Shannon ParolaThe Life-size Funko Pop Box Cosplay
Updated: Jun 15, 2021
The Story Behind The Costume
I love Andy. He knows I will do anything for him and he uses that to his advantage sometimes. This is one shining example. In 2017, his workplace decided to have this Halloween Costume Contest that Andy decided he finally was going to be a part of. At the end of the September, he kept throwing a couple different ideas around until one day. I was sitting writing up articles for Fall Television for The Game of Nerds and he says "I want to be a Lifesize Pop for Halloween". It took him exactly 15 minutes to explain this insane idea he had and by the end of it he looked at me and said: "it's crazy isn't it." As insane as it sounded, I knew it had to happen. Everyone at work knew Andy was a "Funkoaholic" and even had an intervention for him during the first year of him collecting. This idea had to come to reality.
So we started out with designing the first box which would end up being the Logan or Wolverine box. We call him now the "proto box" since it was the original prototype. It's also the box that doesn't look quite as mint anymore. We learned fast you can't set anything on top of the otherwise they start to bow. Since then we created the Hopper box which was an improvement on our last design, but still has some kinks to be worked out. It will probably take another 2-3 boxes to get everything laid down in stone. My father, engineer extraordinaire, helped Andy figure out the entire set up and rigging. Watching the two of them tinker with this box, week after week was priceless. Plus Andy finally got his own table at the farm for "HIS PROJECTS" after fighting my brothers to move their stuff. The Logan box does have a bit more detail than the Hopper box. We used leftover comic books from the wedding runner to cover the inside of the box.
The Hopper Box came to fruition this past April. Silicon Valley Comic Con is a huge event for The Game of Nerds, that means Andy is playing wingman running around helping me out. Being the supportive and amazing husband that he is, he thought it would be really cool to dress up in the Logan box and go to the convention. Mind you, he didn't shave his beard and didn't even wear the right clothes. He just wore the box and a sign with The Game of Nerds logo on it. He was mobbed with people asking for photos so much that we ended up blocking aisle ways and had to leave. When I finally got down to the car after reading a joking texting telling me "I was asked to leave", I could see the twinkle in his eye. He had caught the convention cosplay high and there was no turning back. He returned the following day in full costume to take photos with fans. Within weeks after the convention, Poppin Hopper was coming to life in order to be ready for Halloween. Thankfully Andy's company decided to have a group costume contest this year for the various teams so Hopper went undiscovered until Heroes & Villains Fan Fest / Walker Stalker Con San Jose 2018.
I want to give Heroes and Villians Fan Fest and Walker Stalker Con a huge shout out for being so awesome. You can read about our entire convention experience over at The Game of Nerds. This was Andy's first time going out as a "cosplayer" and they made it absolutely amazing. He wasn't sure how this new box would do. We ran into multiple issues on getting the correct cosplay pieces and he was a little nervous. Everyone was incredibly nice and encouraging to him though. We even had some of the convention guests like Jenna Elfman, Ross Marquand, and Garret Dillahunt who really enjoyed our cosplay. This truly made his weekend. Fans were extremely kind and graciously waited as lines started to form to take a picture. We could not have asked for a better first-time experience. It was quite shocking to come home and hear that the box had made it on Reddit from my younger brother!
Some questions you are probably wondering about the box:
How long does it take to make the box? From conception to wearing is about 3 months. It takes longer to get all the pieces then it does to assemble.
Where do you make all these boxes? My parents own a 20-acre farm with a barn in Garlic Country. All boxes are stored and created there.
Where did you get the inspiration to make it? Our house has over 1K Funko Pops in it, so you can say it's all around us.
How do you do the art? Secret Weapon. Seriously, that's all I can say otherwise I will be taken out.
Are they comfortable to wear? Logan is more comfortable than Hopper, but Hopper is more functional. It's why we are still toying with it. Hopper is a way heavier box though.
Do the boxes collapse? Hopper does. Logan does not.
Why was Logan the first box? Andy's favorite Marvel character is Logan and it's actually the same pop as the proto he got for his birthday in 2018.
Why is his beard not right at HVFF? Okay, as a wife, I take 100% of this responsibility. I like the beard, no wait. I LOVE THAT BEARD! It's glorious and I always threaten to divorce him when he shaves it. I've jokingly told him he can only make boxes of Pops with "beards and bellies." At HVFF, we literally didn't have time for him to shave. We pulled out Logan last minute because everyone was asking to see it again after Hopper.
What's the next box you will make? We are toying with a list of ideas! Unfortunately, we need events to go to in the box before we start making them. We are starting our 2019 convention list but most of California conventions don't start until late in the year.
Can I suggest a box for you? Yes, of course! Email us!
Will you share how to make the box? Not right now. Honestly, if we are going to share it we want it to be easy and work for everyone.
Are you going to sell the life-size pop boxes? I want one. NOW. Seriously. While we love that you guys are so excited about these boxes, we won't be selling completed boxes.
Will you come to a convention near me? Can we get you to come to our event? We can definitely try! Email us to see what our schedule is like!