You’ve seen them. Those oversized heads, the stoic grills, and that chunky power armor that looks surprisingly adorable in vinyl form. Whether you’re a veteran of the tabletop or just someone who likes cool desk flair, the space marine funko pop has become a weirdly essential part of the Warhammer 40,000 ecosystem. It’s a collision of worlds. On one hand, you have the grimdark, ultra-violent future of the 41st millennium where there is only war. On the other, you have a 4-inch collectible with no mouth.
It works. It shouldn't, but it does.
Honestly, the appeal comes down to the silhouette. A Space Marine is already a walking tank. Shrinking that down into the Funko aesthetic preserves the "bulky" feel while making it accessible to people who don't want to spend forty hours painting a single miniature with a highlight brush made of three sable hairs.
The Evolution of the Warhammer Pop Line
Games Workshop is notoriously protective of their IP. For decades, they kept the licensing tight, focusing almost exclusively on their own high-end hobby kits. But around 2019, things shifted. They realized that the "Grimdark" aesthetic had a massive mainstream pull. The initial wave of Warhammer 40,000 Pops didn't just dip a toe in the water; it dove in headfirst with the most iconic Chapters.
We got the Intercessors first. Specifically, the Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and Space Wolves.
If you’re a fan, you know the Ultramarine is the poster boy. It’s the blue armor we see on every box set. But Funko didn't just do a lazy head swap. If you look closely at the space marine funko pop sculpts for these early releases, they actually respected the lore. The Blood Angel has the distinct aesthetic markers of the sons of Sanguinius. The Space Wolf has that rugged, pelt-wearing vibe.
Then came the bigger stuff.
The community lost its mind a bit when the Blood Claw and the various "exclusive" variants started hitting shelves. Suddenly, your local game store wasn't just for buying dice and glue. It was a hunting ground for Chase stickers and store-exclusive paint jobs. It changed the vibe of the hobby. It made Warhammer feel... "pop culture" in a way it hadn't since the early 90s.
Why the Scalpels and Scalpers Love These Things
Collectibility is a double-edged sword. You know how it goes.
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Some of these figures were released as "standard" pops, meaning you could walk into a Target or a GameStop and grab one for twelve bucks. Others? Not so much. The space marine funko pop market has some surprisingly high-value outliers.
Take the "Silver" Primaris Intercessor. Or the various convention exclusives. If you missed the boat on the original New York Comic Con or San Diego Comic Con drops, you’re looking at the secondary market. And the secondary market is a beast. Prices don't just climb; they leap. People aren't just buying these because they like the Ultramarines; they’re buying them because they’re "vaulted."
Vaulted is a scary word in the Funko world. It basically means the mold is broken. No more are being made.
If you're hunting for a specific Chapter—say you’re a die-hard Imperial Fists fan—and that specific mold gets vaulted, you’re suddenly paying triple the retail price. It’s frustrating. It’s also part of the rush.
The Anatomy of a Plastic Super Soldier
What makes a space marine funko pop better than, say, a generic superhero Pop? Detail.
The power armor is the star of the show. Funko designers actually did a great job capturing the Mk X Tacticus armor. You see the power cables. You see the vent systems on the backpack. You see the purity seals.
"The purity seal is actually a really nice touch on the Blood Angel Pop. It’s a tiny detail, but for a 40k fan, it’s the difference between 'generic robot' and 'Space Marine'." — Casual collector observation.
The scale is also interesting. Because Space Marines are supposed to be 7-to-8-foot tall transhuman warriors, the "Chibi" style of Funko makes them look like "bitty" tanks. It’s a contrast that shouldn't work. A warrior who has lived for 300 years and seen the horrors of the Warp shouldn't look "cute."
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But they do. They look great on a shelf next to a stack of Black Library novels.
What Most People Get Wrong About Collecting 40k Pops
A lot of people think these are just toys for kids. They aren't. Not really.
