After going digital in 2020 and 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and hosting a condensed version of the event in fall 2021, San Diego Comic-Con returns in full force this summer. Attendees will return to the hallowed halls of the San Diego Convention Center and the surrounding area to discover the latest and greatest from all corners of the entertainment industry. While many will be there to meet some of today's biggest celebrities or camp out to get the latest scoop on their favorite shows, highly-anticipated movies, upcoming comic books, and exciting games, others will be flocking to the booths on the main floor to pick up rare and elusive collectibles.
As with most massive modern conventions these days, companies will roll out exclusive shirts, pins, statues, figures, replicas, variant covers, and more to celebrate SDCC this year. But some of the most coveted items will likely come from the Funko booth. The nostalgic toy company from Washington state originally hit the scene in 1998 with bobbleheads. Since then, they've expanded their library of IP to include some of the most beloved characters in the history of pop culture. Headlined by their flagship POP! vinyl figures, the collecting community has gone wild for these little figures.
So when Funko announced their exclusives for the 2022 edition of SDCC earlier this week, many people (including a number of us in the /Film newsroom) were ecstatic to see what would be available this year. To make things easier for our fellow Funko fanatics out there, we've created this guide to help you navigate the list and pick out your top targets before they drop.
Television POPs
The list begins with the Funko POP that we exclusively revealed from the wildly popular Netflix series "Squid Game." As seen in the vicious game of "Red Light, Green Light" on the show, it's the POP version of the Young-Hee Doll that oversees the game. You can welcome this unnerving character into your home. Just don't make sudden movements when she arrives.
Funko"Parks and Recreation" POP fans are about to get Jammed! Pawnee's resident dentist and councilman Jeremy Jamm is coming to SDCC. This mini version of Jon Glaser's character is the perfect compliment for one of your five bathrooms. Or he could live happily on your shelf next to his favorite frenemy Leslie Knope. On the third hand, you can put him wherever you want. Just know that he's going to tell everyone that it was his idea.
FunkoIn case you were looking for your very own bedtime penguin pal, Funko has you covered. Hugsy the penguin will be making the trip from Joey Tribbiani's bedroom on the show "Friends" to the con in sunny San Diego.
FunkoThis year's SDCC will be the first place that you can acquire a Funko POP from the massively popular Apple TV+ show "Ted Lasso." Naturally, the first entry into the line is Jason Sudeikis' titular beloved coach. Based on the limited nature of these exclusives and the seemingly endless number of AFC Richmond fans in the Funko community, it could prove extremely difficult to score Ted Lasso for your team, but hopefully there will be a whole line on the way at a later date.
FunkoRounding out the general television section of our list is the Dark Demogorgon from "Stranger Things." While this is the same sculpt as the common POP released back in 2017, there are a few things that stand out about this one. Aside from its ability to glow in the dark, it will also be bundled with a Loungefly bag.
FunkoThere may be other Demogorgon variations available, but if you're looking to complete your collection of these Upside Down dwellers, this set is can't miss.
Anime POPs
A whole new generation of anime is capturing the hearts and minds of fans today, so it's not that surprising to find that this category has the most exclusive offerings from Funko's lineup at this year's SDCC. From old classics to new favorites, there's a little something here for anime fans of all ages. For example, we have this deep cut from the "Dragon Ball Z" episode "Goku's Ordeal," which sees Goku and Piccolo trying to get their drivers licenses. It was hilarious to see these mighty warriors tackle every day tasks for once, and now we have this POP to remind us of that fun filler episode.
FunkoHailing from "Jujutsu Kaisen," Yuji Itadori joins the list of SDCC 2022 Funko exclusives. Armed with the Cursed Energy-imbued dagger known as Slaughter Demon, he and the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School Occult Club are prepared to purge Japan of Cursed spirits.
FunkoA hero in his own right during his younger days, Sorahiko Torino AKA Gran Torino is now more focused on mentoring the next generation of heroes like Deku in "My Hero Academia." And thanks to Funko and SDCC, this stern yet effective teacher can whip your collection into shape.
FunkoAll hail the Queen of the Walls! Once known as Krista Lenz, Historia Reiss has embraced her lineage and dons the royal regalia of her title in order to rule over your "Attack on Titan" collection.
FunkoThe sadistic Enmu from "Demon Slayer" is next on the list. On behalf of the Twelve Kizuki, Enmu is ready to face Tanjiro, Inosuke, and the other Demon Slayers or any other heroes that await him in your POP collection.
FunkoThe characters of "Naruto" and "Boruto" are no strangers to fighting. But to give her an edge in battle, Cho-Cho Akimichi is prepared to go another round as she activates her Butterfly Mode, the ancient technique of her clan that converts calories into chakra to enhance their combat abilities.
