POP! WWE - Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania XII)

Long time between drinks, eh? Life has been a bit chaotic the last few weeks, in part because I’m transitioning into a new role at my day job. Fun fun fun! But here we are again today. Hopefully things will be back to a more regular schedule shortly, but of course we’ll have to wait and see.

Shawn Michaels was one of my favourite wrestlers as a teen, but I have no real memory of how that happened. I was pretty indifferent to D-Generation X, so I can only assume I saw him pull off an impressive match on an old VHS or something. Given the limited access we had to WWE TV product in Australia back in the late 90s, it may have even have been as simple as seeing a photo of him and being impressed by his look.

His flamboyant in-ring work and outfits helped endear him to multiple generations of wrestling fans, both as a member of tag team The Rockers, as a solo star and then part of D-Generation X. A good relationship with management helped keep him in the limelight throughout his long career, but these days he works behind the scenes as a trainer. Now there are plenty of stories about his backstage shenanigans – and of course, the Montreal Screwjob is always going to loom large in his legacy – but the man’s talent can’t be denied. He’s one of the absolute best to ever step in a ring, and was one of the few wrestlers who was lucky enough to go out on a high. 

We did already get a Shawn Michaels POP, a year or so ago. It wasn’t bad, but it also just kind of looks like a dude with long hair and flamboyant pants. This particular figure is quite a bit more distinctive; it’s based on Michaels’ entry gear for Wrestlemania XII. He ziplined to the arena, and it looked amazing! You can watch it here, if you’re so inclined.  

In POP form, it isn’t quite as spectacular as the real thing. There’s a bunch of sculpted detail to capture all the intricate elements of the real outfit, but many of them remain unpainted, which is a bit of a shame. The prototype -- pictured above -- had quite a bit more coverage.

Perhaps the biggest issue though is that the face doesn’t really capture Shawn Michaels' likeness. He’s a very distinctive-looking guy, but at the time he didn’t have facial hair – so it’s tougher to capture his likeness in the limitations of the POP format, in comparison to say, Mick Foley.

Still, the white and silver outfit is quite unique among the WWE POPs yet produced, and it certainly stands out on the shelf. So Shawn Michaels is a good, if not quite great POP. I feel like the definitive one may still be to come, further down the line.

Don’t forget, you can stay in touch with me via the following means:

Twitter – @lupinebookclub

Facebook – www.facebook.com/lupinebookclub

You can also buy my horror e-book, Lost Tunnels, here  

POP! WWE - The Iron Sheik

Pro wrestling has always been known for its larger-than-life characters, but in the WWF’s golden era of the 80s and early 90s, they went REALLY big. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior…and of course, the subject of today’s review, the Iron Sheik.  

Born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri (or حسین خسرو علی وزیری in his native Persian), the Iron Sheik was once a real Graeco-Roman wrestler, and former soldier in the Imperial Iranian Army, who moved to America and burst into the zany world of professional wrestling. Arriving in the then-WWF as the Iron Sheik, he’d grow to become one of the best-known heels in the history of wrestling.

Iron Sheik’s gimmick was questionable, even by the looser standards of the 1980s. Presented primarily as a sinister Middle Eastern heel to Hulk Hogan’s All-American babyface, he’d show up in the ring holding banners depicting the real-life monster Ayatollah Khomeini and denounce the American way of life. It was pretty edgy at the time and generated a lot of heat in the ring, but it seems pretty tasteless to modern eyes. Even more so when you look at the way aspects of the Cold War were played out in the region, all while this stuff was all airing…

There was plenty of drama in the ring, and it was far more extreme outside. Drug addiction consumed much of Vaziri’s life from the 1980s, and one of his daughters was murdered in 2003. In tandem with other events and injuries, his career and earning potential were derailed numerous times.

Still, he’s enjoyed something of a comeback in more recent years, establishing himself as something of a NSFW Twitter sensation. In character as his wrestling persona, the Iron Sheik shoots off all manner of profane insults at anyone and everyone, naturally reserving his worst bile for Hulk Hogan. Naturally enough, this means that he’s the ideal character to be rendered in the kid-friendly Funko POP style!

The POP looks fairly true to his peak attire; he’s wearing a white keffiyeh and a pair of paisley print trunks. His signature curled-toe wrestling boots have been sculpted, which is a great detail. All in all, pretty good attention to detail. There’s a Chase version which features a red keffiyeh, which is cool but non-essential.    

Now, Iron Sheik doesn’t seem to be flying off the shelves at the same speed as many of his WWE contemporaries. Granted, he doesn’t have the same profile among younger fans as someone like The Undertaker, but it does seem like a bit of a shame. Nonetheless, this does mean you should be able to pick him up for a reasonable price.  

Though there’s already been a “Hollywood” Hogan POP, there isn’t currently an era-accurate figure of the Hulkster to face off against the Iron Sheik. Given Hulk’s currently dubious status with the WWE, we’re unlikely to get one anytime soon. Of course, with the recently released Jake the Snake, you can re-enact one particular feud…

Iron Sheik is an interesting piece of wrestling history, marking a bygone era of WWF/WWE. While plenty of wrestlers are still big personalities, the reduced emphasis on kayfabe and greater real-life awareness of scandals in the industry has drastically changed the way the industry works. For better and for worse, the squared circle is unlikely to have anyone like the Iron Sheik step inside ever again.  