Most of the people buying a space marine funko pop are guys in their 30s and 40s who have been playing the tabletop game since 2nd Edition. It’s nostalgia in a box. It’s a way to show off your hobby at work without bringing in a $150 Primarch model that you’re terrified someone will knock over.
Another misconception is that all "Warhammer" pops are Space Marines. While the Adeptus Astartes definitely dominate the line, we’ve seen other stuff too. The Chaos Space Marine—specifically the Black Legion variant—is a personal favorite of many. The horns, the spikes, the menacing eye lenses... it’s a lot of personality for a hunk of vinyl.
There's also the "unpainted" DIY version.
This was a genius move by Funko and Games Workshop. They released a grey, unpainted Primaris Intercessor. Why? Because Warhammer is a painting hobby. It gave fans a chance to paint their own custom Chapters. Want a Rainbow Warrior Pop? You can make one. Want your own homebrew "Knights of the Pizza Crust" Chapter? Grab the primer and go to town.
The "Chase" for the Rarest Variants
If you’re new to this, a "Chase" is a rare variant of a common figure. Usually, it’s a 1-in-6 chance. For the space marine funko pop, the hunt usually revolves around paint finishes or minor sculpt changes.
However, the real "grails" are the ones tied to specific events.
The McFarlane era of 40k action figures actually boosted the Funko popularity. People started realizing they wanted a "Warhammer Shelf" that had everything from 28mm minis to 7-inch figures to 4-inch Pops.
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If you see a Space Marine Pop with a "Special Edition" silver sticker, don't just leave it. Even if you aren't a fan of that specific Chapter, those stickers usually indicate a limited production run.
Practical Tips for Your Collection
Don't just buy every box you see. That’s how you end up with a closet full of plastic and a very annoyed spouse.
Focus on a theme.
Maybe you only want the "Loyalist" Chapters. Maybe you only want the "Traitors." Or maybe you’re like me and you just want the ones that look the most "metal."
- Check the corners. If you care about resale value, the box condition is everything. A dented corner can drop the price by 20%.
- Beware of fakes. Believe it or not, people fake Funko Pops. If the price on eBay seems too good to be true for a vaulted Blood Angel, it probably is. Look at the font on the bottom of the box.
- Lighting matters. If you display them out of the box (OOB), keep them out of direct sunlight. The blue of an Ultramarine will turn into a weird, sickly grey if it sits in a sun-drenched window for a year.
- The "Shake Test." Some of the bulkier Space Marine pops are top-heavy. They’ll topple over if your desk vibrates. Use a tiny bit of "museum putty" on the feet if you're displaying them out of the box.
The Future of Warhammer in the Pop World
With the Henry Cavill Warhammer cinematic universe project in the works (eventually), expect the space marine funko pop line to explode. We’ve only scratched the surface. We haven't seen a Sisters of Battle Pop yet. We haven't seen an Ork Warboss. We haven't seen a Tyranid Hive Tyrant (which would be an amazing 6-inch "Super Sized" Pop).
The demand is there. Every time a new wave is announced, the pre-orders sell out within hours. It’s a testament to how much people love the lore.
Your Next Steps to Building a Collection
If you're ready to start, don't go straight to the expensive vaulted stuff. Start with the basics.
Search for the "Intercessor" series on reputable sites like Entertainment Earth or Big Bad Toy Store. You can often find the core four (Ultramarine, Blood Angel, Dark Angel, Space Wolf) for close to MSRP if you look in the right places.
Once you have the foundation, decide if you want to go down the rabbit hole of convention exclusives. It’s an expensive hobby, but there’s something genuinely satisfying about seeing a squad of five-inch tall super soldiers guarding your monitor.
Check local "Buy/Sell/Trade" groups on Facebook specifically for Funko collectors. You’ll often find better deals there than on eBay because you aren't dealing with the same level of shipping fees and platform markups.
Go find your Chapter. Secure the shelf. For the Emperor. Or for Chaos. Whatever floats your boat.