The new year is always an exciting time as it means the next round of comic cons are slated to begin. Kicking off convention season is Emerald City Comic Con, which starts Mach 1st. Though there’s a lot about ECCC to be excited for, like meeting creators and hearing some of what the comic companies have planned for the year, one of my favorite parts will be seeing what exclusives the con has.
As usual, Funko is giving fans a glimpse of their line-up that will be available at ECCC in their usual bit-by-bit style. Also as usual, we’ve compiled all of those micro-waves for your reading convenience! So if you’re making a shopping list for ECCC, read on to find out what Funko will have in store.
Wave 13: Funko HQ Exclusives (Announced Feb 9)
Not all of Funko’s ECCC exclusives will be available at the show; there’s a whole set of exclusive exclusives (Exclusive-ception!) that can only be purchased from Funko’s HQ or through their online store. Most of them are variants of the Funko properties, like Freddy Funko in different baseball uniforms or the blue or purple Pulpo. However, the most significant offering here is the Opera Bugs Dorbz, the companion piece to Viking Elmer. Both pieces are limited to 1,000 so fans will have to work hard to snag them. Luckily, Funko is extending their HQ hours to accommodate ECCC attendees.
Here’s the copy from Funko:
Now that you’ve seen all of our ECCC exclusives, check out these related exclusives that will be available at Funko HQ or online on Funko Shop!
Please note that Funko HQ will have extended shopping hours on Saturday, March 3rd! We’ll be open till 10PM so head on over after you’re done at ECCC!
Funko HQ Exclusives
Pop! Myths: Flocked Blue & Green Bigfoot (2500pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Purple Pulpo (1000pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Baseball Freddy Funko – White Uniform (1000pc LE)
Dorbz: Looney Tunes – Opera Bugs (1000pc LE)
Funko Shop Exclusives
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Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Blue Pulpo (2500pc LE)
Pop! Funko: Baseball Freddy Funko – Alternate Uniform (3000pc LE)
Here’s a recap to show where you can get all the variants of Pulpo, Baseball Freddy Funko, Bigfoot, and complete your Elmer Fudd & Bugs Bunny set!
Wave 12: Funko Reveals (Feb 8)
This wave is made up of Funko originals. A new Freddy Funko will debut at ECCC. Dressed in a baseball uniform, he’s a far cry from the Yankee style Freddy Funko that popped up at NYCC last year.
Also, Funko is offering a new Pop! in their Spastik Plastik series: Pulpo. I don’t collect this series but that character design is pretty cool.
I’m most excited for that Bigfoot, though. Limited to 3000 pieces, the Bigfoot is flocked and shows listed under “Pop! Myths.” I don’t know if this is a new series featuring cryptozoological creatures but I am completely down for it if so. If Funko gives me a Jersey Devil Pop!, I can die happy.
From Funko:
Pop! Myths: Flocked Bigfoot (3000pc LE)
We spotted Bigfoot! Make your cryptozoological dreams come true with this Pacific Northwest legend!
Pop! Funko: Spastik Plastik – Green Pulpo (1000pc LE)
Which squid are you? Pulpo is the latest original character from Funko’s Spastik Plastik line to join the Pop! family! Pick up the lime green Pulpo only at ECCC!
Pop! Funko: Freddy Funko – Teal Baseball Freddy (1000pc LE)
Freddy Funko can’t wait for baseball season to return! He’ll be available in his teal uniform exclusively at ECCC 2018!
Wave 11: Saga! (Feb 8)
It’s hard to deny the acclaim behind Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga. I haven’t read it myself so I don’t have much to contribute here but Funko is offering a new Pop! to the series, that of Mourning Prince Robot IV.
From the Funko blog:
Saga, the epic space opera/fantasy comic book series created by acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan and award-winning artist Fiona Staples is coming to ECCC!
Pop! Comics: Saga – Mourning Prince Robot IV
Prince Robot IV isn’t his usual colorful self, he’s in mourning in his grayscale uniform and cracked screen.
