Funko Reveals Plans for SDCC 50th Anniversary

Funko is gearing up for the 50th Anniversary of Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) with a full range of fan-centric events and exclusives to be sold from the company’s first-ever double-decker booth (No. 5341). The massive, 30-foot x 10-foot space will feature more than 75 SDCC exclusive vinyl figures.

The Washington-based purveyor of pop culture collectibles and consumer products will arrive at SDCC with new products spawned by an exclusive licensing partnership that allowed Funko and Comic-Con to develop and co-brand exclusives for the five-day event.

“We have a lot of exciting news in store for the 50^th Comic-Con including utilizing the official mascot of Comic-Con, the adored Toucan,” says Brian Mariotti, chief executive officer of Funko. “With this great milestone also came a great opportunity for our team to dream and create exciting new products for our fans. It’s going to be quite a memorable experience with a Funko event display that will not disappoint.”

Funko exclusives available for purchase will include the San Diego SDCC Toucan Mascot Pop! vinyl figure, a Batman Pop! vinyl figure holding an SDCC bag and an SDCC Toucan Mascot Pop! PEZ. Additionally, Pop! packaging will feature 50^th artwork and the iconic SDCC eye logo.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our 50^th annual event with some exciting branded merchandise,” comments David Glanzer, chief communications and strategy officer for Comic-Con. “Our beloved Toucan mascot will be immortalized as, not only a timeless PEZ dispenser, but also one of the highly recognizable Pop! vinyl figures.”

Additionally, Funko will once again host its annual fan event — Freaky Tiki Fundays. Already sold-out, a waitlist for tickets has been established for those hoping for a shot at scoring entrance to the legendary event.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.