Series: POP! Movies
RRP: $15.95AUD
THE BACKGROUND
Released in early 2006, V
for Vendetta made a huge impression on me. It may sound silly to some, but
though I was historically and intellectually aware that some people treated
others poorly on the basis of skin colour/sexuality/religious belief/political
opinions etc, I hadn’t really had anything connect with me on a heart level
that made it “real”. Being a white male, I’ve experienced very little
discrimination in my own life, which probably accounts for this blind spot.
Watching it again some years on, I can appreciate that there
are some valid criticisms of the film to be made. But watching V for Vendetta sparked a new awareness
in me, something I hope I never forget – namely, discrimination against others
is wrong and that we must always stand against totalitarianism. Simple
sentiments to be sure, but ones that I think are well worth remembering.
(NB: I know the movie was based on a comic, but this guy was
released as part of the Movies series rather than the Comics series)
THE POP
The sculpt captures the character quite well, without moving
outside of the Funko look. The most important part is, of course, the Guy
Fawkes mask. It’s a stylised version of the film’s depiction, whose variations
fit the Funko aesthetic nicely without deviating too far from the “real” look.
The body follows the same basic shape as most of the DC
characters, though it’s been retooled for the details to match V’s outfit, and
to feature a knife in each hand. The outfit looks a little under-detailed, but
it still conveys the general impression of his costume. It's not exactly eyecatching, but its simplicity does mean that your eye isn't drawn away from the intentional focal point of his mask. The cape is just the
same as Superman and Martian Manhunter’s, though it’s cast in black. It’s
inflexible, so don’t expect to pull off any windswept poses.
V is quite a bit heavier than most other POP!s I’ve come
across – largely because of his large Guy Fawkes, pilgrim-style hat, which
seems to be solid, rather than hollow. It’s a separate piece to head itself,
though it’s not removable. The hat is a big part of V’s look, but he does spend
a considerable amount of time without it – it might have been good to see another
version of him sans hat and cape.
As for paint? Well, V is one of the better painted POP!s
that I own, though I suspect this is because he is largely unpainted. Aside from his mask and head, only his belt buckle and
knives are painted.
The details of the mask – the eyebrows, eyes, moustache and
goatee – are all cleanly painted for the most part, though the left eye is slightly off. The cheeks
also have a slightly rosy tinge. However, the bone-ish colour of the mask is
rather dirty, as though a black wash has been put over it. This could be
intentional – towards the end of the movie, V’s mask certainly does get very
dinged up – but I’m not sure. Additionally, the unmasked underside of his head
has been painted in a pale pink colour, a normal (if pale) skin colour – no sign
of horrific burn marks here.
The silver on his knives and belt buckle is quite sloppy,
though it’s only really noticeable on close inspection, as it blends into the
surrounding black.
AVAILABILITY
V was in very short supply for a while there, and some
retailers still seem to be charging an extortionate price for him online.
However, over the last couple of months, he’s again been showing up in
retailers and online again for RRP– maybe he’s been re-released? I’m not clear
on how Funko structures its releases (e.g. whether certain runs are limited)
and some cursory Googling hasn’t really resolved the matter. But suffice to say
you shouldn’t be too hard-pressed to track him down.
OVERALL
V for Vendetta was
one of my favourite movies for quite a while, so my expectations for this POP!
were quite high, even more so after I had to spend quite some time tracking him
down. I eventually came across him on Free Comic Book Day earlier this year. Did
he live up to expectations? Yes, I think so, very minor paint issues aside.
Though one must wonder if the manufacture of V for Vendetta merchandise is really keeping in the spirit of Alan
Moore and David Lloyd’s creation, it’s nice to have him around the home
nonetheless. The main disappointment is that there’s no Evey to accompany him –
but perhaps in time. 
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