Orrin Fordjour is a veteran collector and connoisseur of all things Funko, as well as hobbyDBās 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 cityās 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. Itās 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 ā 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 Iāve 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 couldnāt 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 Jamesā 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 didnāt 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 āGet out of my store!ā from the owner, Omar. He was busy packing up for NYCC, so we didnāt chat for long, but the shop was a treasure trove of rare Funko Pops and collectibles. We also visited Marshallās, 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. Iām 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 ā 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 ā 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 didnāt 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 āroaming Funko,ā which I returned to its home in America.
-Funko Booth
From photos and videos, Iād always seen glimpses of the Funko booth, but seeing it in person was something else. The lines were packedāwow, 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. Iād sneak a peek around the corner here and there to see what was going on inside the boothāit 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 Funkoās 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 optionāperfect 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 prototypeāspotted by a lucky fan who won it!
Thrilljoy even offers a āchaseā variant. The Mega Pix figure includes interchangeable hands, and I believe the hands can be swapped out with others as wellāa 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 donāt yet ship outside the USA, but it may only be a few months away. Congratulations to Brian and the entire Thrilljoy teamāI canāt 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 couldnāt 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! Iām 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. Iād 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 ā it was absolutely amazing! Protoās, 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 couldnāt 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 ā every part of it was worth it. Exploring New York and meeting friends Iāve known online for years brought so many memories that Iāll 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 ā even with everything she had to manage at home.
Feeling inspired to plan your own trip to New York City and NYCC? Donāt 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 ā Iād be happy to help! One thingās for sure: if possible, Iāll be back next year to relive this incredible adventure!