Anton’s Toy Box: Funko POP! Tiny Terrors

Welcome to the table,

It’s Spooky Season. For me, that means it’s time to slow down, put my phone down, and try to become more present as we go into the winter months. One of the ways I strive to do that is by watching a massive list of horror movies that I compile throughout the year.

Ideally, I can get at least two in each night from September into November, and while those are lofty goals, I normally end up landing around six a week, giving me an opportunity to put the phone and laptop away and just hang out and watch a movie without things in hand to distract me. It’s a weird test of mental fortitude to not pick up the phone or grab a laptop and start working when a movie lulls, but it also feels like when I get through it year after year, I am a little less stressed and a little more dialed in to things I enjoy.

Aside from the self-expected mental health benefits, this time of year also gives me a chance to watch through a catalog of films from a franchise that has multiple offerings. Nightmare on Elm Street was on the stack a few years ago, the Saw films the year after that, last year was the Halloween films, and this year I am excited to dive into all of the Friday the 13th movies.

Now I don’t have a lot of experience with Friday the 13th outside of the remake in 2009 and the Freddy Vs. Jason film I watched in theaters when it was released back in 2003, and recently, during one of the holiday movie watchthroughs, but the mark they have left on pop culture is undeniable. The hockey mask, the slasher coming out of a lake and hunting at a summer camp, it’s all so ingrained in our conversations of horror that it has spilled over into other non-horror-related genres, much like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and “Ghost Face” from the Scream films have shown up in video games, cartoons, and comics in generas that range from kids shows to comedys.

These icons of horror no longer live in these forms that inspire terror at every turn. They have transcended into things that are frankly adorable. As an example, Funko POP! has recently showcased a few of these tiny terrors as part of their Halloween lineup.

Jason Voorhees, with his iconic mask and machete, starts out this lineup of fearsome little Funko POP! I dig the grey skin under the surface, and while I’m sure I’ll learn why, the one eye open all the way and the other half shut intrigues me to no end. You can catch your very own at this link.

Next up is Freddy Krueger, who, to date, still has one of my favorite lines in all of horror movies, “Welcome to prime time, bitch.”

You can score your own Freddy Krueger POP! at the link and check out the iconic delivery below.

Next up is Michael Myers. This version has a brand new pose from previous POP! incarnations. Fun story, I saw the Rob Zombie Halloween when it first came to streaming long, long, long ago. I was so confused because I had not really enjoyed other movies by Zombie that I watched it, then missed work or class or something, so I could sit and watch it again. I did this all by myself, in total silence, and upon completing it the second time, I knew that that version of the film was truly something special. To date, I still think that is my favorite offering in all of the Halloween movies. You can grab your own little version of Michael Myers at this link.

The list would be incomplete without mentioning Ghost Face from Scream. We recently watched all of the Scream movies, and I remember texting my pal Cullen and saying, “I don’t think I have seen any of these up and to this point!”

After he got done laughing at me, he got regular updates as we watched our way through all the movies, and honestly, as one of the hardest working people in comics and a true horror fan, that is going to stick with me as one of my favorite memories of all time. You can grab your own Ghost Face at this link.

An unsung and iconic in her own right, and a must add to this list for me, is going to be the Bloody variant of Abigail from the movie Abigail. If you have not watched this phenomenal vampire movie, you are for sure missing out. You can grab your own little Abigail at this link.

Last but not least is this absolutely awful, vomit-inducing abomination known as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and his weird Renfield-like lacky Elliot astride their flying bicycle. This freakshow is ready to sew nightmares in the minds of all who look upon his fecal-faced visage like some ancient Babylonian god come to rule over mankind in a way that would make a Cenobite uncomfortable. Look at him, leering in his shroud while sat like a bloated tick inside a milk crate as he mocks all things good and just in the world as he plots our ruin. I hate him so much. If for some awful reason, you want one, you can pick it up at this link.

Until next time, happy Spooky Season … and I hate E.T.