Raving Toy Maniac

October 10, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

-------------
NEW PREORDERS
-------------

LORD OF THE RINGS GOLLUM, SMEAGOL 1/4 SCALE FIGURES
The first of NECA's new 1/4 scale figure releases will be Gollum and Smeagol as they appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Each figure is limited to 7500 pieces, will stand 10" tall, and is listed at $49.99 each or as a set of two for $89.99.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=662&category=9013

"THE AVENGERS" CAPTAIN AMERICA 1/4 SCALE FIGURE
NECA is also releasing a new 1/4 scale figure of the First Avenger. This 18" piece is also limited to 7500 pieces, has over 25 points of articulation and alternate hands, and is listed at $84.99, $15 off the MSRP.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=NEC12020&mode=re...

WARBOT ASSAULTER, CITY & SHADOW COMMANDER

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for October 10

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10: ONE OF THE OLDEST TOYS

Profile America - Wednesday, October 10th. An annual event celebrating the simple pleasures of toys from the past is centered on Burlington, Wisconsin, today. The focal point of International Top Spinning Day will be the Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum. There, visitors can see more than 2,000 displays of tops, yo-yos and gyroscopes. The tops range from modern to antique, and come from around the world. There are tops that spin for hours, and even one that spins for days. Youngsters can learn about the physics that keep each of these delightful toys turning. Tops and yo-yos are part of the $2.7 billion worth of toys manufactured in the U.S. each year. You can find current data on the country's economy - on the go - by downloading the new "America's Economy" mobile application at http://www.census.gov/mobile.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 500

On Sale This Week: Walking Dead Minimates and Universal Monsters' Metaluna Mutant!

October 10, 2012 - The horror! The horror! With Halloween fast approaching, Diamond Select's most blood-curdling products of the year are creeping into comic shops and specialty stores across the country! First up, arriving in stores this Wednesday are the first series of Walking Dead Minimates and the Universal Monsters Select figure of the Metaluna Mutant!

Universal Monsters Select: Metaluna Mutant

October 9, 2012 - (Sponsor Announcement) - Online retailer BigBadToyStore.com has several items of interest to collectors:

We've just listed the latest FansProject figure - Warbot Assaulter is now up for preorder at $94.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=FPJ10028&mode=re...

Preorders have just been listed for NECA's latest 1/4 offerings - all figures are limited to 7500 total pieces each.

From Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit - we have 1/4 Gollum and 1/4 Smeagol - available at $49.99 each, or buy the set and save $20 off MSRP at $89.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=662&category=9013

From The Avengers - we have NECA's first large scale Marvel figure - Captain America - listed $15 under MSRP at $84.99
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=NEC12020&mode=re...

Dark Horse Comics and Dynamics Inc. To Reveal Two Exclusive Comic Book Series For Next-Generation ePlate Credit Card At New York Comic Con

Limited Number of Special Edition Prototype ePlate™ Devices To Be Distributed At An Exclusive Event

October 9, 2012, New York – Dark Horse Comics will reveal two new exclusive comic book series for the ePlate™ payment device at New York Comic Con.

The Dark Horse experience™ application is a payments application for the new battery-powered ePlate™ credit card.

With every purchase, card carrying comics fans can earn exclusive issues of two new series of Dark Horse comics. The first exclusive series is Conan: The Phantoms of the Black Coast. The second exclusive series is a team-up of Dark Horse characters X, Ghost and Captain Midnight!

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

Rovio has just announced the Star Wars Angry Birds game! Hasbro will be creating toys to accompany the game. Check out the fun items below:

AT-AT Attack
Death Star Jenga
Early Bird Pack
Jenga Launchers
KOOSH
Battle Packs
Blind Bag Mystery Figures

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10891

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

--------------
CLEARANCE SALE
--------------

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

-------------
NEW PREORDERS
-------------

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?