By JAMES BURRELL
With the Halloween season upon us, Funko has once again unleashed a new collection of horror-themed POP! vinyl figures. Among this October’s releases are the memorable maniacs from Rob Zombie’s blood-soaked directorial debut, House of 1000 Corpses, as well as a set of bobbleheads under the banner of Marvel Comics’ supernatural-themed anthology title, Strange Tales.
Financed by Universal and originally filmed (much of it on the studio backlot) in 2000, House of 1000 Corpses was a love letter to ‘70s shockers like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It starred Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Karen Black and Sheri Moon Zombie as a murderous, psychopathic family who torments and dispatches a group of young travelers, which included up-and-comers Rainn Wilson (TV’s The Office) and Chris Harwick (Talking Dead). Upon completion, House was deemed too gory and unpleasant by Universal, and the film was shelved for three years (at one point, it was nearly released by MGM, which eventually passed on it), until it was finally picked up by Lions Gate Films. 
Funko has done a fantastic job with its three offerings for the film: the clown-suited Captain Spaulding, maniacal Otis B. Driftwood with his red gown and skull makeup, and the lovely-but-deadly Baby Firefly. As part of the company’s “POP! Plus” line, the figures and packaging feature little added details that are not included in standard figures. For instance, the Otis figure comes with both book and lantern accessories, while the Baby figure features glitter paint apps to the dress and shoes. The boxes for the trio feature embossed art and metallic-like accents.
Many people may be unfamiliar with Marvel Comics’ long history of horror-themed titles and characters, but soon after the Comics Code Authority (CCA) loosened its restrictions on supernatural figures like vampires and werewolves in mainstream comics in early 1971, Marvel began bringing monsters and horror to the public. Antagonist-turned-antihero Morbius the Living Vampire was introduced in the pages of issue #101 of The Amazing Spider-Man (cover dated October 1971). The following year, Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, would make his debut, as well as other iconic characters such as Dracula, and Jack Russell – the Werewolf by Night.
Funko has released five characters under the Strange Tales branding: Morbius, Ghost Rider, the villainous Mephisto, Dormammu (with miniature Doctor Strange) and Hallow’s Eve. Ghost Rider and Morbius are standouts in the line (and personal favourites for me), with each sporting its classic 1970s comic book outfit. The figures feature more detailing than many POP! Figures, and unique paint apps that give them a retro comic book feel. The Morbius figure has been rendered in a dynamic “floating” pose via a clear plastic base with a bracket that is attached to the toy’s back. Ghost Rider, available in both a standard and a special glow-in-the-dark variant, features a fantastic head sculpt with translucent yellow and orange flames that look great when light is shone on them. As with previous Marvel-themed POP! releases, these are not static figures; they are bobbleheads with spring-activated movement. Here’s hoping Funko releases more Marvel horror-themed figures in the future!
SRP for the House of 1000 Corpses and Strange Tales figures are $14.99 USD each. For more info on these and other releases, check out Funko.com.
