think it might be impossible to get Max Ray, Jake Rockwell in Detonator or Fireforce and Ace McLoud in Sky Knight or Orbital Interceptor into a single, very cool pack. So, to give them their due... this would HAVE to be part of a series. Throw in Doc Terror and Hacker and that could be a series to remember.
4. Crasher - Challenge of the Gobots - Yes, there are good guys but are Leader One, Turbo or Scooter as cool or iconic as Crasher? No way! Throw in Cy-Kill and Cop-Tur and the trio are every bit as cool as Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave.
Okay.. maybe not but I love them just as much. But this could lead to a sweet series of Pincher, Scorp and Vamps and so many of the other Hanna Barbera robot/cyborg... whatever they ares.
5. Dirk the Daring - Dragon's Lair - I mean... I'd have thought this might have been a pretty popular Pop already given the fan favourite game but it's still not on the market! Time to change that!
6. Leoric w/ glow in the dark Spectral Lion - Visionaries Knights of The Magical Light - Double pack - A nice, glow in the dark lion made out of a a luminous plastic could be an amazing double pack and set up for an awesome set of Spectral Knights and Darkling Lords.
7. Metlar - Inhumanoids - 6 inch Super Sized Pop - Metlar might be a big character to launch with but as the leader of the Inhumanoids he's certainly the face of the franchise. And if he's popular... D'Compose and Tendril and the Earth Corps.
8. Jayce and Armored Force - Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors - This migth be the hardest sell on the list for others but with He-man on Battlecat and Skeletor on Panthor it isn't unreal to imagine Jayce and his trusty vehicle to find their way to a line of Funko Pops.
Hell, even make these regular sized Pops and just put in a miniature keychain sized Jayce and it could keep the line from getting too oversized and expensive.
9. Ghengis Rex - Dinosaucers - Dinosaucers was just hilariousy silly in its concept. An alien race of dinosaurs land on earth and basically spend the entire series punching one another. The designs were brilliant though and Ghengis Rex was just a beast. Genuinely, this could be an amazing series of Pops but if they only were to get one it would have to be Ghengis Rex.
10. Toxie - Toxic Crusaders - The entire series and the mutants therein made the Ninja Turtles look downright tame by direct comparison. And if Toxie could introduce the Team, No-Zone, Headbanger, Junkyard and Major Disaster to the world of Funko then I would absolutely not be against it!
11. Ripster - Street Sharks - Ripster makes the sense to be the first Street Shark introduced to Funko. And if there are no further Street Sharks then yeah, Ripster needs to be the guy. Though if we could get the rest of the team followed by their laundry list of aquatic villains and the Extreme Dinosaurs then winner winner chicken of the sea dinner.
12. Bucky O'Hare - Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars - Bucky is one of those characters who should be much bigger than they are. And Bucky could look amazing in his full Funko glory. Hopefully, he could introduce the rest of the crew from the Righteous Indignation, Jenny, Dead-Eye Duck, AFC Blinky, W***y DuWitt and Bruiser.
13. Throttle w/ bike - Biker Mice From Mars - Yeah, how do you pick just one? You shouldn't. But I think the Biker Mice should only be produced with their iconic bikes so a triple pack wouldn't really work. And although Modo is my favourite character Throttle is the leader and face of the team.
But luckily, if you get one you have to have the other two, right?
14. T-Bone and Razor w/ the Turbokat- Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron - Yeah, it's a cheat but SWAT Kats isn't your usual animated vehicle. The anthropomorphic animal laden series doesn't have the iconic villains that the Ninja Turtles do and although the Metallikats, Dr Viper, Dark Kat and The Pastmaster might be to fans of the series they never quite broke into the modern lexicon when discussing the big villains like Skelator, Megatron, Hordak, Dr Claw, Cobra Commander, Shredder or so many other cartoon villains.
So, it might be another one and done with everyone's favourite extreme aeronautical felines.
15. Captain Planet - Captain Planet - How does Captain Planet not have a Funko Pop?!? And the Planeteers?!? Seriously! One of the most iconic superheroes of the 90's needs to find his way to an official Funko release. And then let the Planeteers follow!
16. Earthworm Jim - Earthworm Jim - One of the best action comedy cartoon series ever. Up there with Freakazoid and... is Sam & Max an action series? Never mind. Earthworm Jim is possibly the best of a good bunch anyway. And if they could lead to more Pops. Peter Puppy, Psycrow, a 6 inch Queen Slug-for-a-Butt, Bob the Killer Goldfish and Number Four... what a great line it could be. Great but weird as Hell.
17. Blackarachnia - Transformers: Beast Wars - Potentially, one of the hardest choices here. Blackarachnia was one of the breakout stars of the Beast Wars animated series along with Dinobot, Rhinox and Optimus Primal. But if you lead with Primal where do you go? Megatron dressed in his Barney the Dinosaur cosplay, yes, but other than that? Primal and Megatron get all the love. But Blackarachnia was way cooler.
18. Speedy Cerviche - The Samurai Pizza Cats - I loved Samurai Pizza Cats. I don't know anyone who watched it that didn't. Speedy, Polly and Guido were... they were my cats when I was a kid. Even better though. Bold and bright and unusual designs would make for an easy transition to the Pop line. Throw in the Big Cheese and Bad Bird and you have a fun five line up that would appeal to fans, anime lovers and people who might just love the designs. Hell, they might even appeal to Mecha fans with the Supreme Catatonic. But, if I had to just pick one. Speedy is the cat!
19. Van Flyheight & Blade Liger - ZOIDS Chaotic Century/Guardian Force - Okay... so... giant robots are awesome, right? Giant animal fighting robots with guns and stuff? That's even better!
And still the best Zoids series is Chaotic Century. Build around rich characters and immersive stories coupled with some, still to this day, smooth animation. Van and his teamare still worth a rewatch. And that's why Van and the Blade Liger... or one of his Ligers... needs to make an appearance.
It would have to be a 6 inch minimum Pop but it would be worth it!
20. Coop with Megas - Megas XLR - 10 inch Super Sized Pop - And that's at least. Megas XLR is one of the most criminally underrated series out there. Slick, hilarious, great action... it had something of a random Rick and Morty vibe to it before Rick or Morty were a twinkle in Justin Roiland's eye... I think. But regardless, Megas is one of the coolest Mechs out there and even if this is a one and done it would be a special one.