POP! Rocks – Alice Cooper (Top Hat)

Though not the first shock rocker (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Screaming Lord Sutch all predate him), Alice Cooper has still become one of the most iconic rock frontmen in pop culture. Acts like KISS, King Diamond, Rob Zombie and Ghost – to name just a few – all owe Cooper a considerable visual debt. And though I’m more of a “Greatest Hits” kind of fan, he’s been an inspiration to me, too – if a skinny kid with a big nose can become a heavy metal icon, there’s hope for all of us.  

Naturally enough, Funko was going to come calling at some point and turn him into a POP. Today, we take a look at the results!

Now, I couldn’t find a specific photo where Alice is wearing this exact outfit. The corset/harness thing and ripped pants look like they’re from the Billion Dollar Babies era – which would fit with the snakeskin theme on the box – and the earliest pics I noticed of him with a white top hat and tails seem to be from the Welcome to My Nightmare album – so let’s just say it’s meant to be him sometime in the mid-70s. If you can identify the outfit more specifically, let me know in the comments below. 

Either way, a lot of Alice Cooper’s stage costumes are variations on these themes, and even those with only a passing familiarity of the man will recognise him easily. The only real surprise is that he isn’t depicted with a snake, considering that’s one of the things he’s best known for. Still, that may come in the future; though his basic look has remained the same for decades, there’s still been plenty of variations that would lend themselves to POP figures.

As usual, the paint could be a little tighter, but it’s fine for the most part. Additionally, check his cane before making a purchase, to make sure it hasn’t warped in the box.       

The sculpt makes him a little skinnier than your average POP, and he doesn’t come with a stand. Fair enough; Alice Cooper isn’t a particularly big guy. But given his very top-heavy construction, it creates some balance problems, and I have some concerns about his long-term ability to stay upright. Skinnier POPs like Elvira and Batgirl have a tendency to warp around their legs and feet over time; while he’s not that petite, I could see something similar happening further down the track.

These issues aside, I think it’s a solid piece. There’s also a straitjacket version available, which is a Hot Topic exclusive in the USA. Either one is well-representative of the character, and a fun addition to the shelf.

POP! Marvel: Thanos (Infinity War)

Well, in just a few more days Avengers: Infinity War will finally be upon us. This is the big event that the MCU has been building to over the last 10 years, ever since the release of Iron Man in 2008. Stuff is going to go the h*ck down.

Or will it? The MCU has been surprisingly conservative when it comes to stuff like character deaths, and after almost twenty films the overall feel is akin to a soap opera – big events happen, but their overall consequences feel minimal. Still, I’ve enjoyed the ride and I’m sure it will be another solid entry into the franchise.

Naturally the merchandise train has long since left the station and crashed into your local toy store – which brings us to today’s review, Thanos!

Now, I gave up on collecting MCU POPs some time ago, because I didn’t feel the desire to update a bunch of core characters every time a new film came out. Still, I like Thanos as a character and I felt this POP had a look heavily distinct from the POP he got back in 2015.  

It’s a pretty decent figure; I liked the helmeted, ceremonial look of Thanos back in Guardians of the Galaxy, but this is a fresh take. This time he’s also wearing the Infinity Gauntlet itself, with all of the Infinity Gems in place. Paint is pretty solid, and while it’s not as big as the previous POP I think it’s a lot more effective at conveying personality. There’s no chase, but there is a chrome version which appears to be some kind of convention exclusive. Personally, I’d like a glow version, but only time will tell whether we get one.

Super fans can also opt for the 10'' version, which is the same sculpt but substantially larger. Additionally, there's a new 6'' POP with Thanos sitting on his throne on its way too. Last but not least, there's a Wal-Mart* exclusive, which uses the same base body but has a different head and left arm. He’s also got some kind of glittery energy field emerging from the glove. I like the new face and the overall concept, but it doesn’t quite do it for me.

Y’know, it wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t actually see very much of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. Yeah, he’s got a bunch of toys on the shelves – but the Infinity Stones haven’t been assembled yet and there’s still another Avengers film to come in 2019. Not to mention that the merchandising suggests there are going to be a bunch of new characters introduced into a film that’s already pretty stuffed with existing characters.

Nonetheless, Thanos has taken a huge leap in popularity in recent years, thanks to his inclusion in the MCU. Infinity War is likely to boost that popularity even further, and I suspect this POP will be a strong seller.

*JB Hi-Fi exclusive in Australia – presumably New Zealand too

POP! WWE – The Undertaker

I was a bit of a wrestling fan around the middle years of high school. Not a massive one, but I enjoyed the action, the over-the-top personalities and the campy tone. This was the “Attitude Era” of WWE, which was an interesting time for the company. The departure of a number of big stars like Hulk Hogan had left them floundering a little, and they were trying to figure out where they sat in the market – were they aiming to bring in a new generation of kid fans, or where they trying to cater to their existing and now-adult fans?

