Review - Funko Pop! Dancing Baby Groot Figure

Guardians of the Galaxy was a superb film all-around. It had that perfect recipe that's seldom ever truly achieved in superhero cinema, and the mid-credits scene was the cherry that topped it off. Following GotG's debut, fans demanded that a toy or collectible be manufactured in the likeness of the lovable baby Groot, dancing within the confines of his flowerpot to the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back". The first manufacturer to answer this demand (though surely not the last) with anything larger than an inch-tall accessory is Funko, with this adorable, chibi-fied bobblehead.

Just so we're immediately clear: NO, IT IS NOT ELECTRONIC. This figure's dance repertoire consists only of head-bobbling (though he IS permanently posed mid-dance). So if you're holding out for an actual animatronic toy, you're probably best off waiting for a more elaborate model (I know I would end up buying both, lol).

That said, I LOVE my little Groot sapling (Grootling?), and he makes an adorable addition to my shelves.

The facial sculpt differs significantly from Groot's original, 'adult' Funko release. The indentations in the 'bark' are softer and shallower, and while the 'adult' Groot wears a rather stoic expression, this one dons an innocent, dimply smile with warm eyes. The simplistic face-up is very charming, and it's hard not to smile when you see its sweet expression. Suitably, baby Groot is also an inch or so shorter than his more matured counterpart.

We... are... Groot.

The body sculpt is very well done, even beyond the high standards I've come to expect from Funko's works. The paint is also quite good, with touches of spring green added in smooth gradients to the main body color. I also found no paint errors to speak of on mine!

Bottom line: When the demand hit, Funko jumped on the opportunity to produce the fan-favorite Baby Groot in toy form. The result is every bit as cute as could be asked for, and with an $8.99 USD price tag, it's a no-brainer for fans. It may not have all the smooth moves of its cinematic counterpart, but this gimmick-free figure definitely delivers. (Plus, I can't get the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" out of my head, now. ;))

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Review - Funko My Little Pony Vinyl Figure: Spitfire

Spitfire is one of my favorite characters in all of the MLP universe--who doesn't love a drill sergeant pony?--but I had long since given up on seeing her released as anything more than a blind bag figurine. I was drooling over fanmade customs and considering whipping out some model paints and a "bait" pony myself, when I spotted this... A full-sized Funko vinyl figure... of SPITFIRE.

Naturally, this was my reaction:

SO AWESOME!!!

Needless to say, I keep better tabs on upcoming MLP releases now. ...At any rate, I waited eagerly for my TRU order to arrive. When it did, I was pleased to find that many of the issues present in the first wave of Funko MLPs had been addressed. Seams are neater and less obvious, there's virtually no discoloration, and the plastic-y odor that plagued a percentage of the Wave 1's is completely absent. (Note: The plastic-y smell DID FADE ENTIRELY from my older Funko ponies after they were removed from their packaging and left to sit out for a few days. Still, it's nice that newer releases don't have to deal with it to begin with.)

Aside from manufacturing improvements, I have to say that this is probably the most detailed Funko MLP to date. Spitfire is portrayed in her full Wonderbolts uniform, complete with detailing and beautifully sculpted goggles.

Spitfire's mane and tail are new sculpts, whereas her head (with the additions of new eye shapes and goggles), body, and wings are made from Funko's generic MLP molds. As always, the sculpting is spot-on and I can't honestly find any fault in it. This Spitfire is a very faithful representation of the character, from the shape and volume of her mane to the positioning of her goggles' strap.

Paint apps for the mane and tail are just about perfect! Very nice and neat, with no discoloration or bleeding. The yellow "highlights" should really be more orange, but the color's not too far off. All in all, an excellent job.

Spitfire's eyes, ears, muzzle, goggles' strap, and costume details are painted over her blue base color. These apps are fairly clean all around; there are specks out of place here and there, but nothing major.

The paint apps on the Wonderbolts uniform fall just a little short. The lightning designs on the cuffs only wrap about halfway around each hoof, rather than forming a circle, and the uniform's yellow section ends at the bottom of the chest, rather than spanning the length of the belly. The "cutie mark" lightning bolt is only applied on the display (right) side, but this is true of every G4 pony. None of these issues are very noticeable while the figure is displayed, only if examined hands-on.

Spitfire's eyes are designed to resemble her early appearance in S1:E26 "The Best Night Ever", where she is chatting with other party-goers and looks casual and at ease.

Spitfire looks 20% cooler when displayed with Funko's Rainbow Dash! ;D

Here's a comparison between Spitfire's seams and those of the earlier Rainbow Dash figure. While Wave 1's imperfections were never significant enough to be deal-breakers for me, it's nice to see the line improving. :)

Bottom line: A great step forward for Funko MLP collectibles. If you liked the other ponies in this series, you'll be pleased to see the line expanding and improving. While not perfect, I found Spitfire to be well-worth her $14.99 USD price tag. :) And come on... it's SPITFIRE! You know your FiM collection won't be complete without her. ;)

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Funko Pop! Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt and Slave Leia Review

My love of bobbleheads has officially been renewed! These cuties are numbers #18 (Leia) and #22 (Jabba) in Funko Pop!'s line of Star Wars collectible vinyl bobbleheads. They stand at around 4" tall and look great together. Sadly, there are several instances of paint errors/color bleeding on the two I ordered. Not bad enough to be deal-breakers for me, but a shame nonetheless. In my opinion, their overall adorable factor makes up for these issues.

Jabba the Hutt

This is arguably the cutest Jabba ever, right down to his drool... and his facial expression is absolutely perfect. :) His sizable girth also sets him apart as the largest figure (and the only one with a proportionate head). The sculpt is fairly detailed, and just right for the cartoony look of the line. Jabba's body is hollow and lightweight, but it doesn't feel "cheap" at all.

Here's a view from behind. As you can see, there are no paint apps in back.

Here some paint issues are visible. There's chipping on Jabba's tongue and chin, and a streak of beige paint near the bottom-right of his face.

Slave Leia

Even as a super-deformed bobble head, Leia still manages to look like the spunky rebel princess we all know and love. She stands with her hands on her hips, defiant and clearly displeased with her current predicament.

The little details are all there: the designs on her signature metal bikini, the intricately braided hair, the jewelry, the collar... In fact, the only thing really missing is her chain, which is a bit unusual considering the instrumental role it plays in RotJ. Perhaps bobblehead Jabba watched the movie ("Spaceballs" style), and thought better of giving her one in the "Funko Pop! Star Wars Universe". (Or perhaps a chain would have just interfered with the spring that makes her head bobble.)

Unlike Jabba (who doesn't need one), Slave Leia includes a circular stand with "Star Wars" printed on the front. There are pegs to keep her in place, and she doesn't fall off of it no matter how many times you set her bobbling. ;)

I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail. Her hair ornament features a realistic texture that just adds that much more awesomeness to the figure. The rich, metallic-gold paint is also lovely.

Bottom line: These are adorable figurines, and I'm happy to add them to my SW collection. If paint errors really eat at you, though, I'd suggest buying these in store so that you can give them a first-hand examination.

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