Top 11 Marvel Characters and their Funko Pop! Vinyl Renditions: #SuperHeroSaturday

It’s #SuperHeroSaturday and yes, Ozzie is nerding the heck out. Thank you for asking.

Marvel is really upping the ante in terms of new releases this year, no doubt attempting to trump DC after the hype of films doing flawlessly at Box Office like Wonder Woman and garnering endless discussion like Justice League and Aquaman.

Whilst it can definitely be argued that it has taken Marvel an embarrassing long time to give its badass female characters the attention that they deserve, this has been steadily gaining traction, with upcoming releases such as Captain Marvel and Black Widow’s very own standalone film. (Although some might think it’s a little past time to see Scarlett Johansson on screen in another wig for 3 hours.)

We wish that this list could be a million miles long to cover all of the awesome Marvel characters that are out there (there’s more than 756!) That being said, let’s get into Ozzie’s picks for the top 11 Marvel characters getting hype right now, including their super cute and super stylised Funko Pop! Vinyl counterparts!

#11: Carol Danvers

Ah, yes, Captain Marvel, everyone’s favourite poster child for the franchise. Also known as Ms. Marvel, Carol is set to debut in her own film scheduled for release in 2019 and in part 2 of the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War duology. We’re literally turning to dust with anticipation, y’all. Her Pop! Vinyl rendition features Carol unmasked and clad in her classic red and blue, though there will no doubt be future releases as this character finally gets the attention and popularity she deserves over the next coming years!

#10: Luke Cage

Gaining traction since his self-titled Netflix show, this character is one popular both for his flaws and flawlessness. (Think: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt but, y’know, literally.) From his fantastically executed on screen relationship with other fan favourite Jessica Jones to his well-written dialogue with Daredevil, this is one character who definitely deserves the hype. (And a whole lot more.) Cage is depicted here as a US exclusive in his power man get-up and makes a great addition to any Marvel fanatic’s collection!

#9: Valkyrie

After her popularity in Thor: Ragnarok, this one is a no-brainer. Whether you’re a fan of the classic blonde haired Viking or the snarky alcoholic played by Tessa Thompson, there’s a Valkyrie for every fan of strong female characters and well-executed fight scenes both in film and comic. The Thor 3 Pop! Vinyl features Valkyrie in her sleek black movie get-up, complete with blades. If you’re not in love with this character design, there may be something wrong with you.

#8: Thor

God of Thunder, King of Asgard, Son of Odin, and Aussie heartthrob. (Oh yeah!) He’s got, like, a hundred aliases, and it isn’t hard to see why this mythology-inspired Marvel hero is a fan favourite! With his “it’s complicated” relationship with brother Loki, excellent character portrayal by Hemsworth, and the decidedly comedic (and brilliant) turn that Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok took and inspired in Infinity War, you can’t really fault this classic character. We like this Avengers 3: Infinity War release for its classy design depicting Thor’s new Look™, complete with scar, beard, and totally-copying-Steve-Rogers short hair. Definitely a strong contender as far as our favourite Marvel Pop! heroes go. Yes!

#7: Wolverine

He’s not short, he’s fun-sized! (And, as the idiom goes, he’s definitely that grumpy because he’s closer to Hell.) Logan/James Howlett (yes, we love the irony too) has been a fan favourite since his original debut, and the success of the X Men franchise and Logan (2017) have only led to an increase in popularity with this character among Marvel collectors. We love him because he’s played by an Aussie, too! Check out this 2017 New York Comic Con Exclusive Pop! Vinyl rendition of Old Man Logan. That’s one to display in the box!

#6: Daredevil

Another fan favourite to jump on the Netflix bandwagon, Matt Murdock is an anti-hero cashing in big time on the new age popularity of morally questionable protagonists. A lot of Matt’s appeal comes from his multi-layered, complex characterisation as a superhero with a disability, and there is plenty of Daredevil merch to boot for dedicated collectors: no duh, with a character design that is such an instant classic. This Pop! design steps away in the right direction from the blocky, original Funko moulds, depicting Daredevil in his classic red suit. 

