Joey Nguyen
Eden Prairie

@ryceballz

When did you first learn about Funko?
I learned about Funko in 2013 when my brother gifted me with a Superman Domo Pop from Barnes and Noble for Christmas. However, I didn't become a serious collector until summer of 2019 during SDCC.

What do you love about
What I love the most about Funko is their motto, "Everyone is fan of something!" and Funko takes that to heart. There are a number of lines and series that just touch so much on my nostalgia, that it's not simply "just collecting", but it's like bringing a piece of your childhood home with you and showing the world what you love most!

Why are you a Funatic?
#FunkoFamily - hands down was what took me from being a regular fan to a Funko Funatic. The people I've met and the "friendships I've made along the way" have really made this one of the most amazing journeys I've been on. All the other Funatics I've met have been so great and I couldn't ask for such an amazing and wonderful group of friends!

What are your favorite fandom(s) outside of Funko and why?
Superman is my #1 all-time fandom, following closely by Captain America and Iron Man. Even though I mainly loved Marvel as a kid, Superman was my childhood hero and continues to be a huge part of my collections. As a kid, I would gravitate towards anything Superman - comics, movies, TV - and just loved how Superman would be, well, Superman, all while having the weight of the world on his shoulders. It just spoke to me.

Is there anyone you share your fandom with?
My daughter. She's four years old and has taken a liking to fandoms similar or by proxy with what I love. She loves Wonder Woman, Hello Kitty, and Minnie Mouse, and all the Disney princesses, so she's always on the lookout for that new Hello Kitty Pop!. She's also very good at looking at my collection and seeing if I've gotten any new Pops!. I also share my love of fandoms and pops with my good buddy Scott. He's the one that got me into this! Thanks, Scott!

Why do you love pop culture?
Because it's fun! For my fandoms, whether it's a new movie, a rumored Funko pop release, or a new TV series I'm interested in, I love to follow the news, read rumors, see teasers/reveals, and finally see the finished product. It's a whirlwind from start to finish!

How do you display your collection?
I have a number of amazing IKEA shelves that work phenomenally for displaying both in and out of box. Currently, I display most of my collection in box, but I'm slowly, but surely starting to display some out of box.

What movie/show/podcast/videogame/album are you currently watching/listening to/playing?

  • Movie: Re-watching Captain America: Winter Soldier for the millionth time
  • Show: Star Trek: Picard and Season 8 of Letterkenny
  • Video Game: Just finished up Life is Strange: Season 1 (this has been a long time coming and it was so good!) and just starting A Plague Tale: Innocence
  • Album: Bruno Mars: 24K Magic

What's your favorite Funko memory?
My favorite Funko memory is during the summer of 2019, one of my best friends took me to SDCC for the first time ever. There I got to meet so many people, but it wasn't until Funko Fundays is what truly opened my eyes to Funko and how amazing all the Funatics can be. That place was roaring, lively, and everyone was having such a great time. Ever since then, I've been a funatic myself!

What motivated you to start photographing your collection and sharing the photos?
I've been a lot more active on Twitter lately, so seeing all the wonderful and creative photos friends were sharing was very inspirational. I'm not a very creative person, so it's great to see all the awesome shots people were taking.

What advice do you have for other Funatics taking photos of their collection?
An inspirational idea I got from another Funatic, Trevor, was to bring along items from your collection when you go out or travel. That way, you are never short of amazing opportunities for a shot with a beautiful backdrop or even one that's fun and whimsical.

What Funko lines and fandoms do you collect?
I've collected a little bit of everything throughout the years, from Star Wars to Doctor Who. But about a year ago I decided to stick to anime/animation and horror lines. My main lines are Naruto, My Hero Academia, Fairy Tail, Bleach, Dragon Ball, Rick and Morty, Bob's Burgers and Pops! from the different horror movies such as IT, Halloween and Alien just to name a few.

Fandoms:

  • Funko Pop!
  • Pop! Tees
  • Pocket Pops!
  • Pop! Pez

I've recently been on the fence with collecting both Wacky Wobblers and Dorbz of specifically Superman, Iron Man, Captain America, and Freddy Funko.
Fandoms I collect:

  • Superman
  • Batman
  • The Office
  • Dragon Ball
  • Marvel - I try SUPER hard to stick with just Captain America and Iron Man, but it's really tough to do haha
  • Freddy Funko
  • Back to the Future
  • Parks and Recreation
  • The Mandalorian
  • Sports - Twins, Wild, Vikings, and my favorite all-time MLB'er Ichiro Suzuki!

I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for being the reason why I met so many amazing people, have made so many wonderful friends, and why I now have a #FunkoFamily. <3 You guys are the best!


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