As might be expected, they kind of went for both, with predictably weird results. There was a big emphasis on being EDGY and DARK and SEXY, which meant kids were pretty keen to watch while their parents – and older fans – were often less than approving. It was a big financial success for the company…but a lot of really hasn’t aged very well. Still, a number of modern wrestling legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and rose to popularity during this era. Modern day golden boy John Cena also debuted shortly after its end, so I guess you could tack him in there too.

But the wrestler that always leapt out at me was The Undertaker. As a teen who was interested in kind of dark and goth-y things but hadn’t yet properly discovered heavy metal or horror movies, the Undertaker was a bit of a pointer in the right direction. A gateway drug, even. So when I stumbled across this POP a few weeks ago, I thought I should add him to the horror shelf.  

This POP looks to be based on ‘Taker in his "Phenom" phase, a look he debuted in 2004. It was a bit of a hybrid of a number of his previous looks, essentially functioning as an edgier update of his original mortician look. It was a great choice; for fans like myself who haven’t kept up on all of the minutiae of the WWE’s lore, it serves as a good generic look for the character.   

But it’s not perfect; in person, The Undertaker is extremely physically imposing and visually interesting – but this hasn’t always translated well to his toys, because he’s pretty much just dressed in different shades of black. This toy suffers from a little of that, with the only real differentiation between different areas of black being the gloss on his coat to give it a leather look. Nonetheless, it’s a well-sculpted figure which allows him to be instantly identified – something that I don’t feel can be said for quite a few of the other WWE POPs.

Undertaker here was apparently released all the way back in 2014, but I managed to stumble on him in a Sydney record store. He’s probably about due for another iteration, perhaps one focused on his "American Bad Ass" era. Until then, this is a solid piece for the casual and dedicated Undertaker fan alike.  

POP! Movies – Dilophosaurus (Jurassic Park)

Because everything under the sun is currently getting turned into a POP, Funko have seen fit to release a series of Jurassic Park POPs. Coinciding with the movie’s 25^th anniversary, there’s a good selection of human and dino characters alike – so today, we take a look at the regular version of Dilophosaurus.  

Unlike T-Rex or Triceratops, Dilophosaurus was a relatively obscure dinosaur before it was included in the novel and film versions of Jurassic Park. This obscurity allowed both Crichton and Spielberg to take a bit of creative license to turn the Dilophosaurus into a better villain for both page and screen; she got shrunk down, given a frill and the ability to spit poison.

It was an unusual departure for Crichton; those who have read the book will be aware that he poured a ton of research into the book, making considerable effort to keep his dinosaurs in line with then-current scientific findings. That said, Crichton wasn’t totally talking out of his ass when they took this piece of creative license. Given the weak jaws of Dilophosaurus, it has been speculated that it was primarily a scavenger – or that it had a poisonous bite, similar to modern Komodo Dragons. Probably no spitting venom or frill, though. 

Nonetheless, the film had a huge influence on the way the public perceives dinosaurs, and the frill looks set to stay in pop culture images of these beasts. There are worse falsehoods that have done the rounds, I suppose. Interestingly, it was one of the few dinosaurs in the book or movie that actually did live during the Jurassic Period. 

The sculpt of the figure is great, with the face being a particular standout. I'm generally ambivalent about Funko's move away from stylised looks to greater "realism" but this is one instance where I really think it works. 

I do have some gripes, though. From the back I feel like there’s a few too many ugly join lines. Such is the nature of moulding, but we’ve seen Funko do more complex sculpts in fewer pieces in the past. Likewise, the paint is disappointingly sloppy. If you’re in a generous mood I suppose you could palm it off as “unique markings” for each different animal.

Now, there is a 1:6 Chase for the Dilophosaurus – not glow in the dark, sadly. Indeed, many won’t see the value in it as doesn’t feature the distinctive frill. Not so iconic by film standards, but technically it’s more accurate to how a real Dilophosaurus looked. I'd love to get my hands on one, but can't see myself spending big money for it. 

The Dilophosarus is a fun, if imperfect collectible. Those who enjoy repainting their POPs will enjoy the challenge, while the rest of us will simply tolerate it as we always do. And Jurassic Park or no, Dilophosaurus toys are relatively unusual, so it's always nice to have another one out there. Sure to be a strong seller over the next few months, particularly as the real anniversary grows closer. 

POP! 8-bit – Raphael

Picking your favourite Ninja Turtle is like picking your favourite child – that is, people will judge you for it, but you should definitely know who it is in case you’re ever in a Sophie’s Choice situation. Who's mine? Well, as you may have guessed by the title and picture, Raphael is my favourite of the TMNT.

As a kid, I spent many hours at my friend Rohan’s place playing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game for the NES. If you have never played it, rest assured that it is a thoroughly frustrating experience. While not of the same difficulty as Battletoads, the game is still routinely unfair to the player – a deadly combination of the developers thinking they were making a game to suck quarters and flat-out bad design.

That said, we did have a lot of fun with it; we were too young to realise that some games were simply poorly made and we were both Turtle-obsessed. It had a cool soundtrack too! So when Funko announced that they were making the Turtles as part of their 8-Bit line, I thought I’d pick up Raph here as a tribute to those more innocent days.

