Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
Official Website
Funko.com (accessed: October 29, 2021)
Genre
Collectables*
Figurines*
Target Audience
Crossover (ages 3 and up)
Cover
We are still trying to obtain permission for posting the original cover.
Author of the Entry:
Ayelet Peer, Bar Ilan University, ayelet.peer@biu.ac.il
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Lisa Maurice, Bar Ilan University, Lisa.maurice@biu.ac.il
Elizabeth Hale, University of New England, ehale@une.edu.au
Logo retrieved from Wikipedia, public domain (accessed: February 2, 2022).
Funko LLC. (Company)
Funko is an American company located in Everett, WA. The company designs, sources and distributes collectable products, including vinyl figures, actions toys, plush, apparel, housewares and accessories.
Source:
funko.com (accessed: January 13, 2021).
Prepared by Ayelet Peer, Bar Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Summary
This is a "Funko Pop!" vinyl collectable figurine of baby Hercules from the Disney movie Hercules (1997). It is part of the "Disney Hercules" collection, which includes Zeus (no. 593), Meg (no. 379), Phil (no. 380), Hades (no. 381), Hercules (no. 378) and Baby Pegasus (no. 383).
The figure shows a happily smiling baby, his mouth is slightly open without teeth. He has wavy blond hair and is sitting, wearing a white diaper. One hand is rested over his knee and the other hand holds a lightning bolt. Baby Hercules wears a necklace with a red ribbon and a yellow-gold medallion featuring a cloud and a thunderbolt.
Analysis
This figure represents the character from the Disney movie and not the mythological deity per se, and therefore appears as it does in the movie, with the familiar Pop! attributes of a big round head and round black eyes. It appears to capture the happy moment of the party held for Hercules’ birth on Olympus. At this party, as shown in the opening section of the movie, baby Hercules plays with one of Zeus’ lightning bolts to the delight of his proud father. His golden hair indicates his glowing divinity (in the mature "Hercules POP!" his hair is brownish since he has lost his divine powers due to Hades’ machinations).
Baby Hercules appears happy and careless, his world is safe, and he is loved. The little eyelashes added to his eyes symbolize his innocence, in contrast to the mature Hercules who has simple round black eyes. The thunderbolt in his hand alludes to his unique powers (and his following after his father). He is not presented as a hero, but we can clearly understand that he is no ordinary baby either. The medallions are also an important indicator in the movie with which Hercules discovers his true identity. Hence this figure captures the pivotal moment at the beginning of the movie, when a potential promising hero was born but was not yet developed.
Further Reading
Reyan, Ali, "Pop" Culture: The Incredible Rise of Funko Pop! available at Rolling Stone website (accessed: October 29, 2021).
