The Birds had a powerful impact on me as a child. My Dad loved Alfred Hitchcock and we would always tune in to his (often wildly inappropriate for kids) films when they aired on TV. The Birds was always my favorite. But ironically. this was because I loved birds so much. You might think that a bird lover would hate a movie where all the birds are portrayed as violent unpredictable antagonists, but I was fascinated. I also loved the open-ended mystery of the attacks (fun fact: years later they discovered that the real-life incidents that inspired the film were caused by toxic algae). But when I was a kid, I was left wondering if my birds might suddenly attack me, too. The star of the film was Tippi Hedren (mother of Melanie Griffith and grandmother of Dakota Johnson). Her character, Melanie Daniels, was beautiful, smart, and mysterious and really made the movie great. In 2008, I missed out on a Barbie of The Birds. This Funko Pop 17 years later finally let's me add a piece memorabilia to my collection. Let's check her out below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label POP (Funko). Show all posts
Showing posts with label POP (Funko). Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2025
POP Funko - MELANIE DANIELS!
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
POP Funko - HALLOW'S EVE!
I'm a spineless weakling. I broke my Funko Pop collecting parameters by picking up a modern character. I typically try to limit all my Pops to nostalgic Comic, Movie, and TV characters from my 1980's youth. But I have a strong fondness for Halloween and this time two years ago I fell head over heels for the new Spider-Man villain, Hallow's Eve. So when I saw this Pop in Gamestop last week, I couldn't resist. Hallow's Eve is a longtime civilian character in the Spider-Man universe. Janine Godbe was simply Ben Reilly's love interest for nearly 30 years of comics before she was swept up in a storyline involving Limbo and the Goblin Queen, and emerged as Hallow's Eve. I would describe her as a sympathetic villain and a great lead character. She has a bag of cursed masks that imbue her with the traits of that mask character, often with corruptive effects. Her stories are a lot of fun and I can't wait to start re-reading her TPB tonight, it's my annual October tradition. Let's check out Hallow's Eve below!
Thursday, August 28, 2025
POP Funko - TRON'S YORI!
When most people hear about modern movie sequels or reboots of classic pop culture films, there is a mixed bag of reactions. There is always an initial pang of nostalgic excitement, usually followed by the creeping dread that these things very rarely turn out well. But a third reaction I always have is speculative excitement about the potential classic product to ride the wave of renewed media interest in the property. When I first heard about Tron: Ares a couple years ago, my overriding reaction was that we might finally get more Yori products. Tron is a classic movie from my youth. It was one of the only VHS rentals my siblings and I could agree on. We frankly didn't understand the plot too well, but the visuals were mesmerizing and we loved it. The token female character, Yori, has been criminally under-merchandised. While the male characters got multiple vintage (and modern) toylines, Yori didn't appear in plastic for 20 years with a small Kubrick figure, and then another 20 until the next (Super7 ReAction).
Saturday, November 16, 2024
POP Funko - SPINNERET!
I've been collecting toys for a long time and sometimes I get cocky thinking I can predict release and distribution patterns. But I'm often wrong. When this Spinneret Funko Pop was announced last year, I knew I had to get her. I've slowed down my Pop purchases a lot, but Bat-Family and Spider-Family females will always have a place on my shelf. The problem was that this was an online exclusive, and I am very picky about paint, especially with Spider-characters where web patterns tend to get sloppy (I had to order eight Spider-Woman Pops back in 2018 before I got a good one). But Spinneret was exclusive to Entertainment Earth, which I've noticed has a relationship with both FYE and Go! Calendars and Games, where you can almost always find EE exclusives (in limited quantities) in person. So I waited. And waited. Eventually she sold out on the EE website and eBay images were annoyingly all solicit renders. I thought I was screwed. But luckily I found a ton of her from vendors at NY Comic Con 2024.
Friday, November 1, 2024
POP Funko - SCREAM!
Ever since the first Venom movie came out in 2018, I have been hoping for Scream to hit the silver screen. There was a cameo tease of a yellow symbiote specimen, but it seems like it just wasn't meant to be. However, 2023 saw the release of Spider-Man 2 by Insomniac Games for Playstation which featured Scream in a pretty prominent role. This wasn't her first appearance in a video game (in fact, I believe it's the sixth), but this was the first significant boss fight appearance. significant enough to inspire merchandise. This design of Scream is slightly altered from her traditional Donna Diego look. Most notably, her face and hair are now a deep ruddy color (as opposed to the black face with bold streaks of yellow in her hair). At first, I didn't like the change, but it quickly grew on me. And I like that the symbiote looks different when bonded with different hosts (the video game features a new host for Scream). I'm hoping her newfound fame inspires a new Legends figure. But in the meantime, check out her Funko Pop below!
