Raving Toy Maniac

January 9, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several new items of interest to collectors:

Hi - a few new items and arrivals that may be of interest to your readers:

Square Enix - Play Arts Kai - God of War III Kratos
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=SEP10308&mode=re...

Play Arts Kai - Vanquish
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=vanquish+play

note that the price will likely drop quite a bit on all three of these play arts figures, we are just waiting for the domestic supplier to get info to us

Bandai / Tamashii January announcements - cool items from:
Tiger & Bunny
Gundam
Saint Seiya
Kamen Rider
One Piece, more
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=8490

A few new arrivals of note:

Hot Toys Captain America
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10354&mode=re...

Hot Toys Jack Sparrow

New Toy Category Equals New Revenue for Retailers in 2012

AppGear™ to Premiere at CES 2012

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4, 2012 -- from ShowStoppers @CES 2012 -- AppGear™ from WowWee is a line of collectible toys that interact with free downloaded apps, the latest trend in gaming and graphics. AppGear changes the way consumers interact with the world of gaming, connecting apps with traditional tangible toys providing the user with a unique interface combining the digital and real world, essentially creating a new reality... "Amplified Reality."

Launching in early 2012 with 6 unique titles, AppGear will be the low-cost innovative leader in the newly created category, known as AppCessories. A leading national newspaper recently said the AppCessory™ category will be the hottest toy category for 2012.

Last year, App sales surpassed 5.2 billion dollars and this year, that number is expected to increase to over 15 billion. By 2014, experts expect to see the number grow exponentially to 185 billion in sales.

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT, TT GAMES AND THE LEGO GROUP ANNOUNCE LEGO® BATMAN™ 2: DC SUPER HEROES

The Highly-Anticipated Sequel to the Best-Selling LEGO®Videogame of All Time Returns with Help from Super Heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern

Jan. 5, 2012 – Batman is back to save Gotham City and the action will only build from here! Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group are teaming up once again to announce that LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes will be available beginning Summer 2012 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system, and Windows PC, as well as the Nintendo DS™ hand-held system, Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system, and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. The game is the sequel to the best-selling LEGO® Batman™: The Videogame, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.

NEW YORK COMIC CON 4-DAY TICKETS TO GO ON SALE TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 AT 12 NOON!

Officials Announce Extended Hours with More Panels and Screenings on Thursday of Show!!

Norwalk, CT, January 2, 2012: Just in time to welcome the New Year, New York Comic Con (NYCC) organizers have today announced that 4-Day tickets for the 2012 pop culture extravaganza in New York City will go on sale tomorrow, January 3, 2012 at 12 noon EST. The 4-Day ticket provides an exclusive pass to New York Comic Con on Thursday (October 11) as the convention will be open on that day to only Pros, Press, VIPs and fans who purchase a 4-Day ticket! Officials also note that more panels and screenings will be added to the schedule on Thursday and the convention will have extended hours on Thursday with the show floor open from 3pm – 9pm.

OUTER SPACE MEN CUSTOMS SHOW AT TOYPOCALYPSE 2: FUTURETRO!

WANTED: ALL OUTER SPACE MEN FANS AND CUSTOMIZERS!

January 6, 2012 - The Four Horsemen are looking for customizers to be part of their annual gallery show, Toypocalypse 2: Futuretro at TT Underground in New York City!

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Four Horsemen's licensed action figure line, The Outer Space Men, the Four Horsemen are inviting you to create you very own Outer Space Men customs that will be displayed at their upcoming gallery show at TT Underground Gallery in New York City beginning February 10th alongside the work of the Four Horsemen themselves!

January 6, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer Urban-Collector has several new items of interest to collectors:

This week we are featuring new arrivals including True Blood novelties, Batman Legacy figures and Gears of War 3 Series 2 action figures!

Featured Pre-Orders

• Walking Dead Series 1 Px Rick Michonne Action Figure 2-Pack
• Alien Big Chap Chopsticks
• Alien Chest Burster Chopsticks

The Year's Top Toys Showcased at ToyAwards.org
Vote and Register to Win Fantastic Prize Packages

New York, NY | January 5, 2012 - Now that the holiday gifts have been unwrapped, families are invited to visit the Toy Industry Association's (TIA) ToyAwards.org website through midnight on Sunday, January 15th, 2012, to vote for their favorite toys and games and register to win fantastic prizes that will be perfect for birthdays and special occasions throughout the coming months.

"From dolls and board games to innovative and specialty toys, the winners of TIA's annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards go down in history as the most influential playthings of our time," said TIA president Carter Keithley. "We invite everyone who loves toys to help decide which toys and games make it to the top of this year's coveted list!"

Universal Partnerships & Licensing and Illumination Entertainment Sign Thinkway Toys as Global Master Toy Licensee for the Upcoming Motion-Picture Event Despicable Me 2

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Jan. 5, 2012 -- Universal Partnerships & Licensing (UP&L), Illumination Entertainment and Thinkway Toys today announced that they will partner on the global production of toys based on the highly anticipated follow-up to Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's blockbuster hit Despicable Me. Thinkway Toys has been awarded the master global toy license for the motion-picture event Despicable Me 2, which arrives in theaters on July 3, 2013. The announcement was made by UP&L President, Stephanie Sperber, and Thinkway Toys CEO, Albert Chan.

The enormous success of Despicable Me, which grossed more than $543 million at theaters worldwide, made its sequel one of the most sought after properties in Hollywood. Despicable Me was released in July 2010 and went on to become the 10th-highest-grossing animated film in U.S. history and the second highest-grossing animated film of 2010.

January 5, 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.

Children's Chairs and Stools Recalled by Elegant Gifts Mart Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Target Recalls LED Flashlight Sets Due to Fire and Burn Hazards

IKEA Recalls to Repair High Chairs Due to Fall Hazard

Bicycle Pedals Recalled by Performance Inc. Due to Fall Hazard

January 5, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several new items of interest to collectors:

Hi - Here is a quick update from http://www.bigbadtoystore.com about a
great new batch of arrivals and many more new preorders:

------------
NEW ARRIVALS
------------

BBTS EXCLUSIVE GI JOE SEVEN-PACKS - SLAUGHTER'S MARAUDERS, DREADNOKS
Our new exclusives have arrived at the warehouse. The Slaughter's
Marauders pack includes Spirit, Red Dog, Mercenary (Mercer), Falcon, Low
Light, Barbeque and Bull (Taurus), and the Dreadnoks pack includes Road
Pig, Zanzibar, Gnaw (Gnawgahyde), Burn Out, Zanya, Zandar and Thrasher.
Each pack is priced at $49.99; we also have them available as a set for
$89.99, and as a four pack with the Resolute GI Joe and Resolute Cobra
Seven-Packs for $139.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/search.aspx?search=BBTS+Exclusive+GI+...