Geeklings, you remember our good friend Tiffani Bennett? Of course, you do she was here a little while ago talking about coming out of the Fan Girl Closet. Good news! She’s back with a brand new column on this most glorious Friday. That’s right, we’re really spoiling you with content this week. You’re welcome, you’re welcome. 

And after you reading Tiffani’s post why not hang around the site a little and read some of our other awesome content. Especially if you’re new here. Just click a couple of these links and find yourself in an I Am Geek wormhole. Tell your friends

• The Oscars Make A Change
• Does Venom Need Spider-Man?
• SDCC’18 Breakdown
• Is Ant-Man About to Save the MCU?
• Is the Arrowverse Jumping the Shark with Batwoman?

And so much more! But enough of me plugging the site, here’s Tiffani with a column that speaks very loudly to my heart. Enjoy! 

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What are those little bobblehead figures that suddenly seemed to come out of nowhere you ask?  They are only one of the most popular and fast-growing trends in Fan World today.  But I’ll tell you what they really are.  They are an addiction.  Yes, you heard me right.  Those little suckers are every collector’s nightmare.  Because like the title of this piece states, once you Pop!, you can’t stop!

Funko Pops! have been around a lot longer than people think.  The company was actually founded back in 1998.  Their first bobblehead (called a Wacky Wobbler back then) was Big Boy.  Yeah, the cute hamburger restaurant guy with the red and white checkered overalls.  There is a whole Netflix documentary on it.  You should watch it, because that’s not the purpose of this piece.  I’m here to tell you about my obsession and the ridiculousness that has become my collection.

Almost three years ago I was searching on Amazon for a Birthday gift for one of my girlfriends.  She’s super obsessed with Loki and all things Tom Hiddleston, as I am now.  Searching “Loki” on Amazon always pulls up Pops!  Go ahead, try it.  See?  Without failure the first couple of items are Pops!  So, I did what any good friend would do.  I bought her one.  I should have known, but she already had one.  She also had a few others that I didn’t see on Amazon and didn’t really know about.  I honestly didn’t even realize it was a thing.  Why more than one?  Okay, so one for each movie, I get it. Wait, there are variants?  It was right then and there that she warned me not to buy any for myself.  I didn’t listen.

Maybe six months later, while shopping at Hot Topic (don’t judge me, I was looking for #fangirl clothes – See previous column “Coming out of the #fangirl Closet” to catch up) and those boxed bobbleheads caught my eye.  I wandered to the back of the store to check out what selection they had.  I was amazed at how many different genres there were.  After shifting a few boxes, I noticed there was a Pop! of Seth from Super Bad.  I love Jonah Hill and that movie so, I grabbed it.  Then as I gazed up a shelf I saw Kylo Ren.  Damn you Funko, you got me.  Star Wars Pops!?!  This is bad, this is very bad.

These two Pops! were the very start of my collection.  In the very beginning, I tried to limit myself to only Marvel, Star Wars and Game of Thrones.   I found myself wanting to complete collections.  I mean, I already had Seth from Super Bad, why not acquire McLovin and Evan as well?  “Jenko and Schmidt from 21 Jump Street are half off?  Getting them.”  This is what I went through for the first few months ladies and gents.  If there was anything on sale or was related to anything I enjoyed in entertainment, it was mine.

As the collection grew my Pops! found themselves in my guest bedroom on a shelf.  As friends and family came over and noticed my growing collection the comments started.  “Are those toys?”  “Do you just leave them there in the box?”  “Oh my god, I feel like they are going to attack me in my sleep or something.”  I was a little embarrassed at first.  I wasn’t a collector of anything really and now I have all of these bobbleheads that seemed to stare right at you.  But then I realize, my husband has a GI Joe collection and no one shames him.  The fact is, his collection is packed away in boxes and not out for all to see.

The collection has since moved to my studio as there are now a little over 250 Pops!.  Including a Khal Drogo Pop! I was able to have Jason Momoa sign for me after making the trip to Wizard World Philly Comic Con this year.  I have even obtained two giant 10 inch Pops! from Target too. One of Thanos from the Infinity War line and a Porg from The Last Jedi.  I even have some Stan Lee Pops!.  Yes, Stan Lee is a Pop!.  My husband has even joined in the fun by suggesting which to purchase.  Such as the entire collection of Super Trooper Pops!.

I can’t say for sure if my obsession with these fun little guys will ever die down.  As long as Funko keeps rolling out Pops! from every Marvel and Star Wars movie I’m sold.  Again, I was never a collector of anything, but these vinyl figures bring me joy.  Purchase one if you dare.  But be careful, you may turn into someone like me.