Orrin Fordjour is a veteran collector and connoisseur of all things Funko, as well as hobbyDB’s Co-Ambassador to The Netherlands. Orrin, aka Funkovader, shares with us his dream journey to the 2024 New York City Comic Con. Make sure to give the Funkovader YouTube channel a watch!

As a kid, I always dreamed of visiting New York City.

The idea of the city captivated me, probably because of movies, sports, and the city’s energy. Once I started collecting collectibles, I saw three well-known collectors (P. Pops: Jeroen, Pascal, and Maupie010) make a trip to the San Diego Comic Con. It looked amazing! I knew then that I had to go, and as soon as possible.

I heard from other content creators that they would be attending New York Comic Con (NYCC), and the chance to meet them in person for the first time made the adventure even more exciting. I was ready to make this dream come true!

The Big Question

The hardest part was asking my wife if I could take a weeklong trip to New York City for NYCC. She gave me her blessing to pursue my dream, and that felt incredible. It’s no small thing, as we have two young kids, and I knew it would mean leaving her with a full schedule and all the childcare. But her support meant the world to me, and with her encouragement, I was able to start the trip with peace of mind.

The Journey

The week before my departure, I could hardly sleep – maybe three hours a night! I was beyond excited and could barely believe that I was really going to New York. How would the city look in real life? Are the people as friendly as I’ve heard? And how good is the food, really?

At 8 a.m., I woke up, got ready, and headed to Schiphol Airport with my family, where I met my travel buddy, Sanie. At 10 a.m., we checked in for our flight, and after an emotional goodbye with my family, we were finally on our way. The eight-hour flight to JFK flew by with some movies and a bit of sleep.

Finally Arrived

After eight hours of flying, we landed at JFK Airport and picked up our luggage. Right away, I felt the New York vibe: the crowds, yellow taxis, everything! We took the shuttle to the taxi stand (which says something about how massive JFK is) and called an Uber to our Airbnb in Brooklyn. Around 8 p.m., we arrived and decided to grab something to eat. Thankfully, there was a chicken shop around the corner. For $50, we got a huge order of chicken, which ended up lasting us two days. After eating, we went to bed to get ready for the next day.

From Brooklyn to Manhattan

The next morning, we set out to explore Brooklyn. Our first stop was a shop known for its bean pies, but it was unfortunately closed. In the meantime, Sanie showed me around the neighborhood. Brooklyn was impressive; it was clear that the city is actively being redeveloped. I couldn’t resist taking some photos, especially of the iconic view through the long streets that create a tunnel of buildings and cars.

After an hour, we returned to the shop, but it was still closed. So, we decided to walk to the Brooklyn Bridge, where we had an incredible view of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and even the Statue of Liberty in the distance. The bridge itself was striking, with locks everywhere, left by couples as a symbol of their love.

We continued walking into Manhattan. My jaw dropped at the sight of the enormous buildings. My neck still hurts from looking up! In Manhattan, we visited the Westfield Mall, Pop Mart, the NBA Store (where I bought a Lakers jersey with LeBron James’ embroidered signature), and of course, Times Square with its dizzying lights and screens. In the evening, we picked up our NYCC badges at the Javits Center before heading back to the Airbnb.

Funko Hunting in New York City

On day two, we decided to go on a Funko hunt, visiting stores known for selling exclusive Funko Pops. We started at a shopping center nearby, with stores like Hot Topic, 5 Below, and Target. 5 Below and Target didn’t have any Funko exclusives, but we found a nice collection at Hot Topic.

Next, we went to Infinite Collectibles, a store that reminded me of the famous line “Get out of my store!” from the owner, Omar. He was busy packing up for NYCC, so we didn’t chat for long, but the shop was a treasure trove of rare Funko Pops and collectibles. We also visited Marshall’s, where we found some Black Panther die-casts and Funko sodas, and GameStop, which had a few exclusives.

Our last stop was Toy Tokyo, known for its exclusive items and unique layout. I brought some Dutch stickers with me and was allowed to put them inside and outside, leaving a little piece of myself in the U.S., haha!

