Raving Toy Maniac

DARK HORSE COMICS & HAPPYGIANT ANNOUNCE USAGI YOJIMBO GAME

Award Winning Comic Brought To Life for Mobile, Tablets, Desktop

New York, NY, ­ February 22, 2013 - HappyGiant, in association with Dark Horse Comics, announce "Usagi Yojimbo: Way of The Ronin", a game now available for iPhones & iPads, and coming soon to Android devices and desktop PC's (http://www.usagiyojimbogame.com).

In conjunction with the release of the game, Dark Horse Comics is announcing the first new Usagi Yojimbo collection after a year hiatus working on 47 Ronin. The first new book will be Usagi Yojimbo: A Town Called Hell, which will see release on July 17.

On Sale This Week: Marvel Select Venom and the U.S.S. Enterprise-E

February 21, 2013 - Never before has there been a new toy day more highly anticipated than today! Not only did Diamond Select Toys' latest, greatest Marvel Select action figure ship to comic shops and specialty stores today, those store also received DST's newest electronic Star Trek ship! Both toys have been long-coveted by collectors, and both are already getting rave reviews! Read on to see what makes these two items so amazing!

Marvel Select Venom Action Figure

INTRODUCING THE NEW 2013 STAR WARS® Star Tours™ Action Figure Packs from Hasbro

February 2013 - The celebration of the amazing new Star Tours Disney theme park ride continues in 2013 with new STAR WARS Star Tours Action Figure Packs from Hasbro. Building off of the packs released in 2011, these two sets of figures introduce new Droids from the ride experience as well as a few reprised fan favorites. New figures include a blue Signal Droid, red RX Droid, a G2 Droid rebuilt from scratch for more accurate detail, and the very first appearance of a new Seeker Droid!

These packs launch in May 2013 at Walt Disney World - Hollywood Studios during STAR WARS Weekends and will be available at Walt Disney World stores in Florida and Disneyland Resort stores in California shortly thereafter.

Experience the magic of the ride and then relive the action with the STAR WARS Star Tours Action Figure Packs!

(Item# A0416) STAR WARS® Star Tours™: Search for the Rebel Spy

February 2013 - LEGO has announced a giant new Star Wars set, the Red Five X-wing Starfighter:

10240 - Red Five X-wing Starfighter™
Ages 16+.
1,558 pieces.
Build the ultimate LEGO® Star Wars™ X-wing Starfighter!
US $199.99 CA $249.99 DE 199.99€ UK 169.99 £ DK 1699.00 DKK

Collect and create the most highly detailed LEGO® Star Wars™ X-wing Starfighter ever produced. This iconic starfighter is featured in many of the most exciting Star Wars battle scenes, including the decisive battle scene above planet Yavin™. Recreate the moment when Luke Skywalker's X-wing delivered the proton torpedo that led to the destruction of the Imperial Death Star! With 1,558 pieces, this realistically detailed model features opening wings and cockpit, a special display stand, data sheet label and R2-D2.

• Includes R2-D2 atromech droid
• Features highly authentic detailing, and opening wings and cockpit
• Includes 1558 pieces

DARK HORSE DELUXE PARTNERS WITH TOY2R TO DISTRIBUTE LIMITED EDITION HELLBOY MINI-QEE VINYL TOYS!

MILWAUKIE, OR - February 2013 - At this year's International Toy Fair, Dark Horse revealed what is sure to be one of the year's most-talked-about toy releases! Hong Kong's innovative designer-toy company Toy2R will produce a new range of 5" vinyl figures in their popular "Mini-Qee" format, putting their unique design spin on Mike Mignola's popular Hellboy character.

Mike Mignola's Hellboy has emerged as one of the classic comic book characters of the modern day, spawning a successful series of graphic novels, motion pictures, animation, interactive games, and toy lines. Excitement around this character is at an all-time high, as Mignola takes him back to whence he came in the smash-hit series Hellboy in Hell, currently in its third issue.

Spin Master Ltd. and DreamWorks Animation Take Flight with Exclusive Global Licensing Relationship for DreamWorks Dragons Franchise

Toy Line from Hit TV Series DreamWorks Dragons: Riders of Berk to Debut in Fall of 2013

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2013 - To forge an alliance worthy of the great Vikings and dragons of Berk, Spin Master Ltd., one of the leading toy manufacturers in the world and DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. have entered into an exclusive licensing relationship in which Spin Master will serve as the worldwide master toy licensee for the DreamWorks Dragons slate of upcoming franchise properties, which includes a television series as well as the much-anticipated sequel to the original film.

American International Toy Fair – February 10-13, 2013 – Welcomes Surge in Global Visitors

Numbers Spike for Licensors, International Attendees and Global Press

New York, NY -- February 19, 2013 -- The 110th American International Toy Fair opened its doors to a surge in international attendees last week, as tens of thousands of visitors from 92 countries descended upon New York City to preview 150,000 innovative toys, games and youth entertainment products at the largest toy tradeshow in the Western hemisphere.

Owned and operated by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), Toy Fair 2013 (Feb. 10-13) welcomed a 4% increase in international attendees, a 9% rise in licensors, a 6% increase in international manufacturer's reps, and an 18% surge in foreign press visiting from 20 countries. Total attendance during the four-day show was 24,145.

February 20, 2013 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

-------------
NEW PREORDERS
-------------

GI JOE BASIC FIGURE SERIES 01 - SET, SINGLES
This new assortment includes new decoes of Cobra Commander, a Cobra Trooper and Storm Shadow, along with Snake Eyes, Duke and Shipwreck. We have them listed as singles at $3.99 - $11.99 each, and as a Set of 6 at $31.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=GI%20Joe%202013%20...

MASS EFFECT SSV NORMANDY SR-2 18" SHIP REPLICA
This new 18" version of the SSV Normandy SR-2 rests atop a specially-designed base. It is limited to 1500 pieces worldwide and is priced at $239.99, saving you $60 off of the MSRP.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DH11060&mode=retail

WAR LORD UT-W02, UT-W03 - WAR RHINO, WAR BISON

Walking Dead Minimates Series 3 Will Rise this Spring

February 2013 - The dead cannot be stopped, and neither can the Walking Dead Minimates! With Series 2 in Toys "R" Us, comic shops and specialty stores now, Series 3 is gearing up for production from Diamond Select Toys! And like the first two series, it includes popular lead characters, short-lived favorites and zombies straight from the comic book pages!

Coming in Spring 2013, look for the following figures to hit comic shops and specialty stores:

Rick in Riot Gear and Guard Zombie
Dexter and Dreadlock Zombie
Prison Hershel and Farmer Zombie (comic shop and specialty store exclusive)
Prison Tyreese (Battle Damaged) and Farmer Zombie (comic shop and specialty store exclusive variant set)

At the same time, Toys "R" Us will get their own exclusive assortment:

The Disney Store Celebrates the 60th Anniversary of Peter Pan with Exclusive Minimates!

February 2013 - In 1953, the Walt Disney Company delighted audiences with its full-length animated feature Peter Pan, an adaptation of the 1911 novel about a magical boy who wouldn't grow up. Now, with the first-ever Blu-Ray release of the film in stores now, the Disney Store has teamed up with Diamond Select Toys to release the first-ever Disney Minimates, based on Peter Pan!