Wave 10: Movies (Feb 8)
This wave has me excited. Mad Max: Fury Road was hugely popular so that Rictus Erectus should have a lot of fans salivating. Not to mention the die-hard Scott Pilgrim fans who are getting not only a new Ramona Flowers sculpt but a completely new character to the line.
Hands down, though, the most exciting one here is the Life Aquatic Vynl. 2-pack. That has to be one of the oddest vinyl figure choices that I can think of, outside of the La-La Land Pop! 2-pack we got last year. I definitely give Funko props for pulling that one out of nowhere.
Here’s what Funko had to say about this wave:
Emerald City Comic Con 2018 will debut the newest additions to Funko’s Mad Max: Fury Road and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World lines while introducing the first The Life Aquatic Vynl.!
Pop! Movies: Mad Max Fury Road – Rictus Erectus
Witness him! The Rictus Erectus Pop! rounds out our Mad Max: Fury Road series!
Pop! Movies: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Gideon & Ramona 2-pack (4000pc LE)
Gideon Graves and Ramona Flowers Pop!s are essentials for any Scott Pilgrim collector!
Vynl.: The Life Aquatic – Steve & Ned 2-pack (2500pc LE)
The Life Aquatic Vynl. highlights an exciting new line from Funko!
Wave 9: Cuphead & Street Fighter (Feb 7)
Yet another limited line with only a single Pop! and a t-shirt. I haven’t played Cuphead but it seemed to get a good following in the short time it’s been out so that Cagney Carnation should be a treat for fans. And though I’m not crazy about the design of that Street Fighter shirt, it is pretty cool that it comes in an arcade cabinet box.
From Funko:
Our next reveal is for fans of Cuphead and Street Fighter!
Pop! Games: Cuphead – Cagney Carnation
You’re up! It’s a good day for a swell battle! Get ready for Cagney Carnation! Be careful, this flower has thorns!
Pop! Tees: Street Fighter II (1000pc LE)
This limited edition Street Fighter II t-shirt comes in arcade style packaging!
Wave 8: Looney Tunes (Feb 7)
There’s only one offering in the Looney Tunes line, which is a shame. Fans of Bugs Bunny should be interested in the Viking Elmer Fudd, Dorbz, a nod to the classic “What’s Opera, Doc?” short cartoon.
From Funko’s blog:
Dorbz: Looney Tunes – Viking Elmer (1000pc LE)
Elmer Fudd is at it again, “hunting wabbits,” but this time he’s sporting his spear and magic helmet!
Wave 7: DC (Feb 7)
Ah, I see what you did there, Funko, with that emerald chrome Batman. Pretty clever.
Anyway, the DC line is, so far, the only line to offer up an exclusive Rock Candy, which is a shame. What’s not a shame is the nice sculpt on that Bombshell Poison Ivy.
I also like that Ace/Krypto Dorbz 2-pack. I won’t go out of my way to snag it, but I can see it being a hit with fans.
From Funko:
Our DC lineup for Emerald City Comic Con includes a Bombshell, a pair of heroic pups, and a shiny Caped Crusader!
Rock Candy: DC Bombshells – Poison Ivy
DC Bombshells’ Pamela Ysley is now a Rock Candy!
Dorbz: DC Comics – Ace & Krypto 2-pack (2000pc LE)
Ace the Bat-Hound and Krypto the Superdog are here to save the day!
Pop! Heroes: Emerald Chrome Batman (1500pc LE)
In honor of the Emerald City, it’s an emerald chrome variant of Batman!
Wave 6: Care Bears & MotU (Feb 6)
Funko has been pushing their Vynl. line since it debuted at New York Comic Con last year and I have to say, I do dig that MotU Beast Man/Sorceress 2-pack. Also, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I really like that Good Luck Bear Care Bear Pop!. That may be one of the few that I track down, if only to honor the Irish in me.
Here’s what Funko had to say:
This Emerald City Comic Con reveal includes a couple of throwback favorites!
Pop! Animation: Care Bears – Flocked Good Luck Bear
Get the fuzzy variant of this lucky green Care Bear only at ECCC!
