We just released the first part of our biggest class ever, the Inductee Class of 2019. With actors, writers, designers, artists and producers in areas from comics to cartoons to films, the Class of 2019 brims with a huge amount of talent. Check out our entire class below, and click read more to get their full story.
Blake Wright. Taking the skills he learned as a Journalist, Blake Wright has written and published two books on the history of toys that may have been less-than-soughtafter during the time they were created, but eminently interesting now: The Toys that Time Forgot, Vol I and II. Together, the Kickstarter’s for each book have raised nearly 100,000, and Wright’s work has shown light on area’s of collecting that often go ignored. Read More…
Christopher Lloyd. His’ Doc Brown character in Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future, with his wild hair, genius and fierce determination, entertained millions and helped make the Back to the Future series the most popular sci-fi movie in history. Doc Brown is still collected as a figure today, and Lloyd’s other work from the period (Clue, Judge Doom) have become classics in their own right. Read More…
Garth Ennis. Comic writer and co-creator of famous series’ Preacher, The Punisher and Hitman, Garth Ennis thrives in themes that mainstream comics often shun, such as corruption, religion and moral ambiguity. That, along with gritty and unflinching violence, have helped many of Ennis’ creations live on as cult classics, while shows based on his works, like The Punisher on Netflix and The Boys on Amazon, draw millions of viewers. Read More…
Gary Gygax. The legendary figure behind Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop roleplaying game now synonymous with gaming and nerd culture. Drawing on his love of fantasy and wargaming, Gygax worked hard to convince publishers for the potential of his game, ultimately forging his own path with his own publishing company. D&D’s popularity is not an accident, with great ideas like the Dungeon Master and 20-sided die continuing to influence games to this day. Read More…
Haim Saban. Self-made billionaire and founder of Saban Entertainment, the company behind the music of well-known cartoons like Inspector Gadget, Saban correctly guessed the potential of Japanese Tokusatsu shows in the US, producing Power Rangers with a US cast in the same style with scenes from Super Sentai. The shows’ success lead to Fox forming a partnership with Saban Entertainment, ending with a multibillion-dollar sale to the Walt Disney Corporation. Read More…
Hayao Miyazaki. The creative force behind the legendary Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki created some of the most popular, lucrative and loved animated films of all time, introducing US audiences to films like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Miyazaki’s films continue to influence toys, current animation and pop culture worldwide. Read More…
Jean Giraud AKA Moebius. Storied artist behind famous comics like Blueberry and Airtight Garage, Moebius (also known as “Gir”) produced some of the most famous comics known today, not just in his native France, but around the world. Giraud’s surrealist style, in both Westerns and science fiction, continues to influence popular culture today. Read More…
Layron DeJarnette. Currently an artist with Garbage Pail Kids with a backlog of great work that includes Disney, the BBC, and DC Comics, Layron DeJarnette’s work spans many of the pop culture we know today. DeJarnette continues to draw great work, along with teaching the subject on his Youtube channel. Read More…
Reis O’Brien. As Senior Designer at Funko, Reis helps create many of the world’s most sought after toys. O’Brien’s work follows a lifelong love of collectibles, including customizing and showing off his work at conventions. O’Brien also founded his own toy company, Bimtoy, producing the popular figure Tiny Ghost. Read More…
Robert Downey Jr. The American Actor best known as protagonist Tony Stark in Ironman. Downey Jr. is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers, with Ironman and more marvel films raking in billions worldwide, not to mention Downey Jr.’s Academy Award winning work on other films like Sherlock Holmes. Read More…
