Raving Toy Maniac

September 5, 2012 - Funko has announced six Game of Thrones POP! Vinyl figures available November 1st:

~ Game of Thrones~

One for the adults...

Game of Thrones (or as I sometimes call it, Wine/Women/War) is one of the hottest shows on HBO!

They recently received 11 Primetime Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
If you are not watching this show, and also you are an adult, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY START NOW!
With the 3rd season premiering March 31, 2013...

We figure it's the perfect time for Pop!'s!

Pop! Television: Game of Thrones

Daenerys Targaryen
Khal Drogo
Ned Stark
Tyrion Lannister
The Hound
White Walker

On Sale Today: Expendables 2 Minimates and Femme Fatales Darkchylde!

September 5, 2012 - It's Wednesday again, which means it's time for another trip to your local comic shop! While you're there, pick up the two latest releases from Diamond Select Toys!

Expendables 2 Minimates Series 1 Box Set
The Expendables are back! Sylvester Stallone's all-star line-up of black-ops bikers recently returned in Expendables 2, and now DST is bringing you more of your favorite Expendables in Minimate, as well as all-new characters from the new film! Yin Yang, Gunner Jensen, Toll Road and Jean Vilain will come in a single four-pack on a full-color blister card. Each Minimate stands 2 inches tall with 14 points of articulation and a variety of removable and interchangeable parts and accessories. The figures in this box set will only be available in comic shops and specialty stores, and look for the companion box set at Toys "R" Us!

BEN FOLDS FIVE TO PERFORM AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Opening Night Concert Free for VIP and 4-Day Ticket Holders!

Appearance is part of band's 2012 reunion tour

Norwalk, CT, September 5, 2012: Officials at New York Comic Con (NYCC) are pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed and renowned alternative rock trio Ben Folds Five will perform at NYCC in an opening night concert. This exclusive concert appearance for the fans attending NYCC will be part of the band's reunion tour following the release of their first new album in 13 years called The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind. Ben Folds Five will perform in the IGN Theater at NYCC on Thursday, October 11 at 8:00 PM, presented by WD, maker of digital storage and home entertainment products. The concert is free for NYCC VIPs and 4-Day ticket holders with entrance provided on a first come, first served basis. Badges must be presented at the door.

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

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NEW PREORDERS
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BBTS EXCLUSIVE DARK ENERGON DELUXE SET OF 4 WITH BONUS DVD
This BBTS Exclusive Set will include the following figures, as well as a bonus DVD: Defender Wheeljack, Knockout, Starscream, Defender Bumblebee. The translucent figures show the effects of Dark Energon infusion. Each fan-favorite character has unique paint schemes and the Autobots and Decepticons have taken on new faction logos: Autobot Dark Energon Defenders and Dark Energon Decepticons. This set is listed for $59.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=bbts10023&mode=r...

BBTS EXCLUSIVE DARK ENERGON VOYAGER SET OF 2

Hello Kitty® Hits 10 million "Likes" on Facebook

Hello Kitty Joins Adidas, Burberry, Converse, Lacoste, Levi's and Nike on Social Media Success

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 5, 2012 -- Hello Kitty's devoted fans have helped the iconic brand achieve 10 million "likes" on Facebook, a milestone reached by an elite few lifestyle brands. Hello Kitty launched her Facebook page in 2009. Sanrio® Inc. (http://www.sanrio.com) is the parent company of pop icon Hello Kitty.

Alongside Adidas, Burberry, Converse, Lacoste, Levi's and Nike Football, Hello Kitty has hit the exclusive 10 million Facebook mark. Social media is part of the brand's strategy to continue the word of mouth success upon which Sanrio was built. As the brand forgoes traditional multichannel, advertising-supported campaigns to drive awareness, Hello Kitty hit her 10 million "like" achievement due to the unsolicited loyalty she garners from committed fans around the world. Hello Kitty did not have to ask her fans to "like" her - they just did.

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

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

Hatfield, PA, September 2012 – K'NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™, announced its ninth 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 K'NEX products to 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, winners will be randomly chosen from those eligible entries.

Todd McFarlane to Make His First Appearance at Stan Lee's Comikaze Comic-con

Joined by Creative Team Member and Artist Collaborators

Tempe, Ariz., Sept. 4, 2012 - When comic book legend Stan Lee throws a party, everyone wants to attend. And lucky for us, we are all invited! Stan Lee's Comikaze, Los Angeles' largest pop-culture convention, opens on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Stan has invited his old friend, comic superstar, Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn and the force behind McFarlane Toys to join him. Bring your favorite comic or action figure and get a FREE autograph from Todd. You will NOT want to miss the Todd and Stan panel, the funniest comic book panel on earth. McFarlane has created a special program cover, featuring Stan, which will only be available at the show. You know we are dying to show it to you, but it's top secret, so you'll have to wait a little longer. Look for the reveal over on our Facebook and Twitter sites soon.

Toys"R"Us® Introduces Enhanced Holiday Layaway Program with No Upfront Service Fee and No Minimum Purchase Requirement

Now Through October 31, Budget-Conscious Shoppers Can Get a Head Start on Their Holiday Shopping and Take Time to Pay with Free Layaway

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 3, 2012 -- Toys"R"Us® today announced that it will take its layaway program to a whole new level this holiday season, waiving the upfront service fee for all layaway orders created in its stores now through October 31. Offering a free, no minimum purchase layaway program early in the season allows customers to take full advantage of the flexible payment terms provided by layaway and give themselves until December 16 to pick up their orders. In conjunction with the introduction of a layaway program with no upfront fee, the company announced it is offering special savings this week for customers who want to get a head start on their holiday shopping. Additional savings on popular toys will continue right through Christmas to help consumers further stretch their budgets.

Legendary Queen Frontman Freddie Mercury To Become an Angry Bird To Celebrate Freddie For A Day

BURBANK, Calif., Sept. 2, 2012 -- Freddie For A Day and Rovio Entertainment are proud to announce a unique and innovative partnership that sees the most iconic Rock'n'Roll frontman of all time, Freddie Mercury, become an honorary member of the Angry Birds family.

To start the week in which Freddie's memory is celebrated with Freddie For A Day on his birthday, September 5, this coming Monday, September 3 the creators of Angry Birds are releasing an all-new animation of Freddie the Angry Bird riding his bicycle to the famous Queen track "Bicycle Race." The video will be made available on Rovio's YouTube channel / http://rov.io/AngryBirdsFreddieForADay September 3 at 5:00am PT / 8:00am ET.

**Note, this link will not go live until that time.

Universal Monsters Minimates Series 3 is Haunting Toys "R" Us!

September 2012 - Halloween is still two months away, but since it's one of the greatest holidays ever invented, why not start celebrating it early? The third series of Minimates mini-figures based on the classic Universal Monsters has arrived at Toys "R" Us and http://toysrus.com, and it spotlights two classic films: The Mummy and The Hunchback of Notre Dame! Broken down into packs of two, the two-packs include The Mummy with an opening Sarcophagus, Princess Anck-es-en-Amon with Henry Whemple (a TRU exclusive!), Quasimodo with Phoebus and an exclusive black-and-white set of the Mummy with Quasimodo! Check out the in-package product below!