Raving Toy Maniac

October 2013 - Funko has announced two new POP! Games vinyl figures based on World of Warcraft - Arthas and Illidan.

Expect to see these two POPs in stores around October 24th.

New JC Rivera Holiday Releases From Outsmart Originals

October 2013 - Whether you're hot or on Hoth, we've got you covered with some new designs from the BearChamp artist himself, JC Rivera. First up, and by popular demand, is the Tribal Trooper design - this time screen printed on classic black tees. The second is taken from Rivera's limited edition print, AT-AT Home, also screen printed on classic black tees. Both will be produced in limited editions and will ship at the end of November - just in time to wrap and stick under a tree or to stuff someone's stocking with. Available on ultra cotton tees for men and super soft cotton tees for women for a classic fit and superior comfort.

New in Previews: TV's Batman, the Return of the Ghostbusters and Deadpool, Deadpool, Deadpool!

October 2013 - The monthly Previews catalog from Diamond Comic Distributors is always chock-full of awesome new products, but this month's Diamond Select Toys offerings are even more awesome than ever! Not only is DST soliciting its new line of Batman resin busts in the new issue, they've got an upsized Mr. Stay Puft bank, the first Ghostbusters Minimates in eons, and the most Deadpool-tastic Marvel Minimates box set ever! Plus Knight Rider, Dawn and more Marvel Select! The catalog hits at the end of the month, and the products wont be out until early 2014, but you can take a gander and pre-order them now!

Batman Classic TV Series Batman Bust

LEGO KidsFest moves into new territory, returns to popular markets

2014 tour stops include Canada, NC, VA & MI

HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 23, 2013 -- LEGO® KidsFest celebrates its sixth year on the road with a return to some popular markets, stops in some new U.S. cities, plus its first stop in Canada.

The 2014 tour dates include Raleigh, NC (Feb. 28 – March 2), Novi, MI (April 25 – 27), Calgary, AB, Canada (May 16 - 18), Atlanta, GA (June 27 – 29), Dallas, TX (Aug. 29 – 31), Richmond, VA (Oct. 3 – 5) and Indianapolis, IN (Nov. 7 – 9).

Raleigh, NC: Feb. 28 – March 2 (Raleigh Convention Center)
Novi, MI: April 25 - 27 (Suburban Collection Showplace)
Calgary, AB: May 16 - 18 (BMO Centre @ Calgary Stampede)
Atlanta, GA: June 27 - 29 (Cobb Galleria Centre)
Dallas, TX: Aug. 29 – 31 (Dallas Convention Center)
Richmond, VA: Oct. 3 – 5 (Greater Richmond Convention Center)
Indianapolis, IN: Nov. 7 – 9 (Indiana Convention Center)

NECA LAUNCHES NEW STORE AT MOCK.COM FEATURING VERONICA ROTH'S DIVERGENT

Hillside, NJ - October 23, 2013 - On the heels of the highly anticipated third title in the best-selling dystopian trilogy by author Veronica Roth, ALLEGIANT, entertainment conglomerate NECA today announced the expansion of the online shopping experience at Mock.com to feature DIVERGENT, offering fans and readers the chance to create customizable branded merchandise.

Accessible via the web, fans worldwide now have the opportunity to personalize a variety of merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, and more with their favorite slogans and logos and from the series.

To coincide with the launch, NECA is running a special offer for one week only. This special offer grants free standard shipping to all shoppers who make a purchase between now and October 31 by entering the code FREESHIP at checkout.

For more information, visit www.mock.com.

October 23, 2013 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

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NEW PRE-ORDERS
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MOVIE MASTERPIECE 1/6 SCALE CELTIC PREDATOR
The new Celtic Predator from Hot Toys includes alternate mandibles, alternate hands, weapons, bladed armor and a display stand, and is listed at $259.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HOT10484&mode=re...

