As we all know, collecting Funko’s is super fun. What’s even more fun is to collect in pairs or groups. Stop by Hot Topic sometime and look at who comes in hunting for Funko’s. More likely than not, it’s friends, couples, honeymooners, siblings, etc. Collecting is a very social hobby even though many collectors would describe themselves as introverts or the opposites of social butterflies. Unsocial caterpillars, if you will. While many do their collecting from a web browser, hordes of folks drive around to their local hobby shops, Walgreens, Barnes and Noble, Target, Wal-Mart, and Hot Topic pursuing their want lists. The thrill of the hunt is exhilarating and it’s even more so when you’ve got a sidekick.
But inside every collector, there is a small competitive bone. Like a child gradually growing into adulthood, this bone grows over time. My brother and I started collecting at about the same time and 95% of the time we buy the same figures and so our collections are virtually identical. But, every now and again, I feel the uncontrollable urge to one-up him. What started as a friendly and similar passion for collecting has ripened into a generally safe, mostly healthy collecting rivalry. Think about it, when you and your collecting buddy walk into your go-to shop and you see on the shelf that there’s only one (insert your favorite brand/character here) left, tell me that you don’t race to get it.
These friendly collecting competitions got me thinking and I’ve come up with a great idea for a new line of Funko products. I hate to give this idea away for free, but I hope if Brian Mariotti ever stumbles across this that he’ll give me a job in the Funko think tank. Picture this: Funko Rivalries. Each package is a two-pack featuring some of pop culture’s greatest rivalries. Superman vs. Lex Luthor, Batman vs. The Joker, Sherlock Holmes vs. James Moriarty, Harry Potter vs. Lord Voldemort. The list goes on and on. And it doesn’t have to stop with fictional characters either. How about Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier. Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs. Jay Leno vs. David Letterman. Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan. Charlie Sheen vs. Charlie Sheen. These duos practically sell themselves!
Are you in a Funko rivalry? What Funko Rivalry two-pack would you like to see?
Matt Norris