They say that there’s a first time for everything–and now I believe it. For the very first time, a Howard the Duck figure (that isn’t a pack-in with another figure) is going to be released by a major toy company. No, really. What company is daring enough and has a fast enough turnaround time to capitalize on Howard the Duck’s cameo during the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy? As if there was ever any doubt: it’s Funko! The Funko Howard the Duck POP Vinyls figure is now up for order!

Due to the whole legal snafu between Marvel and Disney regarding the character of Howard the Duck, I never thought that the day would come when an individually packaged Howard the Duck figure would show up on store shelves. I figured the chances of something like that happening were even more astronomically low than the chances of Howard the Duck ever appearing in a movie again.

Well, thanks to director James Gunn, Howard the Duck made his theatrical reappearance earlier this month, and thanks to Funko, the first-ever individually sold Howard the Duck figure will appear in the Marvel Funko POP! Vinyls lineup this winter!

I’m from Cleveland and I tend to love things that other people hate, so it’ll surprise no one that I love the heck out of the not-quite-blockbuster 1986 Howard the Duck movie. I’m not saying it’s a great movie, mind you–but I love it nonetheless.

And yes, I own a copy of “The Essential Howard the Duck” trade paperback that’s been out of print for a few years. And yes, I own the Marvel Legends Howard the Duck pack-in figure from the Toybiz Marvel Legends Series 5 Silver Surfer figure. So will I be buying this Howard the Duck Funko POP! Vinyls bobble head figure? I think you know the answer to that.

The Funko POP Vinyls Howard the Duck figure is now available for pre-order, and is expected to be released in December 2014. There’s literally no precedent or bar set for how well a Howard the Duck toy is going to sell at retail, so this dashing duck could either be an instant sell-out or rot off the shelves. Either way, I have my very own Master of Quack Fu now pre-ordered and locked in, so I shan’t worry about it anymore.

No duck is an island, and now Howard won’t have to be! Will the Funko Howard the Duck POP Vinyl figure be joining your Marvel POP! Vinyls collection and making lots of new superhero friends this winter, Marvel collectors? Or is Funko’s latest Marvel POP! Vinyl not all it’s quacked up to be? (Yes, I really said that. Forgive me.)