Recommended music: AWOLNATION – Sail
It’s #FunkoFriday, and today we’re looking at the Funko Pop! Vinyl Saga – Prince Robot IV #9!
In Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ comic Saga, Prince Robot IV serves as one of the most complex characters. He starts as a ruthless hunter but gradually becomes an unexpected and protective ally before the comic’s 2018 hiatus.
He first appears as a royal hunter from the Robot Kingdom, sent to track down Alana and Marko to keep their hybrid child, Hazel, a secret. Although he seems cold and privileged, his severe wartime PTSD makes him more relatable, as it causes graphic images to appear on his television screen face without warning.
Prince Robot IV’s story changes sharply after a tragedy at home: his wife is murdered, and his newborn son is kidnapped. After his father, King Robot, disowns and exiles him, IV gives up his loyalty to the crown. To rescue his son, he reluctantly teams up with Alana and Marko, who are also searching for their missing daughter.
By the story arcs leading up to mid-2018, Prince Robot IV has become part of the main group’s makeshift family. He lives with them on their organic rocket-tree ship and raises his son alongside Hazel. While he still has a cynical, aristocratic side, he truly becomes a protective father figure. Sharing trauma and wanting to keep their children safe from the galactic war, he works hard to help the group find a peaceful and lasting escape.
Image Comics and creators Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have worked with different companies to create official Saga merchandise, including Funko. In 2018, Funko released over a dozen Pop! Vinyl Saga figures. One of them, Comics Series No. 9, features the prince in his blue suit, as shown here.
Prince Robot IV’s hand-on-hip pose shows off his aristocratic and sarcastic personality. The paint on his royal military uniform, with gold epaulets and a neat tie, looks sharp. His retro television head has a clear, blank screen. I enjoy seeing people cosplay this look at conventions.
Besides the regular version, there was a special Prince Robot IV figure made just for Emerald City Comic Con. The “Mourning” ECCC variant depicts Prince Robot IV in a black suit, with a broken screen representing his PTSD episodes from the comic.
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