Funkohas long dominatedSan Diego Comic-Conwith its annual offerings of rare and exclusiveFunko Pops. This year, the company returned to its roots with a special clear clamshell packaging, limited to 2010 pieces in honor of the original Funko Pops released in 2010, then called Funko Force 2.0. This was more or less where it all started for Funko Pops, so for the 15th anniversary, the brand is taking a look back.
That’s how these special clamshell pops were advertised anyway, but there’s something deeper going on. The Funko Pop box is as iconic as the Pop figure itself, so while the clamshell is a throwback, it also signals a sea change for the pop culture brand. The collectible juggernaut has faced some recent setbacks, includinga less-than-impressive Q1 earnings report, thefailure of Funko Fusion and the subsequent layoffs at 10:10 Games, and theousting of CEO Cynthia Williamsafter just 14 months in the role. It’s clear that change is necessary to keep Funko on top, and what bigger change is there than changing the shape of a Funko Pop?
The clamshell is just a limited edition of course, but across all of Funko’s brands, from Loungefly to Mondo to Bitty Pop, you could see ideas that push the envelope and challenge expectations about what these brands can be. It feels like Funko’s next act will be defined by thinking outside of the Funko Pop box, and at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, we saw a whole new Funko.
Tiny Funko Pops With Big Ideas
Funkoville included a Bitty Pop booth for the first time at this year’s SDCC, with its own exhibits and exclusives that proved to be a huge draw for Funko fans. The miniaturized spin-off of Funko Pop is only two years old, but it’s already doing things the brand has never done before.
Bitty Pops are meant to be played with. This is what most sets them apart from regular Pops, and that difference opens Bitty Pop up for all kinds of new products. Bitty City, for example, is a modular, customizable play set that will let you build your Funko town for your bitty pops to inhabit. The streets, buildings, and city features click together like building blocks to create whatever mash-up of characters your heart desires. Bitty Leonardo can drive the Party Wagon over to Bitty Bob’s Burger or visit Bitty SpongeBob in his Bitty Pineapple. Figurines you can play with, like actual toys? What a novel concept.
There are so many unique and experimental Bitty Pops now. There’s a Voltron Pop that opens up to reveal a Bitty Shiro pilot inside. There’s one that looks like a Funko Pop box, but it opens up to reveal a Stranger Things playset like the Bitty Pop version of Polly Pocket. They have Bitty Pop claw machines and creative wall displays for your Bitty Pop collections. This is the fun side of Funko Pop collecting, and I can’t wait to see what the Bitty Pop team dreams up next.
Loungefly Breaks Its Own Mold
Loungefly bags have long been the fashion equivalent of the Funko Pop, with their iconic mini-backpack silhouette that’s instantly recognizable. But the hottest item at the Loungefly booth this year wasn’t even a mini-bag; it was a full-size Fantastic Four backpack that sold out during preview night. It, along with the equally popular light-up Superman backpack, show that Loungefly isn’t afraid to break the mold, and is finding success by doing so.
TheHei Hei crossbody bagis probably the best example of this. Shaped like Moana’s bird-brained companion, the Hei Hei bag sold out so quickly that Loungefly had to relist pre-orders for a fresh wave of them, shipping later this year. The display case at the Loungefly booth, which is typically filled with a variety of mini backpacks, was far more eclectic than usual this year. There was a bag shaped like the One Piece pirate ship, a Gem and the Holograms Keytar bag, multiple full-sized bags, and things that didn’t look like bags at all, like this3D mold of Stitch’s head. Like Bitty Pop, Loungefly is pushing creativity in unexpected ways, and reaping the benefits.
Mondo Is At The Top Of Its Game
Funko’s premium collectible brand leads the way in imagination at the company, and it’s great to see Mondo continue to grow and evolve at SDCC each year. The Mondo booth was incredible this year, with all of its exclusive prints, soundtracks, and newly announced soft vinyl figures on display. Mondo fills the gap between exclusive designer toys and mass-produced Funko Pops, delivering high-end, handcrafted collectibles that are accessible to the broad Funko audience.
From pop culture icons like X-Men and TMNT to nostalgia pieces like Rocco’s Modern Life, Over the Garden Wall, and The Real Ghostbusters, Mondo is tapped into the collector community and forging a path for the rest of Funko’s brands to follow.
Mondo was inescapable at SDCC this year. Creative director Peter Santa-Maria created the premium prints for both Alien: Earth and the Jason Universe panel, which Santa-Maria also moderated. Santa-Maria and product development director Hector Arce were also guests on the Godzilla at 70 panel, where discussed their Godzilla collectibles and the SDCC exclusive alternate cover for IDW’s Godzilla #1, created by Santa-Maria. This was Mondo’s Comic-Con from start to finish.
Despite some recent setbacks, Funko is and will continue to be the biggest name in pop culture collectibles. Its presence this year at San Diego Comic-Con revealed that innovation and adaptability are at the forefront of the company’s strategy in 2025. Looking back on the last 15 years has seemed to help Funko figure out how to look forward.
