Funko, the company behind the popular Pop Vinyl line of collectible figures and other similar collectible lines, announced on Monday that it has purchased Mondo, a purveyor of high-end pop culture collectibles including vinyl records, posters, toys, and apparel, from Alamo Drafthouse. Rob Jones and Tim League founded Mondo in 2004 to cater to collectors of movie posters and similar memorabilia, hiring popular artists — including giants of the comics industry like Francesco Francavilla and Jock — to create highly sought-after limited pieces of artwork based on fan-favorite properties and those with a cult following.
“Mondo’s devoted fan base and high-end pop culture collectibles make it the perfect complement to Funko’s current portfolio of brands. By leveraging our international distribution and licensing network, we feel well-positioned to expedite the growth of the Mondo brand,” said Chief Executive Officer Andrew Perlmutter in a press release. “It’s an exciting opportunity to couple Mondo’s already stellar product assortment and aesthetic with Funko’s massive property library.”
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Mondo published a blog post confirming the news to its website. It reads as follows:
For 20 years, we have poured our heart and souls into this weird little thing that Rob Jones and Tim League started in a closet in the corner of an Alamo Drafthouse lobby… then out of a closet underneath the seats of a Drafthouse auditorium (seriously). Eventually, we opened our own gallery space, and even started our own convention.
We have always loved following our passions and doing things our own way, and we’ll be forever thankful to the Alamo Drafthouse for supporting those passions and helping us grow into what we are today. But we needed a bigger boat… and that’s where Funko comes in. They understand what Mondo is today and are eager to help us become the company we want to be.
From the outside, Mondo might seem like it is changing… but on the inside much is staying the same. We remain the same team, and our goals remain unchanged. We are still the same bunch of weirdos who share an undying obsession with popular (and maybe less popular) culture, and a craving to make cool stuff with the best artists in the world.
We are still the same company that started in the theater lobby… only now with even more resources to support our vision. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.
Mondo is based in Austin, Texas. The company has developed a reputation for its limited-edition vinyl records and screen-printed posters, which “focus on bringing art back to music and cinema through collaborations with acclaimed artists.” Mondo’s releases often sell out quickly and resell for considerably higher prices at online auction sites.
Funko did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. It did state that it does not expect the acquisition to have “a material impact on its financial performance in 2022.”
Funko is based in Everett, Washington. The company designs, sources and distributes licensed pop culture products including vinyl figures, board games, action toys, plush, apparel, housewares, and accessories.