Vynl.: Masters of the Universe – Sorceress & Beast Man 2-pack (2500pc LE)
Our latest Vynl. 2-pack includes the one and only Sorceress of Castle Grayskull and Skeletor’s right-hand man, Beast Man!
Wave 5: TV (Feb 6)
The TV wave has a few fan favorites in it, most notably the 8-Bit Barb from Stranger Things. I would have liked to have seen a better Pop! for Game of Thrones, but I guess that line has been so popular that they’re actually running out of characters to make.
But hands down, my most favorite exclusive so far is the Amy Pond. We have gone years without an Amy Pond Pop! to keep the Eleventh Doctor company and we’re finally getting it. As I won’t be attending ECCC, I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed that this is one of the shared exclusives.
From Funko:
Game of Thrones®
Funko is proud to announce the latest 6-inch Game of Thrones Pop! is coming to Emerald City Comic Con 2018!
Pop! Television: Game of Thrones – 6″ Giant Wight
The mysterious Giant Wight is ready for battle!
Stranger Things
Stream both seasons of Stranger Things now on Netflix!
Pop! 8-Bit: Stranger Things – Barb
Barb from Stranger Things gets justice as an 8-Bit Pop! for ECCC!
Doctor Who
Funko is bringing a beloved companion to Emerald City Comic Con!
Pop! TV: Doctor Who – Amy Pond
Doctor Who fans rejoice! The beloved companion Amy Pond is joining the Pop! world!
Wave 4: Rick & Morty (Feb 6)
I’ve never watched Rick & Morty so these iterations of the characters are lost on me. I will say, though, that they are pretty cool looking so I can see how fans of the show would be excited for these.
From the Funko blog:
Wubbalubbadubdub! Welcome to the dimension in the multiverse where Rick and Morty are aliens!
Pop! Rick and Morty: Alien Head Rick
Our newest addition from the Citadel of Ricks is Alien Head Rick!
Pop! Rick and Morty: Alien Head Morty
You can’t have an Alien Rick without an Alien Morty!
Wave 3: Disney (Feb 5)
Not much in the way of Disney exclusives. Moana fans may enjoy that shark Maui, and the Toy Story Army Man is a fun little addition but otherwise this line seems to be luke warm at best.
Any way, here’s what Funko had to say about them.
Our Disney items for ECCC include characters from a couple of memorable moments!
Pop! Disney: Moana – Maui with Shark Head
Poor Maui! Struggling to regain control of his special powers, he gets momentarily stuck with the wrong head!
Pop! Disney: Toy Story – Army Man
Who can forget the Army Men’s mission to spy on Andy opening his birthday presents, so that Woody & the gang could be prepared for any new arrivals!
Loungefly: Toy Story Camo Backpack & Pencil Case Set (400pc LE)
Speaking of Toy Story Army Men… check out this amazing Loungefly set, limited to 400 pieces and available only at ECCC!
Wave 2: Star Wars (Announced Feb 5)
There isn’t too much in this wave that’s mind-blowing. Funko really seems to be pushing their collaboration with Loungefly and offering a new Star Wars backpack. That Ahsoka is kinda cute. Unfortunately, the only one I really care about, the Padme Pop!, is the most boring of them all. I guess it’s cool that we’re getting another Amidala but they could have created a better sculpt.
See the copy from Funko’s blog.
The Force is strong with Funko’s Star Wars exclusives for ECCC 2018!
Galactic Plushies: SW: Clone Wars – Ahsoka
Ahsoka makes her Funko plush debut by joining Galactic Plushies!
POP Star Wars: Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is commemorated as another Pop! figure in her iconic Geonosis outfit!
Loungefly: Star Wars Backpack & Pencil Case Set (400pc LE)
Stormtroopers & Tie Fighters adorn this out-of-this-world set from Loungefly, limited to 400 pieces and available only at ECCC!