Raph has a nice chunky feel. Though made up of more individual pieces than the average regular POP, the 8-bit figures have a real heft to them, and don’t feel quite as delicate as some of the newer POPs doing the rounds. While not an exact match for the look of the game, the style is great, too – it feels like a callback to the vinyl art toys that Funko was aping when it first came out with the POP line. I could see a few people who aren’t necessarily fans of the POP look picking this figure up.  

There’s not a lot of paint; most of the figure is simply cast in the appropriate colours. The only real paint is around the mouth and on his sais. It’s a little sloppy, but taken as a whole I’m quite happy with it.

In a world where there are literally hundreds of Turtles figures available, this isn’t particularly essential, but it is an amusing novelty. In my case, it’s a purchase driven out of a misplaced sense of nostalgia. Now if only it also glowed in the dark...    

POP! 8-Bit: Jason Voorhees (NES version)

Horror video games have a long, and often trashy history. For every Resident Evil, there’s at least three more crappy cash-ins that simultaneously typify the worst about video games and horror.

1989’s Friday the 13^th for the NES is one of the latter. It’s acquired a cult following, but it really wasn’t well-received at the time – or even afterwards*. Developer LJN was notorious for releasing terrible licensed video games for the NES (including a very so-so adaptation of A Nightmare on Elm Street), which have mostly been lost to history. Yet here we are in 2018 holding a piece of official Friday the 13^th video game merchandise – what a world we live in!

Part of Funko’s relatively new 8-bit subline, Jason is designed to look as though he’s stepped straight out of a mid-to-late 80s video game. However, his design isn’t strictly accurate; he appears to be an 8-bit version of his Freddy vs Jason self, with a jacket and stray hairs on the side of his head. But he is coloured to match the look of the NES game.

Now, you would be right in saying that purple and blue are not very “Jason” colours**, but the 8-bit era of gaming used plenty of idiosyncratic artwork. It’s just the nature of art meeting technology, with both often coming up short in the process.

I suspect its release is in large part due to NECA. Y’see, in 2013 NECA released a glow-in-the-dark version of Jason as a convention exclusive. As you might have guessed, that Jason was styled to look just like he does in the NES game. It was very well received by fans (eventually getting a slightly altered retail release) and sparked new interest in the game. There hasn't been a ton of merchandise since, but there's definitely been an upturn in what's been produced. Well done to Funko for riding this decidedly unusual trend.

While I’ve seen customs of the original Jason POP painted to match the game, this is not a figure I really expected to see mainstream release. It's great in or out of the box, a distinctive piece for your shelf that captures a fringe part of both Friday the 13^th fandom. My only real complaint is that he doesn’t glow!

*The Angry Video Game Nerd had quite a bit to say about it back in 2006.

**There’s also a version in regular colours, which seems to be the more widely available of the two. This NES version is a Gamestop exclusive in the USA. You can also get a Freddy in both regular and NES colours too. 

POP! Games: Resident Evil – Licker

While plenty of zombie-themed media is content to play it coy about why so many zombies are running around, that’s never been the case for Resident Evil. Biological weapons and human experimentation drive proceedings, which means the series isn’t “just” restricted to human zombies – it also opens the door to all manner of genuinely freakish creations.

Today we take a look at another – the Licker. First appearing in Resident Evil 2, Lickers are genuinely disgusting to look at in both their game and movie incarnations. With a sort of flayed/inside-out look to their skin, and a seemingly exposed brain on their head, they’re impractical for real-world biology but definitely fit the horror aesthetic. Indeed, even if you’re not a Resident Evil fan as such, the Licker could still work on your shelf as some kind of Cenobite hellhound for Pinhead.  

Funko’s rendition is a great-looking figure, doing an excellent job of being both cutesy and totally disgusting at the same time. Personally I think it would have been good to see some gloss paint on the exposed innards for an even grosser "wet" look, but I suppose that’s something I could always do myself if it took my fancy.

I was lucky enough to pick up this bad boy for a song, and he’d certainly make a great army builder if you’re so inclined.  The whole Resident Evil range was one of Funko's better video game offerings, and hopefully we’ll see it expanded in future. But in the meantime, this is a great buy.

POP! Movies – Masked Predator (Specialty Series)

Predator is one of my favourite movie monsters, up there with the Creature from the Black Lagoon. He’s a monster who crosses age and fandom barriers, proving a compelling presence even when the movie itself is less than stellar.

Funko have actually pumped out quite a few Predator products since 2013 – many more than I realised. I bought the unmasked version a while ago (maybe a couple of years?) and I assumed that I had written a review of it. But it turns out I haven’t, so I can’t just pillage from it the way I sometimes do when I’m reviewing two very similar figures.

As might be expected, the body is the same, though he gets an entirely new head. The body sculpt is a little softer and less-detailed than we would probably get from Funko these days, but I quite like it; to be honest, I think Funko over-details many of its newer figures, detracting from the relatively simplistic style that made them so appealing in the first place. The mask is a little tighter, but this still works as it’s fairly simple in its style.  

As might be expected, the paint is adequate. Better than the original, but still lots of room for work. It doesn’t do much to enhance the sculpt. The most egregious error is on the back of the head, around the dreadlocks – it’s been left plain black where it should be the predator’s beige-y skin colour.  

