TIMONIUM, MD (February 5, 2003) � Diamond Select Toys is excited to announce the debut of the newest products from its comprehensive Marvel™ license � Marvel MiniMates! Coming out of a collaborative effort with toy pioneers Art Asylum, these cute 2.5" versions of Marvel Comics' most popular characters feature amazing levels of articulation and detail for their miniscule size.

Scheduled to be in stores this June, Marvel MiniMates will debut with high profile Marvel Super Heroes, many of which have been or will be featured on the silver screen, including Daredevil™, Hulk™, and the X-Men™, as well as classic characters from the Marvel Universe, like Spider-Man, Silver Surfer™ and Mr. Fixit™. Each figure is based around a common body, but presents unique accessories and body parts appropriate to the character.

MiniMates were created in 2002 by Art Asylum as a new style of action figure for all ages. Adult collectors and children alike have embraced this new toy that has already appeared in stores starring a variety of characters, from Bruce Lee to Ozzy Osbourne and from Star Trek's Captain Kirk to rock icons Kiss.

Diamond Select Toys and Art Asylum have collaborated on several other projects in recent years, including the Rogues' Gallery bust collection and Marvel Milestones line of full-size statues. The success of this relationship in the past, as well as Marvel's properties and the MiniMates brand in general, promise exciting results.

Marvel characters have become household names in recent years thanks in part to the tremendous success around recent Marvel films. Saturday morning cartoons such as X-Men: Evolution™ as well as mainstream press received from comic books like Origin™, Truth: Red White and Black™, and The Rawhide Kid™ have also increased public awareness of the timeless comic book properties. Marvel's latest movie event, Daredevil™, starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, opens on February 14th, two days prior to the annual Toy Fair event.

Both Diamond Select Toys and Art Asylum will be showing Marvel MiniMates in their respective showrooms at Toy Fair this February. Mass market buyers are urged to contact Adam Unger from Art Asylum while Specialty market buyers and press should contact Eric Lyga from Diamond Select Toys for an appointment.

With a library of over 4,700 proprietary characters, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in three areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios) and licensing, comic book publishing and toys (Toy Biz). Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters are created by its comic book division, which continues to expand its leadership position in the U.S. and worldwide while also serving as an invaluable source of intellectual property. For additional information visit the newly revised Marvel Web site at http://www.marvel.com

Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles, LLC was founded in 1999 by sister company Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. Envisioned to create unique and exciting collectibles for children and adults alike, the company has licensed a variety of pop culture properties to be turned into merchandise. With partners such as Marvel Enterprises, Linsner.com, Goodtimes Entertainment, Classic Media, and Pioneer Video, Diamond Select produces a large range of products based on a wide variety of properties. Diamond Select Toys is headquartered in Timonium, Md. For more information, visit www.diamondselecttoys.com.

New York, Brooklyn based Art Asylum, founded by Digger in 1996 as a creative studio providing premier work services to the toy industry. This state of the art studio and office complex, with a staff of 20 joined forces with Jay Foreman and Adam Unger in 2000 and transformed itself into a fully functioning new force in the action figure business. The company's current roster includes such lines as Star Trek, Tony Hawk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Eminem, Bruce Lee, Dark Angel and their own new brands of toys: N' The Box, Asylum Ultimate, and MiniMates. www.artasylum.com

Marvel Enterprises, Inc.: MVL (NYSE) Marvel and all related characters: TM & © 2003 Marvel Characters, Inc.

All rights reserved. www.marvel.com