D&D 5E Vecna Pop and 2022

[FormerLurker]

Funko has been doing D&D Pops for a couple years now, and next February they're doing Vecna.

Available at GameStop.

It's a very different look for Vecna, who previously appeared less... Thanos.

He was most recently found on a Magic the Gathering token:

There's some similarities between the MtG Vecna and the Pop Vecna, but also a lot of differences.

It's interesting that they not only chose to redesign Vecna but also opted to use him over a more featured lich, like Acererak, who is on the cover of the DMG and was featured in Tomb of Annihilation. Vecna might have won out because he was featured in Critical Role, which is somewhat popular. But redesigning him still feels like an odd move, since WotC would have supplied reference art to Funko.
Why commission new art rather than go with the MtG look?

Maybe Vecna will be featured prominently in 2022. Perhaps in the summer tentpole adventure. Or even Call of the Netherdeep.

 

[HammerMan]

Funko has been doing D&D Pops for a couple years now, and next February they're doing Vecna.

View attachment 147994
Available at GameStop.

I came here expecting something more... or should I say less. 1 less eye and 1 less hand.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Funko has been doing D&D Pops for a couple years now, and next February they're doing Vecna.

View attachment 147994
Available at GameStop.

It's a very different look for Vecna, who previously appeared less... Thanos.

View attachment 147995 View attachment 147996

He was most recently found on a Magic the Gathering token:

View attachment 147997

There's some similarities between the MtG Vecna and the Pop Vecna, but also a lot of differences.

It's interesting that they not only chose to redesign Vecna but also opted to use him over a more featured lich, like Acererak, who is on the cover of the DMG and was featured in Tomb of Annihilation. Vecna might have won out because he was featured in Critical Role, which is somewhat popular. But redesigning him still feels like an odd move, since WotC would have supplied reference art to Funko.
Why commission new art rather than go with the MtG look?

Maybe Vecna will be featured prominently in 2022. Perhaps in the summer tentpole adventure. Or even Call of the Netherdeep.

it could be that way or maybe something else.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I came here expecting something more... or should I say less. 1 less eye and 1 less hand.

Well, I got the Funko pop.

...and then one hand and one eye disappeared!

A few days later, one of my other Funko pops was carrying the severed body parts .... it did not end well.

 

[Umbran]

It's interesting that they not only chose to redesign Vecna but also opted to use him over a more featured lich, like Acererak...

With respect, however "featured" they may be, there is no lich more iconic than Vecna.

When we see artifacts like the Nose of Acererak, then come talk to us.

 

[LordEntrails]

I'm old, I had to go figure out what a Pop! was. Not that I understand the appeal, but now I know what they are...

 

[Hexmage-EN]

I'm old, I had to go figure out what a Pop! was. Not that I understand the appeal, but now I know what they are...

I think their main selling point is that Funko can somehow get the rights to make Pops of damn near everything under the sun. If you want a collectible from some media franchise that doesn't have much in the way of merch there's probably a Pop for it.

As for the design for Vecna used for the Pop, at leas it's not as sudden and significant a departure as Zariel between Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes and Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus:

I mean, I like the newer one better, but I wonder why there was such a radical change so quickly? She's even missing a hand now.

 

[Bill Zebub]

With respect, however "featured" they may be, there is no lich more iconic than Vecna.

When we see artifacts like the Nose of Acererak, then come talk to us.

Or a highly non-family-friendly appendage.

 

[Seramus]

It's interesting that they not only chose to redesign Vecna but also opted to use him over a more featured lich, like Acererak, who is on the cover of the DMG and was featured in Tomb of Annihilation. Vecna might have won out because he was featured in Critical Role, which is somewhat popular. But redesigning him still feels like an odd move, since WotC would have supplied reference art to Funko.
Why commission new art rather than go with the MtG look?

Maybe Vecna will be featured prominently in 2022. Perhaps in the summer tentpole adventure. Or even Call of the Netherdeep.

Acererak is mostly associated with green devil imagery, which is not part of his personal appearance. So his POP! wouldn't really look like anything in particular. Larloch has the same problem, since he doesn't really have much in the way of defining imagery besides buckets of ioun stones.

Though, there's not much to the Hand and Eye here except some gold triangles?

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

As for the design for Vecna used for the Pop, at leas it's not as sudden and significant a departure as Zariel between Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes and Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus:

I . . . don't think those are really equivalent. Vecna is well known primarily for his lack of a hand and eyeball. Zariel's features weren't so well known. Both are art changes, yes, but Vecna regaining his lost body pieces seems more notable, IMO.