I already have a few Iron Man Funko POPS in my collection like his Mark 43 armor and the Gingerbread Pop. I mean there is no shortage of Iron Man Pops thanks to Robert Downey Jr’s performance that jumpstarted the MCU. So why did I get another Iron Man Pop? Because of the retro coloring/shading! Ever since 2021, Funko announced the “Retro Series” of Pops that use shadowing effect akin to the comic books of the 60s/70s vibe to add layers of color and ink. Compared to Funko’s other series of repaints like the “Artist Series” which just takes a graffiti design to their figures and they look like repetitive wall paper to me, which look odd and gaudy. The Retro Series designs have way more striking detail and attraction that greatly makes the Pops…well, pardon the pun, pop to the eyes. Just take a look at the pictures online. It started with Star Wars (basing their color designs around their 1970’s comic counter parts). The series has done well enough that now there is a second line of Star Wars Retro Series late 2022 (as you can see with my Ben Kenobi in the pictures) and DC Comics Justice League based around Grant Morrison’s late 1990s series (Martian Manhunter pictured as well for comparison). So starting with 2023, it looks like the Retro Series is now found its way into Marvel Comics starting with old Shellhead himself, Iron Man, being the first released. Selling itself as a celebration for the Avengers 60th Anniversary (the comic came out September 1963), this Pop’s sole design is around Iron Man’s original Mark III armor 1963 appearance. The Pop has IM’s hovering above the ground with his flight boots firing off, with smoking covering the ground, and his signature look of his arm stretched out ready to fire off his repulsor blaster. With an additional stand in silver of the “Avengers” icon printed on. It’s an overall solid design, but because of the Retro Series shades and ink, this is stellar to look at. This is helped even better by the fact that Funko is manufacturing the Pop as a premium figure for the price tag, and the shading work is better than the other Pops by comparison. I mean, they all look great, but there is clearly a sharper job on Iron Man compared to the other lines of figures. I don’t know if you can see it in the pictures, but Iron Man also has a gloss shine about him over Martian Manhunter and Kenobi to show the better paint job. Even the box is better in design. The Justice League one is a typical box design with the Target sticker, the Star Wars box has the Retro Series design of blacklight all around it to add that ‘POP!’ to it, but the Avengers has a collage around it to stick out. Add in the exclusive Amazon sticker, of course, and a snazzy “Avengers: Beyond Earth’s Mightiest” right next to it makes the overall presentation that much cooler. And lastly, I have to mention the pin. It’s a solid piece themed after the figure itself. I put this last because to me, I don’t care about the pins packaged together to Pop figures. I’m just here for the Pop. It’s a nice extra though. So this AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES – 60TH Iron Man is a great addition to any Pop collection. Great mold, great design, and great coloring due to the Retro Series motif make for a must for Iron Man and Pop fans. Although there is no further information on the 60th Anniversary for the Avengers EMH Pops except Thor is coming out in March, I’m guessing we’ll be getting the rest of the line and reveal this year in honor. Of course, there are waaaaaay too many Avengers in the history of the team to make this line of Pops after, I’m sure we’ll get the original team who appearing in the first issue with Iron Man including Hulk, Ant-Man Hank Pym, and The Wasp Jane Pym as shoe-ins. And, I’m sure we’ll also get some of the more famous add-ons that came shortly after like Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Quick Silver, and Hawkeye. AND if the box art is an indicator for more surprises, we might get Black Panther, The Vision, Dr. Strange, Black Widow, and Ms. Marvel Carol Danvers. While my wallet is crying about all the future Pops, I’m real excited to see if they’ll keep up the same level of detail and care like Iron Man.
