Funko nearing bankruptcy

[Damien]

Y'know, the impulse buy thing - I was picking up a birthday gift for my nephew last night (he's into HOT WHEELS - kids are into HOT WHEELS in 2025? I found a car that was also a taco as a bonus gift I taped to his card, the taco car was a hit) and while I was looking for something for him I saw TINY POP Star Wars landspeeder with a tiny little pop Luke Skywalker fix bucks, and if I were feeling less willful I might've picked it up, because six bucks for a silly tiny Luke Skywalker is a pretty good impulse buy.

My point.


And yeah, Hot Wheels seem immune to the passage of time. Kids will never stop liking silly cars go vroom on floor. I, a bonafide NOT car person, had and enjoyed lots of Hot Wheels as a kid. It's just a thing that works, for whatever reason.

 

[docsilence]

(Typing too fast as usual - "fix bucks" was "for six bucks." Like, perfect impulse price.)

 

[Damien]

Too late. 'fix bucks' has been entered into the historical record. It's all you'll ever be remembered for.

 

[docsilence]

Fix Bucks is the name I use at the clinic.

 

[Stoopid_Sandwich]

I don’t think this would affect Mondo too much. They’re more of a subsidiary of Funko. On top of that they still do pretty well with their timed exclusives, figures and limited edition vinyls and posters and all that stuff. More than likely they will just go back to being their own entity if Funko collapses


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[Damien]

Fix Bucks is the name I use at the clinic.

PLEASE start writing trashy fantasy romance smut under the name Fix Bucks.

 

[gpmartin414]

I don’t think this would affect Mondo too much. They’re more of a subsidiary of Funko. On top of that they still do pretty well with their timed exclusives, figures and limited edition vinyls and posters and all that stuff. More than likely they will just go back to being their own entity if Funko collapses


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Eh, they’ll likely go down with the ship, too.

I’d guess that Funko will try and squeeze as much out of the higher end consumer market with Mondo as possible before it all crashes down.

I just wanted to finish the core X-Men and Ghostbusters rosters before that happens.


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[JakeEkiss]

My point.


And yeah, Hot Wheels seem immune to the passage of time. Kids will never stop liking silly cars go vroom on floor. I, a bonafide NOT car person, had and enjoyed lots of Hot Wheels as a kid. It's just a thing that works, for whatever reason.

I don't' know if you've heard of it, but there's a taqbletop... I guess wargame? It's basically Twisted Metal but you use Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars and you have maneuvers and rulers and you simulate a sort of death race. I haven't gotten to play it but I heard about it and somewhere deep in me my inner 5yr old was like *metal gear alert noise*.

 

[Damien]

I don't' know if you've heard of it, but there's a taqbletop... I guess wargame? It's basically Twisted Metal but you use Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars and you have maneuvers and rulers and you simulate a sort of death race. I haven't gotten to play it but I heard about it and somewhere deep in me my inner 5yr old was like *metal gear alert noise*.

Honestly, and with all due respect which is very little; none of that sounds fun to me. But I don't think I'm in the target demographic for 'car fighting game.'

 

[Mr_Saver]

I don't' know if you've heard of it, but there's a taqbletop... I guess wargame? It's basically Twisted Metal but you use Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars and you have maneuvers and rulers and you simulate a sort of death race. I haven't gotten to play it but I heard about it and somewhere deep in me my inner 5yr old was like *metal gear alert noise*.

There was an old Warhammer game called Gorka morka (like 30 years ago) and someone more or less revamped the rules with hotwhweels versions iirc.

Edit: or maybe it was the other way around where car wars came first and Gorka morka was a Warhammer version of that, I don’t really know for sure. I just know I have a friend who occasionally tries to get groups together for both lol

 

[Chooch555]

Do you all not remember the unfiltered joy that was Car Wars? That is if you like math. Our neighbor tried to get his mom and sister to play once. That did not go well.

