Talking Tiny Toys: Rocket Raccoon (Guardians of the Galaxy) Funko Mystery Minis

As promised, today's review features a member of the rag-tag group of space rangers who took the summer by storm. Who says you can't make a successful blockbuster with a talking raccoon and a tree voiced by Vin Diesel? Guardians of the Galaxy proved that with a decent script, entertaining characters and a kick-ass soundtrack (and let's face it, the charisma of Chris Pratt) even the weirdest ideas can make a great movie. I almost cried over a tree! How is that possible?

Of course, Funko is right on top of things and released a new line of Guardians of the Galaxy mystery minis that I was helpless to resist. Who did I get?

*Insert epic 70s soundtrack here*

The best part about these mystery minis is that I really didn't care which one I ended up with. Most blind boxes have one or two I have no interest in and of course are the ones I inevitably end up with (I'm looking at you Ultron). Would I rather have Rocket than Ronan? Hell yeah, but I wouldn't be all that disappointed either way. I also like that the chances of getting each are pretty even. Goot and Gamora have a slight disadvantage because there is only one version of their characters but that's not bad considering some of the Game of Thrones blind boxes have a 1/144 chance. I'm sure by the end of Fan Expo I'll have more of these to talk about, but let's take a closer look at Rocket.

I've said before that I'm not a big fan of the bobble-head mystery minis. Most of the time they look awkward and cheap (...again looking at you Ultron). I feel like we get more for our many with the solid figure. While I still find the neck spring a little distracting, the Guardians figures have enough detail and personality to over look it. I love the sculpting, especially on Rocket's head. The tiny fur detailing works really well and mimics the somewhat haphazard patterns of real fur. It's duplicated on his tail, hands, and feet. He even has tiny toe-nails.

You can see that his armor is carefully crafted and sits above his shoulders. His gun has more detail than some of the figure I own and looks really great in its silver paint. And speaking of paint...

The paint used on Rocket's face is so glossy it makes it REALLY tricky to photograph. There's always a little sheen.It contrasts well with the matte finish of his body. I would have liked his armor better in a different colour but the orange pops nicely against the brown and his knee pads stand out. The biggest problem with this figure is that he isn't well balanced. He's supposed to use his tail to counter the leg-up-action-pose but he's not very sturdy. I had a hell of a time keeping him upright for pictures. Still, I loved photographing him so here are a few more outdoor shots.