Funko have been the face of the collecting community for the last decade and have been manufacturing pop culture action figures and figurines since 1998. Ever since the popular Funko Pop! Vinyl figure arrived to the collecting scene, we have seen the product become one of the most popular collectables in the market, building a huge catalogue of figurines that reach the thousands.
Due to the amount of Pop! Vinyl that exist, a question many may be wondering will be what was the First Funko Pop? In this article, we will take a look at the history of Funko and find out the earliest releases of the beloved bobbleheads.
What Was The First Ever Funko Pop?
The nostalgia-themed toys (Funko Pops) are vinyl figurines that feature popular licensed characters and celebrities, which take inspiration from various franchises in pop culture. These figurines adapt a style that resembles a Japanese artistic approach known as Chibi (sporting large eyes and heads).
Funko’s most successful line, the Funko Pop! Vinyl figure, officially debuted in 2010 at San Diego Comic Con (originally titled Funko Force 2.0), and feature a range of DC Comics Funko Force 2.0 collectables: Batgirl, Green Lantern, and two variants of Batman. These items were packaged in clamshells. The very first Funko Pops are still in circulation today, and as you can imagine, these rare products go for quite a lot.
The History Of Funko
Prior to the debut of the first Funko Pop, the company (which was founded by Claudia and Mike Becker in 1998) manufactured a line of collectables known as Wacky Wobbler. The first item the company ever created was the Big Boy bobblehead Wacky Wobbler.
After gaining the rights to make licensed Austin Powers bobble heads, the business started to grow and sold around 80,000 of their first Austin Power Wacky Wobbler.
In 2005, the company was sold to Brian Mariotti (the president of Funko). Since 2005, the company has expanded its scope of unique toy line and began signing many licenses deals: Marvel, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, Disney, DC Comics, HBO, Hasbro, WWE, NHL, and, FOX.
How To Start Collecting
Anyone in the collecting community will be familiar with Funko Pop! Vinyl figures. These are regarded as some of the best collectables in the market. Each figure has its own unique number and some are limited edition, making them a rare figure to own.
Most people begin their collection by starting with their favourite franchises. As there are thousands of products on the market, it won’t be hard to find one to start your collecting journey. If you’re interested, head on over to Pop In A Box‘s Funko Pop page, and begin your collection!
No matter what your geeky tastes are, you can find a huge variety of franchises and brands included in Pop In A Box’s catalogue: Star Wars (The Mandalorian, Book Of Boba Fett, Kenobi, Clone Wars), Marvel, DC Comics, The Walking Dead, The Boys, Stranger Things, Fortnite, Harry Potter, My Hero Academia, Umbrella Academy, Power Rangers, and Fallout.