daria morgendorffer & jane lane

Daria may not have had the enduring popularity or level of cultural impact as South Park or the show it was originally spun-off from (Beavis & Butt-Head), but in my opinion it remains the quintessential Gen-X animated series. I’ve been rewatching episodes on Paramount Plus and I am stunned at how well they hold up (aside from the unfortunate fact the show hasn’t been remastered in HD). There’s a gentleness to the humor that feels almost disarming by today’s standards - the sarcasm is barbed, but rarely mean-spirited… and while the supporting cast is frequently the butt of the joke, the characters are never lazy or reductive. Daria may gaze at the world through a jaundiced eye, but her wry cynicism is practically a form of nostalgic comfort now (Tracy Grandstaff’s deadpan delivery is so soothing, it might as well qualify as ASMR); it was frankly a far less complicated time to be alive. It remains a terrifically written show that should still resonate for anyone who was a teenager during the 90s.

You might notice that my version of Daria is the 2019 Fall Convention Limited Edition (which technically falls under Pop’s “Animation” umbrella), whereas Jane is part of the newly released Daria “Television” line (which inexplicably includes Jodie instead of Quinn - I mean come on. Come on). Ironically, Jane pairs far better with this original iteration of Daria, given their matching crossed-arm poses… which, on the shelf, present a united front of contemptuous disdain. Daria is clad in her trademark uniform - chunky black combat boots, pleated black skirt, unfashionable green jacket zipped over an orange t-shirt. The standard Pop proportions give her normally heart-shaped face a slightly blockier appearance, yet there’s no quibbling with her heavy-lidded gaze (Daria’s default mode was typically one of social ennui, after all, rather than overt hostility). This is really the Daria Pop you want to own (still reasonably priced on eBay, even though the Pop Price Guide claims the going rate is $70) - the new version has her half-heartedly holding an open book, for no good reason other than variety’s sake.

Animation tends to be a major crapshoot when it comes to the Funko brand (some styles simply do not translate - take one look at the Family Guy figures, for instance), but Jane turned out undeniably stellar - there’s something in particular about the geometric quality of her hair that works perfectly in 3D space. Like Daria, her wardrobe is on point - black boots, black leggings, black shorts, and a red blazer over a black v-neck shirt - and her aqua blue eyes are an obvious standout (better not to have too many figures deviate from the standard black peepers, but the ones that do tend to make the most of it). Her sharp, slanting eyebrows, red lipstick, and trio of ear piercings complete the overall look (once again we bump up against the polarizing subject of mouths. Let’s just say I can’t really imagine Daria with one, I can’t really imagine Jane without one, and leave things at that). At any rate, if my Funko Pop collection serves as my own biographical pop culture tapestry - as I often suggest it does - then Daria and Jane represent a comforting corner of my teenage years as I transitioned from high school to college. Of course, I have no doubt the two of them would crap all over collecting Pops in the first place. Frankly that’s their problem.