New York Comic Con

NYCC was an unforgettable experience and my first convention in America. I’m used to cons in the Netherlands and Belgium, but NYCC is on a whole different level. Everything was well-organized and clearly marked. The main hall was massive – I think all the stands from HDCC in Utrecht could fit in there!

The selection was varied: Funko Pops, t-shirts, comics, jewelry, and so much more. Brands like Funko, Nickelodeon, Marvel, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Warhammer had huge booths.

One thing that really stood out was the cosplay – it was truly next level. Almost everyone was dressed up, and some people looked so much like the actual characters! Cosplay at NYCC is a whole different experience, and it was amazing to see so much creativity.

I went for some autographs from notable people like Gary Vaynerchuk, Brian (former Funko CEO), Colleen (voice of Luffy), and Chris (voice of Zoro, Vegeta, and many others). I also joined two TCG games, Union Arena and Dragon Ball, and received promo cards and a starter deck as a reward.

I attended three panels: Dragon Ball Daima, One Piece with the English voice actors, and Bleach with the Japanese voice actors performing a live scene. It was incredible to witness! Even in four days, I didn’t see everything, but that only made it better.

The best part was meeting people. Many of them I already knew from social media (like TopPop & Mama Toppops, Misa, Batman Sidekick, Ink Lord Pop, Funko James, Chris & Heather from Gastlecast, Jason from Seven Bucks a Pop, SnailFunko, Lydia from FugitiveToys, Jersey Jorge, and Flipnxtvictim). It was amazing to finally talk and spend time together in real life, with no time zone differences.

I even brought a Funko Pop with me and had everyone sign it as a special memory. I also brought gifts from the Netherlands, including a Traveling Freddy, the “roaming Funko,” which I returned to its home in America.

-Funko Booth

From photos and videos, I’d always seen glimpses of the Funko booth, but seeing it in person was something else. The lines were packed—wow, just wow. I walked by several times just for the fun of it. I had the chance to chat with a few Funko staff members, and I can tell you, they were all super friendly and welcoming. I’d sneak a peek around the corner here and there to see what was going on inside the booth—it was hard to resist!

-New Player in the Collectible World: THRILLYJOY

I was pleasantly surprised by the Thrilljoy booth, a brand new entry in the collectible market, designed by Funko’s former CEO, Brian Mariotti. The booth itself looked like a castle, complete with a massive throne that reminded me of something out of Game of Thrones.

Right at the entrance was their adorable mascot, BLOO. Surrounding the booth were giant cutouts resembling the figure boxes, and everywhere you looked, there were vibrant figurines and displays of their high-quality merchandise.

They showcased their core collection, The Pix, packaged in an impressive, magnetized box that felt premium and sturdy. Inside each box, you find a character card with figure details, the figure itself held securely, and a wall mount option—perfect for display! Plus, the figures can be stacked. Thrilljoy really thought of everything!

One of my personal favorites was the Mega Pix, a 12-inch figure featuring their mascot Bloo, dressed in various outfits. The exclusive NYCC Bloo was especially cute, wearing a Thrilljoy onesie and holding a mini Pix figure, limited to only 1,000 pieces with a stamped box to match. Every Thrilljoy item, including their apparel, is limited-edition. Some items have runs as small as 10, which I believe applies to their prototype—spotted by a lucky fan who won it!

Thrilljoy even offers a “chase” variant. The Mega Pix figure includes interchangeable hands, and I believe the hands can be swapped out with others as well—a great detail! They also introduced their new clothing line, Threads, including hats, bucket hats, t-shirts, hoodies, and even a onesie, each piece limited to just 200 items!

The quality across their range is top-notch, and I could definitely see myself adding some Thrilljoy pieces to my collection one day. Sadly, they don’t yet ship outside the USA, but it may only be a few months away. Congratulations to Brian and the entire Thrilljoy team—I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both you and us collectors!