#5: The Hulk/Bruce Banner

So, these two are sort of a package deal. There’s just so much to love about this dynamic: from the brilliant, albeit hopelessly nerdy Bruce Banner (a characterisation which Mark Ruffalo only serves to encourage; seriously, name someone more suited to this role) to his mean, green counterpart. The Incredible Hulk is just one of those Marvel classics that have had so many reboots, re-imaginings, and film after film that you’d think the franchise would have died out already… but it hasn’t. The MCU is still bringing us fresh material with this awesome character every year, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for him with the release of Infinity War! You can pre-order a recently returning Pop! version of Hulk ala Ragnarok’s gladiator style here. We love this one because, although his absurdly tall helmet gives an extra mile of height, there is no denying that it looks seriously cool on display for any collector. A must-have.

#4: Black Panther

97% on Rotten Tomatoes with flawless female characters, believable dialogue, and a desperately needed refresher to the MCU ala Wakanda? We’ll take 10, please. Yes, fans have been waiting on this one for a long time. Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa was an instant fan favourite and will no doubt continue to bring brilliant things in Marvel films to come. This is one I could talk about ‘til I died. Someone shut me up, please. T’Challa is depicted here with his mask off, complete with his in-film costume and silver collar as per some Shuri genius. This one comes with a masked chase edition, too!

#3: Captain America and the Winter Soldier

Yes, we put these two together because… well, because. Where there’s a Steve, there’s a Bucky, and fans are still going nuts for this duo even in light of films like Civil War and Infinity War (seriously, that first one was a movie about Cap— where was the BFF screen time?) The transition that both of these characters have taken over the span of decades of comics and films is long-winded and chock full of fandom intricacies, but nothing will arguably beat the pure perfection of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Fans are seriously looking forward to yet another reunion promised in Infinity War, but in the meantime, we have Pop! Vinyls to tide us over. You can get Cap here as in full Infinity War film getup, and a one-armed Bucky here. It’s about time for a two-pack!

#2: Spiderman

This is one that has been tried and tested time and time again. We thought we’d been blessed when we were given Toby Maguire’s delightfully awkward emo venom-ised Spiderman in 2007, but fans have continued to be surprised by revivals like Andrew Garfield’s sarcastic Peter Parker in The Amazing Spiderman (2012) and now Tom Holland’s teenaged Stark fanboy in Spiderman: Homecoming (2017). It seems like the franchise can only go up from here, and now that Spidey has officially been integrated into the MCU ala Avengers, fans can’t wait to see how the character’s trajectory will fare against that of his sarcastic comic persona! Peter looks great in his Iron Spider suit in this unmasked US Exclusive release, and makes the perfect addition to an Infinity War set or on any Marvel collector’s shelf.

#1: Deadpool

There’s a reason everybody’s favourite vigilante mercenary falls into our #1 spot, and it definitely isn’t his good looks or charming personality. Wade Wilson is a favourite for a bucket load of reasons, not limited to his witty dialogue, complex comic characterisation, and overt use of fourth-wall breaks. He’s a little insane and definitely not for kids, and since the release of his own standalone film in 2016 (and the upcoming one this year!) he has only been gaining traction amongst Marvel collectors. Fans are now looking forward to future appearances in the X-Men franchise and are hoping for a little more screen-time (and maybe a much needed on-screen debut with Spidey in lieu of the comics. We can dream, guys.) You can get him here on his scooter from the same collection where he was depicted, uh, reclining (#Goldbluming). Perfect for display anywhere in your home, or to cuddle up with at night. Oh, that sweet, cold vinyl.

Who’s your favourite Marvel character? Tell us who you think should have made the list in the comments!

Happy collecting, everyone