FunkoFinally, the anime POP section wraps up with one of the OG starters from "Pokemon." But this isn't just a regular Charmander. Previously, we've seen the 10-inch, diamond glitter, flocked, and metallic silver versions of this beloved fire-type Pokemon. Now we can add a regular metallic version to the mix.
FunkoAll that's left is glow in the dark, scented, and the mega-sized variants to check the remaining variants off the list.
Star Wars POPs
If you're lucky, you won't need Hondo Ohnaka's help to acquire these "Star Wars" exclusives from San Diego Comic Con. Three characters from a galaxy far, far away are headed to Funkoville in Southern California this summer, and fans of the latest Lucasfilm shows on Disney+ are sure to be pleased with their arrival.
First, after being introduced alongside Doctor Aphra in the 2015 Marvel Comics series "Darth Vader" by writer Kieron Gillen and illustrator Salvador Larroca, the Wookie bounty hunter Krrsantan made his live action debut in "The Book of Boba Fett." He initially arrived in Mos Espa to try to assassinate the town's new Daiymo on behalf of the Hutts, but ended up joining Fett's side to face the Pyke Syndicate. And at this year's SDCC, Ol' Santy can be on your side too.
FunkoWhen the newly minted Grand Inquisitor Reva was dispatched by Darth Vader to retrieve his former master in "Obi-Wan Kenobi," she called in some big guns to help her with this task. That's when the Purge Troopers entered the fray. These elite stormtroopers were meant to be an expendable death squad for the Inquisitors to aid as they carried out Order 66.
FunkoCompleting the "Star Wars" collection for this con is Cassian Andor, the star of the upcoming Disney+ series "Andor." While we previously saw the end of his story in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," we're about to dive into the beginning thanks to the House of Mouse's streaming service this August. But before that, he'll be the latest character to join the ever-expanding line of "Star Wars" Funko POPs.
FunkoWe're sure there will be plenty more Funko POPs from the "Andor" series announced once the series starts airing later this year.
Marvel POPs
On the Marvel side of things, you can't go wrong with Spider-Man. The House of Ideas' first offering comes from the All-New All-Different era, as Miguel O'Hara's redesigned Spider-Man 2099 suit from 2015 has been immortalized in POP form. This suit has also appeared as an alternate costume in "Marvel's Spider-Man," the acclaimed Playstation video game from Sony and Insomniac Games.
FunkoThe next exclusive depicts Silk, a classmate of Peter Parker's that was bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave him his powers. The superhero alter ego of Cindy Moon appears in her 2014 debut costume, which she created using her webs after emerging from the room that kept her safe from the spider-hero hunting Morlun for over a decade.
FunkoAfter appearing in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," America Chavez emerges from one of her star-shaped portals and smashes her way into San Diego Comic Con. After previously appearing in the line of POPs for this film twice already, some may be saying, "America, no." But once they see how cool this latest sculpt looks, everyone will be saying, "America, YES!"
FunkoWhen the titular hero of "Moon Knight" needed help facing off against Arthur Harrow and Ammit in Cairo, badass archeologist and Marc Spector's wife Layla El-Faouly stepped up to be the avatar of the god Taweret and become the Scarlet Scarab. Now armed with a super cool suit of her own, Layla can protect Egypt, the MCU, and your Funko POP collection from rogue gods, should more pop up in the future.
FunkoWhile there were many highlights from "Loki," the appearance of Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains has to be near the very top. Luckily, despite this variant meeting his demise, Majors will return as the more well-known version of this character named Kang the Conqueror in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" next year. But to commemorate the first time True Believers met the all-knowing director of the TVA, you can add this exclusive to your collection.
FunkoAnd for the final exclusive Marvel Funko Pop from this year's SDCC, the company is bringing in a big star. And by that we mean that they have taken the wildly popular Miss Minutes from "Loki" and super-sized her.
FunkoThis version of the character measures in at around 10 inches tall and she glows in the dark. Or, to put it another way based on how tall she looks on the show, you can now have a life-sized Miss Minutes in your life.
DC Comics POPs
DC Entertainment is bringing a trio of POP exclusives to the con this year that represent some of the most popular characters in their roster. Starting with a relatively new addition to the DC family, John Cena's version of Peacemaker from James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" and the hit HBO Max sequel series has a brand new POP to add to his ever-growing (hit) list of merchandise. This time, he's sporting either the anti-gravity or sonic blast helmet and throwing up a peace sign.
FunkoContrary to what the logo in the upper right hand corner says, this Starfire is not from Joss Whedon's or Zack Snyder's "Justice League." This isn't even the Starfire from "Titans," which inhabits another corner of the DC Extended Universe. Instead, as confirmed by the Funko App, this is the version of the character that appears in the comic books as part of both teams. But regardless of which version this POP portrays, this is a pretty great representation of Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran.