 

[joshsquash729]

Oh yeah, toy cars ain't going anywhere. Heck, they're still making toys for Pixar's Cars, and the last movie came out in 2017. Them puppies are here to stay.

I agree with you about the art thing, Jake. I'm no more impressed if you claim it took you 10 minutes than 10 days; if anything, I think I'd be more impressed with something that took so much of your time because it really proves that you were dedicated to it. Not that amazing things can't be churned out quickly- some of the most famous songs of all time were supposedly written in an hour or less. One of my favorite small-time artists, who I've bought a decent amount from, does little sketch cards and I think he said he generally does about 1 a day, . Mind you, they're very much in his style- pencil that's then covered in pen that's then colored- so it's not the Mona Lisa, but I still really dig the look of. But it's art that feels like it could be done in a day or two, which isn't a knock at all- he's more talented than I'll ever be, but I appreciate that he's honest, the art feels like it matches the claim, and he usually posts progress pics to (more or less) prove it. It's why I always appreciate when places like NECA or what have you credit all the makers- sculptors, painters, etc. because it really does help me appreciate it all the more. Sure, there's a time when machines take over for the people, but still- I feel like you can always tell when things have those little human touches to them.

Regardless- if any of ya'll super talented artists are willing to share links to your stuff- I'd love to support however I can, if only with a follow.


Back on Funko- aeems like Dexerto took the article down. Speaking of, I've seen some folks say it was written by AI, which also wouldn't surprise me. Of course, them taking it down doesn't necessarily mean it's not true; the information in the article certainly seems to have weight to it, even if the article itself may not. It could've also inadvertently helped Funko a little bit if people saw it and felt like supporting. I guess only time will tell.

 

[Misfit]

Eh, they’ll likely go down with the ship, too.

I’d guess that Funko will try and squeeze as much out of the higher end consumer market with Mondo as possible before it all crashes down.

I just wanted to finish the core X-Men and Ghostbusters rosters before that happens.


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All depends on how much Mondo is valued. If they’re an asset, Funko probably sells them. If they’re not profitable or only marginally so they could go away as well. They could also just get absorbed into one massive sale where it doesn’t really matter. Then whoever buys Funko gets Mondo and could dissolve it or keep it going. There’s certainly still a lot that has to get sorted out before we know for sure.

 

[Stoopid_Sandwich]

All depends on how much Mondo is valued. If they’re an asset, Funko probably sells them. If they’re not profitable or only marginally so they could go away as well. They could also just get absorbed into one massive sale where it doesn’t really matter. Then whoever buys Funko gets Mondo and could dissolve it or keep it going. There’s certainly still a lot that has to get sorted out before we know for sure.

Judging from the articles I’ve read it sounds like the reason why Funko isn’t doing so hot is because their portfolio isn’t diversified enough to keep them solvent. Their business model has been to pump out as many Funko pops as possible and now they are too over saturated and no one is buying. It’s basically the beanie baby bubble.

Mondo however has a smaller portfolio but it’s more diversified and financially solvent because they still make money on nearly all of their products sold like gangbusters over the last ten years. And remember, it was Funko who purchased Mondo in a desperate attempt to remain financially stable in the first place because they were routinely forced into a position where they had to do round after round of mass layoffs to eliminate overhead. So they tried merging with a successful company and that hasn’t worked either. Buying a successful company like mondo in hopes that they will keep Funko afloat will not erase the fact that we still have an over saturation issue with too many POP vinyls on the market and no retailer can sell them and therefore has no intention of doing business with Funko ever again. I fully expect that now that Funko might possibly file for Chapter 7, Mondo will dissolve the merger themselves and be like “Thanks for letting us use your parking passes and company bathrooms, but we’re good.”


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[Schizm]

I fully expect that now that Funko might possibly file for Chapter 7, Mondo will dissolve the merger themselves and be like “Thanks for letting us use your parking passes and company bathrooms, but we’re good.”

Is this a thing that can be done? I've only ever seen mergers undone like that on TV and even then it's not believable.