Before the word “Pop!” appeared on store shelves, Funko introduced its oversized-head vinyl figures at San Diego Comic-Con 2010 (July 22-25, 2010) under the name Funko Force 2.0. Funko’s own blog later confirmed that the first Batman, Batgirl, and Green Lantern figures in that line were the earliest Pop! sculpts, even though the branding had not yet switched.
According to Funko’s official blog post published September 14, 2016, four DC Comics characters debuted at the show in plastic clamshell packaging: blue Batman, metallic blue Batman, black metallic Batgirl, and glow-in-the-dark Green Lantern. After the convention, remaining inventory was repackaged into the windowed boxes that became the standard Pop! format.
Contemporary convention coverage from collectors at the time noted that the SDCC exclusives sold out during the weekend. Retail versions of the DC Heroes line followed later in 2010, helping establish the 3.75-inch vinyl figure category Funko still dominates.
Why this matters for collectors
Early 2010 DC Heroes figures are historically significant because they mark the start of a product line that now spans thousands of characters. Numbering, packaging, and sticker variants on modern Pops all trace back to decisions Funko made during this first wave.
If you own a boxed Pop! from the DC Universe Heroes sub-line numbered in the single digits, you are holding a direct descendant of that 2010 SDCC launch.
Sources
- Funko, “#BatWeek: Batman’s Pop! Debut!” Funko Blog, published September 14, 2016. funko.com
- San Diego Comic-Con 2010 official dates: July 22-25, 2010 (Comic-Con International).
- PopVinyls.com: Funko Pop series database for modern numbering reference.