THOR: THE DARK WORLD 1/4 SCALE THOR FIGURE
This Thor figure will include Mjolnir as well as a fabric cape. It will stand 18" tall and is listed at $84.99, $15 off the MSRP.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=NEC12287&mode=re...

PREDATOR 1/4 SCALE DUTCH FIGURE
Arnold's character from "Predator" is the next 1/4 scale figure in this line. He will come with multiple weapons and is listed at $84.99, $15 off the MSRP.

Hess Announces 2013 Toy Truck Model

Hess Toy Truck and Tractor Goes on Sale November 8

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2013 -- Hess revealed the 2013 Toy Truck model ahead of its scheduled November 1 launch with help from fans through social media: The 2013 Hess Toy Truck and Tractor. Fans began to uncover hints and portions of the toy's image on October 14 through linked social actions, including pre-ordering the truck online, liking Hess Express and Hess Toy Truck on Facebook and using the hashtag #hesstruck2013 on Twitter and Instagram.

The 2013 Hess Toy Truck and Tractor can be ordered now at www.hesstoytruck.com. It also goes on sale November 8 at participating Hess and Hess Express retail stores. It retails for $27.99 plus tax (plus shipping for online orders) – four Energizer® batteries included.

The 2013 Hess Toy Truck and Tractor follows a long tradition of quality, craftsmanship and imaginative play. The toy set is a truck with beautiful, chrome detailing and a trailer with a loading ramp that is custom designed to haul a versatile, self-propelled tractor. Features include:

Truck

October 18, 2013 - The past month was a huge blur and we did not get to any fast food restaurants to eat or buy toys. This month we definitely need to get to a McDonald's that has the trick-or-treat buckets and to Carl's Jr to check out the Despicable Me 2 toys. We missed the Batman toys at McDonald's, so that might mean another eBay purchase.

Let's see what's out there in restaurants this month!

A quick check of the web sites for the more popular fast food restaurants reveals the following:

- The Wendy's web site still does not list the toys at all, but I did recently see a television commercial (!!!) promoting their Scared Shrekless Halloween toys. If you are on Facebook, you can see an album of these toys at this link. The toys are: a Shrek/Fiona mask, a Cat Attack Puss in Boots, Donkey Ears, a Donkey Sipper (straw topper), a Haunted Frame, and a Spooky Noises Shrek figure. (More after the jump)

October 2013 - Paul Budnitz, the founder of KidRobot, is the instructor in a new online class on Skillshare!

The class is called "Beautiful Plastic: How to Create a Designer Toy" and includes four video lessons you can access whenever you'd like - you don't need to be at your computer at any certain time to follow along with the class.

There's a short free preview of the class available, and you can click around the tabs at the top to see an outline of the class and what it covered in the video lessons. Paul will tell you about the history of designer toys, and then he'll walk you through the process of creating a sketch of your toy design.

Once you are enrolled in the class, a new section is unlocked where you can interact with the other students and share your designs.

The Hub Network And The Halloween Pros At Party City Reveal 13 Holiday Trends For 2013

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14, 2013 -- Each year, North America's largest Halloween retailer, Party City, analyzes pop culture, the latest fashion crazes and Hollywood blockbusters to determine the year's biggest costume trends. Together with "Hub Network's First Annual Halloween Bash," which will be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 26, 8–10 p.m. on the Hub Network, they are bringing you the top 13 costume and holiday-related facts for a spooktacular Halloween in 2013.

Read on... if you dare:

1. According to Party City, princesses and flutter fairies are among the top most popular costumes for the 2013 season. Coordinating accessories at Party City and www.partycity.com allows consumers to create a personalized, one-of-a-kind costume look.
2. Halloween spending in the United States this year is estimated to reach $8 billion, up significantly from 2011's $6.86 billion.*
3. Consumers are projected to spend $79.82 per person on Halloween, with an average of $28.65 on costumes. An estimated $1.04 billion will be spent on children's costumes, and $1.22 billion on adult costumes.*