-The Amazing Mighty Jaxx Booth

Naturally, I had to swing by the Mighty Jaxx booth and see my friends there. They had a special guest this year: Jason Freeny, who did a few signing sessions. I couldn’t pass up the chance to have my own figures signed by him! It was also so exciting to see the giant Luffy Gear 5 in front of their booth, along with an incredible Transformer figure. Mighty Jaxx, well done! I’m looking forward to seeing you all again soon!

Visiting an OG Funko Collector

After four days at NYCC, I had the chance to visit an OG Funko collector. Many may know her from Instagram as brooklyn_pop_world. I’d promised to bring her some Dutch cookies to try, along with a few stickers, and I got the incredible opportunity to see her Funko room.

I could hardly believe my eyes – it was absolutely amazing! Proto’s, Soda Freddys, 4-inch Freddy Funkos, and some of the rarest older pieces. There was one Freddy in particular that really caught my eye: a massive display Freddy. I couldn’t resist taking a photo with it (though secretly, I wanted to bring it home, haha).

Besides admiring her impressive collection, we had a great chat, and she even shared some helpful collecting tips. Meeting brooklyn_pop_world was an awesome experience, and it gave me even more appreciation for the Funko community.

Conclusion

This trip to New York City and NYCC was an unforgettable experience. From the excitement of following my dream to the incredible moments at the con – every part of it was worth it. Exploring New York and meeting friends I’ve known online for years brought so many memories that I’ll cherish forever. Not only did I get to see the city of my dreams, but I also felt truly connected to the Funko community.

A huge thank you to my buddy Sanie and my friends from P. Pops for encouraging me to make this trip. And above all, my deepest gratitude goes to my amazing wife, who gave me the full support to chase this dream – even with everything she had to manage at home.

Feeling inspired to plan your own trip to New York City and NYCC? Don’t hesitate! Start saving and make your dream a reality. If you have any questions or just want to chat about your plans, feel free to reach out – I’d be happy to help! One thing’s for sure: if possible, I’ll be back next year to relive this incredible adventure!

The post Funkovader: My Dream Trip to New York City and 2024 NYCC appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

Among the Pop!s making their debut this month is a line of new Pop! Originals figures, specifically from its Heavy Metal Halloween collection.

Scroll down to see the latest figures from Pop! Originals arriving in October, then follow this link to find the entire Pop! Originals series on PPG! Which are your faves? Tell us in the comments below!

Pop! Originals

Freddy Bones

Jack Carver

Phil D. Graves

Rusty Steel

Sid Fishious

Traveling Freddy

The post Spooky Heavy Metal “Pop! Originals” From Funko Arriving This October appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

Conventions are coming back this 2021 just like they used to be. Step by step, we are recovering an important part of our lifestyle. I could not understand how to be a collector without the face-to-face interaction and the joy of finding limited editions at these events.

Funko is pulling out all the stops in order to make up for lost time because of the pandemic, with events such as Funko 2021 Shanghai Event, QTX QQ Tencent 2021, ChinaJoy Con 2021 and FunKon 2021. And it seems that the upcoming cons will be full of surprises as well.

My focus on this article is reviewing some of the Pop! treasures found in different conventions around the world before 2020, without considering the traditional ones as SDCC and NYCC.

Since 2013, Funko has been releasing some of them, including variants and first-to-market editions, but others are grails that we would love to have in our collections.

Starting this world convention tour at Dallas Comic Con 2013, where we could find amazing figures, as The Joker (1966) (Metallic) #44, from the 60’s Tv series, and DC Universe Reverse Flash #39 and its Glow in the Dark variant.

In order to complete the metallic duo from the classic Batman TV series, Alamo City Comic Con 2013 presented us this amazing version of the Caped Crusader, Batman (Metallic) #44. Same year, we found another treasure in Florida, Merle Dixon (Bloody) #69 from The Walking Dead was released at that year’s Tampa Bay Comic Con.

We didn’t wait too before going up the coast to the Rhode Island Comic Con 2014 where Blue Stealth Iron Man #04 was ready to go to our collections. Moving fast, without leaving us time, Funko launched one of the very first flocked Pop! figures, which was Ajani Goldmane #03 (Magic the Gathering), at GenCon 2014 — one of the longest-running and best-attended conventions for tabletop gaming in the world.