Thursday, May 30, 2024
POP Funko - SPOILER!
Stephanie Brown needs so much more merchandise. I have high hopes we'll be seeing this new design in the McFarlane DC Multiverse line soon. The recent Cassandra Cain Target Exclusive figure was branded with the Batgirls comics title (which is a current ongoing series featuring Cass and Steph patrolling the city with Babs in their earpiece). So my hopes are high. But in the meantime, Funko has graced us with both ladies in their Pop line for Batman: The Joker War Zone (a 2020 comic that first focused on these two teaming up). Having Cass and Steph in Pop form really expands the Funko Bat-roster. My wishlist is now only an unlikely Kathy Kane Batwoman, Bette Kane Bat-Girl, Helena Wayne Huntress, and Bluebird. And that's a very short list for me. This design of Spoiler is an interesting blend of her traditional Spoiler costume with her Batgirl uniform, but I like it a lot. FYI In the Batgirls comic, Steph (wearing this same outfit) now goes by Batgirl. Let's check out Spoiler below!
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
POP Funko - CASSANDRA CAIN BATGIRL!
It has been five long years since Funko has had a new comic-based DC Bat-character that got me excited. Back in 2019 they released a Batwoman and Huntress that gave me high hopes that we'd finally start seeing all the cool Bat-family characters that had been ignored up till then. But my hopes were dashed. There was nothing for years. I was still happy to get live-action versions of Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Batwoman, but the comic stuff was always my favorite. In 2020 there was a comic (that I haven't read yet) called Batman: The Joker War Zone that featured Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown teaming up on a side adventure. I always liked their friendship dynamic ever since Cass handed the Batgirl mantle to Steph way back in 2009. And I've been enjoying the current ongoing title, Batgirls, featuring Steph and Cass patrolling the city (with Babs in their earpieces). But this Joker War Zone story is what cemented their adventuring partnership and inspired these long overdue Funko Pops. Let's check out Cass!
Saturday, August 26, 2023
POP Funko - STAR SAPPHIRE!
Star Sapphire is a character that has undergone a lot of characters transitions. Her costumes, human hosts, allegiances, and power sets get revamped and retconned every few years. I always enjoyed this character as a cool pink female version of Green Lantern, but I honestly never fully invested in her because I thought the costume was embarrassingly skimpy and clearly catering to the lustful male gaze. Scantily clad female superheroes, especially when their outfits defy the laws of physics, rarely make it into my collection. I had accepted that Star Sapphire would always find herself excluded. But one of the great things to come out of 2011's New52 reboot at DC was that Star Sapphire finally had a costume that both looked cool and wasn't composed of hot-pink pasties. Aside from a couple Heroclix pieces, this NYCC Exclusive Funko Pop is the first time we've seen this costume in plastic. I hope McFarlane is taking notes and prepping a Multiverse figure as we speak. Let's check out Star Sapphire below!
Friday, July 14, 2023
POP Funko - ARCEE!
I've been wishing for a Funko Pop of Arcee for a while now. A simple goal I have for a lot of my collections is to assemble a complete "Ladies of the 80s" lineup. It's fun to see which collectible line will give me that roster the fastest. Mini-Mates, Super7 ReAction, and Super7 Ultimates are all top contenders. But I think that Funko may have them all beat. So far we have She-Ra, Cheetara, Jem, Pizzazz, Scarlett, Baroness, Jun the Swan, Sorceress, Evil-Lyn, and even Thundarr's Ariel. (I don't have Rainbow Brite or Strawberry Shortcake, but they should be included). I still hope for a traditional animated pink Arcee Pop but this Transformers: The Rise of the Beasts cinematic version is a great stand-in. It's was exciting to see her on the big screen and I love how much merchandizing momentum she is getting (hopefully with a renewed focus on the classic design as well). There have been more and more G1 Transformers characters getting the Funko treatment so my fingers are crossed that second Arcee isn't far behind.
Thursday, April 20, 2023
POP! Masters of the Universe - SORCERESS (TOD)!
The Masters of the Universe collecting community seems to love character variations. Excluding more modern iterations, the vintage characters alone typically have three potential design options: toy design, animation designs, and mini-comics design. The mini-comics always appealed to me the least of the trifecta. I can't help but think that printing limitations played more of a factor than true artistic intent. But it makes for some fun variants. Teela in pink armor doesn't appeal to me at all - it seems to clash with the palette of Eternia (perhaps if she visited Etheria I would be more accepting). However, the 1984 mini-comic The Temple of Darkness featured an all-white Sorceress that I really liked. The toy interpretation of translucent plumage just adds to the appeal (in one panel of the intro comic, she appears as a translucent vision). This glittery white ("Diamond") Sorceress Pop was exclusive to the Los Angeles ComicCon in 2022 with the LoungeFly backpack bundle. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
POP Funko - SHE-RA (GOLD)!