This POP is a good one, and it’s a long-overdue addition to the Predator line. To be honest, I’m surprised it was released as a Specialty Series figure. The unmasked and “cloaked” versions were released back in 2013, but they don’t seem to have been discontinued – certainly they’re easy enough to track down in Australia.

This new release also seems to have been selling quite well, so perhaps we may even see more Predators? Personally, I’d love to see a Predator 2 version. It wouldn’t need to be radically overhauled; a different mask and a new paint job, and there you have it. But in the meantime, this one will sit nicely on the shelf alongside his unmasked companions. 

POP! Television – Elvira (Mummy)

Elvira has long been a merchandising powerhouse, and I can only assume that her recent partnership with Funko has been as a successful one. Within the space of a year or so we’ve had two POPs, a Rock Candy figure and a Pint-Size Hero. Today, we look at the second of those POPs – Elvira in her Mummy costume.

While Elvira’s best-known look is the split black dress, she’s actually dabbled with a number of looks over the years. You can find them on Google Image search, though I would not suggest doing so on your work computer.

This particular POP, however, is drawn from this image, which is also replicated on the back of the box. I’m not sure if the pic was originally taken for that Fangoria issue, or it’s an older one that was recycled. There are probably more notable secondary costumes Funko could have gone with, but it works well enough.  

Paint is nicely executed for her makeup – but make sure you check her lips. The control art clearly shows that she’s got white “shine” on her lips, but if the tampo isn’t aligned properly then it just makes her look like she has wonky teeth.  

The paint on the body is a little sketchier. The lines on mine are mostly clean and well executed, but the hands and feet are a little sloppy. Additionally, I think the bandages themselves could probably do with a bit of a wash to bring out some more detail.

As well as the regular release, there’s a chase version of this figure, packed at a 1:6 ratio. It’s the same sculpt, but her bandages glow in the dark. Ideally I would’ve got that one – but it’s really the luck of the draw with chases, isn’t it?

Mummy Elvira is a solid POP, but non-essential for the more casual fan. It’s a good look, but not quite as classic as the black dress. Still, it’s good to see a bit more Elvira stuff out and about on the shelves. As a relatively recent fan, I missed the “golden age” of her fame, so it’s nice to see her enjoying a bit of a renaissance.  

You can follow the Lupine Book Club on Facebook and Twitter

POP! Television: Stranger Things – Max (Costume)

By now most of us have made our way through Stranger Things 2, and what a ride it was. It didn’t take me to quite the same heights as the original, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. As might be expected, quite a few new faces were introduced in season 2. Since Barb seems to be permanently dead, another redhead was required to round out the cast – and thus we have Max, played by Sadie Sink.

Max is much more pivotal to the overall plot than Barb was, but I’m not sure she’ll inspire the same level of obsessive fandom. I had mixed feelings about her as a character; she got on my nerves initially, and though she had an interesting arc she hadn’t quite won me over by the end of the season. Still, I think we can assume she’ll be back for Season 3, and the character definitely has potential. Here’s hoping for good things.  

But though I’m still kind of indifferent on the character, this POP was a definite buy as soon as I knew it was being released. While it’s not my favourite horror series, I do thoroughly enjoy the original Halloween film and it’s nice to see Michael Myers referenced in the show.

 

It’s one of the best scenes in episode two; Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas are out trick-or-treating as Ghostbusters, and Michael Myers suddenly appears on the street in front of them, wielding a knife. But it’s merely Max beneath the mask, who’d earlier been ambiguous about whether she’d come trick or treating with our intrepid heroes. It’s not a scare for the viewer, of course, but it’s a nice moment that shows us something about all of the characters involved.

Sadie Sink herself apparently didn’t really know who Michael Myers was before filming the scene, according to aftershow Beyond Stranger Things. But that’s no real surprise; she’s only 15, and there wasn’t been a new Halloween film in years. There’s a new one on the way for next year, and hopefully it’s a good one; it would be nice to see him regain some of his former pop culture status.  

This is a great figure, but it feels kind of bootlegged. Not in quality or anything; but she’s clearly wearing a Michael Myers costume, but it’s not identified anywhere as such on the box. Additionally, there’s no sign of Halloween in the trademark notices on the box. I get that the appearance on the show could probably be covered under some kind of fair use legislation, but going and making a toy out of it? Funko already have the Halloween license, so maybe they were able to shoehorn things together that way.

Max is a Hot Topic exclusive in the US, but over here she’s a regular release. It’s a good variant of the character for fans, and it’s a fun piece of memorabilia for a memorable scene in the series. 

POP! Games – Scorpion (Flaming Skull)

Mortal Kombat. Holy shit, this game was a big deal when I was a kid. The franchise is still a big seller, but I think kids these days would struggle to grasp the scale of the excitement around the first two Mortal Kombat games. 

They were wildly controversial, featuring an insane level of violence that still has the capacity to take your breath away today.

And of course, the more parents hated it, the more kids loved it. Mortal Kombat had just about every edgy trope from the late 80s and early 90s shoved into one fun package fighting game.