Crossing the border to Canada, we find the first most wanted on this trip to Marvel collectors, Captain America (Unmasked) #41 (Fan Expo Canada 2014). Although we could find a variant of this item as a Toymatrix exclusive as well, the sticker is not relevant with this one, because both are very hard to find.

The 2015 convention season brought us another jewel, Freddy Funko PlayCon 2015. This time, that rare Pop! was shown in Arizona. A year later, before the release of Ultraman Series to the Asian Market, the Big Apple welcomed the pre-releases of Ultraman #31 and Kanegon #35 at Play Fair 2016.

More recently, in 2019, Funko on its second contribution to DesignerCon, showed us a small tribute to Mark Hamill with the following Pop! Icons, Mark Hamill as The Joker #28 and its Purple variant (limited to 1000 pieces), Mark Hamill #27 (White Tee) and (Black Tee). The latter, we could find as well in a set limited to 500 pieces with a T-shirt designed by Nathan Hamill. If we thought it was little, we were wrong, because Brian Mariotti gifted Mr. Hamill a Pop! with a unique sticker that said Funko Prototype 1/PCS (given to the actor at 2019 Funko Fundays).

Travelling to the Southern Cone, we discovered at FestiGame Coca-Cola Santiago de Chile 2018 two variants of GameStop Exclusives: Freddy Krueger (NES Colors) #26 and Jason Voorhees (NES Colors) #25. Although other variants of those Pop! 8 Bit are not difficult to find, these are limited to 140 pieces each one.

Now, it is time to review Europe. Back to 2013, one of the most limited Star Wars Pop! vinyl was launched in Germany as a variant from another SDCC exclusive, Boba Fett (Droids) #32 (480 pieces) at Star Wars Celebration Europe II. The next, another white whale, came from a Galaxy far away too, is Holographic Darth Vader #33 that was shown in Paris Comics Expo 2014 and Dallas Comic Con 2014, both sides of the Atlantic, respectively.

Another remarkable Pop! that we can find in the old continent is the Hot Topic version of Batman (Earth 2) from 2015 German Comic Con.

Other relevant European conventions are Europe MCM London Comic Con and Japan Expo (Paris – France), which always brought us a lot of alternatives to their original US exclusives.

In 2018, on the road to the African continent, we found more convention exclusives. The event was Comic Con Africa, and it took place in Johannesburg (South Africa). With joy, a year later, they surprised us again by bringing more sticker variants to hunt. As in Europe and South America, all the exclusives are interesting versions from US retailers like Simba Flocked #547 and Hell Boy with Sword #14.

We finish this journey heading East, finding interesting convention pieces on the Asian continent, most of them are Asia exclusives such as Legendary Creatures & Myths series.

Although there are some valuable sticker variants from SDCC, like Tony Stark (Unmasked) #32 on its 2013 ToyCon version from the Philippines, which was shown at Big Boys Toy Store booth, all Pop! series had an important role there, as we can see at Thailand Toy Expo and Bangkok Comic Con. Those highlights include the Freddy Funko (Polystone Bobblehead) variants,  Hanuman (Polystone), Dr. Doom (Metallic) #17 and from The Army of Darkness, Deadite (Glow in the Dark), all of them from 2014 BCC edition.

In 2016, at Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong (ACGHK), the start of the race would be given to the very first Street Fighter Pop!’s for fanatics of the video game franchise to hunt.

We’ll be seeing more Asia exclusives for a long while, which is wonderful.

Finally, in addition to the above events at the beginning of the article, I get the feeling that China will be very relevant in the world of Pop! in the years to come.

I hope you enjoy this review. Have an excellent week, let me know if you’d like to know more about Funko around the world convention exclusives in the comments below and keep on Popping!

The post Guest Blog: Funko’s Global History of Rare Convention Exclusives appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

Which ones did you score? Now you can add them to your Pop Price Guide collection.

See our entire catalog of New York Comic Con 2021 exclusives here, including shared exclusives.