FunkoThe last DC exclusive brings to life not only one of the best moments from any of DC's movies, but one of the best moments of cinema. In Tim Burton's "Batman Returns" from 1992, Danny DeVito plays Oswald Cobblepot, aka the notorious Penguin. And not only does he employ an army of penguins to do his bidding, but he also rides around Gotham City in a giant, yellow, all-terrain duck vehicle. I can't emphasize how great this ducky car is, and clearly Funko understands that as well because now we have the Penguin in the duck with a penguin minion heading straight for SDCC. If that little penguin also has a rocket launcher on its back, then this might be the best POP ever made.
FunkoAnimated Series POPs
The animation category features a quartet of characters from shows that have spanned multiple generations at this point. Starting with the youngest show and character on the list, we have "South Park" star Stan Marsh from the season 14 episode "You Have 0 Friends." A parody of "TRON" with Stan as the Kevin Flynn character, the elementary schooler tries to delete his Facebook profile after it becomes more trouble than it's worth.
FunkoA lot of villains claim to be the "ultimate evil," but it might be difficult to find another foe that was literally pieced together to be exactly that. In "G.I. Joe," Doctor Mindbender and Destro genetically engineered a clone with DNA taken from Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Hannibal, and Attila the Hun to create the strongest leader Cobra has ever had. More powerful than Cobra Commander, Serpentor is the Cobra Emperor and now he's also a Funko POP thanks to SDCC.
FunkoHere's a deep cut for "Masters of the Universe" fans. This exclusive Laser Sword He-Man POP is based on a figure that Mattel didn't even release in North America back in the late 1980s. Toy designer David Wolfram shared in an interview that it was strictly an international release towards the tail end of the brand's popularity. But now thanks to Funko, the design is reborn as a POP with an interesting connection to "MOTU" history.
FunkoUnicron is the biggest bad you can get in the world of "Transformers." You don't just earn nicknames like the Dark God, the Destroyer, and the Chaos Bringer for nothing, right?
FunkoFor the kids that met him in his debut in 1986's "Transformers: The Movie," he certainly lived up to those monikers and more as the Orson Welles-voiced titan annihilated many of the most beloved Transformers on the big screen. Now Funko has awakened the ancient evil to unleash his wrath upon your POP collection.
Miscellaneous POPs
The final four exclusives didn't really fit in any of our other categories, but we love them all the same. And you can show some love to SDCC itself by adding the latest POPs of their Toucan mascot to your con haul. This year, the beloved bird is available as a pirate or a guitar-playing rock star.
FunkoWhile Marvel and "Star Wars" are well-represented at SDCC this year, surprisingly, there's only one classic Disney character on the POP exclusive list for 2022: Bambi with his butterfly friend. Maybe Funko will be rolling out more offerings during the next D23 Expo, Disney's own convention similar to Star Wars Celebration.
FunkoAfter collecting all the Chaos Emeralds and some rings, the speedy Sega superstar Sonic has leveled up! Previously available as a Gamestop exclusive, Super Sonic speeds into SDCC with a brand new sculpt that reflects his first video game appearance. Plus, the latest POP from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" line glows in the dark.
FunkoFinally, the last exclusives from this year's San Diego Comic Con combines two fan-favorite franchises into one great set of Funko POPs. Based on the five-part 2019 crossover comic series from BOOM Studios and IDW Publishing, where the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers leave Angel Grove and journey to New York City to join forces with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, these POPs depict Leonardo as the Blue Ranger and Donatello as the Black Ranger.
FunkoBased on the popularity of the Hasbro Power Rangers Lightning Collection figures based on this comic, I wouldn't be surprised if these were in high demand as well. But here's hoping they release the rest of the rangers to go along with them, too.
Where To Find This Year's SDCC Funko POP Exclusives
Now that we've run down all the exclusive Funko POPs at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, here's the part where we tell you where to get them. In addition to be available on the Comic-Con showfloor, as with many events throughout the year, certain exclusives will be shared with retailers so that the general public (and the con attendees that don't win the Funko lottery) have a fair chance at getting in on the action as well. Below, see where in the United States you can find the collectibles you're hunting for when they drop.
FunkoFor international readers, Funko has separate graphics detailing the retail shared exclusives in the UK, France, Italy, and more. Plus, you can also find more information about exclusives from other Funko-owned brands like Loungefly, a company known for their cute pop culture-themed bags and accessories, and the recently acquired Mondo, who are known for their awesome movie posters, records, and other collectibles.
This year's San Diego Comic-Con takes place at the San Diego Convention Center from July 21, 2022 to July 24, 2022. Typically, Funko's exclusives drop on the morning of the con's first day, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for announcements on social media when they go live. Happy hunting!
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The post Every Single Funko POP Exclusive Coming to San Diego Comic-Con This Summer appeared first on /Film.
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