• Horror movie imagery? Yessir.
• Weird monsters? You betcha.
• Over-the-top gore? Check.
• Characters that look like X-Men knock-offs? Can do.
• Martial arts? As many as you want.
• Ninjas? You got ‘em

One of those ninjas was Scorpion. He was one of three ninjas featured in the original game, and at face value he was just a simple palette swap; yellow to Sub-Zero’s blue and Reptile’s green. But all of them had distinct play styles, which helped separate them as characters – a stark contrast to Ryu and Ken from rival game Street Fighter II.  

Scorpion wasn’t the most heavily promoted character, but he rapidly became a fan favourite. He was arguably the easiest character to use, and just to up the ante, when he took his mask off he didn’t even have a face – he had a fucking skull and he spit fire! In a game full of memorable, gruesome characters and extreme violence, Scorpion was still among the best.

This POP depicts Scorpion sans mask, complete with Ghost Rider-esque flaming skull. This version is a Hot Topic exclusive in the US, though it’s a regular release in Australia. Funko certainly haven’t cheaped out; the head and body are totally different to the regular version, and the sculpt is excellent. He’s got his signature spear and chain wrapped around his torso, and all of the little elements of his costume are highly detailed.  

Paint lines could be better, but it’s easily one of the best POPs Funko has put out this year. Normally I’m indifferent to variant takes on characters, but this is almost as essential as the “regular” version of Scorpion.

Mortal Kombat X is fantastic fun... but Funko’s Mortal Kombat X series is quite a mixed bag. All three Scorpions look great, as do both the Sub-Zeroes. Raiden looks adequate, while Liu Kang and Kitana look totally crappy. Hopefully we get a couple more characters down the road, but in the meantime this figure is a solid investment. 

POP! Television: Stranger Things – Mr Clarke (2017 Summer Convention Exclusive)

Though we don’t see a ton of him in Season 1, Mr Clarke was a great character, and quite integral to the plot of Stranger Things. I suspect that if the show had been set in more contemporary times, the role would have been played in a slightly more…creepy…fashion, but fortunately that particular trope was avoided on this occasion. Mr Clarke is just a genuinely nice guy who wants to encourage the kids’ knowledge.

This POP showcases Mr Clarke about halfway through the series, when he demonstrates how a door between the “real” world and the (theoretical to Mr Clarke) Upside Down. The sculpt isn’t that exciting; Mr Clarke is just a dorky guy in a suit after all. But the paint is really cool, specially the tampo of Mr Clarke’s diagram on the paper plate itself! For this element alone, the figure is worth picking up – with the caveat that you should only pay retail for him.

Even a couple of years ago, Funko’s SDCC exclusives were pretty much repaints of existing sculpts. They offered something unusual, but not totally essential to consider your collection complete. But things have changed since those days; now we see unique sculpts, and characters that don’t come out anywhere else.

Plenty of people are happy about this, but personally I think it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Mr Clarke isn’t necessarily a key character in Stranger Things, he is a bit of a fan favourite, and I’m not sure that releasing him as an exclusive was the best idea. Importantly, it sets a bad precedent for the way we may see other fan-favourite characters released. Convention exclusives are fairly easy to come by in Australia, but it’s not the same way in the US in particular. 

As it stands, Mr Clarke is a cool POP – but not cool enough to pay crazy aftermarket prices. Here’s to seeing more of Mr Clarke in Season 2, and hopefully that this POP – or another version of him – gets a more general release in the future. 

POP! Harry Potter – Remus Lupin (as Werewolf)

I’m not the world’s hugest Harry Potter fan. I’ve read the seven main books in the series (and enjoyed them), but I only ever saw the first movie…and that was back in 2001. But as the name of this blog suggests, I am a big fan of wolves – and by extension, werewolves. This review should be read with that in mind; this is my first and likely last foray into the world of Harry Potter POPs, though there are plenty of good designs in the lineup.  

So, Remus Lupin is one of the seemingly stream of Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers that do the rounds at Hogwarts. He’s first introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and continues to show up here and there until *SPOILERS* The Deathly Hallows when he becomes one of that book’s huge body count.  

To the best of my memory, his transformation into a werewolf is presented as something of a twist in the book – but the clues are actually right there in his name. “Remus” was one of the mythological founders of Rome (who was suckled by a she-wolf during infancy) and “Lupin” is a corruption of the Latin word “lupus”, which itself means “wolf”.  

I hadn’t previously seen his look in the movie, but a quick Google Image search suggests it’s kind of crappy. I mean, the Twilight werewolves looked mediocre, but this was several steps below them in terms of quality. Harry Potter has always been geared at a slightly younger audience, so we were never going to get The Howling…but still…

Nonetheless, the design has overcome its cinematic shortcomings and actually looks pretty cool in POP form. The body is maybe just a little small in relation to the head (even by POP standards) but it captures a nice gangly, inhuman look for the character.

There's not a tonne of paint, as he's cast in grey. It's a little dull, if functional; I feel like it needs some more highlights and maybe a wash to bring out some of the details. But the green eyes really pop on this guy, and the minimal paint does mean less from error.  And with that said, I strongly suspect we’ll see at least one more version of this POP – a flocked one. Hopefully they’ll throw in some glow-in-the-dark eyes, too. If such a thing becomes reality, I probably won’t double-dip myself, but it would be a compelling release for more diehard fans.