NYCC 2021 Reveal (Shared exclusive)

All Might (GameStop)

Arthur (Funko-Shop)

Boba Fett (The Mandalorian) (Walmart)

Carnage (Walmart)

Eevee (Diamond Glitter) (Hot Topic)

Goofy (The Three Musketeers) (Amazon)

Jiraiya (Hot Topic)

Lafayette (Amazon)

Mose Schrute (GameStop)

Netherlands (It’s a Small World) (Funko-Shop)

Paulie Pigeon (ReedPop)

Pizza Rat (Purple Hat) (ReedPop)

Polaris (Glow in the Dark) (GameStop)

Pumpkin McNugget (Funko-Shop)

Savant (Amazon)

Stitch in Rollers (BoxLunch)

Tiamat with D20 (GameStop)

Tsuyu Asui (Hot Topic)

Yzma (BoxLunch)

Zodac (Toy Tokyo)

The post New York Comic Con 2021 Exclusives now on Pop Price Guide appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

Because of pandemic concerns, Funko is again playing host to its own Virtual Comic Con. But before the convention begins on Oct. 7 (through Oct. 12), we thought we’d look back at Funko’s most valuable New York Comic Con items from past conventions.

Remember, estimated values tend to fluctuate, especially as we add more items and price points to ensure the guide’s accuracy. Follow this link to view a current list of the most-valuable Funko New York Comic Con Exclusives found on Pop Price Guide. See our entire NYCC database here.

Top-10 Most-Valuable Funko New York Comic Con Exclusives

10. Speed Gonzalez [2017] ($510 – $530)

9. Brook [2018] ($670)

8. Wonder Woman (Black & White) [2011] ($720)

7. Sam, Dean & Crowley (Metallic) (Bloody) (3-Pack) [2015] ($790)

6. Boba Fett (Art Series) [2020] ($920)

5. Freddy Funko NYC (Pizza) [2020] ($930 – $1,580)

4. Boba Fett (Art Series) and Slave I Sling Bag [2020] ($1,010)

3. Qui Gon Jinn [2016] ($1,160)

2. Batman (Flashpoint) [2011] ($1,400)

1. Planet Arlia Vegeta [2014] ($3,020)

Can’t get enough of NYCC, SDCC or other Funko Comic Con exclusives? Bring that passion to the Pop Price Guide Squad. Our team of volunteers helps build and maintain the site by adding items, prices and UPC codes, curates subjects and much more. Message us at support@hobbydb.com for more information.

The post Funko’s Top-10 Most-Valuable New York Comic Con Exclusives on Pop Price Guide appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

While the NYCC has been cancelled because of COVID-19 fears, Funko will play host to its virtual New York City Comic Con during the week of Oct. 8-11, the original dates for the convention. It’s during this week when Funko’s NYCC and their shared exclusives will go on sale to the public. Have no fear, DC Comics fans, there are plenty of new Pop! Heroes reveals, as well.

Peruse the reveals from Day One and Day Two here.

This is a live blog, so make sure to check back throughout the day for the latest updates.

Pop! Venomized Magneto

Pop! Zombie Daredevil

Pop! Red Goblin

Pop! Miles Morales (Street Art)

Pop! Snake Plissken

Pop! The Joker (Breast Cancer Awareness)

Pop! Wonder Woman (Glow in the Dark)

Pop! Nightwing (Escrima Sticks)

The post Funko Reveals: New York Comic Con 2020 – Day Three appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

The day kicked-off with a trip to Springfield and the debut of Comic Book Guy and Werewolf Bart. But that was just the beginning with new lines of Spongebob Squarepants, McDonald’s and Danny Phantom so to follow.

Check below for all of the reveals from Day Two and peruse the best of Day One here.

< This is a live blog, so check back throughout the day for more reveals. >

Pop! Comic Book Guy and Werewolf Bart

Pop! Mermaidman and Barnacleboy

Pop! Danny Phantom

Pop! Captain Crook

Pop! Pikachu (Angry) (Flocked) and Growlithe (Flocked)

Pop! Bash (Fortnite)

Funko Vinyl Soda – Envy Adams with Silver Chase Piece

Pop! Fezzik (6-Inch)

Pop! Young Ben (The Umbrella Academy)

The post Funko Reveals: New York Comic Con 2020 – Day Two appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

That won’t stop Funko, however, from once again celebrating the annual event with its own NYCC 2020 exclusives and virtual convention.

