Raving Toy Maniac

K'NEX Announces June Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20 Contest

Contests Run Monthly Through December, 20 Chances to Win Each Month!

Hatfield, PA, June 2012 – K'NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, announced its sixth in a series of twelve contests, Mission: K'NEX 20 on 20, monthly "hunts" for secret codes on various K'NEX related web pages.

Every month on the 20th day, through December 2012, K'NEX will be giving away 20 products to 20 lucky fans! On the 1st weekday of every month a prize will be revealed and a new "mission" is assigned. Missions can be found on the K'NEX website: http://www.knex.com/20thanniversary/Mission20on20/ which directs participants how to find secret codes. Once a code is found, participants must return to the K'NEX site and enter the code. If correct, they are eligible to be entered for a chance to win a prize. On the 20th of each month, when the contest closes, 20 winners will be randomly chosen from those eligible entries.

June 1, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - a quick update on new items listed today:

We've just received word that the Dark Knight Rises Bat-Pod is available to order - preorders have just been listed at $254.99 - $20 under MSRP
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=hot10395&mode=re...

Bandai Japan Exclusive items from Bandai
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=9694

LOTR - Dark Rider of Mordor
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SSC11136&mode=re...

Head Robots - DX Blood Upgrade Parts
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HRB10009&mode=re...

Sports Picks - NHL Series 32
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=nhl+32

June 1, 2012 - Funko has announced five Plants vs. Zombies POP! Vinyl figures available July 5th: Conehead Zombie, Disco Zombie, (plain) Zombie, Peashooter, and Sunflower.

June 1, 2012 - Funko has announced three Star Wars BLOX figures available in June: Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and a Stormtrooper. The Star Wars BLOX also bobble, which somehow makes them even more cute:

May 31, 2012 - Hasbro has sent word of a new contest:

Hello!

Hasbro is hosting THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Scavenger Hunt, an online promotion in support of the upcoming THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN toy line based on the upcoming Marvel movie!

With the new Amazing Spider-Man movie swinging into theaters, Hasbro is giving kids 6-13 the chance to win the ultimate Spider-Man prize: a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida to experience the Spider-Man ride in 3D! From May 30-July 8, kids can log on to http://www.hasbro.com/spiderman for the chance to win the trip for 4, or one of 100 Amazing Spider-Man Electronic Figures. Kids can also play The Amazing Spider-Man Scavenger Hunt, where they'll search for missing toys. No purchase necessary. U.S. residents only; void where prohibited.

May 31, 2012 - As the tide rolls in, it brings a warning from the sea... the Captain is not gone, but waiting. Deep in the water the peg-legged pirate waits to set sail once again on the Whispering Corsair along with his crew of undead shipmates. Reel in this limited edition ghostly "Deep Blue Sea" variant when Toy2R releases him next month. Limited to only 200 pieces, this edition will wave in the arrival of more mysterious JPK creations to come... so don't miss out on this limited release.

May 31, 2012 - Two weeks ago, Diamond Select Toys and Marvel.com announced their first-ever fan poll to decide a full series of Marvel Minimates. Through a series of four polls, Marvel fans get to choose the entire line-up of Series 50, which will hit in 2013 and mark the 10th anniversary of the line.

Last week's poll had fans choosing between eight new versions of the biggest Marvel heroes, but it's a new week, and there's a new poll up at Marvel.com! This week, the poll offers up eight supporting heroes, many of whom have never been made as Minimates -- Winter Soldier, Songbird, Black Knight II, The Falcon, Gladiator, Banshee, Luke Cage and Commander Steve Rogers. You can vote for your two favorites, and the highest-polling characters will be made in Series 50!

"Marvel's The Avengers" To Screen for Crew of International Space Station

After Conquering the World Box Office, the Record-breaking Super Hero Actioner Takes On Space 220 Miles Above Earth

BURBANK, Calif., May 31, 2012 -- Marvel Studios announced today that they arranged with NASA to transfer their record-breaking blockbuster film "Marvel's The Avengers" to NASA's Mission Control in Houston, which will uplink the film to the International Space Station (ISS), currently orbiting 220 miles above Earth. The film will then be screened for the space station crew's exclusive enjoyment.

This screening continues Marvel's collaboration with NASA, which began during principal photography of "Marvel's The Avengers" when the film shot at the Space Power Facility at NASA's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio.

May 31, 2012 - Listed below are the toy (and child-related) recalls from this week; these links go to the official announcements on the Consumer Product Safety Commission web site.

- Toys R Us Recalls Imaginarium Activity Center Due to Choking Hazard

Hallmark Unveils Plans, Reveals Exclusive Keepsake Ornaments for Comic-Con 2012

KANSAS CITY, Mo., May 30, 2012 -- Hallmark announces its return to Comic-Con International in San Diego - the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world. Celebrating its fifth year at Comic-Con, Hallmark will provide more than 100,000 attendees access to Comic-Con-exclusive Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, visits with a Keepsake Ornament artist and sneak peeks of products to be released in 2013.

During the convention, held July 11-15, 2012, Hallmark will sell limited quantities of the following Keepsake Ornaments:

• 4-LOM and Zuckuss: This two-pack features the criminal droid 4-LOM and Gand tracking expert Zuckuss from "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back™." Created exclusively for event sales, 4-LOM and Zuckuss are the last bounty hunters depicted in the film to become Keepsake Ornaments. Limited run of 1,000 sets ($35 per set).