Remus Lupin is a solid werewolf POP, whether or not you’re a Harry Potter fan. Given that we’re unlikely to get Dog Soldiers POPs anytime soon, this will have to do. It was an essential buy for me – and what else would you expect from a site called The Lupine Book Club?  

You can follow the Lupine Book Club on Facebook too -- click here

POP! Television: Herman Munster

I have a mixed relationship with horror parodies. I love the Evil Dead series, but was never really sold on Shaun of the Dead, for example. I suspect this is in part because the genre is often so unintentionally silly that sometimes (though not always) throwing parody into the mix can really undermine genuinely good horror in the eyes of the wider public*.

Another part is simply because we never, ever need to see a scene from The Exorcist parodied in any film ever again. It’s been done, guys – leave it alone.

But The Munsters – at least the little I’ve seen of it – is one of the good ones. It managed to successfully poke fun at both horror and family sitcoms without ever being condescending. So today we take a look at a POP of their patriarch, Herman Munster. Oh Goody!

A childish but ultimately kind and caring character, Herman Munster endeared himself to kids and adults alike back in the 1960s. Though clearly based on Frankenstein’s Monster, he was just a regular sort of working class guy of the era – one of the running jokes of the series was that the Munster family was actually quite normal, in spite of their appearance. No doubt there’s a life lesson in there somewhere.

This POP isn’t a bad likeness of the character, but of the four they released of the family it’s probably the weakest. But it’s not without positive features; its paint is certainly better than plenty of other POPs I own, and it does look great as an addendum to the Universal Monsters series that was released back in 2014. So Herman may not be totally essential, but he is fun.

Sadly, The Munsters isn’t quite as big a presence on the pop culture landscape as it once was; it’s not as well-remembered as its contemporary The Addams Family, and the franchise has been relatively dormant through my lifetime. 

It was last revived just a few years ago, with a pilot called Mockingbird Lane. I haven’t watched it, but reviews suggest that much like Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows, it seemed to miss the mark; not funny enough to be a comedy, not enough supernatural drama to try and capture a Penny Dreadful vibe. It’s a shame, but perhaps not surprising. Still, if you’ve never the original before, you should make an effort to check out an episode if you get the chance.  

*To be fair, horror often deliberately shies away from mainstream acceptance anyway. It’s no coincidence that there’s so much overlap between horror fans and heavy metal fans.  

POP! Television – Bob Ross: The Joy of Painting

Until recently, I’ve only really known Bob Ross as something of a campy cult figure via the many, many parodies and memes of him that have done the rounds. With his easily imitable afro, beard, soft-spoken manner and memorable catchphrases, he was a comedian’s dream. But his endearing onscreen persona seems to have had at least some grounding in reality – he’s developed quite a sincere following over the years, one that seems to be far larger than the irony-driven fandom.   

This second-hand familiarity isn’t so surprising, though; I’m not sure that The Joy of Painting was ever actually on Australian TV. But more than 20 years after his passing, we can now enjoy his work more easily than ever, thanks to his presence on YouTube and Netflix. And of course, Funko have now seen fit to add him to their POP! Television line.  

The sculpt is excellent, capturing him in his signature painting outfit. It’s presumably a younger Bob Ross, as by the early 90s he had fairly evident streaks of grey throughout his beard. He’s also armed with his famous 2-inch brush, and his clear palette, complete with smears of paint, ready to be daubed onto the canvas. It’s a shame he doesn’t come with one, but I’ve seen ones in The Reject Shop which would be just about in scale. I may have to invest in a few, and create a display for him.

But on the topic of paint...unfortunately, Funko seem to have had numerous “happy little accidents” in the process of applying apps at the factory. One of his eyes isn’t properly painted, his beard isn’t covered properly and his outfit is a little sloppy. Another one for the ever-growing to-fix pile. 

Paint imperfections aside, I have no hesitation recommending this figure. Bob Ross doesn’t really fit in with most over POPs you’ll own, but is nonetheless a fantastic addition to the shelf or desk. Figures like this really remind me why I started collecting POPs in the first place; the figure captures the subject exceptionally well, as opposed to just being some garbage ground out to meet a licensing commitment. It’s an eccentric addition to the collection, just as Bob Ross himself was – and continues to be – to our TV screens.  

POP! Movies – Carrie

I seem to have been on a bit of a Stephen King kick of late. I reviewed the new version of IT just a few days ago, today we look at the POP version of Carrie and even as I type I’m watching the first episode of Stephen King’s The Mist.

Based on Stephen King’s first (published) novel, Carrie is the incredibly depressing story of a teenage girl who develops psychic powers. It was adapted into a film pretty quickly after release, with Sissy Spacek cast in the titular role. 

Both the book and movie of Carrie certainly contain their fair share of supernatural scares, and there are a lot of themes you can draw from it – high school as the real horror, bullying, victim blaming and sexual awakening just some of them. It’s not hard to see why the popularity of both continues after so many decades, even if they show signs of age*.  

But for me, most of the terror lies in Carrie’s religiously abusive mother. We don’t really find out which brand of Christianity Carrie’s mum adheres to, but it looks to be some kind of strange variant of Catholicism (we see Carrie praying in front of a statue of Saint Sebastian at one point). But in terms of practical application, her mother’s rantings and ravings come across as some kind of fundamentalist Protestant strain – ill-informed and deeply suspicious about the world. 