Paulie Pigeon returns as this year’s mascot, alongside New York’s most viral star Pizza Rat. The duo kicks off Funko’s week of NYCC 2020 Reveals.

(This is a live blog, so check back regularly for updates.)

Pop! Pizza Rat & Paulie Pigeon

Pop! Carl & Ellie (Painting)

Pop! Dum Dums Drum Man

Pop! Harry Potter – The Burrow and Ron Weasley (World Cup)

Pop! Luke & Leia (Jedi Training) (2-Pop! Bundle)

Pop! The Child with Necklace

Pop! Jiminy Cricket (Umbrella)

The post Funko Reveals: New York Comic Con 2020 – Day One appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

Even if you can’t make it to Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Center this weekend (Oct. 3-6) you can still get in on the 2019 NYCC action.

Here’s a look at what’s new this week among Funko’s 2019 New York Comic Con reveals.

Shrimp Rick & Shrimp Morty

Shrimp Rick and Shrimp Morty have crawled out from their hiding spot as 2019 New York Comic Con exclusives. You can also find the briny duo as a Hot Topic shared exclusive.

Pop! The Mandalorian

Funko only drives our anticipation for the upcoming Disney series “The Mandalorian” into hyperspace with the announcement of a pair of 2019 New York Comic Con exclusives. The Mandalorian and the Sandtrooper each get stylish (battle-worn) new looks in time for the NYCC.

The Dark Crystal

Funko returns us to the planet Thra with a Pop! The Dark Crystal 2-Pack featuring The Wanderer and The Heretic.

Shared Exclusives

Here’s a look at all the 2019 New York Comic Con Shared Exclusives

Funko Shop’s Exclusives (per Funko):

Pop! $15.00 each – Limit of 1 each

• 5 Star: Scott Pilgrim – Scott Pilgrim
• 5 Star: Scott Pilgrim – Ramona Flowers
• 5 Star: Scott Pilgrim – Knives Chau
• Pop! Funko: Officer Freddy Funko
• Pop! Icons: NYCC Paulie Pigeon (Red)
• Pop! Icons: NYCC Paulie Pigeon (Black)
• Pop! Star Wars: The Mandalorian
• Pop! Marvel: Ms. Marvel
• Pop! Animation: Wacky Races – Clyde
• Pop! Animation: Wacky Races – Professor Pat Pending
• Pop! Television: Community – Britta Perry
• Pop! Movies: Back to the Future – Marty McFly
• Pop! Ad Icons: PEZ – Mimic the Monkey
• Pop! Ad Icons: PEZ – PEZ Girl
• Pop! Animation: Aku & Samurai Jack 2-Pack

Your 2019 New York Comic Con haul

How did you do? Were you able to land the 2019 New York Comic Con Exclusives that you coveted?

Let us know in the comments below.

The post Funko Takes Bite Out of the Big Apple with 2019 New York Comic Con appeared first on Pop Price Guide.

The company is rolling out more reveals this week as we rapidly approach this year’s NYCC, held Oct. 3-6 in New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

This is a live blog, so check back throughout the day for more reveals. Peruse previous reveals by clicking Day 3 and Day 2.

Pop! Disney & Pixar

Funko celebrates a pair of classic Disney characters with Mickey Mouse on Matterhorn Ride and Donald Duck (Firefighter). Mickey’s joy ride comes with a rarity of just 1,500 figures.

You’ve got a friend (several, actually) in Pop! Toy Story’s Dummy, as well as Kevin and the Carl’s house from “Up.“

Pop! Dragon Ball Z

Vegeta gets a fiery Final Flash iteration while Piccolo remains calm in the Lotus Position during Funko’s new Pop! Dragon Ball Z reveals.

The post New York Comic Con: Day 4 of Funko Reveals appeared first on Pop Price Guide.