Raving Toy Maniac

September 2012 - Funko has announced two new Year Without a Santa Claus POP! Vinyl figures - the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser. They should be available on September 20.

September 2012 - Funko has announced a new POP! Vinyl product, the 3D "Mini Pop! Head" Holiday Bookmark. The bookmarks are six inches long and should be available on October 11.

The first two bookmarks are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Elf on the Shelf.

September 2012 - Funko has announced a new Buddy the Elf POP! Vinyl figure, based on the Will Ferrell character in The Elf. Buddy should be available November 29th, and we might even see an image of the actual figure beforehand.

September 2012 - Funko has announced a few new Edward Scissorhands items, available in October:

- Pop! Movies: Edward Scissorhands vinyl figure
- Edward Scissorhands Plushies
- Edward Scissorhands Wacky Wobbler

September 2012 - The Tim Bruckner Shop Releases New Bust of Edgar Allan Poe

"Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more."

- Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

Has your bust of Pallas seen better days? Tired of brazen blackbirds perching willy-nilly on your priceless antiques? Well fret not! With this new original resin model kit by Tim Bruckner, troublesome ravens are a thing of the past. Titled "Boo!", this unpainted 11.5" bust depicts famous author Edgar Allan Poe mouthing the word "Boo!" It won't fail to frighten off the most courageous of crows, and possibly even an aggressive orangutan. Assembles easily! Paint optional!

Order your copy at http://www.timbrucknershop.com!

VISIONARY ILLUSTRATOR YOSHITAKA AMANO TO BE SPOTLIGHT GUEST AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Amano To Attend In Cooperation With Dark Horse Comics

Norwalk, CT, September 7, 2012: New York Comic Con (NYCC) is today proud to announce Yoshitaka Amano, the illustrator most known for sculpting the worlds of Final Fantasy and Vampire Hunter D, will travel from Tokyo to attend this year's NYCC as a Spotlight Guest. New York Comic Con, which will take place October 11 - 14, 2012 at NYC's Javits Center, is one of New York's largest annual events, last year attracting over 100,000 attendees. Amano joins a broad spectrum of already-announced guests including Brian K. Vaughan, Mike Mignola, Christopher Lloyd, Joshua Gates and Anne Rice. Amano's appearance at New York Comic Con is in partnership with Dark Horse Comics, who will release The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy, a giant-sized collection of Amano's art, on October 17.

Kmart® First To Introduce Free Layaway Online And In-Store

Layaway available on hundreds of items year round

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Sept. 7, 2012 -- Kmart® today announced it will be removing its layaway service fee* both online and in-store starting September 7th through November 17th. Kmart's free layaway emphasizes the company's commitment to delivering value and convenience to customers, acknowledging family budgets are strained during the holiday.

"At Kmart, we understand the excitement holidays bring, and the budget concerns that come with them," said Jai Holtz, vice president, financial services, Sears Holdings. "By providing free layaway we want to help make holiday shopping less stressful."

Customers don't have to wait until the holiday season to take advantage of layaway – Kmart is the only mass retailer to offer the program 365 days a year, nationwide. There's no minimum transaction amount and customers can lock in today's low prices on a full range of merchandise including apparel, toys, electronics, jewelry and more.

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

$99.99 Customizable Portal Gun - NECA

Just announced this morning

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=NEC11982&mode=re...

The Customizable Device Kit features a blank white device and all the trimmings that enable you to create an Atlas, P-body, or Chell version of the device or use your imagination and create your own.

The Kit includes 4 Aperture Laboratories decals along with 4 plastic stripes with magnetic backing that you can attach or remove from the main body of your device.

This brand new ASHPD kit also features an additional switch that allows you to cycle between all different LED effects (red, yellow/orange, purple, and blue) and includes the in game sound effects activated when you pull the trigger.

Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo Takes Over Los Angeles Convention Center September 15-16

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2012 --

WHAT:
Tens of thousands of comic, horror, gaming, sci-fi and pop-culture enthusiasts from all over Southern California will fill up the Los Angeles Convention Center for an up-close look at Los Angeles' largest pop-culture convention owned by comic legend Stan Lee and horror icon Elvira. Fans will enjoy panel discussions, hundreds of vendors, celebrity appearances, interactive zombie obstacle course, Harry Potter-style Quidditch Tournament, movie screenings and more.

• Celebrity Appearances – Stan Lee, Elvira, Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Adam West, Burt Ward & Julie Newmar, Linda Blair, Thomas Jane, Lou Ferrigno, Todd McFarlane and many more will greet fans and pose for photos throughout the weekend
• Quidditch Tournament – Local college students will compete in this unique sport made famous by Harry Potter
• Comikaze Zombie Apocalypse – a 75,000 square foot survival course infested with zombies. Participants will be chased through a large obstacle course – where they must crawl, climb, and slide to safety

September 2012 - The Official Transformers Collectors' Club has sent along an update:

Hello! As some of you have already seen, we have posted up a two page comic preview spotlighting figures from the ALL NEW Transformers Figure Subscription Service.

The preview can be seen here:

http://transformersclub.com/