I’ve never experienced anything as extreme as Carrie, but as a kid I attended a Christian school that fell under the sway of a Charismatic movement known as the Toronto Blessing – lots of speaking in tongues, people collapsing around the place, that kind of thing. From my perspective, the principal used it as a way to consolidate his particular ugly brand of authoritarian leadership, by trying to fill student and teacher minds with bullshit. Maybe some of them even believed it at the time, I don’t know. It’s affected me more as an adult than I think it did as a kid, causing me considerable anxiety and leaving me highly skeptical of the whole phenomenon. 

Now to be fair, I haven’t been to the church in Toronto that originated the whole thing, so I can’t speak for their experiences. But based on my own, I’m inclined to think the whole thing was a hoax, or some kind of hysteria. I certainly don’t think it was a good thing – it’s been a blight on the modern church since. So yeah, the scenes with Carrie’s mum pushed some buttons for me.

But I have digressed heavily. The POP itself is quite simple, showing Carrie at her prom, post-pig’s blood. She’s wearing a slip-style dress, and still has her corsage on. My only real complaint is that could actually be way, way bloodier to better match the art on the back of the box, and the film itself.

If you’re a fan of the movie, this is a no-brainer. It’s one of Stephen King’s better adaptations, and though it’s showing its age, hugely influential on horror films ever since followed. Not Funko’s finest work, but definitely a solid piece for the shelf.

*I’m yet to see the remake from a few years ago

POP! Rocks -- James Hetfield (Metallica)

Since the release of their eponymous “Black” album, Metallica have consistently been one of the most controversial bands in heavy metal. Many (this writer included) cut ties a long time ago, content to remember their past glories fondly but abandoning any hope that they’d rise above the level of average dad rock again. They kind of did on Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, but calling it a triumphant return would be...generous. Still, they have nothing to prove critically, based on their first few albums. And based on the albums that came afterwards, they have even less to prove commercially.

But though I think they’re a bit of a spent force musically, I was quite pleased to see Funko were making Metallica part of the POP! Rocks line. I knew James Hetfield would be a must-buy for me, and so now he stands on the shelf alongside Jimi Hendrix and Lemmy.   

This POP shows Hetfield circa the release of the Black Album, though it could kind of be him anywhere between 1988 and 1992; the main thing marking it out as specifically from this period is his wolf’s head necklace. But if you can pinpoint it to a certain date or concert, please feel free to let me know in the comments below.

It captures an interesting time in the band’s history; Metallica were transitioning to a much more commercial sound via the release of the Black album, but they were still unapologetically a metal band, and looked the part. Hetfield has a bit of a pseudo-Lemmy look going on with his facial hair, in tandem with a not-quite mullet. It’s not his best look, but he’s certainly had worse over the years. Appropriately, he’s got his distinctive white Gibson Explorer, though it’s sans “EET FUK” sticker and instead has a Metallica logo printed across the lower edge. The guitar itself is surprisingly detailed, with tone and volume knobs, and even a pickup selector switch! Funko have also included a guitar strap, which is a nice touch. This is the first time I’ve seen them do it, but I assume future guitar-slinging POPs will also feature them.

Paint is sloppy, which is not particularly surprising. It’s mostly forgivable, except for the face, which is noticeably patchy on the moustache. This is one I might – MIGHT – actually get around to repainting myself, because I really wasn’t thrilled with the work done at the factory.    

It’s definitely not Funko’s best POP! Rocks piece – but it’s a fun one for Metallica fans. You can also pick up Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo to complete the band, should you feel so inclined. I’m still hoping for Ronnie James Dio further down the line; hopefully the release of Metallica is a sign of them testing the water for future metal releases.   

POP! Television – Bert Macklin (Parks & Recreation)

Parks and Recreation was one of my favourite comedies of recent years, and there’s no doubt that a huge contributor to its success was Chris Pratt. He’s now a massive star, but just a few years ago he was podgy Andy Dwyer, a lovable fool bumbling his way through life.

One of the most memorable aspects of Andy’s character was his alter ego – FBI agent Bert Macklin.  He’d show up every so often, essentially acting the way a kid does when they’re playing cops and robbers, but usually actually managing to solve a mystery or right a wrong in the process. My favourite episode he features in was probably the one where he helps solve the mystery of who pied Leslie, but all of his appearances are worth watching.

Side note: The spelling of his name seems to be a big ambiguous; most sources online seem to list it as “Burt” but presumably “Bert” is the correct spelling, given that this is an official piece of merchandise.  

I was originally going to pass on the POPs from the Parks and Recreation line. All of them are quite good, but in a time where I am largely restricting myself to horror POPs, I felt Bert was probably the only one I felt would fit in. It’s kind of funny to imagine Bert Macklin bumbling about amongst supernatural foes like Pinhead and IT, but still managing to save the day in the process.

The POP nails the pose and the overall sculpt, but the paint is kind of sloppy. It’s disappointing that Funko are still letting it slide like this after having a couple of years of relatively good paint work. But nonetheless, Bert Macklin is still great fan if you’re a Parks & Recreation fan.