Raving Toy Maniac

October 8, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

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CLEARANCE SALE
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We've cut prices 10% to 30% on over 5500 older and overstocked products! Over 2500 of these items have had discounts of 20% or greater applied. There are many great deals available as we make way for a huge amount of new product coming in this winter and spring - take a look at the sale menu and take advantage of many great deals on a huge variety of products:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10877

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NEW PREORDERS
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TRANSFORMERS MASTERPIECE - MP-16, MP-10B

Hasbro Teams Up with Rovio Entertainment and Lucasfilm for New ANGRY BIRDS™ STAR WARS® Line

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - October 8, 2012 - Hasbro, Inc. has announced today it has entered into agreement with LucasFilm to manufacture and globally market a variety of products based on the newly launched STAR WARS edition of the wildly popular ANGRY BIRDS mobile game from Rovio Entertainment. The new ANGRY BIRDS STAR WARS line from Hasbro will launch in the beginning of November 2012.

Hasbro will introduce the line with several new toys based on the ANGRY BIRDS STAR WARS property including the AT-AT ATTACK BATTLE GAME. The line will also feature new products based on a variety of existing Hasbro properties including the popular JENGA brand and the recently re-launched KOOSH brand, to introduce new play experiences featuring iconic STAR WARS characters re-imagined as high-flying ANGRY BIRDS and villainous pigs.

ANGRY BIRDS™ & STAR WARS™ JOIN FORCES

ROVIO ENTERTAINMENT AND LUCASFILM LTD. ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF AN ALL-NEW VERSION OF THE WILDLY POPULAR ANGRY BIRDS CHARACTERS SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF 'A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY'

Game and Merchandise Available Globally November 8

NEW YORK – (October 8, 2012) – Rovio Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. announced today a new blockbuster entertainment franchise collaboration; Angry Birds Star Wars. Launching worldwide on November 8, the unique partnership will combine all the fun of the classic Angry Birds and Angry Birds Space with the characters, stories and settings of the epic space fantasy, Star Wars.

From the deserts of Tatooine to the depths of the Death Star – the game and merchandise will feature the Angry Birds characters starring as the iconic heroes of the beloved Saga.

Marvel Comics and Ghostbusters Neon Signs are the Ultimate Halloween Decorations

October 2012 - Tired of waiting by the door on Halloween with a bowl of goodies and not getting any trick-or-treaters? Do your soggy decorations and serviceable outdoor lighting fail to inspire confidence in lazy candy-seekers? Well, why not show the kids in your neighborhood that you're open for business by flipping on your Marvel Comics or Ghostbusters neon sign from Diamond Select?

Action Figure Xpress Brings New Thundercats and Alpha Flight Minimates to NYCC

October 2012 - Visitors to the Action Figure Xpress booth at the San Diego Comic-Con were treated to two unprecedented Minimates box sets: the first Minimates of the Marvel super-team Alpha Flight and the first Minimates ever for the original Thundercats cartoon! Well, response was so strong for those sets at SDCC that AFX is continuing those two lines at New York Comic-Con!

NYCC attendees will have the chance to pic up an entirely new Alpha Flight-themed Marvel Minimates box set at the show, featuring Sasquatch, Aurora, Snowbird and Shaman. In addition to the SDCC set's Guardian, Puck, Marrina and Northstar, the Canadian superteam will also get a two-pack of Vindicator and Box at Toys "R" Us this fall.

New Walking Dead and Universal Monsters Banks to Debut at NYCC

October 2012 - With New York Comic-Con falling just two weeks before Halloween, Diamond Select Toys wanted to have some special horror-themed product to offer visitors to their booth. So they took three of their upcoming vinyl bust banks -- a Walking Dead zombie and Universal's Frankenstein and the Creature from the Black Lagoon -- and made black-and-white editions based on the original source material!

Hasbro Announces Official 2012 PLAY-DOH Artist of the Year

Rhode Island School of Design Students Sculpt 2012 Presidential Candidates in Competition to Be Named First Ever Official PLAY-DOH Artist

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- October 2, 2012 -- Today, Hasbro, Inc. announced Ian Williams, age 21 from Rochester, NY, as the winner of the "Official PLAY-DOH Artist of the Year" contest. Hasbro worked with the Rhode Island School of Design Sculpture and Ceramics Department, one of the top art and design schools in the United States, to offer students the exclusive opportunity to become the "Official PLAY-DOH Artist of the Year" and earn a $5,000 tuition stipend.

Each entrant sculpted both the Democratic and Republican Party 2012 presidential candidates, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, using only PLAY-DOH compound. Entries were judged based on five criteria including realism, craftsmanship, creativity, presentation, and incorporation of the PLAY-DOH brand personality.

Mezco Reveals Frankenstein Black and White Variant With Limited Edition Of 100 Pieces At 2012 New York Comic Con Booth 1960

October 2012 - Constructed by the infamous Dr. Frankenstein from corpses, and resurrected by curious machines powered by a bolt of lightning, he terrorized the countryside. Now he is brought to life by Mezco's award-winning design team.

Now available for the 1st time at the world famous New York Comic Con, Mezco is releasing a special black and white variant. This two-tone color scheme pays homage to the original 1931 Classic film.

Although tens of thousands of fans will descend on NYCC this year, Mezco is only making 100 of this special variant version. Due to its limited nature, the Black and While Variant Frankenstein 9inch figure by Mezco is sure to become one of the most sought after items of 2012.

Mezco Toyz will have Frankenstein available at booth 1960 at New York Comic Con.

Teen Action-Hero Max Steel Makes Global Series Debut

LONDON 5 OCTOBER, 2012: Mattel, Inc., and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), announced today a premier slate of international television sales including a major US broadcasting deal with Disney XD for Max Steel®. The action-adventure CGI animated series based on the Mattel franchise of the same name, Max Steel, will begin broadcast globally in spring 2013.

With buyers in more than 100 territories securing broadcast rights, Max Steel has procured and set the stage for a global viewing audience. FME, which has international distribution rights outside of the US, has confirmed sales of the series to: Cartoon Network and Boing in Italy and Spain; Lagardere in France; Canal Panda in Portugal; as well as two major multi-territory deals with Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific and Disney XD.

October 7, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

Hi - We are happy to announce that the BBTS Shared Exclusive - Transformers Prime - First Edition figures are now available for preorder.

The Deluxe set of 4 contains Vehicon, Starscream, Terrorcon Cliffjumper, and Arcee - and is priced at $59.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22263&mode=re...

The Voyager set of 2 contains Optimus and Bulkhead - and is priced at $49.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS22264&mode=re...

The Entertainment 2-Pack features Optimus & Megatron and is priced at $39.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS21018&mode=re...

The full lineup including single figures is available here:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10856