The following is a guest post by Andrew Kardon, professional dad and blogger over at Pops4Me.com, a site celebrating the adorableness of Funko Pop Figures.
No doubt you’ve seen those Funko Pop Figures at some point on your recent shopping trips. Every place from Target to Best Buy to Barnes & Noble has at least some of these adorable plastic little guys. And they cover everything from Harry Potter to superheroes.
I’m a big fan of comic books, particularly Marvel comics (aff). In fact, it was on a Disney blogger trip that I first met Lisa. We were covering the DVD release of Big Hero 6 (We met Baymax!), and I quickly discovered Lisa’s love of comics (aff) as well. So when I was looking to do some guest posting, I reached out to a number of blogger buds, and was super excited to be offered a slot here on My Thoughts Ideas and Ramblings.
Lisa’s often writing about kids toys (Playmobil still rules!), Legos and all things Disney. I’ve been itching to do a fun post about Pop Figures and Nickelodeon (or Nick Jr.) cartoons. Funko hasn’t done much in that area except for some figures based on classics like Rugrats and Hey Arnold! But if they could do a Kool-Aid Man Funko Pop Figure, then they can certainly hit up Nick Jr.
10 Nick Jr. Shows That Deserve Pop Figures
Dora the Explorer
This one’s a real shocker to me. How could Dora, the most famous of explorers, not have her own Funko Pop Figure? She, Boots and Backpack alone could make up three figures in a line. Toss in cousin Diego and that naughty Swiper, and you’ve got a runaway hit.
Blue’s Clues
I have something to admit. I think I loved Blue’s Clues more than my kids did when it was on. Steve and those classic blue striped shirts were almost hypnotic. And those dancing salt and pepper shakers? Classic! And once you hear “We just got a letter!” sung out, it’s stuck with you for days. We definitely need a Blue, Steve and maybe a Side Table Drawer figure. Come on, Funko, get a clue!
Max and Ruby
The one thing about this adorable bunny-starring cartoon that always bugged me and my sister: Where were Max and Ruby’s parents? Yes, Grandma always came to visit, but Max is a toddler and Ruby’s not much older so I never understood how they could’ve been left alone! With all the crazy outfits and games they wore, I’d love to see standard Max, Ruby and Grandma Pop Figures, but also Max in hockey gear, Max the superhero and Max as the Big Bad Wolf.
Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
Wubbzy! was actually a really cute show about, er, this energetic, dog/cat/wubbzy-like critter who just loved having fun. He just screams for a Funko Pop Figure, along with his best buddies Walden the bookworm and Widget the inventor.
Backyardigans
I have a lot of horrific flashbacks to reading (and re-reading) a Backyardigans storybook to my kids. So forgive me if I’m not the biggest fan. This quintent of colorful animals did have one ginormous imagination though. I could see a line of Pop Figures starring the whole gang: Pablo, Tyrone, Uniqua, Tasha and Austin.
Franklin
It’s tough to not love a sweet six-year-old turtle named Franklin. To be honest, he was pretty fast for a turtle too, and even played soccer. I loved the original books this show was based on and Franklin and his pal Bear most definitely deserve the Funko treatment.
Bob the Builder
Can he build it? Oh, yes he can! The claymation-style animation of Bob the Builder always sucked me in. The talking construction vehicles got my boys every time. Let’s give Bob (with his feline friend Pilchard) and Wendy their own Pop Figures, along with Muck, Scoop, Dizzy, Lofty and Roley.
Maisy
Okay, now this one really stings. Yes, the bright, colorful characters of Lucy Cousins’ Maisy the mouse were pretty adorable for little ones. But I swear I entered the seventh level of Hell when my oldest was really little and simply wouldn’t sleep one night. I have vivid nightmares of cradling him at 3 am on the couch while we watched episode after episode after episode of Maisy and her (incredibly dumb) crocodile friend named Charley. Give them both a Pop Figure and let’s move on, shall we?
Oswald
Voiced by “The Wonder Years” star Fred Savage, the crazy, kooky world of Oswald the Octopus was a place I would love to have visited. I mean the whole thing took place in Big City where a safety-first Octopus and his dog Weenie lived. We definitely deserve Pop Figures of Oswald and Weenie, along with Henry the penguin and Daisy the, er, daisy.
Little Bear
And finally, we end with Little Bear, quite possibly the most boring cartoon ever created for children. He looked cute but man, even his name and his friends names (Owl, Hen and Cat) are boring. Still, the curious cub and his pals deserve some space on the Funko Pop Figure shelves of your local store.