I'm not usually a sucker for metallic repaints. I tend to like bright saturated colors that mimic animation or comics, and metallics often dull that vibrancy. However, I've found it interesting that when it comes to She-Ra, I definitely prefer her "metal" pieces to be painted metallic gold rather than a literal translation of the orangey-mustard color from the screen. This recent repaint of the POP! Retro Toys She-Ra is a perfect example. The original release from 2021 had cartoon-accurate mango-orange armor, but in execution the color just blended in too much with the yellow of her hair and the light tone of her skin. But this WonderCon 2022 exclusive repaint looks so much better. The intended contrast and weight of the armor is there and is very impressive. This Pop came with the expensive LoungeFly/Funko exclusive She-Ra backpack. The bag is very cool and high quality. I was hesitant to make such a large purchase (I got her slightly cheaper on eBay) but I think it was worth it. Let's check out She-Ra below!
Monday, August 15, 2022
POP Funko - SPIDER-WOMAN!
Mattie Franklin has a very interesting history. She was introduced in the Spider-Man comics just a few months after Mayday Parker debuted in 1998. But it wasn't until May of 1999 when she donned a costume and was introduced as (the third) Spider-Woman. Her powers came about via ritualistic magic, and origins like that never seem to turn out well. It's almost as if there is karmic retribution for achieving powers unnaturally. Mattie's stories took some pretty macabre turns later on, but for the majority of her 18-issue solo series she was a fun character who constantly had new costumes and shifting power sets. The Funko Pop costume is one of her later looks from issue #12 onward. It was at this point when she absorbed the powers of Charlotte Witter and was able to grow organic spider legs from her back. She has has an understated presence in the Marvel Universe since her series ended. And aside from two HeroClix figures, this is her first time in plastic. Let's check out Mattie below!
Sunday, August 14, 2022
POP Funko - SPIDER-GIRL (PLUS CHASE)!
In 1998 there was an issue of What If? that posed the question, what if Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson had a teenage daughter (with Spider powers). The concept proved popular and soon May "Mayday" parker spun off into a solo series that became the longest running female-led title of all time from Marvel. (Plus two follow-up series Amazing and Spectacular). And she was also the catalyst for a whole new comic universe, MC2, which gave us Stinger, Wild Thing, and American Dream among others. What I always loved about Spider-Girl was her costume. It seems like no-brainer, but there had never been a real female hero wearing a version of the classic Spider-Man suit before (not counting Valerie from the Electric Company). This Funko Pop is awesome. She took a while to arrive.. just under a year from her pre-order, but she was well worth the wait. I ordered three Mayday Pops in hopes of scoring a 1:6 chase and I ended up getting two. Let's check out the Spider-Girl(s) below!
Saturday, August 13, 2022
POP Funko - SILK (1ST APPEARANCE)!
When the character Silk was first teased back in 2014, I was super intrigued. The first images of her were in shadow and you were led to believe this was a new spider-villain. I had hopes that she would be a reimagined Madam Web (The Hostess Ad character, not the creepy old lady). But instead what we got was Cindy Moon, a new character with Peter Parker's same origins. In fact, she was bitten by the exact same spider. Cindy had been raised in isolation (that's why Peter had never heard of her prior) and the two share an intense pheromonal draw to each other. Her first costume is spun out of her own silk and is a pretty iconic look. She quickly adopted the more traditional costume we see in the comics, but I'm glad this impromptu outfit was finally merchandised because it's very cool. This Funko Pop was an SDCC shared exclusive available at Hot Topic. There were three new Spider-Lady Pops released in July and I will be reviewing them all in the next few days. Let's check out Silk below!
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
POP Funko - POLARIS!
Late June is the time of year when I get really excited about Funko Pops. Any day now there will likely be a series of Summer Convention exclusive reveals (usually followed by a few random product leaks from Asia that end up being Fall Convention exclusives). The reason I get so excited is because there is a trend of having one single essential classic female character revealed each time. These are characters never seen in standard store assortments, but they are usually some of my favorite characters. In the past we've seen Spider-Woman, Huntress, Zatanna, Stargirl, etc. Maybe this year we'll finally see Firestar, or Hellcat, or Bette Kane, or Clea - anything is possible. The most recent was last Fall's Polaris in all her green Silver Age glory. She's an absolutely gorgeous Pop that is both an obscure yet quintessential character. The average MCU fan wouldn't recognize her, but any semi-serious comic reader would know her significance. Conventions are the perfect way to deliver these ladies to our collections.
