Mothman, Myths by Funko Pop!

Reviews and photographs by Shane, edited by MonsterToyBlog.

Yes, it’s yet another Mothman review! The Mothman is a cryptid that has captivated enthusiasts of all things eerie for reasons that have been discussed far and wide, including on this very blog. So I won’t do a deep dive into the history of the Mothman here, except to say that it was a large winged creature reportedly sighted by many in and around the Point Pleasant community of West Virginia from November 1966 to December 1967. 

Was it a large bird, as many skeptics believe? Or an interdimensional being, as John Keel posits in his seminal work on the subject, The Mothman Prophecies? No one knows for sure, but the Mothman continues to captivate nearly 60 years later.

There is a fair bit of Mothman merch out there, from plushes to enamel pins, but the figural representations remain somewhat light. There is the Safari Ltd figure and its glow-in-the-dark variant, as well as some Japanese offerings from Takara and Medicom (among others), a cutesified “Cryptkin” figure from Cryptozoic Entertainment, and a Mezco figure from some time ago that goes heavy on the “moth” and light on the “man”. That list is far from comprehensive, but these are the Mothmen figures that I was able to recall without falling down a rabbit hole.

There are also two different Mothmen figurines in Funko’s POP! toy line. One is tied to the Fallout franchise, reviewed previously on this blog, while the other is a more “traditional” Mothman based on the actual cryptid, which I’ll be discussing in this review. 

Mothman figures usually fall into one of two camps: either they favor the “moth” aspect and incorporate lots of insectile elements, or they rely on descriptions of the creature from eyewitnesses, which focus on the creature’s winged, hunched look and its large glowing red eyes. While the Fallout Funko figure went the former route, this Mothman POP! favors the latter look.

I’m not a huge fan of Funko POP!s in general, with their bland, dead-eyed aesthetic, but something about this specific Mothman called to me. So much so that I tracked one down on the secondary market, where it was not cheap. This Mothman POP! was a Funko HQ exclusive, meaning it was frustratingly only available officially at their Headquarters in Washington state. Even worse, it debuted in the middle of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel was heavily restricted. Which means unfortunately, if you want this figure, you’ll have to be willing to make a not insignificant financial sacrifice.

With that all out of the way, let’s look at the figure itself. It follows the general Funko POP! design – minimal details and large, circular eyes. However, it is a fully unique sculpt, and due to the design, it lacks the normal head pivot of articulation at the neck that many Funkos have, instead being one solid immobile figurine. Its size is in line with other Funko POP! figurines, measuring just under four inches tall to the top of its wings, and three and a half inches wide from wingtip to wingtip.

That’s fine with me though, because the design is right up my alley. It takes the hunched look of typical Mothman depictions and turns it into a simplified, almost adorable creature. Its body is shaped somewhat like an upside-down egg, covered in sculpted black fur. It has very few features other than its large, imposing eyes and two feathery antennae, the only real nod to the moth aspect of the creature. Two large, furry wings envelope the figure’s form like elephant ears. Its legs are short and stumpy with clawed feet, and its tiny arms are held close to its body in a way that, to me, gives this Mothman an almost pensive demeanor.

Paint is minimal, with gray accents on the black fur to help accentuate details, and of course a nice vibrant red to bring out the eyes. 

While it’s not the most realistic or detailed depiction of the Mothman, this figure is definitely one of my favorites. There’s just something about its simple bulky, furred form and shy expression that makes me want to give it a hug. It’s very unfortunate that its availability is so limited, because it really is a fun take on the cryptid that transcends its Funko POP! origins. While it is a pricey piece, I’m happy that I have it in my collection.