Wave 1: Marvel (Announced Feb 5)
This whole wave is pretty fantastic, full of characters that no one really cared about until a couple of years ago. That lawyer She-Hulk is outstanding, Yondu doing his “Mary Poppins” bit from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 would be a great addition to any GotG collection ad even though I don’t like Deadpool, I love Howard the Duck, so that Deadpool the Duck Dorbz is an arm-twisting buy for me.
From Funko:
We’re kicking off our Emerald City Comic Con reveals with some fan-favorite additions to the Funko Marvel family!
Pop! Marvel: Lawyer She-Hulk
She-Hulk isn’t just a strong contender, she’s also a powerful lawyer!
Pop! Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Yondu
Yondu is looking as pretty as an angel with his red fin and trusty arrow!
Dorbz: Marvel – Deadpool the Duck
Deadpool + Duck = Deadpool the Duck!
Daku Con 2018 Photo Gallery
Daku Con 2018 Convention Recap!
PAX South 2019: Splitgate Arena Warfare, World of Horror, JackQuest, and Disjunction
PAX South 2019: Jump Force, Skellboy, A Fold Apart
PAX South 2019: Devil May Cry 5, Young Souls, Magequit
Nan Desu Kan 2018 Photo Gallery
It’s that time of year again! No, not Halloween (though that is sneaking up on us faster that I realize). I’m talking about New York Comic Con time! Though not as prolific as San Diego Comic Con, NYCC is the East Coast’s biggest comic and media convention, boasting hundreds of exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees.
Just like its West Coast counterpart, NYCC attracts countless collectors and, as such, has become a haven for exclusive merchandise. This is where Funko comes in. Over the summer we showed you all of Funko’s SDCC exclusives, the Pop!s, Dorbz, Rides and Vnyls that were only available at the con. Luckily, they’re bringing a pretty strong game to New York Comic Con as well.
Since they’re revealing all of their exclusives in waves so make sure to check back often as we update to see everything you can expect to find at NYCC.
Daku Con 2018 Photo Gallery
Daku Con 2018 Convention Recap!
PAX South 2019: Splitgate Arena Warfare, World of Horror, JackQuest, and Disjunction
PAX South 2019: Jump Force, Skellboy, A Fold Apart
PAX South 2019: Devil May Cry 5, Young Souls, Magequit
Nan Desu Kan 2018 Photo Gallery
The Nintendo Switch has had a successful launch and is definitely the real deal but Nintendo’s newest console is not without it’s issues. Skepticism is healthy and it comes very easy to people who have yet to actually try the system out for themselves, but for those of us who have had a little more hands on experience it can be hard to see past the hype. It is important to point out that this new hardware is amazing in the many things it sets out to do while at the same time being grounded in the reality that nothing is perfect at launch. Here are some of the more prominent issues to look out for before you decide if you want to sink north of $300 into the newest gaming trend.
Battery Life is Laughable
For what is being touted as a hybrid system, your total time on the go will add up to 2.5 – 3.5 hours. That barely gets you anywhere when playing The Legend Zelda: Breath of the Wild, just trust that your Switch can and will die on you. Even on medium brightness! The controllers thankfully have such a long battery life that I have yet to find myself with a live system, and dead sticks. Make sure you are carrying around the charger if you leave with your Switch.
Bring a Charger for your Switch….because it will die!
You Will Need a Screen Protector!
The Switch’s dock will scratch up the screen of your Switch if you are not careful with sliding it in. Now this is mostly user error, as if you do sloppily put in the Switch, the screen will scratch. How to combat this? Treat it like your cell phone or expensive handheld device. Buy a screen protector and be sure to place the Switch into its dock very carefully every time. Ya know, treat your expensive hardware correctly! All screens on all devices, be they plastic or glass, are not immune to damage. It may be common sense, but its in need of pointing out.
Limited On Board Memory
If you plan to download a lot of games and extras on your Nintendo Switch, it is in your best interest to grab a SD Micro Card! 32 gigs of space with over 5 uses on the Operating System leaves you with very little extra room. I’d suggest spending the extra money to get more memory!
Lack of Release Titles
Games, games everywhere. Except launch.