Sunday, May 8, 2022
POP Funko - BLACK ORCHID!
I don't think I've ever been so excited for a Funko Pop as I was for this new Black Orchid exclusive. Other Pops have been great but it's really rare when one of my favorite comic characters gets made in plastic for the very first time. Back in the day when there were official DC Direct message boards, I was the nerd constantly begging for an action figure of her. Black Orchid first appeared in Adventure Comics in 1973 followed by several years of solo backup stories in Phantom Stranger. A typical early story involved some evil businessmen being horrible for several pages, then in the final few panels, the quiet unassuming secretary would reveal herself to be Susan Linden-Thorne aka the Black Orchid and the story would be over. It was pure camp with an amazing costume. In the late 80s she became a member of the Suicide Squad before getting a Vertigo revamp for most of the 90s, then a reimagining in the New52. She's been a consistently wonderful C-lister who finally gets a toy. Let's check her out below!
Saturday, May 7, 2022
POP Funko - CAPTAIN MARVEL!
One of the most visually iconic characters of the 1980s to me was Monica Rambeau as Captain Marvel. I admit I don't think I actually read any of her stories back then, but I would see her on comic covers and was always intrigued. In a world of bright colorful costumes that were getting more detailed and complex every year (culminating in the 90's explosion of pouches and warpaint), this character stood out for having a stark black and white costume with a simple but striking design. Her legacy has endured and thankfully her roles in Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and the upcoming Marvels is finally making her a household name. I only hope she gets suited up in some version of her classic costume. This Funko Pop was very unexpected but very very welcome. It was my first Funko Comic Covers purchase and it came with a few surprises (which I will detail below) but I am ecstatic to add her to my collection. And maybe this will prompt a Marvel Legends figure soon. Let's check her out below!
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Funko Pop - BATWOMAN!
Batwoman is a character I've been obsessed with since I was very young. I had backissues of Batman Family and Brave and the Bold featuring the yellow-clad Kathy Kane and she intrigued me greatly. She was more serious and stern than Batgirl, she had romantic tension with Batman, and she had an outlandishly colorful outfit that didn't make any sense for crimefighting. She was also in the twilight years of her presence in the comics. By the mid-80s she was phased out completely. Then roughly twenty years later she was re-introduced with a vengeance. This new Kate Kane character thwarted the characters homophobic origins and gave her a gritty and believable backstory. I was thrilled. But when the CW show was announced I was cautiously optimistic. Modern Batwoman comics seemed so cinematic, there were perfect scripts with perfect storyboards already laid out. The most successful comic adaptations honor those illustrated panels as the perfect blueprint they are. It seems like a simple recipe.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
POP Rides - SHE-RA on SWIFTWIND!
Sometimes I'm just a sucker for a vintage-themed product. Do I love this Funko Rides She-Ra on Swiftwind? No. Do I have any nostalgic connection to the vintage She-Ra toy deisgns? No. But can a resist a retro toy of fabulous warrior woman riding a pink flying unicorn? Of course not. There were a lot of design differences between the vintage She-Ra toys and the Filmation cartoon. I never owned any of the toys and my memories of them in stores are a pink blur. I actually have fond memories of them from various Christmas Catalogs, but that was during the era when all the horses were translucent. My most potent memories are from the cartoon. Swiftwind had a very stark difference. In the cartoon he was a white horse with a reddish mane and tail, pink armor, and rainbow-like wings with blue, yellow, and pink. The vintage toy design was a pink horse with pink mane and tail, gold armor, and wings that were gold, pink, and white. I like the pink, but all my fond memories are tied to the animated version.
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Funko Pop - JUN THE SWAN!
Gatchaman is one of those properties that I wish I was aware of when I was a kid. It was first marketed to English speaking audiences in 1978 as Battle of the Planets, and again in 1986 as G-Force: Guardians of Space. Of course, I somehow had zero exposure and first glimpsed these characters in 2002 when there was a sudden barrage of comic and toy product. Science Ninja Team Gatchman, features five young fighters (and pilots) who wear bird-themed costumes and pilot bird-themed vehicles. The plots revolve around ecological attacks and disasters and their main villain is the wonderfully androgynous Zoltar. It reminds me of Voltron meets Captain Planet with lots of bird motifs (something I'm always drawn to). Jun the Swan is the token female of the group. (named "Princess" in the US versions). One of the major themes I will always collect with Funko Pops is 80's Cartoon Ladies, and Jun makes and wonderful and unexpected addition to that group. Let's check her out below!
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