I currently have 3 games on my Switch. A racing game called Fast RMX, an old game called Shovel Knight, and the main event of course being The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While Zelda may be a solid contender for one of the greatest games of all time (seriously, I’ve put over 20 hours into it and there is nothing like it), it still only is ONE game. The other two titles work well as pallet cleansers, but beyond these there just are not a lot of offerings currently.
Reported Dead Pixels
If you have a Switch that is suffering from dead pixels, take it back to the store and make them return it. These things happen in all products and while Nintendo is saying “it is not their issue,” you can certainly still return it to the store you bought it at. Make sure you do a good inspection before keeping the system for too long. Dead pixels will be pretty obvious pretty quickly.
Frustrating Comparison of the Joy-Con Grips
Joy-Cons Can’t Charge Without Being Docked
Now this is just a classic Nintendo maneuver. This just screams of, “Hey this is okay, just buy our 30 dollar proprietary peripheral to place your Joy-Cons in to charge your controllers while you play!” To add more insult to injury, this purchasable peripheral looks exactly like the controller cradle that comes with the system – except it is unable to charge, which seems like a standard feature. This may be among this most frustrating things about the system and accessories.
Controller Syncing Issues
Though they are meant to be used together, the Joy-Cons themselves are standalone controllers and there have been multiple reports of the left Joy-Con un-syncing. It seems many things are interfering with the signal and there is talk of a possible a firmware update to fix this, however it is still an unacceptable issue to have at launch.
No Virtual Console
This is a subjective issue but many were anticipating virtual console, so I imagine its absence currently is a deal breaker for some. This addition could have padded out the Nintendo Switch’s, launch but they were unable to deliver. This service is coming, but for now it is not present and no idea when it will become available.
No Party Chat
Party Chat currently does not exist – and when it does, you will need a phone app to use it. Um what? I will reserve any more judgment until this feature comes out and I get hands on time with it. Because that’s what you do, use something before forming an opinion on it.
Friend Codes Are Back
The friend codes are still used to find friends online. This is old, archaic, and there has to be better ways to do this by now. But I quickly got over it as I filled out my friends lists with help from previous Nintendo apps to help find people I have interacted with, or putting in your 75 (not a real number) digit arbitrary code to find somebody specific.
Kickstand Woes
Switch’s flimsy kickstand
The Nintendo Switch kickstand is flimsy and it feels like the console is always on the verge of tipping over. I suggest some sort of case that props it up if you plan to play it on the go and upright.
Game Saves Locked to System
Unlike other consoles, the save data for your games is currently locked to the system. Now this seems like it will be something that is addressed in a firmware update but for the moment I hope you are not planning on continuing your gaming adventures on a friend’s console. It is a traveling system, though, so there should be little to no need for save data transfers outside of upgrading to a new system or extracting data off of a broken one. Here’s to hoping this is fixed soon!
No Ethernet Port
What is this the 90s? Sure I get everything is wireless now but for online gaming, internet speed is paramount and Wi-fi does not always cut it! How much cost was cut from excluding this? its a big omission but thankfully I have had zero issues with the wi-fi, connecting online, or being unable to update my games or get into a quick race in Fast RMX.
Report Card:
Some of these issues with the Nintendo Switch will be deal breakers to some while not even being a blip on the radar for others. For now if I had to impart advice to anybody who is on the fence, I would say that all early adopters for any piece of hardware are basically glorified beta testers. There will be kinks, there will be issues, and oversights in the first batch of these systems, but that is not exclusive to this product.
My take on it? Wait for a few months. Watch the catalog of games grow, watch some of the issues be addressed, and when it feels right for you, pull the trigger, because there is nothing in the world like never having to stop playing. There is something so novel about grabbing the system and continuing your session at work, on the bus, or on vacation, while never feeling like the limitations of playing cell phone game or handheld device. This is true hardcore, triple A gaming on the go which was the mantra of the Nintendo Switch. In that regard, they nailed what they set out to do.
I hate to dwell on the negatives, but being objective about the shortcomings of a new product is important! Stay tuned to a future feature about all the things I loved about the system, and strap yourself in because there is A LOT to love!
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